Fan Fiction ❯ Divine Flame ❯ Of Knights and Dwarves ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6: Of Knights and Dwarves

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Disclaimer: I do not own Renamon, Toei Animation, Fox Kids, and Saban or Bandai owns her. I use their characters in my stories for readers' enjoyment.

And no, I did not keep her name in this story; I changed it to Lunar, other than that she's about the same. (And there's no evolving.)

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The weary group made their way through the city gates and into the magnificent town of Setia, their mouths hanging open at the sights. The castle stood towering over everything else, it's bright white marble glowing in the evening sun. Guards, troops and generals walked about, their armors gleaming. They greeted the group with smiles and went on their way, although more than a few stopped to stare at the Sword of Raenas curiously. Not wanting to cause any trouble, the group hurried to find an inn to rest for the night, and return the relic the next day.

Thgan walked ahead, a bright smile on his face, leading the party to the most well known inn in the entire Setia. Ralin jogged along behind, happily anticipating enjoying the food and wine that Thgan had assured him was the best. Heyior was next to Ralin, looking around in such wide-eyed interest that Arkeson, for a moment, feared that his eyes might just drop out. Arkeson had stuffed the relic sword in his backpack shortly after several knights had paused to stare at it intently, vague looks of recognition on their faces. He walked briskly, wanting to rest and to escape from the strange stares that nearly everyone was throwing the group. Lunar was following closely behind, ignoring all stares given to her with a haughty air. Her arm cackled with energy whenever somebody came close, and thus people began to take detours just to avoid her wrath.

They arrived at the inn rather quickly. It was tall, built of bricks and marble, a sign hanging above the door that read `Welcome All Travelers'. Light poured out of the spotlessly clean windows, aromas rising from the food and wine very nearly sent them bursting into the inn in impatience. They rang a small silver bell outside once, and stepped into the inn, where the innkeeper immediately greeted them with a warm smile, arranging rooms for them within a few moments. He handed them the keys, and sent them up the stairs with a hearty laugh and pats on their backs. However, since the inn was packed to the brim, the companions were only allocated a single room, and Ralin gave a great groan the moment they entered.

"Only three beds." He said gloomily. "And there are five of us."

"Well, who's going to volunteer themselves?" Arkeson asked, and without hesitation, raised his hand. "I'll be one of the two to sleep on the floor tonight." Thgan shot up his hand.

"And me." He said simply.

"Nice." Ralin said, arching backwards. "I need to rest my aching bones." A loud crack filled the air, and all the companions whirled around only to see Ralin frozen in place, his hands on his back. Then he toppled over with a groan and a cry of `my back!"

"Get him down there for something to warm his bones, if you know what I mean." Arkeson said, smirking, trying to stifle his laughter. Thgan nodded, gave a knight's salute and hauled the groaning and moaning dwarf down the stairs. Heyior followed, giggling in excitement. Lunar stood still for a moment, staring at the dragon before her.

"You're staying here, then?" She asked.

"Yeah." Lunar raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not really that hungry." Arkeson added hurriedly with a nervous chuckle. Lunar gave a brief nod of her head and left the room. Heaving a sigh of relief, Arkeson slumped to the ground next to his backpack.

"Might as well get comfortable. Don't want to look all shabby in front of the knights' council tomorrow." He muttered sleepily, lying down on the cool wooden floor, using his backpack as a cushion.

~~~~~

"We're back!" Thgan called out as he stepped into the dark room, lighting a candle. "Hey Arkeson! You hungry…?" Thgan stopped walking as he nearly tripped over Arkeson's still form.

"Well! We bring food and wine up for the leader, and he's asleep!" Heyior quipped. Thgan scratched his beard, a rueful grin on his broad face. With a shrug, Thgan dropped the wineskin on Arkeson's face, along with a bundle of bread. There was no response aside from soft snoring from the dragon. Then he turned over in his slumber, effectively throwing the wineskin off of him. The bundle of bread promptly rolled right off. Then he turned back to face the ceiling, his arms stretched out, his mouth opened widely, his snores increasing in volume.

"Gee, he's really out of it, huh?" Ralin commented, staggering into the room, his face a little flushed from drinking spirits. Thgan walked over to a corner, yawning. He sat down against the wall, yawning again.

"I'm tired too…" He mumbled thickly before drifting off into sleep.

Ralin staggered over to a bed, squinting at it, seeing a blur of four beds swimming about in his vision. He tried to fall onto the bed, but missed and crashed to the floor with a muffled oath. Getting up, the dwarf took careful aim this time and landed on the side of the bed, falling asleep almost immediately, his snores mingling with Arkeson's. His axe slipped off his back and fell beside him with a dull thud. Heyior, still as energetic as ever, hopped onto his bed, tossing off his bow and quiver. He sneaked up behind the comatose dwarf, poked the latter in the belly and received a violent snort in return. Falling back in alarm, the elf eyed Ralin warily for a moment, then laughed and climbed back onto his bed. He seemed to be enjoying every bit of his journey with the others immensely, Lunar noted mentally. The elf, though filled with energy, soon somehow managed to wear himself out, and he slept curled up in a ball on his bed.

Lunar sat down on her bed, the one closest to Arkeson, and watched as the dragon rolled about in his sleep, snoring and smiling contentedly, pawing at the air in his sleep. Lunar smiled slightly at the sight. She never would have thought that this man would have been able to make her smile. Revealing her past to him was yet another remarkable feat. She didn't even know why she had told Arkeson of her story; she had felt instinctively that he would be able to understand her…

And although she tried to deny it, she had to admit that she felt comforted and safer when Arkeson was around…

"What is happening to me? I'm turning emotional…" She whispered to nobody in particular. The last thing she saw before falling into a deep slumber was the soft, warm glow from Arkeson's jewel…

~~~~~

Arkeson was awakened by a loud snore from Ralin, and he bolted upright, a look of outrage on his face. He was just about to chuck something at the dwarf when he noticed the bright sunlight shining through the window. Yawning and grumbling to himself, Arkeson pulled himself off the floor, and shuffled over to Lunar, who was closest to him. He stood over her for a moment, admiring her, and he hesitated. What if she got mad when Arkeson tried to wake her? He stood still, pondering, when Lunar's voice penetrated his thoughts.

"Are you going to just stand there and stare, or are you going to wake the others?" She said irritably, getting off the bed. Arkeson yelped and jumped back, his face flushing a deep red.

"I-I w-w-was just g-getting to it…" Arkeson spluttered, scooting away from Lunar hurriedly, tripping over the edge of the bed and crashing headlong into Heyior. The two sailed through the air with yells of surprise and landed at Ralin's feet. Lunar watched them in amusement, smiling. Heyior got to his feet first groggily, and stepped on Arkeson's head by accident. Arkeson gave a great yell and jumped up, throwing Heyior off balance, and sending the latter's hand slamming into the back of Ralin's head. Coughing and choking, Ralin got up in a rage, yelling in indignation. Thgan snapped awake, and was instantly on his feet, his sword drawn.

"What's going on?" He and Ralin demanded.

"N-nothing…" Arkeson muttered, casting a hurt glare at Lunar, who had covered her mouth with a paw, her eyes shining. Thgan gave a great shuddering yawn, then grabbed his pack and started out the door.

"Well, since we're all already awake, there's no point in staying. Let's go!" Thgan ran down the stairs, his boots creating an awful din. Heyior went running after him, Ralin following close behind, practically tripping all over the elf. Arkeson got to his feet unsteadily, dusting his pants. He then shook his head rapidly, his hair flying about in all directions. When he stopped, he grabbed his somewhat crumpled backpack and headed out of the room, muttering and grumbling to himself. Lunar walked along behind, her smile hidden.

~~~~~

"You're kidding, right?" The guard repeated, staring at the group incredulously.

"For the fifth time, no, I am not!" Arkeson snapped. The guard didn't reply and merely stood there, eyeing the strange companions before him warily. They certainly didn't look like nobles. What could they want with the knights' council?

"I assume you're here on important business?" The guard said stiffly.

"No, I'm here to get candy." Arkeson said sarcastically, his patience wearing thin rapidly. "Of course I'm here for important business, you dolt!"

"But…"

"I'm here to return an important artifact, damn it! Let me in!" Arkeson snarled. Normally Arkeson didn't swear so much, but as the dwarf had commented, the knights had been stuck in their armor for so long that their brains were starting to go bad. The guard had been repeating his questions so many times that even Thgan and Lunar lost their tempers and nearly assaulted the man on the spot.

"Important artifact?" The guard said, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes!" Arkeson yelled, resisting the urge to kick the man in the groin and just sneak in. His fists were clenched at his side, and an audible `crack' could be heard. The guard finally got the message and gulped.

"O-okay, your request has been accepted. Please, go right in." The guard stammered. Arkeson, uttering rude oaths under his breath, made his way into the castle, followed by Lunar, Heyior and Ralin. Thgan entered last, and cast the nervous guard a rueful grin as he closed the gates behind him. As they made their way down the long, narrow and well-lit corridor, Arkeson gave a low growl and pounded his two fists together, muttering to himself in an angry tone. Heyior stifled his laughter as he hopped along, quietly singing songs written of the knights long ago by bards. Arkeson, in his rage, interrupted the elf at times by using negative and sometimes even rude words to replace the original lyrics. Although somewhat indignant, Thgan could not help but laugh heartily. Ralin stumbled behind the knight, being his usual grumpy self. As for Lunar, she walked in the shadows of the corridor, and none were sure of what she was thinking.

It wasn't long before they were standing in a large circular room. It was bright, the sunlight shining through windows built on almost every side of the room. The brown and gray bricks added to the solemn air present within. The group stood on the lower level, and the knights eyed them suspiciously from a higher level. There were a total of five knights present. The pillars in the room stood tall and stretched up to the domed ceiling above, all surrounding a small ornately carved wooden table in the center of the room.

"State your business." The lord of the knights boomed from his helmet.

"Lord Albert." Thgan began formally, placing his hand over his heart in a sign of respect, bowing deeply.

"Sir Thgan! It is a pleasure to see you again. How has life outside the knighthood treated you?" Albert said warmly. Thgan smiled. Of the entire knights' council, Lord Albert was the only person who still pursued the traditional ways of the knights, and he was the most trusted person in the entire knighthood.

"I beg to discuss such trivial matters when this matter has been settled, my lord." Thgan said seriously, rising. Lord Albert raised an eyebrow from within his helmet, and removed it with a sigh and a mutter under his breath. His short black hair tumbled down, matted with sweat; his brown eyes were filled with exhaustion. His face was broad, and a short beard hung limply. But he held himself with a commanding posture, and the companions were impressed.

"What is this matter you speak of, Thgan?" Thgan nodded to Arkeson, who stepped forward nervously, holding a bundle in his arms.

"Your Lordship," Arkeson greeted, placing the bundle reverently on the table. "We have retrieved an artifact long lost to your kingdom." Lord Albert leaned forward curiously. Arkeson relaxed his grip on the bundle, and the cloth slowly fell, revealing the Sword of Raenas. A universal gasp of astonishment rose from the five knights. The reaction was startling. All of them, with the exception of Lord Albert, instantly leapt to their feet, talking in angry tones.

"Impossible! The Sword of Raenas has been missing for ten years!"

"What are they doing with it?"

"Knaves! You must have been the ones who stole the sword all the years back!" The group shrank back beneath the angry stares and voices, and only Lunar stood still, her face expressionless, staring daggers at the knights. That only served to increase their fury, and they were soon shouting for the guards. Then Lord Albert rose from his seat, and slammed his mailed fist down on the long marble table in front of the council with a shattering boom.

"Silence!" He commanded, his beard bristling, his eyes lingering on the sword.

"B-but your Lordship…" One of them argued. Lord Albert whipped around and fixed the man with a death glare. The knights all fell into seething silence.

"The knights' council will now withdraw to discuss this issue." He said firmly, looking around. Turning around, his long red cloak fluttering behind him, Lord Albert headed into the conference room, the other four knights following close behind, exchanging angry glances.

Arkeson sighed and slumped against the table, his eyes on the sword. Thgan scowled and began pacing around the room, his armor jingling loudly, echoing in the large domed room. Ralin and Heyior both sat down, not sure what to do. Lunar remained standing, her eyes averted from the conference room, looking around the room without interest.

"This is certainly turning out wrong." She remarked coolly.

"Lord Albert will be just in his judgment." Thgan said stubbornly. Arkeson didn't say anything and merely stared at the polished marble floor, staring at his pale reflection. He was unusually quiet; all his anger seemed to have vanished.

~~~~~

The knights' council stepped back into the room. Lord Albert looked weary and sad, while the other four wore triumphant smiles on their faces. All the companions instantly snapped to attention, and they looked at the knights expectantly.

"The council has decided." Lord Albert said sorrowfully. "You will all be imprisoned until matters have been cleared up. But rest assured, you will be treated with the utmost respect." Lord Albert said the last few words firmly, and all could see a fire burning from within his eyes. For a moment, he looked so imposing that the knights all around gulped nervously. Then his shoulders slumped, and he waved his hand weakly with a sigh of regret. Two guards rushed in and reverently removed the sword to Lord Albert's private chambers. The four knights each took their leave. And then five guards marched in, and began to escort the companions to the dungeons underground. Lord Albert merely sat there, staring after the companions with an apologetic look in his eyes, and he continued to stare, even after their shadows had long been gone.

~~~~~

"We're going to be thrown in the dungeons…" Arkeson groaned to himself, burying his face in his hands as the group walked along the sloping dimly lit passage. "I made a stupid decision…"

"It's not your fault." Thgan snapped. "It was the right thing to do."

"But I could have just come alone… I just had to a fool and drag the rest of you along…"

"Stop pitying yourself!" Lunar said harshly, and immediately regretted what she said. All the others were staring at her strangely, while Arkeson eyed her with a pained look. Arkeson's look nearly unhinged her, and she quickly averted her gaze. The companions fell into an uneasy silence, shuffling along behind the five knights. And slowly, but surely, Arkeson wandered further and further from the others, and eventually he was walking by himself, his face pale and haggard, mumbling to himself.

"Why is it everything I do always turns out wrong? Why do I keep getting others involved? Why?" He muttered to himself, thinking nobody could hear. But he had forgotten that Lunar had a sharp sense of hearing, and she had picked up every word he said. As she watched out of the corner of her luminous blue eyes, she saw Arkeson shake his head ever so slightly, saw his hair falling all over his face. She gave an irritated cough and turned her attention back to facing forward.

That dragon… He was affecting her in a way she would never have thought possible.

~~~~~

The companions were split into two different cells. Thgan, Arkeson and Lunar went into a cell, which already had one occupant in it, sitting in a dark corner, away from the light. Ralin and Heyior went into a cell with two, pale, wretched people who looked as though they had no eaten for days. They were practically living zombies, dragging themselves about, talking slowly and sluggishly. The treatment for the prisoners was appalling, and Thgan could not help but wonder what had happened during all those years since he had left the knighthood. He knew what the treatment used to be like. Before, no matter how vile the prisoners were, they were treated with utmost respect, but now…

"Strange…" Thgan growled. "What has been happening here…?"

"Many things." A silky, female voice rang out from behind him. Whirling around in surprise, Thgan came face to face with the shadowy figure in the dark corner. Lunar was already staring at the person, her face expressionless. Arkeson merely stood by the metal gate, staring outside dispiritedly, wondering if there was anyway to escape. Ralin and Heyior sat on a bed away from the two other occupants, chilled by their appearances. They talked in hushed tones and would fall silent the moment any of the two other people happened to look over.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Thgan demanded. The figure got up with a sigh of exasperation and stepped forward with a false scowl.

"I'm surprised you've forgotten me already, Sir Thgan Nmelos." The young lady said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She had long, flaming red hair coupled with black eyes, and about half a head shorter than Thgan. She was dressed casually in a black top with long, gray trousers held up by a belt, filled with many pouches and two sheathes with elegant daggers. She was young, probably just a year younger than the knight. Her face was filled with the brilliance of youth and energy, and there was a wry grin on her face. Arkeson was blissfully unaware of the lady's presence, his attention focused on the dungeon guards seated at a table not far away. Lunar continued to regard the young female silently, her face unreadable, her tail twitching slightly, her eyes shining in the light of the many torches. Thgan, however, wore a look of venom and shock on his face.

"You!" He snarled. The lady glared back with an equal amount of spite evident in her eyes.

"Nice to see that you do remember me, after all." She said. Thgan eyed her heatedly, and seemed ready to lash out at her when a smile crept onto his face, and he flashed her a triumphant look.

"I see that the knights have finally caught you, Amelia Karan." Amelia flashed him a venomous glare. Then she regained her composure, and an evil grin appeared.

"I was careless." She shrugged indifferently, and then fixed Thgan with a shrewd glare. "And what about you? What did you do to land you in the dungeons? Betrayed the order?" She spat. Thgan let out a low, furious growl. Both of them stood still, glaring at each other with such enmity that if looks could kill, everyone in the cell who have long been dead. Arkeson heaved a sigh of exasperation and cast a long look of envy at Heyior and Ralin, who had started snickering in their cell. Lunar, being of the royal family, knew how to settle matters such as this. The ministers were always bickering among themselves, and it had become almost a habit of Lunar to intervene each time a quarrel seemed likely to surface. She stepped in between Thgan and Amelia, breaking their line of vision. Both of them turned their heads away at once.

"Stop this nonsense." Lunar said in a deadly, quiet tone. "Fighting will not get us out of here." Thgan gave a snort of derision from where he was standing, and Lunar whirled around, her eyes flashing with an intense anger that made him forget his hatred for a moment.

"Who is she?" Lunar asked, her voice still the same silent, yet dangerous tone.

"Amelia Karan, one of the most wanted thieves in the area. She has committed more crimes than all of the knights' good deeds put together." Thgan said in even, measured tones.

"Only because the knights have not done a single good deed!" Amelia countered.

"You…!" Thgan snarled, taking a step forward, his hand going to his sword. Amelia flipped her twin daggers into the open, twirling them around her fingers. For a moment, both of them seemed ready to attack each other, when Lunar spoke.

"Enough!" She commanded, her hands cackling with energy. Arkeson gave a shuddering, resigned sigh and slumped against the bars, staring outside with a forlorn look that made Ralin and Heyior laugh until they were completely breathless. Thgan, muttering angrily to himself, stomped over to a bed and sat down on it heavily, his eyes falling on the outside, refusing to look anywhere else. Amelia simply melted back into the shadowy corner. Lunar, looking a little pleased, moved over to the other bed and settled down on it, her eyes shutting. For a single, blissful moment, all was silent.

And then the sound of a horn ripped through the air, startling everyone. Arkeson clambered to his feet, retrieving his sword from his backpack, and holding it in his arms as he stared outside grimly. Lunar hopped to her feet nimbly, mentally readying a few spells. Thgan went over to join Arkeson, his face pale and troubled. Amelia, Ralin and Heyior merely remained where they were, though they glanced outside in interest. Heavy footsteps could be heard down the corridor, and they saw all the prison guards running out of the dungeons, their armor clanking noisily as they scrambled up the stairs. Soon all was silent again, and everyone relaxed, all except for Thgan.

"I recognize that sound. It's a call for preparation for battle! But, the prison guards have never been ordered to join the drill before… unless…" He mumbled to himself. Amelia threw him an irritated look.

"By the heavens, knight, haven't you heard what's been going on in Setia recently?" She asked in exasperation, shaking her head. Thgan whirled around and fixed her with a questioning stare. Arkeson continued to look outside grimly, his face contorted in a grimace. Lunar stood behind him, her hands cackling with energy.

"What are you talking about?" Thgan demanded. Amelia shook her head and shrugged.

"Clueless as always…" She muttered. "Setia is preparing for war." Thgan's jaw fell open slightly. Setia had never been involved in a war for over ten years, the knights being a rather formidable force to be reckoned with on the continent of Acaria. Who would declare war on them now?

The thundering of footsteps above interrupted Thgan's thoughts, the knights yelling wildly as they charged. Sounds of battle ensued, metal clashing against metal, the high-pitched wailing of fireballs as they smashed into the pavement, and the screams of death. Dust fell off the ceiling in clouds, choking all of them, and they coughed in the mist, blinking rapidly. The stone that formed the roof above their heads was beginning to crack. Then there came a flash of light from steel, and the sound of steel clashing against steel, louder than anything they had heard so far. Two knights clambered down the stone stairs, breathing heavily, their armor dented and black from flame, their swords bloodied. Sweat streamed down their faces, as did their blood as they fought off another two mysterious figures at the top of the stairs, who were using lances as their weapons. The two Setia knights fought gallantly, but then disaster struck. One of them slipped on a pool of blood and stumbled down the stairs, leaving his comrade to fend off the two dark knights, now recognizable in the dimming torchlight.

One of the dark knights thrust his lance clean through the Setia knight with a yell, and the Setia knight stumbled, his hand clasping his wound, the blood streaming out. His sword went clattering to the ground as he collapsed with a cry of agony. The dark knight stood over him, his eyes flashing in triumphant, his black, ornately designed armor and helmet glowing a dull red. Then the Setia knight raised his head, his eyes burning with a wild fire. His silver armor was coated with blood, the gold trimmings wrapped in dark red. His brown boots were shredded, his helmet dented. He yanked the lance out of his bleeding chest with a scream and lunged forward in a rage. Both dark knights involuntarily took a step back as the knight plunged the lance into one of the dark knights, sending him reeling to the ground without even a cry. He lay there, his body twitching in pain, and then he went still, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, his blood spilling all over the stone floor. His companion reacted instantly and picked up the Setia knight's sword, slashing him across his already injured chest, and the Setia knight crumpled to the ground, dead.

"That's… horrible…" Arkeson whispered from the cell, his eyes wide in shock. This was the first time he had witnessed such a spectacle, the first time he had seen humans killing one another so willingly. Thgan's face was flushed in anger, and he tried to use his body to ram his way out of the cell, but he wasn't succeeding at all. Lunar was scowling, her spells unable to reach the stairs and help the Setia knight. Amelia simply stood behind them, her face expressionless. Ralin and Heyior were staring outside in a horrified fascination, their expressions frozen on their face, giving them almost a comical look.

The other Setia knight had gotten to his feet, snarling at the dark knight, his two hands gripping his broadsword tightly. The dark knight threw his lance aside, tightened his grip around the sword, and charged. The swords clashed, the light reflecting brilliantly in the dim corridor. It seemed at first that the fight would end in a draw, none of the knights gaining a visible advantage over the other. Then there was a high-pitched wailing, and the dungeons began rumbling, the dust flying down once more. The knights ignored it; too engrossed were they in their battle. But the others heard, and recognized it, giving each other glances.

"Get down!" Arkeson roared, throwing himself to the ground, bracing himself for impact. The others followed suit quickly just as the wailing got so loud that their ears hurt. Then there was a flash of fiery red and orange light, followed by a thundering explosion that flung everyone to the far end of their cells. A column of white flame burst through the corridors, heating the metal bars so much that they melted. The companions could feel the intense heat, and they instinctively backed into a corner apprehensively. Finally, the flame ceased, and the heat dispersed, leaving smoldering pools of molten metal and smoke in its wake. The companions proceeded out of their cells cautiously, and peered at the stairs where the flame spell had struck. It had collapsed completely, some parts melted, tinged with the familiar red blood. There was a gaping hole in the ceiling, where sunlight poured through. Arkeson was surprised to see that it was only early afternoon, after what they had gone through, it seemed as though days had passed. The sounds of battle were faint and distant now.

"… … No point in hiding down here. Let's go up." Thgan said gruffly, pulling himself onto the wreckage with a grunt, then climbing out of the hole and into the castle courtyard. The others followed, climbing out slowly…

~~~~~

Lord Albert Tyrblade stared fixedly out of a tall, elegant window situated at the top of the tallest watchtower in the entire kingdom, two paladins standing protectively by his side. Lord Albert sighed as he watched the scene of devastation play out before his eyes. Then he slammed a mailed fist into the brick wall with a vile oath.

"Damn Nidale's army! Damn them! They gave me their word of honor that war would begin two days from now. What are they thinking? What is honor to them?" He growled, shaking in rage. Dark knights clashed against his own, dark dragons flew in the skies above, setting the city ablaze with their deadly breath. Houses crumbled, people collapsed and black smoke billowed all around. He watched as the dark knights swarmed in through a secret entrance that nobody except the council of knights knew of. It was built in the side of the city walls, leading into an old, abandoned guardhouse. It was meant to be used only in cases of extreme emergency. It was impossible that the knights would know where the entrance was unless someone had told them, for the entrance was well camouflaged.

"That means there is a traitor among the council. But who?" Lord Albert pondered, staring outside grimly as the two paladins went over to inspect the stairway for any suspicious characters. After the first level of the castle had been completely wiped out by a powerful blast, the knights had scattered, and Lord Albert had retreated to the watchtower. He watched as a dragon fired a blast of power straight at the castle courtyard, and prayed that Arkeson and the others were still safe. The Sword of Raenas stood glittering in its pedestal in the center of the room. But, before he could survey the city any further, there came a gurgle of pain from behind him, and he whirled around, drawing his sword instantly just as he saw one of his paladins slump to the ground, dead. The other leapt forward, but someone thrust a sword clean through his heart, and the paladin went limp.

"Pathetic." A familiar voice snorted, retrieving his sword. Lord Albert's eyes widened in shock.

"You!" He spat, holding his sword ready. Two knights stepped forward, their faces familiar, but their expressions were unlike anything Lord Albert had even seen before. Their once silver armor had been replaced by onyx black ones. Their swords had engravings of skulls on the hilts, and the blades glinted ominously in the sunlight.

"Lord Albert." They said in dull, emotionless voices, mocking grins on their faces.

"Lord Michael and Lord Dirus. I might have known you two were behind the early invasion. Traitors!" Lord Albert snarled, his voice dripping with disgust. He glanced around briefly. "And what have you done with Lord Wyner and Lord Alex?"

"They were no challenge at all." Dirus spoke in flat, even tones. "A nice, clean blow across their necks was all it took to dispose of their filthy existence."

"Your existence is the one that is filthy, worm!" Lord Albert exploded.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Lord Albert." Michael said dryly, raising his bloodied sword. He lunged forward, swinging his sword. Lord Albert fended off the blow with a shattering clash with his sword, sending both of them leaping backwards. Then they charged again, Michael's sword whistling harmlessly above Albert's head as he rolled on the ground and jumped up, stabbing the sword at Michael's chest. But, at the last moment, Dirus intervened and blocked Albert's lethal thrust, and all three combatants fell back, staring at each other.

"I see you haven't lost your touch, Lord Albert." Dirus drawled. "But this ends now. Nidale's army shall conquer all of Setia, and all shall bow down to the great god and his new world!" Albert was just about to question what Dirus meant when both dark paladins attacked wildly. Albert, left without a choice, lifted up his sword to defend himself…

~~~~~

An earth-shattering crash echoed throughout the enemy camps, and all dark knights stopped work immediately, staring uneasily at the gigantic tent that belonged to their commander, Death General Nidale Nyran. The enemy camps were huge, filled with an uncountable amount of tents that the knights slept in, with stables for the horses and dragons. Peasants enslaved by the dark knights ran around hurriedly, doing their work diligently to avoid incurring the wrath of Nidale, who was presently already in a bad mood. Other dark knights simply retreated to their respective tents, giving the excuse that they needed rest, or they had to polish their weapons in preparation for battle. None wanted to get in the way of the storm Nidale might bring forth.

"What were you thinking?" Nidale thundered in rage, hammering his fist on the sturdy wooden table resting in front of him, sending all the papers and other ornaments on it to jump into the air. "I sent word that the battle would begin in two days! I gave specific orders to remain on alert, but to avoid contact with the Setia knights! Why did your division attack?" He seemed imposing, his tall build adding to the tension already present in the air. His short, dark violet hair was matted with sweat, his black eyes were gleaming with a fierce fire. His black, unique armor was nearly form-fitting, small and light, but protective at the same time. His black chain gloves were clenched tightly together, and his body shook with anger, the sword rattling in its sheathe. Before him stood another man, dressed in dark robes flowing around his thin body, his black hair covering his blood red eyes as he spoke in calm, bored tones.

"Death General Nidale, may I remind you that I am currently of higher status than you are. You have no right to speak that way to me, and you certainly have no authority to command my troops. I will command and direct them as I please!" He said, his voice deep, rumbling in his chest.

"Dark Dragon Gyria, may I also remind you that the dark priests have placed you under my command, in fear that you would turn against them!" Nidale returned savagely. Gyria scowled, and his fists tightened, an aura of energy surrounding him, his anger soon obvious as his hair began to flutter about, revealing his eyes, gleaming in the sun that poured in through the tent flaps.

"Turn against them!" Gyria roared. "All those incompetent fools do every day is to offer their prayers, when what the dark god truly wants is victory! When death approaches them, we shall see what good their prayers would do! Turn against them, indeed. Allow me to tell you this, Nidale." He whispered in dangerous tones. "I was never working with them from the beginning. Never! I'd sooner die at the hands of my enemies than work with those worthless fools!"

"Dishonorable scum." Nidale muttered under his breath. "The dark priests have done more in the name of the dark god than you ever have! I seem to recall one time when we were called to battle, and you weren't present because you were dead drunk in your abode!" Gyria gave a bellow of pure anger and lunged at Nidale, when four dark paladins, already present and sweating in the tent from fear, intervened and pulled Gyria away.

"Sir… may I suggest…" One of them began.

"Be silent!" Nidale and Gyria snarled. The dark paladins fell into a nervous silence, glancing at each other uneasily as their two commanders continued to stare daggers at each other. Nidale spoke, and Gyria returned with an angry remark. Gyria spoke, and Nidale gave a sharp, insulting reply. The tension increased, and the dark paladins began to look outside the tent in envy.

"You may be against the dark priests, Gyria, but remember, we all serve the same god, and if you intend to rebel against him, I wish you the best of luck in your eternal torment in the underworld!" Nidale breathed heavily, his eyes flashing. "Attacking the knights before they were prepared was a cheap, dishonorable strategy!" Gyria merely smirked.

"The knights deserve to die." He said. "There is no need for me to explain my reasons." He turned around and started to leave the tent.

"You are a coward, by Evaelc!" Nidale shouted. "You sent spies into the city to catch the knights off-guard!" Gyria stopped, and he leaned his head back towards Nidale slightly.

"The knights never posed a threat to me. It was evident that even if they were prepared, they would have fallen against my power. We shall see how well you do against the Setia knights alone! Don't you dare show your face to the dark priests if you fail!" Gyria began to laugh, a chilling, and cold laughter. He stepped out of the tent, leaving a seething Nidale.

"We shall see, Nidale!" Gyria repeated, his voice echoing throughout the camps as he transformed into a huge, violet dragon and took off into the air. "Come, my troops! The knights are nothing but weaklings compared to us. We shall seek a worthier foe elsewhere!" With a mighty roar, Gyria flew away into the distance, the other dark dragons following, the dark knights riding after them on their steeds. Soon, the camp was left with just half its original manpower.

"Was that a wise choice, sir?" One of the dark paladins spoke up, greatly daring. Nidale was silent for a moment.

"We can still win the battle. Our troops easily outnumber the Setia knights. We have no need of that dishonorable scum's help." He said, looking in the direction where Gyria's troops were heading.

"But his help would have ensured us a great victory, General Nidale!" The dark paladin spoke again.

"There is no glory in victory if the battle was won by underhand means." Nidale snapped, waving a hand dismissively. "Call back the troops, and allow the Setia knights to build their defenses. I want a decent fight in two days." The dark paladins nodded and ran off to carry out their orders as Nidale retreated to his bed, sitting on it heavily. There, weariness took over him, and he sighed.

"Gyria wasn't like that before." He said wistfully, looking up at the roof. "Everyone's changed. Completely changed. I wonder… what is our purpose…?"

~~~~~

Arkeson rolled aside as a sword was brought crashing down on the very spot where his head was a few seconds ago. Leaping to his feet, Arkeson quickly dodged another blow, and delivered a crushing kick to the dark knight's head while swinging his sword into sword arm of another. Both knights crumpled in agony. The courtyard was practically crawling with dark dragons and knights; the Setia knights were all barricaded behind their sturdy wooden defense at the gate. The companions were scattered all over the large courtyard, trying desperately to help the knights. Arkeson and Heyior formed an unlikely team with three other Setia knights at the destroyed entrance to the dungeons, fighting valiantly. Arkeson and the knights drove the enemies back with their swords, while Heyior, with his incredible marksmanship, shot arrows through crowds and straight into the chests of his targets.

Lunar and Ralin formed another group with two knights nearby, fighting off the dark dragons that were trying to use their breath attacks to completely annihilate the knights. Lunar used her spells to blast the large group of dragons while Ralin took advantage of the billowing smoke to sneak up on his enemy and deal and fatal blow. The two knights stood near Lunar, defending against enemy strikes. Thgan, Amelia and ten knights stood behind the barricades, fighting the main force that tried to batter their way into the castle. Thgan, being very experienced, was doing very well on his own, using his huge broadsword to cleave through enemy numbers, and the other knights were left in awe of his courage and undying loyalty to Lord Albert, despite no longer being of the knighthood. His actions boosted the morale of the other knights, and they surged forward, fighting with every last drop of energy in their bodies. Amelia stood at the back, using her agility and skill with twin daggers to stab mages that were about to throw spells intended to decapitate unsuspecting knights.

But, despite their spirit and valor, it wasn't enough. They were fighting a losing battle, as dark dragons and dark knights swarmed in from every direction imaginable, their numbers seemingly unlimited. Setia knights fell one after another, and soon all the companions were grouped together behind the barricades with eight Setia knights as a desperate attempt. Arkeson, Thgan and Ralin charged at the front, defending each other and lashing out at the enemy at all directions. Amelia resumed her assault on the dark mages while Lunar and Heyior attacked from afar. Then, disaster struck. A dark dragon managed to fire a single, powerful blast at the trio attacking wildly at the front, the attack completely decimating the stone pavement in a powerful explosion that sent everyone flying back, allowing the enemy forces to advance further. The remaining companions started forward in horror and worry as the smoke cleared, revealing a huge crater in the ground.

"Are they… dead…?" Heyior whispered, taking a step closer. Lunar didn't say anything, but she stared at the crater with eyes wide in shock. Were Arkeson and the others truly dead? It was hard to believe so. The Setia knights' morale fell drastically as it seemed that their light of hope had been blown out. Then the smoke cleared, and they stared in surprise. After a second of silence, they began to cheer, and attacked with renewed vigor.

For standing in the middle of the crater was a slightly bruised Arkeson, standing over the other two with his right arm raised, the dragon scales glimmering in the sunlight, his sword flashing brilliantly. His fangs were bared as he lowered his arm, snarling at the enemy. Leaping out of the crater, Arkeson began to attack, swinging his blade so quickly that enemies were cut down at twice the rate. Thgan and Ralin joined him with determination, and the attack resumed, and it seemed the tides had been turned. But things didn't last forever. Arkeson soon grew tired and had to retreat, clutching his bleeding arm, grimacing in pain. Ralin and Thgan were beaten back mercilessly, and they were soon fighting for their lives once more. It seemed like the end, when the castle gates were slammed open, and a huge force of Setia knights surged forward, yelling, brandishing their swords as they slashed their way through the enemy numbers. One of the captains turned and faced Arkeson.

"Sir! We'll fight the enemy here. We request that you find our lord, Lord Albert. We tried searching for him, but there was a larger threat out here. We believe he's in the watchtower. Please, find him." So saying, the knight charged back into battle, leaving the companions standing at the open gates, bewildered by the sudden change. One moment they were fighting for their lives, and the next thing they knew, they were alone. Arkeson immediately took charge.

"Thgan and I will search for Lord Albert alone. The rest of you, go help the knights. They may be powerful, but they'll need additional force, and especially long ranged attacks." Arkeson smiled lightly as Heyior suddenly made himself look grand and important, a wide grin on his face. The others nodded at his leadership and quickly ran off, Lunar wondering to herself why she had actually listened to the dragon. Shrugging the feeling off, she entered the raging battle once again. The other three were soon out of sight, while Amelia had simply blended into the confused surroundings. Arkeson watched the battle for a moment.

"They might need help. Let's find Lord Albert, he probably still has a force of paladins with him." He said, running into the cool interiors of the castle. Thgan nodded and followed. They were greeted with a scene quite unlike anything they had expected. The entire castle was in ruins, pillars everywhere had collapsed, tapestries were shredded to pieces, and dead bodies lay scattered all about. They leapt up the shattered remains of a marble stairway and onto the second level, quickly finding the entrance to the watchtower. Two familiar bodies lay on the floor, their heads severed.

"Lord Wyner and Lord Alex." Thgan said quietly in mourning. "They died in battle, died as brave knights."

"Sorry to interrupt you, Thgan, but Lord Albert will soon be joining them if we don't hurry!" Arkeson said impatiently.

"Right. Let's go." The two were just about to start on the seemingly endless spiral stairway when a mortally wounded knight tumbled down the stairs, landing at their feet with a groan. The two quickly tended to him, but it was evident he was dying.

"Lord… Albert… is fighting… up there… Please, save… him…" The knight's eyes rolled into the back of his head as blood flowed out of his many wounds. Thgan shut the knight's eyes, and stood up, staring up the stairway grimly.

"We have to hurry!" The two immediately began to dash up the stairs madly, knowing that their time was quickly running out. Outside, the battle raged on, neither sides winning. A miracle. A miracle was what was needed to win against the impossible odds…

~~~~~

Lord Albert swung his sword with a yell, smashing it into Lord Michael's, and both of them went sprawling to the ground, breathing heavily. Lord Albert was the first to get to his feet, and he tried to plunge his blade into Lord Michael's heart, but Dirus stopped him by slashing across Lord Albert's back, sending the man stumbling forward with a grimace of pain on his face. The duel had been going on for a long time, Lord Albert's skills keeping him alive, but it was not enough to win against the two dark paladins. He cursed under his breath as his vision dimmed. Age was catching up on him. He prayed help would come soon; he wasn't able to hold out much longer.

"Infidels," Lord Albert spat. "You don't deserve to be called knights, dishonorable scum!" He roared, swinging his sword again, managing to injure Dirus, but they countered, and Lord Albert went crashing against a stone wall heavily with a groan. His armor was badly dented; his face was filled with blood and cuts. He tried to lift his sword, but he was too weak to do so. He had to rest his aching body. Letting out a resigned sigh, Lord Albert slumped against the wall, closing his eyes and waiting for the two dark paladins to finish him.

"So, it ends here." Lord Michael said in savage triumph, lifting his sword up in a mock knight's salute. "I admire your bravery, Lord Albert. You would have done well on our side."

"Rot in the underworld!" Lord Albert growled, his voice filled with spite and hatred.

"Die!" The dark paladins stabbed straight at him, and Lord Albert awaited the sharp, piercing pain that would end his life, when there were two blurs of colors, a mighty clash and yells of surprise as the dark paladins fell back. Lord Albert opened his eyes in surprise, and recognized the two people standing in front of him as Thgan and Arkeson.

"Why?" Was all he could muster.

"The people need you, Lord Albert." Thgan said simply. Lord Albert nodded, mentally berating himself. Selfish! His actions were selfish. He had to guard the citizens of Setia, and all he did was await death.

"Let's finish this." Arkeson said fiercely, and the two friends leapt forward, the dark paladins doing the same. Arkeson fought with Lord Dirus, their two swords clashing as they connected, sparks flying. They broke the connection, and Arkeson rolled on the ground just as Dirus lunged, and he to deliver a kick to Dirus's stomach, sending the man reeling back with a cry of pain. Arkeson then swung his sword in an upward arc, only to have it deflected as Dirus recovered. The dark paladin, with a fearsome roar, brought the sword down, slashing clean across Arkeson's upper torso, and the dragon fell onto the ground in agony, his blood flying. The dark paladin was just about to finish him off when Arkeson's eyes flared open, revealing a frightful sight: his eyes were no longer blue, instead, they were dilated and blood red. Leaping to his feet, Arkeson sped to the back of Dirus in a split second at inhuman speed. Dirus never had a chance to even speak a word as Arkeson drove his sword through his chest, sending the dark paladin crashing to the ground, lifeless. Then the young dragon slumped forward, his eyes returning to normal.

Thgan was having an easier time with the much shorter Michael. Each of his powerful blows sent Michael backing further and further away. No matter how hard Michael tried, there was no way he could overcome the might of the large man. His last hopes were shattered when he saw Dirus collapse, dead. Thgan swung the sword once more, and Michael's blade was snapped in half by the impact. He fell to his knees as the impact forced him down.

"Traitor." Thgan said savagely, and stabbed the dark paladin through the heart. Michael slumped forward, his eyes going soulless as his blood spilled out.

The duel was finally over.

All three of them sheathed their swords, breathing heavily. Arkeson went over to retrieve the Sword of Raenas, holding it in his hand as it shone, just once, with a brilliant blue light. Lord Albert watched approvingly.

"It appears the sword has chosen you as its master, Arkeson. I entrust the sword to you. I ask of you, please travel to the dwarven kingdom and ask for their assistance. The sword will surely convince them. As for me, I must stay here and fight, to atone for the dreadful mistakes I have committed. I allowed corruption to spread throughout the knighthood. I will gladly sacrifice my life to return the knighthood to its glory!" Lord Albert said firmly, a look of determination upon his aged face.

"Don't blame yourself, Lord Albert. You are a good leader. Things just got out of control." Thgan said comfortingly. Lord Albert sighed.

"That is no excuse for failing the knighthood." He muttered. "I am getting too old for this. I must complete my final task before I retire…" The other two just remained silent, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, Arkeson's eyes widened.

"Get out of the room! Now!" He screamed, and the three dashed out just in time to avoid a shattering explosion that rocked the very foundations of the tower.

"We're under attack! Run! Run down to the bottom and help the knights!" Lord Albert yelled, and the three began to run down the stairs, just as the wall behind them burst open revealing a furious dark dragon. It charged its breath and fired, sending the three of them flying down the stairway. Roaring, it flew back outside, and continued to blast at the tower randomly, hoping to hit the three. Thgan was about to take another step down when Arkeson yanked him back just as the dark dragon burst through the stairs and through the ceiling.

"Damn!" Arkeson cursed, and the three leapt across the gaping hole, resuming their mad run for their lives. Above them, walls crumbled and melted as the breath attacks flew in. The dark dragon itself burst in and out at random, destroying the stairway. Then, the dark dragon crashed into the stairs ahead of them, and it stopped, rearing its head, fixing them with an evil glare. It opened its jaws, revealing rows and rows of bloodstained fangs as an orb of energy began to form. Arkeson, yelling wildly, leapt onto the back of its head and brought the sword crashing into the back of its skull, and the dragon let out a shriek of pain, flying out of the ruined tower, Arkeson still on top on its head, hanging on for his life.

"Arkeson!" Thgan called, trying to reach his friend, but failing.

"Thgan! We have to get out of here! The tower won't hold out much longer! We'll meet Arkeson again on the battlefield, I know it!" Lord Albert commanded, and they dashed down the last length of stairs with a final burst of energy, the tower collapsing behind them…

~~~~~

Lunar smirked as she blasted another dark knight away. The battle was starting to look as though they might win. The dark knights and dragons were looking exhausted, while the Setia knights fought on relentlessly. Heyior fired arrow after arrow at the knights, while Ralin bowled unsuspecting knights over with his weight, and killing them as they fell to the ground.

Suddenly, there came an explosion from above their heads. They all looked up and were greeted by a strange sight. A single, large dark dragon was attacking the watchtower, firing its deadly breaths at it, crashing in and out at random. Lunar's sharp hearing picked up Arkeson's muffled curses, and she realized that the dragon was trapped in the tower with the others. Then the dragon burst into the tower, and Lunar picked up the familiar humming sound of a dragon charging its breath. There came a yell, and the dragon let out a shriek, exploding through the walls of the tower, flying above all of them, Arkeson barely hanging on to it. The tower then collapsed with a shuddering groan. The dark dragon flew past them again, this time slamming itself into the ground heavily, trying to throw Arkeson off. Arkeson managed to stay on, but his arms were getting tired. He spotted Lunar in the crowd.

"Help me!" He called out desperately, as the dragon rose higher into the air, and began to dive down, the back of its head facing the ground. Thinking quickly, Lunar threw a fireball into the dragon's eye as Heyior fired a few arrows into its neck. With a roar, the dragon slowed down, crashing into the ground on its side, dead. Arkeson fell right off with a yell. Lunar quickly went over to check on Arkeson. She had to admit, she was a little worried. She found Arkeson lying on the ground in a daze.

"You alright, Arkeson?" She inquired.

"It hurts…" Arkeson whimpered, rubbing the back of his head. Lunar stood up with a slight smile on her face. That dragon could be rather funny at times. Thgan and Lord Albert came dashing up to join the battle, bringing with them a small group of paladins they had found cornered by a group of dark knights. Thgan and Lord Albert sneaked up on the dark knights and knocked them unconscious, rescuing the paladins. The knights began to cheer at the sight of Lord Albert, safe and sound. He smiled grimly, and threw his right hand outwards in a slashing motion.

"Attack!" He shouted, and the knights attacked with renewed spirit, driving the enemy back. But reinforcements for the enemy turned up again, and the odds were even. Neither side was winning, neither was losing.

Finally, a sharp, clear blast from a horn filled the air, and the battle ceased suddenly. The dark knights and dragons quickly retreated from battle, answering to the call of the horn. Within seconds, the battle was over. All the knights looked at each other, bewildered.

"We… won?" They asked unbelievingly. "We won!" They cheered, throwing their helmets into the air in celebration, waving their swords in the air. The battle was over, the knights had won. The dark forces were streaming out of the city, and soon all that was left were the ruins and flames of war, and the knights, in high spirits, set out to repair the damage dealt to their fair city. Only Lord Albert and the companions stood in the castle courtyard, looking worried, Lord Albert the most concerned of them all.

"The enemy wouldn't retreat from a winning battle without reason." He said thoughtfully. "They must be trying to catch us off guard…"

"I agree." Arkeson said gloomily.

"The only way we would stand a chance against the enemy was if we had the help of the dwarven army." Lord Albert said, looking at the companions. Arkeson lifted the Sword of Raenas into the air proudly.

"I will help to send word to the dwarves." Lunar and Ralin stepped forward.

"We'll help too." Lord Albert nodded.

"Excellent! I'll prepare three horses for you by today. The dwarven kingdom is less than a day's journey on horseback." He said, shaking their hands warmly. "I cannot thank you enough…" Thgan stepped forward.

"I'll be staying here to help Lord Albert in building his defenses." He said. Heyior began hopping up and down.

"And me!" He cried. Amelia didn't say anything for a moment.

"I'll be staying here. I have some… business to attend to." She said, walking away. Thgan started after her, but Lord Albert held him back.

"There's no point in going after her. Let her be." Thgan stopped, and stared at her fading figure, glowering. Meanwhile, Heyior left with Lord Albert to prepare for the city defenses, Thgan soon following behind.

"Get some rest for now. We'll call you when the horses are ready." Lord Albert said, and walked into the shattered remains of his once grand castle. He prayed that the three would be successful, for if they weren't, the city of Setia was doomed…

~~~~~

Arkeson lay on his back alone on the edge of a large rock in front of the castle, staring up at the evening sky with a thoughtful expression on his face. His two swords lay by his side as he lay there silently, waiting for Lord Albert's messenger. Lunar spotted him from afar, and walked over to him, sitting down on the rock next to Arkeson. Arkeson shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what Lunar wanted. He loved her, but there was something around her that kept him away. One day, he promised, one day I will overcome that barrier around her.

"What are you doing out here, alone?" Lunar asked. Arkeson sighed.

"I never expected to be here, Lunar. All I had before this was a peaceful life and… and…" Arkeson's voice trailed off, his hand going to the pendant around his neck unconsciously. Lunar watched him in mild concern. "Everything seemed normal, when they suddenly invaded my home. They destroyed everything, killed everyone. Before I knew it, I met Ralin, Thgan, Heyior… and then you…" He shook his head. "Odd, isn't it?"

Lunar remained silent. Arkeson had a tragic past, just as she had. Yet he could always manage to keep up that cheerful aura around him, affecting everyone else. Lunar herself had changed, she discovered much to her surprise. She used to be quiet and withdrawn, but now she was more open, and she had to admit, it felt… good. In a way, she was glad that she had met Arkeson. He had changed her, though not by much. She also found herself lost whenever she peered into his blue eyes, filled with depth.

Stop it! She chided herself. This is no way for me to act.

"Lunar?" Arkeson called, waving a hand in front of her. "Lunar?" He repeated, worried. She had a strange expression on her face, and her fists were tightly clenched together. Lunar started at his call, and blushed, turning away hurriedly. Arkeson chuckled. She sure had changed from the time they had first met back in the Forbidden Forest.

"But I'm fine with change!" He chirped cheerfully. "This adventure was just what I needed to get myself going!" He laughed. But then his face seemed to age when he looked around the devastated city. "That dark god… I swear one day I'm going to hunt him down. And when I do, he's going to pay for everything he's ever done!" His face cleared suddenly, leaving Lunar confused and wondering just what was wrong with Arkeson. He usually wasn't subject to mood swings.

Arkeson himself was confused. He was trying not to think of what had happened back there in the tower. His transformation into a strange, powerful being, the look of pure horror on Dirus's face, the warm blood, spilling all over his sword and hands…

Stop! Just stop! Arkeson screamed at his mind. He didn't want to let anyone worry. Everyone already had enough worries as it was. He just blubbered out everything that came to his mind, not even knowing what he was talking about. He did stop talking, however, when he caught Lunar eyeing him with a strange look on her face. Arkeson let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head. Lunar blinked and then lightly slapped Arkeson on his legs.

"Stupid dragon." She muttered, smiling.

"Hey! Quit yer flirting and come on down here!" Ralin hollered from below the rock, waving his hands. "The horses are ready! Let's go!" Arkeson and Lunar jumped, turning away from each other hurriedly, their faces burning red. Lunar grabbed a stone and tossed it at Ralin's head irritably. Rubbing his head and grumbling to himself, Ralin briefly wondered what he had done wrong. The three headed over to the castle gates, where Lord Albert was waiting with three large and very impatient horses. Lord Albert grinned when he saw them.

"There you are! The horses are ready." His face grew solemn. "I wish you three the best of luck. May the gods be with you." He pressed a letter in Arkeson's hand. "Take this with you. You'll need it." The trio nodded wordlessly, and Lunar immediately climbed onto the back of a white steed gracefully without any problems. She then sat there and stared expectantly at Arkeson and Ralin, who were both staring at the horses dubiously. Then they both got onto the horses hesitantly, testing their weight gingerly, hoping not to agitate the horses. When they settled down, relieved grins appeared on their faces.

"We did it!" Arkeson cheered. "We did-" The horse he was riding on suddenly gave a loud snort and threw Arkeson to the ground with a yelp of surprise. Ralin soon followed after. When the dust cleared, Arkeson was lying on his back in a daze, while Ralin was lying facedown next to him. Lunar smacked her forehead as Lord Albert began to laugh heartily. He promptly helped the two to their feet, and gave them a few basic lessons on riding a horse. Finally, about half an hour later, the three were safely on their horses, and riding out of the city of Setia towards the mountains, where the dwarven kingdom was hidden. Arkeson was the fastest of them all, riding wildly with a grin plastered on his face, enjoying the exhilaration and thrill that came from riding so fast. Lunar followed close behind, while Ralin came along at a normal pace, gripping the horse tightly around the neck.

"Why don't you go faster?" Arkeson yelled over the wind. Ralin shook his head violently.

"If I go any faster, I'll fall off!" He protested, then his hand slipped, and he nearly fell off. "Argh! Stupid beast!" He cursed as he struggled to get himself back into balance. Lunar let out a tiny giggle. Arkeson stared at her strangely, and she instantly regained her composure, resuming her usual expression with a small cough.

The mountains loomed ahead, an imposing sight, the cloudless sky hovering over it, allowing the sun to shine its intense light throughout the plains. Here and there, the trees could be seen in the distance, their red and orange leaves fluttering in the breeze. Autumn was almost here.

So focused were the three on getting to the destination as quickly as possible that they did not notice the group of dark knights riding on their own steeds ahead. Both sides quickly recognized each other. Arkeson, Lunar and Ralin sped off, cursing under their breaths as the patrol of four knights chased after them, yelling hoarsely, waving their swords in the air. Lunar, having had much experience with horses, gripped the horse's reins tightly with one hand, brought herself closer to the horse's neck, turned around and began to fire random spells at the knights, the flaming balls chasing into the ground in all directions, creating a huge cloud of dust. Arkeson followed what Lunar did and drew out the Sword of Raenas carefully, doubling back and charging through the dust and catching the choking dark knights unaware. Ralin, his face pale from fright, merely clutched the horse tightly and refused to let go. The dust cleared, revealing three knights left, the other one lying facedown in the ground far away, not moving. Arkeson seemed a little battered, but he still had that look of fierce determination, the adrenaline rushing through his body as he galloped away from the knights, clutching the Sword of Raenas tightly.

Lunar closed her eyes and started to chant to herself softly. Her right hand began to glow a pearly blue, the air around her shimmered. Arkeson noticed it and quickly got out of the way with a small yelp, not wanting to get blasted. Ralin followed. Then Lunar's eyes flared open, as did her hand, and five white beams shot out from the tip of her fingers, each drawing a section of a circle in the air, eventually connecting to create a large, shimmering circle hovering in the air in front of Lunar. Small shards of ice began to fly from it, piercing the horses and knights, some bouncing off the armor, some lodging themselves in the knights' flesh, causing them to cry out in pain as the numbing pain spread through their body. Others flew into the ground and stuck there. The circle shrank with each shard, and eventually vanished. The knights continued their pursuit, badly bruised but far more furious than before. Lunar lowered her hand to her side limply, drawing in shallow breaths as she tried to regain her energy to cast more spells. Arkeson gave a low growl, and realizing that one sword wasn't enough, used his legs to grip the horse around its torso tightly, pulled out his other sword and charged forward, yelling and waving his two swords. He went straight into the middle of the group, swinging his swords around him in large arcs, slashing the already weakened knights. One knight slumped against the neck of his horse, dead, and slowly slid off to fall with a thud on the ground.

Ralin recovered his sense as he saw one of the remaining two knights raise his sword, ready to decapitate Arkeson, who was trying to regain his balance on his horse. With a hoarse cry, he drew out his battleaxe and flung it with all his might into the knight's back, sending the man reeling to the ground with a sickening thud and a small spray of blood as the axe embedded itself deep within the man's flesh. Arkeson whipped his horse around as quickly as possible when he noticed that the last knight was nowhere to be found. He watched with widening eyes as the last dark knight dashed madly for Lunar, his sword thrust out in front of him, gleaming. His mind blank, knowing only he had to save Lunar, Arkeson plunged the Sword of Raenas into the ground, throwing him off the horse. The momentum sent him hurtling through the air, and he found himself near the knight. He had to time it accurately; otherwise both he and Lunar would die. Summoning his dragon arm and ignoring the acute pain, Arkeson gripped the Sword of Raenas tightly and swung it in a full circle around him, leaving a bright blue arc in its wake, slashing into the knight's neck. The knight tumbled to the ground, still, as Arkeson fell to the ground, rolling in the dust, scrapping against it. Eventually he came to a stop some distance away, and he stood up, his arm badly scratched and bleeding, the dragon scales gone, and a long cut across his face. He stood up and grinned broadly.

"Well, you don't get to do that everyday!" He exclaimed, amazing the other two with his cheerfulness. Lunar sighed and shook her head in exasperation.

"One of these days, you're going to get yourself badly injured doing things like that." She sighed, peering at Arkeson, who was looking slightly abashed, an embarrassed smile on his face. His horse came trotting over to him, looking slightly disgruntled and dazed, and Arkeson quickly clambered onto it, his face beet red.

"Eh… um… Let's go…" He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. Ralin, who had retrieved his axe and had it safely tucked at his side, was the first to start moving, surprisingly. Arkeson and Lunar followed, both awkwardly silent. Then Arkeson broke the silence.

"I-I'm sorry." He stuttered, staring at the mane of his horse fixedly. Lunar sighed.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. In fact, I should be thanking you." She smiled gently, and Arkeson flushed deeply, averting his gaze in obvious embarrassment. Lunar's gaze caught the sight of Arkeson's arm, badly scratched and bleeding. Frowning a little, she guided her horse over and lightly prodded his arm, receiving a faint yelp of pain and surprise from the dragon. Glancing over quickly, Arkeson caught her slightly concerned gaze. Mumbling incoherently, Arkeson tried desperately to twist his way out of Lunar's sight. Strange, but her gaze made him feel shy, especially after what had happened just now, and back at the rock. Lunar stifled a laugh.

"He's cute when he's like that," She thought to herself fondly, and then she realized what she had just thought of. "Did I just say cute?" She shook her head violently. "Impossible. I can't be thinking such trivial thoughts." She thought to herself, trying to reassure herself. Shrugging the thought and feeling off, she once again glared at the scratches. This time however, her gaze was impatient, and Arkeson just felt like melting into the ground under her scrutiny. He gave a little moan and turned his head to the other side, and slumped down onto the neck of his horse. Even though she couldn't see his face, she could easily tell that it was red. Very red. Hiding a rueful smile, she ripped off a bit of Arkeson's sleeve despite his protests and proceeded to bandage his arm carefully. The length of while cloth almost instantly turned red. With a sigh, she patted the arm, drawing another yelp from Arkeson and looked up.

"We'll get it fixed up at the dwarven kingdom." She said in a flat voice. "Let's move."

The trio continued moving at a quickened pace towards the approaching mountains, not wanting to go through another encounter with the dark knights. Above them, the sky darkened into the inky black night, the myriad of stars glittering. Below the stars burned the fires of the camps, marking the area where the dark knights stood, preparing for war. And within the quiet city of Setia, citizens were being evacuated into designated places to stay away from the impending battle as the knights stayed up through the night, watching the enemy, polishing their weapons and armor.

The tension in the air was so thick that it literally suffocated everyone as they waited patiently.

~~~~~

"Is that it?" Arkeson wondered aloud in awe as he stared up. And up. And up. Before them towered massive gates built of metal and solid oak, so huge that it completely dwarfed the three of them. Night had already fallen, and torches all around the gate were lit and burning brightly, casting their light on it, giving it a far more majestic and imposing look.

"Well, no point standing out here in this blasted cold," Ralin snorted, rubbing his hands together as the chill wind blew. "Let's go." The three were just about to start forward when there came a whistling sound, followed by a shattering explosion and a massive cloud of dust as something heavy smashed into the ground next to Arkeson, sending him tumbling off his horse in shock. The dust settled as Lunar and Ralin readied themselves for battle, while Arkeson lay in a heap, dazed.

A huge boulder had embedded itself in the ground next to Arkeson. Arkeson's eyes went wide.

"B-big boulder…" He stammered incoherently. He briefly imagined what would have happened if the boulder had hit him and shuddered. Cries and shouts rang out throughout the valley as dwarven catapults and other machines lined up on the edge of the cliffs. Arkeson let out a single, very vile oath as he looked around.

"Hold!" Ralin called out. "We come in peace!" His deep voice rang loud and clear, and the dwarves stopped. One of them, presumably their leader, stepped forward, coming within the range of the torchlight. His face was old and worn with age; his flaming red beard was turning a dull orange. But his eyes still burned with a flame impossible to put out. Ralin's eyes widened in recognition.

"Dagl Bronzehammer!" He exclaimed. "You're alive!" Dagl's eyes widened as well.

"Ralin Firesword! I thought you died in the raid!" He rumbled happily, rushing forward. The two old friends clasped each other's hands tightly in a firm handshake.

"It'll take more than a dark dragon to put me down!" Ralin roared. The other dwarves raised their voices in cheer. Dagl began to laugh heartily. Then he noticed the other two standing behind Ralin; Arkeson still pale and stunned from his close encounter with death, while Lunar looked very impatient and seemed rather murderous.

"Who are your friends?" Ralin turned around and waved his hand at Arkeson.

"That one there is Arkeson Drake Goliathes, a light dragon," Ralin said warmly, choosing to leave out the fact of Arkeson being a young dragon, or the fact that Arkeson withheld enormous potential power within his body. "And she's Landerendor Celas Lunar, princess of the Lunaros." Lunar nodded her head stiffly, and resumed her pose. Dagl's eyes went, if possible, wider as he heard the word `Lunaros'. He had presumed they were merely a myth, and yet here was one, standing before him, and glaring at him with a cold gleam in her eyes. He gulped slightly and turned back to his friend, who was blissfully unaware of the particularly impatient expression on Lunar's face. She snarled under her breath. Time was running short for the knights, and she was in a foul mood for pleasantries, seeing them as a waste of the precious time that was slipping through the knights' fingers. Arkeson noticed and stumbled over to Lunar shakily and hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Lunar started and whipped around with a growl, Arkeson taking a step back, his face filled with shock, fear and even a tiny tinge of sadness and guilt. Lunar sighed.

"I'm sorry." She muttered. Arkeson remained silent. "It's just that…!"

"It's okay. I know how you feel." Arkeson interrupted, casting a rueful glance at Ralin and Dagl, who were still talking spiritedly. "Hold on." Lunar watched on, her face expressionless as Arkeson walked up to Ralin and Dagl.

"Sorry to cut in, but I believe we have something important to do, right, Ralin?" Arkeson stared at Ralin out of the corner of his eye, his blue pupils gleaming dangerously. His eyes conveyed a hidden threat and Ralin gulped, nodding his head nervously. He did not want to mess around when both Arkeson and Lunar were staring daggers at him.

"Y-yes, we do. Dagl, could you arrange an audience with the dwarven king for us?" Ralin stuttered while Arkeson looked on with a satisfied expression on his face. Lunar looked faintly amused. Dagl nodded, although he was confused.

"Why do you need-" Dagl was interrupted by some very loud and impatient coughs from Ralin, who was looking at him pleadingly. Dagl sighed. He would question Ralin later. The two dwarves went through the gates first, and the troops retreated into the shadows to rest. Soon, only Arkeson, Lunar and the horses were left outside. Grabbing his horse's saddle, Arkeson started to guide it into the gates. Lunar followed, coming up next to Arkeson.

"Nice." She said approvingly. Arkeson smiled smugly.

"When you're around the right people, you tend to pick things up." He said jokingly, laughing. Lunar responded with a punch to his arm.

~~~~~

The long and narrow cave path leading down to the double doors at the end was dark and dimly lit, the ground was moist, and their footsteps echoed eerily. The ceiling was so high up that they could barely make it out in the dim light. There didn't appear to be anyone within. Lunar walked ahead, undaunted, her footsteps brisk and silent, her face stern. Arkeson walked behind her, glancing around uneasily while Dagl and Ralin followed close.

"Where's everyone else?" Arkeson whispered to Dagl. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here…"

"Oh, they're here. It's just this pathway that's empty. The dwarves are either somewhere else in the mountains building the war machines, or forging weapons. King Dylan Silveraxe purposely intended to have this tunnel to confuse the enemy."

They finally arrived at the double doors. It was large and painted black, with silver and gold carvings of a hammer and war machines on it. Dagl and Ralin each took one side of the doors and heaved as hard as they could. The doors swung open with a massive groan, allowing a considerable amount of torchlight to burst into their eyes, momentarily blinding them. Then, after their vision returned, they peered into the room, and were left stunned, except for Dagl.

The room was colossal, the domed ceiling far higher than they could imagine. The walls were lined with white stone, and with tall, spiraling pillars reaching to the top. The floor was made out of marble, with a long red carpet leading from the doors to a platform where a throne stood, a dwarf sitting on it. Surrounding him was an incredible amount of tables, built out of stone, presumably designed for important dwarves to sit at during a meeting. A total of twelve sturdy guards stood around the platform, their faces serious. The king himself looked very dignified dressed in fine red clothing, with a crown on his head. His gray eyes shone with intelligence and wit, his brown boots tapped lightly on the carpet.

"What is the problem, Dagl?" The king boomed, his voice deep and commanding. Dagl bowed respectfully.

"There are three who wish to seek an audience with you, your lordship." He answered. Dylan nodded.

"Come forward." He said, beckoning to the three as Dagl stepped back. Lunar stepped forward first, with the same proud air of confidence around her. To her, this was nothing, as she had received training and had experiences in such matters before. To Ralin, it was a matter of not disgracing himself before his king. As for Arkeson, it was a matter of trying not to look like a complete dunce.

"What is it you wish?" Dylan inquired curiously, leaning forward on his throne.

"Your lordship," Lunar addressed politely, giving a small bow. "The knights' kingdom Setia is under assault by the enemy, and they desperately need your help. Lord Albert Tyrblade has specially put in his personal plea for your assistance in the impending battle." Dylan frowned.

"My lady, I'll have you know that our current relationship with the knights is very… strained. Unless we have solid evidence, we cannot afford to send our troops to what may end up as a complete massacre." He stated firmly, shaking his head. Lunar nodded, as if his reply was nothing more than what she had expected. Turning around to face the nervous Arkeson, she leaned closer.

"Show him the Sword of Raenas, Arkeson. That should be evidence enough." She whispered. Arkeson stood there, frozen, his face filled with horror. Lunar gave a tiny exasperated sigh and shoved Arkeson forward. He stumbled forward and nearly crashed to the ground. He recovered, and gave off a faint air of dignity, much to Dylan's amusement.

"Y-your lordship. I believe your current relationship with the knights was caused by this," Arkeson held the Sword of Raenas in his hand, allowing the torchlight to shine brightly through its crystal blade, basking the room in brilliant light. Dylan gave a strangled gasp.

"T-that's the Sword of Raenas, lost ten years ago! How did you recover it?" He demanded fiercely, leaping off his throne. Arkeson stepped forward - something that required a lot of courage - and handed the letter from Lord Albert to Dylan. Dylan snatched the letter impatiently and began to read it.

"King Dylan Silveraxe…" He started to read aloud.

"It has been a long time since I have addressed you in a letter, and I send my warmest regards to you and your kingdom. This may be too much to ask of you, but our kingdom is under heavy assault from the enemy forces, and we desperately require help. The three now standing before you are our messengers, and they carry with them the Sword of Raenas, the long-standing proof to our alliance. I sincerely hope you will come to terms with our request and consider. Please. The fate of our kingdom rests in your hands now, old friend. Signed, Lord Albert Tyrblade."

Dylan folded the letter neatly and slotted it into one of his pockets with a scowl on his face as he eyed the Sword of Raenas carefully. There was no doubt that the sword before him was indeed the true Sword of Raenas. He thought over the words in the letter, thinking carefully. Finally, he came to a decision.

"You three, step forward." He called, and the trio came to stand before him.

Dylan began to tell them of what he intended to do…

~~~~~

Dawn came upon the kingdom of Setia, the morning sun directing its bright, fiery orange light all over the plains, and onto the white walls of the castle. A light breeze blew, rustling the grass that grew tall and proud in the massive plains. Knights manned their stations at their various vintage points on the castle and city walls, marching around stiffly and smartly, their faces stern, their movements and actions disciplined. They had no room for mistakes, had no room for fools. The enemy was due to attack any moment now, and they had to make sure they were well prepared to repel the dark forces.

The sun shone into Thgan and Heyior's room, shining right into their eyes, forcing them awake. Thgan snapped into focus immediately, and got dressed swiftly and silently before slipping out of the room to meet Lord Albert. Heyior resumed sitting on his bed, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

The sun shone all over the streets, lighting up the shadows, revealing a young woman walking by herself. Amelia glanced up at the sun briefly and grimaced. The enemy was attacking soon, and she still had not done what she had to do.

The sun shone into the wrecked castle, shone into the crumbled throne room, where Lord Albert stood by himself by a window, staring outside, his face pale and fatigued. The troops were all gathered neatly outside, drilling and training themselves for the last time before noon, the time Nidale was set to attack Setia. Commanders and generals handed out commands sternly, knights ran about trying to fulfill the request.

"Lord Albert." The elderly knight turned around to see Thgan standing behind him, his face solemn.

"Has there been any news from Arkeson and the others yet?" He inquired, although he could already guess the answer from the look on Lord Albert's face. The latter shook his head and sighed.

"I fear the worst for them. The dwarves no longer trust us due to our negligence in protecting the Sword of Raenas. It is very likely that they have turned down our plea for assistance. And as for Arkeson and the others…" His voice trailed off, and he sighed again.

Just then, there came an ear-splitting burst of yells from outside, and Heyior came dashing into the room, his face pale.

"The enemy is attacking…" He panted. Lord Albert and Thgan turned around and headed out of the room wordlessly, Heyior following behind. Both the knights' hands went to their swords as they stepped out of the castle into the bright sun.

~~~~~

"Status." Nidale said, his voice deadpan. He was already dressed in his battle armor, his black sword gleaming in its sheathe.

"The Setia knights have been roused and are preparing for battle. Our troops are already on their way to the castle." The soldier saluted. Nidale nodded and stepped outside, putting on his chain glove and mounting his horse.

"Let's go then. I want to witness the fall of Setia myself." So saying, he quickly rode off after the black mass ahead that was his army, his loyal soldier following close behind.

There were no signs of any movement from the dwarven mountains…

~~~~~

Lord Albert, Thgan and Heyior stood upon the castle walls, watching as the enemy closed in. Lord Albert's face was expressionless, giving none of his feelings and thoughts away. Both Heyior and Thgan were staring in wide-eyed wonder at the massive amount of enemy troops. They were practically filling up their entire vision beyond the city gates, swarming and throbbing like a huge black heart beating upon the plains. Gleams from the swords shone brightly, armors clanked loudly. The cavalry units rode at the back, kicking up a large cloud of dust into the air, making the army seem all the more formidable.

The knights of Setia were definitely outnumbered. They stood huddled by the city gates, hidden from view, waiting to ambush the enemy. Another force stood outside the castle in the shadows, while the last group of knights and paladins waited in the castle along with Heyior, Thgan and Lord Albert.

When the dark knights rushed into the city, they were greeted with nothing but silence.

"What? Where are the knights?" They demanded, turning to one another, whispering, looking around. But the bright light reflected off their armor blinded their vision, and they did not notice slight movements coming from the shadows. Then a lone figure dressed in dazzling armor appeared on the roof of the crumbled castle, his sword raised high in the air, catching the sunlight. The dark knights fell silent as they stared, perplexed.

"On the honor of the knights," Lord Albert yelled, his voice crisp and clear. "Attack!!"

All the knights burst out of the shadows, yelling wildly, charging towards the stunned dark knights. The castle doors slammed open as more knights rushed out to meet their enemy. Swords clashed, screams of agony rang clearly through the air as the caught off-guard dark knights fell to the mighty spirits and weapons of the Setia knights. At first it seemed as though the Setia knights were winning. The enemy was being driven back through the city gates rapidly. But, in their pride and sense of triumph, they forgot one place they forgot to defend: the air.

Dark dragons flew in from above, shrieking and firing multiple blasts of energy at the Setia knights, mercilessly slaughtering them where they stood. Explosions disintegrated bodies, sent others flying and leveled buildings completely. Even the dark knights were not spared the carnage. As the blast approached, everyone quickly scattered to avoid being killed. Those not fast enough were destroyed, whether they were Setia knights or dark knights.

The situation wasn't looking good.

Archers lining the city walls fired desperately at the dark dragons, shooting them out of the sky, but they were so distracted by the dragons that they forgot that the dark knights were swarming all about them. They were cut down so quickly that only a tiny fraction of the dark dragons were defeated. Lord Albert remained standing at the top of the castle, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Those heartless beasts…" He growled under his breath as he headed back into the castle to join his remaining force of paladins.

"We cannot afford to wait any longer for reinforcements. If we are to have any chance to emerge victorious at all, we have to strike now!" He raised his sword into the air, and all the paladins followed in unison, raising their voices in cheer. All the paladins charged out of the castle gates in a neat and orderly formation, slicing their war through the enemy, using their superior skill to attempt to get close to their commander. Lord Albert joined the foot soldiers in their desperate battle at the city gates, Thgan and Heyior doing the best they could.

Then they spotted a team of dark dragons flying overhead, carrying soldiers deeper into the city. Right where the innocent citizens were hiding. Lord Albert swore loudly, something he rarely did.

"Thgan! Lead a group of soldiers to protect the citizens! They must not be harmed!" He yelled hoarsely over the sounds of battle, barely able to defend himself against a sudden attack. Thgan nodded and quickly picked out about forty soldiers, leading them in the direction where the dragons were headed.

The citizens were innocent, and if they were to be killed in the deadly crossfire, Thgan would never forgive himself.

~~~~~

Amelia ran through the streets, looking around hurriedly for her target. The dark dragons swooped overhead, destroying everything in their path. Her heart contracting from fear, Amelia added more speed into her dash. She couldn't let them die… She couldn't.

She rounded a corner and spotted an orphanage not far away, still safe and sound. The children were grouped together at the entrance, looking around fearfully, an elderly old man trying to soothe their feelings. Heaving a faint sigh of relief, she started forward towards the orphanage when a shadow enveloped them all. She glanced upwards and froze as she saw a dark dragon charging its breath attack in the air.

Time slowed down. Amelia began to lunge forward. She didn't care what the consequences were. These were children! They still had a life ahead! She had to defend them no matter what the cause. The children looked at the dragon fearfully, whimpering. The old man scowled and pushed the children away hurriedly, out of the way of the deadly blast. At the last moment, he grabbed the last child and flung her out of danger's way just as the powerful blast slammed into the ground, shaking everything violently, a shockwave spreading out over the ground, cracking the pavement and sending the children stumbling.

Time resumed its pace.

"No!" Amelia screamed. The smoke cleared, revealing a crater where part of the orphanage once stood. Debris littered the blackened ground as the children sat on the ground in shock and horror, their mouths hanging open at the sight before them. At the side of the crater lay the old man, coughing violently, his body badly burnt and bleeding. Amelia went closer and barely managed to choke back a sob.

"Amelia…" The old man gasped, cracking a pained smile. "You made it…" His hand twitched feebly, as though he wanted to reach out. But then more violent coughs ripped through his body, and he began to choke blood out onto the ground.

"Patrick… You… I… I-I'm sorry…" Amelia sobbed. "I failed…" The old man tried to comfort her, but couldn't do anything.

"If o-only I came e-earlier… T-this wouldn't have happened!" She screamed out her rage and reached for her dagger, turning around the face the dark dragon defiantly, tears streaming down her face.

"Die!" She shrieked, tossing the dagger clean into its neck with deadly accuracy and speed. The dragon gave a wail and crashed into the ground some distance away, where the soldiers quickly began to hack and slash at it. Amelia sank to her knees and began to cry.

"Don't cry… Didn't you swear, long ago, that you wouldn't cry anymore…?" Patrick asked hoarsely.

"B-but…" Patrick hushed her.

"I am an old man, Amelia. My time in this world is over. But you and the children, all of you of bright lives ahead, and you deserve to live. Make your choice in life wisely Amelia, for life only holds one choice at every crossroad. I… chose to die. To die for the future generation." Amelia nodded wordlessly, trying to stop her tears. The children looked on, confused. What was happening? They were too young to understand what death was. And so they just stared ahead blankly, their faces twisting in fear, their hearts understanding far better than their minds.

Patrick managed one last smile before he shut his eyes on the world.

Amelia got to her feet and picked a flower, miraculously spared the destruction, and placed it carefully on Patrick's body.

"Farewell, old man." She whispered, the children still staring, not comprehending. One of them toddled up to Amelia and tugged on her sleeve.

"What happened to Father…?" The child asked, using the affectionate term all the orphaned children used for the deceased man. Amelia knelt on the ground next to the little girl and hugged her.

"He's gone to a faraway place, Amy… A happy place."

~~~~~

Thgan ran down the streets with his small force, looking around for the enemy when they heard the death cry of a dark dragon, glancing up only to see it plummeting towards them. They scattered, throwing themselves to the ground as the dragon crashed into the ground, a cloud of dust rising around it, choking them. About six of them leapt up and began attacking the immobilized dragon as Thgan and the others resumed their run. The soldiers split up, going in various directions, while Thgan rounded a corner only to see Amelia place the flower upon a dead man's body. He stood rooted to the spot, watching in silence at the solemn and sad sight before him.

He watched as Amelia knelt down to hug the little girl, watched how her words lifted the child's spirits, and watched as the girl ran back to her friends, a smile on her face. He crept forward silently, and was just about to reach Amelia, when…

"What are you doing here, knight?" Amelia snarled, turning around to face him with a scowl. Thgan was taken aback. Her face was streaked by stains of dried tears, and her eyes were bloodshot. Her fists were tightly clenched at her sides. Behind them, the soldiers fought valiantly against those who sought to eliminate the citizens, some of the citizens themselves helping out when the enemy was distracted, sneaking up from behind with various weapons of their own. But both of them ignored the sounds of battle.

"Who was the old man?" Thgan asked quietly.

"Why do you care?" Amelia murmured. Thgan remained silent, but the question remained evident in his eyes.

"He was the owner of that orphanage. I've been living there all my life with the other children," She waved her hand in the general direction of the young ones, "He took care of us for many years. He's like a father to all of us." She said in a low tone. "I've been stealing to help him support the children all this time." She added. Thgan's mouth fell open. And all this time he had just thought that Amelia was nothing more than a dishonorable thief… He hung his head, mortified.

"I'm sorry." Thgan apologized gravely. "For all the past wrongs I have to you." Amelia looked at him for a moment, bewildered, and then burst out laughing. Thgan glared at her balefully.

"S-sorry…" Amelia managed to mutter between bouts of laughter. "It's just that you… apologizing…" She doubled over.

"What's so funny, may I ask?" Thgan huffed.

"You!" Amelia howled. All the children looked up, bewildered, staring at the two grown-ups, one laughing her head off, the other standing there, his face flushed in anger. Finally, Amelia's laughter subsided and she lapsed into a comfortable silence. Thgan was just about to open his mouth to tell her off when a soldier rushed up to them, his armor covered in blood, dented.

"Sir! The enemy has been eliminated, but more are approaching, and we don't have enough manpower to hold them off!" He reported as another fifteen, the only survivors, staggered into view, all badly injured. Thgan swore under his breath.

"We need a place to hide the townspeople until the battle is over…" He mused, his brows furrowed as he thought.

"I know just the place. Follow me." Amelia bolted off towards the shadows beyond. Thgan and the soldiers quickly gathered the terrified citizens, and followed after Amelia, praying that the battle would end soon.

~~~~~

Lord Albert cut down the last dark knight in front of him and slumped forward, exhausted, sweat streaming down his face as he glanced around warily. Nobody was around, nobody alive. Everyone around him was dead, lying on the ground in various horrific postures of death. He choked and turned away. This was the most carnage he had ever seen in his many years. Bodies ripped apart completely by dragon claws, their insides and blood staining the stone pavement, their lifeless eyes staring at the sky in fixed horror, never to see anything ever again. Other bodies had been blown to pieces by the powerful impact created by the dragon breaths, while others had been slashed and sliced open in many different places. The scene was a terrible, tragic one, and Lord Albert would never forget it for the rest of his life.

He started to climb up a flight of spiral stairs to the top of the crumbling city walls to get a good look at the battle raging outside.

It didn't look good.

They fought bravely, but the Setia knights were slowly and surely being beaten back by overwhelming odds. Lord Albert grimaced. Was it fated that they were to lose this battle? He hammered his fist on the wall, his eyes shut tightly. No! He wasn't going to give up. Not as long as there was still some life left in this body.

His eyes flared open, and they widened in shock as he got a good glimpse of what was before him. A knight, dressed in exquisite armor with intense purple hair stood before him, his sword sheathed, his face one of neutrality as he watched the elderly old knight in silence.

"It's you." Lord Albert spat, taking a step back and drawing his sword. "Nidale." He said the name with bitter emphasis, as though it tasted bad and he had to spit it out. He held the sword in front of him in a defensive posture. Nidale raised one hand, trying to convince Lord Albert to lower his sword.

"Peace, Lord Albert Tyrblade. I have come here to offer you this ultimatum:" Nidale spoke softly, his voice eerie. "Surrender this city and there will be no more casualties. Refuse… and the whole city dies." Lord Albert glared at him in horror.

"You're insane!" He gaped. Nidale shook his head.

"I assure you that I am in a right state of mind, Lord Albert." He said simply. Lord Albert fell silent. His pride and honor forbade him from giving up, but he could not risk the citizens' lives just because of his damned pride. He was torn between the two choices, and was for once at a loss of what to do.

"Lord Albert!" Came a voice ringing loud and clear. Lord Albert glanced up in surprise at the voice, while Nidale snarled. "Don't give up!"

"Well, I'll be damned…" The old knight smiled. In the distance rode a young man, his long blue hair trailing behind him as he charged, attacking with two swords. Behind him rode a lunaros, blasting enemies out of the way with her powerful spells. And behind the two of them was an entire army. Ranks of dwarves ran along in a haphazard manner, yelling wildly, swinging their axes in the air, while their unique war machines dragged themselves along, clouds of steam rising into the air. Ralin rode in the front row, along with Dagl and King Dylan.

At the dwarven king's command, the catapults and other war machines fired boulders, arrows and fireballs into the seething black mass of knights, scattering them. The foot soldiers grouped themselves and charged headlong into battle. Arkeson promptly joined them as Lunar, Ralin, Dagl and King Dylan all went straight to Lord Albert's assistance.

Hope had appeared out of the horizon.

~~~~~

Arkeson rode in the enemy camp, hoping to ambush the commander, but was disappointed to find it deserted. Or so he thought. As he and a group of dwarves wandered around the silent camp warily, looking for anything suspicious, they suddenly heard the rustle of robes, and they spun around, trying to detect the source of the sound.

"Barrier." Someone said in a flat tone, and the ground beneath Arkeson and others heaved, throwing them to the ground as strange and arcane runes appeared all around them, spinning and glowing, formed a huge pink dome around them. Arkeson got to his feet and flung himself at the wall of the barrier, only to have it cackle with energy. The next moment, the wall rippled and flashed brightly, and Arkeson found himself skidding on the ground some distance away. The dwarves looked on, horrified.

"I wouldn't do that again, if I were you." A figure drawled as he materialized out of thin air, along with another five similarly dressed mages. All of them were donning black robes with gold linings along their sleeves. Their faces were hidden by hoods. The leader snapped his fingers, and dark knights began to surround the dome, their faces twisted into malicious grins.

"Kill them."

The knights plunged their swords into the dome, stabbing clean through the dwarves, sending them crumpling to the ground all around the dazed dragon. Those huddled in the center were mercilessly gunned down by energy blasts coming from the mages.

Arkeson lifted his head and watched through dilated eyes as the scene of death played out before him. He bared his fangs in anger, clenched his fists together, trembling.

This is all my fault… I led them into the enemy camps without bothering to keep a proper eye out for an ambush! I've been a fool… a FOOL!!

A black aura began to surround Arkeson. Sparks ran off his body, bouncing all over the ground and over the walls of the dome as Arkeson staggered to his feet, blood streaming down his face from a large cut on his face, running all over his right side of the face, dripping over his eyes, which were dilated and narrowed into slits. His normally blue pupils had faded to crimson red, and they shimmered brightly amongst the glowing darkness that had replaced his eyes.

His hands were so tightly clenched that they started bleeding, the blood dripping down to the ground, vaporized by the energy aura before they could even touch anything. His fangs were bared at the mages; low rumbles and growls escaped his throat. He grabbed the Sword of Raenas, his mouth twisting into a sadistic and sardonic smile. The knights and mages all gulped and took a few steps backwards as Arkeson dragged himself over to the wall of the dome, glaring at it as though he would crush it with his fingers. Lifting his sword, he drove the entire blade through the wall, shattering the dome into motes of light, shimmering and glittering as they floated up into the sky, vanishing. He stumbled forward, plunging the sword into the ground to support himself. The knights began to come forward, thinking that Arkeson was weakened. Then Arkeson gave a low, short laugh and held out his right hand. It was pulsing with dark energy, the air around it contorting and twisting.

He released the energy, and it slammed into the ground where the knights were standing. An explosion that followed shortly after completely disintegrated them where they stood, screaming in dreadful agony. All the other knights let out exclamations of shock and fell back swiftly. Arkeson turned to face them, still smiling.

"Time to die." He rasped in a hollow, harsh voice, pulling the sword out of the ground, the black aura spreading all over the blade, giving it a most eerie look. The knights leapt forward all at once, hoping to catch him off guard, but the moment they brought their swords down, Arkeson had already vanished from his spot. The knights stumbled into one another, wondering where the berserk dragon had gone when one of them was picked off the ground by his neck.

"Too slow." Arkeson crushed the knight's neck and tossed his lifeless body to the side casually like a doll. The other knights hacked and slashed at him, and soon Arkeson was covered with wounds. But he didn't even seem to notice them. He glanced at them momentarily, shrugged and swung his sword. Instead of a blue arc appearing, a black one took its place, and the resulting shockwave created decapitated many of the knights, and some of the mages at the back.

He began to move about at inhuman speed, slicing his way through the heavy armor and thick robes, the blood spraying in all directions as screams of death filled the air in crisp clarity. The blood fell onto Arkeson's face, but he paid it no attention, and continued with his mindless slaughter, laughing insanely as the knights screamed.

Soon all the knights were lying on the ground, dead, their bodies severed, their blood forming large red puddles in the mud. The mages paled considerably, and all at once began to recite a spell. Raising their hands into the hand, gossamer threads of gold light flew out of their fingertips, wrapping around Arkeson, binding his hands and legs together. They continued to swirl around him, until nearly his entire body was covered in the gold thread. The Sword of Raenas stood embedded into the ground amongst the blood of the ones Arkeson had killed. With a word of command, the mages forced the threads to dig deeper into Arkeson's flesh, drawing blood. But what they heard next was nothing like what they expected. They had expected a cry of agony. But what they heard was deranged, high-pitched laughter.

Opening their eyes from concentration on the spell, they were startled to see Arkeson doubled over, cackling madly, a stream of blood running over his right eye, dripping from the bottom of his face to the ground. Then he stopped laughing, and his eyes swiveled around to stare at the mages out of the corner of his now darkened and glowing eyes.

"Fools." He grinned, a black fire forming around him, swirling in a whirlwind of intense heat. It gained speed, and was digging into the soil, sending chunks of shattered ground flying as the fire gained more intensity. The golden threads began to snap, one by one. Then Arkeson, free of his binding, threw out his hands, and the flames flared into a massive storm all around him, twisting and contorting into a pillar of black fire, gathering energy from the air all around. The mages watched, their eyes wide and staring as they stared at their impending doom.

Arkeson stood in the eye of the storm, his eyes glowing crimson red, his mouth formed into a grin, his hair fluttering all around him as the beam grew larger and larger, swallowing everything in its path. The mages were completely consumed by the flames, their cries fading into the fiery roar of the beam as it expanded still, destroying the entire enemy camp.

Finally, the beam dispersed, leaving a huge, smoking crater in its wake, the ground blackened. Arkeson stood at the bottom of the crater, scanning the area around him.

He threw his head back and laughed… and laughed… and laughed.

~~~~~

Nidale grumbled under his breath as he saw a lunaros and a dwarf join Lord Albert. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied an elf readying his bow, pointing an arrow right at him. Nidale sighed. He had faced worse odds. Drawing his sword, he muttered a single word of magic, and the sword began to glow, the handle extending into a long pole, the blade lengthening and curving. When the glow dispersed, the sword was gone, and a scythe had replaced it. He slammed the bottom of the scythe into the ground, cracking the stone, and stood still, glaring at his opponents.

"Well, attack." He said impatiently. "I don't have all day." Lunar snarled at his arrogance and fired a burst of flame at him. He spun the scythe in front of him and deflected the flames towards Heyior, where it hit the wall right in front of the elf, startling him. He jumped back, muttering to himself, re-positioning his bow. Lunar snarled. Lord Albert and Ralin charged together, each taking one side, Ralin swinging his axe wildly, Lord Albert focusing his energy for a single, powerful strike. Nidale sighed and leapt forward, ducking under Ralin's axe, and elbowing him in the back of the head, sending the dwarf rolling on the ground. Then he turned around and swung his scythe to connect with Lord Albert's blade with enormous strength, sparks flying as the two weapons struggled against each other.

"Looks like we're evenly matched." Lord Albert said forcefully as he exerted more strength. Nidale smirked.

"I'd think not. You have a sword. I have a scythe, which is far more flexible and easy to maneuver." Nidale suddenly drew the scythe back, and Lord Albert stumbled. Then the death general swung the scythe in a full arc, embedding itself in Lord Albert's side. The old man's eyes widened in pain, but he kept his mouth shut, and grimly yanked out the scythe, staggering back with hatred in his eyes. Even though he kept his face neutral, Nidale was deeply impressed by Lord Albert's will and strength. Then he spotted an arrow flying straight at him at incredible speed, and barely dodged it. Needless to say, he was surprised. He had never seen that level of skill in archery before. Then it hit him.

That technique… That elf, he must be a…!

Nidale's thoughts were interrupted as Lord Albert, Ralin and Lunar all attacked at the same time. Lord Albert swung his sword in a downward arc, the blade whistling as it sliced through the air. Ralin skidded to a halt some distance away from Nidale and flung his axe like a boomerang, while Lunar kicked off a wall and leapt high up into the air, bombarding Nidale with an endless barrage of spells.

He rolled to the side, avoiding Lord Albert's blade, and ducked as the axe flew over his head, embedding itself in the ground quite some distance away. But he was caught off guard by the spells. Wave after wave of varying elemental spells struck him, forcing him into the ground with a grunt of pain. Then he grabbed his scythe, and swung it as hard as he could, deflecting an ice spell back at Lunar, the sharp icicle slashing Lunar across her right arm, and she fell back with a small cry.

Nidale got to his feet wearily, his armor dented and damaged, a small trickle of blood escaping his lips. He wiped it away with his glove, and began to swing his scythe in a cross pattern in front of him, shockwaves of various degrees slamming into the ground and air in all directions, forcing the three to scatter and jump about in order to avoid being hit.

But Nidale had forgotten about Heyior. Smiling grimly to himself, Heyior fired another arrow at Nidale, and he saw it too late. It sank deep into his right hand, forcing him to stop his attack. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out the bloodied arrow and tossed it to the ground, and whipped out a dagger, hiding it behind his hand. Then, without warning, he tossed the dagger with marvelous dexterity at the elf. It flew straight through the bow, cleaving it in half. Heyior cursed and tossed the useless bow away, and retreated back into the castle to get another. Nidale smirked. He now had one less person to worry about.

Lord Albert pulled his sword out of the ground, and whirled around to face Nidale spitefully. Lunar got to her feet, still clutching her bleeding right arm, her hands glowing with energy. Ralin had retrieved his axe, and was readying it for another attack. Then, a flaming boulder struck the city walls with massive impact, splitting the stone apart and sending everyone sprawling to the ground heavily. Nidale lost his balance and began to fall, and Lunar saw her chance. Forcing herself onto her feet despite the shifting of the rock beneath, she recited the words to her more powerful spells. Shards of ice, bolts of lightning and tiny flames filled the air around her, hovering still for a moment, then exploded in all directions, striking Nidale in many places. He ground his teeth together, fighting the pain, but he slipped on a piece of rock, and fell a meter below to a crumbled part of the wall, landing heavily. His scythe spun in the air above him before landing with a clatter next to Nidale. Grabbing the scythe, he stabbed the blade into the rock above him and hoisted himself back up. He retrieved his scythe and held it in front of him, his eyes burning with an intense anger.

"No more fooling around. Let's end this." He growled, and began to swing the scythe around him faster than anyone had ever imagined. All anyone saw were fast, brief flashes of silver light flying all around his body, and powerful shockwaves spreading all about with twice the speed and strength than before, destroying everything. Lord Albert and Ralin were instantly cut down by powerful blows to their chests. Lunar, even with her agility, was barely managing to dodge. It seemed as though that every shockwave she dodged only brought forth another two more. Soon, her entire body was covered in bruises and cuts, and she slumped to the ground, weakened, mentally preparing herself for one last spell. She had to time it right, for this spell would spend the last of her energy. If Nidale was not defeated by then… well… she'd have to leave everything else up to fate.

Heyior finally got a new bow and returned to the battle with his last quiver of arrows. There was no time left. He was going to have to resort to his very desperate plan. Fishing out five arrows, he placed all of them on the bowstring at the same time and tugged…

Lord Albert and Ralin got to their feet, their faces contorted into masks of pain as they clutched the heavy wounds dealt to their chests. They slowly lifted up their weapons, and used them to deflect the shockwaves, though it did little to help. They were soon forced to their knees as the overwhelming strength of Nidale's attack overpowered them.

Then it happened. A black pillar shot into the sky, enveloping everything in its unholy black light, turning day into artificial night. In the distance, flames of destruction could be seen dancing on the plains, eating everything that was unfortunate enough to come into its path. Nidale paled.

"My… camp…" He whispered in horror as he saw the beam enlarge, wiping out much of his army. His hand went limp, his mind went blank. The scythe fell from his lifeless hands to the ground, clattering and bouncing off the edge of the city walls to the ground far below.

Everyone saw their chance.

With a defiant cry, Heyior unleashed a storm of arrows upon the death general, just as Lunar fired a huge burst of blue flame, speeding towards Nidale, who turned around only in time to see the flame cackling in his face. The flames struck, wrapping him in a hellish inferno, his armor melting into his skin, scorching his flesh. The arrows found their mark, sinking into his arms, chest and legs, adding more to the dreadful torment that was consuming Nidale. He felt himself losing his grip on reality, losing his grip on life. Lord Albert and Ralin both braved the heat and swung their weapons, with all their might, into Nidale's battered body.

The flames dispersed, revealing Nidale, standing there shakily, his body blackened and smoking, his armor glowing red from the flames. The burnt remains of the arrows remained lodged firmly in his flesh, the sword and axe left two long scars running down his side.

"So… you win…" He choked and collapsed, falling towards the side, and off the city walls into the shadows below. Everyone slumped to the ground, exhausted. Lord Albert sank to one knee, offering a prayer to Nidale.

"He was a man of honor… right to the end."

~~~~~

King Dylan and Dagl fought bravely alongside their troops and their faithful allies, the humans, driving the dark knights back, and victory seemed to be at hand. Then a black pillar of energy rose into the sky, destroying a lot of dark knights, and the remaining dark knights were easily crushed by the Setia knights and the dwarves.

It was over. The battle had been won. Everyone peered around warily, grimacing at the dead bodies littering the plains, the smoking pits where the flaming boulders had hit, and the scattered, battered armor of all sizes.

Then a single Setia knight began to cheer loudly, and soon everyone joined in, screaming and yelling joyously. They hugged, threw their helmets into the air and cheered, glad that the horrific battle was finally over. King Dylan and Dagl beamed proudly, looking around. Then they saw Lunar, Ralin and Heyior all running past them in the direction of the black pillar. They raised an eyebrow, then shrugged and led their troops back to the city.

The sun began to set on the horizon, casting a ghostly red light upon the scattered remains of the battle later to be known as the Battle of The Plains…

~~~~~

Lunar and the others all halted abruptly at the edge of the crater, peering down, shocked at the destruction. Their gaze then fell upon Arkeson, who was standing at the bottom silently, not moving. They climbed down the steep walls of the crater, skidding and kicking, a cloud of dust rising behind them. Arkeson didn't move.

When they reached the bottom, they stepped forward, calling out Arkeson's name apprehensively. Arkeson then slowly turned around to face them, and they jumped. His eyes were still narrowed into slits, glowing crimson red, his fangs bared in a maniacal grin, a stream of blood dripping from his face. Then he suddenly vanished. The three looked around, surprised, wondering where the dragon had gone, when he appeared behind them, his sword raised.

"Arkeson!" Lunar gasped. The figure before her faltered at her voice. "What… happened?" She stuttered, trying to suppress the fear growing within her. Arkeson's grin grew larger.

"I killed them all… Those pathetic wretches…" Arkeson chortled, doubling back in laughter. Then his eyes gleamed, and reverted back to their normal blue ones. His grin faded, and he collapsed to his knees, tears flowing down his face.

"I'm a monster…" He sobbed softly. "A monster…" Then he slumped forward onto the ground, unconscious, the Sword of Raenas released from his limp hand.

~~~~~

Night fell upon the ruined city of Setia. The torches of the castle burned brightly, casting a ghostly pallor on their surroundings as the knights and dwarves ate grandly, joined by the citizens, successfully hidden away from the enemy forces. It turned out that Amelia had led them all into a long forgotten part of the city to hide, and it was there Thgan and the remaining knights bravely fought off all who stumbled across their hiding spot.

Arkeson, Lunar and Heyior were all in one room, away from the dreadful din the knights were creating. Arkeson was lying in bed, his wounds treated, sleeping soundly. But every so often he would twitch in his sleep and let out a small moan. Lunar watched on, her face carefully expressionless, while Heyior freely showed his concern.

"Will he be alright?" He squeaked timidly, knowing that Lunar was in a bad mood, and did not want to be disturbed. Lunar sighed.

"He will be." She murmured.

Then Arkeson let out a scream, and bolted upright, his face lined with drops of sweat, his breathing heavy and irregular. Heyior let out a yelp of surprise at the look on Arkeson's face, and stepped backwards. His eyes were wide from fear; his mouth was hanging open slightly.

"Are you okay?" Lunar couldn't help but feel worried. Arkeson placed a hand on his forehead, moaning to himself. Then he raised his head.

"Yeah… I'm fine…" Lunar wasn't convinced, but there was a silent plea in Arkeson's tone, begging her not to ask anymore. She sighed, and fell silent, watching Arkeson. Arkeson simply sat on his bed, his hands shielding his face as he shuddered, thinking of the dream he just had…

~~~~~

Morning came, and the companions were at last ready to leave the city of Setia to continue on their journey. Much had happened during the night: Lord Albert and King Dylan had successfully gotten each other roaring drunk, and they had patched up, rebuilding their old alliance. The knights had set about to rebuild the city, hand in hand with the citizens. The dead bodies of the knights were retrieved, and given a proper burial.

Lord Albert bade the companions good luck on their journey, as did King Dylan.

Arkeson walked briskly at the front, not saying anything, and steadfastly refusing to stare anywhere else except straight ahead of him. Lunar and Heyior followed behind, both watching Arkeson with in silence. Ralin, Thgan and Amelia came next, talking animatedly, trying every once in a while to cheer the dragon up, but to no avail.

Soon, they had left the city of Setia far behind, but the memories of what had happened remained fresh in their minds.

As night fell, Arkeson glanced briefly at the sky and grimaced at the dragon constellation. The companions stopped and set up camp for the night, all falling asleep rather quickly, with the exception of Arkeson, who remained outside, alone, staring at the sky.

And when he did fall asleep, nothing the companions did could wake him up from the nightmare that consumed his feverish mind…

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How long has it been? Sorry for the lack of updates. Life has been pretty hectic, and I'm sorry if the end of this chapter seemed a little rushed. But don't worry, everything will be explained in the next chapter, until then…

In the next chapter, Arkeson rediscovers his past, and some memories he never knew he had. And who's the new dragon that has appeared in the companion's path? Is he a friend or an ally?

Acknowledgements: Comrade Terror - For beta reading, and giving me tips.

Rayamon - Also for beta reading, and for poking me to finish this chapter ^_^

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