Mia looked at Sakura sympathetically, then set off at brisk trot to keep Gale in the saddle. "Fou, take the lead, scout for any more undead or whatever ahead. Azala, stay back and watch for anything following," she ordered. Fou-Lu rode forward and Seri took his place beside Gale.

Azala nodded. "Alright...well, this is a first, riding at night instead of day." he sighed,pulling around in the back, his ears twitching lightly as he tried to pick up any sound beyond their hoof beats.

* * *

Mia stood in the broken window of a old temple to Marfa, and to Falaris during the Marmo occupation. The ancient building was in ruins from the last war, the locals had been working on restoring it, however the new war halted their progress. Shinning Hill was under heavy guard of soldiers, mercenaries, rangers and whoever else felt obliged to help. Walls of mud, hay, old bricks and other materials had been hastily erected to cover gaps in the old wall. The city was a fortress and a safe haven. The whole city was prepared the defend itself, Mia could sense the tension in the air. Fou-Lu's hands slipped around her waist and his head rested on her shoulder. Mia smiled a little and leaned her head to the side against his. Behind them, Gale was awake. Mia could feel his barely repressed rage, it had been hell on everyone to keep him under control. Seri kept him on tight lease however, the High elf sat watching him and ready to summon spirits to bring him down.

They had come to the city about dawn the day before and Mia insisted on staying today as well until the figured out the situation in the "Holy" City. Two rangers had been dispatched to get Mia's information, they now waited for the rangers' return.

Mia glanced back to Gale. "Anger will not help us find her, Gale," she replied distantly, still watching over the battered city. Mia didn't believe she could ever trust Sevrina, when they found her again, she didn't know what to expect. "And how will we know what side she's on? Perhaps she is working with Cray again. Do you know what she did in Roid, Gale? I'm quite certain the fall was partly due to her. She WAS working with Cray, of that I'm certain. She nearly kill Kiran if it hadn't been for us and Sakura showing up. I wouldn't trust that woman, even if I was you."

Mia turned to face Gale, seemingly oblivious to him being in were form. Seri was on her feet behind him and Mia could sense her channeling spiritual energy to keep Gale from getting out of hand. She felt Lucied brush against her leg. Putting a hand on his shoulder, Mia could feel the tenseness in the wolf's muscles. There was no aggression in his movements, only his stance said he was ready to defend Mia and Fou if it were to come to that. Mia shook her head and turned back around facing the window. "I don't know you well, but I feel I'm right to say I dont know what you see in her."

Gale replied to Mia, "The fall of Roid wasn't her fault Mia, I didn't know Cray when he showed up at the Palace doors. To me, he was a Knight trying to get in to save the King. I helped Cray rip the doors down. Sevrina didn't know him either. We all fought and killed palace guard thinking they were laying seige to the Palace. The true cause for Roid's fall was me. I used my hidden Lancer techniques to break the doors down. Allowing Cray in. Seri, it wouldn't work this time. If I get mad this time...I'm sure you'd need to kill me. Please don't try to focus a spell on me or I will attack. Nothing personal, but everything is on the brink on going completely off the scale. Mia, what do you know anyway? You naive little fool. You know no battle. You've never been in war. This is your first, you're a merchent. I'm a warrior, a mercenary,...a murderer... That's a side I don't like recalling. I've killed innocents all because I was angry with myself and vented it to them or because I was paid to kill. Mia, you ARE naive, you don't even trust me, so don't kid yourself. You don't trust anyone. I'm not even sure you trust Fou-lu. Can't you see the past can't be used to judge a person. Look at me? Yeah, I'm pissed, nearly nuts at the moment, but why? Because I know in my heart, she's good, she doesn't want to help Cray. I know, because I love her...nothing will change that either." Gale walked off alone to think. He looked at the ruined city and started walking towards it alone. He labored with his anger within, trying to keep it from overtaking him.

Mia swung around to face Gale again. "You are a fool. You're so blind with your love that you can't see the truth of her. I'm certain she intended to bring down Roid as much as Cray did. Perhaps you had a hand in the fall, but if you didn't do what you did, it would have happened another way. Believe me, Seri doesn't need to kill you, if I know her, she can bring you down faster now that she knows your mind." Mia stepped down from where she stood and strode toward Gale. Lucied trailed on her heels.

"You dont have a clue who or what I am, do you? Naive little fool? NAIVE LITTLE FOOL? Who is the one complaining about their problems like they are the only person in the world? Who is the one blindly in love with a woman who I bet would kill you regardless of yours or her feelings?"

"Believe me, boy, I am NO merchant. I am a mercenary, I have been for 72 years. My first war? Try third. War of the Demon God? I fought demons day and night, much worse than this. War of Heroes, not so tough on me but a war nonetheless." Mia was up in his face now. His form meant nothing to her, she trusted he wouldn't strike out against her, even in his current state of mind. Seri could bring him down anyway. "You think I got these scars as a merchant? Try living a year trapped on Marmo by four dark elves. Hell, try living in Dark Town alone for that matter. You ask me not to judge you by your past. When have I? What the hell do I know about you past? Why should I care anyway?"

"And yet somehow--I have know idea HOW you came to that reasoning--you accuse me of being as naive and inexperanced as Moryssa. Perhaps I dont trust you, but what does it matter? BUT I did my best to help you, to keep you alive so you could 'rescue'--I doubt she needs it--your beloved Sevrina and not get YOURSELF killed."

Mia drew back a little, having said what she needed. "And one thing you should know. Everything changes." She turned her back to him and returned to her window, arms crossed over her chest.

"If anyone here is naive, it's him," she muttered to Fou-Lu. "Why do I even bother?"

Azala suddenly slammed his fist into a ruined remnant of a wall. "Gale, I'd say we've put up with enough of your bullshit for one lifetime." He looked at Gale. "You keep saying what a tortured fur-ball you are and that knowbody has ever given you a break. Thats no reason to threaten us,we could have let you get ripped to shreds by Cray. Do we at least get a 'thanks for not letting me commit suicide'? Noooo, no, you act like some tortured furball with a major testosterone problem. Grow up, Gale. We all have our problems, and threatening us won't solve them." He looked at Mia and Seri, motioning towards Gale. "I say we let him go, we have enough to deal with without some rampaging furbag threatening to kill us."

Gale stopped in mid step and turned around slowly a calm grin came to his face as he looked at Azala. He walked back to the group and looked at each of them. "Would you like to see why I'm always so miserable? I wasn't always like this. Roid's downfall and Sevrina being taken from me are just fuel for the inferno. I'm going to show you what is the route of why I'm so miserable, why I hate so much and what is so damn hard to let go."

Gale forced himself to his human form. With just the tattered remains of his pants they could plainly see scars across Gale's chest and back. Each were either from claw, blade or arrow. "I grew up in a clan. I was beaten by my father AND my mother every day because I didn't learn to shift to my were form. The lines across my chest are a grim reminder of my 'loving' parents. The thicker, brownish lines are stab wounds. When I finally did manage to learn how to shift, I fled the woods, wanting nothing to do with my kind and their brutal ways. I was found by a group of Rogues who saw nothing but money in their eyes. They stabbed me at least 3 times before I dropped. I was saved by Roid's Royal Guards and sent to become a Lancer. They thought I was a human child slave. I was a slave... For those reasons I'm constantly angry. Constantly in fear of it happening to anyone here. For that, I'm harsh and demanding only because I want my friends close. It's often too hard to understand why I do anything. Revenge was a motive for my rushing off. But I'm begging everyone. Leave Cray to me, for honor's sake. This runs deeper than you think...just as these scars carry deeper wounds on the inside. I don't ask for sympathy. But I think it may be best if I actually tell you all WHY I'm so damn mean. It's not you or Cray. It's my own past that haunts me. I just can't let it go."

Gale stopped, shifting back to his normal were form and sat on a piece of ruined wall. He looke at his reflection in a little pool of water in the road and grimaced. "The past stares you in the face. I look like my father. I'm sorry everyone. I'm too much of a hand full. I need clothing...these pants aren't gonna last too much longer and I don't relish the idea of traveling in the buff... I can call my armor, but I'm not wearing it without clothing underneath." Gale looked to the guys, "I'm sure we've ALL been pinched there when we first tired armor on.

Mia faced Gale again, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. Her face was impassive. She listened to his story, almost tempted to show her some of her worse scars. Now wasn't the time. After awhile she sighed to herself, he had reason to be angry yes, but he had to learn to control it. Anger would get him no where. Mia had a hard enough time putting aside what Kiran had done to her long enough to look him in the eye without beating the crap out of him. During their time together on Marmo, he was never the only one throwing punches. Mia remembered plenty of brawls with him, most had to be broken up by magic. She wasn't an easy one to bring down either, it often took at least two of those guys to knock her out with magic and all four of them physically.

Mia waited a long moment before replying. "If you want clothes, we can send someone down to the market," with that she turned to look out the window again.

Gale turned back again to reply to Mia. "Tell me Mia. You've lived in Marmo. As have I. I travelled everywhere on that place. But one thing has always caught my eye...senses really. Deep with one of the mountains was a sort of chamber with no entrance where a dark force was kept. When I got mad I could sense it grow. It kept on growing. I couldn't sense it anymore...I could FEEL it rather. It's in me. What is it? Oh, Mia, one last thing. You may not trust me or Sevrina, but I trust her. Normally I wouldn't but I felt a bond the first time I met her. I'm not sure if you can understand it, being an elf as you are, my kind are more attuned in certain areas than you. No offence. Bad weather is coming. I guess we'd best keep moving, I need clothes as well. You can smell a storm on the wind." Gale shifted back to wereform and started walking down the ruined roads.

Mia growled as she watched him leave. "Damn him. The people here dont need to see him in that form. Feh, why should I care." She looked over at Fou-Lu. "Maybe we should just head to Blade on our own. If he wants to try and get that damn woman back, he can just commit suicide if he wants her so bad. I wont stop him next time."

Leaf must have jumped nearly ten feet in the air when she saw Gale leaving the temple. After occurances in the last few weeks, that would make anyone more than a little jumpy. But she remembered what the elf had told her. A were-wolf. Two days ago, Leaf and Ryna met the group of adventures and went to scout Roid for them. Leaf was about the only person in the whole city brave enough. There had been rumors of demons ruling Roid, and those rumors weren't far from truth. Ryna had to nearly be tied onto her horse so Leaf wouldn't be alone on the journey.

Since the last war, the two misfit women had gone off on their own, Leaf was now training Ryna to a mercenary. Leaf and Ryna climbed the stairs up into the main anteroom. She saw Mia standing in the window with her wolf and dark elven lover beside her. She cleared her throat to get Mia's attention.

Mia heard Leaf's cough and stepped down from the window. "What have you to tell us?" she asked distantly. Her thoughts were still revolving around Gale, but she forced her were-wolf companion out of her mind and faced the two women.

"Well, Roid is sealed. It seems some of the elves from Mirror Forest are gaurding it. The city is sealed off with shamanist magic. It's pure Chaos in there they said. Demons roaming the streets, there's nothing alive in there they say."

Leaf's report was solemn and straight to the point. As a half-elf, the entire situation was unnerving to her. But she could handle it.

"Excuse me for asking, miss, but why are you going to Roid?"

She wanted to know, perhaps she could join them. In these circumstances, she couldn't stand to be stuck in one place. Leaf was the kind of person who loved to travel, after all, she was a mercenary.

Mia studied Leaf for a moment, debating whether or not to tell her. "A friend of ours was kidnapped and taken to Roid we believe. We are seeking to retrieve her." Was all Mia was willing to say.

* * *

Gale was walking in the town. People were looking at him like their death had come. So many of them wore the face of defeat. They looked like they wouldn't care if he killed them all. He shuddered and stepped up to a vendor, it's owner trembled as his sight. "I need clothes."

The merchant stammered, "Uh....I....I...Uh, yes...he-he-here..." The Merchant handed over a two pieces of clothing, a shirt and pants. Gale took them and nodded to the man.

Gale replied, "I have nothing to offer you... Other than the fact that, I am going to end this darkness plaquing the land..."

The man said nothing, but his eyes glimmered slightly with hope, a smal smile came to his lips. Gale walked away and went behind some ruined buildings and slipped on the new clothing. He came out from behind the building in the new clothing. He was in his human form now. He looked at his bare feet and looked around for boots. It took but a few minutes to find them as well. When he was done he had also equiped his emerald green Dwarven steel armor. He came back to the group and looked at them with a long face.

Gale said as he came in, "I went into that town...they all wear the faces of people helplessly awaiting death to take them. I reliesed something. I have suffered greatly, but not as baddly as them. Their entire lives are shattered. Mine might be able to be saved. I've been selfish and I've taken my anger out on all of you. I beg for your forgiveness..." He dropped to his knees in the dirt, his head hung low, not making eye contact, and awaiting each of their verdicts silently.

Mia's attention was drawn from Leaf and Ryna when Gale returned. Motioning the mercenaries aside, she walked toward Gale. She listened stoically. After a long silent moment, she replied. "I'm glad that you have realized your mistake Gale. I forgive you, because I know people can change and learn, as you have. You were irrational, love does that to people. Especially lost love. I've been down that road a few times," she smiled slightly. "Our scouts have returned," she motioned to Leaf and Ryna, "and they say Roid is sealed. Apparently some of the Mirror Forest elves remained to protect against the evil breaking free. We don't know anything of Cray or Sevrina however."

* * *

"Two of them.." Cray breathed in a voice under a whisper. "Vesper and Nalentha... Xion is gone... only two elementals to worry about..."

"Each one capable of bringing a nation to its knees." Blade innocently reminded Cray the gravity of the situation and wet met wtih a dead stare. Cray knew the danger the most being one of them once before.

"Sevrina, you stay behind Blade and I. Stay back and be our eyes, watch out backs." Cray raised a finger to her lips to hush her. "I know you are strong Sevrina but not strong enough to defeat them. Only with the ARMs do we have a chance." Cray turned his gaze to Blade again. "As soon as we draw we run to the palace where they are. I sense them there and once we draw out weapons they will sense us. We run an gun. Understand?"

The two of them solemnly nodded. Cray took the first step out of the shelter they had hid themselves in from the patrol and stared down a large beast made from pure chaotic energy. A look of shock twisted across it's featureless face when a fiery wing erupted from Cray's right shoulder. A feathered wing created from flame. In one motions the wing swept therough the center of the beast turning its midsection to ash. Blade had leapt over cray with both Crisis and Nemesis draw and brough them both down on the creature vertically banishing it back to the Chaos.

Cray threw out his arm and summoned Atra from within him, the twisted blade taking shape in his hand. It went swinging as soon as a tall and fat ogre came around the corner, taking its head cleanly off his shoulders.

"Charge!" Blade howled as a wave of demons and creatures began swarming to the palce their bretheren fell. Cray and Blade charged into the frey with weapons cocked back and already soaked in blood.