The pirate ship sails along smoothly. We finally can see the isle on the horizon. Covered in fog giving it an ominous feeling. Fitting considering what it contains…

 

Lyn and I are sitting on in a secluded area of the ship. My hand running through her hair as she rests her head on my chest.

 

“Lyn…” I start to say but pause.

 

“I know. We must do this if we want to save his father… I just…” She says not moving from me.

 

“Mm. I’m sorry Lyn.”

 

“Let’s just… stay like this for a while…” She responds. After a few moments I can hear heavy footsteps coming up the stairs to our location.

 

“Eliwood!” Hector says as he reaches the top. He sees Lyn and I resting against the railings.

 

Lyn speaks up. “If you’re looking for Eliwood, he’s talking with the captain.”

 

“Oh. I won’t bother him then.” Hector says continuing to stand there not understanding he should leave.

 

Lyn glances at him and then to me. I shake my head with a small smile on my face.

 

“…. Do you need something?” She says looking over to him.

 

“I’d like you to stop pouting. This pirate ship is the only way for us to get to the Dread Isle. I thought you understood that. Was I-“ Hector says before being cut off.

 

“Hector! Don-“ I start to say before finding a hand on my mouth. I see Lyn covering it with a bright anger in her eyes.

 

“How I feel or what I think is no concern of yours!” She says with her fury burning bright.

 

“Eliwood told me… about your father and those bandits. But these pirates? They don’t seem like bad fellows.” Hector continues.

 

“It wasn’t just him! My entire tribe! Everyone was killed! They poisoned our drinking water… My people were in such pain, they could hardly stand… That’s when the bandits attacked! They waited until we were defenseless.” She says her eyes starting to tear up. My hand reaching for hers holding it to provide comfort if it could.

 

“My father put me on his horse, and I escape… Just me. My poor father… The pain must have been terrible. He lifted me up… arms shaking… his last breath thinking of saving me from them. Do you understand? I was found by Percy on horseback. I awoke ten days later with my mother and I being the only surviving members I knew about. My last memory of my father… He was…” Her tears falling as she regales the story. Her grip tightening on my hand.

 

“Broken… dying. I can still see the axes rising and falling. It… It’s not……” She breaks the dam even more as more tears fall.

 

Hector walks forward then stops. “You’re a strong woman, Lyndis. I thought you would not want anyone to see you cry.”

 

“You’re such a fool! If you think that’s what I want, then why not just leave!” Lyn shouts.

 

Hector solemnly states “I… I lost my parents, too. It was illness that took them. Nothing like what happened to you. Still, I wanted nothing more than to cry like a little baby. And yet, I couldn’t cry… Not in front of others. And when I was alone, I found I still couldn’t. So… I simply thought… I don’t know…”

 

Lyn’s tears stopping as she looks at Hector. “You really are a fool. That’s no way to… You can’t just…”

 

Noticing Lyn’s hand not covering my mouth I take this chance to speak up. “Releasing pent up feelings does not show weakness, Hector. I understand the image you wish to portray for Eliwood and your friends, but crying is not a sign of weakness. You’ll come across another event that will challenge you, but you must understand at that point that concealing your feelings from others only breeds weakness within you.”

 

Hector stands there silently listening to my advice. Before he has a chance to respond a voice shouts out “Ahoy! There’s a small dory adrift to port! Someone’s on board! Tell the captain!”

 

Lyn wipes her tears on my cloak while I give her a small glare. She gives me a small smile and pulls me along. “A boat? Let’s go see!” Hector follows along behind us.

 

Hector reaches the deck of the ship and spots Eliwood. They talk to each other as Lyn and I approach the boat being pulled up.

 

“Hey, you two! Come here! They’ve pulled it aboard!” She says regaining her bearings. She looks inside the boat and spots a girl.

 

One of the pirates point to Lyn. “Oi! You there! Give me a hand, will you? I don’t know where to… grab her.”

 

Lyn approaches the pirate and helps him pull the girl aboard. She notices the girl looks familiar.

 

Lyn moves her hair covering her face and recognizes her instantly. “Ninian!? Ninian! Wake up!!” She shouts moving her over to the deck.

 

Eliwood looks over confused for a moment. “Unbelievable… what are the chances?”

 

Ninian eyes open at all the shouting.

 

“Ninian, can you hear me?” Lyn says to her.

 

“…Unnnn… I…” She mumbles out.

 

“Are you well? Why were you on that boat? Where is Nils? Why wasn’t he with you?” Lyn barrages her with questions.

 

I pull Lyn back and look to Ninian. “Something’s wrong with her… Mist, Soren see if you can figure out what it is.”

 

“Who… Who…” Ninian mumbles.

 

“Captain! Pirate ships approaching from the northwest!” Upon hearing that I pull out my bow from my inventory. I dash off to look in that direction. I see a cannonball soaring through the sky and breaching the hull. ‘Shit!’

 

“Water!!! The hull’s been breached! We’re taking on water!!! It’s bad, Captain! We need all hands belowdecks, or we’ll sink!” One of the pirates yell out.

 

“Take care of it! I’m going to carve these scallywags new gizzards!” Fargus says pulling his axe out.

 

“We need your help! The water’s up to the galley! You must come below, Captain!” Fargus looks at this pirate and growls.

 

“Fargus! Leave the enemy to us!” Eliwood says to the captain.

 

“Fighting is something we’re good at! But a sinking ship? That’s your affair! You have to do something, or we’ll all drown!” Hector says loudly after pulling his axe out.

 

“Lyn take her to a room out of the way.” I say looking to Ninian.

 

“I will.” She says carrying her off.

 

The two ships pull up on our left and our right. They place large planks to cross the distance on both ships.

 

“Get ready for battle!”  I say loudly alerting everyone.

 

“Oswin and Marcus prevent them from getting on our ship! Archers focus on the Pegasus and any targets caught out!” I say rushing off towards the ship containing the leader of the group.

 

I cut down three shaman’s that block my path quickly. I hear the commander of the group give out a command. “All we want is the girl. Kill the rest.”

 

‘Another dog of Nergal’s…’ I say looking at the man in front of me. His face covered by a black hood. “You…” He says looking at me and before he can say another word his head leaves his body.

 

‘This side’s done…’ I say looking back to our ship. I cross back over to see what’s happening on the other side. I see a sacaean swordsman hit by an arrow. He pulls the arrow out and tries to charge in but is blocked by a red-haired girl on a horse. She stops him and heals the wound on his arm.

 

‘Looks like Guy and Priscilla will grow closer together…’

 

After another few minutes of fighting the attacking force has fallen. Our forces return to the ship and see Ninian leaving the room she was supposed to be in.

 

“Ah! Ninian! You can’t come out yet! There’s blood everywhere!” Lyn says walking over to her.

 

“…Blood?” Ninian says confused as she slips.

 

“Look out!” Eliwood says while catching her.

 

“…Ah! I’m sorry.” She says with a small blush.

 

“Are you OK? Ninian?” Eliwood looks her over for wounds.

 

“Ninian? Is that… me? Is that… my name?” She says looking at the group of strangers.

 

“Ninian! What’s happened to you…” Lyn says approaching her.

 

Fargus returns from the hull and doesn’t see any of the attackers. “You’ve routed ‘em already? Nicely done, whelps.”

 

Ninian speaks up. “…I… My head… is so foggy. Am I… at sea?”

 

“Yes. We found you adrift in a small boat.” Lyn says to her.

 

“Those scum were after the girl, it seems. Will you take her with you? The men are afraid she, well…” The captain mumbles the last part. “Might be cursed, you know?”

 

“Cursed…?” Hector says looking at the girl.

 

“Are you suggesting we leave her behind?” Lyn says with Ninian behind her.

 

“We can’t take her with us, can we? We’re heading to the Dread Isle. It’s dread for a reason, you know!” Hector says as a complaint.

 

“Regardless, she will come with us.” I say speaking up. “The last time we were together her and her brother were being hunted by the Black Fang. She’ll stay with us so we can protect her.” I say looking over the group.

 

Lyn adds in to support my statement. “I can’t explain… There’s something in the air that hints at their involvement.” Eliwood nods at this and walks over to Ninian to speak.

 

Hector gives Lyn a strange look. “Something in the air… Are you some sort of hound?” I let out a small giggle at that. Lyn gives me a glare before saying “Ah! Are you mocking me?” She says offended at the comparison.

 

“No, the opposite. I’m in utter admiration…” He says. “Say, Eliwood. When I left Ostia, I was attacked by a dark-robed group…” He says pausing before looking at me. “Percival you sent mercenaries to aid me. Did you know there would be an attempt on my life?”

 

I nod my head. “As the heir to the Ostian throne you have a rather large target on your back and once I heard Eliwood’s father went missing I knew you would act. That would give certain people an opportunity to attack you when you try to leave Ostia’s protection. So, I sent some of my men to protect you. No one can touch one of my friends and can even think of getting away with it.” I say with a small smile.

 

He nods at that and looks back to Eliwood. “Many people hold a grudge against Ostia, like Percival said. I originally didn’t think it had anything to do with this… but I’m now convinced they were related.”

 

…

 

After another day’s worth of travel we’ve reached the Dread Isle.

 

“We’ll wait two weeks. Finish up by then.” Fargus says looking at us.

 

“That’s more than enough time!” Hector says with a smile.

 

“And I’ve got a half-wit sailor who wants to go sightseeing. C’mere, Dart!” The captain says calling over the pirate that stopped them outside the inn for the challenge.

 

“I’m here, Captain! Ready to serve!” He shouts with enthusiasm.

 

“We’re pleased to have you.” Eliwood says diplomatically.

 

“His only redeeming feature is his sturdiness. Maybe he’ll come in handy.” Fargus says patting Dart’s back hard.

 

“Come on, Captain! I’m better’n that!” Dart protests.

 

“You’ve done so much… I can’t thank you enough…” Eliwood says with a smile.

 

“Come back alive! That’s all the thanks I need.” Fargus says walking away.

 

“All right. Farewell!” Eliwood calls out.

 

“…” Lyn silently watches the pirate captain leave. “There are good people, even among pirates.”

 

“They’re not a normal group of pirates…” I say looking over to her.

 

Eliwood turns around and looks towards the giant forest. “Somewhere within that forest is the Dragon’s Gate.”

 

“Eliwood! No matter what it takes, we’re coming back with your father!” Hector says putting his arm around him.

 

“…We’ll surely find him. We’ll all do our best to make it so.” Lyn adds in.

 

“Let’s make preparations to enter the forest.” I say looking at the forest. ‘Uhai you better accept my offer…’

 

“Dragon’s Gate…” Ninian mumbles out looking at the forest.