A/N: Egad, last chapter! Well, it all gets summed up here, folks…soon it’ll all be naught but a reminiscence…haha, excuse my terrible puns…I’m sleep deprived and therefore going crazy! Whee! Anyway…well, hope you enjoy it :-).

Chapter Six—Into the Light

There he was, crumpled on the stone floor. His purple hair was disheveled, he was paler than she had ever seen him, she could practically feel his life flowing from him as he wasted away…but Eirika knew in her heart, this time for sure, that he was real. There would be no interruptions from the Demon King.

“Lyon!” Eirika called, starting to run for him.

“Be careful Eirika!” snapped Ephraim, tense with worry, too far away to reach out and stop her.

“It’s alright,” Eirika told him. “He’s Lyon.” She just knew he was. He had to be. She could bear to let him go without…saying goodbye. That thought tore through her heart as a blade of steel would and she rushed to her friend, dropping to her knees beside him and gathering him into her arms as she whispered his name.

“Ei…Eirika,” he managed to murmur with joy, though not without difficulty. His eyes shone as they gazed at her, overflowing with happiness, yet only barely able to mask the fevered pain beneath them. “Is…that you?”

“Yes, Lyon. It’s me.” Eirika didn’t know what else to say…she felt her own eyes sting and she knew she was about to cry. There was a smile on her old friend’s face, one so innocent, one so pure…just like the Lyon she knew. Like the Lyon she had always known. He was dying, they both knew it, yet he just kept smiling…

“Eirika…you stopped me, didn’t you? I’m glad…”

“Lyon…” Eirika whispered his name, repeating it, trying her hardest to keep him clinging to life. She didn’t want him to go…she didn’t want him to be happy to go…but she could see in his glazed, feverish eyes that he was ready to stop all the pain he had caused.

“Listen…Eirika…” He reached out a hand to touch her cheek, a gesture which obviously cost him a lot of his remaining energy. “I never had the courage to tell you, but…I’ve always loved you…”

His eyes closed, his fingers dropped from her face. 'No!' Eirika screamed in her mind. He couldn’t be dead! It couldn’t be true…it couldn’t…yet, holding him in her arms, she was fully aware of his breath abandoning him. Forever. She froze there, numb and empty.

“…Lyon…”

Suddenly he was gone—she clutched only air. Before she knew what was happening, some great force had blown her backwards. She struggled to her feet, Ephraim running over to help her and Seth already by her side and Innes merely staring in wide-eyed shock at the monster that had taken Lyon’s place.

He was gone, her gentle and wonderful friend, and a the most evil force she had ever known stood there instead. How could the two once have been one and the same? This terrible horror that eyed them all with a graphic hunger once had a part of it, locked deep away in it’s mind…a small part that mourned the irony of the destruction it caused when all the while all it wanted was to end destruction…a small part that would sometimes break free and look at her with light in it’s eyes before that light was clouded by evil…a small part that whispered “Eirika”…

“Eirika,” said Innes, penetrating into her thoughts.

“Sister?” Ephraim asked, touching her arm. Eirika jumped and looked around, wondering for just a moment where she was.

“Princess,” murmured Seth. Everyone’s voices finally brought Eirika back to reality. Her memories faded completely, evanescing, as she stared back up at the Demon King.

“I believe it’s waiting for us to make the first move,” Innes noted quietly, also peering up at the Demon King with his calculating stare.

Eirika swallowed hard and clutched her sword tightly as butterflies exploded within her chest. “Alright…I’ll go.”

“No!” the three men around her said sternly. Eirika could not help but smile faintly, honored that they all would want her to be safe.

“I would go, seeing as I can attack from long distances,” Innes reported, “But would you look at the size of that beast! Doubtless it can hit from far away…in which case I am useless.”

“Then I shall go,” Seth declared, but Ephraim threw out an arm and stopped the knight.

“No, Seth…let me. You all have seen how strong I’ve become…and I wield Seigmund, besides.”

It was plain to Eirika that Seth could not argue…but that didn’t mean she couldn’t.

“Brother, please—“ she tried to say, but Ephraim cut her off by kissing her cheek and jumping onto his ivory horse, galloping towards the Demon King as fast as he could go. It was such a short distance but it seemed like such a long time as Eirika watched her brother hurtle towards a danger unknown and more powerful than she could have ever dreamed. Ephraim raised his arm and thrusted Seigmund into the Demon King’s grotesque, skull-like head. It sank halfway up the shaft before Ephraim yanked it out again, covered in rotting gore.

The Demon King gave a shriek of pain and whirled around to Ephraim. It opened it’s mouth, showing it’s sharp and dripping teeth, and it’s eyes began to glow with a light which, although bright, Eirika could only describe as “dark.” Purple mist gathered around Ephraim, who struggled to keep his horse from panicking. The air crackled with electricity and smelled of fear, a scent Eirika had become accustomed to…but it had never been as strong as this.

“…What the--?” asked Ephraim, before a purple light flashed brightly enough to blind everyone in the vicinity. Eirika shielded her eyes against it but heard her brother scream…as if every inch of him was being ripped open and set on fire. Eirika cried out, almost able to feel that pain herself, barely aware of Tana shrieking behind her and Seth going straight for his trusty silver lance. Even Innes had his eyes open wide in horror and pity.

The mist and thunder dissipated, and all could see Ephraim—still on his horse, still alive—but just barely. He gasped for air as tears of agony ran unchecked down his face, yet none would ever think less of him for crying. The very energy in the air was enough to make Neimi start to bawl, and just seeing Ephraim in such a state made Tana give a sob, but Eirika could merely stand there as if frozen.

“Gods…” she choked, coming to her senses. She ran for her brother, calling his name in desperation, but Seth caught her waist and prevented her from running right into the Demon King’s path.

“Ephraim, Ephraim!” she cried, struggling without knowing or caring who held her back. “Brother!”

“I’m alright, Eirika,” Ephraim told her. “It’s not as strong as we thought it was…we can…defeat it. Hurry, hurry...bring him down before he…can act again.”

Eirika calmed down, if slightly, and Seth released her.

“One more hit should do it,” said Innes, referring to the Demon King. He aimed his bow. “I have another Sacred Twin…I might be able to take him down, if I can aim correctly.”

“…No,” said Eirika forcefully. “You can’t.”

Innes lowered the bow and stared at her. “…What? You…doubt me, Eirika?”

“No, not that,” she said, shaking her head and causing her aqua hair to flow back and forth. “It’s just…I don’t want you to do this. I am the one that needs to do this…to finish it all.”

That, Innes couldn’t argue with. He lowered his bow and fell silent, and Eirika pulled herself up onto her horse.

“Princess,” Seth pleaded, at once reaching out a hand to stop her. “I understand how hard you have been training, and now your sword-wielding skills are nearly undisputable throughout camp…but this is just too dangerous for a princess of Renais. Gods forbid, if you were to fall…” The silver general could not bring himself to finish the sentence.

“He’s right, Eirika,” said Innes quietly. “If you die, we will all be lost…and Ephraim is over there by our enemy alone. I say this not as his rival but as his comrade—he can not survive another hit like that. Few others have the skill or the weapons to finish the Demon King in time for Ephraim to be spared.”

Eirika looked to the archer first, then to her knight. She whispered, “But I know I can do this…I must do this.”

The look in her enchanting blue eyes, a look both determined and pleading, froze both men on the spot. The two stepped back, knowing they would be unable to stop her. Eirika took off on her horse, too fixated on the Demon King to look back to Seth and Innes.

xxxXXXxxx

Innes didn’t want to let her go. To think Ephraim would be that wounded…to think such a monster could be so powerful! There was no way Eirika was stronger than Ephraim, especially considering Ephraim’s natural strength and how much longer he had been training. Eirika did not stand a chance.

But I do! he thought, desperately now that it was too late.. He was the most skilled sniper in all the army, and had been so since the very beginning, when he had joined with them. He could do this, if only she would have let him, she would have been spared such pain…

But no. She had to do this—she had to avenge her father, her country, and now her brother.

Ephraim. The word was like a curse, echoing throughout Innes’ mind. Of course she would have to protect him…she loved him more than she could ever love Innes. His fingers tightened around his bow, feeling jealousy grip him as it so often had in the past. He loved her, so how did she not see? He could certainly see her, plunging towards the Demon King, bold as she always was. She did not turn back.

She never had turned back—Eirika was always one to push ahead. If Innes were to somehow appear before her, she would see him then…but what if he could not get ahead of her? What if he always lost to Ephraim, and was always left behind? Would Eirika ever look back? Was he just unworthy of her eyes, just a sniper, a shadow, a shadow hidden inside the shadow of the glorious Ephraim of Renais?

xxxXXXxxx

Ephraim of Renais?

Yes, that’s who I am, Ephraim realized suddenly. He breathed a great sigh of relief…for a moment, he thought he had lost himself. He had thought that perhaps Ephraim of Renais would be no more.

He sighed again, happy to be alive and to finish what needed to end. Still, he had never hurt so much in all his life…he was dizzy, he could not catch his breath, every inch of his body burned so terribly…

There was water on his hand, which was tightly clutching the reins of his terrified horse. Ephraim looked down. Water on his hand? His fingertips went to his face and came away damp—Ephraim quickly moved to wipe his tears away with his sleeve. He did not dare to look at Innes…how embarrassing it would be to know the sniper had seen him crying…

Suddenly Eirika raced by on her horse.

Ephraim stared after her, all shame forgotten. Crying did not matter, Innes did not matter, the pain wracking his body did not matter…nothing did, nothing except for Eirika. He called after her, but she did not answer.

“Prince Ephraim!”

That would be Seth. Ephraim turned to look at the general as he galloped over.

“Prince Ephraim, are you alright?”

“I…I think so.” Ephraim tried his best to sound confident, but his horse fidgeted. He suddenly couldn’t find the strength to steady himself, and almost fell out of the saddle. Seth caught him easily and helped him onto his own horse.

“We must retreat,” the knight explained, his voice apologetic.

Ephraim nodded, unable to tear his gaze from Eirika who rushed so bravely into such evil. “Yes, retreating is wise. Still…I wish it was I about to attack and my sister safe with you, Seth.”

xxxXXXxxx

Seth followed Ephraim’s eyes to his sister. “I wish neither of you had to risk your lives like this,” he murmured. He continued to watch Eirika fly towards her adversary. Her horse galloped as gracefully as she Seth knew the princess could run…

No, Seth scolded himself. He must not think such thoughts. Still, he could not help but look at her again, and feel his heart tighten painfully. He didn’t want her to fight, why couldn’t she just let him fight for her?

Of course, he had feared greatly for Ephraim as well. Ephraim was the only male heir to the throne of Renais. He was the hope of Renais, and therefore of everything Seth believed in and stood for and loved. Yet the knight’s soul cried out for the heir’s sister, and in such an anguished worry. If he lost her….how could he bear it? It was enough that Ephraim was wounded so grievously, now Eirika had to share the same fate? Or worse? What if she died? What would Seth ever do if she…

How could Seth ever survive, knowing she was dead? Dead. He forced himself to think the word. Dread filled his heart, dread and anticipation and blatant fear that her life would end as he was too far away to save her, and he would have had failed his Princess…failed Eirika.

xxxXXXxxx

Eirika was hardly aware of anything.

The world rushing past, the wind in her face.

The Demon King leering, daring her to attack.

Her sword steady in her experienced hold.

She knew what to do.

She rushed the Demon King, past the grip of Innes and Seth, past her brother who was too dazed to stop her. Her enemy still smiled in it’s gruesome way, wanting her close so it could shred her to pieces, but Eirika merely smiled back. She had to do this…and she knew she could. Her horse leaped for the Demon King’s head, and Eirika twirled her sword around, priming it to plunge with all her might…but what if it was not enough?

“Lyon, lend me strength!”

Cutting, tearing, ripping, pain.

Dying…something was dying.

Inhuman screaming.

Off her horse. Standing. Something hard pushed into her hand, and lifted high.

Ephraim. Ephraim by her side. Light…merciful, blessed light…too much light…

Eirika closed her eyes against the brightness and cried out, aware of something hard in her palm and Ephraim’s hand beside her, helping her to keep it in the air. The shrieking Eirika had heard grew even louder, and then…darkness once more. Darkness and silence.

Eirika opened her eyes and blinked rapidly, trying to see. Finally her eyes adjusted. The Demon King was gone…destroyed forever. Ephraim was by her side, holding up the Sacred Stone of Rausten. Slowly he lowered his hand, and she did the same, so it was resting between the two of them.

“You did it,” Ephraim whispered, looking haggard and pale, but joyful.

Eirika smiled. “We did it.”

“You both most certainly did!” chirped L’Arachel, snatching the stone away from them as a grin larger than her personality lit up her face. “Well, would you look at that! The Sacred Stone of Rausten gave off such a glorious light! Of course…coming from Rausten, that’s only to be expected!” She laughed heartily, immediately joined by Dozla who stood a few feet away. “Eirika, Ephraim! You have restored peace to the land!”

She hugged them both, and instantly the quiet following the death of the Demon King was shattered. The people of their rag-tag army laughed and cried, shouted and embraced, clamored and clattered, or—in the case of Knoll, Moulder, and Marisa—merely stood and watched everyone in silent amusement.

Ephraim was immediately set on by Tana and L’Arachel, who had to make sure he was not too sorely wounded, but Eirika stood still a while and gazed into the darkness where she knew the Demon King had once stood.

Something was there now.

She could see it, sprawled out on the floor, and began to ran towards it as fast as she could. Ephraim also spotted it, and Eirika running towards it, and broke free of the women surrounding him to go chase after her. Seth immediately followed, fearing danger, and after him came Innes, who wanted to make sure Eirika was alright.

It was Lyon’s body. Eirika dropped to her knees beside it and let her fingertips freeze above his pale lips. Yet she felt no breath…he was truly gone. She returned her hand to her side, tears once more clouding her blue eyes.

“Why…” she whispered. “Why is there always so much darkness everywhere?”

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and gave a start. That couldn’t be Ephraim—he was kneeling opposite her, also staring down at Lyon’s corpse with tear-filled eyes. It might have been Innes, but no, he was seldom that forward…besides, she could see him beside her, both his hands fastened to his bow. She looked up then, into the face of Seth.

“Darkness isn’t always everywhere, your highness,” he murmured. He looked to the doorway, where white sunlight was filtering in. “You see? It’s not that far away.”

“…You’re right,” said Eirika. She smiled slightly and rose to her feet, and Seth did something she would never have expected out of him—he reached out for her hand and held it. A look of joyful awe crossed her face, completely parallel to the horrified awe on Innes’s face.

The knight? Seth? He had never seen that coming. Innes cursed himself for not noticing, for not realizing, for once in his life failing to be the tactician he was. It had been Seth all along, hadn’t it! The sniper began to scowl as he glanced at the general, but caught a glimpse of Eirika and his eyes softened.

She was…happy, just then. How long had it been since he had seen her truly happy? And…Innes hated to admit to himself, It looks as if Sir Seth admires Eirika quite a lot. Perhaps…perhaps even more than I do. Or I have. Or…Innes cut off his wayward train of thought and felt himself smile. Fine, he was done with this foolish game of chasing her anyway. Let Seth have her, the man who would never, ever give up. He would make her happy, and that was what mattered. Besides, he figured with a shrug, it was better than losing her to Ephraim.

Ephraim just stared at Eirika and Seth. He had known Seth for years, and had been so very positive the knight would never make a move like that…he smiled, glad that he was wrong. Eirika took losing Lyon very hard, and Ephraim joined her in clinging to that desperate hope that perhaps their friend might return to them.Now that hope was shattered, dashed to smithereens like a fragile piece of glass…but here it seemed that Eirika had a new hope. Haha…congratulations, Seth.

Seth wasn’t quite sure what had made him act so suddenly. He had seen her kneel beside Prince Lyon, had seen all the hope and fire and light die from her eyes, and it was more than he could bear. Before he could think about the consequences of his actions, he had touched her shoulder and told her there was still a future ahead of her…a bright one. How her eyes had sparkled then, even though he knew she felt as if she was alone in a void, with no fathomable future ahead of her. Seth had to reach for her hand, to let her know she could—as she always did—look to him for support.

Support is what she needed, and support is what she found. From everyone. Eirika looked around her, at all the wonderful people in her life. Innes’s eyes lit up. Ephraim nodded. And…perhaps she was just imagining it…but she thought she could see a tranquil smilecross the face of Lyon’s body. With that encouragement, Eirika looked up to Seth.

Her knight. And now…more, perhaps, she thought.

Her gaze turned to Innes. A beloved friend.

To Ephraim. A wonderful brother.

She half-turned then and looked behind her, to the corpse shrouded in shadow. A precious memory.

A reminiscence.

But the past was gone, as was he. Eirika could only look forward. Her fingers twined through Seth’s, Ephraim gave her hair a teasing tug, Innes appeared at her side, and the four left the past, walking out into the future. Into the light.