Um... hi... haha... you see... I'm sorry this took a while to update. You see... I kinda had writers block for like a month... then I had exams... then I kinda went away on holiday for 2 weeks. So... yeah... sorry this took so long to update.

Dislaimer: I do not own FOZ

Guiche tch'd as he knocked out several more soldiers with his Valkyries. Overall the ground battle had surprisingly been easy thus far, the masses of enemy grunts easily being dealt with by the Tristain forces. Of course Guiche could only judge form what he saw in his immediate surroundings, so for all he knew his allies could be being pushed back everywhere else. He redirected his Valkyries to assist a nearby group of troops which was currently surrounded by enemies. With quick strikes his earth warriors knocked out several of the enemy forces and made a hole for his allies to escape through. Seeing that they had received aid, the Tristain troops rallied before charging through the opening.

Guiche glanced around and quickly dodged a sword swing from a soldier who's armour was covered in blood and his face ugly and swollen. The man let loose a savage battle cry before swinging at Guiche again. The earth mage dodged before willing one of his Valkyries to hit the man in the back of the head with the pommel of its weapon, but instead of knocking the man out the blow simply aggravated him further and he swung around before demolishing the Valkyries head with a swing of his shield. In response the Valkyrie punched him in the face before slashing him across the chest. The man howled in rage and slashed the Valkyrie clean in 2, disregarding his shield in order to grip his sword with two hands.

The blood crazed fighter spun around and was about to charge at Guiche before an arrow planted itself right between his eyes. For a moment his whole body stiffened as his hands reached up to the arrow, then he simply crumpled into a pile on the ground.

I'll never get used to seeing that Guiche thought to himself as he turned away, his face adopting a sick expression for a brief moment. He knew people died it war, it was a given, but seeing it first hand... wasn't something he could have ever prepared himself for. An explosion going off overhead snapped him out of his thoughts and the blond haired man looked up to see a glorious fireball erupting from where there had previously been an airship. Guiche smirked.

Guess Hiato's getting to work, I can't afford to let him-

His train of thought was interrupted when a massive stone fist slammed into the ground next to him, not only knocking the wind out of him but also knocking him onto his back. His heart pounded in his ears as he scrambled to his feet, the screams and yells of troops all around him temporarily blocked out. He looked up to see a massive stone golem towering over the mass of troops, and he noticed several others, all of which were currently smashing their way through the Tristain army.

"Well well well, what do we have here?"

Guiche looked up and his eyes narrowed when he saw a green haired women atop the golem that had nearly ended his life.

"Fouquet." He remarked in a tone of disgust. "I thought you were in prison."

"I was. But now I'm free, free to carry on with serving the Reconquista. And part of that, involves you." She smirked wickedly. Guiche summoned several more Valkyries and entered a fighting stance.

"Oh really? Well I'm afraid to say that whatever you have planned, I intend to thwart. And just because you're a women doesn't mean I'll go easy on you." Guiche stated with a serious expression, much to Fouquet's amusement.

"Oh my, where are your manners boy?" She asked with a smirk. Before Guiche could reply her golem swung its fist towards him, forcing him to use all his Valkyries to block the blow. Despite this, he still dived to the side just in case, which turned out to be a good idea as the Valkyries were all obliterated by the golems fist, which then smashed into the ground. As he landed he summoned more Valkyries with a wave of his rose and ordered them to charge Fouquet. The female earth mage replied by ordering her golem to raise its arm and swat the Valkyries away like insects, but one avoided the blow and charged straight at Fouquet, sword raised and ready to strike.

Not wasting a second the green haired women quickly willed a fist of stone to shoot out of the golem and obliterate the Valkyrie. Upon impact, the fist did as she expected, the Valkyrie shattered into pieces...

... which reformed into a full Valkyrie once they got close enough to Fouquet.

What?! She demanded mentally. Before she could voice the question or even do anything the Valkyrie swung its sword and caught her on the side of the face, knocking her across her golems shoulders. The massive stone giant tried to swat the pesky Valkyrie out of the sky but Guiche, whom was now focusing all of his attention and magic into this Valkyrie and another attack he was preparing for, was managing to keep the Valkyrie at a speed that made it hard for the massive rock golem to catch it.

Just a little longer, and then I'll be able to finish this! Guiche thought as he focused his magic. The shards of his other Valkyries started gathering together and several newer ones were being formed from out the ground. I just hope this works, otherwise I'm done for.

Unfortunately Fouquet noticed what he was doing and came to a snap second decision. She willed her golem to stop trying to catch the Valkyrie chasing her around on its shoulders...

... and to instead grab Guiche while his guard was down.

Focusing her magic, she enhanced her golems speed, and in less than a second it grabbed Guiche in one of its massive tone hands. He let out a surprised gasp but quickly went back to focusing on what he was doing. If I can just-

He was flicked in the head by the golem's other hand, knocking him unconscious.

"Now then." Fouquet said with a smirk, the Valkyrie disintegrating as it was about to hit her. She looked at what Guiche had been attempting to do, and scoffed. "Did you really think making a giant Valkyrie would help you?" she tch'd before looking around at the surrounding battle field.

"Hmm, as much as I'd like to stay, my mission here is complete." She then willed all the other golems to disintegrate, and quickly casted the teleport spell that she had learnt, and she, the golem and Guiche were engulfed in a bright light.

When it faded, there was no trace anyone had been there previously.

Cromwell was smirking as he held out his hand, the purple light bathing Hiato. This boy apparently had great power, and once he was under Cromwell's control, he'd be a perfect tool to use to take over this pathetic little country. Nothing can stand in the way of the Reconquista! Cromwell thought arrogantly. Hiato was unmoving, eyes locked onto the purple light, his body still. After a while, Cromwell lowered the ring. "Now then, it's time for you to do your job. Go and deal with those pesky dragons, or even better get them to roast those fools attacking the town."

Hiato didn't move. He fixed Cromwell with a glare. "What was that supposed to do?" He hissed. When the ring had started shining, Hiato's body had felt weird. He'd felt as though something was trying to wrench control of his body away from him, but he'd managed to fight the strange sensation and retain control of his body. Cromwell's eyes bulged out of his head. "What!? Impossible! The ring should have turned you into my slave!" He snapped. Hiato blinked before snarling. "You were trying to turn me into your slave..." He became engulfed in fire and glared at Cromwell. "... no one ever tries to enslave a dragon... and survives."

The knight on the back of the dragon charged, and Hiato watched him approach. Gathering his power, Hiato sent out a wave of fire which roasted the man alive inside his armour. His lifeless body fell from the back of the now confused dragon. Gathering his will, Hiato broke into the creatures mind and his anger built when he saw the creature's soul screaming out for help, trapped by the strange magic of the ring. If he'd kept that thing on me for much longer then I'd have been in serious trouble Hiato thought. Turning to look at the man in question, he scowled when Cromwell was running towards the back of the ship, clearly intent on trying to get to safety.

"NOT SO FAST YOU BASTARD!" Hiato roared and hurled himself towards the fleeing man. Hiato's prey spun around to reveal his face a mask of abject terror, something which Hiato took pleasure in seeing. The man stumbled and fell, and started scrambling to try and get to his feet. Hiato landed next to him, and when Cromwell managed to get his feet solidly on the ground, the dragonoid kicked him in the side with enough force to send him flying across the deck and cough up some blood. Hiato slowly made his way over, and Cromwell scrambled upright, his eyes betraying terror at the fact he was now currently powerless in his situation, and thus resorted to the typical course of action cowards undertake when in danger.

"P-Please don't kill me! I...I'll give you anything you wan-OOFH" Hiato kicked him in the gut, cutting off his attempts to beg for his life. "Shut up." the dragonoid growled. "There's nothing you can give me that can make me spare your life. Now tell me, where. Is. Arthur?" He hissed the last word, and Cromwell flinched. "I... I won't tell you!" He said, regaining some semblance of a backbone. It faded a moment later when Hiato slammed a fire coated fist into his gut with enough force to nearly cause the man to barf. "Don't give me that shit. Tell me... where is he?" He demanded, his eyes burning with sudden fury.

"W-Why do you want to know?" Cromwell stammered out. His answer was a fist smashing into the side of his face, sending him crashing into the deck. "As if he's in a place to ask, bastard." Draggosh growled inside Hiato's mind. His descendant nodded in agreement. "Now tell me, where is he?"

Cromwell looked up from his spot on the deck, blood pouring down the side of his bruised face. "H-He's in Galia! A-At the capital!" Cromwell whined out, hoping that doing so would reward him mercy from Hiato. The dragon whom's rider Hiato had killed crashed into the deck, sending splinters and chunks of wood flying outwards from the impact site. It slowly reared its head and looked around, confusing apparent on its features. It's eyes came to rest on Hiato and Cromwell, and its memories of being enslaved and being forced to fight its own kin against its will came bubbling to the surface and it snarled at the man, causing him to wince.

Hiato wasn't paying much attention however, as his mind was analysing what Cromwell had revealed to him. He's in Galia? But that doesn't make any sense, aren't they supposed to be neutral in this whole affair? "Maybe the Reconquista is planning to overthrow the Gallian aristocracy and take-over the country. He could be there facilitating the take over. After all, we know just how good that man is at taking over cities, from the inside or the outside."

Hiato nodded in agreement. We'll have to let the princess know. She might be able to alert the Gallian's before it's too late. Breaking from his mental conversation, the dragonoid looked at the dragon that had just crash landed on the deck of the ship, and then he looked at Cromwell. He made the connection and chuckled darkly. "If you think I'm going to stop him, you're sorely mistaken. You never get between a dragon and his prey, so to that extent..." Hiato spread his wings and with a powerful downwards flap, soared into the air. He stabilised himself and looked down at Cromwell, who was now as white as a ghost. "... I think I should leave, and let the dragon deal with you as he wants. Have fun!" He said in a disturbingly cheery voice before flying off.

Cromwell was quite literally shitting his pants at this point. The dragon grinned, baring its rows of sharp teeth as it approached him, fury burning in its eyes. The man scrambled backwards towards the aft of the ship, frantically trying to stand up and try to escape from the dragon, fear making his heart pound in his ears and his breath come in ragged gasps. He screamed in pain as the dragon pinned him to the deck by stomping down on his leg with its arm, and a sick cracking noise was heard a moment later as Cromwell's leg was broken, electing yet another blood curling screech from the man. He was panicking now, flailing like a mad man to try and escape from his fate at the hands of the dragon, calling out for help at the top of his lungs.

Unfortunately for him, no-one was listening.

Louise took a deep breath as she watched the carnage unfold above. She had been relaying messages and orders back and forth between the dragons and the ground forces for the last hour straight, and had to take a quick break in order to get her breath back. Agnes had allowed her, mainly because the Albion forces on the ground were boxed in at the centre of the town and it was simply a waiting game at this point to see how long they could last. As for their air forces... Hiato and the dragon's had been doing a very thorough and effective job of taking the ships down.

She rode her horse to a small hill a few meters away, her back to the town. She climbed off her steed and looked around, her eyes settling on a comfortable looking rock several meters away. She made her way over and sat down on it whilst her horse began searching for food. She let out a tired sigh and closed her eyes. Hiato... I hope you're okay. She thought.

"Don't worry he's doing just fine. Having a lot of fun in fact, his forte seems to be burning things, wonder where he picked that up from." Draggosh said with a jovial tone, and Louise couldn't help but chuckle. Yeah... I really wonder. Maybe from a certain several thousand year old dragon? She suggested. "I didn't burn things when I still had a body." Louise raised an eyebrow. "Okay... maybe one or two things..." Louise laughed, and her face settled into a tired smile when she quietened down. She looked up at the sky, and her smile faded instantly.

"It never changes." Draggosh said solemnly.

What doesn't? Louise asked.

"War. In all my years, back when I still had a body, I learned about one of the certainties of existence. And that is... war never changes."

Louise said nothing. She sat there for some time, not saying anything. She then gave yet another heavy sigh before looking up at the sky. "Why? Why couldn't I have just lived a peaceful life with Hiato at the academy? Why couldn't I, no we, me and Hiato, not be involved in this?"

"Because that's how life is Louise. Very rarely what you want to happen will happen, and what you don't want to happen or don't expect to happen will happen. And where did all this suddenly come from anyway?" Draggosh asked.

"I... I don't know." She said out-loud again. "It's just... I don't know. Maybe because I've realised one of us could die, or even both of us. And I don't want that, I just want a happy life with Hiato."

"So why not run away?"

Louise blinked. She found herself frozen, out of what she wasn't sure, but it felt like anger and shock. H-How could you just say that!? Do you WANT use to abandon our friends!? To just turn our backs on the fact we have to help stop the Reconquista? She demanded in anger.

"No I don't. I asked you that because I wanted to see your reaction. I asked you, 'why not run away?' because doing so would show me whether or not what you just said were passing thoughts or your current mind-set. Listen Louise, we don't all get what we want in life, some of us get stuck inside other peoples bodies because of bloody stupid curses, and others can't live the happy lives they want, but we have to make the most of what we've got. And some of us end up having the weight of the world placed on our shoulders, almost always unexpectedly and without our agreement, but then we are truly tested to see what our limits are. If you stumble and fall, the world will go with you. Don't let that happen Louise, no matter what, never give up. So chin up, put a smile on your face, and meet whatever challenges come your way head on and with strength and determination. And trust me, Hiato isn't one to go down easily so you don't need to worry about him getting killed."

Louise chuckled at the last part, the happy feeling a good reprieve from her melancholy state. Thanks Draggosh. I'll try and stand on my feet, I'll do my best not to give up, no matter what.

"Good to hear! Now then let's get back to-"

Draggosh stopped, realising Louise's attention was elsewhere. She was currently focused on a man who seemed to be pushing his horse to breaking point, resulting in it whining as it sprinted at top speed towards the girl. The man on the horse looked ragged, sweat running down his face and his breathing was in short gasps. He essentially fell off his horse as he stopped it, the animal collapsing to the ground in a tired mess. The man forced himself to his feet, breathing still unsteady and ragged.

"I... the academy... news... need to... tell you..." He stammered out. Louise wasn't entirely sure what to do, and had thus locked up on the spot. "I... um... try calming down?" She said, unsure of her own words. The man didn't take any heed, but was managing to gain control of his breathing.

"You are... Louise valliere... correct?" He asked. The pinkette nodded.

The man didn't waste any time in getting his message across.

"The academy... it's been... it's been... attacked..." He stammered. Louise's eyes widened but before she could say anything, the messenger delivered the rest of his message.

"... and your friend... Tabitha... has been kidnapped."

So yeah... that's the first chapter I've done in um... a while. I'm really, really sorry about the delay, and I promise I'll never go on such a long Hiatus again! So please leave a review telling me what you thought, where I can improve, and I'll hopefully see you in the next chapter!