Lina stared at Folken. She had just recited her vision to him, and he was pacing back and forth in the cell. "Why do you ask me of the vision? How did you know?"

"His Highness, Emperor Dornkirk told me. Don’t ask. He has his ways. What’s that purple stone you have there?" Folken said.

Lina clasped her charm. "It’s something my mother gave me."

Folken held out a hand, gesturing to Lina to hand it over to him for inspection. Lina hesitated, then took the charm off and handed it over. The Strategos observed the piece of jewelry. It glowed dimly in the darkness, illuminating Folken’s hand.

"What kind of stone is this?" Folken asked. "Amethyst?"

"I am not sure…" Lina replied.

Augenta, who was sitting silently nearby watched Folken as he started to make the purple stone swing gently from side to side like a pendulum. Her eyes widened as the stone began to glow brighter as it moved to one side, then dim immediately as it moved to the other.

"Odd…very odd," Folken said. He eyed Lina. "Did your mother tell you where she got this?"

"Once…she told me a boy gave it to her. A boy named Leiren," Lina replied.

"The same Leiren you saw in your vision?" Folken asked.

Lina nodded.

Folken watched the stone brighten as it rocked to one side then looked to that side and squinted. "Hmm…I wonder…" he said. He looked down at Lina. "I’ll be borrowing your charm for a bit." With that, he left the cell as a Dragonslayer who came with him locked the door behind him.

Lina wanted to grab onto Folken’s cloak and tell him to give the charm back, but she never did. Augenta, seeing that the coast was clear, sighed and came out of her hiding place.

"I can’t believe he took that charm away! We have to get it back!" Augenta said.

"He said he would give it back," Lina said.

"I know, but the purple stone has to stay in your possession. That stone belonged to Leiren. Without it, how are we supposed to find Leiren?!"

"You mean…that tall man just went because he had an idea of where Leiren is?"

"I believe so…I think it has something to do with its…. Never mind. Let’s find a way out of here!" Augenta said. She got her dagger and picked at the lock. There was a satisfactory click, and the two escaped, following Folken.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"T-That’s…that’s the android which was the decoy!" Cecilium exclaimed at the sight of Mekhasa’s android. "Does that mean we had been fighting against the one we were trying to get back?!?!"

"Yes, Sire…" Rohga said.

Cecilium shook his head in denial. "No…no…NO!!!!" he roared as he knocked the small table in front of him over. "You!!!" he said, pointing an accusing finger at Mekhasa. "We’ve been fighting for you, and all you do for us is go against us?!?!?"

"I-I’m sorry, Sire," Mekhasa said.

"SORRY ISN’T ENOUGH, GENERAL MEKHASA!!!" Cecilium snarled. "Now, we’re changing the purpose for this war!!! We are now fighting for those who died for us!!! GENERAL MEKHASA, YOU ARE NOT ONE OF US ANYMORE!!!" With that, the Emperor of Catara yanked the tail ring off Mekhasa’s tail. "You are one of Gaea’s soldiers! You are no longer an Exidaean!"

"Sire!" Mekhasa cried.

"SILENCE!" Cecilium snarled, slashing across Mekhasa’s face, creating three long cuts across Mekhasa’s left eye.

Mekhasa roared in pain, clasping a paw over her bleeding eye. That eye would never see again (Okay…that sounded really lame). She glared at Cecilium, then arose. "As you wish," she said, then strode out of the room.

Rohga stared after his sister, then looked at Cecilium. "Y-Your Highness…"

"I know she’s your sister, but such weaknesses as what you’re feeling now will note be tolerated. Understood?" Cecilium said sternly.

Rohga wanted to refuse, but he couldn’t. "Aye, Sire," he said with a heavy sigh.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gatti and Viole entered the barracks, anxious of what might have happened. Chesta and Dalet looked up and smiled.

"Where have you two been?" Chesta asked.

"To the prison chamber…" Viole said.

"Don’t ask," Gatti added.

Dalet gave Gatti and Viole a quizzical look, then got back to the game of something like chess he was playing with Chesta. "Checkmate."

Chesta gave Dalet a dirty look and shifted a game piece to the side. "Ha ha."

"Darn!" Dalet said. (note: I know that was like…totally out of character because all Dalet says in the series is swear words…but I CAN’T WRITE PROFANITY DOWN ON PAPER!!! I CAN’T EVEN SAY THEM!!!! So…sorry)

Chesta smirked as he rested his head on his left hand.

Gatti and Viole sat down; Viole next to Dalet, and Gatti next to Chesta. The two exchanged challenging glances.

"Dalet…why don’t you move this…here," Viole said, pointing at the game piece then at the spot it was supposed to move to.

Dalet thought for a moment, then obeyed.

Gatti frowned and studied the board, muttering under his breath as he pointed at numerous game pieces. Chesta watched him quizzically and almost jumped as Gatti let out a sudden, "AHA!!!"

"Gosh, Gatti!" Chesta gasped.

"Sorry Chesta. Well, anyway, move that to there," Gatti said, pointing out what he meant.

"All right…" Chesta said. He did as he was told.

Dalet scanned the board and so did Viole. There was a moment of silence, then Dalet said, "You win, Chesta." He gave Gatti a dirty look. "If it wasn’t for Mr. I’m-so-smart, I would’ve won!"

Gatti let out a soft chuckle as he got up.

Viole got up too. "Don’t worry Dalet. Someday you may be able to beat Gatti at this. I bet it’s going to take a while though. Even I can’t beat him."

Dalet sighed as he put the game pieces and the board away. "I suppose…"

Suddenly the door opened and Folken stood by the entrance, holding Lina’s charm before him. It glowed brighter than before. The Strategos scanned the barracks and said, "All right, all of you. Come here one at a time. I have to check something."

The Dragonslayers, puzzled, nodded and obeyed. The stone didn’t respond to any of them…all except…

Folken’s eyes studied the stone as it shimmered brightly. He could feel the warmth spread through his palm. Folken looked into the pair of blue eyes which were staring into his. "Gatti…" he said.