"I can't believe this. I absolutely can't believe this."

Back and forth, Sori traced her steps within the spacious cage they'd been thrown into, repeating the same two sentences obsessively. She kept her gaze locked on the faraway walls, attempting to ignore the fact that the metal cage dangled from a flimsy hook attached to the high, domed ceiling. She'd made the mistake of peering straight down when Dagger had been dragged away, kicking and screaming, and learned her lesson.

Steiner hopped to his feet, rocking the cage ever so slightly, and yanked at the bars. "How dare they detain us like this?!" he roared, face crimson. "Those wretched court jesters! Zorn and Thorn will never get away with this!"

Huffing out a breath of defeat, Sori shut her eyes tightly and placed her forehead against the cool metal. Behind her eyelids, Blank's grinning face flashed through the darkness. She reached into her satchel. The Supersoft had, thankfully, remained intact during her struggle with the Alexandrian guards. Ire boiled inside her at the reminder that the only thing that stood between her and Blank was the castle and its inhabitants.

She let out a shriek of frustration and kicked at the cage. Sharp pain shot up her foot and leg. Tears welled in her eyes, but she wriggled her matted hair to shield her look of agony from the men.

"I can't believe we got dragged into this, Sori," Marcus murmured for the first time in what felt like ages. Tucked away in a shadowed section, he sat with his back against the bars, his knees pulled to his chest and his face hidden within his arms.

Upon hearing the hushed comment, Steiner's rage peaked. "No one asked you to meddle into our affairs!" he bellowed, his narrowed eyes outlining Marcus' figure.

Marcus lazily pulled himself to his feet and spat, "It's pretty sad getting back-stabbed by your own queen."

Shaking her head, Sori begged, "You guys, please knock it off."

"This is all some kind of mistake! I know the queen!"

"Are you sure about that? She seems to be full of surprises lately!"

"Please, don't argue right now..."

"She would never betray me!"

"Looks like she already has!"

"STOP!" Trembling, Sori turned to face the two, frantically wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Stop fighting all the damn time! Stop acting like children! Just stop!" The girl's explosion caught them by complete surprise. After exchanging a wary glance, the men fell silent and returned to their sides of the cage. Once more, Sori turned her back to them, her shoulders quivering with suppressed sobs.

For a long while, the only sounds they heard were the shouted orders of the guards below and the collective rumbling of their stomachs. While Sori focused on a single soldier standing at attention on a bricked walkway, Marcus' eyes darted about, his mind reeling with possibilities.

"The time has come to escape!" Steiner declared, grabbing for the bars. He seemed confident in his words.

Sniffling, Sori shifted to cast him a weary look. "How?" she croaked out.

Steiner's hands dropped to his sides. He blenched at Sori's reddened eyes and her blotched cheeks, and let out a dejected sigh. "I...don't know."

"Perfect," Sori hissed venomously, rolling her eyes. For the first time, she missed Dagger.

"I have an idea," Marcus announced as he hustled to the opposite end of the cage as Steiner. "Sori, I need you to run back and forth between us as I tell you, and we're going to pull in the same direction."

The plan seemed to be riddled with failure, but Sori doubted another idea would appear anytime soon. Sucking in a great breath, she did as Marcus instructed, sprinting between the two as quickly as her legs would allow. Seconds ticked away into minutes, and minutes disappeared into an hour before Steiner was able to even touch the edge of the nearby balcony. The cage swung side to side, forming a ball of nausea in Sori's gut. She pushed through it as Marcus yelled a promise that they were almost there.

The booming sound of the crash echoed throughout the vast halls of the castle. Gasping for air, Sori clutched onto the cage to steady herself before Steiner looped his arm around her waist and hoisted her onto the balcony.

A wide pair of eyes locked on the trio. A guard, stunned at their actions, swallowed hard and grabbed for his sword. "Halt!" he barked, making a mad dash for them.

Marcus scoffed immodestly and rammed his shoulder into the guard once he was close enough, sending him soaring over the edge of the balcony. Sori's distraught stare followed the flailing body and flicked away just before it hit the ground below. There was a muffled crunch that sent a shiver down her spine, but she refused to dwell on it. More guards were surely coming, and time was of the essence.

They pushed past every blockade they encountered, whether it be humans or doorways. Steiner led them up ladders, through seemingly infinite hallways, and around a spiral staircase that opened to a trap door in the floor. "Princess!" the knight called out when they reached the final stair.

"We're done here," Marcus informed, wiping at the sweat lining his neck. "Come on, Sori."

"Marcus, wait," Sori gasped, doubling over to rest her palms on her knees. She grabbed onto his arm before he could make any progress, struggling to bring air into her lungs. "I think...I'm going...to die."

"Quit being so dramatic," he snapped, pulling at her wrist. "Let's go! Blank's waiting!"

Begrudgingly, Sori trailed after him, wheezing all the while. It didn't take long for her sprint to slow to a dragging trudge at the very end of the first hallway they delved into. Clutching the fabric on her chest, she leaned against the wall, curiously listening to a series of voices from behind them over her ragging breathing. They sounded eerily familiar.

Her body jolted in surprise as a blond man rounded the corner, nearly slamming into her. "Zidane?" she managed to get out.

"Sori? Marcus?" Zidane questioned, skidding to a stop. "What the heck are you guys-"

A hand gripping Zidane's shirt and yanking him from his stance cut him short. "Watch out," Marcus advised, tugging on a switch attached to the tunnel-like entrance they had just come from. "I'm closing the gate."

Sori hadn't noticed them, but two bulky guards had been barreling their way toward them during their reunion. A gate slammed down between the groups, ensuring their safety.

After watching the vexed guards desperately try to break through the gate, Zidane looked back to Marcus. "What are you doing here?" he asked, finishing his previous thought. "And why is Sori on the brink of death?"

Air was finally beginning to return to her, but Sori still suffered from the dull ache spreading throughout her chest. In response, Marcus casually lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "What can I say? She's out of shape."

"Hey!"

"We're on our way to cure Blank. What're you-"

The shared realization that there was no time for idle conversation hit them all at once as a mighty battle cry from Steiner struck their ears. Zidane offered his usual cocky smirk and said before jumping into a run, "On my way to find Dagger!"

Relief flooded through Sori as they parted ways. Her breath returned, as well as a new sense of hope.

"Just a little longer, Blank. We're almost there."

(!)(!)(!)

Coming back to Evil Forest proved to be more challenging than escaping it. After tumbling down mountains and slashing their way through countless packs of hungry creatures, Sori and Marcus found the forest by accident. At a point, they'd gotten turned around and only found their way back by following a trail of petrified vegetation.

As they cautiously entered the forest, Sori's heart hammered away in her chest. Everything was so still and quiet, and yet she couldn't help but be on edge. Her past experiences with the woodland taught her that danger certainly lurked around every corner.

Before long, her bleary eyes settled on what first appeared to be an intricate, beautiful statue. Her stomach lurched as they approached it. "Blank..."

Reaching up to touch him, Sori found herself amazed and horrified at the overwhelming thought that Blank didn't look real. It was as if an exceptionally dexterous sculptor had carved his struggle with the surrounding beasts straight from marble. A wry chuckle flew from Sori's mouth as she blinked back another threatening bout of tears.

At last, Blank was right there in front of her.

"Sori," came Marcus' impatient voice from behind her. She'd entirely forgotten he was there.

"Right," she whispered, fishing through her satchel. "Sorry."

Sori's hands shook as she produced the vial of Supersoft. With a bit of effort, the cork popped from the glass neck and she tossed the purple liquid onto Blank's frame. A low hiss emitted as steam lifted into the air. Breaths hitched in their throats, Sori and Marcus watched as the grey color faded from Blank's form. The soft peach kissed his skin around his darkened scars, and scarlet tinted his hair.

As Blank toppled from the monster's clutches, the pair scrambled to catch him. At first, he didn't speak or move. His head dangled forward lifelessly until Marcus brought in a fistful of his hair and tilted it back, revealing his face. Mouth slightly agape, soft pants pushed their way through.

"Wh-What's wrong with him?" Sori asked, panic rising with every word. "Is he awake?"

Marcus' eyes traced Blank's face. "I don't know," he answered despondently. "Bro? Bro, can you hear me? Blank!"

Hooking one arm around Blank's waist, Sori grabbed for the belt covering his eyes and gracefully ripped it from his face. "Blank?" she muttered as she watched his eyelids twitch. "Please do something."

From the back of his throat, Blank gave a pathetic moan. A few silent moments crawled by before the emerald shine in his eyes was unveiled. Before anything, he met her stare. "Sori..."

Sori couldn't help but let out a short giggle at the melodic tone to his voice. She pursed her lips as her tears fell, leaving a salty taste in her mouth as she pushed out an almost inaudible, "Hey."

As if he would shatter into pieces, Sori and Marcus gingerly steadied Blank on his feet, keeping a firm hold on various parts of his body should he lose his balance. His fingers kept a rigid clench on their clothing at first, then leisurely released. "I...I think I'm okay."

Sori reluctantly took a step from him, sizing him up. Everything about Blank seemed the same, save for the stony grey he had been only moments ago. Her fingers itched to touch him again, but she curled them around her trousers instead.

"We should get you back to Lindblum," Marcus suggested, squinting his eyes at the forest around them.

Something donned on Sori. "You guys go," she said as she nudged the now empty vial underneath a petrified log with the side of her foot. Droplets spilled from the glass, reviving patches of grass. "I'm going back to Alexandria."

"Why?" Marcus demanded to know before Blank had the chance to open his mouth.

"Dagger," Sori replied sharply. "She's still back there. I feel like I owe it to her to help her."

Though muffled by a distant call of an unknown beast, Blank's frail voice inquired, "Dagger?"

Sighing in agitation, Marcus ran a hand across his face and shook his head. "You owe it to her?" he asked condescendingly. "We were the ones saving her ass the whole time."

"Who's Dagger?"

"If it wasn't for her, there's no way we would've been able to get the Supersoft."

Marcus groaned. "Fine, but after she's safe and sound, we're taking him" - he jammed a finger directly in front of Blank's line of sight - "back to Lindblum. Got it?"

In the blink of an eye, Blank's left hand shot out to cover Sori's mouth and his right hand gripped Marcus' finger. His palm smelled of blood and dirt. "Will someone please tell me who Dagger is?"

"The princess," Marcus deadpanned.

"Got it," Blank said with a nod. "Let's go save her."

The men shared a knowing grin before Marcus took off between an arch of crumbling vines. Sori and Blank hesitated, his hand trailing down to caress her cheek. A faint smile played on his lips.

"You've been crying."

Sori choked back a laugh, feeling the warmth of his skin as her fingers met his. "It's been a long day."

She reached down and retrieved his belt, which he wasted no time fastening around his eyes.

"Ready to go be heroes?"

"Always."

(!)(!)(!)

During their absence, the castle had erupted into pure chaos. Bodies littered the ground – luckily, Sori recognized none of them – in dark pools of their own blood, effigies had been broken down to nothing but rubble, and a ceaseless stream of unintelligible, rough voices invaded Sori's ears. She instantly felt sick at the sight of it all, as if coming back would lead to their deaths.

"How are we going to find them?" she asked meekly.

Marcus' brain had already been working the moment they came upon the ruins. "We'll go back to the spot where we were captured," he decided, breaking out into a brisk walk toward a broken door. "Maybe someone made the same mistake we did."

"Captured?" Bank repeated, struggling to keep up with Marcus' pace. His legs still felt stiff and uncomfortable. "You guys got captured?"

Sori flashed him a proud smile. "Like I said, it's been a long day."

Avoiding the waves of soldiers quickly became the most difficult part of their endeavor. Unsure of where they were all coming from, the trio narrowly escaped detection by hiding behind the remains of furniture and by huddling together in dim corners.

A soldier did eventually see Sori; he'd caught a glimpse of her midnight hair as she scampered around a corner and instinctively grabbed onto it, yanking her to the ground. With a shrill yell, her hands flew up to tangle within her locks. She wrestled blindly with the soldier until a weight disappeared from her head and his body fell limp. Horror filled her as she turned to see what had happened.

Blank had sliced though the soldier's skull with a sword of his own. Brown pieces of bone and some sort of pink fleshy substance leaked from what was left of the soldier's head. Sori exhaled sharply and stepped away from the mess, refusing to meet Blank's gaze.

"Get a move on," Marcus growled from five paces ahead of them.

It didn't take long to find the entrapment chambers; Marcus seemed to have the layout of the castle's interior pictured perfectly in his mind. Mirroring their earlier encounter with the group, Zorn and Thorn stood on opposite ends of the observation deck, taunting whoever they lured in this time. Sori, Blank, and Marcus silently peered around the corner into the vast area.

"I'll sneak around to the other side," Marcus whispered.

Blank dipped his head into a small nod. "I'll take out the other one. Sori, stay here."

Again with this act of holding Sori back? Frustration whipped through her. "Wha-"

The men had already begun their stealth attack before she could push out a single word. Much like mice, they skittered across the floor, their footfalls hushed. In one synchronized move, they kicked out the feet of the jesters, flinging them to the ground. Sori watched from the threshold, grimacing at the sound of heads cracking against stone, until Blank motioned her over.

"Zidane!" he called to the tailed man below. "Are you guys okay?"

Extending her neck to look over the edge of the deck, Sori met Dagger's sullen stare. Her heart, it seemed, skipped a beat or two. The princess looked fine – bloodied, bruised, and terrified, but she was still in one piece. For a split second, Sori considered jumping down from the high surface to embrace her.

"Blank!" Zidane exclaimed, his hair disheveled and an angry gash along his left forearm. Between him and Dagger stood a small Black Mage who Sori acknowledged with a pleased grin. Vivi lifted his gloved hand in a shy wave. "What...? How did you guys-"

The battered fences descended back into their slots the moment Marcus began to fiddle with a haphazardly placed switch on the wall behind him. "The Gargant is probably still there!" he said, pointing to the entrance behind the group.

"Man, I love you guys!"

Sori beamed. She'd missed Zidane's tenderhearted behavior. "Get out of here!" she barked. "There are probably more bad guys coming!"

As they did as Sori told, Dagger gazed in her direction. Though no words came from her mouth, Sori knew she was thanking her. The young girl simply waved her off, praying they would make it to a secure area without any problems.

"Now to find the old rust bucket," Marcus remarked. "Where in the hell could he be?"

Sori tried to listen to all the shouting within the castle. If Steiner were still alive – though she greatly doubted it – his voice was muffled by the sounds of mayhem and madness. "He's probably still back where we left him," she suggested. "He couldn't have gotten far – not with all these soldiers running around."

Much to her surprise, Marcus gave it no thought. Before she could process his movements, he was already jogging down an extensive, ravaged hallway. "What're you guys waiting for?!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Let's go!"

(!)(!)(!)

Sori's throat became raw and scratched with her persistent yelling of the knight's name. She'd long ago cast away her concern of alerting more soldiers; the majority seemed to have retreated for the time being, and those who still patrolled stood no chance against Blank and Marcus. The two worked together perfectly, delivering synchronized, devastating blows to their enemies without so much as a wink in the others' direction.

Jealousy boiled inside Sori at the sight of it. Now she understood why the two were most favored by Baku. She pushed the ugly emotions aside; there were more important matters on the line.

"Steiner!" she called one final time, her voice cracking in the middle of his name. She studied the faces of every lifeless body they passed, grateful that she had not discovered Steiner's worn features on them.

"This way!" hissed Marcus as he bolted through a side door.

The sharp, bloodstained tip of a hefty spear cut Sori short in her tracks. Just barely touching the concave dip of her throat, the weapon trembled with the owner's efforts to hold it upright. Sori lifted her hands in surrender, her eyes locked onto the narrowed, yellow pair directly in front of her. "Stay back," the rat-woman warned gravely.

"Freya, wait," Steiner groaned from behind her figure. "They are not our enemies."

The spear lowered and Sori caught Freya as she slumped over. Through the thin fur covering every part of her body, Freya's skin was damp with sweat. Pulling her hand away, Sori saw that it was not sweat sticking to her body, but rather blood. Cringing for the woman in her arms, she turned her focus to Steiner, who sat huddled in the corner with another woman, this one unconscious.

Armor-clad and sporting a dazzling blade, Sori assumed this woman was just another run-of-the-mill soldier. Observing further, her original image of this person who Steiner held onto for dear life had shattered. She'd seen the partially covered face in grand paintings of Queen Brahne, standing at her side loyally. It meant she was an enemy.

"Marcus," Steiner said, his glossy eyes drifting to the younger man, "please, take Beatrix."

Marcus took a step forward.

"Marcus, stop."

He did, and threw Sori a bemused glance.

"She's an Alexandrian Knight," Sori pointed out, wincing at the pain in her throat that followed each word. "She's on the queen's side, not ours."

"No, it...it was a misunderstanding," Steiner countered as he peered down at Beatrix's face. Gently, he tucked a stray strand of russet hair behind her ear. "We...Nothing is as we once knew."

His tone tugged at Sori's heart. She nodded to Marcus, who lifted Beatrix from Steiner's weakening embrace. Blank maneuvered himself around his companion and curled his arms around the knight, dragging him upward.

"On your feet, old man. Our next stop is Lindblum."