It seemed that Onyx was more trusting in Gaios-or more cautious about their enemy-than he'd thought. Surely the hulking man knew of Gaios's personal dilemma regarding these heretics. Whatever the reason was, Gaios was thankful that he wasn't crushed immediately. No, this enemy of the Templars, this Sage, sprang into action before Onyx could hurt any of the others, attacking Onyx with a sword that seemed that it might rival the titan's own blade, in quality if not power or size. If anybody could even hope to [i]survive[/i] against Onyx, this Sage was that person. Sighing, Gaios grabbed his blade as an arrow was stopped from hitting him by a familiar shadowy entity. Brother Regol. "R-R-Regol! I...what...?" Now he was even more torn. Brother Regol was working with the Sage?! Perhaps he turned traitor after Fiona had betrayed him. He couldn't blame him, and he was glad that his former comrade had chosen to save him. But why? They were enemies now. He'd have to kill Regol. His blade was already in his hand. He just...he just had to thrust it forward, and silence this traitor. As he was gathering strength, a hand took a solid hold of his wrist. ------- Sophos clambered out of the cart as Onyx appeared above them, a true monster of a man. Whatever had made him the way he was, Sophos couldn't imagine that it had happened without some sort of abnormal intervention. Only Demoko would have a hope of killing him, with his newly enhanced abilities. Even if it was looking tough for the Sage, Sophos knew he could handle it. If not, there was no point in trying to fight Thallus. He'd only be more powerful. As arrows and crossbow bolts flew at them, he saw Regol taking a few for their comrades, including Gaios. Though his loyalty was questionable at best, he was helpful at the moment, which was enough. Sophos ran over to Regol and Gaios, noticing Gaios about to stab the shadow-man. Without even thinking about it, he grabbed the offender's wrist and called his name. ---- "Gaios, no! You can't do this! You can't murder your own friend!" The Templar's eyes widened when he realized what he was about to do, and who had stopped him. Turning around slowly, he looked Sophos in his eyes, a painful mixture of unpleasant emotions burning inside his own. "You...." Before he could finish his sentence, he was suddenly flying to the floor, a frail weight on top of him. ---- As Gaios was stuttering to say something, Sophos noticed out of the corner of his eye an archer taking aim. Making quick use of his powers, he slowed the world around him quickly enough to grab Gaios and force him to the floor. "Save the talking for later! We're in a battlefield, and your allies aren't very good with their aim! That shot was probably meant for me, but I couldn't...I couldn't let them kill you." "Why...why are you helping your enemy?" This earned the Templar a smile from the older man. "You tried to help me, son. You tried to help me, and that was enough." --- He couldn't understand why he'd tried to help Sophos. He was getting in the way of this holy mission. His personal mission to emulate the man who could have been his father-his real father, even if he wasn't biologically his sire. How did that make sense? Who had betrayed that ideal, he or Sophos? Who was wrong?! Who was right?!?! The frustration was impossible! But when he looked at Sophos, he couldn't imagine the man doing wrong, or hurting somebody who hadn't attacked him or his friend. He remembered the first day he'd actually learned about Sophos's activities in Castle Town, the day his quest to hunt the man down had started. He had helped protect a Deku scrub from a group of rowdy Castle Guards. This was a man who went out of his way to come to Castle Town to buy cheap ingredients to sell at asking price in potions to his customers in Clock Town. He went through that much trouble just to help people. How...how could a man like this be the same type of heretic he'd been warned about? The murderers, the cultists who planned to destroy society by turning them against the One God? It didn't make sense. Standing up, he turned to one of the archers, staring him down. He couldn't see what the other was doing, but he knew the other Templars were wondering what he was doing. He recognized a pair running towards him and Sophos, weapons drawn, ready to kill the latter man, who was just getting off the ground. As his father raised his wand, Gaios called to him. "Stop. Fight the archers...I'll take these two." And that was the instant he turned traitor. Grabbing a chunk of rock from the bridge, he crushed it in his hand and launched it towards the two approaching heretic hunters, the resulting shrapnel spreading in a shotgun effect. One was too shocked at the betrayal to react, but the other dodged to the side, swinging her halberd at Gaios, who quickly jumped high into the air, his jump bolstered by a spire of rock that he had created in less that a second. As his opponent's blade crashed against the spire, Gaios's sword was already piercing through her chest, the end of the blade sticking out of her front. "I am sorry, my sister, but my eyes have been opened. A man like Sophos is not an enemy, and never will be. Not to me"