"Lord Hector! A knight rides this way!" Hector heard Matthew call, although he had no idea where Matthew was. That was the way of the spy, Hector mused.
"Good eye, kid! Is he a friend...or a foe?" He added meaningfully, tapping his axe against the ground. He thought he saw a shadow flit by, and new Matt had gone to scout. Best eye in the army, that kid had.
A few minutes later, Hector felt a tap on his shoulder, and noticed Matthew standing behind him.
"He wears the crest of the Marquis...but he carries the flag of truce. I believe he wishes to speak with us."
Hector walked forward to meet the strange knight.
"Hector! It is I, Erik!"
"Erik..." The name brought back memories...memories of anger, and rivalry.
"What do you want?" Hector shouted back across the field at the knight.
"I come in the Marquis' name. Lay down your arms, and walk away!"
"Erik, have I ever walked away from a fight?"
"Fool! You do not know the power of the Marquis!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am sorry, but the Marquis' has forbidden us to give you any aid."
"No, that is quite alright. I understand. Thank you."
The strange, flame haired mage left the town, bitter. No one would help him...it looked like he and Priscilla would be on their own.
Thunder rumbled in the sky.
"Just great! Just my luck! All over my new robes!" He muttered to himself as he walked the path out of town, heading to the nearby village of Strahnbrad to see if Priscilla had had better luck.
"What the...?" Erk stopped short, seeing a battle raging over the plains. Knights charged each other, hooves pounding the ground, spears and swords flashing in what little sun remained before the storm. Archers rained arrows at each other, and with his magically heightened senses, he could see figures creeping around the battlefield. He heard battlecries and deathcries shouted from one end to the other, and his gaze was drawn to three regal warriors, standing back to back to back and holding off anyone who came near. One held an axe in his massive hands, knocking foes away with his powerful strokes. One held a sword with the obvious grace of a trained duelist, and the third - a girl, Erk noted with passing interest - had a sword that glowed to his magical sight. Although these people fought against the Marquis Laus, the mage felt it best to slip away, and leave these people to their fight, when a hand touched his shoulder.
"Erk? Omigod, is that you? We have SO much to catch up on!"
"Oh...Serra...you're the last person I wanted to see..."
"Oh! That's so sweet! You wanted to see me again!"
Erk sighed. The rain began to fall, further blackening the mage's mood.
"Look, just leave me be, alright? I need to go find a...friend."
"Oh! This is perfect! I'll escort you! It's dangerous out here...there's a battle going on. As long as we're walking together anyway, you should meet my friends!"
"....."
The two sides had called a ceasefire, recovering from their wounds. Serra took Erk back to Merlinus' camp, and introduced him to everyone. Lyn, Hector and Eliwood stood off to the side, discussing the strategy for the upcoming battle. Erk noted that they were all covered in blood, but none of it appeared to be their own. Sitting off by himself and sharpening his blade was Guy, an undisputed master of the blade. Counting her arrows was Rebecca, and nearby Lowen and Marcus practiced jousting. Matthew was about somewhere, probably scouting to ensure no one snuck up on them. And off in the distance, Dorcas and Bartre could be seen, exchanging pointers on the proper use of the axe.
"Look Serra...I know most of these people. Besides, I need to meet up with my employer...it's important. She's in the village down south." He pointed to the south...and to a pillar of smoke rising in the air.
"My god...Priscilla!" He cried, and without hesitation ran off towards the flame.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The town was in ruin. Houses were smoldering amidst the downpour of rain. Men and women alike lay, dead in the streets, some horribly disfigured, others, killed with a single clean cut.
But everywhere was death.
"Pri-Priscilla!!!!!!" Erk cried. "That damned Marquis! How could he do that to his own people! He will pay...oh yes, he will pay..." He let loose a laugh that chilled the blood of Serra and Guy, who had chosen to escort him.
His eyes locked on the Marquis' castle, Erk never noticed the pirate ship sailing off in the distance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The storm raged. Serra and Guy exchanged glances, wondering why Erk was taking them so near the Marquis' castle.
"Erk! We...we need to head back! We can't take them all on ourselves!" Serra was almost in tears, so scared was she. Never had she seen Erk this angry. Guy, fairly certain that he could take them all on himself, just smiled...
Lightning flashed.
Seeming to take the light - intruding on the darkness of his soul - personally, Erk cried out to whatever Gods might be listening: "You want lightning?? I'll give you lightning!!!!!"
And again, that laugh...that haunting, nightmarish laugh.
Guy laughed with him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The lightning flared all around him. The castle was in ruins.
A white bolt flew from the sky, frying a nearby soldier instantly.
Suddenly, Erik wasn't so certain he wanted to challenge Hector.
"Retreat! Retreat!" He cried, but his words were lost as another blast of lightning reduced another soldier to nothing but ash.
Fortunately, his men had only one thought in the face of this barrage.
As they turn and ran, Erk screamed after them, "Feel the pain you've wrought! Harvest what you have sown!" And he called down bolt upon bolt of furious lightning to strike down the soldiers of Marquis Laus.
Serra, tears streaming down her face, made up her mind. Tackling Erk, she yelled over the deafening winds.
"Please! Erk, stop!"
Erk, suddenly realizing what had happened and drained of energy, collapsed.
"Guy! Guy, help him!"
But Guy was nowhere in sight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My blade thirsts..."
The soldiers ran from the wrath of the mage.
"My soul longs for vengeance..."
Horses panicked, and ran into the night.
"All I feel....is hate, and rage..."
The survivors of the magical onslaught fled into the night.
"They will pay for what they have done to me..."
And ran right into the horrifying figure of Guy. Standing there, rain dripping from his face and running down his curved, bloody sword, he grinned a madman's grin and laughed.
"None shall survive..."
Men screamed.
"Ahahahahahahahaha!!!"
Men died.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"All right men, we're all ready?" Hector's voice called.
"Sir?"
Hector started.
"You have to stop sneaking up on me, Matt."
"You have to start paying attention, Hector." Matthew replied with a wry grin. "But I have more serious news to report. Serra and Guy are missing."
Hector paused a moment, then gave the command.
"Merlinus, stay here, and if they come tell them we'll be waiting for them at the castle...with our victory feast!"
"There will be n-no need for that..."
Serra's voice, choking back tears.
"There is n-no enemy, or c-castle for th-that matter..."
"What happened? Where's Guy"
"I-it was terrible...I met Erk..."
And she burst into tears.
"Good eye, kid! Is he a friend...or a foe?" He added meaningfully, tapping his axe against the ground. He thought he saw a shadow flit by, and new Matt had gone to scout. Best eye in the army, that kid had.
A few minutes later, Hector felt a tap on his shoulder, and noticed Matthew standing behind him.
"He wears the crest of the Marquis...but he carries the flag of truce. I believe he wishes to speak with us."
Hector walked forward to meet the strange knight.
"Hector! It is I, Erik!"
"Erik..." The name brought back memories...memories of anger, and rivalry.
"What do you want?" Hector shouted back across the field at the knight.
"I come in the Marquis' name. Lay down your arms, and walk away!"
"Erik, have I ever walked away from a fight?"
"Fool! You do not know the power of the Marquis!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am sorry, but the Marquis' has forbidden us to give you any aid."
"No, that is quite alright. I understand. Thank you."
The strange, flame haired mage left the town, bitter. No one would help him...it looked like he and Priscilla would be on their own.
Thunder rumbled in the sky.
"Just great! Just my luck! All over my new robes!" He muttered to himself as he walked the path out of town, heading to the nearby village of Strahnbrad to see if Priscilla had had better luck.
"What the...?" Erk stopped short, seeing a battle raging over the plains. Knights charged each other, hooves pounding the ground, spears and swords flashing in what little sun remained before the storm. Archers rained arrows at each other, and with his magically heightened senses, he could see figures creeping around the battlefield. He heard battlecries and deathcries shouted from one end to the other, and his gaze was drawn to three regal warriors, standing back to back to back and holding off anyone who came near. One held an axe in his massive hands, knocking foes away with his powerful strokes. One held a sword with the obvious grace of a trained duelist, and the third - a girl, Erk noted with passing interest - had a sword that glowed to his magical sight. Although these people fought against the Marquis Laus, the mage felt it best to slip away, and leave these people to their fight, when a hand touched his shoulder.
"Erk? Omigod, is that you? We have SO much to catch up on!"
"Oh...Serra...you're the last person I wanted to see..."
"Oh! That's so sweet! You wanted to see me again!"
Erk sighed. The rain began to fall, further blackening the mage's mood.
"Look, just leave me be, alright? I need to go find a...friend."
"Oh! This is perfect! I'll escort you! It's dangerous out here...there's a battle going on. As long as we're walking together anyway, you should meet my friends!"
"....."
The two sides had called a ceasefire, recovering from their wounds. Serra took Erk back to Merlinus' camp, and introduced him to everyone. Lyn, Hector and Eliwood stood off to the side, discussing the strategy for the upcoming battle. Erk noted that they were all covered in blood, but none of it appeared to be their own. Sitting off by himself and sharpening his blade was Guy, an undisputed master of the blade. Counting her arrows was Rebecca, and nearby Lowen and Marcus practiced jousting. Matthew was about somewhere, probably scouting to ensure no one snuck up on them. And off in the distance, Dorcas and Bartre could be seen, exchanging pointers on the proper use of the axe.
"Look Serra...I know most of these people. Besides, I need to meet up with my employer...it's important. She's in the village down south." He pointed to the south...and to a pillar of smoke rising in the air.
"My god...Priscilla!" He cried, and without hesitation ran off towards the flame.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The town was in ruin. Houses were smoldering amidst the downpour of rain. Men and women alike lay, dead in the streets, some horribly disfigured, others, killed with a single clean cut.
But everywhere was death.
"Pri-Priscilla!!!!!!" Erk cried. "That damned Marquis! How could he do that to his own people! He will pay...oh yes, he will pay..." He let loose a laugh that chilled the blood of Serra and Guy, who had chosen to escort him.
His eyes locked on the Marquis' castle, Erk never noticed the pirate ship sailing off in the distance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The storm raged. Serra and Guy exchanged glances, wondering why Erk was taking them so near the Marquis' castle.
"Erk! We...we need to head back! We can't take them all on ourselves!" Serra was almost in tears, so scared was she. Never had she seen Erk this angry. Guy, fairly certain that he could take them all on himself, just smiled...
Lightning flashed.
Seeming to take the light - intruding on the darkness of his soul - personally, Erk cried out to whatever Gods might be listening: "You want lightning?? I'll give you lightning!!!!!"
And again, that laugh...that haunting, nightmarish laugh.
Guy laughed with him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The lightning flared all around him. The castle was in ruins.
A white bolt flew from the sky, frying a nearby soldier instantly.
Suddenly, Erik wasn't so certain he wanted to challenge Hector.
"Retreat! Retreat!" He cried, but his words were lost as another blast of lightning reduced another soldier to nothing but ash.
Fortunately, his men had only one thought in the face of this barrage.
As they turn and ran, Erk screamed after them, "Feel the pain you've wrought! Harvest what you have sown!" And he called down bolt upon bolt of furious lightning to strike down the soldiers of Marquis Laus.
Serra, tears streaming down her face, made up her mind. Tackling Erk, she yelled over the deafening winds.
"Please! Erk, stop!"
Erk, suddenly realizing what had happened and drained of energy, collapsed.
"Guy! Guy, help him!"
But Guy was nowhere in sight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My blade thirsts..."
The soldiers ran from the wrath of the mage.
"My soul longs for vengeance..."
Horses panicked, and ran into the night.
"All I feel....is hate, and rage..."
The survivors of the magical onslaught fled into the night.
"They will pay for what they have done to me..."
And ran right into the horrifying figure of Guy. Standing there, rain dripping from his face and running down his curved, bloody sword, he grinned a madman's grin and laughed.
"None shall survive..."
Men screamed.
"Ahahahahahahahaha!!!"
Men died.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"All right men, we're all ready?" Hector's voice called.
"Sir?"
Hector started.
"You have to stop sneaking up on me, Matt."
"You have to start paying attention, Hector." Matthew replied with a wry grin. "But I have more serious news to report. Serra and Guy are missing."
Hector paused a moment, then gave the command.
"Merlinus, stay here, and if they come tell them we'll be waiting for them at the castle...with our victory feast!"
"There will be n-no need for that..."
Serra's voice, choking back tears.
"There is n-no enemy, or c-castle for th-that matter..."
"What happened? Where's Guy"
"I-it was terrible...I met Erk..."
And she burst into tears.