This is my first English fanfic (I'm Spanish). Pleas, be good with me XD
BATTLE
The sun began to descend in the horizon, disappearing under the
trees that spread out until one couldn't see anymore. Ike stuck
Ragnell in the floor and leaned gently on its hilt.
Wherever he
looked, he only saw trees, all looking the same. He sighed.
- We
definitely lost it. - A heavy tome appeared out of the blue, hitting
his nape.
- Of course we lost it! "Don't run after him",
I told you. "If you go after him, you'll only get lost."
And did you listen to me? No, of course you didn't. - Ike rubbed his
aching spot and looked at Soren, who was staring at him with his
usual bad mood gesture. Now he understood why soldiers used to avoid
meeting him. He didn't need shouting, when Soren got angry, his voice
would make shame fall upon even stones.
-
That thief took Mist's Florete. What else did you expect me to do? -
The mage's eyes closed a bit dangerously.
- Buy her
another one.
- But it wouldn't be her Florete
anymore.
- Yeah, that's true. Instead of having a
jagged, corroded Florete with a handle so worn out that you can't
read the inscriptions anymore, she'd have a new, sharp Florete with a
lot more quality. You're right, this is a substantial change. - Ike
played with the hilt of his sword, somewhat nervous.
-
Well... in that moment I didn't...
- Shush. - The mercenary looked
surprised at his companion. It was the first time in all those years
he had made him shut up.
- Why?
- Because I can't
hear. - The tactician's expression had changed. His eyes scrutinized
the crown of the trees, while his body glided slowly towards the
floor, looking for the tome that had fallen. Ike listened too, in the
silence, until he detected the slight rustle of a close branch, and
the sound of footsteps approaching.
He heard a familiar
whisper next to him, a gentle and ancient song that he had learnt to
fear. Soren opened his eyes that had remained closed for
concentration. He distinguished the last word of his verses. -
Blizzard! – The mage stretched his arm. A strong wind surrounded
him, making the robe that covered his thin body wave. The wind took
shape on his hands, becoming a hurricane that leapt on a near tree.
The leaves vibrated and they scattered around him. They heard a
scream. The body of an archer fell heavily against the floor. - I
knew it. It's an ambush.
- Damn it! - Ike firmly
took his sword as the tactician changed the heavy tome for a lighter
one and, as he already knew, more lethal. After being spotted, the
bandits came out of their hiding places, brandishing their weapons
with nerve. - Stay behind me, I'll take care of them.
-
Ha! Do you really think I will obey such an order like that at this
point? I'm the tactician, remember. You take care of the land units,
I'll defeat the archers. – He couldn't help a smile.
-
Fine. You'd better not get hurt, or you'll suffer your commandant's
wrath. – He turned, brandishing Ragnell firmly as a runic gust of
wind rushed to their enemies.
The bandit's
scream was stifled when the attack did away with her life, but a
dozen enemies run towards them. The archers drew their bows, the
closest aiming to the Major, but he couldn't be fast enough.
-
Arsúri Súlimóva, tultanyel. – The wind gust threw the man to the
earth. At the same time, Ike rushed towards one of the wrestler and
stabbed the sword on his chest heavily, in time to enable Soren to
prepare a new spell. He turned around violently, releasing Ragnell
and standing next to his tactician – honestly, your subtlety has
always shone for its inexistence. – A new gust of wind brought down
the nearest wrestler, making the soil turn to the color of blood.
-
Subtlety is useless if you're dead. – The sword cuts the air again,
clefting the low armor of one of the swordsmen. He moved over time
away to avoid a coup and charged with force against the stomach of
the next enemy. A new spell finished off the swordsman.
- Ha! Of
course, the battles are funnier with you. – Soren looked at him
puzzled, at the same time that a new spell was about to be.
–
What are you saying? - The hands of the dark-haired greenish light
shone with a magical gust while leaving his fingers. But one wrestler
managed to escape the attack for that magical force, taking advantage
of their momentary distraction, and attack the two mercenaries. He
curtailed the air between them, forcing them to disband. The
commander quickly regained his composure in time to dodge the new
bandit attack. He turned his sword with force and sent an
accurate cut to the ground, across the chest of his enemy - Watch
out, Ike!
A swordsman appeared behind the blue-haired men, ready
to cut his neck. He turned and raised his sword, thrust
blocking. Soren took a step forward and raised his hand,
ready to launch a whirlwind. But an axe appeared out of the blue,
pointing directly to her throat. He jumped nimbly backward
tilting his head to avoid the cut. There were four bandits already
including two strokes and following him back even further. There was
no doubt: they were trying to separate them. They had become aware of
the rapport of their movements and they had decided to separate them
to break the support they provided each other in the battlefield.
-
Bloody hell! – Ike began to charge their enemies with fury, trying
to get to Soren as quickly as possible. - Depart from here at once!–
He pushed firmly to close to the swordsman, just in time to see his
friend again intone a spell. And then he saw the spell creaked, and
the expression of terror on his face. For a moment, her eyes
frightened crossed with his, when the book collapsed and slid of his
hands. A new fighter crossed into his vision ranger and lifted his
axe. The mercenary jumped back to dodge, and then roared a battle cry
broke in the air - Soren!
- Ike! The book! The book
... has run out of spells! - His voice sounded strangely choked.
- Hold on! – He tried to reach him, but the wrestler had no
intention of letting him go.
- Don't think
that will be so easy, buddy! - The bandit smiled at him dismissively,
but not for long. The angry eyes of the commander froze his smile.
Before they had time to react, he let a cry of rage and charged with
the sword down. He turned with all his might to remove the following
bands, and while his sword was blocking a new attack, launched a
direct kick to the stomach of the bandit in front of his. Finally,
the last men who dropped them separated falling. Soren didn't
realize the efforts of his companion to reach him. He was too busy
clumsily trying to dodge attacks from its enemies, while forcefully
pressed his stomach wound, which bled profusely.
-
Soren! - The boy looked up and tried to ask for help, but the robbers
did not allow any distraction. One of them managed to hit his head,
leaving him unconscious. - EATHER! - The sword of Ike crossed the
sky, while jumping to catch and throw a pit on the floor that
prevented him from finishing off the mage. Then he knelt
beside and quickly moved the arm by his thin waist to protect him
from the following strokes.
A gesture of pain deformed his face
when he felt the touch of cold steel in his flesh. But he had no time
to falter. Ignoring the burning pain he felt throughout
the body, He turned Ragnell over his head and finished off with a
thrust forward, breaking down the bandits who were closer. The
last archer came under the falling bodies to deal a mortal blow, but
the burst of his runic rush stopped him. He turned his
head, looking for more enemies, but he was unable to spot more. He
sighed relieved and stuck the sword in the ground, almost breathless.
– The next time that you tell me not to run, I'll pay more
attention. He left the body of the dark-haired unconscious beside him
and removed the shirt to examine the wound. It seemed severe. The
bleeding had not stopped and his skin was turning pale at times. -
Shit! If only I knew some first aid ... Why I always ignore Mist when
she is trying to teach me? - He looked in his pockets and
his funny pack since he found a small glass bottle. He considered
carefully their low content: It only was one dose. He noted his own
wounds, which bled abundantly, and then turn his head to the pale and
haggard face of his companion. He seemed to be suffering. He felt a
prick in the heart that had nothing to do with the bruises he had
sustained. Could it be remorses?
- Valaura! - The
scream caught him totally unprepared. Without even being aware of
thinking, he was launched on the magician unconscious, receiving the
full impact of the spell on his back. From his lips came a death
throes scream. He noted as if he had lost the world of sight, too
hurt and exhausted to continue, and collapsed almost unconscious on
the mage. His head fell on his chest. And, through the cloud of dull
that pained his ears, he could hear his heart beating. They
were slow, arrhythmic and increasingly weak. He was dying. That woke
up the small part of their consciousness that had not yet
surrendered. With the few forces that were left, he supported his
hands in the ground and stood up. He looked around, searching for
their enemy. Staff in hand, the magician was to heal those of their
peers who remained alive. Then he realized that the mercenary was
conscious. Frightened and upset, took his hand to his
spell book. It was his last chance. He quickly looked for the potion,
which had rolled on the floor, he opened it with a bite and got
rough with Soren at the mouth, making him swallow. - Valaura! – The
spell fully impacted again. He felt as every cell of his body
screamed in pain. While he was collapsing on the floor, he saw his
companion's face, starting to regain color. He felt like drawing a
weak smile on his face. And then everything went black.
*******
Soren opened his eyes slowly. He was lying face up on the grass, but he didn't remember why. He covered his face with his hand, trying to prevent the sunlight from turning him blind. Feeling as if his body was full of lead, he incorporated himself. A spasm of pain toured his temple, causing him to shrink. He took his hand to his head while looking around him, trying to clarify their ideas through the acute migraine. And then he saw Ike lying next to him, unconscious. A wealth of ideas came to his mind: the thief, the battle, his book of magic. Frightened, he looked around, but he did not seem to be close to anybody. He quickly knelt next to his body and checked the beatings of his heart. He was still alive but he was very weak. His body was full of wounds, and scars he tried a strong spell on the back.
- Ike. Can you hear me? – He shook gently the shoulders of the mercenary, trying to wake him up, but he did not react. The tactician began to notice a pressure in the chest. - Ike, come on! This is not the time to sleep. Wake up! – But he didn't have anyhing. He began to look in his bag, trying to find a potion, but there was no one. The mage hadn't carried the healing stuff, only a Restore, which does not help in that situation. He had nothing to give him. He noted how the panic began to invade them. Desperate, he also checked the pockets of their commander, but he didn't find anything. - Damn, Ike! What the hell happened? How have they managed to leave safe? – He was dropped along the body, trying to think about something to do. He did not understand was what was wrong. They had been in worse situations, they had fought in hundreds of battles. Why now he could not think clearly? Why he was so scared? And then he noticed something next to his leg: it was an empty bottle. He looked at it, surprised, and a terrible idea came to his mind. He licked it with his lips, and the taste of bitter herbs confirmed his suspicions: Ike had been trying to protect him. It made his heart give a roll. The pressure in her chest rose to leave without breathing. He noted how the tears threatened to cloud his eyes. And then leaped on Ike's chest and began to cry, unable to control him, unable to see things clearly- Damn you, Ike! Why did you do that? Why have you risked your life that way? It is not worth dying for someone like me!! What am I supposed to do if you die? Shit, Ike, respond me! - He was looking at the face of the blue-haired, on his lips had a slight smile of satisfaction. And then he noticed that the lump in his chest began to unravel. The tears ceased to bloom. - Ike, you're a moron...
*******
- Are you sure that they are here? I was walking for a long time. -
Soren turned, shocked. Some bandits came through the trees, guided by
a priest. He could recognize his face, it was one of the bandits who
had attacked him. So it was that ... They had gone to seek
help. The Sage noticed any sadness disappearing, giving way to a
flame of anger that began to grow inside him. They were the ones who
had attacked them, the ones who had done this to his commander. He
listened in silence, angry, without moving from Ike's chest and
without even realizing that he had his knuckles white as the pressed
that made in the shirts of the blue-haired guy.
-
Of course! We have beaten him up, it would surprise me that they
continued living, not to mention that they had managed to
escape.
- It is well deserved, these shoddy
heroes. Above his silly commander, that idiot... Oh, Look! I am the
great Ike, the savior of Crimea! Ha! That cocky kid couldn't find
his ass in a map.
Very slowly, Soren turned his head to look at
the face of those voices. His eyes closed dangerously, he could see
the five men who were heading towards him, unconcerned. The priest
took a healing staff on his hand. He was balancing it as
if he was hitting someone, while his companions started laughing. The
small flame that began to burn in him had become a fire that
threatened to destroy everything that stood in their way. And they
had no intention of stopping that feeling. Any doubt or thought had
disappeared from his mind. He was only aware of one thing: the wrath
that he felt. He lifted imperious, noting how each one of
his cells vibrated with an inner fire that he was unaware of. He
took the stick from the ground and headed towards the voices. He
didn't know how to use axes or swords, that would be enough.
Without thinking that he was alone, that they were well armed
robbers, while he only wore a cane to defend himself, without
thinking that some of the wounds inflicted to him, he stood before
them, decided. His thought about his memories deep in his mind
looking for something that could be useful for him, and found his
memories of Nephenee. The image of the girl fighting was shot in his
head, and then he let it go.
- Hey, you! - Spread your legs,
pushing back his right foot, bend your knees, he hold the stick hard
with him and stretched his arms, making the staff perpendicular to
his body. The bandits looked surprised at the little wizard, who
watched challenging, presumably in the position of defending the
spearmen. – You should not pass.
The robbers
looked at him, surprised. And then they started laughing. One of the
swordsmen moved a couple of steps towards him.
- And who is
going to stop us, kid? You? - They started laughing as chickens
again. Soren - And who is going to stop us, kid? Do you? - Your
laughing again as chickens. Soren remained immutable. -
Oh, look at him how he pretends he is brave. The little boy wants to
play with the soldiers. Come on, kid, go with your mom, this is
dangerous. – The swordsman made a sign with his hand, as if he was
scaring a fly. But that did not result in the comic gag tantrum and
to which they were accustomed. The tactician continued looking at
them without blinking, serene and proud but angr with those red eyes
like the blood observing him furious. But it was a cold
and calculated wrath. That kind of anger that said: I am fully aware
of what I am about to do, I will make you suffer until you begged me
forgiveness, and I enjoy doing it. The other swordsman stood in front
of him.
- Come on, lad, what is being done with it? – The icy
look of the dark-haired guy froze his blood in the veins.
-
The staff.
- W… What?
- I want the
healing staff. Give it to me. - That was not a request but an order.
The mercenary looked at their peers and dedicated them an eye
accomplice.
- So you want to heal your
friend? Is that so? So cute that you have to ... ... - Soren drew a
semicircle with his arm, causing the tip of the cane struck the
temple of the man. Then he forwarded the left foot, removed the stick
of his head and beat his knee with the other end down. Without even
giving it the time to reach the ground, he put one foot above the
chest, pushed him back and knocked his head with all the forces he
could muster. The swordsman felt inert on the floor, bleeding
profusely. Soren won the light towards their enemies, who
watched open-mouth.
- You... You broke him the
head! You, bastard!– The other swordsman rushed at him and threw a
pit to his head He raised his arms to stop the blow with the stick
and then back a leg while stopping a new thrust with the red sphere.
The bandit gave no time to breathe before sending a new thrust
against his knees, but the mage eluded the beat with a jump and
repeated the movements that had defeated his former enemy.
-
Vulg! Hagen! – The wrestlers responded to the priest's signal and
took twice to the sage, who was dropped on his knees on the floor and
quickly turn the Restore staff over his head. The bandits held up,
preventing the attack that would hit the stomach. But Soren had
already anticipated that and taking advantage of the rotary movement,
bent backward to almost touch the ground and turned his waist
backwards, increasing their range and hitting the ankles of their
enemies, who staggered. Then he followed the movement that was
lifted, moved towards one of them and swept the legs with his weapon.
He set out to finish off his opponent on the ground, but the axe of
some other man made him move back. Before he had time to react on the
other side, he launched a kick from the ground that went right to his
stomach. He went back, staggering and holding his abdomen with force.
And he felt the blood gushing from the wound again. He began to feel
sick… The wrestler who continued on foot helped his companion to
get up and launched their attack. The two of them attacked his head.
But the anger that boiled in pressing them was stronger than the
pain. He dropped from crouching to dodge axes and rose once again to
testify a strong blow to the nose of one of them. He pulled to the
ground to dodge the counterattack again and closed his fist.
-
Fucking Rubber boy! I 'm gonna make you into slices, circus
monkey! – By the time he was close enough, he released a
handful of earth he had got on his face. Shit, my eyes! - And he
launched a direct blow to the mouth of her stomach. He rose up again
and hit his neck with the base of the rod. A crack
confirmed how the vertebrae of his neck became dislocated. Then
he moved towards the left on foot, turning his body, while turning
towards the stick to gain strength, and discharged a fatal blow on
his head.
The priest noted how the tactician stood among the
corpses of their comrades, the blood away from his face with the back
of the hand. He felt that his legs started to tremble. Soren
stretched his hand towards him.
- Give me the
staff. – He could feel his hands were opened under the weight of
those words. The stick fell to the ground, while its owner was
running with all his strength. He didn't stop running until he
reached the outskirts. He didn't look backwards. And he did not see
how his enemy collapsed on the floor, exhausted.
*******
Soren got Ragnell and leant against a nearby tree, then moved his arms by his chest and stretched his commander. He let go a snort of effort similar to the weight of Ike, but despite the fact that he heard the crack of protest from his back, he managed to support it in the trunk, with his sword. He caught air, feeling a stubborn pain in the stomach. The, he put a hand on his wound. It was fortunate that the bandits took a potion; at least the bleeding had stopped, also that they wore bandages. They were very careful to be what they were, at least more than them. He took the healing staff and concentrated until it shone, noting how to start off the heat.
*******
The blue-haired didn't wake up since one hour later. He opened his
eyes slowly, and the first thing that he could see was the tactician
with his head bowed. He was holding his arm with delicacy. He sighed
relieved. Soren heard the sound and raised his head. Seeing that his
commander awoke at last, he smiled. - Welcome back, Ike! - The
mercenary returned him the smile and looked around. They were
alone, with the exception of bodies that covered the floor. That
surprised him.
- ¿What happened? I thought that
something had come to help.
- ¿What you want that
somebody help them? They don't know where are we.
-
It's truth… But then, who has finished with the bandits? I
thought that some had survived. - Soren threw him a look full of
meaning. - ... You?
- ¿Why are you so surprised? –
He was able to notice something of reproach in his voice.
-
Well ... No one knows better than me you are perfectly capable of
defeating a battalion alone… with your magic book. Didn't it
broke? – The black-haired stare fell back on his arm to finish
puting on the dressing. Although he had the feeling that the mage had
done it to avoid their gaze.
- I didn't use the
magic book.
- ¿And then…? – Now he was sure. He
had avoided looking him! The magician glanced furtively to one side.
Following the trajectory of his eyes, he could spot a cane on the
floor. The head was covered to something that seems like… blood? -
Soren, ¿that's what I think it is? - The commander stood up heavily
and went into the cane.
- Ike! Have you suffered
serious injury, you shouldn't...
-
¡oooouch!
- Put on your feet… - Ike came his
hands together for the knees, that hurt as if they were crushed. He
doubted that they could hold their weight... As the sage
approached and kneeled beside him, took the staff from the ground.
Indeed, It was covered of blood. - ¿Are you Ok?
- Soren, did you
opened his head with the stick? - The tactician seemed
uncomfortable.
- Well… To tell you the truth, yep. –
Ike seen him for a moment with wide open and no power in check, began
to wide open and no power in check, began to roar with laughter.
-
What the hell are you laughing?! – The blue-haired made him a hand
signal for he wait. He laughed so strongly that it was unable to
breathe. Thought it was going back after two. - Haha…
Ouch… Wait… Is that… Huhu… Is that really you're unique. I
don't believe nobody else in the world will use a restore staff to
knot out some bandits.- Soren semeed quite ofended.
- And what do
you expected? To bore them to death with some great speech about love
and justice?
- No, no. It was a great idea. But it's just an
idea only you could come with. That's why I like to have you in the
team. – Soren looked deeply into his eyes, as always made by
everyone. It was an abit that used to embarrass people, but he had
come to appreciate it, 'cause made it feel secure. And then, his
expression changed completely, tinging his smile with worry. – Your
eyes are red. – The mage raised an eyebrow.
- Yes,
Ike, my eyes are red. In fact, I was born with them. …Surely that
you're okey?
- No, I don't mean the color you have! I mean
that ... Soren, have you been crying? – The mere idea made that his
stomach shrinked in fear. He looks the tactician, concernd, but he
seems don't understand.
- Y… Yes. When I awakened
and I have seen you lying on the ground ... I've lost a little the
control of situation.I'm sorry,It will not be repeated. – So that
was then. He was the one who, with his irresponsible attitude, have
make him cry. And yet… He was who called apollogize. The
pressure on your stomach increased.
- Soren! You don't have to
apologize! It was my fault. It's me who risked our life and has led
to be scarred. There is no reason for you to apologize. It is more
... I am the one who has to apologize. - Without knowing
why, started to get nervous. Squeezed his fists vigorously, trying to
stop the shaking of his hand. – you're hurt because of me. I made
you cry. I only wanted to defend you and the only thing I did was
hurt you. Forgive me.
- What are you saying? – The
tactician approached him and grabbed his arms, trying to reassure
him. He began to worry about the agitated attitude of their
commander. – Ike, you don't know that it was an ambush. And I'm
the one who cried. I couldn't control my mind and I've permited
my feelings to control me. This is not the attitude a soldier has to
have. I should have been able to keep my nerves under control and not
have allowed my tears to betray my weakness.
- The
question is not if you let tears escape or not, what hurts is that
you had wanted to do it!
- What important is that if I want to
mourn or not!?
- It's important to me!!! – The
sage was puzzled by the outcry, but Ike continued talking. He was
furious. Angry with the world, angry with himself for having his
mourning, for not understanding where the anger came. The heart hurt
like if they were pressing. He wanted to cry and scream at once. Tens
of feeling crowded in your head and failed to clarify them. - Damn
it, look around you! We are in an era of lies and politics. I look
forward and see only robberies, meaningless assaults, poverty. I only
see pain. And in places where it is supposed to be doing something,
they only care about appearance. – He talked so fast that he
thought it was going to lock his tongue. – In this war we had go to
all the kingdoms, and each of them instead of worrying about combat,
I had to worry about how to behave, to speak in my turn, to respect
protocols and labels. Everyone should watch what they say and how to
make it. Nobody says what they think! I look at their faces and I am
unable to guess what passes for their heads. – Soren watched him in
silence, afraid for his frantic words and furious gestures. – Even
though they smile, I am unable to distinguish whether they do so
because they are happy or only because it is the damn protocol! And
I'm feeling stupid, like I was to do wrong for as if no right even
to think about doing it! And when I'm angry and I want to send all
the crap and go home to spend the rest of my insignificant life alone
and isolated... Then… - All the fury disappeared of the voice of
the commander. – Then I turn around… knowing that you're at my
side. And, ignoring all the pain and lies that surround us, I look at
your eyes. And I only see the truth in them... this makes me feel
that it is worth going on. – He noted how a deeply sadness
evaporated all the anger that he had been feeling. This is the reason
why… I'm scared at the idea that tears may erase all the
truth existing in your eyes. - He was silent a moment, contemplating
the confused mage. - I ... I'm sorry. I don't know exactly what I'm
saying, the words have never been my thing ... - A solitary tear slid
on the cheek of his companion, and felt that this tear broke his
heart in two. – Oh, Soren. I… didn't want to… - But the lips
of the magician drowned his voice. He stayed a few seconds petrified,
noticing the breath of Soren in his mouth. He was kissing…
him? Completely bewildered, put his hands on his hips to
depart him, but the boy slipped from his fingers, moving his arms
around his neck. He felt warmth of her body in the chest. He tried to
catch him again... He never realized that his waist was so
thin, he could cover in one arm. And his hair smelled so good ...
Then noticed that he was embracing him and separated quickly his
hands. Soren's lips moved away of his.
- Eehm… -
The mage looked at him, with an expression on his face that he didn't
quite understand. He noticed his head was completely dull. Ok, and
now what the hell was he doing? – Ehm that's strange, your hair
smells of herbs and parchment ... I didn't know it could
be so pleasant... – Then he noticed what he did just say. Oh,
Goddess. He felt he was starting to blush. – No… It only seemed
odd to me, haha ... It's one of those things that surprises you when
you realize it, when you discover a fruit can be bitter, or that
somebody's lips can taste so good… Ah! I don't want
to say it! – It was making a huge mess that only worsened the
situation, and it was a situation that he didn't know how to
escape. – Really, I've never wondered, because I wasn't
interested. That does not mean that it bothers me. Not at all!
Ireallylikeit… ¡Forget what I said! So... - He
put his hands to his head, fidgeting nervously. - Agh! I don't know
what I'm saying!! Well, I only want to say that… -His face became
the color of a ripe tomato, and it couldn't be distinguished of the
coat. Soren raised an eyebrow. - Okay, okay, I don't know what to
say! I'm sorry, but I can't think with the head… clearly! I
can't think clearly! I mean what…
- Pervert…
-
… What… What?! – The tactician was smiling with an expression
unknown to him, an expression that gave him something to fear ... –
Waitwaitwait. I'm not a pervert! I'm not like Gatrie. I don't
think women are like flowers, or compare their hair with sunshine, or
wonder how should feel your skin on my chest... Well, Okay, now I'm
thinking this… Damn it! I don't know what the hell I have to
say!! – Soren began to laugh. It was a loud and clear
laugh. He listened dumbfounded. Soren saw the mercenary
and approached him.
- Then… don't say anything. -
Ike didn't respond, just hugged him strongly, letting their lips
talk about their feelings.
