Chapter 2 - Dealing with Brigands

My two friends and I had rushed to catch up to the Shepherds. Chrom, Frederick and Lissa were quickly getting ready for battle. I was in the lead and I shouted to them in hopes of somehow helping them.

"Wait! We can help!" Frederick looked at us in surprise which had been mirrored on Lissa's face as well. Chrom though had a small smile that seemed as though he was glad to have us with him. It made me feel slightly better that I was at least welcomed as a friend even though we hadn't truly fought together before.

"You followed us?" Frederick was the one who spoke and we nodded and I smiled at his expression of shock. I wasn't sure why but, I was glad to have surprised him. It meant that maybe his opinion of us could change.

"Yeah, I am not sure why. I just felt like I needed to help. You two agree right?" My friends nodded. I noticed Kira's still intense nervousness over this battle and I bit my lip in slight worry. I knew what battle meant. It was kill or be killed and even during our previous battles with the three of us. She just hadn't truly fought much. Yet I noticed when she noticed me looking at her, she quickly attempted a look of confidence as if pushing away doubt to protect me for some reason.

"Of course, Strength and Numbers right? Just stay close and we can deal with these Bastards!" I shook my head a little at Chrom. I had some funny feeling that rushing in and attacking was his style. I needed a moment to figure some plan out.

"Chrom, I know my way around a battlefield. Tactically I mean. Allow me to lead us. Just follow my orders ok?" Chrom and Frederick looked at me in surprise. I smiled and I observed the battlefield quickly. I had precious little time to come up with something and I also needed to be in the rear to observe as much as possible. I closed my eyes and I placed the picture in my mind of battlefield.

"Frederick I need you to be with Kira. Her combat skills are not the best but, fighting with you would help her a lot. Support her if possible. The two of you should head to the right with me while I deal with a Mage and Archer. I can take them out from range with my magic. Ashur I need your, special powers to deal a sneak attack on the the guys to the left. Chrom will go with you and fight them head on. Lissa, your a cleric I need you to heal as best you can. Try to keep everyone stable. Ok everyone got their plans? Also do not get too close to that bridge. You might attract some unwanted attention from the others." My eyes had remained closed as I had sort of made my moves. I think this will work. I nodded to myself a smile.

"Alright, We will follow your plan Lana. To Battle!" Everyone started moving into position. Ashur had covered himself in a quick layer of darkness. He rushed around behind the three people to the left. Chrom had charged one of them and engaged him. His blade sunk deep into the bandit and I smiled as my plan there seemed to work. Ashur had stabbed into the neck of one of the bandits who howled in pain. Unfortunately Ashur could not constantly cover himself as it were. When he attacked it revealed him this then had brought the third of their part to charge the two. They had paired up to deal with them and I was surprised by a high level of teamwork from them. Maybe they could develop it further by working together.

Kira and Frederick had also a surprisingly high teamwork potential. I wasn't sure if it was Frederick's experience at battle that had turned Kira's nerves from shaky to battle hardened. Kira had cut through her side basically on her own. I was surprised by the amount of speed she seemed to naturally have. Speed and strength seemed to be her strong points. I needed some sort of plan for her in the future. I wasn't sure yet. I had meanwhile been in the process of fulfilling my part of plan. I was in a true mage war with this enemy mage. The flame from him clashed against my thunder. I needed to pull an old trick my mother had taught me. I poured more of my energy into one hand, I moved my weaker hand from the clash between us. I charged up a wind spell and shot it out towards his legs. It had barely missed his fire and swept the guy off his feet in surprise. I shot a thunder spell and it splashed against his fallen form shocking him to his death.

The archer had noticed this finally, He fired an arrow towards me and it stabbed into my shoulder. I started to grind my teeth in frustration over this. I then used my still good arm and fired a blast wind at him. He had dodged it barely and fired back a second time. This had caught me by surprise especially because, he seemed to be deadly accurate. It struck my stomach and I cursed my luck slightly. Lissa had charged to aid me and I smiled as her healing worked its way through my body. She stood by my side and I felt a little better knowing she was there to aid me. My spells increased in intensity now as my confidence had been boosted with this knowledge. I struck a thunder spell towards him and finally fried the enemy wiping him from existence.

I breathed a slight sigh of relief and I turned towards the bridge figuring out the next phase. I ran my eyes over the area again, planted the image in my mind, closed my eyes and planned out every move possible.

"Lana what is it that your doing?" Chrom had asked me and though my eyes remained closed and my mind was still figuring out a plan, I had answered as best as possible.

"On the field I see things, The enemy's strengths, Weaknesses, Weaponry, and the flow of battle. I sort of take this all as like a picture. Plant it in my brain and figure out everything in a quick moment usually. I can sometimes think three, maybe four steps ahead sometimes." I heard Lissa mutter wow under her breath and I shook my head.

"There are others who can outsmart at my skill level. I need to get more hands on experience." Chrom had given off a slight sound, sounded as if he were thinking on what I had just said. My eyes opened and I smiled as I came up with the next bit.

"This is a simple Decoy charge ok? Chrom and I will pair up, Frederick and Kira as well, Lissa will be behind us to heal. We charge the bridge. The true move here is you Ash, shroud yourself, sneak by and end the leader quickly ok? Be careful not to get hit by us as we can't normally see you either." I could for some reason. I wasn't sure of the others in this some regard. It might have come from knowing him or maybe I had learned it like the other things from before. Still, his skill was too unreliable as it left him deep in enemy areas if we were to use him by himself. Which was why I needed us as 'Decoys'

We moved to the next bit of our plan. Kira and Frederick gave each other a nod already slightly used to the others presence. Chrom gave me a small smile and gave me a small sort of compliment.

"You've lent us your strength, and that makes you my friend. Having an ally like you by my side gives me courage." I coughed slightly and smiled a little.

"There's um more to it then that but, yeah thanks." He smiled and then we finally got to the plan. The two pairs rushed towards two different swordsmen. Kira's blade and Chrom's... Sword of some kind not sure what it was exactly, had smashed into the blades of their opponents. I sent out a blast of fire, it splashed against the guy Chrom was fighting taking him by surprise. He stepped back and Chrom had found an opening and slashed the guys chest ending him as well. Kira and Frederick had dealt with their opponent in a similar manner though Frederick's lance had impaled the enemy with ease. He had cast off the body though Kira was slightly unnerved by the sight she had taken a deep breath and pushed through it. I was now going into another mage war as Ashur struck the Leader. He had stabbed him hard though the leader had survived the attack. He had reached for an Ax at his hip and launched it at Ashur who dodged it effortlessly. Ashur then jumped forward and stabbed his chest faster then even I could process for a moment. The leader was killed and Kira had finished my opponent from behind.

I tooka in a heavy breath and slumped down on the bridge trying to relax slightly. I didn't realize or at least remember how hard it had been to be in an actual battle. I smiled cheerfully though as the villagers started to cheer slightly at being saved. I looked at Kira who stood a little away from the rest of us. I walked up to her and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you Kira for helping." I knew it had been hard for her and she had hugged me back in one of insanely tight hugs. I smiled warmly and she laughed cheerfully again just as she had done in the little bit I could remember of her.

"We won!" She looked at me and then, we both shouted it together. I understood slightly that she was a child at times. Maybe she could get along with Lissa a bit. Hm, yeah I think those two could be friends.

"Well, That's the end of that eh?" Ashur had said once we joined back up with the rest. I smiled warmly at him and he flashed me a familiar grin. It seemed as if he enjoyed it when I was apparently happy at least as far as I could tell.

"They got lucky we were close by huh? But I mean you guys were like wow! Lana has tactics and Magic, Ashur is all stealthy, and Kira looked like she could be punch through a wall when she was fighting." I looked at my friends who both seemed unused to such attention. I was as well but, I had pushed through that issue and just accept her compliment.

"You three certainly aren't helpless that's for sure." Chrom was giving us a mark of approval there and I smiled a little at this. Glad to see I had helped out. I still couldn't though shake that dream I had from my mind. It seemed so vivid.

"You three have fought to save Ylissean lives, The Shepherds could use people of your talents. We've got Brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. Would you like to join us?" I looked at my two friends who seemed to be in a quick duel within their own thoughts.

"I must still emphasize caution Milord." I sighed briefly at Frederick. I had hoped that pairing him with one of us would make him more trusting of us.

"Would you really have us lose people of these talents? A tactician, A person who can disappear in thin air at whim, and woman who I bet could dent your armor with that Bronze sword she has." Frederick looked at Chrom and shook his head slightly. I heard him mutter something like 'No milord' under his breath. It seemed like he really just wanted to protect Chrom. I could sort of understand, Frederick had to be a knight of some kind and Chrom was his lord. I did not know what Chrom was a lord of but, it was Frederick's duty to protect him.

"Thank you Chrom I think we would be honored right?" I said to my two friends who nodded in agreement. I smiled because, I think I had pieced together a few people I thought should build friendships. The stronger the ties in any army, the stronger the people in it will be. I was unsure who had told me that though. I shook my head a little. I secretly wished I could get some of my memories back.

"Milord, did you notice those brigands spoke with a Plegian accent?" Chrom had nodded and I asked another question that was now plaguing me.

"Plegian? What is that?" My friends looked at me even more surprise then they had on before. I was confused by that look. Why was I a Plegian or something?

"Plegia is Ylisse's westerly Neighbor, They send small bands into our territory, hoping to begin another war." Hm, I put this information in my mind for later. I think there could be more to this, Plegia and Ylisse thing for some reason.

"It's the poor townsfolk for suffer though! Totally Innocent and Totally helpless!" Lissa's face had contorted in mild fury over this. She had stomped her foot as if to show how angry she was over that.

"So like, I am kind of hungry here. Haven't ate anything recently and we missed lunch!" Ashur poked his stomach which gave off a small growl. I sighed in unison with Kira who also shook her head. I wondered briefly if this happened a lot.

"Milord please! You must stay the night. We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly make a feast in your name." I noticed both Lissa and Ashur's face light up real quick. The two had started to quickly give orders as Frederick who was apparently going to say No, grabbed them by their collars and pull them away from the man.

"We will camp on the way to Ylisse when night falls ok? Eat off the land and make our bed out of twigs and leaves. I would think you would want to get used to this way of life right?" he was saying that towards the two he still had in his hands by their collars slightly. Both Lissa and Ashur nodded quickly and Frederick smiled innocently while letting them go.

"Frederick I hate you sometimes."

"Me too, Yet I have had near constant hate for him I swear." Ashur whispered this to Lissa though I could hear him. Surprisingly Frederick had not. Strange. Maybe I was just more observant of such things?

"Now then shall we be going?" Chrom nodded at Frederick and looked at the three of us.

"You ready to go? The capital isn't far." I nodded and me and my two friends followed them towards the capital.