Updated 11/28/17
Special thanks to Cormag Ravenstaff and one of my real-life friends for beta reading this chapter.
You may remember there was a huge note section here. I decided to scrap that for a number of reasons I don't think I need to get in to.
Castle Caelin, 10 Sage 979 A.S.
"Lord Lundgren, it seems the spy we planted in the Ganelon bandits has been slain. His last report was interesting though," a soldier serving the Acting Marquess said.
"It better be." Lundgren was quite a large man. He wore the armor of a General and had the commanding presence of a King. Unlike most armor-bearing lords, Lundgren kept his cape untucked, allowing it to flow freely. He figured it had a more majestic aesthetic that way, quite correctly in the eyes of his subordinates.
"The plainswoman claiming to be your grandniece is currently traveling with two of your brother's guards he dispatched to Sacae last month, as well as an archer born and trained in Pherae, a Pegasus Knight-in-training, and a Bernese nobleman."
"A Bernese nobleman? Which one?"
"Lord Yosef, Duke of Thracia."
"Yosef? The one who deals with the Etruscans? What could he possibly want with a Sacaen impostor?"
"I'm afraid I do not know at this time, my lord."
"Contact our spies in Bern. See what they can find out, and send a message to Lord Uther advising him of the situation. I'm quite certain the young man will want a hand in this."
"Yes, my lord."
Sacae, a few leagues from the Etruscan border
"Given the weather continues to be favorable, we should cross into Lycia by tomorrow evening," Kent said. It was quite late at night; the only person not yawning was Yosef. The Legion couldn't tell if it was his Bernese discipline keeping him stoic or something else, but he had barely slept in days and it wasn't showing.
"That's all fine and dandy, Kent, but I'm getting pretty tired. I can see a building not to far from here, and I could really use some sleep before we go into the Lion's Den," Wil yawned.
"I wouldn't exactly consider Lycia the Lion's Den, but otherwise I concur," Sain added. Florina whispered something into Lyn's ear, and the plainswoman sighed.
"I understand your feelings, everyone, but we must press on if we're to reach Caelin in a timely fashion," Kent said.
"It's OK, Kent. We can rest up for the night." Lyn smiled weakly.
"As you wish, my lady. Wil, lead us to the building you speak of; I regretfully don't have good night vision," Kent stifled a yawn.
If you worked for Bern, Kent, I'd fix that up right away. Oh, and you just unwittingly told me when it would be best to invade if we needed to. If you of all people can't see in the dark, I doubt many Lycian knights outside of Pherae and maybe Ostia could either. The Bernese Wyvern Knights, and even most of our regulars, can see as well at night as they can during the day, Yosef smiled inwardly, then directed his attention to the red-clad knight.
"Sir Kent, I understand your feelings, and I share them. However, we're not dealing with professional soldiers right now. In fact, you and I, and maybe Sain, are the only ones in our so-called Legion that truly have soldiers' disciplines," the Bernite lamented. Kent sighed in defeat.
"On another note, may I confide something in you, my Lord?" Kent asked.
"On my honor, I swear I'll tell no-one. Proceed." Yosef said.
"Well, to be honest, I'm kind of hoping Lundgren will remain in power. Hausen doesn't seem to think much of the public servants, dedicating all of our tax money, of which we have next to none, to primary education and infrastructure. Caelin has one secondary school, and it's a very expensive private school that doesn't even have a magic program. Hausen has discharged almost all of our reserve armies, and most of the competent commanders have retired. General Eagler is the only remaining knight who was taught in the good old days when Hausen actually accepted his brother's input and spent some money on the military. The people love him for his generosity, but what they don't seem to understand is that without a suitable military and some extra funds in the treasury, Caelin will not even be able to withstand bandit raids if some manage to get through the other cantons. The southern border has already been suffering somewhat.
"However, ever since power was abdicated to Lundgren, our situation has begun to improve. While taxes have almost doubled, three new public secondary schools have been started, one of which dedicated to the arcane arts and approved by the Mage General of Etruria himself, who was kind enough to inspect it. In addition, the bandit raids have stopped and our military might now exceeds that of Araphen and even rivals Laus. While the people, who are used to Hausen's laid-back approach, aren't overly pleased with the increased taxes, they are actually getting more and better education and our future is looking brighter. If Hausen recovers from his illness, I fear Caelin will revert to what it used to be, and we will have troubles once more."
"… do you want me to ensure that Hausen does not recover? I can easily make that so," Yosef asked ever so quietly.
"No! Of course not!" Kent exclaimed, although he did not yell and his voice was ridden with doubt.
"You don't sound convinced. I'll leave you to your thoughts for now. But remember this – a true knight pledges allegiance to his country before his king. If you believe Lundgren will bring more prosperity than Hausen, shifting your support will only be considered treason if you fail. Were you to succeed, however, you would be a hero to your people, and a savior to your lands."
"I pledged allegiance to both my canton and my liege."
"But if the betterment of your canton conflicts with the ideals of your liege, you will be torn between your allegiances. Were that the case, who has your spear? You must choose: king or country. The monarch, or the people." With those words, Yosef flew over to the front next to Lyn and Wil.
Lyndis' Legion could smell the building well before most of them saw it. Kent, Wil and Yosef didn't seem to mind, but the first words out of Sain and Florina's mouths were complaints.
"This will be fine. I prefer to sleep on the open plains anyway," Lyn said to Florina as Kent disciplined his partner.
"Enjoy it while you can. Once we cross the border, people will shun you for doing so and may think you a vagrant. In some cantons it is actually illegal to sleep in the open, and if a guard catches you they will throw you in prison." Yosef noted.
The building was little more than an abandoned fortress. Yosef examined it and told the Legion it was built around the time of the Scouring.
"Yosef, are you sure this building is that old?" Lyn asked.
"Just look at the architecture. Do you really think a Sacaen would have built this? Hell, you won't find this design anywhere outside of the Old Quarters of Bernese cities. And those buildings aren't nearly the size of this one," Yosef seemed excited, "anyway, get some rest; I'll be back by mid-morning tomorrow and then we can head for Araphen."
"Where are you going?" Kent asked.
"To make a few calls with my scrying crystal. There are people who need to be advised of our situation, including Lord Lundgren. Admittedly, I suspect he already knows about all this."
"Lady Lyndis, now that I think about it, I remember Caelin's previous knight commander telling me about a time he, his mentor and some mercenaries saved Lady Madelyn from a bunch of phantoms. When I questioned him, he swore on his honor he was telling the truth," Kent scratched the back of his head. He wasn't entirely convinced, but he was open to the possibility.
"Really?" Lyn's eyes widened. "I'd like to hear abo–"
"Squirrel droppings!" Wil shouted.
"I don't believe any of that for a second. I mean, seriously! One, I never heard General Wallace say that. Two, that whole event sounds like a children's bedtime story. Three, ghosts are fake and four, GHOSTS ARE BLOODY FAKE!" Sain frowned.
"It is kind of hard to believe," Florina muttered.
"Is someone there?" A voice from inside the castle called out. A woman appeared from the shadows. She seemed early middle-aged, and one of her legs was immobile. For some reason Sain wasn't hitting on her, even though he once tried to court a woman in a wheelchair… then the rest of the Legion noticed a wedding ring on her finger.
"Who are you, ma'am?" Lyn called out.
"My name is Natalie… I'm looking for my husband. I'd heard reports that he was near here." She was clearly having a hard time moving, so Kent and Sain, acting as they were trained to, ran over to her and offered their assistance, though she kindly rejected.
"Can you describe what he looks like? I would be more than happy to assist." Lyn tried to sound as comforting as she could.
"I have a drawing. It's a poor likeliness at best, but it's all I have." Natalie pulled out a rough sketch. It wasn't very detailed, but it was enough for a trained eye.
"We'll start first thing in the morning. For now though," Lyn yawned, "we need some rest. Kent, please set up the tents."
"M'lady." Kent nodded and got the supplies of of his and Sain's horses. The green-clad knight was happy to assist him. At last, the Legion got a good night's sleep.
Lyn was the first to wake up. She promptly woke the others, and began dismantling the bed sets. The skies were as clear as they were the night before, and the sun was shining. Florina, having grown up in Ilia, was sweating profusely, as was her pegasus. Kent, Sain and Wil were barely tolerating it, and Lyn was loving every moment; there were few who enjoyed the heat more that she did.
"Alright, if everyone is ready, we can begin our sear–" Lyn was cut off by the shouting of bandits. By their attire, Lyn assumed they were of the Ganelon clan, and they were seeking revenge on their fallen comrades. Worse, Yosef hadn't yet returned from wherever he went; Lyn delegated Kent to tactician in his stead.
"Lyn, guard the northeast entrance. Florina and Wil, part of the wall on the northwest end is heavily damaged and the bandits may be able to break through there. If they do, I need you to be ready for them. Sain, you and I will guard the main entrance to the south. We must protect Natalie until either we can defeat our assailants or they turn back!" Kent shouted. After having a good night's rest, everyone was more than happy to oblige.
Carjiga was not as strong as Migal, but he was a lot smarter. Revenge drove him and his men, so he wasn't going to take the effort to avoid killing the women.
"All right boys, this is where the bastards who killed Migal are resting up," Hogan, who survived the skirmish with the Lorca and her troupe, told his comrades.
"Then this is where they shall fall," Carjiga smiled, "Hogan, Dorcas, Sumac, Kili, get over here!" Hogan, two other axemen and a swordsman walked over to their commander.
"Yeah, boss?" The second axeman, a large, brown-haired fellow wearing a yellow shirt and green breeches named Dorcas, asked. He was the only one in their group who learned how to use a hand axe, and that made him a valuable member. His only problems were his morals, which caused him to show restraint while the Ganelon collected their cut.
"I want you three to attack the northeast entrance, while the rest of us attack the front.
"All right everyone, listen up. The bastards who killed Migal are in that fortress. Men or women, they all must die, otherwise the other clans will think we've gone soft. Leave none alive; anything they have on them is yours for the taking. Now, earn you keep." Carjiga said, and his men cheered as they ran to fulfill their respective tasks.
There were two Lycian knights guarding the main entrance, which looked as if it once had a portcullis. Carjiga dispatched two archers to deal with them, but as it turned out, the Lycians were accompanied by their own archer, who felled his men before they could even draw any arrows.
"Send everyone to the front. Rushing the bastards seems to be the only way to deal with them," Carjiga growled.
Yosef was flying back to the fortress when he noticed the commotion.
"I leave for one day," the Bernite sighed and told Nowi to increase her speed.
As soon as Wil felled the two archers, he moved to help Florina, who was trying to hold her own against bandits who breached the northwestern wall. The Pegasus Knight, for her part, was doing very well against soldiers she normally would have a disadvantage against, but she was starting to tire. Fortunately, Wil arrived before she gave out completely and finished off the brutes.
"Th-thanks… uh… W-Wil…." She stuttered.
"No prob, Flo." He said cheerfully.
"… F-Flo?" Florina raised a brow.
The bandit leader growled and sent almost all his men rushing forward. Kent and Sain were disciplined enough to not lose their heads, but they knew they stood little chance against such numbers.
"Ha, they're done for!" Carjiga's men laughed as they approached.
"Well, time to get back to work," Yosef said as he directed Nowi to pounce on top of a group of bandits, crushing them. Two bandits came from the rider's flanks, and a third from behind. Yosef stabbed one bandit with his lance while Nowi ate the axeman opposite him. The wyvern then backflipped, giving her rider a clean shot at the third fighter's back; Yosef exploited the opportunity.
"Our chances are next to none…" Kent lamented.
"I don't give a damn! If I'm going to die, it'll be a death worthy of remembrance!" Sain shouted out.
"Hell yeah!" Wil added on as he drew his bow.
"Please. Do you really think these bandits are that much trouble," came Yosef's voice. The three turned to where they heard it and saw Nowi swoop down in front of them, "just keep your swords drawn and focus on the defensive. In a test of strength, you'll lose, but in a test of endurance you at least have a chance. Florina, I'm sure you've been trained to pounce. Come with me and follow my lead."
"Why do you keep using your lance instead of your sword? Everyone knows lances are weak to axes!" Sain called out.
"I'll use my sword if I need it," Yosef replied and took off.
Meanwhile, Lyn was dealing with the soldiers who had come to attack the back entrance. The first soldier to come was an axeman who proved to be easy to kill. A swordsman entered after, burning with rage, and made a cardinal mistake – he held the sword above his head, leaving his torso wide open. Lyn took advantage of this, and in one swift motion she thrust the Mani Katti through his heart.
"Sumac! Kili! NO!" A bandit said from a distance. Lyn recognized him as one of the soldiers Florina landed on near Ganelon Mountain. "You Lorca SWINE! I am Hogan of the Ganelon Clan, and I will see your end!" Hogan was far more capable then Lyn's previous opponents. He carried a steel sword and an iron axe in his shield, and was skilled enough to switch between them quickly. Knowing that axes are weak against swords, he solely used his steel weapon so he wouldn't have a disadvantage. The only problem was the weight of his sword. While it was only a single handed weapon, it was extremely heavy and slowed him down quite a bit, allowing Lyn to dodge most of his attacks with relative ease. He swore as the Mani Katti pierced through his shield and into his left arm, but managed to use it to his advantage. While Lyn's sword was lodged in his arm, Hogan swept his sword at Lyn's neck with the intention of decapitating her. Out of sheer instinct, she raised her arm and the sword cut up to her bone. The plainswoman shrieked, drawing the attention of another axeman sitting in wait.
Dorcas heard a woman yell, and at that moment he realized that he could do this no longer. He unlimbered his hand axe and beheaded Hogan, who's left arm had been pierced by a katana. He ran up to the woman, who's arm was half-cut off by Hogan's sword.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" He asked the blue-clad woman, who appeared to be around eighteen years of age.
"My arm is stinging, but other than that I'm fine." The girl was showing extraordinary resilience to the pain she must have been feeling. It made Dorcas wonder what she had been through in the past. She then looked at him strangely.
"Wait, by any chance would your name happen to be Dorcas?"
"How do you know my name?" Dorcas was quite surprised that this woman had heard of him.
"We're protecting a woman named Natalie, who said she was looking for her husband, and showed us a drawing that you resemble quite closely."
"Natalie is here?! Please, don't tell her I joined with these brutes. I was just trying to get money to pay for a treatment for her leg, which is partially paralyzed from a snake bite. I had gotten desperate, so joining the Ganelon clan seemed to be my only option. They don't kill unless they have to and never take more than they need, so I figured it wouldn't be too bad. But when they attacked you, I realized I couldn't live with myself knowing I supported dishonorable bandits."
"You saved my life, so my lips are sealed. My name is Lyn."
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Lyn."
Sain and Kent found Lyn holding her arm, and a large brown haired man was towering over her.
"Lady Lyndis! Stay away from her you cur!" Sain shouted as he prepared to charge the axeman.
"Don't worry, he's on our side. He just saved my life actually." Lyn smiled.
"Well that's unexpected," Yosef shrugged and tossed Lyn an elixir he had on him. The plainswoman poured half of its contents on her wound to close it, then drank the remaining fluids to heal the internal damage. Before long, the damage the axe had done was unnoticeable.
"D-Dorcas?" Natalie limped forward from the shadows.
"Natalie! Why did you come looking for me?"
"I was worried. You shouldn't have to go through all this trouble just for my leg."
"Indeed. I understand healers are in short supply, but there are countless herbal remedies you can make for yourself." Yosef smiled.
"You can make your own herbal concoctions?!" Dorcas and Natalie said at the same time.
"All Bernese riders are trained in the basics of alchemy. Helps if we encounter unfriendly wildlife on extended missions. Now, what was the cause of your affliction. A snake, or a spider perhaps?"
"A snake, m'lord."
"Alright, I believe I have the necessary herbs for that on hand. It will take me an hour or so to create the salve, but I assure you it will be worth it."
"Well, we've waited this long," Dorcas sighed. Yosef nodded in response and took some supplies out of a sack on Nowi's saddle – a few plant samples, firewood, a mortar and pestle and a set of bars to hang them from.
An hour passed and the salve was finished,
"Pour one third of the solution directly onto the wound, then drink the other two thirds. It doesn't taste particularly pleasant, but it works miracles." Dorcas and Natalie did as they were told, and soon enough the young woman's wound healed.
"Now, I recommend taking it easy for a while. It will take time for your leg's strength to fully return."
"My Lord, thank you so much! How can we ever repay you?" Dorcas, who up until now showed little sign of emotion, smiled ever so slightly. Natalie, meanwhile, was crying with joy.
"Natalie, are you a good chef?" Yosef asked, and the woman nodded.
"Neither my companions nor myself are capable in the kitchen, and we could use a good axe arm. If you two are willing, we'd appreciate it if you would accompany us to Lycia." Dorcas and Natalie were excited by the opportunity, and gratefully accepted.
"Excellent!" Yosef clapped, "before we go, I think we should stay here one more day, just to settle down. After our little display, I don't think we'll be bothered any time soon. Now, I'm going to go put this bow away. The rest of you, do as you wish," the Bernese nobleman said and disappeared inside the fortress. Wil tried to warm himself to Florina and Huey, Dorcas went hunting, Sain and Kent proceeded to spar and Lyn discreetly disappeared into the woods.
After searching for a few minutes, Lyn had finally found a nice clean lake. She went to the far side, protected by trees and bushes, removed her garments and began to bathe in the warm water. Soon, she accidentally stepped on something quite soft. It began to move, giving Lyn the impression it was alive. After a moment it appeared from under the water, revealing its beauty to Lyn. While not as large as a dragon, it certainly was at least four times the size of a pegasus and had small, feathery wings. It had white feathers almost like those of a bird, only much softer. Lyn found herself calmed by it's presence. When it saw the plainswoman, the creature smiled and started playing in the water. Lyn didn't know whether or not it was a child, but it certainly was as playful as one. As it danced around the lake, the plainswoman couldn't help but laugh as she bathed herself with the water, which she now believed was warm because of the creature.
"Ugh, my hands are killing me! I haven't fired that many arrows that quickly in a long time," Wil said and shook out his arms. Yosef walked over to him with a set of bands made of a strange material.
"Put these bandages over your fingers and get some more rest. Sleeping is the best cure for such pains."
"Don't you have any herbal remedies for finger pains?"
"I'm not going to waste valuable materials for a few blisters. What I gave you should be more than adequate."
"If you say so. Well, my old teacher told me the best way to deal with pain is to fight through it," the archer smirked, "hey Flo, wanna go practice arrow-dodging?"
"Eeeek!" The Pegasus Knight ran away, leaving Yosef and Wil laughing.
"Hey, have either of you guys seen our mounts?" Sain asked. He and Kent had just finished their sparring session.
"I sent them to a nearby lake to bathe. Nowi's taking care of them."
"How can a wyvern take care of two horses and a pegasus?" Kent rubbed his chin.
"Because she's sentient." Yosef shrugged. The three Lycians seemed confused, but they brushed it off knowing Yosef wasn't going to give them any more details.
"Anyway, who won your sparing session?" Wil asked the knights.
"I did, 26-24." Kent bragged.
"You wish! I won 35-15." Sain responded with chutzpah.
"I saw the whole thing, and I recall a 25-25 split," Yosef smiled. Florina, who had recently returned from behind a tree after realizing Wil was joking, let out a hearty belly-laugh. It was the first time most of the Legion heard her speak out.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Dorcas showed up with two dead deer over his shoulder.
"Lunch," He said nonchalantly.
"I have to cook it first, honey." Natalie smiled.
"Here, add these for taste," Yosef pulled a cloth sack out of a bag next Nowi's harness, which he took off her before she left for the lake. "Compliments of Abbot Gamling."
"These herbs are perfect!" The Bernese woman said after examining the sack's contents. She promptly got to work with the venison while Dorcas cleaned everyone's weapons.
"Who's Abbot Gamling?"
"He runs a monastery I funded the construction of. Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll go try to find a horse for Natalie. Sir Kent, would you mind looking over the horses while I'm gone?" Yosef sighed.
"Not at all, my Lord." Kent said.
"Meris!" Kent whistled to his and Sain's horses, who came running to him.
Lyn finished her bath and got dressed. The water creature, on the other hand, was still enjoying the water and gave Lyn a puppy-like pout, asking her to come back. Lyn simply patted it on the head.
"Sorry big guy, but I've been neglecting my friends for too long, and I'm afraid they might have started to worry where I went off to! I'll be back some day. You can count on it!" And the plainswoman walked off.
"This venison is delicious!" Wil shouted. The entire legion, including Florina, seemed to forget about Yosef and Lyn as they dug into Natalie's masterpiece. The lot of them were laughing and sharing stories when Yosef came with a new horse.
"This is for you, Natalie. His name's Peregrin." Yosef walked the steed over to his new rider so the two could get acquainted.
"There better be more of this. I'll never forgive any of you if you polished it without me!" Yosef shouted playfully. Natalie assured him there was plenty left and got him a full plate.
Lyn walked over to her Legion, who seemed to forget about the world as they were laughing amongst themselves enjoying something that smelled phenomenal. She ran over to see what was going on.
"Oh, hello m'lady! Come join us, Sir Wil was just telling us a really funny story," Natalie said as she went over to the makeshift oven and got Lyn the remaining venison, of which there was just enough; the men seemed to be heavy eaters.
I wonder what Nowi's been doing this whole time. Lyn sighed. As if on cue, the wyvern flew over to the Legion and demanded some of the excellent smelling venison.
"Oh, hello Nowi, Yosef said, petting his mount on the head. He then conversed with her in her language, sending her off. She returned moments later with a bull in her mouth.
"Your wyvern seems to have a large appetite!" Wil exhaled sharply.
"They all do."
"Anyway," Lyn interjected, "I think I'm going to check out that fortress. I'm curious if any of the original artifacts still remain."
"Stay away from the golden room," Yosef said cryptically.
"What?"
"If this building is what I suspect it to be, the first room you will encounter in the sub-basement will be made almost entirely of gold and gemstones. It will draw you to it, but you must resist the urge."
"If you say so."
It was very dark, so Lyn couldn't see much. The plainswoman took out the Mani Katti, hoping to use its aura as a torch; when she did so, a secret door revealed itself. Lyn opened it and saw beyond it a steep, spiraling staircase.
The staircase led to an inner sanctum, which seemed to be completely empty, yet despite there being no torches or windows it was clearly lit. To Lyn's joy, the sanctum was untouched. After looking around, she realized she was in the fortress' subbasement, which looked as if it had been undisturbed for centuries. Just as Yosef said, there was a golden room, at the end of which Lyn could see an ornate casket. Remembering the Duke's words, Lyn continued deeper into the sanctum, eventually stumbling into a grotto. Atop the waters were three bridges. Two led to two separate rooms, named in Proto-Sacaen Hall of Gods and Hall of Judgement, and the third led to a wall embossed with three giant. The one on the left was a smiling woman with double-braided hair, the one on the right a bearded man in armor similar Yosef's and holding a sword practically identical to his claymore, and the one in the center a man in armor Lyn had only seen in myths, holding a sword with a upward-arching guard in one hand and a shield bearing five stones in the other, extending to the ground. The language above the figures was one Lyn did not recognize. Having the distinct feeling she had seen enough, Lyn prepared to leave. Before she could, the Mani Katti's blue glow shifted to dark purple and she heard a soothing voice in her head.
Lyndis of the Lorca. I am the lady of spirits, she who controls your sword. I implore you, enter the golden room. If you do, you will be enlightened.
Yosef told me not to, and I have come to trust his judgement, Lyn responded.
Who do you think knows better? A young, ignorant human, or an immortal spirit? Seeing the blade's logic, Lyn entered the room. The moment she did, she was accosted by a cloaked figure and the temperature in the room dropped significantly.
"Interloper. You have entered a forbidden shrine. For your sins, a penance must be exacted." A cloaked figure appeared out of nowhere. He… she… it… Lyn could not tell. What was most odd was that it had the exact same voice as the Lorca remnant. Suddenly, Lyn felt herself being swept off her feet by an unseeable force. It was as if the cloaked figure had bent the laws of physics. Then everything went dark.
When she woke, Lyn found herself in what appeared to be the Ice Temple, a holy shrine atop the tallest mountain in Ilia that was the center of the nation's religion. But something was different. The temple looked bright and fresh, while the one Florina once took her to was dark and dilapidated. A woman who looked similar to Lyn stood facing a dozen bandits. Watching in the distance was another woman, this one tall, with red eyes, sky blue hair, pointed ears and blue, scaly wings protruding from her back.
"This is Isaach, the land that preceded Ilia. The year is G.Y. 1790, two years before the beginning of what you know of as the Scouring," the cloaked figure began, "the quest for ultimate knowledge has led to the corruption of all too many souls; the desire for knowledge can become a desire for power. This was the cause of that terrible war. The one you know of as Hanon had desired ultimate knowledge, and intended to gain it through ultimate power. Soon she began to fear those more powerful than her, and she intended to rid the world of them. She went so far as to betray those closest to her."
"This is the country of Isaach. Home of the descendants of the Great Crusader Odo. The woman before your eyes is Hanon."
The woman bore incredible skill with a blade, but the sheer number was overwhelming. Bandit after bandit fell before her feet, their dismembered body parts flying, but she soon began to tire as the horde kept coming.
Each time a bandit died, Lyn felt their pain. It was worse that anything she ever felt. She tried to look away, but the cloaked figure kept her vision fixed. She struggled with all of her might to move and possibly break free, but this only made things worse for her. The figure summoned pillars of flame to engulf her body, searing her skin.
"Oh no, my dear. You're not getting away yet. The pain is just beginning." The figure laughed and the vision continued.
Eventually Hanon could no longer hold off the bandits and fell to her knees. Before the bandits finished her, a figure appeared from the corner and launched a controlled Fimbulvetr spell, which somehow hit everyone except Hanon. She walked over to the weakened girl and lowered the hood of her white cloak. She had crimson eyes and long sky blue hair that went to her hips, as well as pointed ears that protruded quite conspicuously out of her hair.
"Are you alright, Child?" She said. Evidently she was some sort of Holy Woman.
"Queen Aenir!? What are you doing here?" Hanon bowed.
"I was just passing through on my way to visit the King of Thracia, who has come to meet with me. Apparently they are discussing a recent terrorist strike from some remaining Lopto druids, who apparently came here from Rigel. I figured they might want my input, as my grandmother has told me much about Grima. Not to mention I was alive at the time of the Third Crusade when Lord Seliph and then-Prince Leif defeated the Lopto Empire.
"Anyway, I see you have immense potential. Were you to accompany me, I would be happy to introduce you to Lord Solomon, and perhaps we can train you to harness your abilities."
"I-I would be honored, Your Highness!" Hanon said.
The cloaked figure then fast forwarded to when Hanon met the King of Thracia, a man named Solomon. Nothing of consequence happened, though Lyn did note his slight resemblance to Yosef. She watched as Solomon and Aenir trained Hanon, and while the cloaked figure only showed her the more important moments, the Lorca remnant got the impression Hanon had become very close to her mentors.
"She learned so much, that she could stand to do nothing but increase her knowledge and power, and her lust corrupted her. Two years before the official start of the Scouring, Solomon left for Altea to help his older brother in a war far more terrible than the Scouring. Grima, a Dragon God corrupted by the demons, had returned to wreck havoc upon the world," the cloaked figure than showed Lyn what was happening overseas at the time. The buildings were entrenched in flame, ash was falling from the sky and there were rivers of blood carrying disembodied organs and appendages through the streets. Screams could be heard from every corner as humans and dragons alike were fighting against undead creatures and a gargantuan fiend that somewhat resembled a dragon, but was far more fearsome. There was not one glimmer of light anywhere; only death and darkness existed in these lands. After it was convinced the scene was permanently burned into Lyn's memory, the cloaked figure switched back to Hanon's story.
"Without Solomon keeping her on a leash, Hanon let her quest for knowledge consume her. She began defiling sacred artifacts to gain power, eventually stumbling across a grimoire containing a portion of the soul of the most foul being ever to come into existence. That fiend convinced Hanon to accept his power, and his evil consumed her.
"Hanon then went around the continent, using her manipulative powers to influence humans to join her in a crusade against the dragons 'when the time came'. Almost all the humans she spoke to joined her side, and then… it started. Hanon went to the Ice Temple and scored the first victory against the Dragons." All of these images ran before Lyn's eyes, and she was horrified by what she saw next.
Hanon entered the temple, and asked to speak with her mentor.
"Ah, Hanon, what can I do for you?" Queen Aenir smiled.
"Well… you have told me numerous times about the powers of Ninis' Grace, but never once have you let me hold it. I was wondering if you would grant me that privilege now?" Hanon asked somewhat shyly.
"For you, but only for you, my young apprentice, I will share any of my artifacts if you but ask." Aenir giggled. She slipped the ring off her finger and placed it in Hanon's outstretched hand.
"Perfect!" Hanon smiled malevolently as she drew the Mani Katti and used its magic to cut up and bind the Queen, who was now wearing a horrible look of betrayal. She managed to grab her dragonstone despite her bindings and transformed. It did little good as Hanon drew Murgleis and pelted her legs with arrows. Hanon's human friends walked in behind her, laughing as they prepared to finish the job.
"Hanon's assassination of the Queen led to many more attacks by humans on dragons. Those who didn't want to fight fled into hidden realms. That woman was solely responsible for the war. As a result of the actions of the Jugdrali humans, all the Gods but Naga forsook Jugdral and retracted the blood bonds they forged millennia prior." The cloaked figure said. "Hanon is not the only one to have committed such atrocities on this Earth. You too, can become like her and the other evils that existed in this world at some point." It proceeded to show the Lorca remnant an entirely new image. "This is a possible future, which seems ever so likely now."
When the new image took full form, to say Lyn was surprised would be the understatement of the century. She saw herself in strange armor, wielding the Mani Katti alongside a much larger katana that seemed to be made of gold.
"This is you, after your quest for knowledge and power consumed your soul." The figure said. Lyn noticed that she was clearly on the losing side, though she was holding her own very well. To her side, there were two men with identical swords which slightly resembled dragon fangs. They both looked absolutely livid and were fighting with all their strength. The figure then transferred Lyn's perception to her future self, as displayed in the image. She was fighting a black-haired female swordmaster who was also wielding two katanas. Lyn clearly had the upper hand and knocked the swordmaster onto her back. Before she could finish her, however, she felt a sword ram through her stomach. Yosef had appeared in front of her, looking greatly disappointed. Every pain receptor in Lyn's body was now being pushed to the limit, and she could do nothing but suffer in silence as she felt her life leaving her.
"That's enough," were Yosef's words, though his lips did not move. Suddenly, Lyn felt a hand take her by the shoulder and pull her out of the image.
"We've met, haven't we," the figure said, imitating the Duke's voice and inflections.
"My brother and I came here years ago. You spared us because of his sword, a weapon that now belongs to me."
"I warned him of the responsibilities he carried, as I'm sure you remember."
"I do. And you can hold me to the same."
"As you wish. Let us hope none of us regret this," the figure finished and warped away.
"…Now that you've seen all of that, I suppose I should show you what lies in here. Come with me," Yosef turned to Lyn.
"Y-Yosef…" Lyn said weakly.
"Come," the Bernite repeated. The plainswoman reservedly decided to follow, but not silently,
"Yosef, are you Solomon's descendant?"
"No."
"Are you related to him at all?" Before Yosef could answer, the two came upon the coffin at the end of the room. Upon close inspection, Lyn noticed some text in a language she could not immediately recognize.
"It's Demontongue, the language of hell," the Bernite said, noticing the plainswoman's confusion.
"What does it say?"
"I will not utter the exact words here, as they would release the terrible creature that is sealed inside the casket. Roughly translated, it says Heaven's foes hide in plain sight; their power grows in the shadow of the light. It's from the Eliminean Book of Psalms. The particular psalm the text references is the one warning of the end days."
"What… are you saying?"
"In that casket is sealed Baligant, the Fourth Demon and previous wielder of your blade. She is the one who I suspect drew you here."
"Why?"
"A part of her soul still lies in the Mani Katti. If the blade comes into contact with the casket, the seals on both items would be released and Baligant's full power would be restored."
"Just how powerful is this Baligant?"
"Greater than all the Eight Legends combined."
"How can that be?!"
"As I said, she is the Fourth Demon."
"How… how was she stopped the last time? How can she be stopped again?!"
"Weapons were designed specifically for that purpose. Follow me and I'll show you," Yosef led Lyn to the wall with the embossed figures and pointed to them,
"These are the three principal gods of Ylissean and Valmese myth. On the left is Ashunera, Goddess of Dawn, and her sword Galatine. On the right is Avram, God of Wisdom, and his sword, Gnosis. In the center is the Divine Dragon God Naga. His sword is the sacred Falchion and his shield is the Shield of Seals, known abroad as the Fire Emblem. The swords depicted are the three most powerful weapons ever conceived. They are supposedly capable of killing anything, even – according to Ylissean myth – gods. If you wish to see them, simply tap the shield with the Mani Katti." Lyn hesitated for a moment, reached for her sword, then ultimately dropped her arms and took a few steps back.
"You've passed the test," Yosef smiled and put a hand on the plainswoman's shoulder.
"What?"
"Beyond that gateway lies the greatest power in the universe. By denying it, you show control over your inner demons, something you will need if you wish to bear the Mani Katti."
"W-what if I had used my sword to release the seal?"
"I would have been forced to kill you."
"You what?!"
"Best not to dwell on hypotheticals. Let's get back to the surface," Yosef said, walking off before the plainswoman could offer a response.
"What happened to you guys?" Dorcas asked when the pair exited the fortress.
"That's a long story for another time," Yosef let out a mild laugh.
"Why do I have the feeling you're going to say that about a whole bunch of things?" Wil asked dejectedly.
"I'm a politician; concealment of information comes with the job." The Bernite shrugged and the rest of the Legion sighed. They slept one more night, then departed for Lycia. Beyond the border, there would be no more bandits, but a greater threat was about to surround them.
CUT! CUT! CUT!
You may have noticed I cut out the M-rated part. That was a failed experiment, so, yeah. Anyway, I just trimmed 1000 words off this chapter… damn…
Until next time, my dear readers!