Honestly, if I wasn't piled with so much work, I'd have more time to think about how the story is supposed to progress. But anyways, really sorry for the super late update. No, I ain't dead, just busy with so much work.

ALSO THE NEW RELEASE OF BOOK II LOOKS PROMISING.

"By the name of the Dusk Dragon…"

Xander could only watch from afar as Emblian Pegasus Knights fell from their steeds, a myriad of arrows clipping their wings as many fell to their deaths. Fire, thunder and wind resounded from the fortified entrance of the castle, along with screams of anguish.

"Make haste! We must reinforce our allies as soon as possible!"

Askr's smooth roads made travel less bothersome than it is, along with a pleasant view from her carriage, which Veronica appreciated. But apart from that, there was nothing else she liked about Askr.

You've nothing to fear, my beloved Veronica. I shall end this war, and with Askr's defeat, all the Heroes of every world will become yours.

But Veronica's father lied. He died in the war, stabbed through the heart by the ageing king of Askr amidst a field of corpses and death. Her mother betrayed her expectations, suing for an armistice with the Askrans, therefore signifying the end of the war. But to her, she's now a bedridden, senile fool who murdered her father's expectations for Embla.

Which was why the populace supported her coronation. They fervently supported the idea of a Second Askr-Embla war, the desire of vengeance running deep inside their blood. All she did was abide, for her sake and theirs.

Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by a putrid scent.

"Princess," the carriage driver's voice called out. "We are approaching the front lines."

From the royal carriage, she pulled the curtains to peek out. Corpses and death greeted her eyes, while the lingering scent of smoke and blood grew ever stronger, her nostrils wrinkling. She wasn't deterred in the slightest, however, head returning inside the carriage.

"Why is Embla's army so frail? Well, I guess we can use harsher training, like what daddy told me," she hummed.

"Besides, Xander can beat the Askr nobles. I'm sure of it."

"We've arrived."

Exiting the carriage, Veronica delicately stepped forward to view the castle, with Xander and his allies by her side. The fighting had ceased at this moment, the racket earlier ebbing away like the tide.

"I still cannot believe we were defeated this badly," she marveled, a finger on her pursed lips. Xander dismounted, bowing before her.

"Forgive my lack of discipline towards the troops, Princess Veronica. I shan't let this failure repeat after I finish training them."

"Yes, thank you very much, Xander. Now, what is that ragged figure I see running towards us?"

Lo and behold, it was everyone's favorite bandit leader, Batta, running back with axe at hand and pride shattered to tiny little pieces. Of course, being injured and exhausted from the earlier slaughterhouse, there was room for him to encounter some… accidents.

For example, tripping over a conspicuously placed branch right in the middle of the marbled path. With a troubled whoop and a crack muffled by his face, blood started to run down his lips and nose.

"Should we… help him," was Erik's unsure question.

"Well, I can't have a precious Hero all beaten up," Veronica smiled. "But there isn't a healer present among us, is there?"

While the three Heroes under Veronica's contract were discussing how to treat Batta's wounds, Batta himself was struggling to get to their location. One eye closed, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead, added with the fact that he ran for a good 20 minutes nonstop is enough to tire anyone out. His most recent… accident, didn't help in the slightest.

"I've…" he forced out, unbelievably close to Xander's detachment. "I've returned," he choked, before falling flat on his face again. Sadly, nobody really took attention.

But that day, there was a savior, in the form of the nameless chauffeur for Veronica's carriage.

"Um… Princess?"

"I believe a vulnerary may be enough for Batta's wounds, as they don't seem serious enough."

"Future Marquess Laus, we haven't had a full checkup on him. He's still a ways away, so how can you judge simply through your eyes?"

"This is a message from Lord Nergal. I await you on the Dread Isle."

"That's right, Denning. An elixir would be much better."

"Now hold on, an elixir is too wasteful! They're rare medicine and doesn't come by easily," Erik argued. "And how could you understand him, Prince Xander? He's incapable of saying any more than those words."

"This is a message from Lord Nergal. I await you on the Dread Isle."

"Watch your tongue, Future Marquess Laus! Denning has emotion too!"

"For St. Elimine's sake, he's a morph! They do not feel emotion!"

In the gist of their heated argument, Veronica was giggling madly at their immaturity, which was saying something when compared to herself. The chauffeur felt even more out-of-place amongst these powerful warriors.

"Excuse me, Princess Veronica?"

"Y-yes?"

"If I may intrude on milady's conversation, Batta the Beast has arrived."

The arguing trio and princess finally cocked their head to the injured Batta. With quick action, Xander was by his side, pouring the elixir (much to Erik's chagrin) over his wounds.

"Batta the Beast, how do you feel?"

"Like a Pegasus just landed on me." He then put on a rare display of deep thought.

"Oh wait, I think one did."

Silence from everyone around him. Xander soon coughed, trying to break everyone out of their surprised trance.

"Anyways, we should be on our way. We must defeat the Askrans here and now, before they regroup their forces."

"An excellent idea," Veronica chimed in. "But a battle in their territory could end up disastrous, similar to just now."

"We wouldn't need to."

"What do you mean by that, Future Marquess Laus?"

He pointed to the direction of Askr Castle, where a few silhouettes under the sun were approaching cautiously.

"Seems to be a scouting party of soldiers," Xander mused. "Stand back, Princess. We shall deal with them."

Little did they know this 'scouting party' weren't just your average soldiers.

"Come on, this way!"

"My word, Kiran! Have they never taught you how to speak to nobility?"

"Virion," he huffed through ragged breaths, "if the situation wasn't as dire, maybe I would put on a respectable demeanor. BUT WE'RE STILL UNDER ATTACK."

Mark knew that this war could end before it escalated into a drawn out battle. All he needed to do was find and subjugate the leader of this attack. Matthew's sightings on the ashen-haired princess was the catalyst that spurred Mark into action.

And yes, having the nobles of said kingdom go on a potentially dangerous mission to rid their lands of their enemies whilst being exposed to just about a hundred ways to die isn't the smartest idea.

"Does it look like we have the time to dawdle," was Mark's fierce response towards those who objected: everyone under the service of Askr's royal family. "Askr cannot hold up against another siege! Unless you think staying holed up inside the castle is an ingenious plan, I suggest you don't stop me!"

After that scene, Mark couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed; after all, it's not every day you see the normally calm tactician screaming his head off. But those thoughts were dashed as exhaustion filled in.

"What happened to the horses?"

"Ah, you must be Kiran, the Great Hero."

He jumped slightly from the quavering voice behind him. Finding an old fellow dressed in a stableman's attire, he composed himself, fixing his already ruined cloak.

"Y-yes, I am him."

"Huh. Your appearance belies your abilities."

Mark was silent, rather impressed by the old man's deduction.

"If you're searching for horses, I'm afraid they all died during the raid. I just finished moving their corpses into a burial site behind the castle."

Now that Mark peered onto his leather overalls, dried blood was spattered around it, camouflaged with the already aged leather.

"I see. Thank you for the information."

He turned to leave. But for some reason, he could feel the piercing gaze of the stableman behind him.

"Kiran!"

"O-oh, yes?" Sharena's call snapped him out from his memories.

"Right there!"

Her finger led to a carriage that appeared really out of place amongst the Askran scenery; for starters, it was pitch black, with wheels carved from ebony hardwood and the carriage body lined with gold swirls and twists. On top of the carriage was an emblem he wasn't familiar with. But the Askran's hostile reactions did confirm his suspicions.

"An Emblian carriage," Alfonse shook his head, eyebrows furrowed.

"What could one be doing so far out?"

"Not sure, but there are people there so we should proceed with caution."

And caution was thrown in the wind when a dark beam shot out of nowhere.

Virion, in haste, drew an arrow out of his bow, aimed at the direction of the beam. The arrow parted with the bowstring, whistling upon the air before it evaporated. Everyone else brandished their weapon.

"Halt!"

The group, standing on the open plains, with a few walls around them, saw a knight. A knight of the highest pinnacle, holding a sword radiating a purple aura. The blade itself was black, with linings of gray around the black.

A bastard sword, coated in darkness.

Behind the knight were two faces that Mark noticed. In an instant, a threatened appearance replaced his exhausted expression. Meanwhile, the Askrans had their eyes on a different person.

"Princess Veronica! I will personally never forget this violation of my kingdom!"

"Oh, it's you," was her bored response, eyeing the Prince. "And after I went through all that trouble to arrange your playdate." But as her eyes went through the rest of the group, one caught her eye. "Now, who are YOU, stranger?"

"Before you say I look like a hobo, I'm not."

She promptly closed her mouth, then reopened it. "You have that silly relic. Then you must be the legendary summoner."

"Gee, I was wondering how long it'll take you to notice that, with it glowing and all…"

A vein popped from his sarcasm. She breathed out. "No matter. It simply means that you must be the first to die."

"Well duh. In what world would you not kill the head honcho first?"

This presumptuous man is truly a pain to deal with.

"Oh... Xander."

The knight, upon his ebon horse, stepped forward. His dark circlet was a direct contrast to his pale skin and blonde hair. Mark suddenly felt a twinge of jealously from this good-looking opponent. "You wish this one slain, Princess Veronica?"

"For St. Elimine's sake, are you deaf or something? She just said she wanted me dead first, or is too much earwax blocking her voice from reaching you? I swear people these days…" His rambling did nothing to stop the Emblians, yet they are getting rather annoyed.

"As you wish," he stated, completely ignoring Mark. He then fired another energy beam at the still rambling Mark.

"Wait, that sword is…" Alfonse's eyes widened when realization hits him. "No! She has Prince Xander, one of the most powerful Heroes from the World of Conquest!"

"Dear Alfonse, worry not," Virion placed a hand upon his shoulder. "The young knave should not be as powerful as you imagine him to be."

"I SHOULDN'T BE WORRIED? I SHOULD. HE SHOT A LASER BEAM AT ME."

"Don't worry. We'll protect you, Kiran," Sharena was by his side, her shield poised to block anymore energy beams.

"Get ready, everyone." Anna tried a rallying cry. "Let's show this rotten princess what the Order of Heroes can really do!"

And it worked.

"Sharena, we'll lure Xander in. The other two there, Erik and Denning, are problematic, but they're still manageable. Commander Anna, take Erik. Virion, you try and pin Denning down. Alfonse will stay as reserve."

They nodded, before squaring off against their respected opponents. Xander's charge was unobstructed, his blade only stopping from Sharena's shield, yet even Sharena winced from the pain of enduring the earlier strike.

So this is Siegfried's strength!

A quick thrust was easily blocked by Xander's own shield, while Siegfried continuously pummeled on her shield. Her left arm began to lose strength, lowering it to the point where his blade could have pierced through her head cleanly if not for Alfonse's intervention.

"Prince Xander, your fight is with me now!"

"Very well, young prince," he bellowed, sword poised to strike. "Prepare yourself!"

Mark surveyed the field. Anna was doing just fine, pushing Erik to a corner with furious swings of her axe. His bulky armor was the only thing keeping him from falling. Denning himself, thankfully, was caught up avoiding Virion's near perfect shots, pinning him down from the other side.

Xander has to go, before we lose in terms of stamina.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when rainbow bubbles formed around his body. In alarm, he threw himself forward before it exploded. He turned back to find Princess Veronica, a tome in hand, her lips down-turned.

"Why'd you avoid that, summoner?"

Because I don't want to die, was his thought, some irritation in those words. But he had no more time to expand on those thoughts, as he fled towards Xander, running for his life.

"Don't run. Come play with me, summoner."

"HELL NO. STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

Alfonse, meanwhile, held his ground. Being on horseback provided Xander with an astounding advantage, his blade coming down harder from every successful strike.

"Give up, princeling. I loathe to shed more blood than necessary."

"Never! I will protect my kingdom with my life."

"So you aren't as different as I, young Prince," he mused silently. The dance of blades continued to ring across the field. But Alfonse was exerting too much: his swings were barely enough to deal any significant impact on the duel, and his parries were easily broken through.

Sharena charged, lance propped up, trying to dismount Xander. But his horse reared back, placing her lance out of range. Her futile thrusts were easily countered by Siegfried's massive swings.

"Sharena, step back!" Alfonse leapt forward, blade in hand, swiping down on Xander. Once again, Siegfried easily countered his attack.

He gazed at Sharena. She nodded. The two circled around Xander, weapons poised to strike at any moment. The prince simply stayed his ground.

But the encirclement was broken when Mark plowed through everyone, a face of panic apparent. Veronica was giving chase, eyes narrowed before she flung another attack. The glob encircled itself around him, and could've, in most cases, killed him if not for Alfonse throwing his own sword at her.

Fólkvangr missed her by mere inches. She stumbled back, plopped to the ground, her face a mix of shock and some fear. However, she quickly regained her composure.

Xander rushed to assist her.

The fatal mistake.

A spear thrust mortally wounded his horse, puncturing the leg, and Xander was sent tumbling down.

T"General Xander!"

But Erik's words were falling short as Anna's axe cracked through the armor, scarring his chest with a diagonal line. He let out a gurgled scream, as blood spurted out of his mouth.

"Curse you, Askran woman…"

As he fell, Erik faded away, back into whichever realm he came from.

Denning himself was in a bit of a pickle. "Now, I do so doubt that you can stand up to the magnificent Virion, but I implore you to try." Virion's arrows only missed by a margin, and Denning, being a morph, ignored the pain of having his shoulder and left thigh pierced by an arrow.

"This is a message from Lord Nergal. I await you on the Dread Isle."

"What in blazes could that mean," Virion muttered, contemplating those words. But as he avoided another arrow, a quick flick and eagle-eyed aim had his own arrow jut out of Denning's forehead. Similar to Erik, the morph faded into nothingness.

Even now, Veronica could easily see the grave situation she found herself in. "Xander, to me."

"Yes princess." The Nohrian prince was by her side, despite losing his steed. "I may be dismounted but I am still a capable fighter."

"We've no choice," she mumbled through gritted teeth. "We must retreat."

"As you wish."

"How dull. I'll go console myself back home with a cup of tea," she acquiesced, making her way to the carriage.

"That foolish princess is retreating with her Heroes!"

"Chase her, now!"

What the Askrans didn't know was that one person was missing from this entire battle. One person who was treated with an elixir before the battle, was not present until now, where he shall shine brighter than the morning star.

"YOU-"

A man broke out of the underbrush, a steel axe at hand.

"SHALL NOT-"

The man's bellowing was loud, and instilled fear to those who heard it.

"PASS-"

Batta the Beast, in all his glory, covering the retreat of Princess Veronica. The fear that was earlier instilled was displaced as fast as one would expect.

It would've made for quite the heroic spectacle too: a lone man, defending a princess from a horde of enemies with a lone axe at hand, fighting till his very last breath. Except two things were off: One, there wasn't a horde.

Two, a well-placed arrow planted itself on Batta's heart. He shouted the manliest cry he could, suffering a similar fate to both Erik and Denning. "Curse you girly, pompous archer!"

Virion only looked away. "Bloody bellend."

Mark was shaking; he had his fair share of close calls, but this one was the closest he'd ever come to ending a war fast. "Forget chasing them. They're much too far away, and we've got no horses to catch up with a carriage."

"The battle's won, but this didn't resolve a thing. The empire will invade again soon enough," Alfonse remarked, letting out his breath. His hands trembled as he was reminded of Xander's strength and skill.

But Sharena, despite also going against Xander, didn't seem to share his fear. "Stubborn girl. Why can't we just talk through this? These invasions are crazy." She dropped to the ground, lying face-up, eyes staring at the Askran sun. "Honestly, that Veronica needs to grow up already. Where's her sense of diplomacy?"

"She's a kid you know."

"She's not a kid anymore! Ugh, such a BRAT," was her response to Anna's reminder.

"Sharena, don't let your emotions get the best of you - not on duty. I expect you to keep a level head if you're going to serve in this order. Hostility is their way, not ours."

"Sure, sure..."

She then immediately retracted her statement after Anna sent a death glare into the mix. "I mean, of course, Commander Anna."

Alfonse turned to Mark. "I'm sorry that you've been thrown into this brutal war with us, Kiran. But I'm glad you're here - an official member of the Order of Heroes!"

Mark smiled. Then he stated two words.

"Wait, what?"

That's more or less everything for this chapter. Please, do leave a review if you enjoyed. After all, I do want to improve my writing abilities.

Also, props to you if you can guess who the stableman is :)