Ladon POV

Sniffing to clear my sinuses, I strolled alongside the Shepherds on their way to Arena Ferox. I was with my crew, consisting of my sister Hikari, and my two partners, Jonathan the cavalier and Sarah the battle mage. Walking with us were Stahl and Sully, another two cavaliers, on their horses. Chrom and Susannah lead us along the road, behind Raimi and her Feroxi envoy. We made unhurried, yet grand progress along the road that would take a lesser purposed man five days; we only took two. The earth practically made its way for us rather easy, almost sensing our purpose. That purpose, I hardly knew because this was assuredly something to do with international wartime politics and things such as that only matter when I'm paid. I lacked the care to really be involved with Chrom as an individual, he was my employer, and I was a sellsword. "Oniichan?" Hikari asked me.

That was the first bit of any real conversation on the road that I had in the last two days. Looking down to Hikari, I nodded casually. "Yeah?"

"Where are we going?"

"We're going back to Khan Flavia's place. The big one with all of the..." I told her, signaling her with sign language using my hands.

She smiled and almost hopped straight up. "Oh!"

"Yeah, we're going there."

"I wonder how Flavia-san's doing." Hikari told me.

"Hey, keep it down. I don't want people to be suspicious of us, so as far as we're concerned, we don't speak to them about it."

"Yes, Oniichan." Hikari affirmed, a tone of disappointment about her.

"So from what I'm hearing, we're not all goody goody with blue hair and loud lady." Sarah assumed.

"It's impolite to speak of such things, Sarah." I reprimanded the blonde battle mage. "Especially when such things are already implied."

She smiled, closing those ruby eyes of hers and shaking her head. "You're a mystery, berry head."

"As intended."

"Everyone knows he is that mysterious hero who saves the princess." Jonathan commented.

"There's no princess to save. Unless you mean Lissa, do you mean Lissa?"

"Does Lissa need saving?"

"Sarah, you're going to learn how to ignore his idiocy in less than a week." I assured her.

"I certainly hope so."

"I'm right here, you know." he complained.

"Exactly, and neither of us care." she answered him.

Continuing the long walk, I began to perceive some fell bewitchment overtaking me. It was a chill, and a tingle, and the faint urge to do something as nixed as sneezing. It came from the nearing Manor Ferox, and something told me, multiple things told me that someone was in there; someone that would cause me problems. "Hikari." I called, in a somewhat hushed voice.

"Nanni?" she responded.

"We have to hide our weapons. Grab me an iron blade, Jonathan two iron lances, and a wind and thunder tome for yourself." I told her, imperatively.

"Oh—Hai." she jumbled as she made her way to the convoy weapons hold.

"What about me?" Sarah cut in after Hikari left.

"You don't need to hide your weapons, and if you do, you're capable of snagging your own arms." I answered her.

"I don't think the Feroxi know that you have Ikralis, do they?" Jonathan asked me.

"They didn't know I was armed at all."

"With such harshness and brutality that these people exhibit? I'd have an army with me, just to be smart, a squadron to be safe." he began to rant.

"Jonathan, you need to learn that what you're saying isn't so much incorrect as it is irrelevant." I scolded him.

"Why would you say something like that? You know it's true."

"Let me say it in English this time." I snapped calmly. "Chrom's already doing that. Why do you think we're here?"

Silently riding his mare alongside the three of us, I saw without literally looking or observing the blonde gallantry, that he had that lantern lit in his brain to signify that he understood my meaning. "Precisely." I continued. "It's not my kindness or my friendliness that keeps me in my placement with the Ylissean prince. It's the fact that he knows we can get the job done. A little bit of gold given away, and he gets a good sellsword, a spell caster or two, and a dubious cavalier who should be in the theater business. We're his insurance to get the job done. And if not all of us, then Hikari and I. So, in short, my dubious friend, relax." I explained tediously.

"Alright, alright. No need to be so extravagant with your verbal abuse." he complained.

"Someone has to be." I finished.

As we made our way into Manor Ferox, the army found its halls to be quite luxurious while at the same time full of a vigor that comes from the liveliness and the gore of constant battle, constant excitement. It was trying to tell us (and by "us" I mean the observant people, so Chrom, Susannah, Miriel and I) that if you are not drunk, mad, or playful when you punch someone in the face, then you simply will not survive for very long in Feroxi culture. This country was basically the country that one would expect to be full of those strangely wrathful and lusty people that not only get stuff done with an excited power behind them acting as their gale force, but also would be dreaming of one day being that war hero or that soldier who gets to use as many members of the opposite sex for their pleasure after a day of absolutely perfect and splendorous slaughter. Ferox was the very rowdy and very powerful country on this continent that was unlike Ylisse, from what little I know about the latter. I haven't met Exalt Emmeryn. I don't know her governmental style of running a country, I don't know anything about her other than the fact that she doesn't wage war or battle as often as Plegia likes to antagonize people.

The halls were extravagant and royal, as anyone would expect, but also filled with energy. Some of us were in awe. Others were intimidated. Hikari and I were unfazed, but I was still uncomfortable. I had no problem with the location, nothing was wrong here. But at the same time, it was ominous. Taking this into thought, I made my way up to Susannah and Chrom. "I have no confidence in the idea that this is a trap, but I think that someone who would prove a powerful antagonist to us is in these halls." I told them earnestly.

"What makes you so sure?" Chrom asked me, over his shoulder.

"Surely you've felt that tingle in the back and the nixing of foreboding danger on you. Or you must have read at least one of the adventurous classics." I urged him.

"So, what, you're saying we have an enemy afoot?" Susannah interrogated.

"Yes."

Chrom and Susannah scanned around them, then locked eyes, as if to non verbally communicate. Half a minute later, I got my answer. "Price?" he requested.

"One thousand for each of us. Five thousand for me if Hikari sustains wounds."

"Why charge us more if Hikari sustains a wound?" Susannah curiously questioned me. "I never really understood that."

"Because she's my sister." I answered her. "You don't have any siblings, or any that are younger than you, I don't think so anyway; so you don't understand."

Walking back to the main group, I took the measure of breathing a bit slower to ease the salty burn of my rather vigorously shameful snap I gave to Susannah. "We in?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, we're in. Be prepared to mobilize on spot." I answered her.

"Do we stick by you?" Jonathan asked.

"Jonathan, you stick with Virion. You two seem to be rather amicable with one another. Sarah, you tag along with Miriel. Hikari, I'll need you to stick by Chrom this time." I arranged, popping my knuckles.

"What about you, Oniichan?" Hikari asked.

"Don't you worry about me, little one." I answered her softly, looking to Susannah. "I have my fair share of a plan."

"No being weird, Ladon." Sarah warned comically.

I smirked at such a warning. "We're all weird."

XXXXXXXXX

Susannah POV

"Prince Chrom, please wait here while I summon the khan." Raimi ever so politely requested of Chrom.

I smirked internally, keeping a straight face. Yeah you better hurry the hell up and get the exalt before we kick your armored ass off of another wall. "Of course." Chrom affirmed as Raimi strolled away.

Looking to Chrom in confusion, I spoke up. "Wait, the Khan's not here?"

Chrom turned his attention to me. "Out training, I'd wager." he answered as the two of us noticed Ladon silently walk up and join us. "The khans of Ferox prefer battle to politics."

Smirking, I exchanged glances with Ladon. Crossing his arms and glancing with me, he continued to listen. "Or rather, battle IS their politics." Chrom concluded as he turned to Ladon. "Permit me for asking, Ladon..." he began.

"I'm not Feroxi." the myrmidon told him in his low, stoic calm voice.

Now I was curious. "Where are you from?"

"Don't ask." he told us.

"Aw come on, Ladon." I complained, smiling. "Don't be such a rotten egg."

"I'll inform you on where Hikari and I are from later on." he told us.

"You seem uncomfortable, Ladon." Chrom stated in observation on how tense and monotonous he was.

"Ignore how I look, Chrom, I can hold a blade just fine." he told Chrom as an immediate response.

"Do you think something falls upon us now?"

"Hush, and do not tempt fate." Ladon snapped, imperatively. "Lest you conjure something upon us now."

"Where is the Khan? I bet he's finishing up in his post combat adrenaline rush with the daily passionate and energetic activities in the bed with multiple women." I suggested, grinning. "Heh heh."

"Is that so?" a woman's voice boomed.

I jumped up a bit, Ladon was unmoved, and Chrom flinched before a woman clad in red armor and slinging a silver sword across her shoulder strode into the room. She had tan skin, an athletic muscular build, blonde hair and pink lips. She was no lily liver, let it be certain. And it came to a surprise who she addressed first. "Ah, if it isn't Ladon?"

Chrom and I turned to the red haired myrmidon and beheld as he gave her a quite serious look with his sharp eyes. "Khan Flavia." he greeted.

She smirked. "Still giving me the stink eye."

"I don't mean to, just nervous about something." he apologized.

"Wait, Ladon, she's the Khan? And you know her?" Chrom asked him.

"For quite a while."

"When were you planning to tell us?" I asked him.

"I wasn't, because you were coming here and you were going to find out anyway because she would tell you." he answered me before returning to Flavia. "Pardon my company Flavia. They're not so trusting of me."

"At first, I wasn't so trusting of you."

"You're easy to win over, he isn't." Ladon reminded her as she laughed a bit.

"Still the same Ladon." Flavia smirked as she spied out Hikari next to him. "And do I detect little Hikari over there?"

Immediately, the little girl giggled and waved. "Ohayou!"

Waving in return, she smiled. "I really could use a lesson in Chonsin."

"We also caught up with Raimi."

Flavia simply laughed. "Well, I'm surprised you didn't straightforwardly kill her."

"I didn't deal the final blow, my cavalier did."

"Um, excuse me." I interrupted. "Can we do something other than catch up with warlords?"

Flavia's attention turned directly to me, sword slung over her shoulder. "And this must be your Ylissean tactician, Susannah." she summarized.

"That's correct. She's proven good to work with." Ladon told her.

You're an asshole. Flavia smirked. "Ah, so you're courting her."

"No way in all the hells!" I protested.

"Not in a millennium." Ladon simply stated.

Smiling with her eyes closed she continued. "Oh ho! I think I touched a nerve!"

"Can't irritate what doesn't exist with all of the nagging."

"He's so strange!" I yelled.

"Khan Flavia, if you would please allow us to get to the point!" Chrom called out.

Sighing, the Khan smiled at the prince. "Ah come on, I'm just lightening up this overly nice and dour courtroom. But if you insist, we will get down to business." her facial expression simmered down. "You have my apologies of the matter at our border."

"I don't very much like how you stationed a couple installments of those damned men just to stop border skirmishes. I'd like you to have a talk with your damn border guards." Chrom stated straightforwardly.

Oh my gods that was basically what I was gonna say. I dared not to smile, for this was not a casual time. Flavia, however, did. "Already accustomed to Feroxi politics, I see. Good thing you had Ladon and Hikari with you, those two are not so easily beaten." she responded.

"I had a couple other people with me. A cavalier and a dark knight with no horse." Ladon informed her.

"What? That can't be right. I'm surprised you're with Chrom at all, I can't believe that people are working under you." she argued.

"Actually, miss tan lady, we are working with him." Jonathan called out as he and Sarah stepped forward, and he waved his arm.

"One's weird and the other is basically a male ballerina."

Flavia chuckled. "Now it makes sense. Misfits join misfits."

"I think Chrom still wants to speak, we'll catch up later." Ladon told her as he stepped away.

"We would appreciate your support against Plegia, they keep sending bandit parties into our country to pillage our villages." Chrom stated.

"Alas, I can't. Once every few years, a contest is held between the East and West Khans to see who has power over the whole land. The West Khan currently holds power, I cannot do anything." Flavia responded.

"So coming here was a waste of time?" Chrom insinuated.

"Relax Chrom, the contest is upon us." Ladon told us plainly. "All we have to do is fight in their arena."

Looking at him, I could tell Chrom was suspicious and leery after having such a know-it-all among us. "How do you know?" the prince asked.

How does he know? I frowned, but listened. "Because I fought. I took down a squad of axe fighters in front of twenty thousand people."

"That can't be right, by yourself?" I asked. "No one's that good."

"Oh, he is." Flavia agreed, grinning. "With his fists."

"I call liar! This is ridiculous, he can't be such a powerful man, I've seen him sustain injury." I pointed out, loudly.

"Perhaps you'd like to wager such a powerful statement, Susannah." Ladon dared me, his eyes boring into mine.

"Susannah, Ladon, enough." Chrom ordered us.

"Apologies." the myrmidon immediately responded.

Growling and clenching my teeth, I nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Good. So, might we make our way to the arena?" Chrom asked Flavia.

The warlord simply smiled excitedly. "Of course. It's only neighborly."

Such an asshole.

XXXXXXXXX

Ladon POV

"So, what's the gameplan?" Jonathan asked me.

"Same formations as I mentioned. We're fighting in the arena." I told him.

"Is it true that you actually took down a squad of axemen with only your hands?" Sarah asked me.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know how to use magic, I assume?"

"I don't."

"So you took down eight men with your hands." Jonathan stated to summarize.

"Twenty four. And I killed them with their own axes." I stated plainly.

Looking at his face, I saw that his eyes were wide with astonishment. Tilting my head and craning my neck, it was obvious that I was confused. "What?"

"So you're an axeman." he summarized.

"No, I'm a swordsman. But that doesn't mean I can't use my fair share of other things." I corrected him. "Do you need a blade?"

"I could use one, yes."

Catching one on my hand, I held it out to him as to offer the weapon. "I see that you're decent with the pike, but you'd need more than long range to fight efficiently." I told him as he took the brand and put it away into a sheath at his hip.

"Yes, I know."

"I'm glad, but you need to remember very efficiently what I say. You'll find that although I'm no Susannah, I'm quite a smart man." I finished as I heard footsteps.

"Ladon." Susannah's voice called behind me, close proximity and only raising her voice to get my attention.

"Yes Susannah?" I responded, turning around.

"I'm sorry."

"If you were actually sorry, your perpetual distrust of me would cease." I deadpanned. "Especially when I trust you with the life of my sister instead of Ikralis and Salvation."

She sighed. "I know, I know, it's just that you're so hard to read." she justified.

"Of course, I have very much to hide, as does Hikari." I stated plainly, popping my neck for air bubbles. "I am no liar. Neither is she. I'd appreciate if you didn't assume we are."

"Okay." she sombered.

"I'm sticking by you for the fight in the arena." I declared to her, watching her face react in astonishment.

"What about Hikari?"

"She's sticking by Chrom."

Her cheeks began to flush and she clenched to her coat tightly, earning my confusion. "I-I'll tell Chrom."

"Tell him also to only bring Virion and Miriel with him, maybe the blonde axe fighter too."

"He has a name."

"Vaike, I think."

"Okay." she affirmed as she walked away, and I could practically feel the tension.

"What's her deal?" Jonathan asked, while I turned around.

"Don't ask a man who doesn't know." I answered as I heard another set of footsteps, slightly clanking like metal. "Make way for the Arena. I'll be there soon."

With my signal, he left and I made my rotation full circle, seeing Flavia standing before me. Smirking and crossing her arms, she tilted her head and chuckled. "Why are you here?"

"Chrom brought me."

"You don't need the Prince for gold." she argued.

"He's a rather plentiful supply of it, actually. And Hikari's-." I began.

"-a picky eater-" we both simultaneously said as she cut me off.

"- I know." Flavia finished her sentence. "It's just… if you wanted gold, or to do what you're trying to do in the first place, you could have come to me."

"You know I wouldn't." I retorted. "I don't rely on people."

"No one said you would rely on me."

"Flavia, I'm not blind as to what you want." I declared sharply. "It's not something I will give."

She frowned at me. "I know you won't give it."

"Come here." I commanded, weight to my voice.

She glared at me incredulously. "Now you listen, whelp-." she growled.

"No one is here. We both know I'd be able to tell."

She clenched her teeth, before falling inexorably silent. One step at a time, she walked over to me and even pressed herself into my embrace, as I hugged her with one arm around her hip. "I'm truly sorry I left." I apologized.

"Then why did you leave anyway?" she asked, staring into my eyes.

"We both know why I left." I told her.

"You could run away from it." she offered, desperately.

"You're too strong and too independent to care about me."

"I may be, but Ladon…"

Quickly moving in, I pressed my face and my lips to hers. Hers were warm, smooth, well taken care of, a good taste to them. I lingered in this romance for the entirety of twenty seconds, multiple kisses took place before pulling away smoothly. "I still care about you, Flavia. I will always save you from certain death."

She was momentarily silent. "Stay."

"You tried once. It didn't work, it won't work this time."

"Not in Ferox…"

"I have a job."

She sighed. "I care about you. You damn pig."

I smirked and kissed her once more. "Hey, I'm a little more than a pig." I whispered before walking away. "You'll see me at midnight."

I made my way to the Arena and found that the others were waiting for me. Susannah and Chrom, Hikari and Miriel, and Jonathan alongside Sarah. I frowned and took out Ikralis. "What've we got, man?" I asked Chrom.

"Fighters, knights, and those two warriors from the night of the Risen." Chrom summarized.

"Whom?" I asked.

XXXXXXXXX

Susannah POV

Flashback:

"He's going to be okay."

She had red hair, black and dark brown cloth and metal armor, and her face was covered under a copper and bronze masque that shielded her whole face with slender and multiple slits that allowed her to breathe and see. Her physique was that of a rather athletic and well toned woman, and she applied a salve in a blue, shiny bottle to Ladon's wounds with such finesse that showed she had more vocational skill than plainly fighting with a sword. Nodding, I breathed out. "Thank you." I said.

"I'd keep him in bed, with a healer for a few days. That way his muscles will recover from the damage and he'll be able to fight again." she told me as she stood up.

"Of course." I said in kind. "I didn't catch your name."

"You may call me Marth." a blue haired youth in a smaller, yet similar mask announced.

"You may call me Celica." the young woman I was referring to stated.

"The Hero King and the Blessed Maiden of old, eh?" Chrom asked.

In the distance, I saw them both. Wearing the right clothes and the right armor, I instantly knew that these were the same people. Marth and Celica stood among Feroxi mercenaries and armored knights, a couple axe fighters mixed in. "Doesn't look like we'll even need you this time," I started to say before turning my gaze to Ladon. "Ladon."

He was staring forward with an unbreakable focus, upon closer examination, I saw that he was breathing heavily. Some sweat was even coming from his forehead underneath his headband that covered his hairline. "H-hey, Ladon?" I asked him.

"What are their names?" he growled.

"What?"

"What. Are. Their. Names?" he sternly demanded as he glared at me. "The woman, what is hers?"

"Uhhh her name is Celica." I bumbled.

"That's a lie, Celica was the Blessed Maiden from history sagas." he growled.

"And the other one's name is Marth." I added quickly.

"Pardon me, but I'm going to be unavailable to assist you."

What? He's ducking out of this? Is he freaking kidding me? "You're just pulling out on us?" I asked, frowning in disappointment.

"This 'Celica' is problematic. I will take her on my own, you need to keep everyone else out of my fight and take down Marth. Those two are fighting for the West Khan." he barked, stepping forward and unsheathing Ikralis.

"She saved your life from bleeding out that night, with the Risen." I told him.

"Favors don't necessarily apply to good intentions, my friend." he argued as he stepped forward ever more.

"Ladon…" I sombered.

Stopping in his tracks, he didn't look back at me. "I can tell that the enemy will play dirty. If that's the case, I need you to back me up." he requested of me.

Subtle. "Okay. What about Hikari?"

"Chrom looks like he's gonna be unavailable too, and I was originally going to have Hikari stick with him… Oh well, I really don't know—." he began.

"Hold on!" Another voice shouted out as someone rushed out, making it to a stopping point next to me.

Wearing black cloth robes and holding a thunder tome, he gripped his knee while hunched over and panting, sweating like a pig. Huffing and puffing, he held up an interjectory finger before he stood upright. He looked to be firm featured, hardly charismatic man with lilac purple hair he kept in a small and fashionably natural mane, and jasper eyes with light skin. "You're Ladon, correct?" he panted, his voice underneath the huffing a maturely smooth and yet lighter voice, like a newly made young man.

"I am he." the hired sword replied, not turning around to acknowledge him.

"Forgive me for being brash, I had to run here." he requested. "My name is Kirin. I had heard that you were here and I caught wind of your—."

"I don't pay. I work for Chrom."

"I'm not here for money, sir." the mage declared.

"In that case, you work for me."

Kirin tilted his head skeptically. "Just like that?"

"You survive, you're more than welcome. You get no assistance, you fight alone against any enemy men."

That is so harsh! Come on, let him pair up with—. "That's fine." Kirin agreed.

What?! "Good man. You survive, we talk." Ladon gave farewell as he strolled forward.

"Ladon, don't you find that unfair?!" I called out to him, irritation heavy on my voice.

"Anyone who literally seeks me out obviously has the strength to do this." he answered.

"But you didn't do this to Jonathan or Sarah!"

"We were facing undead in a horde and a battalion of Feroxi!" he called back, equally loud but not angrily. "The proportions are smaller here!"

"But—!"

"It's fine." Kirin interjected.

Whipping around to look at him, I stared at him incredulously. "These are Feroxi men, and you're required to be alone. This is just—."

"I'm not scared of eastern men and their axes." he simply swatted aside as he stepped forward. "I'll be back."

Dammit Ladon you are such a fucking blackheart. "Oneesan?" Hikari's cute voice asked me as I looked down to my left and found her looking up at me.

"Yes, Hikari?" I responded.

"Is Oniichan gonna be okay?" she asked me, tenderly.

He's such an ass. "Yes, why wouldn't he be?" I answered her with a gentle smile.

"He seemed scared. Really badly."

My expression faded into seriousness, but not hardened seriousness. "I saw it too. But Ladon's a brave man, he'll face his fears, sword in hand. He'll be okay."

"You sure?"

I smiled and stroked her hair. "I promise."

XXXXXXXXX

Ladon POV

"You! Your name is Celica, yes?!" I shouted out, seriously and provocatively.

The woman had ruby red hair, womanly and full grown breasts and curvature, dark brown and black armor and leather and cloth garbs, and her helmet was covering her face and the top of her head, but not her hair. The helmet itself was the same silvery metal as her asymmetrical shoulder plating and the facial cover had breathing holes that very expertly allowed her to see and breathe, but not be seen.

Stepping forward, she reached for her upper back, gripping a hilt. She offered no word of reply as she unsheathed something truly terrifying to add onto my strain even worse. The black metal, the flawless reflectivity of the blade, the impeccable sharpness, and its shape revealed it all. She held Ikralis in her hand, brandishing it against me. The curved clawlike blade with the bandaged hilt was unmistakable. My eyes were fixated on it, sharply, trying to find a way to say that it was just a sorry excuse for an imitation. It wasn't. "Where the hell did you get that?" I demanded.

She took stance against me, prompting me to take stance against her. "I asked you a question, girl." I growled as I readied my weapon.

"I don't listen to bastards." she retorted as she readied hers.

Both of us rushed forward and she brought Ikralis up with a double handed grip before swinging down with tremendous power, as I braced my own weapon to halt the swing with steady strength. "This sword doesn't belong to you, girl." I chided spitefully.

She growled in disgust. "Yes, it does, craven fool." she spat as I used the muscles in my legs to help me push her back.

"Who gave it to you?"

She inched back and down, bringing her sword to the ipsilateral hip. "My father!" she barked as she dashed forward with a surprisingly imposing speed of footwork.

Sneering and clenching my teeth, I found a point of vulnerability and when her left foot touched down, I power kicked the back of her ankle, causing an imbalance and making her fall harshly onto the arena's stone floor. "I assume he taught you to fight, too?"

Swinging Ikralis down upon her, it only took one of her arms to hold Ikralis in brace and block my attack. "What's it to you, bounty hunter?"

She pushed me off and I leapt backwards a few yards, taking stance again. "Quite a few things, actually." I answered as I drew my weapon back to the ipsilateral hip.

Leaping to her feet, she saw my ploy and drew back her parallel Ikralis all the same. "I know that technique, it won't work."

I smirked. "No, you don't."

My body instantly began to heat up as I noticed her face illuminate with a pale orange glow and the widening of her eyes. "If you did, it would have worked."

Leaping forward in a soundless rush, not even the resistance of wind and air slowed me down as I carved into her right hip and stopped moving a few yards behind her. Her body was cold butter to my warm knife, bones and sinew had no slowdown to me as I stood normally behind her. My body cooled down, and I popped my neck. "If you fall, you will not die. Continue to try and stand, I will kill you." I declared mercilessly.

"Get him!" a man's voice shouted as three axe fighters rushed at me.

"What, would you like some too?" I taunted.

"Nope, can't have that now." Kirin's voice added in as he landed in front of me.

Casting his hands forth, he summoned an electric blue lightning bolt down upon the middle fighter. The levin electric stream was so grand and so powerful that it scorched the poor man so badly that it just peeled his skin and flesh off. Leaping backwards to avoid it, the other two partners of the victim were awestruck by the power Kirin's spell exuded. "No interfering with the boss." Kirin finished, his back shaded from the volumetric contrast coming from the thunderbolt.

"I stand by your guidelines." I reminded him.

"You should know she's getting up."

I quickly turned around and crouched, just enough to avoid a horizontal swipe of the blade. Driving my fist into her gut, I used my legs and my arms to lift her up from the central point of her stomach before slamming her down upon the ground. "Do not try to kill me with my own weapon, wench." I growled.

Coughing up blood that sputtered from the breathing holes of her mask, she reached for the sword that she dropped, a few feet from her. "Even if you had it, it wouldn't help you." I lectured.

"I hate you…" she growled and gurgled.

"You should." I retorted, bringing my weapon up for a finishing slice. "You also shouldn't have been on the other side."

Hearing the shuffle of stone upon shoe, I quickly turned one hundred degrees and unfurled a powerful underhanded angle slash upon a youth with the masque on his eyes, and his navy hair done up to look like Marth. Cutting across his torso, he let out a loud groan of agony before stumbling backwards. "You're Chrom's prey, do not interfere." I barked.

"I cannot allow you to kill her after she saved your life." he argued, grunting and holding his wound.

"I told her to surrender and she came back. She could have slithered away and I wouldn't chase her. Now I simply have to."

He looked at Celica now, frowning. "Pull back. Now. Have a healer tend to your wounds."

She slowly staggered to stand. "I refuse to surrender… Marth." she sputtered.

"Celica, he can and will kill you." Marth warned. "Go. Now."

Begrudgingly, she ran into the halls of the arena interior. Indifferently, I refused to chase her. "Heal yourself. The prince will deal with you for me." I told Marth before walking away.

"Your forces are sweeping mine down, and I have a fresh opponent in front of me. Don't shoo me away." Marth demanded.

"I will cut your head off if you try to do what I think you're doing." I warned him. "Though I have a code, I am not afraid of murder."

He grunted, and judging from the sounds of shoes and the ground behind me, I came to the conclusion that he went after his opponent. It was a wiser decision than naught, for Chrom was merciful; I lacked his compassion. "Gotcha!" I heard behind me.

Flipping the sword to backhand, I took my blade in two hands and stabbed behind me, puncturing the guts of what felt as though to be an armored knight. "No, not really." I lectured as I took out the blade and walked into the fray.

"Ladon." Susannah's voice called to me.

Turning around, I saw her walk up to me, holding her iron sword single handedly, the blade tainted with blood. "You are uninjured?" I asked her monotonously.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Scanning the battlefield, I took note of what I saw. Jonathan and Virion punctured their foes with the arrows and spearheads of righteous justice while Sarah and Miriel employed a slash and burn stratagem to effectively take down a group of men. Salvation and Falchion united against Marth, who held up surprisingly well for someone on the lesser end of a sword and a rare spell. The halls were not barred off from the battlefield, making me frown. "He's going to call more of the enemy to fall upon Hikari and Chrom."

"How do you know?" Susannah asked me.

"You're a smart woman, Susannah. You know they'd do something of that caliber with such unbarred gates." I chided.

She widened her eyes. "We have to warn them!"

"I'm not warning anyone." I grumbled.

"Then what was the point of that analysis?!" she shouted incredulously.

I rolled my eyes and then glared at her. "We're going to tear the enemy apart, tactician."

"Just the two of us? There are sixteen openings, we won't make it well without going down with Chrom and your sister!"

"Which is why Kirin will take half of them."

"Well did you tell him?"

I sighed and blinked hard. "He's ambitious for the job. He'll step up."

"Ladon, you just met him!" she complained. "You're being too cruel on him, you fail to understand that these circumstances are not the time for this cold hearted logistical cruelty."

I scowled at her in irritation. "If not for my wit and your obviously inconsistent aptitude, as well as our combined strength, we would have died at night in the middle of the woods with the undead calling us up to drool and lumber as we join their horde." I reminded her.

She was silent, a deafening quiet overtook her. "I lack the magical, miraculous, transmundane ability to literally cast my hand upon people with a rod of some sort and just make Kirin, or Sarah, or Hikari, or Jonathan stronger. I honestly do, I've never even used a tome of any kind. I have literally no way to just make things happen. We do it for ourselves. No one can just do our work in place of us.

"Jonathan looked for me. Sarah tried scaling a wall. Kirin popped up out of nowhere. Hikari is my sister, and you are an annoying tactician who can't seem to accept the fact that Chrom's men, Chrom's unpaid Ylissean men, are under your control; while my sister and I, and the little surprises that I find scattered all over the fucking continent, are not. I am preposterously sorry to say that in the end, I'm not really going to abide by your logic. You are not a god, you are a woman with a bad temper, a fire tome and an iron run of the mill sword.

"Now please, for the love of Naga, would you take that sword, shut the hell up and just let me go about my strategy to save your goody two shoes prince and the only person on this continent that I care about?" I finished lecturing her.

She blinked at me in frightful astonishment, and I knew that from the look on her face, I finally got a message through to her. "Kirin! Enemy reinforcements will come as long as the blue haired child with a mask is up! You know what to do!" I called to him, loudly.

"On it, boss!"

"Tell Chrom you're under my employ when you finish the leader!"

"You got it!"

I sighed and sheathed Ikralis. "Sarah, Jonathan, finish it up! The battle's coming to a close!" I called out, before looking at Susannah seriously. "Follow me or not. Your choice."

She sighed and nodded. "You can be a real ass."

"I know."

She and I immediately ran to where Marth was. I knew it would either be the coalition between Chrom and Hikari, or Kirin's thunder to fell him. But still, there was a purpose to running to my employer and Susannah's friend. I have to earn my keep and their trust somehow.

XXXXXXXXX

Susannah POV

Ladon was always serious when speaking on the important matters. Rarely have I ever seen him smile or laugh, or do anything other than fight and recruit people, or simply scowl. He was an enigma to me and it's not something I say positively. Running alongside him, I had a newfound understanding of what it meant for him to fight. He knew that all of what happened in the woods, or on the Longfort wall, all of it was, by technicality, unfair. But he simply fed off of it, fighting under such strenuous odds made him stronger. It's morbid, it's twisted and it's just punishing. But at the same time… it made sense.

Like any muscle, it only would grow stronger when rested, nurtured, and constantly tested to its limit. I refer to our strength, and he knew that fact rather literally. As he and I ran, he didn't look at me once and his eyes never met mine. He simply kept on his focus, his forward that seemed to have a stronger hold on him that that which anchored man to the ground on this earth. It was truly awe inspiring, to be completely honest, it was like a stoicism for the lesser than noble; worth the experience of teaming up with if anyone asks me.

"We're going to have company." he told me, without looking in my direction.

Coming to a halt, he drew out Ikralis from his hip and the two of us saw a group of three axe fighters. "I see them." I affirmed while brandishing my blade.

"There is a thief behind you. I'll handle these men." he warned me as I took his word for it and pencil turned rapidly, swiping my sword horizontally with all of my force in a double handed swing.

My edge met flesh, and the man lay gurgling with his last drops of vigor at my feet when I turned around to see if Ladon fared well. What I saw answered the question as I watched him cast Ikralis the black blade masterfully upon one of the fighters, viewing as the weapon fly in a straight line and midpoint deep into the foe's very heart. Taking to the air as well, my companion pressed his feet in a powerful rush kick domination upon him, tearing Ikralis out of the now slashed heart of his first enemy. Breathlessly I watched as he leapt panther like from his first victim and somersaulted to extend his weapon like a razor spine and slice the helm of his next opponent. My heart raced when I beheld the acrobatic and remarkably strong myrmidon curve in motion like dancing on ice soundlessly and shanked the intestines of the final fighter. The ground was covered in blood just like his boots were and it didn't seem to shock him as he swung the blood off of his weapon cleanly. Stepping away from the mess, his gaze moved to my face for the first time since the skirmish started. "You are well?" he asked plainly.

I nodded vigorously. "Y-yes! Yes! I am very… well!"

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut. "Susannah, did you honestly not know I was as skilled as I say?" he grumbled.

My eyes didn't meet with his, seeing his brutality upon just those three men had me semi-starstruck. He wasn't wrong, it was simply a matter that I was in such a powerful disbelief that he was as strong as he is. I've seen him tear down zombies after the quake, I've watched him lead with his cavalier friend on the northroad to tear through waves of them. So why was he scaring me? Looking up at him, I shook my head in certainty. "I thought you were just trying to sound inspirational and far fetched for Jonathan and Sarah."

"Well you're wrong." he told me plainly. "I'm not a liar, Susannah. I could try, but you're supremely smarter than what it would take to see right through me."

I hate how you make me feel better by saying stupid things that don't pertain to my situations. "Come on, we gotta…" I hinted.

"Lead the way, master tactician."

Did you just compliment me? Without verbally replying, I made the gesture of telling him to follow me as I ran to Chrom. I knew his running speed was faster than mine, so I had to simply factor in an improvisation when he was following behind me, and not running past me to simply leave me to my own abilities and vices. He was being… different? What was it? What made him do it? I had the entirety of no clue whatsoever, I just knew that in the end, he was changing in my opinion. "Got ya!" a male's voice shouted from an approaching mercenary.

The Mercenary swordsmen were, in all seriousness, the brute versions of the myrmidon to me. They had broader swords and less skill, in place of a simpler learned style and harder strikes. They lacked speed and skill for strength and durability, thus making them have to build up speed to be effective. Most, however, didn't. Taking out my iron sword, my double handed grip allowed me to swing and slice him with more power, making him stagger back before Ladon descended from the air out of practically nowhere and skewered the downed mercenary like a fish. "Thanks."

"No problem." he responded as we continued our trek to Chrom.

"I have you now." a mage to my left declared as two prepared to cast wind and thunder upon me.

With my sword, I wouldn't be able to counter the magic with my own, and I barely had enough time to take out my own spellbook. Green wind and lemon lightning began to appear from the spellbooks into their hands, that was to cast upon me. "But what of us, I wonder?" Miriel's voice asked them as a fireball rushed past my head and into one of the mages.

The spell took him down, while I felt myself weighed down while armored feet climbed onto my back and shoulders. "Sorry loud lady." Sarah apologized as the leapt off of me and fell upon the other mage, skewering him and crushing him.

"What the hell, Sarah?!" I shouted in uppity. "You could have killed me!"

Without even acknowledging me, she ran forward with Miriel, with her strange sword Godendag in hand. "Come on, we'd better move ahead." Ladon told me. "I'll rush ahead. You should call in a reserve and have them team up with you."

"Hey! Boss!" Kirin's voice shouted as he rushed over to us. "You need a hand?"

"You know your guidelines." he told Kirin plainly.

"That doesn't mean I can't help you mow down enemy reinforcements." he debated with the myrmidon adamantly.

Slowly, I witnessed something entirely new from Ladon. He smirked eagerly, turning to Kirin and beckoning him with a gesture. "Good man. Welcome to the crew, thunder's thunder."

The two of them ran off together, and I swapped out my iron sword for my on hand thunder tome. "I guess I had better find someone to partner up with in the meantime." I grumbled as I ran into the fray with them.

"Don't go without me!" Sully's voice called out as her mare clopped its hooves onto the ground when walking to me, as its rider smirked with a bloodied iron lance. "I'll be happy to give you a lift."

Smiling and taking her hand, I mounted her horse, taking the back position on the saddle. "I'll provide thunder, you be our skewer."

"You got it." she affirmed as we rode in on horseback.

We found quickly that we were only needed so much, but also very little. As Ladon sliced into an enemy, Kirin mounted him like a hill and weighed him down to fall just that right amount to lose his footing before the mage leapt off of him. Only whilst in mid-air did I notice that he held a tattered orange-yellow tome, and once he was already landing on another man like a platform, I witnessed as a lightning bolt came down and struck the first man. Backflipping away and using the second enemy as a spring, Kirin landed next to Ladon as he opened his tome and cast his hand forth. Seconds later, a titanic blue thunderbolt crashed upon the poor soul and I even beheld as the ionic power literally peeled and cooked away his flesh to the point of being barely any meat on bones. Before I could observe the smoking, smoldering body, I turned my head to see an ovalular portal of black and violet smoke open up behind Sarah, who clasped and wielded a purple tome while a large black arm reached up to a towering height before smashing down upon an enemy. Holy crap! That's Sarah's spell?!

"Well, never expected that." Ladon commented as Kirin's thunderbolt struck another mercenary, lighting up the arena. "Your spell is rather powerful, just like Kirin's thunder spell or Hikari's Salvation."

"My spell isn't thunder." Kirin told him as Sully punctured a man in the chest as I rained down thunder upon another who approached us.

"Help them out."

As he gave his order, an ebony fist slammed upon a cluster of enemies with a mighty and malefic power while a grand thunderbolt fried an armored knight. My golden ball of bolts struck each man down by the casting before Sully gashed and murdered them. Ladon simply stood there and watched. It took us maybe five minutes of adrenaline pumping combat and a wild display of magic to decimate the sudden crowd control of enemies that fell upon us strategically. "Kirin, it is thunder."

Turning around, Kirin replied. "No, my spell is called Gedo. It's thunder in nature, but it's different from thunder."

"There are different levels for tomes." Miriel told him, stepping closer and adjusting her bifocals. "In Kirin's case, there is Thunder, Elthunder, Arcthunder and Thoron. Kirin's spell, Gedo, is a different spell from the branch. Similar to your little sister's Salvation. Or…" she explained while hinting to Sarah.

"Jahannam." Sarah told her. "My spell's name is Jahannam."

"Never took you for a poetic type, especially with a rather archaic word for hell." Ladon commented. "But we should get moving, we'd better help Chrom secure victory against Marth."

Kirin and Ladon sprinted first, and Sarah departed from Miriel to join in the race. Sully turned her head to cock her ear for my say so on this matter. I was still fairly unhappy on the whole topic. All of Ladon's little "crew" were working specifically for him, not for pay and yet he still has them paid. They were better equipped and they seemed to get along to just the same degree as I did with Chrom's men. They all had better equipment, save for Jonathan. Kirin's Gedo and Sarah's Jahannam were much more potent than my Thunder or Fire, Salvation was a spell I had never even heard of- and yet I'm the least notable for information upon weapons-, and Ikralis and Godendag were unbreakable. This was getting irksome and upsetting, and it made me fear that they were going to turncoat and mutinize. "We march to Chrom." I told her.

"I hope we'll see some decent action, it'll kill me to leave me out of the fun." Sully affirmed as we rode to him, having the advantage of movement via her horse.

I wanted to trust Ladon, but I simply couldn't. The worst part was the fact that he trusted me. He trusted me with the life of Hikari, in exchange for not trusting the lives or equipment of himself and his men to me. I shouldn't be so hostile, yet I must be. What if Ladon betrays us? What if they leave and take our assets with them? There are just too many factors, I have to maintain my watch on him. I don't hate him, at least I hope not.

XXXXXXXXX

Ladon POV

Something told me that Susannah wasn't going to trust me. There wasn't so much of a reason for her not to, seeing as my crew of misfits had either unbreakable weapons or obscure and treasurable tomes. Kirin's Gedo could easily vaporize people and Sarah's Jahannam was a literal demonic limb summoning that could crush or consume people. Jonathan didn't seem to have any treasure on him, other than his strange mannerisms and his skill with the lance, which was enough to be versatile with. Hikari and I had Ikralis and Salvation, which spoke enough on our skill with our respective weapons. And of course there was the versatility with Sarah, and her weapon called Godendag, the ebony dragonfire forged weapon. She never told me that it was dragon forged, but any weapon that is stolen from a dragon either has been or was going to be bathed into the fire.

"Take Marth down! Now!" I shouted as my forces neared them. "Before he can call his reinforcements!"

Chrom sustained a few cuts and bruises, and he stood functionally, yet wobbly. If we didn't act soon, the pillar of protection for my sister was going to fall. It turned out that Chrom heard me, because he turned his head a bit, smiling as he kept his gaze on Marth. "Hikari, now." he told her, brandishing Falchion.

"Hai!" my little sister confirmed as she charged up her salvation light in an orb form in her palm.

Rushing forward and unleashing an underhanded slice, Chrom knocked a battered Marth back a few paces before Hikari ran in and pressed the ball upon him. The orb was absorbed and photosynthesized into Marth's body before a burst of light and a scream of sharp pain ensued from her attack. Falling down on his back, Marth laid unconscious as we all grouped up where Chrom stood. Looking to me, Chrom strode over tiredly, sheathing Falchion and smiling. He had taken so much damage and fought so hard, just to maintain an equilibrium of fighting against Marth and protecting my sister. "Why are you looking at me like that, Ladon." he asked me.

He was panting and breathing heavily as he spoke. I held out my fist to him, and after a few seconds of hanging there, he bumped his to mine. "I must insist you have Lissa heal you. You've done good." I complimented him.

"Same to you."

"I'll carry you."

He smiled at me and patted my shoulder. "You've done enough." he told me. "I'll see to it that you're paid."

"This is about the wellbeing of my employer, not gold."

"You're fine."

Susannah rushed in and I saw Chrom tumble as she caught him. "Chrom." she beseeched.

"I'm fine. Just need Lissa to patch me up."

"Susannah, carry him to Lissa. Judging from his wounds, he won't die on your watch." I told her as she simply walked off with him.

Jonathan's mare walked up to me, while he looked down at me and held his iron lance, bloodied and worn from heavy usage. "So, we're getting paid right?" he asked.

"All except for one."

"Whom?" he asked in confusion.

Using my thumb to point at Kirin, I answered him. "Meet the new addition. His name is Kirin."

Waving, the purple haired mage smiled calmly, yet friendly. "You have some fine hair, good sir."

"He gives the impression that he's delusional." I commented plainly as I noticed that Jonathan's eyes began to twinkle crazily.

"You have good hair too! We should be friends!"

Upon closer inspection, I noticed a fair amount of similarities and differences between Jonathan and Kirin. Kirin's purple sky hair was down to his shoulders in smooth waves and locks while Jonathan's was down to the upper back and shoulder blades in a golden waterfall. Kirin was calmer and not as loud as Jonathan was when in a flustering or excitable stimulus. The mage had his tome called Gedo, while Jonathan usually fought with whatever he could get his hands on, mainly a sword and a lance. Kirin's eyes were a dark shade of gold, very dark, almost like a natural shade of brown until hit by light while Jonathan's eyes were blue like a sea. Jonathan's voice and Kirin's were only so far apart in terms of depth and tone.

Closing his eyes and chuckling with that charismatic smile, he extended his hand. "Kirin."

"Jonathan."

They shook hands frivolously, and I smirked at how well this mage was getting along with everyone. All except for Sarah, I haven't seen them speak or introduce themselves. "Hey. Ladon." I heard that woman's voice call out to me from behind.

Immediately, lance, Gedo and Jahannam were readied to fly down upon her. "You stay right there." Sarah warned.

Turning around to her, I saw that my suspicion was right. Celica came back, in all of her audacity, with her parallel Ikralis and everything. Sneering, I crossed my arms. "Before Kirin and Sarah decimate you, and we put your head on Jonathan's lance, explain to me why you came here." I ordered her.

"The fight for East versus West Khans is done now. I mean you no harm." Celica claimed.

"That's fantastic, now say what you need to say."

"You need to be more amicable with the people who fight alongside with." she told me. "The tactician, the cavalier, the battle mage and the storm magician, you have to understand that they are more than just pieces on a battlefield. They're-"

"I'm not going to be lectured by you. I can get along just fine with my own crew." I interrupted.

"You'd just better learn to play nice. Or who knows what you'll screw up?" Celica warned me, mockingly.

"Leave before I have you decimated." I commanded.

With that, she left. Frowning, I popped my neck. "Alright, gather around. We have something to discuss."

Sarah, Kirin and Jonathan stood in a formation around me, as our conversation would begin and I took a breath to lower my heart rate and systematically calm down. "I am not having your attention focused so I may fire you. If you wish to fight with me, you are more than welcome. And as Jonathan must have seen with the arrival of Sarah and Kirin, I seem to attract people or just stumble upon them."

"Most fun I've had." Sarah commented with a smirk.

"You're famous." Kirin inserted.

Turning my gaze to him, I craned my neck. "I'm famous?"

"Well, you protected Cape Town from a group of bandits and you were told to have decimated a band of ruffians in Southtown. So, I thought along my travels that you'd make a decent boss." he explained.

Nodding in understanding, I began to use my hands and body language more, the conversation more active. "You still understand that I don't pay."

"I told him." Jonathan informed me.

"He said Chrom pays us." Kirin recited in his own wording.

"Yes. The Ylissean prince pays us for our performance. That's why I warn you that if you don't play your part in our success, you will not be paid." I warned him. "We are too well armed to be messing up."

"I understand." Kirin affirmed, holding up a hand to show that he found my warning too abrasive.

"Chrom calls his men the Shepherds, a title that even Susannah falls under. The idea is trivial, but we should adopt a name." I suggested.

"The Cavalry." Jonathan suggested.

"Hesperides. From the same poems and epics as your name." Sarah added.

"The Swordbearers. Because you wield a sword." Kirin tossed into the proverbial hat.

"What? All of those names hardly apply. We're mostly men with one woman and my little sister, we can't be hesperides. We have to also refer to those who don't wield swords. And although you generally see Dark Knights with horses, Sarah..." I referred to her specifically, earning a smirk and a squint of her red eyes. "... only one of us rides a horse. We have to be more creative."

"What would you suggest, Ladon?" the cavalier asked.

"The Titans." I suggested, looking at Sarah. "You're well educated, I should think you to see some significance in the word."

"Wait, I've got it." Kirin interrupted as he clapped his hands together, drawing all of our undivided attention as he gave a coolly confident smile. "The Onmyoji."

Silence overtook us as we pondered upon it, each of us in our different bodily mechanics and postures. "It's Chonsin." I said. "The Onmyoji are humans with the powers of monstrous nature or proportion."

"Sounds delightful." Sarah affirmed with a raised hand. "I like it."

"I like it too. Suits us pretty well." Jonathan raised his hand to it and added.

"Well, I'm the one who suggested it." Kirin bragged, saying without plain wording that he voted for his own term.

"I agree, 'tis a better word than 'mercenary' or 'misfit'. Starting now, we are the Onmyoji." I declared as I put my hand forth.

Sarah planted her hand onto mine. Jonathan followed, and Kirin thereafter. "We're our own band, but we work for Chrom's cause for now. Our first job, make sure the continent is safe."

We broke the web of hands and bumped our fists together before all walking to the exit of the arena. Striding with a cavalier, a beastless dark knight and a thunder mage, I was soon joined by my energetic little sister. "Where are we going, Oniichan?" she asked.

"We're joining up with Chrom and taking our rest in the halls of Manor Ferox." I told her.

"Sir Ladon."

The Onmyoji all stopped as we saw a soldier with a lance and the standard issue gear and helmet walk up to me. Sternly looking at me, he cleared his throat before speaking. "Khan Flava would like a word." he said.

Nodding to the guard, I gestured to my crewmates. "Join up with Chrom. I'll see you four later." I told them casually before departing from them.

Following him through the halls of Manor Ferox, I felt and heard my heart pound in my chest vigorously. There were many reasons for this, it was just a post victory excitement and relief and Khans are all about battle, just as the Feroxi all are. So I expected Flavia's equivalent to an award or reward of some sort, as we made our way through some familiar bends and turns. Our destination was a large room with a copious amount of cushions, beverages, incense and the indirect lighting of torches mixing with the drawing dusk. The fabrics of all reds and blacks and umber signified Ferox and Flavia very clearly, the tapestries of the emblem of Ferox happened to send the same message, this room would have… use. "She instructed me that you will wait here until her arrival." the grunt stated.

"That's fine."

With my answer, he left. Sitting on a cushion heavy seat, my eyelids fell heavily and I descended into slumber. My body ached from the fighting and my mind faded into the opportunity of rest as darkness overtook everything. Obscurity dulled my senses as I was plunged into the release of sleep. "Ladon." a young woman's voice called to me.

Creation itself took place as blue blazing sky, a radiant sun, a firm earth with green living grass under my feet and even a subtle environmental gust came to be. Standing in front of me was a chestnut haired woman, mature features and curves, wearing a set of armor and a shield on her left arm that befitted her fighting style. In her right hand was a blade with only a frame like edge and blue metallic netting within that frame, to keep it steady and yet give it a certain benefit. She stood up taller than I, by a few inches but taller nonetheless. Smiling, she used her free hand to amplify her voice. "Laaaaaaaaaaaadon." she called, giggling. "Are you just going to stand there?"

I frowned and crossed my arms. "Of call people, why are you in my dream?"

She frowned, a convincing and saddening expression as she tilted her head and looked at me with those hazel eyes. "That hurts, Ladon. I thought you would prefer me."

Widening my eyes and catching what I had just said, I then felt the sting of my own words as I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Besides, I was just trying to have a conversation with you. Kind of like those prophecies from the stories we read." she justified.

"The ones Father despises." I clarified. "And what do you mean? What prophecy?"

"That band of mercenaries you run, the 'Onmyoji'..." she began before looking at me seriously and sharply. "Do you intend to take them home with you?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because when you do, they won't be fighting on this little adventure you're on. We face other 'monsters' and even have some with us."

"Don't you fret. We'll be fine." I told her.

Suddenly, the whistle and whish of a sword swing filled my ears as I took up one hand with Ikralis and stopped the blade from reaching my forehead. "Wake up, Ladon."

The dream vanished like smoke as my eyes shot open and I sat up rapidly, drawing Ikralis. "Who goes there?!" I shouted before scanning the environment.

The sun has fully set and the moon gazed over us from the overlook opening, the torches and incense were all still very much lit, and I found that Flavia stood before me. She wore her black skin tight under armor fabric and naught else, her hair was down with those fiery white hot blonde locks running down her back. Seeing her, I put Ikralis away. "How long was I here?"

"I'd say four hours." Flavia answered.

I was silent as I stood up, stripping myself of my jacket and clothes and boots, even my headband. I only wore a set of black cloth smallclothes covering my crotch, which earned a smile from the Khan. "My my, what a sight." she complimented.

"Come here." I commanded.

She did so, not as begrudgingly as the first time today. "Be careful of who you command, boy." she warned with a smirk as she held my cheek.

"You're too much fun." I japed, smiling.

She chuckled before kissing my lips. "Oh am I now?"

My hands seemed to move on their own as I felt her buttocks, firm and ample. She evidently noticed, as she rolled her eyes and smiled. "Oh, right."

"They are a rather powerful asset of yours." I complimented. "But instead of playing around…" I suggested.

She began to flush now. "You were never one for beating around the bush."

"Never liked it."

"It's what I always liked about you. I always trust you to not fool around if you're needed."

"It goes without saying, Flavia."

Pressing my lips to hers, our breathing began to hasten and intensify as my tongue inserted into her mouth, which was opening wider in welcoming embrace. She held to me tighter, pressing herself to me as our bodies ground against one another in heated passion. My manhood began to erect as it pressed against and prodded into her moist womanhood through the fabric. Moaning into my mouth, her grinding intensified with a hunger only satisfied by one thing. The itch that had only one balm. Pulling away just enough to purr in her ear, I growled. "I starve."

"I'm all yours." she purred into mine.

All throughout the night, I very fervently and thoroughly devoured her. She did not push me away or turn away from all that I unleashed upon her. Eating her hairless spot between her very fine legs was only another aphrodisiac. The musk of absolute lust only fed into my own as her juices leaked and streamed into my mouth with every orgasm. She even pressed me into her soft spot to keep me anchored to my activity. Moaning loudly and growling, giggling and even laughing in appreciation, I knew very well that she enjoyed how I devoured her. "Oh yes! Oh Ladon! Oh gods!"

My tongue thrusted and swirled into her secret flesh hungrily as she spoke, shouting the words all men wanted to hear. She came again into my mouth, another indication of her appreciation as I drank once more, lapping my lips for every single drop. Pulling away and moving up to her, my skin touched her sweaty covering. She bit her lip, no smile to admonish me this time. Her body shuddered and quivered as she opened her arms to grab onto me. I picked her up so that she could hold onto me as I plunged my member into her. She gasped and cried out as I gave her a love bite on her neck and thrusted into her immediately.

Pumping myself into her was an experience I would not speak of lightly. I speak of my defiling her to no one, but I did so plenty as her breasts rocked with her body up and down. Her moans were in perfect succession to my thrusts. Her cheeks were still flushed and her cries were of a woman who has attained true pleasure. My sword of manhood throbbed and twitched inside of her. "It comes, Flavia." I warned her.

"Unleash it all!" she screamed demandingly.

And so I did, my muscles tightening and constricting when I fell to the cushions and laid next to her. Running her fingers through my hair, Flavia smiled and kissed me. "Still got it." she complimented.

I smirked and snuggled with her, having her be the one who moved to me when I pulled her. "I'd say so."

She rubbed my chest with her hand, her leg over mine. "You're too much fun." she complimented. "So you're leaving tomorrow."

"I am. For now, my crew and I work for Chrom."

She kissed his cheek. "Well, if you need any help, just let me know."

"We both know I won't."

"I know. But you're reliable, so it should be mutual." she justified.

"It's nice of you to think so." I thanked her. "Now I'd like to close my eyes and sleep until dawn."

She cocked a brow. "What happens at dawn?"

"I train with my partners. Then we leave with Chrom."

She smiled at me. "So, what, it's you four against the world?"

"Five. And no, just against whoever's on the other side."

She sighed. "I adore you."

I held her. "I know."

And thus, we slept. The moon crept over the rooftop of our world and the obscurity that it illuminated, all the way until it blew us its forlorn final kiss unto the horizon and allowed the bitter final darkness to ensue before Dawn's elegant fingers crept upon us. The sun rose, and as she did, I did as well. Redressing myself, I pecked Flavia with a kiss on the forehead before walking out of the plush and comfortable chambers we shared. "Out of bed so early?" Kirin asked me, as I turned my head to find a purple headed thunder mage grinning with his arms crossed.

Smirking, I popped my neck by craning it. "Shut up and rouse the others."

XXXXXXXXX

Susannah POV

Ugh...wuzzit… what's going on? What's with all of that noise? I sat up as I heard a shout and thunder crashed violently. "Hoo! Holy crap!"

Wh-what the fuck? "Hey, keep it down! You'll wake people up!"

"Sorry!"

Squinting and grumbling, I began to dress into my clothes and my coat and boots. Are they really being this loud at this hour? I'm trying to get my sleep here. They could at least be courteous and do this in another country for the love of―! "I don't care about your 'sorry', the Ylisseans are sleeping."

Drawing my sword, I frowned. "At least we were."

Before I could even raise the blade to conk Ladon on the head with the butt, I felt the edge of a blade touch the artery of my neck. "One move and you lose your head."

"Now hold on, Sarah." he told her swiftly as he turned around, looking at me. "Why did you come with a sword?"

"To bonk you on the head. It's dawn and you're making a lot of noise."

He frowned as Kirin walked over to us, hearing my statement as he and Ladon turned to Jonathan. Even Sarah joined in on the bandwagon. "Dammit Jonathan." Ladon griped.

"What did I do?" he asked the four of us.

"You woke up the mean lady." Sarah tantalized him.

"Blame Kirin for that!"

"You're the one who was screaming." Kirin argued.

"You had the gigantic blue thunderbolt!"

"You screamed. You have the big lance, I don't scream."

Jonathan suddenly began to shimmer and glisten as his eyes looked prepared to water, a fist held next to his chest. "I thought we were friends!" he mused, comedically and yet melodramatically.

"We are. But you still woke her up."

I scowled in irritation at Ladon, my gaze boring into his head. The myrmidon looked over to me, frowning monotonously and rose a hand to Sarah. "She's no harm. Let her go."

Removing her black blade from my neck, Sarah stepped away. Rubbing my neck, I sheathed my sword and stepped to Ladon. "Can I have a word with you?" I asked him.

"Yes." he answered as he turned to his friends. "Jonathan, keep training with them. And be quieter."

The blonde grumbled as the two of us began to walk along the courtyard of Arena Ferox. "So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked simply.

"Ladon, how many more men do you plan to assemble?"

Raising a brow as we continued to walk and talk, I could tell he took it to an edge of strangeness. "I fail to see the nature of that question." he stated.

My gaze on him hardened a little bit. "First it was Jonathan. Then it was Sarah, while at the same time you and Hikari were hiding those weapons of yours. Then Kirin decides to pop up out of nowhere and he's working for you for free." I listed carefully and yet brazenly. "Is there some other fanatic out there who's going to join in your subgroup so you can mutinize?"

"Why would I mutinize?" he countered my questions. "I get paid, I get exercise, my sister doesn't get hurt. I don't really have an ulterior motive."

"I am a lot of things but stupid is not one of them, Ladon." I spat as my glare began to heat up on him, and we stopped walking. "Save for Jonathan, you have the arms' advantage over us and you could easily sweep us away, I've seen you in combat and I've caught my fair share of a view upon just how powerful you people are."

"Susannah, you're being irrational. You're my employers and as such I have a professional obligation to refrain from mutinying against a rather belligerent woman, a blue haired swordsman, a couple cavaliers with a Great Knight, an armored knight and a mage." he responded.

"Then why have a separate group of people who work under you?"

"So the Onmyoji aren't in the same category as your friend's Shepherds. It doesn't matter, we still work for you for the time being. On top of that, the only woman I trust with my sister is trying to accuse me of mutiny when we haven't so much as lifted a finger to attack you."

I looked down at my feet and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I just need to know you won't hurt any of us. I need that security, I can't remember anything before the day I met you and Chrom and I'm just afraid to be drifting along the world with a recurring loss of memory."

He was silent as he took me in his arm and held me to him firmly. "I don't hold a grudge." he told me. "Just try to be nicer, okay?" he spoke into my ear tenderly.

"I don't dislike you. Your sister is pretty cute."

He chuckled a bit. "She calls you Oneesan for a reason. The positivity is mutual."

"What about us?" I asked him, referring to him and I.

"Maybe you should get along better with the Onmyoji a bit better. You sure make my days more riveting." he laughed minimally as he answered. "Heck, strike up a conversation with Jonathan or maybe ask Kirin about his stuff. If you ask me, Gedo is one epic-"

"So you don't hate me?" I asked, cutting him off.

"I'm hugging you outside of an arena and I'm telling you to get along better with my crew. I think you're okay here."

I smiled as I separated from him. "So maybe we could fight together more often?" I offered.

"Why wait? No one else is around." he answered as he unsheathed Ikralis.

Drawing my sword quickly, I formed a stance as best as I could. "Remember, the key is to be able to react to everything."

"Got it." I affirmed.

XXXXXXXXX

Ladon POV

"Then Regna Ferox will support Ylisse? Thank you Chrom, I knew sending you was the right choice."

Exalt Emmeryn was a blonde woman with a calming, almost soothing air about her. She wore fine green, cream yellow and gold robes and a golden crown that showed up from behind her curly and well pampered soft blonde hair. As if the air of royalty wasn't strong enough around her, she also had a birthmark of the Ylissean Exalt's Brand on her forehead, whereas Chrom had it on his shoulder. She was smiling as she stood and praised Chrom, as we stood in the throne room of Ylisstol's court, with the fine decor and the amount of well founded security. I could tell from one glance that we were in the right place to call a governing center of a nation. Frederick stood stoically next to Chrom with his hands behind his back, looking to be like a statue with how sturdy his focus was. Susannah and I stood together, and I had my arms crossed as I silently listened on the situation in front of me carefully, where she simply listened casually and professionally.

She turned to Susannah and I quickly, and from the direction of her eyes, I could tell that her smile only began to melt into a neutral expression when looking at me. "You must be the myrmidon Chrom was telling me about." she greeted me with.

"That's me." I replied plainly.

"You should see him, Emm, he's something on an entirely different caliber." Chrom praised.

"It's my job after all."

I could see her eyes studying me, without squinting or making it obvious of what was going on in her mind. "You're a professional, I see."

"Enough of one, my lady."

"Does the grass grow in the land of iron, now?" Emmeryn asked.

"Emm, what does thatㅡ?" Chrom asked.

"Not for much longer. The dragon makes his way to the first cow, sick and mad, decaying in the Fell Dragon's teeth." I answered her, knowing very well what she meant and how to respond accordingly.

"And what of the sheep?"

"They would require a Bellwether in time, for monsters lurk in the red grass."

"Can someone please tell meㅡ?" Chrom began to ask before being promptly interrupted.

A woman with sky blue hair and silver armor, befitting a pegasus knight, burst into the room, frantic as high hell. I knew from the heavy breathing, lack of room for manners and the sweat on her forehead that something wicked was afoot. "Your Grace! M-milord!" she stuttered shakily. "Forgive me, but I bring alarming news!"

"Phila! Slow down, please! What's happened?" Emmeryn urged, trying to grant the wits that she maintains unto her pegasus captain of the guard.

"Someone's been taken." I said plainly as I gained everyone's attention. "It looks like she was attacked."

Phila looked at me, shaking her head. "Not I, no. A village in Themis. They kidnapped the Duke's daughter."

"B-but that would be… Maribelle!" Lissa exclaimed in distress. "Chrom, we have to do something!"

"I assume by 'they', you mean Plegia."

She nodded, panting heavily. "There's more: King Gangrel of Plegia claims Lady Maribelle invaded his country. He demands we pay reparations for this 'insult'."

"And we're to believe a dastard like the Mad King of Plegia?" Chrom asked in disbelieving anger.

"Proper word choice." I commented bluntly. "My Onmyoji can make his 'payment' before the moon hits rooftop tonight."

"Let me join you, we'll meet this 'insult' with 'reparations' of steel." he told me.

"Chrom, Ladon, please." Emmeryn urged calmly. "We must keep our wits about us."

"Chrom is the only angry one here, your grace." I replied to her plainly before looking at Chrom. "And as for your offer, I must decline. Shepherds are not meant for hunting like I do."

"What about me?" Susannah asked as I turned to look at her.

"I'd much sooner destroy a stained glass window than to have your life endangered by my endeavor." I answered her.

"Ladon, you cannot deny me this. Not only do I pay you but I also have a country to protect, a country that has been instigated time and again." Chrom stated sharply with a hand on my shoulder.

"Would you kill the sheep you protect from the lions and wolves by making them fight something they shouldn't be involved with?" I asked. "You're the prince. You do something stupid and you screw your subjects. Including Lissa's annoying friend, including your men, including Susannah. If you want me to be even meaner, by all means hold onto my shoulder a little longer and I'll tell you how this affects your sisters." I lectured with a sharp glare.

He slowly withdrew his hand. "Why would you go after Gangrel then?"

"I am a mercenary. The Onmyoji only represent your country with you in tow. If you're not there, your country can't be hurt."

"You're not doing any such thing." Emmeryn ordered. "I can not permit it, the risk is too great."

"Then what would you suggest?" I demanded, turning around. "Monsters commanding death, iron and lightning stand at the ready and yet the Gardener would make them stay?"

She was momentarily silent, eyes closed and taking a deep, calming breath. "I will offer parley with King Gangrel."

"Oh no you won't." I rebuked. "That risk is bigger."

"Explain." she told me.

"The Fire Emblem." I stated with an extended pointing finger. "If that treasure, your treasure, falls into the wrong handsㅡalso known as Gangrel's handsㅡwe lose more than the thousands who live under your rule and care, O Exalt."

"It has been decided, already." she told me. "I will not have my nation march to war and I refuse to let Maribelle die."

I frowned and crossed my arms, staring at her. "Your Onmyoji can accompany me. If the Mad King starts conflict, you have my expressed permission to hunt as you please." she decreed. "As an added incentive, I offer seventy thousand gold."

"As you wish." I responded.

"I'm going too. Someone has to save you from your good intentions." Chrom added.

"Seventy thousand?!" Frederick strained. "Is that not a tad much?"

She simply smiled at me. "I trust it is enough to simply buy the good intentions of mercenaries from the land of Iron."

I smirked at her. "That's the language I understand."

XXXXXXXXX

Support Conversations

Support Relationship: Ladon and Susannah

Susannah, serious: "Hah! Hyah! Hoi!"

Ladon: "Practicing I see?"

Susannah: "Oh, hello Ladon."

Ladon, smiling: "Don't let me stop you. You actually have the form almost correct."

Susannah, nervous: "'Almost'?"

Ladon: "Well, you don't have to be a ballerina or anything of the sort, but you're too stiff, you can't move fast with a sword if you're just gonna be all hardened like that."

Susannah, nervous: "Maybe you could help me out?"

Ladon: "Alright, so you hold it like this…"

Susannah: "Right…"

Ladon: "Then you swing down using your shoulders more than your elbows and wrists."

Susannah, smiling: "Thank you."

Ladon, smiling: "Anytime."

*relationship increased to level C*

Support Relationship: Ladon and Kirin

Kirin: "Hmm…"

Ladon: "Hello Kirin."

Kirin, smiling: "Hi Ladon. Can I help you?"

Ladon: "I see that you're writing in that book of parchment there."

Kirin, smiling: "It's a passion of mine."

Ladon, smiling: "So that's why you're so literate. Do you always do this?"

Kirin: "Since I was a little squirt."

Ladon: "Really? Wow, and I can only assume that you've gotten better over that time."

Kirin, nervous: "Well, I've only started writing in this language recently. I write much better in Chonsin."

Ladon, smiling: "No harm, I can read Chonsin just fine. My sister, Hikari, is a savant at it."

Kirin, serious: "If you'll excuse me. I think I smell some burning."

Ladon: "Of course."

*relationship increased to level C*

Support Relationship: Hikari and Chrom

Hikari, serious: "And we just loop this one right...here…"

Chrom: "Oh, hello Hikari."

Hikari, smiling: "Ohayou."

Chrom, smiling: "What are you making with all of those flowers?"

Hikari, smiling: "I'm making you a crown."

Chrom: "For me?"

Hikari: "Yes, silly. You don't wear one."

Chrom, nervous: "Well, a crown was never really my style."

Hikari, smiling: "This one will be perfect then!"

Chrom, serious: "Oh boy…"

*relationship increased to level C*

Support Relationship: Jonathan and Sarah

Jonathan, smiling: "A glorious hello to you!"

Sarah, smiling: "Hello dorkla. What's up?"

Jonathan, nervous: "'Dorkla'? That's not so nice."

Sarah, smiling: "It's cute on you."

Jonathan: "But I'm not cute."

Sarah: "That's beside the point. What's up Jonathan?"

Jonathan: "Care to spar a bit?"

Sarah, nervous: "I might kill you by accident."

Jonathan, nervous: "Then use a different tome? Question mark?"

Sarah, serious: "No, I worked hard for this tome. And don't make me use one of your flimsy swords either."

Jonathan, serious: "Alright… this is gonna be tough."

*relationship increased to level C*

Support Relationship: Ladon and Sarah

Ladon: "Sarah, are you busy?"

Sarah, smiling: "Does talking to you count?"

Ladon, smiling: "I take that as a no. Care to spar?"

Sarah, nervous: "I don't mean to disappoint, but I'm not the best with the sword."

Ladon: "Well, I've seen that you're decent enough. Maybe I can help you."

Sarah, serious: "Tell anyone else what we're doing and you'll regret it."

Ladon, smiling: "Even if I did, they wouldn't care. But you have my word."

Sarah: "Let me get Godendag, we'll get started."

Ladon, smiling: "You got it."

*relationship increased to level C*