(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Full Summary: Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.

"Flashbacks" - Thinking

"Flashbacks" - Talking

[Flashbacks] - Letters or Reports.

Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.

Main Writer: Revan the Edgelord

Co-Writer: None.

Tatsumi couldn't hide his scowl as he placed the bouquet of flowers upon the tombstone of his fallen comrade, Naofumi Iwatani.

It had been several days since the second battle of Ylona, and Tatsumi couldn't help from feeling that it was his fault that his friend had died on the field of battle.

"I just want to say sorry, Naofumi," Tatsumi confessed as he stared down at the gravestone. "you didn't deserve this fate. This wasn't your war, and you had no business in it, and yet I had asked you to fight for my people... I'm... I'm sorry."

And like rain, tears began to fall from the prince's cheeks as he collapsed onto his knees.

"I'm so sorry..." He declared as he gotten onto all fours and hung his head low. "This should have never happened to you..."

When he was informed of Naofumi's death, Tatsumi had practically stormed out of the palace ignoring Farah's pleads in the process. Luckily he didn't injure himself or reopen his wounds, but that didn't stop him from feeling sorrow upon seeing the corpse of his companion.

The two soldiers who had witnessed his death, and also brought his body back had told the young prince that Naofumi had been killed, by General Esdeath.

Hearing this, Tatsumi had to ask if she had at least given him an honorable death, a quick and painless one, but the two soldiers shook their heads and informed him that the only reason they were allowed to bring his body back was because she had allowed them too. If it weren't for that, then they would have died as well, and been crushed by the giant ice boulder she had manifest above them.

Tatsumi didn't see this, so he didn't know if it was true, but after a few conversations with some of the soldiers, he started to believe what they were telling him.

He was, of course, upset and concerned about the breach in the defense, but his thoughts, for the time being, have been solely about his fallen friend.

"If I could turn back time I would..." Tatsumi declared as tears continued to fall out of his eyes. "I would have never asked you to get involved if I knew this was going to happen to you... It's... It's all my fault."

The worst part about all of this was that Tatsumi couldn't even bury his friend in the place he wanted. Naofumi had told him once that if he was to die that he'd like to be buried on a grassy hill where the sun shined brightly, but because they were in war, and in Espera, he couldn't give Naofumi the funeral he wanted.

Instead, all he could do was bury him alongside the soldiers of Espera who had fallen in battle alongside him.

Numa released a sigh as he set the piece of paper down and looked at the five commanders that were in the room with him. "We need to do something about General Esdeath." He declared with a serious expression written on his face.

Hearing this caused his officers to glance at one another. They may not have lost as many men as General Esdeath, but they all knew they were losing the war. In fact, some of them believed that if General Esdeath truly wanted to end this war, then she could have done it on the very first day, but because she didn't, they began to believe that she was toying with them.

It was embarrassing and sad, but they just didn't have anything at their disposal that rivaled her. The only one who came close to rivaling her in their eyes was Prince Tatsumi, but because he had lost to her in a duel they believed no one could. They thought Numa might also have a chance of rivaling her, but he was their king so he couldn't fight Esdeath. If he did and then died in the process, then the morale would break for sure.

"... We could try sending assassins to deal with her?" Suggested the officer with red hair who was the furthest away from him and sitting on Numa's left.

"She's a very skilled warrior, and in case you had already forgotten she had already dealt with a group of assassins, remember? I had mentioned in the meeting a couple days ago that the Revolutionary Army wants to form an alliance." Numa stated with a scowl on his face.

At this, the redhead lowered his head and looked away. Numa had informed them of a young woman appearing in his bedroom with a letter claiming to be apart of the Revolutionary Army, and had also told them that he was considering the idea of forming an alliance since that was the reason she came here, but for the time being, he was going to hold off. He believed that Espera could win against General Esdeath and her forces.

"... Then what do you suggest we should do, Your Majesty?" Questioned the commander of the Royal Guard after a few seconds of silence as he looked at his king.

"That is something I'm trying to figure out." Numa confessed as he interlocked his hands in front of his mouth, which made him look even more serious than before. "Everyone has a weakness, we just have to find out what."

"We could try launching an assault on her camp, Your Majesty." Spoke the officer who was closest to him on his right. He had a black beard and hair that had streaks of grey in it, signifying his age and a scar on his right cheek. "With a hole in our defense, we can now launch an attack of our own."

"I don't think we should do that, Your Majesty." The redhead declared before Numa could respond causing the king to have his attention shift towards him. "We may have a breach in our wall, but we still outnumber her, if we can prevent them from getting any further, then we can win this war. All we need to do is just dwindle their numbers to the point where she has no choice but to turn tail and run back home."

"So you're wanting to plug the hole with our men, and make it look like there is no breach?" Spoke another leader who was on Numa's left. "Have you forgotten what she can do? I don't know if you saw this, but I had witnessed that massive ball of ice appear out of the sky and I had seen the devastation it had brought upon us. If we try to plug in that hole with men, they'll just die."

"Then I suppose you have a better idea, Commander Vitalion?" Questioned the grizzled officer, he may not have liked his idea being shot down, but he did think using their forces to hold the breach was a good idea.

"I don't sadly," Answered the now named commander. "however, I don't believe we should do that, and let's say she doesn't use the giant ball of ice to crush them, she could easily just hurl icicles at us or have her men bombard the position, either way we're going to lose hundreds upon hundreds of men."

"That's the tragedy of war, not all of us make it back." The older leader stated with a grim look.

"Then I suppose you'll be on the frontlines alongside them, Colonel Gaspard?" Commander Vitalion asked in a slightly heated tone. He may have been the youngest member in the King's war council, but that didn't mean he was okay with throwing away lives.

"If his Majesty wants me to be there, then I will, if not, then I'll be where I've always been." Colonel Gaspard coolly replied.

Numa who had been mostly thinking about his plan of action decided to speak now. "You both need to lose the hostility towards one another. We're not each other's enemies, our enemies are outside of this city and are very powerful."

Both the Esperan leaders looked at each other before looking at Numa and saying in unison. "Understood, my apologies, Your Majesty."

With that said, Numa continued to express his thoughts. "I think we should seek the aid of the Revolutionary Army. Unfortunately, that will require sending someone of the royal family down south to meet with the leaders of the Revolutionary Army. I had thought about going myself, but I am the king, so I have to stay here, that is why I have decided to send my brother once he recovers."

"You plan on sending, His Highness Tatsumi?" The Royal Guard Commander asked with a small frown.

"Yes, Tatsumi has survived on his own for five years, and I don't like the idea of my sister or mother going into the Empire's territory." Numa confessed.

"Your Majesty, I don't think that's the wisest-"

"My decision on this has been made." Numa curtly stated as he looked at the commander of the Royal Guard. "Once Tatsumi is able to, he will head South as fast as possible and strike a deal with the Revolutionary Army, while we defend Ylona. However, if it does come down to it, then we will evacuate the city, and head to the fortress Northeast of here."

As Tatsumi finished equipping his black robes and armor, he released a sigh. Although it had been basically two weeks since Naofumi had died, Tatsumi had still not been able to come to terms with his friend's death.

"Are you sure you're okay, Your Highness?" Farah questioned as she watched Tatsumi finish equipping his gear. Even though it had been almost a month since he had received his injuries, Farah wasn't entirely convinced that he was ready to be fighting.

Sure, the doctor had said in his last checkup, which was two days ago, that he could start doing physical activities, however, a part of her was telling her that Tatsumi wasn't ready yet.

"Yes." He affirmed as he now made sure his spaulder was tight, but not tight enough to the point where he was feeling any discomfort. "It's time I resume my duties as a prince and a warrior."

Farah frowned slightly upon hearing this, and said to him. "Still, don't you think it's a little too soon to be returning to the war?" She had heard about his friend's death, and had been there when he had gone to his tombstone and had witnessed Tatsumi's pain and sadness, so she could understand if he desired revenge, but something inside of her was telling her to try to prevent him from fighting again.

"Farah." Tatsumi in a neutral tone as he averted his attention towards her. "After the doctor told me I was fit for combat, I had planned on donning my equipment, but you had wanted me to rest for a couple more days. I did that, and now you're trying to stop me again. I can't lay in that bed all day."

"I'm not saying to lay in the bed, Your Highness." She started with a look of displeasure. "You can do other things, like command from the palace, or-"

"Farah, I can't do that." He coldly interrupted causing her to flinch. "I'm not a commander, I'm a warrior, and if I sat inside the palace, then people will think I'm a coward. I have to be at the next battle, on the front lines."

"But..." At this Farah was speechless, she had heard that the morale was low, and had heard that some of the soldiers began to believe that their prince was cowering inside the palace, so she knew he had to be present in the next fight.

However, she couldn't just accept this.

"Is there something wrong with being a coward?" She asked him as tears began to unconsciously fall from her cheeks. "If it means you can come back, and live another day, is is wrong to be a coward?"

"Farah..." Spoke Tatsumi with sadness latched to his voice.

"Your Highness, I-" She began in a voice full of emotion, but was stopped by the sounds of horns being blown.

They signified that the enemy was coming, which meant...

General Esdeath was here.

Knowing that he needed to get to the Southern wall quickly, he said to Farah. "Stay in this room, and do not leave it, I'll be back soon."

With that said and done, Tatsumi grabbed his spear and left the room with Falco who had decided to come with his master this time, leaving Farah all alone in the prince's room.

Farah stood there with tears still flowing down her cheeks, and a look of sadness written on her face.

"Don't make a girl a promise, if you know you can't keep it..." She muttered to herself.

As Esdeath approached the City of Ylona, she said out loud. "Today's the day this city falls."

(Revan's AN): And cut, um, I don't have much to say, to be honest, I decided to do a short chapter, and hopefully have the next chapter be a long one, but I'm not so certain really. I mean anything can happen, I guess it depends on how I write it. Also yes, I did steal that line from Cortana. Anyways, I do believe I'm going to end it here, and then pick up writing the next chapter, for I am excited about it. However, I don't think I'll update this story today and do a double update. Alright with that said, I leave, see you guys later.

Link to the discord server: discord .gg/ uDxVym8