AN: Oh my god, sorry everyone! Lately I've had a lot of tests and studying I've had to deal with. But now I'm on Spring break, which is kind of a wake-up call to get back to work for me, I left it on a bad stop, hope you all understand why I've delayed making a new chapter. Now I will be rushing to make the Great Raid and move on to the samurai, we're getting closer and closer to the turnover point of the story. Now people have asked for an answer and YES, the Oroshi OC will be paired with the Nobushi/ Momiji. My original plan was to have him paired with Ayu/ the Kensei, but she seems so bland and honestly basic, whereas they had very little character development with Momiji and Akuma. But it won't be for a few chapters til we get the samurai started, still got the vikings to finish. Once again everyone, thanks for sticking around!
'Apollyon's war had taken us...to the edge of extinction. But that raid...reminded us, of who. We. Are.'
The entire viking fleet braved the storm, the Myre got closer and closer the farther they sailed. The ships were well crafted ships, as expected from vikings, as they used to and now again have the mightiest fleet.
'We began, with a fortress on the sea. But...they knew we were coming."
A lone samurai fortress stood in the way of the vikings, who weren't quite prepared for the samurai to have mustered several hundred in defense against the invasion...but it was a shadow of what the entire Dawn Empire army looked like united; several thousand warriors, but each leader was so caught up in their political strife for the mantle as emperor.
A kensei, fully armored, held his Nodachi upon his shoulder, he looked over the overlook if the fort to observe the approaching viking fleet.
"Yumiya! Kasai!" he ordered, the archer commander flipped her paper sign, signaling them to fire. The archers raised their bows, arrows lit with fire, and released their arrows.
Below, a shugoki saw the signal and rallied the artillery crews.
"Kasai!" he ordered, the soldiers all moved to the large, crossbow-styled artillery weapons. They loaded and fired upon the approaching fleet.
The vikings were barely prepared to face the barrage of arrows followed up by flaming boulders from the artillery.
"Brace!" a soldier on Theoden's, Runa, Stigandr, Helvar and Siv's ship growled before he was sent off the side, into the water, by a flaming arrow.
"Raise shields if you have one! Everyone who doesn't, find one or take cover behind those who do! Otherwise, brave the barrage!" Stigandr roared. Theoden and the rest scrambled to grab a shield, bar Runa who knelt down and raised her own shield.
They heard gongs fill the fort, Theoden and Stigandr growled at the sound.
"Sounds like they're trying to rally themselves!" Helvar spoke loudly, but Stigandr laughed at his attempt to answer.
"Anywhere I've been, bells, braziers, horns, or gongs usually never changes anything! Right now, they're just making music!" he laughed, before looking to a berserker standing in front of the helm and main mast.
The ship next to theirs was sunk by a boulder on impact, they had already taken bad casualties. But this was the purpose of only bringing this proportion of their fleet, they couldn't risk committing their entire fleet; they didn't even have half of it, the rest of their army was held back to await when their main battle section of the fleet had taken the fort and their foothold within the Myre.
The samurai on the beach began pulling chains; soon, large wooden stakes began emerging from the water. The few ships that passed by the flagships, which were armored for the purpose of breaking through this defense, were destroyed upon contact with the stakes as the archers finished whoever survived the crash.
Stigandr looked to Siv, who shrugged. They saw soldiers on the ships to their other side get floored quickly as arrows sank into their flesh uncovered by armor.
"Alright, if they wanna play music, let's play!" the jarl laughed, before nodding to Siv.
"Drums." he ordered.
She looked to the ships around them, the drums were a morale strategy.
"DRUMS!" she roared. Suddenly, the sounds of battle drums filled the air around the fleet. The soldiers on the drums began playing a war beat in sync, the sound made their eardrums ring, but it got the blood flowing in their soldiers as they approached the beach.
They approached the stakes, every flagship lined up in a row to crash through the wall of pikes.
As they got closer and closer, a warlord looked back to them all, raising his sword.
"Ready your weapons!" he growled, Theoden dropped his temporary shield, Helvar and Siv did the same. Runa and Stigandr lowered their shields and readied themselves for the battle ahead.
Their ships crashed through the first line of stakes, the beach only yards away now. The soldiers on the beach retreated in panic as the ships came closer.
Theoden held onto the side of the ship as it crashed through the final line of stakes and their ship slid easily onto the sandy beach, the rest of their flagships did the same.
"To the gates!" he ordered before dropping onto the beach. Marauders, viking swordsmen, warlords, valkyries, berserkers, and a few raiders dropped down and prepared to storm the beach.
He looked back to the army as it began it's charge.
"I welcome you all!" he growled, as a boulder struck the ground behind him, killing an unlucky marauder.
Theoden didn't even wait for Stigandr and the others to join him before beginning his charge. He and two other minor raiders charged behind the main force as they charged up the beach of arrows and boulders striking the Earth around them.
Each boulder that hit shook the ground beneath the vikings as they moved, but they didn't care. As they approached the gate, it slammed shut, a small force was left to hold them outside, while reinforcements came from the viking's flank to join the greeting force.
Chosen militia fighters, light shields and curved sword in their hands, formed a defensive line, several samurai officers, the equivalent to knight captains and viking swordsmen, stood in the back.
The viking marauders and swordsmen clashed with the militia. They were unprepared for Theoden and his few raiders to break their line in a matter of seconds. He sent waves back dead with each swing from his axe.
They didn't have a ram to break the gate open, not like a ram would work either, it would only damage the gate, not break it open.
He had to await Runa's infiltrators and mechanics to arrive with their equipment. It didn't take long for Stigandr, Helvar and Siv to join the fight. Theoden almost cut a soldier in half with his axe before reeling back and striking another with the butt of his axe.
The soldier stumbled back, his neck came into contact with one of Siv's axes, right before she beheaded him with the other. She used the butt of one of her axes to strike another militiaman across the face. The same soldier stumbled back into Helvar's range, who grappled him with his axes, and used the blades to slice the soldier's throat.
He kicked another one back, which was quickly impaled on Stigandr's sword. He pulled his shield back to block a Chosen's attack, before releasing his sword from the corpse. He bashed the soldier across the face and drove his sword into the militiaman's gut.
"Theoden!" he heard Runa call him, he looked back to see her and the siege engineers readying the equipment, but Chosen soldiers had cut them off.
He pulled away from the main skirmish and ran across the beach to give her aid. When he arrived, a lone officer stood in his way. The soldier was similar to the kenseis, but not as armored, nor as skilled.
The soldier made the mistake to try an offensive stance, he swung downward at the raider, who only sidestepped the attack and brought his axe up, the blade buried it's way into his gut.
He now flanked the militiamen, he began slaughtering every soldier in his way. He shoved one to the ground before bringing his axe down into the militiaman's skull. He blocked another one's attack before headbutting the soldier. He raised his axe and swung to the right, the blade of the axe beheaded another soldier.
He thinned them out enough til the point he had now joined Runa.
She signaled for them to begin, they looked to see more soldiers approaching. Stigandr sent a small group of marauders to hold the rear along with Runa.
She looked to Theoden, "Go!" she ordered, he was confused.
"Lead the climb!" she ordered again, he was a bout to refuse but the soldiers behind them began clashing.
"I'll be fine! Just get our army into the fort!" she growled, before leaping into the militia group's ranks.
He sighed, looking to his own grapple hook-launcher. The soldiers and him began firing their hooks onto the wall until they grabbed onto the ramparts.
He began his climb, along with the small group of infiltrators.
They began dropping stones to kill them as they climbed. The infiltrator to Theoden's side fell to the ground as a large stone crushed his skull and sent him falling. He jumped to the right to avoid a stone being dropped onto him.
A militiaman on the wall noticed the the grapple hook on the wall and an idea formed in his mind; he began bashing the hook with the stone.
When the hooks were all gone, they began celebrating, thinking they had won the battle; until a large axe flew up into the militiaman's skull. Theoden climbed over the wall and retrieved his axe. The few in his way tried to retreat, but there was nowhere to go.
He began cutting them down as he proceeded through the fortress. The Raider was looking for the gate controls.
He came to a clearing where the rain hit the stone and wood of the walls, a large man in buckled armor, with a large, spiked mace styled weapon; he wore a mask resembling a demon: a Shugoki.
He rolled under the large man's attack, several times more as the shugoki didn't let up. Theoden spotted a section of the wall around them that had no guard rails, it wouldn't be easy but he had an idea to deal with the shugoki.
He ducked under another attack and bashed the other warrior across his masked face and grabbed hold of the larger man. He roared as he carried the shugoki until he managed to throw the man over the wall. He thought nothing more of the shugoki as he continued across the wall and through the fort.
He finally, after much fighting across the walls, managed to find the gate controls. When he opened it, he was met with the sight of the samurai leader, Fujikiyo, a revered commander of the Dawn Empire's army.
The viking army now began storming the fort, marauders charged through the pathways along with their elite fighters. Archers began to fire at them from above.
Stigandr looked up to see Theoden continuing across the walls to kill the archers. He cheered the raider on before rejoining the fight.
Runa looked up to see Theoden fighting through the fort, she took a minor prayer for him before joining the fight with the rest.
Theoden had finished the archers and looked to their force below; a chain connected to the ground, it could get him down to join them.
He held the staff of his axe over the chain and began sliding down to join Stigandr and the others.
When he reached the ground finally, he led them on through the fort, only one more section remained.
He entered, only for a gate to cut him off from his allies by an iron gate, he was stuck in the circling with Fujikiyo. He was fighting three marauders.
He impaled a soldier on his blade, before dropping the corpse and slicing sideways, cutting the other one in half. He spun around and decapitated the last marauder. He looked upon Theoden and growled in disgust.
"Sore wa anatadeshita!" he growled, pointing to the Warborn soldiers.
"Sabēji! Anata wa subete o hakai shita!" he growled, turning away and looking upon his burning fort.
"Watashi no yōsai wa ushinawa rete imasu. Watashi no heishi-tachi wa gyakusatsu sa remashita. Sugu ni watashi wa karera ni sanka shimasu." he turned back to Theoden an raised his sword.
"Anata wa mon o aita. Ima anata wa shiharaudeshou." he cleaned his blade and readied himself; Theoden readied his axe.
The kensei charged the raider, viking vs samurai. A battle to the death. He leaped at Theoden, using his light, armored sandals. The raider stumbled back and just barely managed to block the samurai's next attack before using a now free hand to punch the kensei across his helmeted face.
Runa and the rest of their group observed the duel and cheered Theoden on.
"I think he likes you, Theoden!" she chuckled a but, hiding the fact that she was worried he could be beaten by Fujikiyo.
The kensei flipped forward, before bringing his blade down, Theoden managed to block most of it, but the sword left a noticeable slice in his skin.
He brought the butt of his axe up and bashed the kensei across the face. He stumbled back, but couldn't stop the raider from carrying him into the nearest wall, and slam his knee into the samurai's face. Fujikiyo used his free leg to kick the raider across the face.
Theoden stumbled back, but for a moment, an idea, he faked being dazed; the samurai leaped at him again, but this time, Theoden reached out and grabbed the samurai's arm which was holding the handle of his sword.
Theoden, with a growl, swung the samurai into the wall next to him before bringing the butt of his axe up. He reeled back and swung his axe into the kensei's gut.
Fujikiyo fell to the ground as blood spilled from his wounds.
"Baikingusu ga kore o okonau koto ga dekireba... Teikoku wa unmei ni aru... Apollyon ga kokkyō o kōgeki suru to, watashitachiha Myre o ushinaudarou." he felt his mind slip into the oblivion.
Theoden wanted to grant him a warrior's death; he fought well. He brought his axe down and decapitated the kensei.
He took a moment before looking to the others, a smirk growing on his face.
"Let the raid begin!" he roared, earning a war cry from the army of vikings.
(Hours later)
The vikings had cleared the fort of corpses and would use it as shelter for the night. Theoden looked upon the capital of the Myre in the far distance...that was their ultimate goal.
He wouldn't lie, he could care less about the plunder of the raid, all he wanted was for the viking people to return to glory so he could maybe get revenge for the Warborn and Valkenheim. But with his limited numbers, they didn't stand a chance against the Blackstone Legion.
He shook his head, they would find a way...for their people.
"You alright?" Runa's voice alerted him of her presence. He placed his helmet on a table near him.
"Yes...just...thinking…back to when the Blackstones invaded Valkenheim..." her eyes narrowed.
"I told you before, Gudmundr's death wasn't your fault; it was Apollyon's!" she growled, he shook his head.
"I'm not gonna lie Runa...I didn't want this raid, but if it meant our people surviving, I'd do anything. But if she hadn't killed Gudmundr and crippled the Warborn, the vikings wouldn't have needed to bring a new war to the Myre. If I had been there, I could have saved him." he sighed tiredly. She only shook her head.
She looked out the window upon the ships that were now landing, most of the army was now in the Myre.
"Listen...if you keep thinking of the past and the 'What If's', it'll tear you apart on the inside; so I'm telling you. Don't do it." she sighed, he only chuckled.
"It's odd...you used to be the last person I'd ever come to for advice...now you're the first person I seek it from." she chuckled in return.
"Well...times change people...on the inside...and the outside..." she whispered the last part as she trailed her fingers across his back, which his armor was no longer covering.
"Indeed they do..." he, like a whirlwind, had her on the ground and was kissing her neck, she wrapped her legs around his waist and grabbed his back roughly as they pressed against each other.
The two would share an aggressively passionate night together before the true raid commenced.
Kasai- Fire!
Sore wa anatadeshita- It was you!
Sabēji- Savage!
Anata wa subete o hakai shita- You have destroyed everything!
Watashi no yōsai wa ushinawa rete imasu. Watashi no heishi-tachi wa gyakusatsu sa remashita. Sugu ni watashi wa karera ni sanka shimasu- My fortress is lost. My soldiers, slaughtered. Soon I will join them.
Anata wa mon o aita. Ima anata wa shiharaudeshou.- You opened the gate. Now, you will pay.
Baikingusu ga kore o okonau koto ga dekireba... Teikoku wa unmei ni aru... Apollyon ga kokkyō o kōgeki suru to, watashitachiha Myre o ushinaudarou...- If Vikings were able to do this ...the Empire is doomed ... with Apollyon attacking our borders, we will lose the Myre…
Okay so that starts the Great Raid! I can't wait to get to the main point of the story. People are already making theories, which won't work for me, I need complete unawareness, you guys piece this together too quickly! XD...But anyway, Sorry again that I took over 2 weeks to get this chapter out, I was just really busy, I promise I'll try to get the next one out soon! Cya! Also, the translations may not be 100% accurate as/ A. I don't know ANY foreign language, B. Google Translate isn't the best thing ever./ DUES VULT!