Updated 18 December 2017
Somehow I did all the original, 9700 word version of this in a day… I don't know how.
Here we are! The last chapter of Lyn's tale! Well, in FE7 anyway. There will still be one more chapter in Tale 9B, but it will serve more as an epilogue to Lyn's story and a bridge to later tales. 9x, the next and final tale before Chrom's story, exists almost solely to bridge Elibe and Ylisse.
Bern Manse, 15 Sage 979 A.S.
General Murdock was training Prince Zephiel in swordsmanship when they felt the quake.
"Lord General, a moment please!" one of the Manse's guards entered.
"Yes?"
"We believe someone may have entered the premises without authorization. We don't know how, and we'd need your help hunting him down,"
"Very well," Murdock grunted and turned to his liege, "stay here, my Prince. I shall return shortly." Zephiel nodded in response, then placed his training sword on a rack and sat down.
After Murdock had left the area, a cloaked figure entered the room. Zephiel drew his rapier and opened his mouth to shout for the guards, but the figure threw her hands up.
"Wait, my Prince! I'm not here to hurt you. I just need to talk. Please grace me with a moment of your time!"
"That voice… Vaida! What are you doing here?! Aren't you supposed to–"
"I didn't kill those men! My people are innocent! It was Holsey… that bastard tricked us… no doubt to ensure a promotion."
"…"
"Look, I just joined a mercenary guild called the Black Fang and I'm going to lay low for a while before I try to clear my name. I… just want you to know my loyalty to you has not and will never waiver."
"Your service to the crown is–"
"No, not to the crown! To you, my prince! You are the one who will restore us to glory. I will always support you, openly or from the shadows."
"…"
"Now that I've said my piece, I will take my leave of you. Be well, my prince, and may the Saint smile brightly upon you."
"There he is! Get him!" two guards shouted as they entered the training room. Before they could land their hands on her, Vaida pulled out a warp crystal and vanished.
"My prince! Are you alright?" Murdock stormed into the room.
"I'm fine, Murdock…"
Castle Caelin, 16 Sage 979 A.S.
"Brother, I must admit, the woman claiming to be your granddaughter is proving to be quite persuasive. She now has an entire battalion under her command, as well as the support of the Knight Commander and his predecessor, Marshal Wallace," Lundgren said as he sat at his brother's bedside. Pent Reglay was with him, trying his best to prolong the Marquess' life and prevent the spread of his illness.
"I still believe she's legitimate. And if what you say is true, then even if she isn't it would be in Caelin's best interest for her to join the nobility. If she is as persuasive as you say, perhaps she can acquire the trust and support of our neighbors. And what's the old saying, 'the proud people of Sacae tell no lies', I believe?" Hausen said weakly.
"We keep using the word 'legitimate'; I'm not entirely sure that it's appropriate to do so. After all, when Lady Madelyn moved to the plains, she forfeited her birthright. Her daughter, therefore, cannot make a claim. Also, do you remember what Duke Thracia said? She does not seek a claim to the throne. And didn't we resolve at our last meeting to give her a home here but not make her a noble? Just let her live a quiet life in the presence of her family, for heaven's sake!" Pent said.
"The duke may be lying," Lundgren grunted.
"I've known Yosef for a very long time; he is many things, but a liar he is not," Pent said.
"Can you prove that?" Hausen squinted.
"Lundgren, you have a Scrying Crystal, do you not? Why don't you ask him how he knows me? He will say we met in his home oasis in the Nabata. The ask him about a man named Bantu. Perhaps then you will believe how well he and I know each other."
"I'll do that right now," Lundgren took one last sip of his tea and left the room.
Caelin Castle Town Outskirts, 18 Sage 979 A.S.
Lyndis' Legion had decided to set up camp the previous night to get some sleep before the final confrontation. Now that they were awake and packed, they proceeded on the last leg of their journey. Half way to the Castle Town, they were met by the bulk of the Castle's army, led by Knight Sub-Commander Logan himself. A few choice words from Wallace, Eagler and Lyn convinced the soldiers to switch sides. Now that the former Lorca had such a large force supporting her, she was confident she would accomplish her goals.
"I can see the town from here!" Wil called out. He and Matthew had the best vision of anyone in the Legion, so they were chosen to scout ahead. Matthew was still looking around when he noticed something strange,
"Uh, sub-commander? Is the Castle Town usually empty at this time of day?" The Ostian asked.
"No. Based on the sun's position, I'd say it's late morning. Usually, this is primetime for the merchants," Logan responded, "Why do you ask?"
"There's no-one there that I can see."
"That's odd. In all the years I served in Caelin, it never once was empty at this hour," Yogi frowned.
"It's Lundgren's doing, Logan. He probably ordered the people somewhere out of the way, either so it would be easier for Caelin's troops to engage, or to prevent the civilians from getting in contact with us, as we could persuade them to join our side," Eagler sighed.
"Or both…" Kent added.
"Anyway, on a separate note… Kent, didn't you say Wallace used to be a General in Caelin, not the Knight Commander?" Lyn asked.
"What? The rank of General does not exist in Caelin. Why would you say such a thing?" Herman folded his arms.
"Did I really say that? My apologies. The reason is… well… Wallace confided in Sain and me that he was moving to Ilia with his lover – who he had been keeping a secret – and was going to join the mercenary service as a general. We had seen him and Eagler many times since then, and I had grown accustomed to addressing him by that rank." Kent turned to Wallace, "I figured since you've already revealed yourself to us it would be OK to tell them now."
"It's fine, Kent. I am proud of my job, and I regret not telling everyone sooner. Still, you should have asked first, so I'm ordering you to do one hundred push-ups," Wallace said sternly, as if he were Kent's teacher again.
"Sir?"
"NOW!"
"Yes, Marshal!" Kent dismounted and began doing as ordered. Eagler had to stifle a chuckle, and he assumed Wallace was laughing inwardly, as the former Knight Commander no longer held any authority over Kent, yet the orange-clad cavalier obeyed him regardless.
Lundgren entered his study, where his informant was waiting for him.
"I assume you know of the impostor's whereabouts?" the spy asked.
"Yes… although I'm no longer sure she is an impostor. I plan on consulting some associates on the matter."
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Why?"
"Let's say your associates confirm your suspicions that you are related. What would become of you? Your brother would indubitably force her to become his heir regardless of her desires and you would fall into obscurity. Is it really worth it? What about all the reforms you planned for a united Lycia? Do you not seek to improve this nation?"
"Well, she's young… I figured I could convince her to follow my beliefs."
"She's a Sacaen, my lord. Those savages are stubborn to the bitter end."
"Yes… I suppose they are. So, what do you think I should do?"
"Simple. Contact your friends if you wish, but either way, kill her. Tell your brother it was in self-defense, as when you tried to reason with her she made an attempt on your life."
"What of the Mage General?"
"I'll block his senses, so he won't know if you are telling the truth or not, and he won't be able to detect any battles."
"I… understand… thank you, Ephidel. I will make preparations to deal with the traitors," Lundgren averted his eyes. The spy nodded and warped away.
"Go tend to your brother. I'll ensure the loyalty of your civilians and soldiers," the Acting Marquess' master said to him.
"Master, how do you plan on doing that?"
"I have my methods."
"My lust for knowledge compels me to ask for a more detailed answer, master."
"Very well. I shall corrupt their quintessence and turn them into creatures of great power. They will answer to me and me alone. Do not worry, my faithful servant. I will restore them after our enemies have been dealt with and the Mani Katti is in my grasp."
"You are my lord and master. I will carry out any task in your name."
Lundgren returned to his brother's chambers and sat down at the bedside. Count Reglay was kind enough to refill his teacup.
"Well?" Pent asked.
"Lord Yosef did not answer my call."
"He's probably in a meeting," Hausen said.
"That was my assumption as well," Lundgren sighed and sipped his tea. After a moment of silent contemplation, there was a knock on the door and Caelinschancellor Reissmann entered.
"Lord Marquess, I believe it may be time to write your last will and testament," the Chancellor said softly.
"Indeed it is," the dying Marquess coughed. Reissmann walked over to Hausen's desk and pulled out a pen, ink and some paper. Lundgren got up and moved out of the way so the chancellor could sit down while Hausen recited his will. For the his brother's sake, he wore a stoic expression, but internally he was distraught. Despite all their disagreements, they were still brothers, and Lundgren wanted nothing but the best for him.
"It is time," Lundgren's master said to him telepathically.
"I have to go. Lord Pent, please stay here with my brother and the chancellor. I now intend on at least allowing the girl to see you three. Perhaps she is legitimate… I am not sure. I am going to meet her and escort her here. See you soon." Lundgren bowed his head to the Mage General and put a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder before leaving to take care of his would-be grandniece.
Lyndis' Legion finally made it to the capital. The castle, in typical Lycian style, appeared pragmatic on the exterior, but was gargantuan and more likely than not grandiose on the interior. The town before it was simple, with wooden houses lining the cobblestone roads and a fountain, church and statue of Elimine in the square. What was surprising is how desolate it was; Matthew's description seemed to be at the very least euphemistic. The homes seemed to be in mild disrepair and there wasn't a soul to be seen anywhere in the town. When Sain and Kent left, and when Yogi left for that matter, the town was bustling with activity.
What could have happened in a matter of days? Erk shuttered with a headache. He felt a great darkness covering the land. Whatever was causing the disturbance must be infinitely more powerful than anything the Etruscan mage had ever heard of. He doubted even the great dragons of old were capable of generating such auras.
"This… is like a ghost town… what happened here?" Sain shuttered.
"I've ordered the civilians to an underground tunnel from the Scouring so they'd be safe from the likes of you," came a voice out of nowhere. Suddenly, Lundgren himself warped in front of the main column, much to the surprise of the core Legion, who had forgotten he was a sage. "Lord Lundgren…" Kent scowled.
"So you are Lord Lundgren," Lyn said softly before stepping forward and showing herself to her granduncle.
"Based on your resemblance to my niece, you must be the woman claiming kinship with my brother and me."
"I am of your kin! How else could I bear such a resemblance to my mother and father, Madelyn Caelin and Hassar of the Lorca!"
"Even if that were true, I cannot allow you to stake a claim to the throne. Having a Sacaen enter the Lycian nobility would mean civil war!"
"I seek no title! I only wish to see my grandfather before he dies, then settle somewhere in Caelin so I could be near the only family I have left!"
"Do you honestly expect me to believe that? And regardless of your and my personal feelings, my brother insists that you be welcomed as a noblewoman. He does not have the foresight of his advisors, all of whom were adamant about not accepting you."
"If he really cares about me that much, won't he respect my feelings on the matter?"
"I'm afraid my brother is a lot more selfish than his façade will lead you to believe. He feigns loyalty to the people just so they stay in check. Sorry to break it to you, but your grandfather is not as noble a person you may believe him to be."
"I don't care! I just want to see him! If you decide to stand in my way, you would leave me no choice but to force my way through!"
"Surely you are not that foolish…" Lundgren prepared himself just in case she were. With a scowl, Lyn drew Mani Katti and charged, aiming for his wrists so as to incapacitate, but not kill him. There was some restraint in her movements, as she was not comfortable harming a family member, no matter what they may have done or tried to do.
"THAT'S THE MANI KATTI! KILL HER!" A demonic voice echoed through the skies. As those words filled the area, Nils' senses seem to overload, as he glimpsed a vision of the future.
A great, city-sized demon was burning a large castle to the ground. Its laughs could be heard throughout the entire region, which had been reduced to ash and rubble. Risen revenants filled the streets, slaughtering all the men, women and children who survived the initial blasts. Erk found himself being warped to a point inside what remained of the castle. Standing in front him was a blue-haired woman holding a uniquely shaped longsword with an upward-curving guard. Next to her was a silver haired, golden eyed man in a black greatcoat, and before her were countless corpses and a black-cloaked man with a dark purple aura. He carried an onyx sword that split into a Y at the guard, then curved back into the handle. The resulting hole glowed purple like the demon's aura.
"Elibe is in ashes, Valm is crumbling and now Ylisse will meet its end. This world will fall before our might, and then we will move on to other worlds. Yes, the entire universe will crumble beneath our feet. Not even the Eternal One Himself can stop us now!" In spite of these words, the woman still held her sword up to the demon. She stood alone before its might, yet her courage did not falter.
"The line of Anri ends with you, little one. Now you must die!" the black-cloaked figure laughed as reality began to disintegrate around them. Soon, there was nothing but chaos, as there was before the world was formed.
Nils found himself back where he started as if nothing had happened. Apparently, his vision only lasted a moment.
"As you wish, my master." A black aura began to surround Lundgren, who began chanting in demontongue. When his incantation was complete, his eyes turned red and his voice ceased to be his own.
"What the hell did he just say?" Wallace shouted.
"Hell's Army, I call upon thee. Oure Master hath given unto us a great task: claim thine enemy's lives and bring their quintessences unto me…" Nils shuddered.
"How did you–" Before the knight could finish his sentence, Lundgren warped away and dozens of monsters appeared from the houses. Entombed, Arch Mogalls, Elder Baelim, Wights, Deathgoyles, Maelduinir, Gwyllgŵn, Gorgons and Cyclopes covered the streets, charging at the group at varying speeds.
The Arch Mogalls and Deathgoyles, which were able to traverse any terrain unhindered, reached the group first.
"Archers! Aim for the flyers! Like all winged creatures they are vulnerable to arrows! Lucius! Aim for the flying eyes – they use elder magic! Everyone else, focus on the other creatures. They are not any easier or harder to kill than their live equivalents!" Erk shouted out. Unfortunately, the appearances of the creatures, as well as the fact that Lundgren was the one who summoned them, paralyzed most of the Legion with fear. No-one moved as the creatures began cutting through their ranks. Wallace, Eagler and some of the more disciplined knights came to their sense after a moment of shock, scowled and rushed forth, their power matching their anger as they fought back. Erk managed to shake Lucius out of his fear and the two magic users began pelting the fiends from afar. Wallace took it upon himself to gather the courage of the others before the rest of the horde reached them.
"Listen up everyone! I don't care where these fiends came from, but they are still mortal and they stand between us and the Marquess. Kill them all! For Lord and Land!" the Marshal shouted. His voice was loud and commanding enough to muster the confidence of the Legion. Each of the core members gave their own battle cries.
"For my Grandfather!" cried Lyn.
"For our Marquess and for our Lady Liege!" cried Kent, Sain, Yogi, Herman, Eagler and the Caelin regulars.
"I have to do this… for Lyn!" cried Florina.
"Uh, what they said!" cried Wil.
"Lady Lyn saved my wife and myself. I am in her debt, and I intend on repaying it!" cried Dorcas.
"We have no choice but to win. This darkness must perish!" cried Erk, Nils and Ninian.
"…" Rath remained silent. He took a deep breath and concentrated his mind.
"Well, I'm here, so I might as well make myself useful. Let's do this!" cried Matthew.
"May Saint Elimine guide us to victory over these agents of darkness," prayed Lucius.
"Alright! Let's show these demons what for!" Wallace laughed.
"Here's our plan:" Erk started, "Marshal Wallace, you and I will take point. These creatures have low resistance to magic and you are easily a one-man-army, so we shouldn't have a problem. Florina, take to the skies to attract the attention of the archers and flyers. Your Pegasus is faster than the winged fiends, so they shouldn't be able to reach you, let alone hit you. As for the archers, well, you have a Delphi Shield to protect you from their arrows. Yogi, take a group of armor knights and guard Wil, who will be shooting down Florina's pursuers. Herman, take a fraction of the main force to guard our rear. Dorcas, Lady Serra, you and a portion of the main army will stay by Natalie and Ninian and will switch out with engaged soldiers when needed. Commander Eagler, Sub-Commander Logan, each of you should take a group of cavaliers and mounted archers to engage the creatures trying to outflank us. Lucius, focus on the units using magic. Their elder magic is weak to your sacred magic, so you should not have too much trouble if you are careful. Lady Lyn, take Nils and the bulk of our army and follow Marshal Wallace and myself. The two of us should be able to eliminate most of the resistance, but since we'll be rushing through, there will be some who we overlook. You are tasked with taking care of them. Once we all complete our tasks, we'll meet up in front of the gate. Lundgren is incredibly powerful and we cannot afford to rush him. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the soldiers shouted in unison. Before the mage ran off to the front, Nils pulled him aside.
"Erk, be careful. I sense that Lundgren has shown but a mere fraction of his full potential. It is possible that we will not be able to defeat him," the blue-haired youth warned.
"I sense that too. The problem is, we really don't have a choice. I'm hoping Lyn's sword will give us some sort of advantage… Sir Sain was bragging about its magical abilities earlier," the mage sighed. The two contemplated their fates for a moment before running off to engage the enemy.
Wallace spun his partisan above his head, then behind his back, and finally he thrusted it through a group of revenants who made the critical mistake of approaching single-file. The Marshal plowed through the undead horde, crushing his enemies with his silver axe before retrieving his partisan. Now wielding two weapons, he continued felling all who stood in his path. At least until a Gorgon hit him with a stone spell, that is. He froze and became encased in a stone shell. Erk swore and shot the Gorgon with the best fire spell he could muster, completely incinerating it. Doing so did not break the spell as Erk believed, so he ran over to the knight and chanted an incantation Pent once taught him. It was designed to free people encased in ice, but since it also worked on paralysis spells Erk hoped it would work on stone. To his relief, it did, and he explained the situation to Wallace, who quickly rejoined the fray, now paying special attention to the Gorgons. Erk himself made them priority targets and directed some of his soldiers accordingly.
Eagler, Rath and the cavaliers engaged the Maelduinir with varying success. Half of them used either bows or axes and the rest used both, making defeating them incredibly difficult for Eagler's men, who tended to be best with lances. Rath was faster than the enemy bowmen, so he managed to eliminate a good deal of them. The cavaliers charged with all they were worth in an attempt to throw their enemies off guard. It didn't work, as the creatures were emotionless and operated like machines, but the knights held fast and with heavy casualties managed to defeat their foes. Or so they thought. While the group they targeted was annihilated, a pack of Gwyllgŵn rushed them at blinding speeds. Fortunately, half of them exploded before they reached the unprepared knights, but those that remained managed to pick off all of Eagler's unit, save Kent, Sain, Rath and himself, before they were all finally defeated. After that encounter, Matthew sneaked up to them.
"Just so you know, I planted the explosives that dispatched half of those three-headed dogs. I procured them off of a traveling alchemist named Hannah, who called them 'mines'," Matthew smirked.
"How much did those cost?" Kent grunted between sword strokes, as a new horde of monsters, this time a mixed one, had charged the group.
"Oh, come on Kent, I'm me!" Matthew chuckled as he deftly slit the throats of his assailants.
"Of course…" Sain muttered as he stuck his lance through the head of an Entombed.
Logan and his cavaliers were the unfortunate group to stumble upon the cyclopes, who had group together in an attempt to flank and overrun the main legion when they passed through the square. The sub-commander knew he stood little chance, but fought his damnedest to carry the day. The cavaliers had the advantage of numbers at first, and in groups sliced and stabbed at the cyclopes' legs to knock them off balance, then finished them off once they were down. It worked somewhat, but the uninjured monsters were strong enough to fell three cavaliers and their mounts with a single swing… and that is exactly what they did. By the end of the engagement, it was just Logan facing down the last cyclops. Logan spurred his horse and charged the monster, aiming his silver lance at its head. He succeeded in killing it, but unfortunately the monster fell forward and crushed the sub-commander and his mount.
Florina dashed around the skies, drawing the attention of the enemy archers and deathgoyles who tried with little success to catch up to her. In fact, the archers mostly ended up hitting their allies as Huey was moving too fast for the ground units to keep up. The few that hit the Pegasus bounced right off of his Delphi Shield. After the incident with the ballista, Erk had enchanted the shield so it would generate a protective field around his wings. While it may or may not have truly been strong enough to deflect a ballista bolt, it was certainly effective against arrows. Still, like any anima enchantment, it could be worn down over time, so Florina was still careful to avoid arrows when she could.
Wil had procured a longbow from the fallen body of a Wight, so he climbed a hill in the back of the line and sniped any archer who fired at Florina, leaving the deathgoyles to Herman's archers. Yogi and his group of armor knights weren't as nimble, so it took them a little longer to climb. Fortunately, Wil was a capable soldier, and he managed to fend off the monsters long enough for his escorts to arrive. The knights were doing the job as well as they could, but the resilience of the Entombed were wearing down on their stamina. Eventually, they had defeated the group, but hordes of Elder Baelim charged them at blinding speeds. The knights had thick armor, but the jaws, stingers and talons of the arachnids proved to be able to penetrate it nonetheless. Their stingers and some of their talons contained poisons, so the barricade around Wil was rapidly dwindling. To make matters worse, Arch Mogalls began flying over to aid their eight-legged comrades. Fortunately for Wil and Yogi's group, Herman had sent some of his soldiers to bolster them, and with renewed vigor Wil's guards pushed the Baelim back, holding them off long enough for the other groups to provide relief. The Mogalls, however, were proving to be more difficult. Their maneuverability and small size allowed them to easily avoid the weighed-down armor knights and hold their own against the well-rounded regulars who joined the fray. It wasn't until Lucius showed up alongside Ninian and started helping with his magic that the tide turned in favor of Lyndis' Legion. Ninian, who had finally recovered from her leg injury, danced and sang for her allies, granting them additional stamina and made them more resistant to their enemy's blows. This proved to be essential, as the Mogalls seemed determined to fight to the last man.
Herman's battalion, or at least the relatively small group he didn't send to relieve Yogi and Wil's group, was guarding the flank, and was lucky to only be engaging Wights. While the skeletal fiends proved to be quite a challenge, they did not have any special abilities, aside from the fact they could only be killed if they were decapitated. This did prove to be a problem, as the Caelin regulars were primarily trained with the lance, not the sword or axe, so they were forced to use weapons they were not quite comfortable with to finish off their foes. Herman himself was an experienced, well-trained soldier, so he got used to using a secondary weapon relatively quickly. His soldiers simply observed his motions and mimicked them to the best of their respective abilities.
Lyn, Nils and the bulk of the Legion ran down the center line, killing all the enemies Wallace and Erk missed as they rushed through. While those that remained for Lyn were few in number, they were all powerful and extraordinarily resilient. Were it not for Nils' music, the Caelin Army would certainly have worn out a while back. Nils himself, however, was not fairing as well as those he was playing for. He had been playing his flute for over an hour nonstop and was beginning to tire. Soon, he found himself unable to play anymore and was forced to retreat to the back lines, where Natalie gave him water and a small meal. After a thirty minute reprieve, he was ready to rejoin the fray, along with the other soldiers who had switched out around the same time he did.
After a good two hours of fighting, Wallace and Erk finally came across the Castle gates. both the outer portcullis and the main gate were left open and unguarded. The Marshal took this as a challenge and rushed ahead, forgetting all the warnings Erk gave him.
Wallace entered to find Lundgren standing in the center of the great hall, alone, with his arms folded.
"Wallace! How good to see you again."
"Drop the act and fight me!"
"Whatever you say," Lundgren chuckled, extended an arm and with his magic threw the Ilian against the wall. While his armor protected him from suffering any serious injuries, Wallace was rendered unconscious by the Dark General's magic.
Erk was not as headstrong as the Marshal he had fought alongside, so he was spared the humiliation, which he had the displeasure of witnessing. Lundgren either did not notice the Etruscan or did not care enough to challenge him. Either way, what the mage lacked in physical strength he made up for with patience, so he was not going to fight the Acting Marquess without the support of the others.
Lyn's group was the first to reach Erk, followed shortly after by Eagler and Herman's groups. The rest came within fifteen minutes.
"Who's left?" Erk asked. When each group reported their figures, they realized they lost over eighty-five percent of their total force.
"Where's Wallace?" Eagler asked worriedly, noticing the Marshal was nowhere in sight.
"He's inside the great hall, unconscious. Lundgren knocked him out in one blow with black magic. There was nothing I could do. Fortunately, it seems Lundgren has left him alone for now."
"We have to end this now! Come on!" Lyn shouted and with her legion, she charged the castle.
No-one save Nils paid mind to the fact that Marshal Wallace was incapacitated with one hit.
Lyn stood before her granduncle, sword raised, and resolved to speak with him one last time.
"Lundgren! Since you are my granduncle, I will give you this one last chance to stand down. If you do, I promise that no-one will know of this and you can continue as you were!"
"Lundgren is not here anymore. I am Grima, his master… and your bane!" Lundgren, or moreover the creature that replaced him, laughed.
"Then I shall free him of you! Prepare yourself!"
"No. He is mine." Everyone gasped as they gazed upon the owner of the new voice.
"Lord Yosef, what are you–"
"I have my orders," the Duke shrugged, and for the first time in Lyn's presence drew his claymore. The blade looked fairly standard for its size, save for the runes engraved on the fuller. The eye at the center of the guard began to glow gold and a bright aura surrounded the blade and its wielder.
"Idavollr," Grima growled.
"That's right. It has been a long time."
"Hmph. Clearly our last encounter weakened you… so you shall fall without a problem this time! Die!" Grima summoned dark orbs and launched them at the Bernite. Yosef simply smiled and dodged or deflected them with his sword. Those that missed went on to hit spectators, blasting them to shreds and frightening all others present. Eventually Grima gave up on launching orbs, released a restraint on his power, and whipped out a black tome.
"Enough. Now, bear witness as I invoke your doom! Duniya ke vinaashak, main aap par adharm ke andhere se uthane ke lie aahvaan karata hoon. Main aapako aahvaan karata hoon: Pashupatita!"
A bolt appeared in the sky above the tome.
"Behold the Pashupatastra! A weapon against which there is no defense! Your end is nigh!" Grima raised his hand to the bolt, then pointed at Yosef. The bolt flew toward the Bernite and engulfed him. When the smoke cleared, nothing remained of him.
"Did you honestly think it would be that easy?" the voice of Yosef echoed around the hall.
"Where are you?! How did you survive?!"
"I am everywhere. I am everything. Surely you realized that after our last encounter, Grima!"
"…"
"I'd finish you off myself, but someone else present deserves that honor far more than I." Yosef then displayed an open plain, on which Lundgren stood with his guards facing a group Lyn recognized as the leaders of the Taliver bandits.
"I trust 5000 gold, plus this untraceable poison will be enough," Lundgren said and handed the leader a sack of bullions and a phial of poison.
"Heh, the Lorca have long been a thorn in our side. Thanks to you that's no longer the case. Don't worry, they'll all be dead before you know it," the leader responded. After Yosef was convinced he had shown enough, he ceased his display
"What? No, that's not me! That is not me!" the voice of Lundgren came from Grima's mouth.
"Lyndis, he's all yours."
"Forget it. The girl is no match for me," Grima's voice returned.
His magic will give you power. Use me to block his spells, the spirits of the Mani Katti instructed. Lyndis scowled and assumed a plow stance.
"Using the Darksphere, my father and his servant created a tome capable of rivaling those made by Naga himself. They were ultimately defeated due to the tome's imperfections… imperfections I have corrected in this!" Grima pulled out a new tome, "Behold, Shin Imhullu!"
Grima then opened the tome and began shouting incantations in Demontongue. As he completed them, a great purple sigil surrounded by small portals appeared in front of him. From the portals emerged levitating creatures with the bodies of snakes and the heads of dragons. They charged Lyn, who blocked and deflected them with the Mani Katti as she charged forward. Soon, the blade's blue glow shifted to a dark purple and Lyn froze with a migraine. Grima smiled as he saw this and instructed the creatures to surround her and shoot magic from their maws. The beasts did as they were instructed, but soon a wave extended in all directions from where Lyn was positioned, nullifying all the magic in the area, including – albeit temporarily – Grima's aura. When the smoke from the blasts cleared, the spectators could see Lyn standing still, her arms extended. Her veins began to glow a bright purple and a third, closed eye appeared on her forehead. The plainswoman then laughed and opened her eyes, revealing that they were entirely purple,
"Hello Grima, my old friend."
"Baligant, what are you–"
"I believe this girl will one day prove to be of great use to me, so I cannot allow you to harm her further."
"Can't you find another puppet to toy with? This one has become an eyesore."
"You forget the chain of command, Grima. We answer to the master, and you answer to us."
"I am your master's vessel on this world. My voice is his voice; you answer to me," Grima unleashed the full extent of his magic.
"You need to be put in your place," Baligant chuckled and did the same. Grima absorbed the Shin Imhullu and Pashupatastra tomes into his body, and with them unleashed the strongest blast he was capable of producing. The ancient spirit countered the blast with the Mani Katti, then disappeared into thin air. In the blink of an eye, dozens of clones of her appeared around Lundgren's possessor and charged right through him, releasing a great deal of magic as they did. Eventually, Grima turned into smoke and fled the scene. The spectators stared at Lyn's possessor, bewildered by her power.
"Well, I suppose all that's left to do now is…" Baligant turned to her audience, "…kill all of you."
"No!" Nils shouted, ran to the front of the group and drew his dagger, revealing it had runes similar to Yosef's sword, only instead of glowing gold, the blade emitted a red and black aura.
"The Judas Dagger!" Baligant raised a brow, "Now where did a boy like you get a weapon like that?"
"Nils!" Ninian ran up to and grabbed her brother.
"Now there's a face I never thought I'd see again!" the demon smiled, "You're slightly shorter than I remember, and your ears aren't as pointed… wait… ah, I understand now! You're the ones she was pleading me to spare as I ended her pathetic life all those years ago! Nils… and Ninian! I'll have you know she died screaming. They both did… and so will you."
"I think not," a pointed-eared, green-haired woman in a long, white cloak with slits down its back appeared between Nils and Baligant.
"You…" the demon growled, "and what is it you expect to do to me?" The newcomer responded by unfurling white, feathered wings previously concealed behind her cloak and releasing a great, golden aura that lit up the entire palace and caused most of the spectators to cover their eyes. With her mind, she hoisted Baligant onto the far wall and began muttering incantations, staring directly into Baligant's eyes.
"The sword, Tiki, aim for the sword! It's the source of her power!" Yosef appeared from around a corner, claymore still drawn. The white-cloaked woman looked to him briefly, then nodded and resumed her chants, this time staring directly at the blade. Soon, the alterations to Lyn's body faded and the Mani Katti's glow reverted to its original color.
"The Fourth Demon Baligant is contained. Now I will destroy her vessel, for one who was touched by the Demon's Hand can never again be allowed to walk this Earth," Tiki raised an arm to Lyn, who was now unconscious.
"You of all people should recognize that is folly. Or was Marth wrong about you?" Yosef rebutted calmly. The goddess shot the Bernite a dark glare, but ultimately desisted and warped away.
"What the hell was all of that?!" one of the spectators shouted, prompting similar reactions from the others.
"Smoke and mirrors, my friends," Yosef smiled.
"Wha–"
"I do not know why Grima called me 'Idavollr', which I know only as a mythical city, but he seemed afraid of the name so I played the part. My sword is basically a light brand with a more potent enchantment, so its natural properties enable it to counter dark magic; I was able to use it effectively because I've trained with a sword my entire life. As for how I survived the Pashupatastra, well, I didn't. You see, I warped to another point in the castle using a crystal shortly before the bolt hit me, while simultaneously leaving behind a shadow clone of myself, which took the damage for me. It's a technique that I learned after years of practice; there are proper masters of it in Chon'sin and Sacae. As for the alterations to my voice, I placed a simply charm on my scrying crystal that my colleagues and I regularly use when addressing large crowds. The images I showed also came from the crystal's magic, but admittedly, they were fabricated. I needed to make sure Lyn had sufficient reason to kill Lundgren so I could bring out the demon that was controlling her sword, who Tiki put in chains. For those of you who don't know, Lady Tiki is the High Priestess, the spiritual leader of Valm. I figured she'd listen to me because she claims to be of the same pantheon as Grima. And yes, I said 'pantheon'. Those two consider themselves to be gods." At this point, Lyn began to wake up. She looked around and saw everyone staring at her, with Nils bearing a particularly dark expression.
"What… happened?" the plainswoman turned to Yosef,
"I doubt your grandfather has much longer to live; I suggest you go to him quickly. Reissman will show you the way," Yosef shot a glare to the Chancellor, who was cowering timidly in the corner where the Duke once stood. Lyn gasped, nodded, then ran out.
"Now, if you have any more questions, schedule an appointment. I have other matters to attend to," Yosef sheathed his sword and walked away, followed by Nils.
"I've done all I can, now. I'm afraid you'll be dead within a few hours," Pent hung his head.
"What of… my brother and… granddaughter?" Hausen asked between hoarse coughs. The bucket by his side was now half-filled with blood and his once-white handkerchief tucked into his shirt collar was now almost entirely red. His body had almost completely atrophied. At this point, it was a struggle to even lift his head off of his pillow. Suddenly, the Mage General heard someone running,
"Stay back…" he whispered as he readied an Elfire spell. The footsteps stopped and someone lightly knocked on the door.
"Lord Hausen, Lord Pent, it's Chancellor Reismann." Hausen nodded to Pent, who put away his tome and walked over to the door. Upon opening it, he was pleasantly surprised by who was standing next to Reismann.
"You… are you…"
"Yes, I am," said the person, apparently a woman. Pent nodded and let her in.
"Who… is it?" Hausen barely managed to say, "Reissman, I thought I said no visitors."
"My name is Lyndis Caelin. I am the daughter of Lady Madelyn Caelin and Chieftan Hassar of the Lorca. I have come with the desire to see you before you pass on… and to reclaim what my mother lost." Lyndis said with a surprisingly strong tone.
"Let me see your face…" Hausen, with strength unbecoming of a dying man, sat himself upright and motioned for his granddaughter to approach him.
"Ah, it really is you!" he smiled.
"Oh, grandfather!" Lyndis ran up and hugged him. Fortunately for her, Pent had taken the liberty of inoculating her as soon as she entered the room.
"Lyndis… please forgive my folly… I am just a selfish old man who has long outlived his usefulness. Had I accepted your parents' love, had I placed my daughter's happiness before my Lycian pride, had I allowed them the peace they deserved, there would have been no bandits, and we would all be living happily together," the dying marquess sniveled.
"Grandfather, there is nothing to forgive… we are together now; that's what matters!"
"So, Lady Lyndis, I take it you have changed your mind about inheriting a title?" Pent folded his arms.
"I have come to accept my heritage. I would not dare forsake it," the noblewoman said, trying to hold back her tears.
"I am glad… so glad… I got to see you once… before I pass on. Now, at last, I am ready to return to God," Hausen lied back and allowed his breathing to slow.
"No, grandfather, you mustn't succumb! There's still so much I have to show you! So much we have to discuss! So much I need to learn from you! Please, hold on!"
"There is no cure for consumption, my beautiful little granddaughter. My last will and testament says everything I have, including my title, will go to you. Reissmann will manage Caelin until you are of age, at which point I am certain you will be ready to rule by yourself," Hausen smiled and closed his eyes, but before he could drift into an eternal rest, Tiki warped in, this time with her hood down, revealing pointed ears.
"Consider this an apology for harming you," the green-haired woman said, placed her hand on Hausen's head and muttered an incantation. When she finished, Hausen glowed brightly for a moment; after the light faded, the Marquess' body had become healthy once more, and his consumption seemed to be cured. He got up at a speed even healthy people his age would have trouble reaching. An excited smile appeared on his face and he and his granddaughter bowed to Tiki in gratitude.
"There is no need for that. It is my duty as a Holy Woman to help those in need, so long as they are not wicked at heart, that is," Tiki chuckled and warped to a side room in the castle where she suspected her old friend would be waiting.
"Why did you convince Tiki to spare her?" Nils asked Yosef once he was sure they were out of earshot.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I've heard of you… you used to work in the Royal Library of Aquleia, so you of all people should know the prophecy, and why it's so dangerous."
"What prophecy would that be?"
"One, the Great Hellhound, will seize control of their beasts. Two, the Many-Headed Serpent, will poison the lands on which they live. Three, the Master of Fire, will burn them with Perdition's Flame. Four, the Great Wraith, will drain them of their power. Five, the Greatest of Dragons, will strip them of their hope. Six, the Human Purest of Heart, will consume their quintessence and herald My return. And I, Lord of All, will bring upon their end," Nils' expression was once of malice.
"Be careful with whom you share your knowledge, for there are those who would kill you because of it," Yosef responded enigmatically and tried to leave, but Nils would have none of it.
"You cannot weasel your way out of this with me. I want to know what possessed you to spare a girl who may very well become the Sixth Demon!"
"Even if Lyndis were to turn down that path, I can assure you she does not have the capacity to become a demon, let alone that demon."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because I met the only one who does. Have you ever heard of a creature called Mihnea?" Hearing the name turned Nils pale; the boy gasped in horror and took a few steps back.
"M-Mihnea… he's… still alive?"
"By definition, you cannot kill an immortal," Yosef closed his eyes and sighed. Nils' breaths became somewhat hoarse and he hunched over.
"So now do you see why you have nothing to fear from Lyndis Caelin?" All the blue-haired boy could offer as a response was a small nod, but it was enough for the Duke to walk off and leave him to his thoughts.
Later
"Why did you heal him? Was it spite?" Yosef grumbled.
"You know why. After the massacre seven years ago, we all thought Gnosis was lost forever. Then, Grima and Baligant battle each other in Elibe of all places and you appear at the center of it, blade in hand?" Tiki questioned, "are you also responsible for Validar's recent behavior?"
"I cannot claim responsibility for the behaviors of others, but I did once talk him out of doing what you just tried. As for the blade, I am sorry I did not relay to you Gnosis' safety sooner. I have a great many responsibilities here."
"Care to tell me how many survived in total?"
"Obviously your niece; aside from her, Nowi survived, as well as three of Reuben's kin."
"Is Ferdinand among them?"
"…No."
"I am sorry about what happened to him."
"So are we all. But thanks to the blade, he is a part of me, and I know he regretted his decisions before the end. Whether or not that earned him atonement, I cannot say," Yosef gave off a small shrug, betraying none of his emotions, but Tiki, having known him his whole life, knew that internally he was struggling to cope with something. What specifically, she was not sure.
"You don't have to hide your feelings from me, Yosef," Tiki put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "what is really going on?"
"…I want to go home," the Duke sighed, his tone almost childlike.
"To the Nabata? Then why don't you–"
"No, Tiki. I want to go home," Yosef bore a forlorn countenance, the reason for which Tiki immediately understood.
"So do I," the green-haired woman closed her eyes and hugged her old friend.
For those of you concerned about Mihnea taking over the story like Yosef used to, let me put your fears at ease. Mihnea will serve as an overarching antagonist for the next few tales, and is a subordinate to a canon character. He will serve as an obstacle for our canon protagonists (mostly Chrom) to overcome.
I've rewritten Astra as a series of tomes, rather than a skill (since I've done away with skills). The Astra Invocations (of which there will be a few) are SUPPOSED to be Sanskrit, but I couldn't find an adequate translator, so I went with Hindi for the Grima fight. Please don't hold it against me; I'm not a linguist. Anyway, it's supposed to say "Destroyer of Worlds, I call upon you to rise from the darkness of Perdition. I invoke you: Pashupatastra!" If you can (please) provide me with a phonetic Sanskrit translation of that, I'd gladly change it and credit you.