We're finally back!
Ace: Yes, even though Gangrel II obviously can't seem to use his awesome dark magic bloodline so he just sticks with his laser sword. I've always wished you could do that pairing in-game.
Pyro: Of course. Where would we be without DBZ references here and there?
Chast: No, but his descendant is. Sorry about that one.
Disclaimer: We don't own Fire Emblem.
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Nocht pov
"They got Rolanda today." I said as I walked into the ship. I had just gotten out of a combination training mission and strategy meeting with Renault.
"Damn, that's all eight." Reno said, and I heard a crashing sound from the cockpit. That was most likely the sound of his fist slamming on the dashboard, hopefully he didn't damage anything by accident.
"What could Zanza want with them?" Artemis asked.
"Well," I said, fumbling a bit for some words. "I've heard some legends about what the legendary weapons can do when gathered, and Renault confirmed them for me. Let's just say that if we don't take this guy out quickly the Neo Black Fang will be the least of our problems."
"So what are we going to do about it?" Lyrenne asked the question that everyone was thinking of.
I smirked "Simple, we bring in a force of dragon slayers to the enemy base. However, this attack will be just a distraction. The guard rotation on the base is rather poor, and there's no way the Morpheus will go out to battle. That means that it will be perfect cover for a small group of three or so to sneak right into his chambers and take him out."
"And who will be going? I'd assume three dragon slayers." Isaac half asked, half-stated.
"Sadly, we can't really afford that kinda force. Lyrenne, Jett, and I will be going, if it's okay with the two of you, of course." I would have greatly preferred to keep Jett away from this, but she was admittedly the best for the job. She was the fastest of our group, giving her the best chance of getting a blow in. Lyrenne and her antimagic weapon would be useful as well.
"Not gonna back down from a fight." Lyrenne said, and I swore I could hear her smirk.
"It's honestly probably easier on me that way, these knives have no problem getting through robes but they would barely put a scratch on a dragon." Well, I suppose it could be safer than an actual battlefield.
"Okay, Lyrenne, Jett, let's go over the plan. Everyone else, head to the Dragon Slayer's headquarters. They'll have to organize you into squadrons so you will need time to prepare."
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Lyrenne and I made our way into the cavern that Zanza had made into his chamber. I hoped that Jett hadn't been discovered, as we had sent her in ahead to wait for a chance to strike.
Before I even looked into the cave, the smell of iron filled my nose, causing me to wretch. When I looked up, the first thing I saw was a mass of dried blood streaking along the floors and the walls of the chamber. Second, I saw eight corpses, with hair shaven off and rendered absolutely unrecognizable. Finally, there was a weapon strapped to the wall under the corpses, marking their identities.
Zanza turned to face us "Oh look if it isn't a pair of rats. Looks like I'll have an extra two to line on this wall, maybe you'll make a decent snack for him." Morpheus looked at my palm seeing my brand "I suppose I should alter that statement. A rat and a traitor. A true shame, a fellblood would have made a fine commander to my forces. You may have even held some favor with my lord."
My kin bow to none, a strange voice entered my head, although I did agree. "I have no need to gain favor with a dragon that'll never leave the gate." I said.
Zanza pulled out an axe attached to a chain, good, we had the advantage "You will not live to see his rise."
Jett threw a knife from the shadows while Lyrenne unleashed a massive bolt from Nothung. Zanza dashed to the left, allowing the knife to sink into his calf as Lyrenne's attack crashed into the wall.
"Antimagic, interesting." Zanza said as he reached down and nonchalantly yanked the knife from his leg before tossing it. The knife stuck into the ground mere inches away from Jett's hiding spot. "I suppose the other rat can exit the hole now. She must be getting cramped down there, she's been there for a while now." How perceptive was this guy?
Zanza raised his hand and scratched his chin thoughtfully "Now who should I kill first? Ah, yes, the traitor" With a simple flick of the wrist, Zanza sent the axe flying towards me as I saw an orange blur in the corner of my eye.
Right before the blade could connect, Jett leapt in front of me as the axe slammed into her side.
Jett laid still, her eyes growing lifeless.
With a quick tug, Zanza pulled the axe back into his hands "Pity, I wanted to save the mice for later. It's so much more fun to toy with the weak ones."
Purple and orange tinted my vision as a familiar dark aura covered my arms, accompanied by strange orange… flames. Around us the legendary weapons began to glow "Lyrenne, give me your sword." I said, holding out my hand.
"Why?"
"You do not need a reason to follow an order from one of your officers, now give it to me." I would normally feel bad for pulling rank, but all that registered in my mind was rage. Lyrenne handed Nothung to me.
I charged towards Zanza holding Nothung in one hand and my killing edge in the other. I felt a massive surge of power flowing through my body, one that wasn't my own.
I saw Zanza's knuckles whiten, indicating an attack. I quickly raised my killing edge up and under the blade of the axe, trapping it. I lifted Nothung and pointed it at Zanza's elbow before firing.
Zanza shrieked out as his elbow began to dissolve. With a slice from my killing edge, the arm was severed completely. Good, my child. Make him suffer.
I jabbed Nothung into the man's stomach, making sure to miss any vitals. I twisted, eliciting a loud shriek. "Don't you look just like a mouse caught by a cat now, Zanza? Maybe I should play with you a little more." Tear him limb from limb, make him feel your wife's pain tenfold. That is our way.
"Nocht" I heard a faint voice, Jett. Oh thank Naga, she was still alive. "Just end it, don't bring yourself to his level."
I took my killing edge and stabbed him in the abdomen, a killing blow.
"It's too late." Zanza said. "My master freed, and without lifting a finger. Your little tantrum drew power from the other side of the gate, and my boy you opened it. Know that when everyone you love falls at your feet that it's all your fault" and with that, the magic seal's eyes rolled back, his last breaths leaving.
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"What's a pretty thing like you doing on the battlefield?" Hawke said as he ducked out of the way of a bullet. The pretty black haired woman certainly liked to shoot at him.
Nocht, Jett and Lyrenne all had gone below to the deeper depths of the base. Currently, Hawke and the others were fighting through Black Fang just below Dragon's Gate.
"I'm here to fight you," the woman said.
"Well that's a shame, I'd hate to shoot you," Hawke said as he aimed his gun to the left and shot a man who was sneaking up on Victoria.
"I'm a manakete branded. I've spent my entire life getting shot at, physically and metaphorically. This is no different," she said.
"That sucks," Hawke said. "But I know the feeling. I've got a friend who's dragon branded too, only he's got Fell blood in him."
The woman blinked, surprised. "Seriously?"
"Yep!" Hawke said, shooting someone across the battlefield.
"...And he's your friend?"
"My best friend," Hawke declared.
"And he's fine with persecution from the Jugdral Alliance and the Alteans?"
"Of course not. He wants change, but the way the Black Fang is going about it isn't the right way. I think Nocht has more of the plan of saving the galaxy, and asking for a favor at the end," Hawke smirked.
The woman stood, puzzled and not sure what to do.
"Oi! Hawke! Get back to work!" Reno yelled, stabbing a lance through a man. Since the wound wasn't lethal, Reno took his gun and shot the man in the head.
Hawke began to move away from the girl, not planning on shooting here. It was a risk, but he didn't like shooting pretty girls.
Suddenly, a hand pulled him back, out of the way of a shot. With quick reaction speed, Hawke brought up his gun and shot the offender.
"I'm sticking with you," said the girl. "You better be right about this leader of yours, though."
"Care to give me a name?" Hawke winked.
"Raven," said the woman.
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Reno shook his head in wonder. Hawke brought some random girl to their side. Typical.
Now if Reno did that, Lyrenne would probably gut him.
"Watch it!" Perseus said as he shot a blast of light magic past Reno's head. Reno turned to see a man die.
Too bad for him.
Reno went back on to offensive, skewering several Fangs while shooting his rifle.
Suddenly the floor began to shake.
"What the fu-" Reno swore.
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Nocht pov
I threw myself to the ground, hoping to avoid whatever the hell was coming out of the dragon gate. A massive golden dragon burst out of the cave, nearly bringing the roof down as it went. My stomach lurched as it neared the crowds fighting outside, however it instead opted to veer off into a cave. The remaining Neo Black Fang members used this as an opportunity to flee.
Kohryu
What?
One of my families' former guards. He may be peaceful for now, but he is the closest any Anima dragon has ever come to being like my kin, and believe me when I say that this means he is ruthless and will attack you all as soon as he is at his full strength. When combined with those troops, it may just be enough to take the slayers out. I can't believe I used to be like them, I'm glad that your ancestor taught me kindness.
Weren't you just urging me to torture that guy.
That bastard almost killed my daughter in-law, I was pissed.
But you're not-
You have my brand, that makes you one of my children. That is final.
Okay then.
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Artemis pov
I dropped my sword before sitting down, panting. My father simply stood there calmly, the sparring session barely affecting him. "Your form was sloppy, something must be on your mind. Was it what happened earlier with Nocht?" He was referring to a speech that he had given just hours before, addressing the threat of Kohryu. The entire crowd had seemed to distrust him, even after Renault had stepped in.
"It's just so stupid. They look at him and see the dragon he's descended from, but they don't think about the fact that he's also descended from the man who banished him. If it wasn't for people like him, none of them would be here in the first place."
Father sighed "There are a lot of things that people don't think about when they see or hear about dragons. For example: Did you know that Dragons are really just a set of humans from a different realm with a more favorable gene pool?"
"How can that be possible? There aren't exactly many humans with scales and wings."
"The answer can be found through some of this galaxy's own lore. There have been cases in which humans and dragons have born children that proved to be fertile. Ninian and Nils were cases of this, but no tales show whether or not they were able to bear children of their own. However, look at Nowi from our own legends, or for a more personal example, lady Tiki, our own great-Grandmother. If the two groups were different species, you would not be here now." Father must have seen the look of shock on my face, because he immediately changed the subject "How about we move on to something less confusing. Perseus, for example."
"Perseus?" I felt my face heating up.
"Well, as a healer he spends a lot of time alone with other members of the group. More importantly, the women. You may wish to hurry before one of them snatches him up." He said with a smile.
"B-but, it's not like that. We're just close friends!"
Father rustled my hair "Sure he is, Arty. I'm just looking out for my little girl." He said before walking out the door "I believe I have a meeting with Renault, and you have one with the rest of your friends."
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Nocht pov
"This is going to be a difficult battle, and I'm not sure if we'll make it out as well as we have in the past. Our luck will only run so far… do you all still trust me?"
"Feel free to throw me at the enemy." Reno said, holding out his spear.
"Be sure to use a catapult for extra force." Hawke said.
The others all gave similar affirmations, until we reached Raven. Everyone looked over at the new member. "It's not like I'll be better off anywhere else. Besides, this will help prove that us manakete branded aren't as bad as they make us out to be."
"Okay, then that's settled. The next order of business is guards for the area, particularly Jett. Fang members are likely to come in while we're gone. I'd prefer to leave at least two, but I doubt we can afford it." I said.
Lyrenne raised her hand "I can obliterate any magic users that come."
Hawke joined in as well "And I can take them out before they make it to the room."
"That sounds good, although I'm not quite sure if we could afford the men…" I said, unsure.
"It seems like you could use a little more manpower." A voice came from behind us. When I turned around I saw a man with long black hair and emerald eyes. He wore a silver breastplate emblazoned on one side with the mark of the Jugdral Military Police and on the other there was the mark of Noba, the Gae Bolg. Strapped to his back was the very lance depicted on the insignia.
The man held his hand out to me "I was sent to help you guys out. Setanta, at your service."
As I hesitantly took his hand, I heard Reno's voice from behind me "Fuck!"
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And we finally have another chapter in. Sorry that it was short, Cormag was sick during his scenes and my word count expanding skills have grown rusty.
We also now have two new characters each with their own class, so I'll explain them a bit. Raven is a dragoon, which is a more modern version of the nomad class. This means she can only use bows and doesn't have the range of archer classes, but she has a better movement to avoid too much melee.
Setanta is a guardsmen, which is a more advanced soldier class named for his role in the Jugdralian society. As to why Reno had that reaction, that will be covered but there is already a big hint
Also, if you haven't noticed Grima's a bit... off from his normal personality. That's mainly because neither of us found Grima to be a particularly well developed character or an interesting one aside from gimmicks. That in mind, I opted to make a version similar what to the one in Order and Chaos would be like after having a few millennia to recompose himself.