Title: Vengeance
Author: Infectious Mike
Prompt: Sing
Category: Fire Emblem
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Character/Pairing: Ranulf/Janaff, Reyson/Tibarn, Elincia, Lucia, Ulki, Bastian.
Warning(s): Language
A/N: I can see a Ranulf/Janaff pairing believe it or not and someone wanted to see this anyway so here it is. I have no other excuse except for school on why this took so long.
Herr Wozzeck: Indeed bickering is fun and I just had to have those Ike and Mist argue the whole 'I'm a homo thing' Shinon and Ranulf arguing was on request from LittleLinor and I just had to have Mia and Soren argue after she dragged him along. Rolf and Jill argue because they need to conform. I apologize for taking so long with this one.
LittleLinor: Yeah that made me kinda laugh too after writing it but Mia will get hers in some other scene. I knew you would like my Jill/Mist. I think I'll write more eventually.
forgotten hyoshi: I agree for the most part on what they would do. Rolf is a little bugger though ain't he. I can see him doing something like that. Forgive the long wait pleeeeeease.
Gaara123: Ooo a new reviewer. The next Ranulf/Ike chapter will probably be the next one I'll have to confirm once I see the prompt. If you have any specific requests please let me know.
Ranulf rushed through the battlefield a slight trail of blood trailing behind him. He ripped through another one of his enslaved laguz brothers. Ambivalent as he was to even fight this battle, in order to end it once and for all he had to. He knew that Tibarn and Elincia were also reluctant to fight and were even more reluctant to let Ranulf fight, the two knowing of his regretful nature of having to kill his own kind.
The cat continued to sprint through the battlefield avoiding as many laguz as he could while making his way to the mastermind behind the Feral Ones. Izuka. Ranulf couldn't wait to get his bloodstained claws on him and rend that demon's flesh to nothing. The cat then spotted Lucia a few dozen feet in front of him. She was surrounded by a few cats, a hawk, and a dragon. Ranulf immediately sprinted over to his comrade to lend his claws to her fight.
"Ah Ranulf, perfect timing," she said thankfully, relaxing slightly. Her muscles immediately tightened once she heard the cry of an incoming cat. The guardian of Crimea raised her blade immediately, side-stepped and slashed the underbelly of the leaping cat. A plume of blood erupted from the fatal wound as the transformed cat lay limp on the ground a pool forming under it turning the clay ground a dark red.
Ranulf paused to look at the maimed animal then back at Lucia and back to the cat again. Immediately he reverted and took flight away from the battlefield after apologizing to Lucia. He fled into the forest and when he thought he was a good distance away he stopped and fell to his knees. He stayed there for a good ten minutes, crying. Ranulf wanted to believe that he could justify killing his comrades by setting them free from the pain of being feral. However, he couldn't shake that fact that no matter what, they were his kind, they were his people, they were his friends, and most of all they were his brothers. He thought of all the faces he recognized on the field today that he had the unfortunate task of killing if they attacked. The cat wondered how Tibarn, Janaff, and Ulki felt having to fight their own kind.
Ranulf sighed again before his ears perked up and heard the flapping of wings above him. "It's not right to leave a lady in distress like that you know," the blonde hawk said landing in front of the cat.
"I just couldn't take it anymore," Ranulf looked away at nothing his thumb making his way to his mouth. He started chewing on the fingernail.
"I know, trust me. It's rough fighting your own kind, but is there really any other way? Aversion wouldn't work, and I hate to admit it, but going straight for Izuka is hard with that staff of his. Reyson's Galdr of Release would be pointless if that bastard is still alive plus he's injured last I heard. Tibarn won't leave Reyson's side until the battle is over so we can't have him flying over and just putting an end to this and even if he could that staff is a problem." Janaff stopped once he heard Ranulf let out long breath. The cat sat down leaning his back up against a tree and spread his legs apart, folding his hands and placing them on his lap.
"What now?" Ranulf said looking into the sharp eyes of the hawk.
Janaff turned his head towards the direction of the battlefield then slowly lifted himself off the ground. He extended his hand to the cat telling him to take it which he did. "Let's see if we can find anything up here."
"I don't have your eyes Janaff, I can barely see anything up here," he said climbing around Janaff's wings to take his spot on his back wrapping his legs around the bird's torso and putting his arms around his neck. The cat placed his head on the shoulder of the gifted flier. "What do you see?"
"I see your hair out of my peripheral, but other than that, Izuka seems to have a limitless…army of Ferals. Oh wait, Tibarn has taken the field. We should go join him, but I can't fly with you like this. Can I trust you to come back to the battle if I let you off here?" he asked slowly floating back to the ground.
"Yeah, keep me away from Lucia though. I have a feeling she won't want me around for a while," he laughed a bit then dropped to the ground from the hawk's back. "Try not to get shot down alright?"
"We're not fighting archers you silly cat," he said leaning down to peck his lips. Janaff's body was angled so the flats of his feet were facing the sky. The hawk then transformed and flew to the battlefield. Ranulf followed suit.
Tibarn let out a loud bird call and tore through the red dragon in front of him. His mind was filled with rage towards Izuka. He swore that he would Tear the summoner limb from limb when he got his talons on him. Reyson in his transformed stated stayed close behind him guarded by Queen Elincia and her trusty aide Lucia who looked pretty banged up. The swordmaster's clothes were scuffed and her usually blue hair had a red tint to it. There were no visible wounds on her though due to Elincia healing them all.
Ranulf soon joined them and reverted to his human form; Tibarn and Reyson doing the same. "Where's Janaff?" the Hawk King asked.
"I saw him flying in this direction, I assumed he was here already," Ranulf replied.
"It's strange for him not to be seen on the battlefield," he said crossing his arms. "Ulki," he said no one in particular, "try to find Janaff. Please and thank you." He looked at the group of warriors in front of him, "Alright, Ranulf and Elincia go up the right flank and try to cut the bastard off that way. Reyson and I will cut through the swamps since we can fly and Lucia, be on look-out for anything out of the ordinary."
"I can still fight," Lucia said looking to Elincia for support then shooting a dirty look at the cat standing next to her.
"No, you can't. You're still recuperating from your dragon encounter. Stay behind for a bit then you can join Her Majesty on the front lines again," Tibarn said turning away and taking to the skies with Reyson.
"Queen Elincia please let me go with you," Lucia pleaded.
"Lucia I'm sorry but Tibarn is right. I may have healed your wounds but that's all I did. You still ache and you're tired. Go get some rest, Geoffrey is probably worried."
Lucia reluctantly gave in, "Alright Your Majesty, please be careful."
"I will."
Ranulf approached Lucia before she had the chance to get away. "I'm sorry for leaving you like that Lucia. I'll make it up to you by protecting Her Majesty."
Lucia sighed and turned her back to the cat. "I guess you're better than no one at all Ranulf. Good luck to both of you."
Ranulf smiled, "Of course, get better soon. Queen Elincia, let's be off." He said climbing onto Elincia's Pegasus with Elincia. Ranulf recalled the battle with Valtome when Elincia had attacked him trying to get him to transform faster and smiled faintly. "You aren't going to slash my leg open this time right?" he asked.
"Only if you take unnecessary risks, Sir Ranulf," she giggled, also remembering.
The two exchanged words until they reached their position on the battlefield. Ranulf dismounted the Pegasus and asked Elincia to watch his back and heal if he needed it. The cat the transformed and charged through the right side of the battlefield with Elincia. The cat was shocked when he realized Izuka was only a few feet in front of him. He then reverted quickly and signaled for Elincia to come over. The Queen dismounted her steed and sent it back to the main camp.
"There he is…" Ranulf said maliciously. "We should go kill that bastard right now!" Ranulf's jaw clenched.
"Wait, we can't he'll just warp away again," Elincia said putting her hand on the angered cat.
"No, I realized something about his Staff. He can't use it for a while after he's already used it. Janaff had mentioned that he used it not too long ago when I was with him. This must be where he came, quite a lame spot if you ask me but that makes it easier for us."
Tibarn tore through another Laguz brother with Reyson behind him supporting the Hawk King. He made a noise telling Reyson to come over to him. The two then reverted. "It's getting harder and harder to kill them."
"Tibarn maybe we should pull back for a while. Izuka doesn't seem to be anywhere over here,"
Ulki then flew down in his bird form and killed a cat Laguz that was about to attack Reyson from behind then reverted. "My lord, Ranulf and Queen Elincia appear to have run into Izuka at the eastern edge of the battlefield."
"Where's Janaff?"
"He's…" Ulki turned away. "Izuka got to him."
"What?! He's not dead is he?!" Tibarn felt rage almost consume him if not for Reyson being there it would have.
"Worse. He…turned him Feral," Ulki said solemnly.
Tibarns' fists tightened, his nails drawing blood from his hands. "Reyson."
"Yes Tibarn?"
"I want you to find Lady Lucia, General Geoffrey, and Count Bastian and bring them to the center of the battlefield then I want you to sing the Galdr of Release. This battle is getting too far out of hand and it needs to end. Where did you say Ranulf was Ulki?"
"On the eastern front."
Tibarn immediately transformed and flew off in the aforementioned direction.
Ranulf sighed heavily before stepping out from his hiding spot and approached Izuka. "I saw the results of your experiments in Gritnea Tower. The mutilated bodies…the rotting flesh…" Ranulf look at the ground to his left. "It was the most horrifying experience of my life," the cat then looked Izuka in the eyes. "I wonder if my nightmares will pass when I kill you!" Ranulf transformed and charged at the mage.
Izuka didn't move as death approached him in the form of Ranulf's claw. Ranulf wondered why but then received his answer when a pair of talons had sunk into his back. Ranulf immediately pulled himself out of them and retreated into the bushes and reverted. Blood pooled out of his back where he was impaled and Elincia was already on them, healing them.
"Elincia I'm sorry I can't fight anymore," Ranulf said moving so his back was facing the Queen. "I can't fight Janaff…"
"What? That was…I see. He will not get away with this." Elincia then stepped out with her trademark blade, Amiti, in hand.
"Elincia, the Crimean Queen!" Izuka said excitedly. "Are you here to seek revenge?"
"Revenge? On whose account?" she looked at him confused not seeing Janaff in sight. "What are you talking about?" she glanced at him circumspectly then ran forward. "I'm arresting a dangerous fugitive."
"My lady move," Lucia cried from behind Izuka and put a blade to his neck.
"Don't you see? If I am harmed my knowledge will be lost. Can the human race survive such a tragedy?" He said desperately. If you fools cannot see the larger picture then you must be destroyed."
Lucia tightened her grip on her blade. "I don't know what atrocities caused Bastian to hold you prisoner, but I know what you did to the laguz, and that's reason enough for me to kill you!"
Izuka panicked, "Don't be too rash! If you kill me, Crimea will surely suffer!"
"I will silence your lying tongue, degenerate!" Lucia was ready to sever the man's head but before she could he slipped from her grasp and warped himself. "Dammit," she quickly ran over to Elincia. "Are you okay my lady?"
"Lucia why are you here? I thought I ordered you to stay behind and recover."
"Bastian ordered me out here to protect Her Majesty. It seems I was right to come this way. My Queen did you think you could have taken Izuka alone?"
"I-I'm sorry Lucia."
"Where is that bastard?!" the two heard from the skies above them. Tibarn slowly descended in his human form and planted his feet firmly on the ground.
"He got away, but Bastian has deployed everyone we have to key positions for Izuka to hide out. Geoffrey is protecting the camp. Reyson is with him if you are concerned."
Tibarn growled to himself. "Ulki," his trusty left arm appeared in a few moments. A bit of blood was trailing down the left side of his face. "It isn't like you to get hurt, what happened?!"
"My King if you could please keep your voice down," Ulki said. "I ran into Janaff. I couldn't fight him…forgive me."
"This battle is getting out of hand! Elincia, where is Ranulf?"
"He's recuperating. He also had a run-in with Janaff. I believe his spine was partially dislocated when Janaff attacked.
"I see…those two do have a strange bond, but…Ulki take Ranulf back to the camp. He's done enough for today and then you can rest as well."
"Thank you my King, Elincia, if you would be kind enough to call your Pegasus. I won't be able to carry Ranulf in my current condition."
"Sure Ulki." She whistled and her steed was there in a flash. "I need you to take Ranulf back to the camp. Understand?" she then went behind the bush she left Ranulf at and had Tibarn pick the cat up and bring him over to the Pegasus.
"Tibarn, kill that bastard for all of us…please."
"Of course soldier. No power on Tellius will protect him from me," he said laying him down on the Pegasus.
"Heh, thanks." Ranulf said closing his eyes. The Pegasus then took off to the skies and back to the camp.
"It appears that the Count of Fayre has encountered Izuka."
"Have a care, Crimean count! If my knowledge dies, so does your only hope of saving that man!"
Bastian put a finger to his cheek in thought. "Hmm…it's true that your knowledge if a valuable asset."
"Ah, my noble count! You are most merciful!" Izuka said thankfully.
"I have some knowledge of anatomy. Once you are dead, perhaps I will dissect your brain and see if I can identify the root of your intelligence."
Izuka looked at him disgusted, "Y-You monster! What you suggest is unconscionable-"
Bastian interrupted him, "Exactly, yet you had no hesitation before doing worse to the laguz. I will speed you now to the afterlife, where you may contemplate your life's egregious mistakes!" he raised his arm to cast an Arcwind spell.
Tibarn quickly flew over after seeing Bastian's wind spell connect with the evil mage. He then reverted quickly.
"You must be the hawk king!" Izuka said trembling. "Understand that my work was never intended to harm the laguz, specifically!" he lied.
"No power on Tellius will protect you from me." He started transforming, "With your death, I can finally lay my brothers' souls to rest," the King then used Tear.
Tibarn then reverted and watched the pathetic man die. He then noticed that the remaining Ferals were not Feral anymore.
"It would appear the elegant White Prince has sung the Galdr of Release quite effectively," Bastian said looking towards the sound of Reyson's voice.
"Perfect timing…I didn't want to have to destroy my own right arm…much worse I wouldn't know what to tell Ranulf…"