Chapter 29

A fierce thunderstorm with ferocious winds had whipped up once Basilio, Flavia, and their troop finally found Walhart and his crew, engaging them in a large open field. The two Khans waited at the back of the fight as their other troops ran in to take on Walhart's soldiers. The pure Feroxi muscle was proving to be more than a match for the Valamese, as their side had taken the upper hand.

"Ha! Looks like things are going well!" Basilio laughed, sweat dripping from his face, along with the pouring rain.

"I can feel the nervousness from all the way over here, oaf." Flavia taunted back to him, seeing the man's knees beginning to shake.

"Just the weather…" Basilio muttered in reply, though knowing it was a complete lie.

The Khans looked out into the battlefield to see their troops all of a sudden beginning to be swatted aside like flies.

"What in hell is going on out there?" Basilio cried, watching their loyal soldiers being mauled and thrown aside.

"It's…no way…" Flavia sputtered. "It's just…one man…it's him…Walhart."

Basilio's eye widened in shock as he looked out onto the battlefield to see a single horsemen, fully clad in blood red armour, tossing aside their fighters with a large red and black axe. As he killed the last Feroxi fighter, he looked up, locking eyes with Basilio.

"YOU!" He bellowed. "YOU ARE THEIR LEADER, ARE YOU NOT? COME, MEET DEATH ON MY WOLF BERG LIKE YOUR LOYAL WARRIORS!"

"Basilio, don't-" Flavia yelled, but the man had already charged at Walhart, silver axe drawn as a chilling battle cry escaped his lips. The Conqueror quickly dodged Walhart's strike, replying with a swift blow his axe to the warrior's back, knocking him into the ground.

"BASILIO!" Flavia cried, beginning to rush to the man.

"Stay out of this, woman!" Basilio weakly managed to growl, trying to stand back up. Walhart jumped down from his horse, kicking Basilio in the stomach, causing the man to cough up blood and roll about on the ground.

"Guess I…can't change fate…" The warrior muttered to himself, feeling his vision start to fade as he bled out. Walhart stood above him, about to bring his axe down, before he was slammed aside by Flavia's silver sword.

"I don't think so, old fool. " She told him. "I'm here this time, and that means the future can be changed!" The East-Khan handed him an elixir while helping him up. "Now let's cook this over-sized lobster!"

Basilio laughed while chugging down the elixir, feeling it restore life to his body. "Ha-HA, good way to put it, woman!" He told her. He then turned back to Walhart, who had regained his footing, glaring at the two.

"HOT DEATH, COMING THROUGH!" He roared, jumping up before bringing his axe down on the man's shoulder, managing to rip through his armour and find skin, causing the Conqueror to cry out in pain.

"Impressive…none have been able to injure me except Yen'fay…" Walhart muttered, clutching his wounded shoulder. His eyes turned completely white as he drew his Axe yet again. "AND YOU WILL NOT LIVE TO TELL THE TALE! FALL TO THE WAYSIDE!"

Walhart managed to connect with another blow, this one cleaving Basilio right across the stomach. The man fell to the ground, landing in a pool of his own blood.

"NOOOO!" Flavia cried, rushing to the man's side, turning him over.

Walhart stepped back, tending to his own wound. He glared at Flavia, however, muttering, "Try anything, and you'll end up like him."

Flavia growled back before turning to Basilio. "You oaf! What the hell have you done?"

"I…bought them time…remember?" Basilio coughed weakly. He reached into his pocket, pulling out an odd-looking stone.

"That's…a gemstone!" Flavia gasped.

Basilio nodded, shoving Gules into Flavia's hands. "I was…going to give it…when the time was right…just get it…to Chrom…"

Flavia shook her head. "I'm not leaving you here, you buffoon!" She snapped.

Basilio coughed again. "Don't…be a fool…our people…need you…"

Flavia stood over the West Khan for a moment, before nodding solemnly, and placing the gemstone in her pocket. "We won't forget what you did. No one will." She mumbled, tears forming in her eyes. "We'll win this war, for you."

Basilio nodded weakly. "Go!" He coughed at her.

Flavia quickly began to run, but as she did, Walhart noticed, tossing his Axe at her. Basilio used the last of his strength to toss his own as well, managing to hit Walhart's steel and knock it out of the way, allowing Flavia to get away. After he did, his hand went limp and fell to his side as he felt himself slip away, lying in a pool of his own blood.

"Hmph. At least he was a challenge." Walhart spat at Basilio, looking down at the warrior's body. "If these fools wish to fight me, however, they'll have to go through Yen'fay…and that won't be anything close to an easy task…"

Walhart then turned, disappearing into the fierce winds, clutching his wounded shoulder and galloping away on his horse.