JP Im Italian: Ya see it's hilarious because you foreshadowed Serra's little light show in last chapter with your review of the chapter before that, and now in your review for last chapter you foreshadowed a part of this chapter. Also I'm glad someone other than me envisioned the two soldiers snapping to attention thing.

Brilliant Anon: It's a bit complicated. Basically every character will get their "unlock potential" moment with a promotion item, but many will display promoted abilities upon returning. Wallace from the start was a full on general. Serra has all the abilities of bishop but not that level of pure power, lemme use Sain and Kent as an example: I always found it weird that they were still basic Cavaliers after all that happened in lyn's story, so upon their return they'll be fully knighted. They will still need crests though to become full fledged paladins. And then of course there are things such as the Fell Contract where it's a literal transformation upon using it.

A/N: If you'll kindly direct your attention to the cover image you'll notice it's a commission of Varric! Thanks goes out to Maxoffewtrades, go check him out please!


On the way to Laus, a stop was necessary as the group travelled through Caelin. One moment Varric was walking into a tavern, half an hour later he was witha familiar face running up to the lords as they prepared to leave. "HEEEEEY! GUYS!" Varric called, looked towards Matthew and Serra. "GUESS WHO?"

A young brown haired man in blue put his hand behind his head and laughed. "Can't say I was expecting this."


"So, why're you this far out, Wil?" Matthew said, cheerier than ever for his comic back-up.

"Actually it's a bit of a long story-"

"Wallace?" Serra, Matthew, and Varric all said in unison. Wil nodded and sighed.

"Long missions are y only reprieve, so I volunteer for the outer patrols whenever I can." He explained. "By the way..." He jerked a thumb towards Rebecca. "Why won't Becky talk to me?"

There were several snickers at the nickname and one could see Rebecca seethe before she stopped walking and got in Wil's face. "You have a LOT of nerve to act all innocent! YOU COULDN'T VISIT US YOURSELF CAUSE YOU VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE SOME RANDOM LADY?!" Immediately she turned to the legion members. "No offense."

"None taken." Varric said the the surprise of the other Legion members.

Varric began to sweat. "Oh sweet St. Elimine..."


As night crept up and fire lit the camp, the two lords began talking.

"So…" Hector began. "Another member of the group."

Eliwood nodded. "Even if only temporary, it's reassuring to have Wil travel with us while we pass through. Having someone who regularly patrols the area will make navigating it all the quicker.

"Yep...so yeah, this is Caelin? Maybe we oughta present ourselves to old Hausen."

Eliwood shook his head. "I fail to see a need, we're simply passing through. I'm surprised you even considered the act." He looked skyward. " ...I am curious to see how Lady Lyndis is doing, though."

At the mention of her name, a pair of ears were brought to full attention.

Hector raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Lyndis, Lord Hausen's granddaughter." Eliwood explained.

Hector nodded dismissively. "Oh, right, the lost heir, the one who took care of that wretch Lundgren." He craned his head. "You had something to do with that, didn't you?"

"Mm…" Eliwood shrugged off.

Hector grinned. "So?"

"So what?" Eliwood echoed.

Hector rolled his eyes. "The granddaughter, of course! What about her? Is she a beauty?"

A twitch.

Eliwood flustered. "A… A beauty? She's… I don't …I mean, she's… I suppose it's her Sacaen heritage, she's certainly striking…"

"Too bad, isn't it?" Hector said pityingly.

"What is?!" Eliwood exclaimed.

"That we don't have time to see her, loverboy!" Hector laughed. "Although, for her to catch your attention…" he began as Eliwood tried and failed to counter. "She must be quite the beauty indeed! Perhaps i should pay a visit myself…"

Serra, Matthew, and Dorcas had heard enough to know the two lords had made a grave error. A shadow crept up a certain tactician's hand in silent chant.

"L-Like i said! Her heritage, it's simply inherited beauty!" Eliwood managed.

"Ahaha!" Hector bellowed. "So easy to fluster! Although if you don't care that much for her, certainly you'll have no problem if I-"

"ZINTHOS!" Varric yelled almost deafeningly, and a solidified orb of shadow slammed like a bowling ball through a handaxe, breaking it to pieces, and into the skull of the bandit aiming at the Lords, sending him reeling and stumbling away into the foggy forest.

Eliwood jumped at the sudden blurs of movement. "What?!" he cried in shock.

"Tch… can't let your guard down for five minutes…" Hector grumbled. Serra and Matthew, meanwhile sighed in relief for the distraction moments before Varric needed restraining.

"It's a good thing he had a spell all prepped…" Dorcas mused.

"EVERYONE! BANDITS!" Varric called, rage evident in his voice and his brow twitching.

"...Is it me, or is our tactician on edge? More than usual." Hector observed.

"Who knows? We have more important things to worry about!" Eliwood reminded.


"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPP!"

A bandit shoved the screaming merchant, balding with a blue ponytail and split pencil moustache, to the ground. "Shut up already! You've got a lot of nerve sending us running in circles!"

A much less ragged looking bandit, someone who could almost pass for a normal person were it not for a permanent scowl and arrogant smirk, examined the spoils. "Check it out, this old idiot's loaded."

"Nice score, Puzon!" The other bandit cheered.

"AIEEE-" One bandit screeched, holding his groin as the merchant ran for his life.


"Seriously, where IS all that screaming coming from?!" Hector said increasingly annoyed.

Varric stood beside him gazing into the woods. "3… 2… 1…" He dived out of the way just in time to avoid being barreled into by a balding man with a ponytail. There was a loud crashing of armor as Hector went crashing down.

"OH THANK ST. ELIMINE YOU'VE COME TO SAVE ME!" The strange man bawled as Eliwood restrained Hector from knocking him out with one punch.

"Who are you? No wait, scratch that, LET ME GO ELI!"

"Get ahold of your temper, Hector!" Eliwood commanded. Marcus ignored them both and helped the man up.

"Thank you kind sirs, I was sure those bandits would be the end of me!" Without prompting he turned to Varric. "I am Merlinus, a humble merchant of wares. Please, help me recover my wares and I shall forever be in your debt! But we don't have long, unless we hurry they'll make off with all my valuables!"

The rapidfire dialogue only confused Varric more. "Wait, so it's a timed mission? Not a protection mission?" Varric quickly scrapped his plan and tried to remember the map he'd seen. "Okay so there's north, west, and east pathways, except now instead of moving towards the center, they'll be regrouping and retreating at the middle…" Several moments of silence passed before Varric opened his eyes again."Split into 3 groups!" he began, before a hand was on his shoulder.

"Hey, Varric, let me take charge." Matthew said with a confident smile. "Darkness is a spy's best friend."

Guy raised a hand. He stood in awkward silence before Varric realized he was waiting to be called on. "Uh- yes, Guy?"

"The Kutolah were experts at nocturnal hunting. I'll take the lead as well." Guy spoke, before Rebecca jumped up. "I can hunt at night too! I'll go too!"

Varric hesitantly nodded. "Alright then. You three go on ahead, try and force them into the center route. Mar-" Varric began but immediately stopped before thinking for a moment. "...Lowen, you'll lead the center charge. Marcus, I want you to go to that village we saw northeast of here and make sure no bandits get any ideas."

"Wait, I'm- I'm what-?!" Lowen exclaimed, but Marcus smiled and nodded at Varric before putting a hand on Lowen's shoulder. "This Is your first real chance to take lead, Lowen. Do not squander this opportunity."

"Right then!" Varric concluded with a single clap. "Everyone get ready for a full on pursuit while our scouts go ahead!"


"Heh, I think we lost em…" The leader chuckled as the group reached an exit to the woods.

"Hey, Boss, is it just me, or are we's a few short?" the co-leader asked. Several other members of the group noticed as well.

"Huh?"

"Hey, yeah!"

The leader took a headcount. "Oy, we're at least 4 or 5 guys short, where-?" He asked mid turn before he left the forest and found himself a foot away from a hanging corpse of a human pincushion. "GYAH!" He cried fearfully as he fell back. "Wh-what the hell?!"

An arrow flew overhead and with a snap of a rope, another body fell from the trees with a clear case of 'death by a thousand cuts.'

All the bandits dropped their stolen goods and took up arms. Another thud an arrow pierced the skull of a strung up bandit tied around a large tree. One bandit threw his handaxe in the general direction and there was a sound of flesh squishing. Immediately they ran over to check only to find a now freshly dead bandit on his knees, axe embedded in his forehead.


Varric was sitting by Guy, who had been complaining for the past 5 minutes about hauling around dead bodies. "Shhh!" Varric hushed as his ears perked up. When he was sure of what he was hearing, he smiled and flicked a hand sign. An orb of darkness shot up, visible against the night sky but only to those looking for it, and just as quickly returned.

Elsewhere Matthew and Rebecca high fived at their plan's success.


As a shadow flew up, Lowen took position. "Everyone, now!" He cried as he rode forward. No sooner did he burst into a clearing than did he impale the co leader through the heart with his lance as both he and the rest of the bandits ran screaming into the field. "MOW THEM DOWN!" Lowen shouted in a voice more booming than anyone though him capable of. Doing so proved barely necessary however as Lowen rushed forward with a sword in one hand, lance in the other, taking out another two bandits as both fumbled to guess which range of weaponry they'd be attacked with. Bartre, Hector, and Eliwood all stood amazed at the normally quiet cavalier's performance before a whack from Serra's staff sent each of them into pursuit.


The leader found himself separated from the group, a white jewel in his pocket. "Who needs them anyways?" He thought before turning while inspecting his gem. There was a swoosh from above and he spun around to see a brown haired archer.

"Hello there!" Wil said cheerily before letting fly a steel tipped arrow into the bandit leader's brain.


As Merlinus rummaged through all his belongings to take inventory, the group rested around the fire.

"Rebecca, Matthew, Guy," Varric began, "You guys were phenomenal!"

Matthew closed his eyes and grinned. "Any spy worth his salt knows how to set up a few snares and spooks!

Rebecca puffed up proudly. "Never underestimate my aim! Weather and lighting will never stop me!"

Guy growled. "Says the two who didn't have to carry any of the bodies…"

Varric put a hand on his back. "Not all preparation is glorious, but all preparation IS necessary."

Marcus nodded. "Moving bodies in complete silence should not be seen as a minor feat, either."

Wil smiled. "Still, I think Rebecca still holds the title of "better hunter" over me…"

"Yep!" Varric agreed." She's a real 'Sniper in the Dark'" he declared before chuckling at his own private joke.


Shortly afterwards, Varric's spirits noticeably dwindled, but before too many noticed the merchant returned.

"Everything is safe!" Declared Merlinus. "I cannot thank any of you enough, I am forever in your debt!" With surprising vigor he jumped over to Eliwood. "You are Lord Eliwood, are you not? I have seen you at several events with your father! I assume he is the reason you are journeying?"

"Well aren't you knowledgeable." Hector chided.

Merlinus scrounged his face for a moment, making his mustache seemingly wiggle independently. "I am no mere traveler, I am a merchant of the highest caliber! I must be aware of those who travel the land to have any success in business! Knowledge is as valuable as coin, you know!" He turned back to Eliwood. "With that said, if you would allow me to do so, I would be honored to pay off my eternal debt by joining you on whatever journeys you may partake in. So long as you protect my wares, I will accompany you no matter the danger!"

Varric listened in silence. "Given he never once backs out in game, I suppose he's much more serious right now than anyone would normally give credit…"

Eliwood looked to the tactician, and with one look his mind was made up. "Merlinus, we will happily take you up on your generous offer!"

"Joyous day!" Merlinus cheered before bounding back to his wares.


Once he was gone, a couple minutes passed before Dorcas turned attention to Lowen. "So… seems our quiet, timid novice of a cavalier has some very advanced techniques in his repertoire."

It took a second for Lowen to realize he was being referred to. "...huh? Oh! No, really it wasn't much, to say I properly used it is an overstatement…"

In an instant Sain and Kent were on him. "Are you kidding?!" Sain exclaimed. "You were using a sword in one hand, lance in the other! How do you even do that?!"

For once Kent was just as enthusiastic. "Not even with General Eagler have I seen such a technique!"

Lowen looked to his mentor for help, but Marcus chuckled. "Don't look at me. You were the one to come up with the technique."

BAM

Varric felt something hit his jaw and was seeing stars. when his vision focused he saw Rebecca glaring down at him. "ARE YOU DELUSIONAL?!" She screamed. Varric looked around in confusion to see several staring at him with half concerned, half cringed expressions.

He looked around confused, rubbing his jaw. "Wait, where did Kent and Sain go-" another whack to the head. "OW! THE FUCKING HURTS!" He yelled back.

"SHUT UP YOU PERVERT!" Rebecca screamed, which got Varric's attention.

"I'm sorry, what?" Before he could be struck once more, Wil pulled him away.

"Rebecca, he was unconscious. I'm sure it wasn't intentional." He reasoned, before Rebecca huffed and marched off.

Varric looked to Wil. "I was unconscious?"

"Dude, how vivid was your dream?" Matthew asked, legitimate concern on his face. "You just dropped like a bag of stones after Merlinus left, talking in your sleep. I heard you mention Kent and Sain, the rest was a jumbled mess of sounds."

Varric blinked. "...Ok that explains alot, but what was she-"

"She tried to help you up to check on you and you reached out in her sleep." Wil said as straight faced as he could. When Varric didn't seem to get it he continued. "And then groped her."

About 5 seconds passed as the circulation visibly lessened in Varric's hands in favor of increasing in his face, before Varric wordlessly got his tome out, began chanting, and disappeared as his shadows covered him like a cloak.

"Varric I know you're still there." Matthew said flatly. "We all do. Look, you probably just passed out from using magic too soon after your show with Serra yesterday. What you're doing now definitely isn't going to help."

"I'll risk it." Varric said hoarsely. "Just pretend I'm here like normal."

No one else had dared even approach the 3 and simply inferred from Varric's reactions what was going on.

Marcus cleared his throat. "Back to Lowen's technique..."

That got the rest of the group's attention, especially Varric's, as Eliwood turned to Marcus. "Wait, Lowen's? You didn't teach him that, Marcus?"

Marcus shook his head. "I helped a little but Lowen came up with the idea of using both weapons himself. It would probably never work on a master combatant, but as we saw tonight, against fodder it can be extremely efficient. A perpetual feint would be a powerful aid to any fighter…"

Even under his turquoise hair, one could tell Lowen was completely red. He jumped when an empty space began talking to him. "Hey, I have a couple of friends who would probably want to learn that technique."

"Well, are either of them ambidextrous?" Lowen finally asked the empty space, which shut down the conversation completely.


As the group packed up for an early departure next morning, Rebecca having almost gotten over the previous night and Varric minding his position relative to the huntress, Merlinus finally returned with his wares packed up save for a one item in his hand. "Sir Lowen, please take this! It is the least I could do for how you lead tonight's charge!" He handed what looked like a small replica shield plate to Lowen, who accepted it awkwardly, unaware of what it even was but too timid to ask Merlinus about it.

Marcus and Varric, however, knew exactly what it was and exchanged a knowing nod.

A/N: COLLEGE IS RAMPING UP PEOPLE. Just wrote a blog on Spinal and Tusk in relation to Viking Sagas and Norse history and another separate blog post on Jotun (Fantastic game, get the Valhalla edition right now). Had to temporarily stop going to an actual fight gym for Muay Thai and make do at the fitness center on campus cause travel time was too stressful, I got finals and gotta bring my Psych grade WAY up cause I gotta do rally well in what I want to major in, College is somehow the most stressful and the most chill. I mean my assigned reading is American Gods by Neil Gaiman which is amazing, and my philosophy homework has been about the Alien franchise, god there's so much going on... Oh and I got an LP of Dead Cells, DmC and RE4, Shadow of Mordor, Tales of Zestiria, and now Castlevania Requiem all going on too. FFS me stop having so much stuff to do.

Got SC6 btw, I've made FE characters in it like Marisa before even playing a single match, and I'm waiting for 2B to come out to make Lyn cause I am SO giving her 2B's moveset (the sheer Lyn-ness of her sword style outweighs the whole drone aspect)

Speaking of soul calibur, if you need reference for Lowen's techniques, just look up Hilde from SC4

EDIT TO THE CHAPTER: So I posted this on November 11th, then woke up the next morning and saw I had a review from Blarg888! When I was done reading it I proceeded to slam my head into the wall. And now it turns out Sain and Kent were illusions and I AM REALLY UPSET WITH MYSELF FOR MAKING THAT BIG A CONTINUITY ERROR FU- Technical Difficulties

Edit the second: AND I PIUT WIL IN- okay at least that's a bit plausible but I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL MY BETA READER