AN: I do not own Touhou Project or Fire Emblem
I already said this in Dust of Illusion but I'll say it here. From now on if you leave questions in your reviews, I WILL answer them. So if you have any questions about Fates of Illusion or Dust of Illusion I'll answer them in their respective stories.
But with that said.
Let the Conquest begin!
Chapter 3
Mokushu Ambush, An Old Story
Army Roster
Arashi (Marisa)
Class: Rookie Outlaw
Skills: Locktouch, Steal
P.S: Hard Work
Inventory: Iron Bow, Iron Rune, Vulnerary
Chikyu(Alice)
Class: Rookie Ninja
Skills: Locktouch, Golembane
P.S: Shanghai
Inventory: Iron Shuriken
Mizu(Nitori)
Class: Ballistician (no upgrades)
Skills: Survey, Opportunity Shot
P.S: Upgrade
Tank Arsenal: Normal Shot
Saizo the Fourth
Class: Master Ninja
Skills: Lethality, Locktouch, Poison Strike, Shurikenfaire
P.S: A Saizo's Work
Inventory: Saizo's Star, Wo Dao
Astore
Class: Master Ninja
Skills: Leathality, Locktouch, Poison Strike, Steal
P.S: Spy Sight ( Plus 1 range with throwing weapons)
Inventory: Steel Shuriken, Silver katana
Zealot
Class: Lance Paladin
Skills: Canto, Sol, Elbow Room
P.S: Determined (Cannot dismount, +1 to all stats, Movement included)
Inventory: Steel Lance, Partisan (Ignores weapons triangle)
Cath
Class: Rookie Ninja
Skills: Steal
P.S: Little Thief (Steal can turn into Mug, attack while stealing an item)
Inventory: Bronze shuriken, Vulnerary, Vulnerary, Vulnerary
BGM: Fire Emblem Fates – No Justice
When night fell the group started their journey to escape Mokushu, unknowingly at the same time Kotaro's forces were closing in on them. Zealot and Astore had been quiet while they traveled, as had Cath and Saizo. The three rebels were grieving for their fallen friends, while Saizo was lost in thought.
Arashi however… would, not, shut, up! "I mean what the heck is in this stuck, I mean it smells terrible. Do you drink it?" Arashi rambled on and on to Chikyu as she held a Vulnerary she had stolen during battle in front of her. "I would assume it is a potion of some kind." Chikyu responded as Arashi kept rambling, driving Chikyu crazy.
This went one for about thirty minutes into the night as Arashi kept chattering to Chikyu, who had finally had enough. "MARISA SHUT THE HELL UP!" Chikyu shouted, blowing her top in anger as Arashi shut up, the entire group, except Mizu who was still driving the tank turning to Chikyu as she glared angrily at Arashi, who was left chuckling sheepishly with the Vulnerary left forgotten.
"Marisa?" Zealot asked as Saizo glared at the two girls, Mizu deciding to pipe up at that moment. "You really think we would leave our homes under our own names just to get dragged back? We aren't stupid Saizo." Mizu said, trying to defuse the situation as Saizo growled. "I'm actually surprised it took this long for you to figure out they were not our real names, I thought the lack of a last name would have been a dead giveaway." Arashi said as Astore spoke up. "Not a lot of people in Hoshido or Nohr have last names, unless they are an important family." Astore said as Arashi shrugged. "The more you know." Arashi said as Chikyu slapped Arashi across the face, not that she cared.
"I do not like you lying to me." Saizo said as Zealot spoke up. "It's not uncommon for runaway to take new names Saizo, you know this." Zealot pointed out. "You think some of the names these bandits and mercs have are their real ones?" Astore asked as Saizo mumbled something under his breath about liars before going silent.
"I once ran into a bandit who called himself 'Glass', yes he actually called himself that, his real name was John I think?" Zealot said, trying to lighten the mood as Cath smiled slightly. "Seems someone wasn't right in the head." Cath pointed out as Zealot gave a sad smile. "That was apparent from the start Cath, it wasn't hard to figure out." Zealot said back as Saizo held his hand to his face and sighed. "You know what, forget it." Saizo complained as Zealot suddenly stopped his horse, Astore jolting behind him as Zealot looked around, eying the trees.
"We're not alone…" Zealot muttered as he pulled his lance out again, watching the trees as Astore looked around himself. "Dam, he must have caught up to us." Astore complained, pulling out a kunai as Saizo huffed. "They likely followed the screaming." Saizo said as Chikyu looked down and flinched, pulling out her own kunai as Arashi readied her bow. "I doesn't matter now, we'll have to defend ourselves." Zealot said as Cath gulped in fear, grabbing her own kunai.
BGM: Fire Emblem Fates – No Justice (Fire)
A ninja jumped out of a tree at Zealot, trying to stab him with his kunai as Zealot leaned to the side on his horse, the ninja flying past him before getting shot in the back at point blank by Arashi before jumping away, bleeding from the arrow in his back. "I didn't hit the right spot." Arashi muttered as Chikyu rolled her eyes. "At least you hit him." She said as she threw some kunai into the trees, trying to flush some of the ninja out.
No one came out of the trees as Chikyu frowned. "We're at a disadvantage here in the forest." Chikyu said as Mizu piped up. "Then I might as well try the next upgrade!" Mizu shouted as Saizo raised an eyebrow. "When did you have time?" He asked only for Mizu to respond. "I didn't have time, I just stuck some of the explosive tags you left in here on a barrage of arrows. Time to flatten the terrain!" Mizu shouted as the cannon of her tank aimed up. "Take cover!" Arashi said as Cath hid behind the tank, Saizo and Astore ducking behind it as well as Zealot pulled closer to the tank to avoid getting caught in the blast radius as it fired.
The arrows flew out of the barrel in a bundled clump before spraying apart and falling back down to the ground, getting caught in trees as the tags on them detonated, flattening a good chunk of the forest around them and giving the team an artificial field to work with. "We'll have to use this to our advantage, they'll have to come to us and fight head on." Arashi said as Astore frowned. "But that's the same problem we have, none of us except for Zealot are suited to a straight up fight." Astore pointed out as Zealot huffed. "Then I'll take the lead, everyone keep behind me and give me support." Zealot said as he hefted his lance and his horse whined, ready for a fight.
Almost immediately a mercenary charged out of the trees at them, ready to swing his sword as Mizu quickly took aim at him, firing and hitting him a few times with some arrows, but the mercenary kept coming as Zealot rode at him, stabbing with his lance as the mercenary tried to block with his sword. Zealot's lance went right past his sword and straight into his head, the body falling to the ground as several other mercenary fighters exited the forest to join the fight.
"I count twelve guys." Astore said as the barrel of Mizu's tank started to point up. "Laying down a rain of arrows!" Mizu called as the tank fired, a barrage of arrows flying from the barrel and spreading out, causing a few of the mercs to scatter or get hit. "Nice work, now move up." Saizo commanded as Mizu drove further up in the newly made field, sitting right in the center.
Astore was quick to follow her, running alongside the tank before throwing a kunai at one of the mercs, who blocked it with his sword as Mizu's tank took aim to assist Astore's attack. "I'm with ya!" Mizu said as the cannon of the tank fired, a few clumped wooden arrows flying out of the barrel as the merc panicked, trying to run only to be impaled in the back by the arrows and falling to the ground dead.
Saizo was next to move, jumping on top of Mizu's tank and holding three kunai in his hand before throwing them at three of the mercs, nailing two and missing one as Mizu open fired with a supporting attack, the three scattering as the poison on the kunai took its toll on the two Saizo had hit.
"Cath, with me." Chikyu said, motioning Cath to follow her as the rookie ninja nodded, running with Chikyu as they ran into the forest to circle around the enemy. "Dammit Chikyu, now's not the time." Arashi complained as she tried to take aim at one of the soldiers, closing one of her eyes to focus before firing, nailing the guy in the arm and causing him to drop his club in pain as he ducked behind a tree. "Just hold without them!" Zealot shouted as he pulled the shield off of his horse's flank and blocked an arrow that flew at him. "Attack!" A oni savage shouted as he ran out of the tree line, several others following him as the remaining ten mercs joined the fight and swarmed the team.
"Mizu! Light up the field!" Saizo commanded as the men got to Zealot, who held them off as best he could, but several got past him and started attacking Astore. "I can't! I don't have any more explosives, and I'd hit Zealot and Astore!" Mizu shouted as Saizo growled, jumping off the tank as he pulled out his katana, ready to fight as the trees started to rustle.
BGM: Path of the Hero-King – Fire Emblem Fates
Someone started walking out of the forest as all the fighting stopped for just a moment as a man slowly walked out of the forest. Clad in blue robes with long black hair and a red sword. The mercs slowly started to back up in fear as Zealot's eyes went wide and he gasped. "The Sword Demon…" He whispered as the man simply looked up with a small frown, his eyes both clam yet empty as his vision fell on Astore before closing his eyes.
The wind kicked up as he moved, almost instantly the man was on one of the mercs, his red blade impaled in the man as he slowly looked down before the life bled out of him. "That… is not good." Mizu said with fear in her voice as the man moved again. This time two men, an archer and a oni savage fell to the ground, their blood spilled across the false field as Saizo lifted his katana, ready to fight just in case.
"Astore." The man spoke suddenly as Astore stared at him. "Karla sent me… as a last request." The man said as Astore nearly choked. "I will tell you later, but now we must fight." The man said as Astore nearly fell over from the knowledge of that. "Who is Karla?" Saizo asked as Astore lowered his head and gritted his teeth. "An old friend…" Astore said quietly as the man spoke again. "Bartre and Canas are behind me, they will be here shortly." The man said as Astore nodded weakly.
"Well, that's something." Arashi piped up as she took a quick second to fire an arrow at a soldier, missing him and causing the soldier to move away to avoid any more arrows. Suddenly the bushes shook as Chikyu and Cath burst forth from them, Chikyu stabbing a mercenary in the back of the head as Cath attacked an archer, knocking the man over before trying to stab him, only to get thrown off by the older man as he picked up his bow.
"Cath!" Astore shouted as the man who had joined them flashed by, the archer only getting a moment's notice before the red blade was plunged into his gut. "Run young one." The man said as Cath scrambled to get back to the tank. It has then a hearty laugh was heard as a large double sided axe flew out of the woods, landing in a oni savage as he had turned towards the sound. Out of the woods came a large man clad in old warrior's armor, a bow on his back as he pulled his axe out of the dead oni savage. "Canas! Hurry up, Karel's already here!" The man shouted as a purple haired man clad in the old dusty robes of a shaman walked out of the woods, adjusting his monocle.
"A shaman and a warrior! Those haven't been seen for years." One of the mercs cried out as Bartre huffed. "Has it really been fifteen years since then Canas?" Bartre asked almost solemnly to his partner as he sighed and adjusted his monocle. "It has been Bartre, it seems that now elder magic has been forgotten in the Hoshidan countries for good." Canas said sadly as the man, Karel, spoke up. "We need to get everyone away from here, Kotaro's army is closing on us." Karel said quietly as he killed another mercenary.
"Astore, how have you been?" Bartre called as he ran up to Astore, the ninja still somewhat in shock as Bartre put his hand on his shoulder. "Better… what happened to Karla?" Astore asked as Bartre winced. "The Blight Fever claimed her only a few days ago… she asked us to come find you and to get you out of this mess… after all we now stand as the last ones alive from our… adventure." Bartre said as Astore closed one of his eyes in sympathy. "So it's just the five of us now… me, you Zealot, Karel and Canas?" Astore asked as Canas spoke up. "Nino and… you know who are still alive, but we don't know where they are." Canas said as Astore sighed. "At least it's something…" Astore complained as Saizo spoke up.
"Not to interrupt your reunion, but we have incoming." Saizo said as Arashi shot an arrow over his head, actually managing to nail a solider in the head on complete luck, his corpse falling to the floor as Mizu leveled her tank's barrel with the incoming soldiers and fired a barrage.
The result was nothing short of insane as the soldiers started running like crazy to avoid getting nailed by any of the arrows coming at them, several failing and getting hit, arrows sticking out of them as they took cover in the treeline. "This should be the last of them for now." Saizo noted as Karel, Bartre and Canas took up positions in front of the tank, Arashi and Chikyu at the sides as Astore and Saizo looked between each other and nodded.
BGM: Fire Emblem Binding Blade – For Whom I Fight
"Astra Unlimited." Karel said quietly as he raised his red katana into the air before disappearing into the wind, Bartre pulling his bow off his back as Canas held his luna tome. "The secrets of elder magic… come forth." Canas recited as his luna tome went off, symbols of elder magic surrounding a group of soldiers before the dark magic assaulted them, causing them to scream in pain as three dashes of wind cut by them, Karel materializing for a moment before disappearing as the soldiers fell over, dead and staining the ground with blood.
Bartre was next to attack, nocking three arrows at once in his large bow with three more gripped between his fingers, letting the arrows fly before following up with a second attack, nailing four soldiers with the six arrows, killing them as the soldiers started to run, only for kunai to nail them in the back from Astore and Saizo.
Zealot charged, running his lance through several soldiers as Bartre ran up alongside him. "Just like old times Zealot!" Bartre shouted as Zealot frowned, "The old times were much better…" He said solemnly as Arashi and Chikyu nailed two soldiers who had been trying to circle around them with ease. "I think we're done here. You can come out Cath." Arashi said, Cath poking her head out of Mizu's tank as Mizu sighed. "It's probably still safer in here then out there kid." Mizu said as Cath spoke up. "I'm sorry." Cath said as Arashi sighed. "I couldn't expect you to do much, you're just a kid out here against grown men." Chikyu said rudely as Arashi punched her shoulder Chikyu glaring at her for a moment before the two went back to looking at Cath. "Like I said, sorry…" She muttered as Astore spoke up. "Cath it's fine, I'm just glad you are alive." Astore said as Cath gave a sad smile to him as Karel spoke up.
"Let's move, we don't have much time before Kotaro's main army is upon us." Karel said as he started walking, Bartre and Canas looking between each other before following him, Canas motioning the others to follow as Zealot sighed. "We've failed." Zealot said as Astore closed his eyes. "No matter how strong we are; numbers can still crush most of us mortal men." Astore said as the group entered the forest to attempt to escape Kotaro's army.
BGM: Id (Sorrow) – Fire Emblem Awakening
After nearly twelve hours of walking, the sun already in the sky when the team finally stopped outside an old building in the middle of the woods. "We should be safe here for a while, Kotaro's men should still be near the battle site looking for us." Karel said as Astore sat against the wall and closed his eyes. "Karla's dead too… we've lost so many in only fifteen years…" Astore said quietly. "At the very least, I'm glad she died a peaceful death… rather than on the battlefield like most of us old men." Bartre said as he sat next to Astore.
"You all know each other?" Saizo asked as Canas spoke up. "We do. I've been living with Bartre and Karel for some time now, Astore is an old friend of ours, as is Zealot." Canas said as Bartre spoke up. "How's your legs Zealot? They been healing well?" Bartre asked as Zealot looked up from where he was leaning against the wall, Arashi and Chikyu having helped him off his horse so he could rest for a while. "Still shattered. The priests said they won't heal for the rest of my life. Trust me they've tried." Zealot said as he grunted trying to get comfortable and failing thanks to his legs.
"You all have quite the story to tell, don't you?" Arashi asked as Bartre chuckled. "It's a long one lass. We'd be here all day if I told you it." Bartre said as Astore sighed. "We've got some time, at the very least we can tell them something." Astore said as Karel spoke up. "Tell them about our final fight… the one with Ashnard…" Karel said as Bartre clenched his fist. "Ashnard… that bastard and his men kill more of our friends in one afternoon than anyone else." Bartre said as Canas spoke up. "I'll tell them, it'll be the quickest that way." Canas said as he stood up, Mizu, Arashi, Cath and Chikyu all listening as Saizo leaned against a wall to listen. "This… is just part of our story… but it's perhaps the most important part… Our fight against a false king of the mountains, Ashnard." Canas said as the story began.
Flashback
BGM: Aesthetics of Deprivation – Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn
"Is everyone ready?" The leader of the team spoke, a young man with green hair said, Sothe, the last remaining leader of the brigade that had come together to stop the false king of the mountains Ashnard. With him stood the remaining fifteen warriors that had helped him get this far. Canas, Bartre and Karla were standing together, Karel a little way off to the side with bloodlust in his eyes as Zealot and Astore stood side by side, Zealot holding his shield and lance as he tapped his foot against the ground, ready for a fight. The enigmatic assassin, Jaffar and his girlfriend Nino stood side by side, Nino's adopted brothers Lloyd and Linus watching Jaffar to make sure he was behaving around Nino. An old general in white armor, Wallace was standing with two others, the discharged and former general Haar, and Tauroneo, one of Ashnard's former subordinates. Rhys and Saul, two former monks from Hoshido the sole remaining medical team that they had. "As ready as we'll ever be Sothe." Zealot said as Sothe nodded. "Everyone… Thank you for coming this far with me. For our fallen friends and allies, we will not lose this day!" Sothe said. "He did not say it that way." Astore said. "He was much quieter and somber." Zealot said. "It was fifteen years ago, give Canas a break." Bartre said as Canas continued.
When the doors to Ashnard's throne room were opened the three former generals took the front, Haar, Wallace and Tauroneo ready for battle as the others followed them in, the imposing Ashnard sitting atop his armored wyvern with sword Gurgurant in hand. Ashnard was silent, but he held a wicked smirk on his face, his remaining soldiers all surrounding him as the team took up their weapons.
"Ashnard is mine." Tauroneo said as he charged, his heavy armor not slowing him down as he ran at Ashnard. Wallace bellowed with heavy laughter as he heaved his heavy axe, throwing the chained heavy at a soldier and killing him with ease as Jaffar ran past him holding his two red blades, for a moment his form shook before he spun his knives, disappearing before reappearing above a general and slashing down, the general falling to the ground dead from the lethal attack.
"Onward!" Zealot yelled as he charged forward, attacking a sage as Bartre laughed, swinging his axe like a manic while he was back to back with Zealot. Karel took to the field alone, fighting off an entire squad with a slasher smile on his face as blood dripped off his red blade. "I was slightly crazy back then." Karel said. "Slightly in an understatement Sword Demon." Zealot said as Bartre frowned. "It's Sword Saint now." Bartre said as Karel sighed. "I don't like either." He complained quietly. "Can I continue or not?" Canas asked before everyone shut up.
The battle was faring well for the attackers, but soon the tides began to turn as one of the attackers fell to a shot from a sniper, Haar falling to the ground with an arrow in his eyepatch, his axe falling beside him as he quietly died. Lloyd was next to fall, a mage burning his flesh from his bones as Linus shouted from his brother, only to be shocked to death from a lightning spell, his body falling atop his brother's.
"Lloyd! Linus!" Nino shouted, Jaffar taking notice as jumping away from his current fight. "We must go." Jaffar said quietly as Nino started crying, Jaffar trying to carry her away from the fight, the two disappearing to who knew where. "Then how do you know they are alive?" Astore asked as Canas sighed. "I got a letter from Nino a few months ago, now can you please stop interrupting?" Canas asked as Astore shut up, allowing him to continue.
Tauroneo had started to fight Ashnard, a conversation starting between them as they began. "Is that you, Tauroneo? As I thought… You betrayed me after all." Ashnard said as Tauroneo stood silently, raising his shield as Ashnard continued. "In my father's time, there was a man who was one of the Four Steadfast Riders. That man grew old and useless, and retired from the front lines. How does his story end, you ask? Come, let us write it together." Ashnard said in a mocking voice as Tauroneo spoke, around them men fought and died, Wallace falling to the ground from a druid's dark magic strike. Behind him both Rhys and Saul had been shot by snipers and killed, leaving only six fighters on the attackers' side, but only five fighters for the defenders.
"Oh, my king… In all of this mountain's history, perhaps no other ruler has used the talents at his command to the degree you have… but all the same, no other king has chosen a path so incredibly stupid." Tauroneo said bluntly as the last four defenders fell, leaving it six against one. Ashnard laughed before he spoke, a wicked grin on his face, unconcerned about him being the last fighter left. "Will history judge me to be just or evil? We will not know until all of this is finished. "Let this battle be forgotten by history… That is all I ask…" Canas whispered quietly, for this battle, this small war was not one of glory, it was one of nothing but needless bloodshed.
"…Now that I've confront you and traded words with you, I have come to a decision. Throughout this mountain, I, Tauroneo, will be known as the Killer of the False King. Come! Let me earn my name!" Tauroneo shouted as he ran at Ashnard striking with his lance as Ashnard swung his sword. The metal of the spear and the blade clashed, sparks flying as Bartre tried to fired arrows at Ashnard's mount, trying to bring it to its knees as Canas recited a dark spell, the ball of dark flux strike Ashnard's mount, yet Ashnard himself paid no heed as he and Tauroneo clashed.
"Ashnard!" Sothe shouted, running at Ashnard as he turned his head towards the young man, who held the sword of the fallen leader of the brigade. "I'll strike you down!" Sothe shouted as he jumped at Ashnard, swinging his fallen commander's sword. Ashnard simply smirked as he turned his blade away from his and Tauroneo's duel with a swing.
Blood flew through the air as the sword fell from Sothe's hands, the yellow blade falling to the ground at the same time Sothe did. "Commander… Gawain… Micaiah…" Sothe choked out as blood flowed from his wound. "I'm… coming…" Sothe finished as he fell slack, everyone staring at Sothe as Ashnard laughed. "And so falls the final 'leader' of the brigade. All that's left is you flies." Ashnard said as Tauroneo growled at him. "I'm the last leader Ashnard! Now face me!" Tauroneo shouted as he and Ashnard went back to dueling.
"Kid…" Bartre muttered as Karel slowly walked over to the sword Sothe had dropped, picking it up and examining the fine metal of the blade. "Worthless." Karel said as Karla shouted at him. "How could you say that!" She said as Karel turned to her. "Not him… what he did with his life." Karel said as he looked at Ashnard's mount and held the golden blade in his hand, taking a moment to look at the mount before throwing the blade as hard as he could.
The blade landed in the wyvern's stomach, the wyvern screeching as it died, Ashnard jumping off of it and swinging at Tauroneo, the two continuing to duel as the others surrounded Ashnard.
"What happened then?" Arashi asked as Canas chuckled. "Without his mighty mount Ashnard was just like the rest of us, a mortal man. Tauroneo kept him busy while we attack him. But still to this day I wonder just how powerful he truly was." Canas said. "The guy took several dark spells, a back full of arrows, two full Astras and Tauroneo running his lance through his face to kill him. And even then he still managed to break Zealot's legs and mortally wound Tauroneo." Bartre said with a chuckled before he quieted down.
Flashback end
BGM: Id (Sorrow) – Fire Emblem Awakening
"I still have shards of his sword in my legs." Zealot complained as Karel chuckled. "Yes your mighty legs managed to break his sword where people's skulls had failed." Karel said mockingly as Bartre chuckled. "Wish Tauroneo and the others were still here…" Canas said quietly as everyone was silent, the girls and Saizo still quiet from the story.
At this point Arashi huffed in annoyance. "Your story sucks. It's full of holes, there is no details and you can't even remember the final fight with Ashnard?" Arashi complained as Canas sighed. "It was fifteen years ago Arashi, we can't expect to remember everything that we've done." Canas said in his defense as Saizo took the moment to speak up.
"I do not know of this Ashnard…" Saizo said. "He was the false king of a kingdom on the other side of the high mountains. That kingdom is no more, and it's all lost to history." Canas said as Saizo nodded. "Tauroneo truly did earn his name. Shame we never found his body…" Astore said as Arashi stood up. "We should get moving before Kotaro's men find us." She said as Mizu nodded. "I'll get the tank started." She said as Bartre walked over to Zealot. "Time for one last dance old friend." Bartre said as he picked Zealot up easily and carried him to his horse, helping him on before handing him his lance. "I'm ready." Zealot said solemnly as everyone else got ready to move. "Let's go." Astore declared, the group of nine started moving again to escape Kotaro's army.
(Stage Clear)
AN: The word does not revolve around the lords. Adventures happen elsewhere and people form bonds… Lost legends, lost tales. These are the things that never come to light. The heroes that no one ever hears of. There is one final chapter of this arc… and it's Saizo's last stand.