Apologies again for the long delay, been having trouble trying to finish this chapter and the story in general. I am nearly finished with the whole story and this will signal the final arc of the story. I hope you have enjoyed the story and continue to support me until the end. Until then enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Familiar of Zero characters, just my OCs
"So you think this would do it? The Confederacy would be thrown out of Belfast?" Louise asked as the squad stood in front of the last foothold within Belfast, it had been a hard fight, almost a month's worth of fighting. But with the Helkeginia mages they were able to fight back against the Confederacy magic spell for magic spell. They were not ready for them and therefore it resulted in them falling each time, eventually they were driven to a corner and now they were whittled down to a single fortress. Sitting at the border between the Confederacy and Belfast the battle would go down in history as the final stand of the Confederacy.
"Well I hope so," Brimir remarked peering through the binoculuar, "I mean I do hope that nothing else happens, but knowing her it would be most likely that she has something up her sleeve," knowing that the 'her' was the High Priestess who was responsible for the Confederacy being able to use magic.
"Well we have you so I have no doubt that we will be able to win this fight, then peace will come across Belfast," Louise said with confidence brimming out of her.
"Quite confident aren't you? Well I suppose that's a good thing, but be on your guard. I really don't know what she's thinking..."
"I will," Louise said before turning and going back to her squad where they were eagerly, and anxiously, awaiting the start of the battle. Claudia was fidgeting with her machine gun while staring at the fortress, a dark cloud hanging above it like an ominous sign, "boo!" Louise shouted surprising her rival.
"Louise! Don't do that!" Claudia exclaimed.
"Haha! I never thought that you would be surprised by something like that, you must really be on edge."
"Who isn't? This is the final battle, with this we could drive out the Confederacy and the war would finally end."
"The war isn't over...just the war against us. Not the war in general.'
"Stop being a pessimist."
"Funny I thought that was you," earning her a punch on the arm, but it did manage to make Claudia smile.
"I can't believe how far we have come far...how many years have we been fighting against the Confederacy...how many lives have been lost?"
"Don't dwell on that...dwell on the fact that if we win this battle then the Confederacy will have no further foothold and they'll be forced to retreat back to where they came from. Look towards the future, look towards the horizon, and look towards a new dawn."
"Nice...you should have said that with the others though."
"Oh no I'm terrible at public speeches."
"Really? I thought you nobles had to do public speeches."
"Yeah I leave that to my mother and sisters."
"Ah...so you're just the third wheel?"
"Yes-hey!"
"Haha...thanks Louise that did make me better, I guess after this it's back to the classroom."
"You think school will start anytime soon?"
"Probably not for a while, but hey I am a teacher not a soldier, so that's going to be my future."
"Hmm...I see."
"You? Still intent on joining the military?"
"Yes, I really do think that I will do well in the military, I have an aura around me that makes men follow me and be inspired."
"Really? You? Inspire people?"
"What?"
"Nothing...I just find it hard for a small person to inspire people."
"Hark," Louise said before her face softened, "Claudia...thanks...for being with me till the end."
"Now what are you saying?" Claudia asked with a sigh, "You sound like you're dying."
"Sorry, but I just wanted to thank you for our rivalry, it helped me focus," she said with a smile.
"Really?" Claudia asked in surprise.
"No you dopplehead I meant our friendship," Louise remarked as Claudia laughed.
"You never did like our rivalry...you were always more into friendship," she remarked.
"Of course, I hold friendship to the highest level."
"And that's what makes people follow you...you were willing to make anyone your friend and go against the traditional norm. I do think you'll make a fine commander one day."
"Well first let's win this battle then we can discuss my military future," as Suzie tackled her from behind.
"Sis! So this is where you were!" she exclaimed rubbing her face against her back.
"What's up Suzie?" Louise asked hugging her sister.
"Nothing, I was just looking for you that's all," Suzie replied, "are you nervous about the battle?"
"No soldier can never be not nervous, they are always nervous," Louise said wisely.
"Well I'm sure that you can do it, you're the Heroine of Barton, the finest soldier in Beflast."
"As are you and everyone else in squad 13," Louise retorted, "I could never be in a finer squad than this."
"Again you should have said that with everyone else," Claudia remarked as the three of them laughed.
"Well they look friendly enough," Karin said looking at her two daughters talking with Claudia.
"Are you surprised mother?" Cattleya asked, "Louise does seem to have the innate ability to bring the best of anyone out of them, not to mention that she has an aura that makes everyone trust her."
"Indeed...it is incredible how far she has grown despite her injuries," Karin said, "she truly is comfortable on the battlefield," though an edge of sadness could be heard from the wind mage.
"Do not fret mother, even you still retained your knight-like personality throughout life correct?" Cattleya said, "And you've become a fine mother."
"Thank you Cattleya, however I just hope that Louise knows what it truly means to be in the military on a permanent basis."
"She has Alexander and Suzie to count on and the other mages as well."
"Ah yes...what about the others? What will they do?"
"I have not heard anything definitive, but rumours have it that Kirche and Tabitha are remaining in the military if Louise remains though Guiche is still sitting on the fence."
"Always was a coward that boy...never had his father's bravery."
"Mother..."
"Ah...I spoke that out loud didn't I? What a bad habit. Anyways let us prepare for battle...are you sure you want to participate in this Cattleya? Your body-"
"If Louise is fighting on the frontlines than as her sister it is my duty to protect her and aid her, do not worry mother I will be alright."
"I always knew that you were stubborn when it came to your sister, very well let us prepare for battle."
The battle was set as the line of Belfast soldiers and tanks rallied forth and began their advancement towards the final stronghold of the Confederacy army, they were in high morale knowing that if they won this battle then finally they would know peace. Finally they would drive the invaders out and they would be able to have the peace that they have always desired. "I'm getting nervous," Elise admitted.
"Don't worry," Louise said, "nothing will happen. I'll protect you all."
"Of course, nothing can happen with you around," Elise said optimistically.
"So? What exactly is their plan this time?" Kirche asked.
"What else? Charge ahead and keep on charging!" Louise replied.
"Perfect, isn't it always the same plan?" Kirche remarked.
"And don't we always do it anyways?" Louise retorted.
"Touche Valliere," Kirche said as everyone began to charge towards the fortress as the first mortar shells fell on top of their heads.
"Keep moving! Don't stop!" Louise yelled as everyone pushed through the explosions as Louise dodged a rocket flying towards her feeling the searing heat from the blast before stopping briefly to take a random shot towards the rocketeer and then moving again not knowing whether or not she had hit him or not.
Then the one thing she never wanted to see again came out as a horde of them came towards them, "Bio-golems!" she shouted as the first one jumped, claws stretched, as Louise aimed her rifle and fired a shot straight into the head.
"Damn it! I thought we got rid of them when we destroyed that research facility," Kirche exclaimed burning one into cinders.
"This must be some sort of experimental batch or something, or there could even be another experimental facility," Louise remarked, "but speculation is meaningless. Just cut them down like any other person!"
The Bio-golems stalled the Belfast military for a while as those that had not fought them before were overwhelmed by the sheer power of the Bio-golems, but the mages were able to keep them at bay while the military recovered. The Bio-golems were more aggressive than the ones back in the lab making Louise wonder if there was another research facility. However they managed to get as far as within eyesight of the main entrance before snipers began to pepper them, "Sniper counter-strike now," Louise ordered as the snipers immediately got to cover and began their work as a volley later they gave the all clear.
"Louise slow down," Mason said, "you're ahead of the other units," as she turned to see that the other units were still behind, either trying to get through the mortar volley or fighting the Bio-golems.
"We don't have time Mason, we can take out the mortars once we're inside," Louise said, "we're sitting ducks here."
"I know, just fall back a little," Mason replied.
"Fall back? That's backwards," Louise snapped.
"Louise! Just slow down and wait for the others before you go barging in!" Mason said.
"He's right," Luna said, "even if we are the crack unit of the Belfast military we won't survive inside there."
"Calm down," Alexander said to Louise, "I know you want to end the war, but let's follow Mason for now okay?"
Louise rested her forehead on the cool metal of her rifle as she took a deep breath and tried to drown out the sounds of explosions and bullets flying before nodding, "OK...we'll wait and bunker down," she said.
"We'll be there soon," Mason said before he cut the transmission as the rest of the squad began to hunker down.
"You know...there's almost no infantry here," Luna said, "I mean even if it is their final bastion shouldn't there be infantry in a trench or something?"
"I don't know," Louise admitted, "it does seem a little strange...that's why we have to be on our guard and not let anything get past us. Everyone's depending on us."
"I know...I'll try my best," Luna said.
"That's all I ask."
"You're a good person Louise...I'm glad that you're here."
"Well...I guess I came into this world by accident and got drafted into the militia by accident, but yeah...I'm happy I'm here too."
"Thank you...for everything you've done."
"Thank me after the battle is over, we still have a long way to go."
"Of course," Luna said as the Falcon rolled in.
"Right most of the military is here, let's keep on moving," Mason said.
"Let's roll," Louise said as they resumed their march against the Confederacy, they braved the bullets that continued to assault them, as the tanks fired their cannons in order to provide them with some heavy cover. They managed to penetrate into the base as more soldiers came out to attack them as Louise took cover behind some rubble that had been brought down by the tanks. She knew that the rest of the military would soon reinforce them, but for now they needed to hold this line, "Suppressing fire," she shouted as the others suppressed the Confederacy soldiers and prevented them from gaining anymore ground.
"Bio-golems!" Alexander shouted as Louise turned to see the golems heading towards them, swinging her rifle their way she pulled the trigger as the first golem fell, but the golems continued to rush towards them seemingly without care for its fallen comrades.
"Shocktroopers keep the soldiers suppressed, riflemen take out those golems and don't let them get close to us, the rest of you support either teams. We wait here until the rest of the military has caught up to us," Mason said.
"What's their progress?" Louise asked.
"Good, they got support from the mages so they're making good grounds, but it'll take a quarter of an hour for them to get here. Defend this line at all cost," Mason reported.
"Yeah...that'll be easy," Louise said to herself seeing the soldiers that came out in waves, "but it isn't a good day if we're not in a pinch right?"
"You got it," Alexander said, "let's do it Louise."
"Of course," the pink haired girl nodded as she fired on the golems as they attempted to overwhelm them. Ten minutes in and there seemed to be no end to the wave of enemies, whether it be golems or soldiers, as Louise reloaded her weapon before realising that it was her last clip. "I need more ammo here!" she said.
"I'm all out," Alex said, "I gave the last clip to Claudia."
"Damn it, Mason how much longer? We're nearly out of ammo here," Louise said.
"Five more minutes, hang on!" Mason said as Louise couldn't help, but give a grin.
"Five minutes...why do I have a feeling that this isn't going to work out too well?" Louise said.
"Must be experience," Alexander said as he fired his last bullet from his rifle, "I'm out, switching to handgun," as he took out his handgun.
"I'm out too," Laura said, "but I'm still here."
"They better give us ammo when they arrive Mason or we might as well pack it up," Louise said sarcastically.
"On their way," Mason acknowledged.
"Alright then...squad 13 here's the last leg. Let's make every shot count!" Louise said taking out her handgun and firing at the golems, they were less effective then the rifles not to mention their range was drastically reduced. But she be damned if she was going to lose here. Chanting a spell she fired a void spell straight at the enemy as an explosion rocked the entire place.
"What was that?" Kirche asked.
"Nothing to worry about," Louise said though she knew that she would have to one day tell that she somehow learned Void magic. But for now Kirche and the other mages would be too busy fighting the Confederacy to take any heed to what Louise was doing.
Fire, earth, water and void magic worked together to keep the golems and the soldiers away from the squad as they continued to work on it while the others tried their best to stave off the forces that assaulted them. Finally the rest of the military caught up to them as the infantry pushed back the Confederacy forces as they retreated into the inner fortress as the outer fortress fell to Belfast hands, ammos were also given out as everyone were stocked up and ready to go. "Thank goodness that we held out," Kirche said slightly panting.
"Yeah, I wasn't sure if I would be able to hold out any longer," Guiche agreed.
"No time to rest," Louise said, "we still have a long way to go," she said as she reloaded her rifle.
"Yes, yes don't remind us," Kirche said grabbing her assault rifle, "so it's a straightforward path into the fortress huh? That shouldn't be too difficult."
"But when has anything we've ever done easy?" Guiche retorted as the door to the fortress opened to reveal several giant lizards with teeths that looked like it could tear through a tank's armour.
"Perfect...giant lizards...what could possibly go wrong?" Louise sarcastically remarked.
"Like Gramont said when did we have an easy fight?" Kirche said quickly changing her mind as Louise sighed.
"Well we're not squad 13 for nothing! Advance!" Louise said firing the first shot at the lizards.