Ahh, nice to be back from break!
Severa: So, how was the trip?
Lucina: Please share, we're all very curious.
*Cast stares*
7: Geez not one minute… Anyway it was fine, got to sleep in a great bed, food was nice and we enjoyed just wandering around the island.
Morgan: *Raises hand* Wait, where'd you go again?
7: Bahamas!
*Cast is confused*
7: Island chain in a tropical region, very nice.
Severa: Well our break was nice too, we even got all the renovations done and we even got the editing floor organized.
7: Praise be! Kiwi can actually find her stuff now!
Kiwi: Yeah, about that … I accidentally flushed my pens down the toilet.
Lucina: All the pens?
Kiwi: … Maybe
Severa: How'd you manage that?
Kiwi: Well, you know. Pens and …. Stuff happens.
*Lucina drags Kiwi away to investigate the septic tank*
7: Well … at least all the props are back! Alright everyone, to your stations! We have a story to get back to!
*Cast cheers*
Of Wyverns and Blood
"Lissa, stop messing with that newt."
Chrom groaned when Sumia's voice reached his ears. They'd been on the road for only two days now and already someone was causing trouble.
"Ah, come on Sumia! I've been looking for this breed for almost two years now and I'm not going to let this opportunity go!"
Sumia rolled her eyes. "You and I both know that trying to work with two animals is a bad idea. Just focus on your mount for now."
Lissa opened her mouth to retort but an annoyed glare from Chrom quieted her. Constantine's lands were far enough away that they'd needed mounts to get there, but Lissa's frequent stops to pick up herbs and Miriel's incessant studying was making the journey arduously long.
"Milady, could we perhaps hold off on the collecting until after we've finished our mission?"
Frederick's voice finally made Lissa focus on the road.
Chrom sighed, relieved. Miriel had caused them the most trouble so far when she'd tried to experiment with something she called 'saltpeter' the previous night. The subsequent blast sent everyone scrambling down the road, barely avoiding a patrol of Valmese.
Needless to say, Miriel was forbidden from touching anything for the duration of the trip.
Cherche's voice dragged Chrom back to the present. "Milord, I took the time to peek over the forest and it looks to be clear for quite a ways. If we pick up the pace we'll make Constantine's borders before noon tomorrow."
Chrom nodded. "Thank you, Cherche. You heard the lady everyone, let's get moving!"
A swift crack of the reigns and they were thundering down the road, cloaks flapping behind them. While Sumia, Lissa, and Cherche were able to fly, only Cherche was currently aloft as Minerva had better camouflage in the woods and the disadvantage of being incredibly slow on land. Lissa and Sumia's Pegasi had no such issues, being able to fly and gallop with equal proficiency.
Another hour of riding brought them to a break in the forest and their first problem. Well, their first problem that wasn't self-inflicted.
"Who wants to bet someone was listening in on our conversations?"
Sully's anger was palpable, she hated spies.
"I never take bets I know are rigged Sully, have some faith in your leader. Anyway, what are we going to do about this little predicamen of ours? We could go around but we're late as is."
Chrom's question went unanswered as they observed the obstacle, a large encampment of Valmese soldiers. Vaike spoke first.
"I don't see any high an mighty types struttin about in there, probably just a normal patrol."
Frederick agreed. "A miraculous observation Vaike. But, I agree. None of the soldiers have anything resembling decoration so we may be in luck."
Vaike bristled at the jab but shrugged. Sumia pointed to two riders on the end. "They have Pegasi too. Means they're likely a Courier group."
Chrom sighed. "Well, there goes the force option. Take them out and we'll have every Valmese within a day's march breathing down our necks."
Cherche bit at her glove. "We're near Wyvern Valley if I remember the map correctly. It may be treacherous but we can go through there to avoid the Valmese and still make Constantine's meeting time."
Chrom blanched. "That sounds like a great idea if we had an Alpha Wyvern. No offense to Minerva but the wild ones don't take well to outsiders trying to order them around."
Minerva huffed and Vaike spoke next. "Come on girl, it's ok. But honestly, Chrom, I don't think we have too much choice here. Any longer here and we risk missing the meeting"
Chrom sighed. "What do you think Sumia? I'm not seeing any other options."
Sumia licked her lips and sighed. "I can't see anything else that would get us there in time. At least going through Wyvern Valley will place us within an hour's ride of our destination."
Sully was already mounted. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
They retreated back into the forest before turning east. Another hour of galloping finally brought them to the entrance of Wyvern Valley and out of range of the Valmese patrols they'd had to ride around.
"So," Chrom began, "This is Wyvern Valley. I have to say, I'm not all that impressed."
Cherche chuckled. "It does look like any other valley when you first look at it. But, that will change after we enter."
Vaike snapped his fingers. "Wait, you grew up around here right? I remember you telling me that you went to school near the valley."
The others looked at Cherche, surprised. "Really?" Lissa asked.
Cherche flushed, embarrassed. "Well, my family's from Rosanne like you know but I was sent to a school in this area to study cleric rituals. I wandered into the valley one day, found Minerva, and the rest is history."
Sully whistled. "Damn. From what I hear it's a bad idea for anyone short of large groups to enter, you go girl."
Vaike felt his chest puff out, but before he started singing his wife's praises, again, screams reached their ears.
"That… doesn't sound good." Lissa supplied, feeling an old phobia about disembodied screams rise up within her.
"Your powers of observation never cease to astound me, Lissa. In any case, we have to get in there and figure out what's going on." Chrom's words spurred them into the valley, soon finding villagers running along bridges and away from a group of men in neutral colors. Chrom growled when one of the armed men cut down a fleeing villager. The Shepherds knew what would come next.
"Sumia, get us up there! Sully, Miriel, Frederick, I want you to herd the villagers to safety, strike down any that try to attack. Lissa, Cherche, and Vaike, I want you to search and destroy. Dastards like these always have some kind of head."
They hurried to carry out his orders, Sumia pulled Chrom off his horse and streaked to higher ground where sounds of conflict were echoing. Cherche and Vaike flew to the center of the valley to find a network of bridges that led to the ground below via a slope. Frederick and Sully had already thundered up to the top of the slope and were herding the villagers down to the valley floor where Miriel was waiting while Lissa engaged the enemies following them.
Lissa flew toward a pair of attackers and had her mount ram them, sending the men falling to their deaths. An arrow whizzed by her head and she found the archer on the other end of the bridge, planted against the wind for maximum accuracy.
'I'm too clear of a target' she realized, 'I need to do this on foot.'
Lissa hopped off her Pegasus and gave it a quick smack on the rump. "Get out of here girl! Go find Frederick!"
The steed neighed before taking to the sky, leaving her rider with lance and tome in hand.
'Now then,' Lissa thought as she ran toward the archer, 'Time to put all that lance training to work.'
She couldn't use her magic out here on the bridges for fear of any missed blast disintegrating the wood and sending her or the villagers plummeting. She didn't have axes with her either, which left her with a silver lance. Not her best weapon, but it would do.
The archer fired twice more, one missing and the other leaving a gash on her arm before she closed in. She pushed her lance forward but the archer shifted out of the way. She followed by sweeping the lance at him but only scored a light scratch across his armor.
The archer gripped his bow and took a swing with it, trying to smack Lissa with the blades on the bow's arms. She hopped back from the attack and swung her lance around but he dodged again. Licking her lips, Lissa circled around the archer before charging at him. He pulled an arrow and tried to slash at her but she rolled under it and sprung up with a slash, burying the lance in his side.
The man fell to the ground gasping in pain before Lissa yanked out the spear, twirled it around, and took his head.
Panting a bit from the fight, Lissa ran off to find another opponent, already regretting her neglect towards lance training.
Chrom leapt from Sumia's mount, landing square on a raider's back and slamming Falchion into his head, splattering gore across the ground. Sumia dived under the cliff's edge and raced towards another bridge, tossing a javelin at an enemy wyvern rider.
Chrom, instead of focusing on the battle happening out of his reach, ran towards two more raiders that were attacking a young man attempting to fight back. Chrom caught one of them off guard but their reflexes were fast enough to escape a death blow and only suffered a shallow gash on their back.
"Tell Morristan we have some people with spine!" The injured raider growled.
His follower knocked the young man to the ground before dashing back across the bridge. Chrom wanted to follow him but resigned himself to dealing with the raider in front of him first. They circled one another and Chrom slashed but his enemy parried, their blades locked. Chrom was stronger than the other man and pushed him away, leaping forward to finish the job.
The raider rolled out of the way and hopped back up, swinging for the downed lord's head. Chrom jumped back before charging again, this time showing an obvious left swing. The raider attacked to the right, trying to be faster than Chrom, before the lord fell flat to the floor and let the strike sail over him. The raider lost his balance and fell, a grunt of pain silenced when Chrom stabbed Falchion into his throat.
Chrom sighed, yanking Falchion free before going to help the stunned young man.
"You put up quite a fight to have held them off so long," Chrom began, holding out his hand, "But why not retreat with the others? Surely you could have fled once they were clear?"
The young man took his hand and pulled himself up. Now that Chrom looked at him, he didn't seem like an ordinary villager.
He was wearing yellow robes, similar to Lon' qu's before he joined the Shepherds, and a pair of tan pants with black boots. He also had a scabbard belted to his side and wore a pair of armguards with fur poking out from underneath.
He held an odd black sword with runes running the length of the blade. His hair was dark purple.
Chrom sighed. "It's only polite to answer sir, not stare at me."
The young man blinked. "Oh, apologies! I fear your radiance had blinded my great self and I could not respond!"
Chrom felt himself take a step back. He was very… exuberant.
"Well, um, if I may ask… what is your name stranger? I'd prefer to know so I can tell my comrades and not mistake you as one of these knaves."
The young man positively glowed. "My name, dear sir, is muttered in the darkest night, my enemies huddled in fear of my swift retribution. It is shouted with joy from the highest towers of my allies and sighed by my many admirers! My name… is Owain of the Raging Blood!"
He struck a pose and Chrom pinched his nose to stave off a headache.
"Very well, Owain, you seem to be handy in a fight and I'll gladly take any help I can get for now. Follow me."
He left Owain sputtering about the lack of response but he'd already dashed at another foe across the bridge, one thought on his mind.
'I need to have a talk with Donnel about Owain after this. It's one thing to be a clown and another to be a dramatist in the middle of battle.'
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Vaike's scream would have made Cherche laugh if they weren't in battle. She'd just had Minerva execute a diving spin into another wyvern rider and Vaike did not appreciate the vertigo, to say the least. But she couldn't focus on that now, another pair of wyvern riders were on their collective tails and the leader still hadn't been spotted.
"Vaike! Try and hit the two behind us if you would!"
Vaike felt a blast of fire singe his hair. "If you could fly straight I could get a better angle!"
Cherche rolled her eyes. "Excuse me for not wanting to die! Just, drop on them! You know the maneuver!"
Vaike groaned. "Yes, but I get that famous roast when all's said and done ok?"
Cherche did laugh this time. "It's a promise. Now, are you ready?"
Vaike took a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be."
Cherche smiled and yanked back on her reigns, making Minerva flare her wings to the front and slow. Vaike felt himself get pushed into the saddle but was able to unhook himself easily. The enemy wyverns caught up a moment before Cherche began to climb hard, going almost completely vertical.
Vaike flipped himself around to face Minerva's back, taking another deep breath before letting go. He fell out of the saddle and began to streak towards the enemy, screaming for all he was worth. One of the riders had the good sense to get out of Vaike's path but the other was too dumbfounded at the insane action to move and it cost him his life.
Vaike pulled Armads around to his side and began to spin, becoming a bladed twister that shot towards the wyvern and buried Armads into its flank. The force nearly made him let go and fall but Vaike held on and climbed up the beast's side. The wound was mortal to the lizard, but Vaike climbed until he could stand and wrenched Armads free. Then, he gave the doomed ride a cheeky wave before jumping off into the waiting saddle of Minerva, her claws and fangs wet with fresh blood.
Cherche felt him settle in before his arms wrapped around her waist.
"I love you. You're crazy, but I love you."
Cherche laughed. "I love you too dear, don't change."
A bang grabbed their attention again and they set off for another corner of the battlefield. They flew to where Sully and Frederick were engaging a group of raiders with the help of another wyvern rider.
"Remind me again why Miriel can't help us?"
Sully's question went unanswered for a moment while Frederick blocked a blow with his shield, the arrow sticking in the metal covering.
"She's protecting the townsfolk! To leave them alone is to invite disaster," He skewered a swordsman that got too close, "And I refuse to let innocents die for some kind of misplaced bloodlust!"
Sully blocked an axe strike before swinging her own, leaving a decent gash on her attacker. "Thanks for the reminder Frederick! Now tell me why we're fighting these dastards on horseback? We can fight them on foot too!"
Frederick pointed to their temporary ally, a young blonde man in a mask who sat astride a wyvern. "Because if we go on foot, he'll lose the ability to pick them off at will. Our charges may be short but they are disruptive, and he's skilled enough to take advantage."
Sully grunted assent before yanking a javelin from her mount's quiver and impaling the man she injured earlier.
"Well I want words with that kid before we leave! He refused to protect those villagers, even when they begged him, and then he grows a conscious? Ha! Something's fishy about him!"
Frederick did not deign the bark with a response, instead he charged into a small group and scattered them. He was able to hack one of their arms off with his sword before the others were out of reach, but another was consumed by fire from their wyvern ally.
Frederick frowned as their opponents began to retreat. The wyvern's rider showed an almost preternatural ease when controlling the beast, almost like the two were of one mind rather than master and beast. Even Cherche, with all her affection and ability to understand Minerva, came nowhere close to the young man. But now that there was no enemy, Frederick could finally question him.
"I don't believe I caught your name sir," He began, drawing the rider's attention, "Would you mind sharing so that our comrades do not attack you?"
A frown marred the man's face but he answered all the same. "My name is Gerome, and I will only fight until their leader is dead."
He took to the air immediately, leaving a curious Sully and annoyed Frederick behind. Frederick sighed.
"Let's get going, we need to meet up with Lord Chrom and finish this battle."
Sully nodded and they thundered down the bridges, eager to reach the sounds of fighting from a fort perched higher up.
'Dodge!'
An axe blade came within an inch of opening her guts, leaving a ragged cut in Lissa's clothes. She backpedaled hard to get some distance from the large man before bringing her lance back up.
The man chuckled. "That's a big blade for such a small lady. Why don't you put it down? I promise not to hurt you."
Lissa growled, like she was that gullible.
The man shrugged. "Fine, don't say I didn't warn you."
He charged with blinding speed, axe ready to cleave her in half. Lissa half rolled out of the way but he was swiftly out of range, almost taunting her with his smug grin. She grit her teeth before charging, thrusting her lance hard. Her initial strike missed but she kept thrusting, missing him by bare inches as she juked her head from side to side when he swung in retaliation.
Lissa slashed at him again before swinging hard with the butt of her lance. He dodged the first strike but the second met his arm with a satisfying crack, his howl of pain making her smirk. She didn't let up in her assault and kept thrusting, the man no longer grinning as he evaded her blade. He pushed her away with his axe to gain some distance.
"You've got some fight in you girly," He growled, "But don't think that'll stop the dreaded Morristan from beating you black and blue!"
He reached to his limp arm and snapped it back into place with a sickening crack, his face going feral. Lissa gasped when she recognized what the man had just done.
He'd gone into a berserker rage.
Morristan howled before charging Lissa with even greater speed, planting his fist into the surprised girl's gut. She hunched over from the force, nearly vomiting, before another fist met her head and she flew a few feet.
Thankfully she was able to roll with the punch and landed on her feet. But her hold on the lance was unsteady at best, the tip wobbling as her vision blurred in and out of focus. Spells, she could take like no one save Tharja. Physical attacks?
A stick could take more damage.
She ducked a slash that would have taken her head off and managed to skewer Morristan but he just yanked the lance out of her hands, seemingly unhindered by the large weapon in his gut and tried to grab the nimble girl.
Lissa, flexible though she was, found the task of avoiding him quite a chore. Whilst her vision had cleared somewhat and she could see her tome lying just scant meters away from where it fell, that didn't make his speed any easier to deal with.
Folding around another punch to her gut, Lissa flipped herself over his shoulder and made a run for her tome, nearly reaching it before a hand gripped her ankle and she fell, a pop and searing pain racing through her senses.
A foot planted itself on her back and she could almost see the smirk on the man's face.
"Looks like I win this round," He panted, "Night!"
The blow Lissa expected never came; instead a harsh thud greeted her ears as a savage growl erupted just out of sight. An arm wrapped itself around her waist and she soon met the worried eyes of her brother and sister in law.
"Hey guys," She said, "Looks like I haven't shed the damsel role yet huh?"
Their faces bloomed into smiles of relief, a quipping Lissa was an okay Lissa. Chrom pulled her into a tight hug.
"Don't scare me like that ever again okay? Donnel would never forgive me if something happened and I wouldn't be able to live with myself either."
Lissa hugged him back. "It's ok, Chrom I'm fine. Just have a broken ankle by the looks of it but I'll be fine."
Sumia nodded. "Alright, Lissa, give me your hand," She gripped tight to Lissa, "We need to get you out of here before we get going ok? We don't have a whole lot of time."
Lissa nodded but couldn't help a gasp as she was hauled to her feet, clearly favoring her right foot.
Sumia propped her left side and led her slowly back to the others. Vaike was still coated in blood from ripping off Morristan's head in a fit of rage. Lissa was curious about the two others that had joined them.
"Hey, Chrom," She whispered, "Who are those two?"
Chrom smiled. "Well the one on the wyvern is Gerome from what Frederick told me, while the other one is 'Owain of the Raging Blood.'"
Lissa blinked, that sounded so darned familiar. "'Owain'?"
Chrom nodded. "Yep, speaks like a poor stage actor too."
Now Lissa was stewing. She was so close to where she'd heard the name with that title before, it was on the tip of her tongue.
Then it clicked.
She gaped at her brother's smug grin. "You… you can't be serious. That's… my Owain?!"
She shouted the name and drew the attention of the man in question. The moment he caught sight of Lissa, he gasped.
"Mother?"
The man on the wyvern sighed, muttering what sounded like 'fool' under his breath.
Lissa would have run forward if not for her broken ankle. "Owain! Is it really you? Wait, wait, tell me what your secret hiding spot is, the one where you kept all your toys and drawings so Lucy and Cynthy wouldn't steal them!"
Owain blushed, obviously embarrassed. "I, uh, hid them behind dad's tool shed, in a little space covered by a plank. I even have your engagement ring if you want further proof."
Lissa blinked before squealing. "Oh it is you my darling boy! Come here, give mommy a smooch!"
Lissa hopped her way into Owain's personal space and the scene proceeded to get more exaggerated from there. But, rather than watch the spectacle like the others, Vaike and Cherche were watching Gerome.
Gerome could feel their gazes boring into him until he could no longer stand it.
"What?"
His flat question seemed to snap the two out of a trance, Cherche spoke first.
"Terribly sorry sir, we don't mean to stare. It's just… you command your wyvern so well and I just wanted to ask if I could observe her a bit closer, to see if I can learn anything that might help Minerva and I work better."
Gerome's masked gaze betrayed no emotion as he considered. Eventually, he acquiesced.
"Very well, but only for a short time. I intend to let her free this day."
Cherche nodded before starting her inspection. As she looked over the lizard more and more, her suspicions were confirmed.
She looked to Vaike and gave him a small nod. He sighed before walking up to the man.
"So," Vaike began, "She have a name?"
He couldn't tell if Gerome was shooting him a sidelong glance or not but the answer was pointed. "Yes, but I do not feel it is to be shared. She is to be free today, and gone from all constraints and conflicts."
Vaike snorted. "Please, life itself is conflict. Whether she be free or tame, she must fight and struggle just to see the next day."
He turned to Gerome's wyvern. "Isn't that right Nerva?"
She gave a piercing cry, relieved to finally shed the charade of not knowing her old friends, snuggling into Cherche's outstretched hand.
Gerome was silent for a moment. "… How?"
Vaike smirked. "Please, you think I don't know just about every nook and cranny on that old girl, and yes Nerva, you are old!"
Another, more petulant, cry rose from the wyvern and her younger counterpart chortled right along with Vaike.
Gerome grew more forlorn. "I had not intended to meet either of you. All I wanted was to free Minerva and let her experience a life without the solitude she's endured with me."
Now Vaike frowned. "So, essentially, you crossed time so Nerva could have friends?"
Gerome gave a curt nod.
Cherche finally joined them. "Minerva is beyond lucky to know someone of such kindness. And I believe… so are we."
Gerome's answer had all the warmth of winter. "Stay your words. I have no intention of getting close to parents I've long left behind. Fate will not make me its plaything again."
Vaike snorted again. "Fate is not something the Son of Vaike should ever so much as consider."
Cherche spoke again before Gerome could retort. "You carry a heavy burden Gerome, I can see it in your posture, hear it in your voice, feel it in the very air around you. You may wish to carry it alone, as some kind of punishment or atonement I cannot say, but don't."
She took hold of his hands, even when he flinched, and Vaike put an arm on his shoulders.
"Let us carry the burden with you. Let Minerva carry the burden as well."
Cherche and Vaike smiled.
"We're your family, it's what we do."
Ch. End
Well I considered going all the way to Constantine himself but I decided against it. Instead, we'll meet him next time while Ymir will take only one chapter. Then, it's off to Steiger!
Severa: Well, glad that's done.
Lucina: Agreed, it feels good to get back in the swing of things.
7: School comes back for me in a couple weeks so let's not get too excited. In any case, let's go to review responses before calling it a day.
Goodralisk: You humble me sir, I hope you enjoy this chapter and that the sketch is going well!
Warlord40K: I believe we've already answered this issue in PM's so here's the next bit!
A big thank you to Cormag Ravenstaff and Vaguekiwi for helping me get some motivation back for this story! If I can find the time we may see this story come to an end sometime next spring.
But, that's a rough time period and it may take even longer, who knows?
Whelp, that's all I have! Hope everyone enjoys the story and has a great day!
Squad 7 DISMISSED!