Invisible Ties Chapter 34: The Sibling Blades
Chloey was at a loss. She had the outrealm tome in her lap and had tried to channel her magic through it. It didn't seem to respond all that much and Chloey sighed, this was beginning to be a lost cause. Until it started to glow faintly. Chloey frowned at it, then suddenly she felt the world around her go dark.
"How much are you willing to do to help them, Elder," A voice spoke disjointed and almost panicking,
"As much as we need to," Another more familiar voice replied, "We cannot interfere with them. They must do this on their own...even if we wished it were not so,"
It seemed that the figure was being looked at and the familiar voice said, "Lupia de lupus," and the figure fell back...
Chloey sat bolt upright, panting heavily. She looked around herself and noticed that everything was as it should have been. She tucked her knees underneath her and looked at the tome, Without thinking she spoke the words that she'd heard, "Lupia de lupus," the tome glowed and Chloey felt something move. She turned her head and gaped.
Standing near the entrance of the tent was a wolf...a white wolf with bright green eyes. It was large...and Chloey was frozen on the spot. The wolf walked up to her and then it obligingly sat before her. Chloey was still gaping at it when Chrom spoke, "Chloey, is everything alright love?" He entered the tent and froze when he saw the wolf sitting there as calm as day,
"Uh...yeah...everything's...everything's just fine," Chloey said shakily, if it weren't for the slight headache Chloey would have been fine. Chrom came to stand by his wife as Chloey frantically opened the tome and started to go through it, "I don't believe this," Chloey muttered though Chrom could hear her, "This wolf..." Chloey turned the page and scanned it with her eyes, "is a familiar," The wolf perked up at hearing those words, "I have no idea how that will work but, I suppose I'll have to see how this works..." Chloey kept turning pages and frowned. The familiar wasn't able to be used in battle. Chloey blinked, realising that the wolf was looking at her, then Chloey turned the page.
Lupia de lupus is a familiar summoning spell that summons a familiar in the shape of a wolf. The familiar is often used in a combat capacity and most certainly can be used as a witch sees fit. The lupine is bonded to the summoner and functions like a pet. Familiars are often used by witches to enhance their battle capabilities.
Chloey sighed, "I wonder what that means," Chloey frowned then she and Chrom were taken by surprise when the wolf got up and trotted off through the Shepherds' camp. Chloey and Chrom ran after it. Everyone was panicking as the wolf seemed quite happy to trot about the camp. Chloey managed to make sure that no one attacked the wolf. When they found out that the tactician somehow summoned a familiar they were curious to see what it was doing.
The wolf grinned as it came to a stop. This place was ideal to get to work. It...she had figured out what her mistress wanted. The wolf sat over looking the battle field that her mistress was so choosing. The lava would certainly would make good barriers if that was what the wolf had heard from the mistress' thoughts.
The Shepherds came to a stop when the wolf had lead them to a place that seemed almost too good a battle field. Chloey had to admit it seemed to work well enough for what they wanted, it would limit the enemies' approach and give them a decided advantage if they could use it properly. The wolf having done her job faded away much to Chloey's shock. She looked at the tome again and sighed, "It's a temporary summon...great...at least I won't look like an idiot." She suddenly started laughing helplessly. It was interesting to say the least.
The Shepherds having found their battle field waited for the arrival of the enemy and when they did arrive it was clear to Yen'fey that the tactician was a different breed to Excellus entirely. Clearly with the small number of forces that were there it should be an easy victory and yet. Yen'fey was beginning to wonder if they were as strong as he'd heard. The battle ahead would determine what was going to happen. Yen'fey took a deep breath. It was time to focus on the fight. Yen'fey would have to worry about the fate of his sister later.
The fighting was rather brutal, but given that parts of the field were dropping into the lava below that was to be expected. Chloey stayed by Chrom's side. She kept an eye on the battle field and did what she could to assist her husband in his fight. She leapt into battle with precise movements and used her magic to block incoming attacks. Chrom meanwhile capitalised on his opponents weakness' exposed by Chloey's magic. The pair came up just as Say'ri engaged her brother,
"...I cannot forgive you, neither can I let you live,"
Chloey noticed that Yen'fey seemed pained as he replied, "I've asked you for nothing Sister, least of all your forgiveness,"
Say'ri yelled, "But you will have my justice, like it or no! You, who stood by in silence while everyone around you suffered! While villages were razed and fields burned, you watched but said nothing... When Father and Mother were murdered—you said nothing! Nothing, before you ran to the arms of the one man responsible for all of it! Your silence was deafening. Maddening. Even now...have you nothing to say?!"
Chloey noticed that something seemed off and she frowned as all Yen'fey did was stand calm and quiet. Chrom moved forward and Chloey firmly gripped his shoulder, "Chrom don't..."
"I want answers Chloey," Chrom said firmly and Chloey knew that she couldn't fight her husband on that. With a sigh she resigned herself to doing as Chrom wanted.
Yen'fey had been surprised by the appearance of the Ylissean general. He wasn't surprised that the man was accompanied by a strange woman that for all the world looked like a Plegian. The man's words however surprised Yen'fey. The man was a fool if he should ask his enemies to join his cause...and yet Yen'fey looked at the Plegian. She was most certainly not what the swordmaster expected. With a frown he engaged the Shepherds although he didn't that it was the Shepherds that he was fighting.
When Yen'fey fell he was surprised by the softest of whispers, "Play dead," and thus he did. He listened in surprise. He heard Say'ri's cry of anguish, heard the tactician draw her tome heard Excellus laughing but more importantly head the man scream. However he was too weak to hear what happened next...
Chloey grit her teeth in annoyance. She was so close to killing that toad. Say'ri was a mess. She sobbed and cried leaning on Lissa in that moment. Lucina was looking forlorn and Chloey was trying to control the anger that she's nearly lashed out in. Chrom spoke firmly,
"We need to get back to camp, now," and Chloey didn't argue with him. They didn't notice that there was a shadow that moved to carry away Yen'fey.
With a groan Yen'fey woke in a strangely familiar place. The shadow that stood over him was one of a wolf. The whispering voice spoke again, "That was rather convincing, nicely done Yen'fey," He looked around to see where the voice, "Oh you won't be able to see me," The voice said calmly, "but you should be able to see my familiar," Yen'fey looked at the wolf as it phased into the real world, "She'll help you recover. Now that the Empire thinks that you're dead how about we make a deal?" The whispering voice continued, "We continue to protect Say'ri for you and you help us convince the dynasts to turn on Walhart,"
"F-fie, do you know what you're saying?!" Yen'fey managed to chock out,
"I do...I am a tactician after all," The whispering voice said, "Besides I had a feeling that toad was using Say'ri...and giving tacticians a bad name,"
"Pray, tell me," Yen'fey spoke, "Who are you?"
The voice seemed to laugh, "And here I thought you would have known of Ylisse's master tactician,"
Yen'fey felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, "Y-you're the..."
"Took you long enough. Look we don't have much time, but here's what I suggest. Talk to your men, hide among them and wait for the signal,"
"And if I don't?"
"Then I have wasted my time sparing you, given that you had such a beating I felt that you would trust us to take care of Say'ri, thus giving you a stab at Walhart, your choice really,"
"Fie," The swordmaster muttered. The he watched as the white wolf that so far hadn't been physically there suddenly became so. "This magic be something else," He sighed.
The Shepherds had gathered to their camp and Chloey was rather pleased with herself...at least partly. Now however she wrote a note to Chrom and he frowned as she passed it to him. He read it and grinned, "Alright, alright," He said burning the note up as soon as he'd read it. He had gathered a small war council and Chloey had just given him news that he was grateful for. However the brief euphoria wasn't going to last long.
Chrom was surprised when a soldier arrived breathless, "M-milord! Khan...Khan Basilio...he's...he's dead."
The room suddenly became tense. Chloey pulled a face and Lucina looked like she was about to be crushed under a burden that only she carried. Chrom turned to look at Chloey and he spoke,
"Chloey," The tactician sighed, she didn't have anything to say. Chrom looked to the soldier and spoke, "You're certain of this?"
Flavia arrived limping and barely able to walk, "I am...he's gone Chrom..."
"Flavia!" Chrom was surprised to see her but given her condition he knew she wasn't as well as she should be, "Lucina, please fetch a healer, tell them its urgent,"
"I'll be fine Chrom," Flavia said shaking, she didn't speak for a moment and let out a sudden burst of emotion, "Gods damn me for outliving that one eyed oaf..." She let out a scream of anguish and Chloey tried not to cry. She felt a sting that was far worse than almost losing Emmeryn the first time, "I'LL KILL HIM," Flavia yelled, "BY THE GODS I SO SWEAR, I'LL CUT THAT BASTARD WALHART DOWN MYSELF,"
"No Flavia," Chrom spoke calmly, "You need to rest and heal. When the time is right, make no mistake we will avenge Basilio, you have my word,"
"Then know that I hold you to it," Flavia said heaving for breath. Lucina whimpered slightly and Chloey held her daughter as the young woman tried to muffle her sobs in her mother's hug,
"Wh-why did I let him go," Lucina sobbed into her mother's embrace, Chloey stroking her daughter's hair gently soothing her as best she could.
"Chrom," Flavia spoke up sombrely, "Basilio wanted me to give you this...he said it was important,"
"A gemstone..." Chrom was surprised then he felt a wave of warmth, "Ah...it's one of the ones that Lady Tiki mentioned, I can feel it,"
"It's Gules. I don't know why the Oaf hid it, but he did like his surprises." Flavia spoke with a shaken tone,
"I accept his gift gladly," Chrom replied as Lucina slowly stopped sobbing. Chloey looked at Chrom and he understood what she was saying, 'keep acting you two'
Flavia spoke, aware of Chloey's expression, "It's hard to believe he's truly gone...the larger the man the greater the void left in his wake,"
Lucina sniffled and spoke, "And Khan Basilio...w-was a titan...there is no replacing him," She hiccuped and Chloey gently wiped away her daughter's tears, "I should have tried harder to convince him,"
Say'ri arrived and informed the group of some more welcome news. Chloey had frowned as she'd almost not heard Say'ri correctly, "So let me get this straight?" Chloey said, still holing Lucina in her arms, "You mean to tell me that Walhart is retreating?!"
"Aye," Say'ri continued, "The turncoats are as well,"
"It seems almost too good to be true," Chrom said,
Chloey nodded and spoke, "Well given that Steiger and Yen'fey have fallen it wouldn't be surprising to think that Walhart might pull back...hell it could be a case the the dynasts might be seeing the cracks in the empire as well. It seems that we have Basilio to thank for this..." Chloey sighed, and said more to herself then the room present, "If only there had been another way..."
Flavia snapped, "No second guessing," She made the whole room jump, "Basilio would have hated that! You did your duty as best you were able, same as he," She reached out and gripped Chloey's shoulder, "Now clear that mind of yours from any doubts...we're going to need it love," She spoke firmly and Chloey nodded,
"Alright," She nodded, "For the sake of those that have lost loved ones, we're going to end Walhart's reign!"
Chrom smiled at his wife. He loved it when she had that fire in her eyes, "Everyone we make for the capital, this "Conqueror's" reign ends now!"
The figure gripped the scrying orb, moaning in delight. The delicious despair she saw was making her hunger for more. Her favourite risen was in place and it was time to toy with her host. In fact she'd been looking forward to this for some time. Ah the joys of death and what it did to the living. The risen moved as if sensing the figure's desire. Oh it was going to be delicious to revel in her despair...