SEAN'S POV
"Is it me or have we been doing nothing for the past few days?" I asked. Joshua shrugged. "I was planning on being in hibernation right about now until this stupid war came up." He muttered. I rolled my eyes. "You'll have plenty of time to sleep for a few decades after we send Walhart a tumblin'!" I said, pounding my chest.
Cormag roared in agreement. Joshua glared at the wyvern. "You wanna go, dragon?" I raised a hand. "Actually, he's a wyvern. Two entirely different species." Joshua rolled his eyes. "Same difference."
There were a few moments of silence before I asked what was on both of our minds. "Do you think Lucy will be ok?"
Joshua frowned. "Honestly, It will take a while to shake her out of this. For her entire life she was the tsundere battle-hardened princess we knew. She didn't dare attach herself to any of us above a bond of comradely because she knew we might die around her at any given time. Here, in the past, the danger of death was incredibly lessened. Especially during the two years of peacetime. She let her guard down, and fell in love with Robin. She didn't think anything would happen to him, because like I said, its peacetime. Then, now… now he's dead and Lucy and her children are in shambles."
That was probably the wisest thing I have ever heard from Josh. Talk about wise beyond his years. Although I doubt I will be the last to say that considering he will look like a boy for the next few millennia. "Yeah, but give Lucina some credit." I said confidently.
Joshua looked up. "Oh?"
"Well, she's been through tons'a stuff! And we don't know that Robin is dead, right?" Josh sighed. "Please not this again. Big whoop: his body wasn't there. There was a ton of blood on the ground, according to Lucina. So the chances he's alive are next to none."
I was getting irritated. "Do you want him to be dead or something, Josh? He's our friend and ally, and more importantly he made Lucy the happiest I've ever seen her. I don't think he's dead and neither should you!"
With that I got up and left the tent.
PERSEUS' POV
The Valmese were rather irksome. I had my sword in one hand and a grand total of six mines hung up my sleeves with care, in hopes that an enemy soon would be there. However, at the moment, my sword was enough to hold my own.
"Bolganone!" A soldier was flung into the air on a geyser of flame courtesy of Madelyn. "Perseus, I do believe we have allies." She said, spitting out the tall grass the reached up to our chests. I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Who might they be?" Madelyn frowned. "I couldn't see very well, but I believe it was Jason and Augustus."
I laughed. "Then this match is already won! Let's leap back into the fray, shall we?" Madelyn smiled and vanished into the grass again. I held my ground for a half hour, downing mages and knights and cavaliers, oh my. However the Valmese forces seemed endless. All six of my mines remained intact. Thankfully there were only glancing blows to my arm, not enough to set one of them off. That would've been messy.
Then, an arrow whizzed by. I looked in its general direction to see an entire squadron of archers. Let me repeat that. An entire squadron of archers. That was going to be a problem. A dozen or so archers were no problem. You could avoid them if you were careful. But an entire attacking force of them? That would be tough. So who better to face them than me?
I pulled out my second sword. I was ready. I charged the archers, sidestepping to make myself a smaller target. Mistake? Yes. I do believe that was a mistake. Roughly 60 arrows flew at me from three directions. Archers were positioned in trees and under bushes in line with the first row of archers.
Luckily I was able to hit the deck and avoid the storm. I began to weave from side to side as I advanced. The few arrows that were able to find their mark were blocked by my swords. I thought I was doing pretty well. Until the next wave came. The left and right flanks swung around and encircled me in a ring.
Dozens and dozens of arrows would not feel good. I tightened my stance. I heard the sound of grosses of bowstrings twanging. It was the end.
Or not.
There were a multitude of heavy thumping noises as a shadow blotted out the sun. I looked up to see Jason standing in front of me, arms wide, and both lances in hand. He nodded to me. "And you say this armor impeded movement." However, now wasn't the time for jest. "Switch. The southern flank is firing.
In an instant we switched placed. This was only a temporary fix. Either armor would shatter or the order was relayed to have everyone fire at once. "Listen." He hissed. "You go attack the undefended flank when we switch. I'll take the firing squad over there." He said. I nodded.
"SWITCH!" He roared. I immediately darted past him towards the northern flank of archers. Nearly all of them had swords, but nearly none of them knew how to use them right. It was a quick battle. I glanced back to see Nick stabbing away at the southern flank with his lances. I was about to shout to him when there was a mass of movement from the left and right flanks. Uh-oh. "JASON GET OUT OF THERE!" I shrieked. He looked up from spearing the last of the archers in confusion. Then, about 200 arrows pierced him.
I don't know how many actually hit him, but he was down. The archers began to reload. I knew I was their next target. Sorry, Valm. Look like I won't live to see you liberated after all.
Then, cracks erupted in the earth around my feet. They began to spread and glow hot orange. Madelyn was using magic? So close? I saw the cracks racing towards the other archers… and Jason. I couldn't leave him to friendly fire.
I took off running across the plain. The archers now abandoned any thought of attacking us and ran in frightened circles. I was barely outspeeding the cracks. The ground was literally falling apart behind me. Finally, I reached Jason. I grabbed him by his armor strap and began dragging him.
Finally, after my legs started to ache, the spell stopped spreading.
And detonated.
Jack's Corner
LET THE ARCHERS HIT THE FLOOR! Yes, I think I made Jason out to be a little idiotic so I needed a redeemer chapter. And Perseus needed a humbling chapter. And Madelyn needed a My-name-is-only-mentioned-like-twice-but-look-how-I-affected-the-plot chapter.
