Asleep

Chapter Fifty-One: Oath


"Something wrong, Da?" Fire raised an eyebrow as she walked out the cottage to join me.

"No, it's nothing." I said distantly, narrowing my eyes. Okay, maybe I'm being paranoid and it's not meant to happen until later, but I just can't help but feel that it's going to happen soon. I'm not going to deny that Owain would probably be useful – even if it does make the 'swordwind' consist of, like, 90% swords or knives, making the name far more appropriate that it otherwise would be – but dear lord, it'll get irritating quickly. I mean, it's kind of endearing from Cynthia, but at least she can turn it off. You never really got that from Owain in the game.

I think. It's been years since I played it, after all. Not to mention everything's shot to hell anyway, with Emmeryn surviving and stuff.

"Disnae seem like nothing." She said quietly. Everyone else had gone to sleep a while ago, in various corners of the Sage's cottage. Matthew and Maugan had found separate dark corners to vanish away into, while Cynthia curled up next to the fire.

Honestly, she's like a puppy. She kicks in her sleep, too. It almost gave me cavities looking at her.

"Una seemed nice enough." I shrugged, trying to change the subject. Fire smiled, probably deciding to let it go.

"She is, yeah. I didnae think I'd get a chance to meet a relative that wisnae an Aunt in my life." She said wistfully. "She's nae much of a fighter, but she's nice. Prolly that shamanism thing they were talkin aboot."

Gods, Valm is weird. I mean, I knew it had Chon'sin – aka not-Japan-we-swear – and some European/French countries, but this whole separate religious sect just drives the point home. I suppose it would be dumb to have only two religions for the entire planet, but it's just incredibly strange that there are people with honest-to-god connections with animals.

It's even scarier that Henry is a Christ figure. He must never learn about this.

"It is odd, isn't it?" I chuckled. Let's push those thoughts to the side. "Did you hear about the Sage's latest prophecy?"

"Tha we're getting a new guy?" Fire raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I heard. Who do ye think it is?"

Well, I couldn't flat out say it was Owain, could I? "I suppose it could be another one of the future children, like you and Cynthia." I shrugged. "Still, we'll find out in the morning-"

Fire's back suddenly straightened as she narrowed her eyes, gazing off into the distance. "We've got company. Ten…nae, fifteen, all armed."

I swear, the eyes that archers have in this world are insanely useful. "Bandits?"

"Nae well-armed enough tae be militia or military." Fire nodded. "Not automatic enough tae be Risen, either. Prolly bandits."

"I'll get the rest of the group up, find a vantage point and pull out your bow." I ordered, heading inside. Fire was already clambering up the side of the building, heading for the chimney most likely. I kicked Maugan – who had slumped out of the shadows to just be in front of the door, snoring – awake.

"Come on, everybody up! We've got bandits incoming!"

Matthew snapped awake instantly, Maugan as well – even if it took him a few minutes. Cynthia uncurled and made a few grumbling noises before grabbing her spear, wincing.

"I hate sleeping in armour…"

"We're going to need to get used to it, Cynthia. There's fifteen hostiles approaching the village, we're not going to let them torch the place, got it?"

"Got it." They sighed, making their way outside. Matthew vanished almost as soon as he left the house, probably slinking into the shadows. Maugan tried to as well, but I could still trace him fairly easily.

He's basically Matthew with a handicap, but good con artist skills. He's more useful for those than sneaking and assassination, really. Cynthia grabbed her Pegasus and gave his nose a few rubs, climbing on.

"Don't take off yet, Cynthia. It might alarm them." I raised a hand, resting it on the pegasi's neck. She nodded, hands twitching.

"…alright."

"Good. Fire, don't shoot until I give the signal." I barked, getting a brief 'alright' from the roof. Slowly, I stalked towards the intruders, checking my latest 'gadget'.

Who needs magic when you have toys? Satisfied that it was working properly, I snapped it onto the sheath of my claymore, just underneath the hilt. This'll be a shocker for them. Finally, I slid my helmet on and glared out of the slits – thankfully, it didn't impede peripheral vision TOO much.

Showtime.

"WHO GOES THERE?!" I bellowed. The fifteen bandits – lead by someone that looked like an older version of Maugan, in his fifties – stumbled to a halt in surprise.

"Blimey, e's a big guy." One of the swordsmen muttered to their leader, who scowled. "What'd we do, Gecko?"

"He must be their bodyguard." Gecko grunted. "Just take him out like the rest."

The swordsman shrugged and drew his blade, walking forward. "Sorry, mate, but no mercenary is going to bring down the great Lizard Bandits!"

That's seriously the best name you could come up with?

That is seriously the best name you could come up with. Wow, I am embarrassed FOR you. The mage at the back shuffled slightly, slinking his hands under his robe.

"Guys, maybe this isn't such a good idea…"

"Oh, shut up fresh meat." Gecko growled at him. Sighing, the mage drew out a cigarette and lit it using a low-level fire spell. Blue smoke drifted off the tip, and he drew on it greedily.

"Yeah, well, I tried to give you a chance." He shrugged, cracking his fingers. Gecko ignored him, and just pointed at me.

"Frair! Kill him already!"

The swordsman dived towards me, with what probably looked like blinding speed to someone who hasn't been in an eternal war for three years of his life. I caught the blade in my hand – gods bless the armour plates in my palms – and glared at him, wrapping chainmail-coated fingers around the blade.

"Wrong move."

I wrenched the blade, intending to pull it out of his grasp, but to my surprise it just snapped in half instead. I guess it must have been pretty worn out. Frair gawped in surprise, as I reached up with my free hand to grab the hilt of my sword.

"My turn." I snarled, wrenching the claymore out. You see, the inside of its metal sheath was coated with long-lasting lamp oil. The contraption I had put at the top of the sheath was a simple rotary flint and steel.

The end result was, instead of a six-foot Scottish man drawing a sword almost as big as he is, there was a six-foot Scottish man drawing a sword almost as big as he is that was now on fire.

It didn't exactly add much to the sword's damage, unless they were wearing extremely flammable clothing, but again – psychological warfare was the entire point of being a Dread Fighter, and this is fucking scary.

Frair stumbled back a few steps, but barely managed to get anywhere before my sword came crashing down on his head, bisecting it. Gecko yet out a yelp of alarm, and frantically ordered the rest of his troops to attack, which was when Maugan and Matthew dropped out of their trees onto his men's shoulders, knives plunging into their throats. From fifteen men to twelve, the mage at the back blinked.

"Well, wasn't expecting that. Whelp, I tried to resolve this without violence." He shrugged, ditching the mage's robes to reveal a trench coat that he had somehow kept under it without boiling alive. "Sorry, guys."

A roar of fire erupted from his fingers, roasting the group's other mage. Well, that's one problem dealt with I guess. Maugan glanced towards him, nodding slightly. "Hey, Norrin."

"Ruger" Norrin blinked. Alright, so that's our sixth member. "Wasn't expecting you to be on the side of the angels."

Alright, I'll let them have their recruitment dialogue. Fire's arrows whipped past my shoulder, burying themselves in eyes and necks, downing another few men. Gecko was down to nine, and that was when Cynthia and her Pegasus dropped out of the sky.

Correction – Gecko was now down to seven, with one of them crushed by a flying horse and another one impaled on a lance. Yelling, he turned and ordered what was probably a retreat – and then froze as another figure stepped onto the path.

"Behold evildoers!"

Hi, Owain. He stood there, dark hair spiked up and a steel sword in his grasp, names etched into its hilt. Dear lord, he's dorky. "Feast your eyes upon the visage of your destroyer, the wandering vagabond Owain Dark!"

"Just get him out of our way!" Gecko growled, diving at him. Gecko's knife was blocked by Owain's sword, and soon enough they were dealing with each other. I waded into the panicked mass of thieves – they were kept in a circle by Maugan, Matthew and Cynthia, along with Norrin putting up walls of flame every now and then – and lashed out with my left fist, smashing somebody's nose in before bringing my sword down. The man's companion let out a panicked scream, lashing out at me with his axe and managing to knick my shoulder through the chainmail.

My return swing impaled him through the spine. With a grunt, I lifted him into the air and kicked his burning – guess those rags were flammable – corpse off of my sword.

"YIEEELD!" I bellowed. The three remaining mooks did so.

Smart guys.

Gecko, on the other hand, did not, snarling and reaching around Owain's sword to punch him in the face – repeatedly.

"-Dishonourable cur-" I heard Owain grumble, stumbling out of the way. Gecko grinned and made a dash for it, prompting Norrin to – why is he just pulling out another cigarette.

"Easy, mate." He grumbled as Gecko rushed him, knife held out in front of him. "I need these."

Oh, great. We've got a nicotine addict on our side. Smirking, Norrin took another long puff and reached out his hand, fingers poised to snap.

"Burn."

Snap

A torrent of flame – stronger than anything he'd summoned so far – flew out of his hand and enveloped Gecko, who screamed in pain and tumbled to the floor. Stomping out the cigarette, Norrin dusted his hands off.

"Well, that's that then, isn't it?" He said brightly. Okay, that was…that happened.


Introductions took a while. Owain took the whole idea in stride – probably a bit too much – and was now describing his exploits in the battle in great detail to whoever would listen.

So, a group of three young kids. Cynthia had joined in after a few seconds, so that was them out of our hair for now. Owain is…problematic. If he's going to be coming around fighting with us, he's going to need to learn how to be underhanded. Gecko only got the upper hand on him due to being a dishonourable douche hat, after all. We couldn't try to be honourable knights of glory in this line of work, it'll get us killed.

"Thank you, sir." The sage nodded gratefully. "We wouldn't have noticed their approach were it not for your intervention. In the day, we could have defended ourselves…"

He trailed off, slightly embarrassed. Missiletainn was gripped in his hand as he stared doubtfully at Owain, shaking his head.

"…to think he would be the one wielding this blade." He sighed. "This will be incredibly irritating, won't it?"

"He is excitable." I agreed. Is he implying that Missiletainn is also special somehow? Isn't it just +1 skill or something like that? Whatever...I wonder where Fire's gone. She just vanished after the battle. "Again, Sage, it is no trouble. It's what we're here to do, after all."

He chuckled to himself. "Yes, and I trust the continent is in good hands. You can trust us to start spreading the word."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"You'll need to build up a legend, after all." He shrugged. "Like the Greil Mercenaries of myth, a large part of their effectiveness was based on their foes knowing who they were facing. Hopefully, the Swordwind can be spoken of with equal respect in the future."

"I doubt it." I smiled. "But thank you. I'm sure it will help in some form."

The sage nodded wisely. "I must go and deliver the sword to your friend, now. Feel free to rest here as long as you need."

"We shan't be here longer than a few days, Sage. I promise." I bowed. Smiling, the Sage went to give the sword to Owain.

Who, immediately, thought it was Mystletain. Wonderful.

"This is going to give me so many headaches…" I grumbled.

"The blade of legend and song…I feel its power coursing through me! At last, my sword hand lays calm. Come, Mystletain! DESTINY BECKONS!"

I want to hit him; I want to hit him so much. Honestly, it's so obnoxious.

"If you're quite done fooling around…" I grumbled. Cynthia had already filled him in on the situation – thank god – so I didn't have to talk to him for too long. "We should get some rest."

"Very well." Owain sighed, sheathing his new sword. "I suppose even the greatest of all heroes must lay their weary brows to rest at times."

Please stop making everything a hero metaphor. I am begging you here. Honestly, no matter how much I liked him in the game he's going to get really old really quickly in real life. Still, that sofa looked rather inviting now. With a groan, I sank into it and closed my eyes.

It'd been a long day.


"Da?"

I blinked awake to find midday sun peering in through the windows and my daughter hovering over me nervously, her cousin next to her.

"Morning, Fire." I smiled, wincing slightly. This sofa was not as comfy as it first looked, especially in full armour.

"It's more like afternoon." Una smiled, an eagle on her shoulder. Yeah, this shaman thing is never going to not be creepy. "Alphonse here refers to it as hunting time, although he doesn't like to participate."

The eagle squawked in complaint and pecked at her head, making her giggle. "Just because Edward does most of it doesn't mean you can sit out."

I'm watching my nineteen-year-old niece have a conversation with one half of the Elric brothers, who are eagles.

My life has reached new pinnacles of weird.

"Well, afternoon then." I grumbled, sitting up. "Where is everyone?"

"Setting up" Fire smiled. "We've got a surprise for ye."

"A surprise?" I raised an eyebrow, which went unnoticed due to the fact that I'd forgotten to remove my helmet. "I'm not much of a fan of surprises."

"You'll like this one." Una assured me, opening the door. "Come on, Uncle."

Yeah, that's not creepy or anything.

I stepped outside and glanced around the firepit from yesterday, a banner wrapped around it. Owain posed heroically on top of it, grinning like an idiot.

"Behold! On this, the twenty-third year of this hero-"

This is a birthday party?!

"Wait, it's September already?" I blinked, detaching the helmet and dropping it to the ground. Fire nodded, smiling.

"Figured you'd forgotten." She sighed. "Dinnae worry, we got you stuff."

"Fire, you really didn't need to-" Is that cake?! "-never mind, I accept the offering of cake."

Cake. Cakecakecake.

Caaake.

Maugan rolled his eyes as he sliced it, passing me a plate. "Figures someone would appreciate my hidden talents."

"If by 'hidden' you mean ill-gotten due to pretending to be a cook for a year." Norrin rolled his eyes, toying with some fire in his hands. "Sorry, I didn't get you anything."

"I met you yesterday and didn't even introduce myself." I snorted. "Cameron Yriel."

"Norrin Radd." He smirked, putting the fire out to shake my hand. Wait, Norrin Radd? As in, Silver Surfer?

Neat.

"I heard you need some magic punch?" He raised an eyebrow.

"It would be appreciated, yes." I agreed, nodded. "Still-"

"Hush!"

A lance tip bobbed between my head and Norrin's, wavering slightly. Cynthia scowled at us. "No business! Party!"

Yeah, I guess she has a point there. Norrin chuckled and took a plate from Maugan, biting into the cake. Ooh, butter cream icing. Excellent.

"Fine." I smiled, sitting down and unfastening my breastplate. If we're staying here for a party, I might as well be comfortable while doing it. "Happy birthday to me, I suppose."

"Presents!" Cynthia clapped her hands. "Presents presents presents! Where did I put the presents?"

Fire rolled her eyes and reached into the bonfire, pulling out three small parcels. "Ah figured you wouldnae want anything big if we're on the move all the time, so we kept it small."

With a small chuckle I opened the first one, blinking slightly. This is…is this a comic book? How in the hell- wait, is this For the Man who has Everything?

I mean, it's different art, but that's definitely Mongol and Superman. How on earth-

"One of the men on Darkie's ship is an artist." Matthew explained. "Cynthia recited the story from memory."

Cynthia's head ducked down in embarrassment, shuffling her feet. "It was a favourite of yours…Do you like it?"

Yeah, I guess so. Well, the Justice League episode anyway. Embarrassingly, I never read the original. Couldn't find it anywhere. Still, seeing as it was the only adaptation of an Alan Moore work Alan actually liked, I took it as good enough.

Oh, hey, it's even Wonder Woman instead of Robin. This is the JLU episode. Awesome!

"…thank you, Cynthia." I smiled, slipping it into my pouch before opening the second one, which contained…knives? Well, those are odd hilts – same colour as the rest of the blade, pitch black, and oddly curved.

"Matthew's idea." Maugan jerked a hand towards him. "They slip under your armour plates, backup weapons. We modified your armour while you were sleeping."

"I figured you'd want something a bit more practical." Matthew shrugged

...they managed to modify the armour while I was sleeping? Didn't I sleep in it? How on earth did they - oh, right, centuries of experience. That's so broken. I slipped the two blades into the new holsters on my breastplate, where they almost looked like jagged edges of the armour. Guess they're concealable as well, for a certain level of concealable. "These'll come in useful at some point." I admitted. "Thanks, guys."

"Fire's next." Cynthia pointed out. The last present was the smallest, and felt rather rough. Raising an eyebrow, I opened it to find a small locket on a silver chain. The locket was made out of what looked like a pressed gold coin, and inside it…

I opened it to find a small, exhaustively detailed picture nested beneath some glass. Anna sat next to a fireplace, polishing a coin while two small children were wrapped around her legs, having fallen asleep. My head rested on her shoulder, smiling down at the kids. That familiar smirk of hers seemed to stare out of the locket right at me, her eyes almost twinkling.

"…tha's the only memory I had of ye two." Fire admitted. "Cynthia posed with me fer the artist to get it right. Do you like it?"

I blinked away tears and closed the locket, shutting my eyes. "…thank you." I said quietly, turning to face her. Unsurprisingly, tears were also in her eyes.

"Hey." I stood up, wrapping my arms around her. "It's okay, I miss her too."

Fire sobbed quietly into my shoulder, shaking slightly. "…da…"

Nobody else. Do you hear me?

Nobody

Else

Dies

Not while I'm watching.


"You wish to make a vow?"

The sage raised an eyebrow. The rest of the party had passed fairly eventlessly – it was fun, though – and they'd all fallen asleep. I had something to take care of first.

"Yes." I nodded. "I talked to Una…that's a thing you can take, right?"

"Yes…" He nodded reluctantly. "It has no real power, but the branding that come with it can be painful, and is not so temporary. It can only be lifted by a Shaman…or an exceptionally powerful healer."

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." I said firmly. "Just do it."

With a sigh, he led me over to a small pool behind the sheds. "Remove your torso armor and kneel in the water, please."

Shivering – colddarkcold – I did so, breathing heavily. On his instruction, I spread my arms to the side, almost as if I was being crucified.

"One last chance to back out, my friend." The sage said quietly.

"Do it."

The sage lifted his staff, the end furthest from the healing orb glowing red from the fire he'd placed it in. Reaching out, he paused inches from my chest. "Speak your vow, before I etch the marking."

I'd already gone over it with Una. It's your name, the oaths you are taking, and the lengths you are willing to go to in order to accomplish it.

"My name is Cameron Yriel. I swear the Oath of Protection and the Oath of Vengeance, which I will pursue to any end. To protect the innocent from the pain of loss, and to avenge the love of my life and my lost children, I shall give my life if necessary. For as long as I am capable, I shall keep this oath."

"Oath-bound warrior." The sage said solemnly, touching the burning staff to my chest.

Painhotpain

The hairs there sizzled, and the scar started to form as he traced the first of two symbols. Gods, that hurts…I've had worse, though. "Beneath the eyes of Nature and the Supreme Spirit Naga, I decree your oaths accepted. May the Urboros walk with you, as you stride on the Circle of Life."

After what seemed like hours, but was more likely only minutes, the staff was finally removed from my chest and I sucked air in greedily, slumping slightly. The sage touched my head with the healing orb, letting a small amount trickle into my body to counteract the pain and any damage beyond the scarring. "Before this, you were asleep and unaware to the importance of the world. Now, a second soul is yours – the soul of your oath. Awaken, oath-bound warrior, and say the name we shall enter into the Eternal Records upon the completion of your vows and the death of this second soul."

Hah, awakening. I see what they did there. Still…a new name? Eh, screw it, I already have the helmet.

"I take the name Deathstroke, Sage."

"Rise, Cameron Yriel, Deathstroke. May the Supreme Spirit ensure your vows do not destroy you."

Slowly, I rose out of the water, wincing slightly. "Thank you, Sage."

"It is my honor…" He bowed. "May you and your party fare well in your endeavours, Deathstroke. In the future, should you ever need the aid, merely show your proof of oath to an Urboros priest and they shall aid you the best you can."

I didn't know about that part, huh. That'll come in useful. Quietly, I slipped my armour back on and headed back towards the rough beds that had been provided for our final night here, staring at the picture in my locket.

Nobody else, Anna. I swear it.

"One year…" I smirked, tucking it away. "I've got around one year. That's plenty of time to get on Walhart's nerves."

Let's make some fucking noise.

*End Part One*


A/N: Next chapter skips the year, and we can finally start the Valm arc. It'll be a while before we see Cameron again, but it won't be completely neglected

There's just a ton of ground to cover in Ylisse.

Brought to you by Guardians of the Galaxy (or a list of reasons why G2G is re-reading his entire collection of cosmic marvel when he gets off this bus)

Go watch this movie, it deserves your money and will make you feel happy. It's like seeing A New Hope for the first time.