Chapter 22

When Chrom, Robin, Tristan, and Frederick returned to the Shepherds camp they found it in chaotic state. Defensive lines had been hastily thrown together to repel the ambush of Risen. Despite the confusion, no one had taken any major damage yet and all initial attempts to breach the camp had been shut down. The problem was the enemy's numbers and movements. The first wave of attack only involved a small group of risen foot soldiers, the main horde was patiently forming up on either side of the canyon walls, blocking off the chokepoints that would be easiest to traverse in order to make an escape. This level of restraint, strategy and cohesion was unheard of in previous encounters with the undead.

"What's with these Risen?" Robin pondered as he surveyed the battlefield. "Why aren't they all attacking?"

"It's as if they are being commanded by someone, they are normally far too mindless for the maneuvers they have employed tonight." Frederick replied, he had been the one to organize the original defense before retrieving the missing members.

"It's Validar's doing. It has to be." Chrom growled, gaze fixed on the nearest pack of Risen.

As the men questioned their current circumstance, a raucous noise could be heard from above. Tristan looked up and saw a horde of crows slowly descending on the group.

"Hey guys? What's with the crows?" He asked his companions, who apparently were too enthralled in their discussion to notice the rapidly approaching mass of birds.

The other three men looked up and looks of confusion spread across their faces. Before any of them could say anything, a voice called out from the dark orb of birds in a jovial tone.

"Caw! Caw! Are you folks lost? Or perhaps a lost CAWS? Nyeh heh heh."

Tristan looked over at Robin. "Did… Did the birds just make a pun?" Robin simply shrugged, too flabbergasted to speak.

Chrom soon lost his patience with the ridiculous scenario and began waving his Falchion at the birds. "Shoo! Disperse, you damn birds. I can't see anything with all stupid things in the way."

After a few moments of frantic waving, the cloud of birds dispersed, leaving a shower of feathers to slowly drift in the space they once occupied. In the middle of this dark shower stood a lone man. He wore the flowing black and purple cape traditional of Plegian mages, with a large popped collar lined with golden eye markings. Underneath he wore a simple grey shirt that was tucked into an elaborately tied purple waist covering with gold trim. His outfit was completed by tight black pants, and the whole thing was a sharp contrast to his stark, white hair and cheerful grin.

"Awe, feeling a little CAWS-terphobic are we? Nya ha I slay me." The man said chuckling. As the Shepherds stepped warily closer, hands gripping their respective weapons tightly, they noticed that the man's eyes appeared tightly shut. Despite this it felt like the newcomer was carefully sizing up the Shepherds.

"If you're not careful these Risen will slay you first." Chrom glared, clearly tiring of the newcomer's attempts at humour.

"They won't get the chance if I do it first milord." Frederick said, ever wary of strangers.

"Hey, hey no need to get hostile." The man raised is hands up in a submissive position. "I just wanted to swing by and wish you luck in killing these guys, or at least I was going to until I realized…. They're already DEAD!" The man froze with a stupid grin plastered across his face, as if awaiting laughter.

Frederick growled in response and Chrom replied drily "we're well aware."

"Oh, I also have a message from the crows. They say "CAW! CAW! CAW!" which roughly translates to, you're surrounded."

"Did you come here to simply state the obvious?" Chrom replied in a fed-up tone, he looked around and saw that some of the risen had begun to move towards his comrades. "Gods, where did they all come from?"

The stranger's face lit up and he raised a finger. "Well you see, when a mommy zombie and a daddy zombie love each other very much…" He trailed off, clearly pleased with his latest joke.

Frederick stepped forward, lance in hand. "Perhaps I should kill you before the risen get a chance." He growled.

"Hey wait-wait-wait." The man said taking a step back. "I'm here to join your CAWS!... Er, I mean I'm here to help! I know magic! I don't mean to brag, but I am really quite strong. What do you say? Birds and a feather and all that?"

"Milord look at his robes. We clearly can not trust this man." Frederick stated with a deadly look in his eye.

"He has a point, why would a Plegian mage want to help us?" Chrom questioned.

The man shrugged. "Honestly? Despite all the hilarious jokes, I've kinda got a thing for killing. I love it, a lot of funny people do surprisingly enough, you ever talk to a jester off duty? Those guys are messed up. Besides, that guys wearing Plegian robes and you seem cool with him." The man gestured towards Robin; whose eyes widened in slight surprise.

"Bah, we don't have time for this. Robin! Figure out a way to get us out of this mess, and utilize this guy. We can discuss this further if he makes it through this." Chrom ordered.

"Perfect! The name's Henry by the way, I look forward to killing with you!"

Tristan shuddered a bit. This guy's giving me the creeps. I hope I don't have to deal with him too much.

"Alright, we can't just stand here and let them attack at their pace. We need to push them back and take some key points. Tristan, do you think you and Gandr can get up to that fort on our left and take it?"

"Getting up there shouldn't be a problem and I can deal with most of the enemies up there, the only problem is the approach might be difficult with the archers hanging out around it." Tristan quickly replied.

"Oh. By the way. The crows say that there are reinforcements waiting in all the forts, just a heads up." Henry chimed in

Robin thought for a moment. "Hmmm, then taking them will be even more important. Henry, when you say you're good, would that suggest your good enough to take out the archers from a distance?"

The pale haired mage quickly snapped a mock salute. "It will be no problem, sir!"

Robin rolled his eyes, "alright then ride with Tristan and assist him with taking that fort. By the time you've done that everyone else will have their orders and some of the others will group up on your position.

Crap Tristan thought to himself. With no time to complain he let out a shrill whistle and a few moments later Gandr impacted the ground at his side. "Alright, uh, Henry. Hope on and let's get this over with." Tristan climbed onto his mount and looked at the other man expectantly.

Henry shrugged. "Well, I can't say I've ever shared a saddle with another guy, but I guess there's a first for everything." He wandered over and face still wearing a wide grin with eyes either closed or incredibly squinted he pulled himself into the saddle behind Tristan. Tristan reached down and gave the wyvern's neck a firm pat and the winged lizard took off with a leap. They took off towards their target and soon could see a Risen archer aiming it's bow at them. It fired but the shot fell short as the wyvern was not yet in range.

"How close do you need me to get so you can take out that archer?" Tristan asked as Gandr hovered in place.

Henry cracked his fingers and pulled a tome from the folds in his cape. "If you can hold fairly steady, I should be able to hit him from here. Accuracy is a bit of a specialty of mine, nyeh heh." Henry said in an all-too cheerful tone.

Tristan raised his eyebrows both impressed and doubtful of the claim. He figured it couldn't hurt to let the strange man try his luck and held Gandr at a steady position, the only movement being the slight dip in between wing beats. Henry stretched his hand over Tristan's shoulder and pointed it at the risen. He paused for a few moments, seemingly syncing his aim with the movements of the wyvern. A dark glow began emanating from the open tome in his right hand which slowly moved across his body before finding its way to his outstretched left hand. Another moment passed before he shouted out in a sinister voice.

"Ruin!"

A thin line of dark energy shot out from Henry's hand and began arcing towards the Risen archer. It impacted the creature in it's decaying chest, causing the enemy to stumble backwards slightly. For a moment that was the extent of the effects, and the Risen seemed to tilt its head in confusion. Suddenly a pool of black energy erupted and the beast's feet, climbing up it's body like a wave. The archer opened its mouth and let out a moan of pain before evaporating into purple mist.

"Nyeh heh heh! I love the way these things die, always so unique and satisfying." Henry cackled.

"Uh, I'll take your word for it. Anyway, hold on, I'll try and clear and landing for us." Without waiting for a response Tristan gave Gandr a gentle tap with his heel and the Wyvern took shot forward, angling its head downward where to Risen soldiers stood lined up. Tristan grabbed the reigns in front of him with his left hand and leaned to his right grabbing his weapon near the bottom blade and swinging it wide out behind him. He allowed himself to slide out of the saddle to a point where he was sitting more on the side of the wyvern than the top. The group's dive took them slightly to the left of an axe wielding risen which moaned and raised its weapon. Before it had a chance to move any farther Gandr shot past, Tristan unleashed a powerful, wide swing of his polearm. The velocity from their dive caused the top blade to cleave the Risen in two at the waist, its upper body flying upwards before dissolving into mist. Continuing the charge Tristan used the moment of his swing to bring his weapon into a traditional cavalry charge position that Frederick had taught him, wedging the pole between his arm and side. With accuracy that only a predator could provide Gandr landed his dive just short of the second Risen, twisting his body to add momentum to Tristan's thrust which impaled a sword wielding Risen in the upper right of its chest, killing it instantly. Tristan withdrew his weapon and looked around to see the area was clear for now.

On the saddle behind him Henry erupted into laughter, clapping his hands with glee. "Nyeh heh heh, that was great! The way you killed those Risen was so fun! And the way your beasty dives makes for an incredible ride!" He hopped down and patted Gandr on the side of the head, the wyvern surprisingly leaned into the touch as if enjoying the praise.

"Uh, thanks I guess? You sure are comfortable with wyverns." Tristan replied, hoping off his mount as well.

"Nah, that was actually my first time riding one. But I tend to get along well with animals. A lot better than I do with most humans at least." Henry explained still stroking the wyvern.

Tristan paused, not really knowing how to respond. "Well, I guess we better clear this fort." He eventually suggested. The small stone enclosures doorway stood open before them. "Looks like it's just a typical open topped room with a raised catwalk style fort. Unless it's got a basement, I guess."

Henry nodded, "looks like it. Well let's get in there! I look forward to seeing how else you kill."

Tristan hesitantly nodded but groaned internally. Sheesh, looks like we've found another weirdo to add to the group.