Written for Tales of Xillia Week 2020: Snow Clime {Kanbalar / Resistance}
A lone figure clad in black stood atop a small mound, surveying the area, a sharp contrast against the white backdrop. His golden eyes were intensely focused, and no corner of the field escaped his scrutiny. The morning air was crisp and the ground soft with fresh snow. Suddenly, the stillness was broken by a cough. He turned to glare at the one responsible.
"It's freezing," Agria grumbled, sniffling. "Why the heck do we have to stand here so early?"
"The key to victory is preparation," Wingul explained patiently. "Our opponent will have the advantage of numbers. A proper strategy is necessary."
Agria made a face, which was met with a scathing look.
"So, what's your brilliant strategy this time?" Presa asked with a sigh.
Wingul hopped down from his post and took out a scroll from his pocket. He unfurled it, revealing a map of the area. "I have devised a plan to take advantage of the existing topography. Listen carefully."
"Is it really necessary?" Jiao asked. He was usually the type to follow Wingul's orders without contest, but this time even he seemed skeptical.
Agria nodded in ascent. "Yeah, no need to bust out the maps. It should be an easy win."
"Do not underestimate the enemy commander," Wingul said in a warning tone. "She is a formidable opponent."
Nine times out of ten, the outcome of a battle was determined before it took place. But sometimes, even the most carefully-laid plans were thwarted by unpredictable enemies. And unpredictable was probably the best adjective to describe their foe. Wingul was hiding in the cover of a small grove, using the branches to conceal his figure while he reassessed the situation.
Jiao had been the first to fall, his large body an easy target for enemy projectiles. Agria was supposed to cover him with her fire artes, but she had let their competitors' taunts distract her and forgot her assigned role within minutes to chase after them angrily. She was still fighting, judging by the rather vulgar laugh echoing through the snowfield, but at what cost… Wingul decided that a lecture was in order when this was all over, to remind her not to deviate from the plan and to always keep an eye on her allies. Presa was nowhere to be found, which was a good thing in these circumstances. She knew how to sneak around unnoticed, appearing only to deliver the final blow with deadly accuracy. Her timing was always on point, and she had saved Wingul from an ambush a little earlier.
As for Wingul himself… He was still standing, though his legs were a little shaky. Endurance, that was something he had failed to take into account. He had thought that the four of them would have no trouble keeping up against the horde, but the adversary seemed to have boundless energy, and their numbers insured that they were not lacking in reinforcements. Like a twisted game of whack-a-wormshade, every time you struck one down, two would fill their place. He had to be constantly on high alert, lest he found himself overwhelmed. Fortunately, if there was one thing the attackers lacked, it was discretion. This was probably the only reason Wingul had not fallen prey to a sneak attack yet.
He heard them before he saw them. They were trying to be discreet, but the crunchy sound of boots stepping on fresh snow was unmistakable, and their excited whispers were not as quiet as they seemed to believe. Silently, Wingul scooped up his munitions, aimed carefully, and promptly struck down two at once. He felled a further two before they realized what was happening. High-pitched shrieks made his ears ring, but he did not relent, stopping only when the three remaining ones started retaliating. Dodging the projectiles gracefully, he abandoned his refuge, knowing it was only a matter of time before the cries brought reinforcements.
When he stepped into the open field, he was suddenly faced with a full squad, who seemed as surprised to see him as he was.
"There he is!"
"GET HIM!"
There was no time to think, only dodge. A quick step backward, then another; a gust of wind to blow the second salve away. Quickly scoop up some snow; strike one, miss one, dodge. How Wingul wished he had his sword, to parry. Sensing the situation rapidly slipping out of control, he attempted to get back into the grove to lose his pursuers, but the three from earlier had followed his footsteps and were blocking the way. With enemies on all sides, he had no choice but to surrender.
Cursing inwardly, he let his captors bring him to their base. There, he was reunited with Jiao and Agria, who seemed to have gotten caught at some point while Wingul was fighting. Jiao was sitting on the ground, helping a dozen children build a giant snowman while preventing Agria from destroying it at the same time.
A cheerful voice greeted Wingul. "My, it seems even the famed Ebon Wing of Auj Oule was no match for my troops."
He turned around to face the newcomer and nodded in greeting. "Karla. Your pupils were tougher than I thought. You have instructed them well."
Karla chuckled and beckoned him to follow her. "Instructed is a bit much. I merely gave them a tip or two." They reached a small tent, under which a portable stove was keeping several pots warm. Karla poured the contents of one of the pots into a cup and handed it to Wingul. "Here, hot tea. My brother would not be happy if you caught a cold."
Wingul took the offered cup gratefully. "Your brother should have thought about that before he volunteered us to facilitate your field trip."
Karla's eyes shone with mirth. "Sorry about that. You know how he is." She poured herself a cup as well. "Too bad he couldn't join us," she added wistfully.
"Be glad he hasn't. He would have turned this into an even bigger thing."
"You're doing that very well on your own," Karla shot back. "Agria told me you woke her at five to review your strategy."
"No battle should be fought unprepared."
"It's a snowball fight, Wingul."
"And one of my most humiliating defeats," he sighed. "All I can hope is that Presa manages to survive until the time is up."
Karla laughed. "I hope she doesn't lose the remaining children in the woods. I don't want to have to tell a bunch of angry parents that we need to send a search and rescue party after them."
"No need to worry, Presa is careful. Now if it was Agria…" Raised voices could suddenly be heard outside the tent. "Speaking of which…"
A moment later, a group of children burst into the tent, crying. "Miss Karla, the lady in red is scary," a boy wailed.
"She said a bad word!" a girl said with wide eyes.
Karla rushed to reassure them, sending Wingul a pleading look.
"I will handle it," he told her, before stalking outside to put his teammate in her place.
In the end, Presa was able to avoid defeat until the final bell, but as she was not able to finish off the remaining fighters, the match was declared a draw. Thus the Great Snowball Fight of Kanbalar concluded without incident, and, to everyone and especially Karla's relief, no search party nor any trip to the castle infirmary.