Echoes: Tale of the Holy Knight

by Author Nicholas Drew

This is the tale of a holy knight in the continent of Jugdral. A man who only wanted to protect his homeland, his friends, his family. But in the process, he ended up losing everything. This is the tragic tale of Sigurd, Holy Knight of Grannvale. And this is part 1 of the Genealogy of the Holy War Trilogy, given the Echoes treatment by yours truly.

2. Chapter 2: Prologue - Part 2

A.N: And here is part 2. We're picking up right where we left off, guys. Enjoy!

Prologue, Part 2: To Your Aid

As the warriors of Chalphy made their way to Yngvi, unbeknownst to them, others were also preparing to charge into the fray as well. People who wanted to protect their land from the Verdanite savages who threatened their peace, people who wanted to come to the aid of Sigurd and house Chalphy.

Two such individuals charged in from the north, where the dukedoms of Velthomer and Dozel resided. One was atop a horseback, carrying an iron axe. His dark blue hair glistened and his noble clothes stuck out atop his horse. Many would call him a damn fool for wearing such clothes out in the open. After all, they screamed 'wealthy man'. Therefore, they would attract the attention of highwaymen.

Of course, no sane person tried to rob Lex of Dozel. He beat up every man who ever tried to rob him, taking it as a challenge.

His redheaded compatriot was on foot. He wore the robes of a mage, which made running a bit awkward at times. However, he dared not fall. Lex was his best friend, and because of that, Lex was not afraid of teasing him.

And besides, Edain was in trouble, and Azelle of Velthomer was going to go and save her, no matter what.

Azelle looked ahead, remembering how they had passed by a fleeing merchant who had given them the rundown about Sigurd's campaign. "We made it just in time, Lex." He noted.

Lex nodded, his expression taking a hint of eagerness. "Mm. And by the look of it, Sigurd's staring down the entire Verdane army with just a handful of men!" He noted before grinning. "Bet he'll be glad for the help!"

Lex then turned to his best friend. "But geez, Azelle, I can't believe I let you drag me into yet another mess like this."

Azelle frowned at that statement. It was Lex's idea in the first place to leave Velthomer and Dozel. Well, that was not entirely accurate. When the Verdane Army attacked Grannvale, Azelle was pacing for hours in worry. When Lex saw this, he teased Azelle relentlessly, telling him that if he was that worried, he should go himself. What Lex was not expecting was Azelle not hesitating to ask him to accompany him if that was the case. They were gone before anyone noticed their absence.

Azelle sighed. "With the war in Isaach going on, there's hardly anyone left to defend Grannvale. Sigurd's few knights are all we have, and they're out here risking their lives on behalf of the entire country. I couldn't just leave them to die…" He trailed off at the thought.

Lex smirked knowingly, unable to resist teasing his buddy. "Heh... We both know there's more to it than that." He pointed out. "Come on, Azelle. What's the real reason we're here?"

Azelle turned as red as his hair. "Er...I...I have no idea what you mean!" He lied.

Lex smirked. "It's that Lady Edain of Yngvi, isn't it? Come on, everybody knows you like her. You just came for her sake, didn't you?" He prodded

Azelle frantically shook his head. "N-no! Of course not, you dolt!"

Lex could not resist continuing to tease his friend. "Really? Then why's your face beet-red?" He noted before shouting out to the entire world. "Looks like somebody's got a giiiiiiirlfriend!"

"L-Lex, knock it off!" Azelle exclaimed. "Come on, we've wasted enough time."

Lex laughed. "Okay, got it. Time to teach these Verdanite thugs a lesson or two!"

Azelle quickly ran off, much to the amusement of Lex. "He carries quite the torch for Lady Edain." He mused. "Heh, what a cute kid."

Lex then remembered that Azelle was nowhere near as hardy as he was. "Ah damn, better ride out in front. I'm helping my best buddy fight for love, so I can't let him die. And besides, if he dies, I have to explain that to his brother…"

Lex would legitimately rather face his father wielding the holy axe, Helswath, then have to stare down Azelle's unbelievably intimidating brother, Duke Arvis. That guy was a mystery, and a terrifying one at that.

"Oi, Azelle!" Lex called out to him as he rode back to his friend's side. "If we're doing this, we should at least tell that village nearby to board up!"

Azelle was hesitant to slow his progress. Lex smirked. "If Lady Edain knew you were concerned about the people, I'm sure she'd be impressed."

"I will inform them!" Azelle immediately declared. "Cover me, Lex."

Lex laughed as Azelle ran through the village gates. He then noticed two Verdane thugs coming towards the village. He quickly rode out to intercept them. Both axemen shrank back upon seeing Lex. "Good day, fellas. Sorry to say, but this village is closed today."

"Where do you get off telling us what to do, rich boy?" One Verdanite demanded.

"You realize we're the Verdane Army, right?"

"Yep, you're the Verdane Army alright." Lex grinned, casually tossing his iron axe.

Lex patted his horse on the side, commanding it to leap forward. He then quickly buried the axe into the chest of one of the Verdanites. The other rolled away from Lex. "And that's exactly why you're going to lose." He added.

"Dastard!" The surviving Verdanite yelled, tossing his axe at Lex.

Lex quickly ducked and watched as the axe sailed over his head and then returned to the Verdanite like a boomerang. A hand axe, huh? Well damn, that range is going to make this annoying.

"I'll kill you!" The Verdanite declared. "This is Verdane's time! This is our era! We'll crush all of Grannvale! Even Belhalla will be ours!"

"Fire!"

"Huh? ARGH!" The Verdanite had no time to react before being incinerated by a fireball.

Lex grinned and turned to see Azelle, his hand outstretched and a small fire flickering on his fingertips. "Lex, you started without me?" Azelle did not sound surprised in the slightest by that, just a little betrayed.

"I mean, they didn't give me much of a choice, bud." Lex pointed out.

"Gah, whatever, let's just continue onto Castle Yngvi." Azelle groaned.

Before the two could continue onwards, a single man in the armor of House Chalphy casually strode past them. "G'day, gents." Aengus of Chalphy casually greeted them, not caring that he just greeted the second son of House Dozel and the half-brother of the Duke of Velthomer.

"Good day." Lex and Azelle instinctively greeted Aengus.

Then, when Aengus was gone and out of earshot, both boys did a double-take. "Was that...Lord Sigurd's older cousin?" Azelle wondered.

"I...think?" Lex honestly was not sure.

Meanwhile, close to Castle Chalphy, more reinforcements unknown to Sigurd suddenly arrived. All three were on horseback. One wore the outfit of a nobleman and wore finely groomed brown hair. He wielded a steel lance while a javelin was at his side as well. The lone lady of the bunch was also dressed as a noble. She had a kind face with pink hair. Her slim sword was sheathed and also carried a staff of healing. The third was a much younger man with blue hair and wielded an iron lance.

Prince Quan of the small nation of Leonster took note of the volunteer soldiers barricading Castle Chalphy. He nodded with a look of relief on his face. "Good, we aren't too late." He said. "I pray Sigurd is still unhurt."

The lone lady of the trio hummed at this. "I'm sure my brother's doing just fine out here, but it won't be easy without a magic user in his ranks." Said Ethlyn, formerly of House Chalphy and now wife of Leonster's prince. "I want to do all I can as a healer to help out and save lives…"

Ethlyn trailed off. She then looked at Quan with an apologetic glance. "Quan, I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess as well…" She said sincerely. "I know Chalphy isn't my family anymore, now that we're married, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing."

She gave her husband a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for coming. Not just from me, but from Sigurd."

Quan smiled. "There's no need for thanks, Ethlyn. Sigurd is every bit as important to me as he is to you, remember?" He reminded his wife. "He is my brother-in-law now, after all."

"...And I couldn't possibly leave you to fight all alone." Quan added. "Little Altena is but a newborn, after all. I couldn't forgive myself if she ended up motherless because I was not there for her mother."

Ethlyn felt her heart flutter at Quan's words. Gods, she loved this man. "Thank you, dear…" She said sincerely. "Thank you so much…"

Quan and Ethlyn both stared deep into each other's eyes. The lone knight accompanying them just sweat-dropped at the sight. He could practically see little hearts flying around them. This was a common occurrence for the beloved married couple of Leonster. Quan and Ethlyn's love was the envy of men and women all over their small nation. And being one of Quan's most trusted knights, he had grown used to these antics. However, this knight, a young man named Finn, knew he could not let this continue.

"Milord, milady, we should hurry." Finn reminded them. "Lord Sigurd still awaits us on the battlefield just ahead."

Quan and Ethlyn snapped out of their lovey-dovey trance. "Ah, yes, you're right, Finn, thank you." Quan coughed awkwardly.

"Right, I'm sure my brother will be happy to see us." Ethlyn added.

With that, the three riders of Leonster rode past Castle Chalphy. Their destination was Castle Yngvi, hoping to catch up to Sigurd. Castle Chalphy was barely in the distance when they came across a lone armor knight cutting down a few Verdane barbarians. Ethlyn's eyes widened, she definitely recognized him. "Arden!" She exclaimed. "Quan, it's Arden!"

The trio rode up to Arden, who did not seem to notice them. "Heh, they weren't kiddin' when they said there were plenty o' stragglers fer me ta pick up." Arden noted, looking down at the Verdanites he bested. "Sorry, fellas. I'm strong and you're toast."

"Hey, Arden." Ethlyn smiled at the likable lug of an armored knight.

That got Arden's attention. He knew that voice, of course. Everyone at Chalphy did. He turned and gave Ethlyn that big smile she knew so well. "Hey Lady Ethlyn!" Arden cheered. "Man, am I glad to see you!"

"Oh man, I haven't seen you since you left for Leonster last year!" Arden added. "I kinda want to give ya a big hug! Ah, but that wouldn't be right for me, yeah? 'Specially with yer husband right there."

"Arden, did my brother leave you behind?" Ethlyn sighed.

"No, no, no, Lord Sigurd has me on cleanup duty." Arden replied. "Him, Naoise, Alec and Nessa are the main strike force...or somethin' like that."

"Oh good, at least Sigurd didn't go and fight alone." Ethlyn said in relief.

"You sound surprised by that." Quan noted with a sweat-drop. Then again, he was also kind of surprised. He had honestly been worried Sigurd had gone off to fight alone as well. Though he dared not voice it to his wife.

Ethlyn then noticed Arden's left arm was bleeding. "Oh, Arden, you're hurt!" She exclaimed.

"Oh this? This is nuthin. Just one of those punks hit me in one of my armor's openings." Arden replied. "I'm still good to go. I don't use this arm to fight anyway."

"The wound could get infected though." Ethlyn noted, riding up to Arden with her staff of healing at the read. "Here, I'll take care of that."

Before Arden could say anything else, Ethlyn's staff of healing shone brightly. He felt his wound close up. Arden smiled brightly and rotated his left arm, noting the lack of pain. "Oh man, your healin' magic is great as always, Lady Ethlyn!" He exclaimed.

"Glad to help, Arden." Ethlyn smiled. "I take it my brother is up ahead with the others?"

"Yep, I bet Lord Sigurd's already taken back Castle Yngvi by now!"

"It would certainly make things easier." Finn noted.

"But it's likely an unrealistic hope." Quan pointed out. "Arden, I'd hate to leave you to catch up, but we need to help Sigurd and the other knights."

"Aww, think nothin' of it, Lord Quan." Arden grinned. "You leave the stragglers ta me, kay?"

"Of course, you're strong, tough and reliable after all." Ethlyn smiled as she rode off with Quan and Finn.

"Heh heh, Lady Ethlyn's so sweet, and perdy too." Arden grinned. "I'm kinda jealous of Lord Quan. She didn't even call me slow, like Alec does."

"Still, Alec's quick, and he's always around a gal or two. If I was a bit quicker, I might have a bit more luck with the ladies." Arden mused as he began to lumber after them.

Further ahead, Sigurd, Naoise, Alec, Oifey and Nessa were resting on a cliff overlooking Castle Yngvi. Alec and Naoise were reinvigorating themselves with their own canteens of water while Nessa looked at Oifey and Sigurd, who were surveying the castle's situation. "How's it look, Oifey?" Nessa inquired of the young tactician.

Oifey shook his head. "I count an entire company of Verdanites. About a hundred. We're outnumbered 25 to 1."

Nessa hummed. "I mean, Lord Sigurd's probably worth at least 50 of those goons." She noted.

It's Naoise and Alec I'm worried most about. Nessa looked over her shoulder at the two men. They had a couple minor injuries that had been dressed by first aid. If those injuries keep accumulating, it could slow them down.

Nessa gazed at her right-shoulder, which had also received a cut. I didn't get out of the early fights unscathed either. She noted.

Nessa then looked at Sigurd, who was completely uninjured. And of course, he's completely fine. Nessa was visibly impressed. I guess that's a descendant of one of the 12 Crusaders for you. They really are worth a hundred men in battle. Some even a thousand.

Like many in Jugdral, Nessa grew up with a deep admiration for the 12 Crusaders of legend and their descendants. The martial prowess of those 12 Crusaders were considered unmatched, even by their descendants. And the stories of today go that a well trained fighter with the blood of a Crusader in their veins is capable of wiping out large gatherings of enemies. Nessa had even once heard that Lord Byron took down an entire regiment in his prime.

Needless to say, those who bore the blood of a Crusader were destined to become incredible fighters. And then there's us, I can't help but wonder if we'll ever compare. Nessa admitted inwardly. I've heard tales of warriors who reached the level of someone with Crusader blood...but those tales are few and far in between…

"How should we approach this, Oifey?" Sigurd asked. "There doesn't seem to be much activity around the castle."

"Well, Lord Sigurd, that either means that Lady Edain is gone and elsewhere, or she's being held hostage until demands are met." Oifey pointed out.

"And what do you think the Verdanites plan to do?" Sigurd asked.

"Holding her hostage here makes no sense." Oifey shook his head. "With nearly all of the army in Isaach, they're not exactly holding anyone back by taking hostages."

"So?" Sigurd asked.

"With the Verdanites also attempting to raid nearby villages, this seems more like a raid. As though they're taking things of value for themselves." Oifey replied. "The point is, I don't think Lady Edain is dead."

"Do you think we're too late?"

"There's only one way to find out." Oifey replied, before turning to Nessa and then to Naoise and Alec. "But easier said than done. I don't know if we should be charging in so recklessly when those injuries could be dangerous for them."

"Hey, don't count us out so easily, Oifey." Nessa frowned. "Alec, Naoise, and I knew what we were getting into."

"This is exactly why I didn't want you three to join me." Sigurd frowned.

"For the record, Lord Sigurd, this is exactly why we had to join you." Nessa corrected. "Our injuries could've been your injuries."

Sigurd still had that worried expression on his face. In times like these, he wished Ethlyn was still in Chalphy to act as the healer. Then again, he could never ask his sister to take part in a campaign like this, even if he knew she could fight. And he knew she could, he taught her to wield a sword himself after all. Considering Ethlyn held Castle Chalphy together after their mother died, teaching her the sword was all he could do as her older brother.

Before Sigurd could ponder Ethlyn's absence further, Alec and Naoise suddenly shot to their feet. "Lord Sigurd!" Naoise yelled. "Two horsemen are coming up from behind! And I think I see another in the distance!"

Sigurd was put on guard at this. Verdanites were not known for riding into battle on horses. They were mostly savage fighters, barely any better than pirates and barbarians. Alec then spoke up, and his words put the heir to Chalphy at ease. "Hold on, Milord, I see a house crest on the side of one of the horses." Alec's eyes widened. "I don't believe it, that's the Crest of House Leonster!"

House Leonster? That could not be…

Before Sigurd could ponder the matter further, he heard a very familiar voice call out to him. "SIGURD!"

Sigurd's eyes widened, he knew that voice very well. One of the horsemen broke away from them and seemed to speed up. The Chalphy riders all gasped when the Leonster knight reached them and stopped in front of Sigurd with a smile on his face.

Quan smiled at his dear friend and brother-in-law. "Sigurd! Glad to see you in one piece."

Sigurd could not believe what he was seeing. "Quan? What are you-" he began.

"We heard about the Verdane attack and couldn't just leave you be." Quan explained. "We're here to do what we can."

Nessa and Oifey were relieved to see this. Another heir with Crusader blood, and it was Quan. A man who was reputed to be Sigurd's equal in battle. Alec and Naoise grinned at receiving such fantastic reinforcements. Sigurd, however, was worried. Not necessarily for Quan, but for Quan's homeland.

"But what about Leonster?" Sigurd asked in concern. "Aren't your hands full there, keeping an eye on Thracia?"

Thracia was the mountainous southern kingdom on the famed Thracian Peninsula, bordering the Munster District, an area of four kingdoms, including Quan's own Leonster. And lately, Thracia had been behaving rather aggressively.

Quan nodded. "Indeed. That's why Finn is the only knight here with me." Quan gestured to Finn as the young knight rode up to his liege. "The Lanceritter are all back at home, under Father's command."

Sigurd heaved a sigh of relief. "Is that so…" Sigurd breathed before his expression turned serious again. "Quan, I'm sorry for pulling you into this mess, too. I know you're-"

Quan interrupted once more. "Sorry? Surely you jest, Sigurd?" He smiled warmly at his dear friend. "Don't you recall our old pledge?"

"Hm?" Sigurd was now visibly confused.

Quan looked disappointed. "Come now! How could you forget? All those years ago, when we were students at the Belhalla academy?" He tried to jog Sigurd's memory. "You, me, and Eldigan. Dear friends and fierce rivals in equal measure? Surely you recall that night, talking late about our hopes and dreams, and pledging our aid to one another in times of need?"

Sigurd smiled. That was the promise Quan was referring to. "Ah, of course! I remember it well." Sigurd nodded. "We vowed eternal friendship with each other, and that if any of us were in trouble, the others would come to their aid. Quan, thank you truly."

Quan smiled back and nodded. Then, the third rider finally joined up with them. Sigurd's smile widened. He was not surprised to see her here in the slightest. If Quan was here, she certainly was not far behind.

"Sigurd!" Ethlyn exclaimed in relief upon seeing her older brother. "Oh, thank the gods you're unharmed!"

"It's great to see you, too, Ethlyn." Sigurd smiled. "Thanks so much for coming."

Ethlyn nodded. "I just couldn't stay away when I heard of Verdane's attacks…" She smiled lightly. "It's such a relief to know you're okay."

Sigurd laughed. "Oh, come now. Did you really think I was about to lose to Verdane?"

Ethlyn's expression turned sour at Sigurd's cavalier attitude. "I'd heard that Chalphy barely has any soldiers left behind, given that most of the army is away in Isaach." She sighed in annoyance. "And let's face it, I can't remember the last time you didn't just leap straight into a crisis without thinking. With Father away at war...I knew I had to come. Someone has to save you from yourself, after all."

Sigurd's laughter turned to a light chuckle. "Wow, it feels as if I was getting this very lecture only yesterday!" He mused. "I swear, after Mother passed away, it was you who single-handedly kept us in check."

Sigurd turned his attention to Quan. "Once you went off to marry Quan, we could've sworn that Father finally had a proper little lady for a daughter... But no, nothing's changed at all! I feel so sorry for Quan…"

Ethlyn's cheeks puffed out in frustration as Sigurd laughed heartily. Quan just smiled in amusement at the usual banter between the Chalphy siblings.

"Sigurd, I'm only what you and Father made me!" She declared in annoyance. "If I'm a fusspot, then it's squarely your fault! Perhaps if the two of you hadn't been so unkempt…"

Sigurd calmed down and responded. "Perhaps you're right." Sigurd's expression then turned gentle. "Listen, Ethlyn...we might not act like it, but everything you've done means the world to us. I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've always caused you... And thank you so much for coming."

"Sigurd…" Ethlyn muttered.

Quan then clapped his hands together, getting his wife and brother-in-law's attention. "Much as I'd like to continue enjoying this reunion, I believe we have a castle to take back." He noted. "Now shall we? With all of us here, what hope could those Verdanites possibly have?"

"Well said, Lord Quan." Finn nodded.

"Ethlyn, why don't you go and heal the Chalphy knights. It seems they did not get through the initial march unscathed." Quan noted.

"I'll get right on it." Ethlyn immediately went to Nessa and healed her right shoulder.

Then, as Ethlyn went to heal Alec and Naoise, Quan turned his attention back to Sigurd. "Seriously though, Quan, thank you for coming." Sigurd said gratefully. "There are no words that can properly express how reassuring it is to know that you have my back here."

Quan smiled. "Never forget, Sigurd. I'm here for you, now and forever. I'll not let you lose to these lowlives!"

"Heh, with you by my side, Quan, the idea of me losing is but a dream." Sigurd responded confidently. "Almost makes me want to start planning what the two of us should do after we win."

"A nice drink between two old friends certainly would not hurt. Perhaps we could even convince that ray of sunshine of ours to join us as well." Quan grinned. "You know, if we can drag him away from Agustria long enough."

Sigurd grinned back, knowing he was referring to Eldigan, their mutual friend. "I'd like that." He replied.

"Everyone's ready to continue, Brother, Quan." Ethlyn rejoined the two.

"Good, Oifey, do you have a plan?" Sigurd asked.

"That I do, Sir." Oifey nodded. "And with Lord Quan and Lady Ethlyn here, I feel much more confident in the upcoming fight."

"Anyway, even if the numbers situation is still a bit concerning, none of these Verdanites are on horseback. We have the mobility advantage. If we can just keep attacking and then retreating and regrouping when necessary, we'll rout them real quick."

"There's also the village just southwest of Castle Yngvi, right?" Ethlyn pointed out. "Someone should check on it as well."

Quan turned to Finn. "What do you say, Finn?" He asked. "Do you think you can do that for us?"

"Are you sure, Lord Quan? I'd much prefer to stay close to you." Finn replied.

"I'm among friends, Finn, and besides, loathed as I am to admit it, lances are at a disadvantage against axes." Quan noted. "You are the most disadvantaged here right now."

Finn looked disappointed at this. "That said," Quan continued, "do not run from a fight. Use every chance you get to give yourself more experience as a warrior on your way to the southwest village. But be careful of course. I brought you with me because I believed you could be of great help to us, remember?"

"Yes, of course!" Finn's expression brightened. "Thank you, Lord Quan!"

With that, Finn joined up with the three Chalphy knights, taking the opportunity to introduce himself. "That's Finn, huh?" Sigurd noted.

"He's young. Only 15, actually." Quan acknowledged. "But, he's strong and patriotic. I've kept him close to me as a vassal for that very reason."

"But we'll talk more later, are you ready, Sigurd?"

"Always."

With that, the combined Chalphy-Leonster force charged towards the occupied Castle Yngvi. Dimaggio saw them all coming on the horizon from his post atop the castle and immediately alerted his men on the ground.

"We've got company, maggots!" He exclaimed. "Cut 'em all down! Archers in the back! Pick 'em off!"

Sigurd immediately moved ahead and cut down two Verdanites with one swing. One Verdanite tried to take Sigurd down while he was still finishing up his previous attack, only to be stabbed by Quan's Steel Lance. "Sigurd, on your left!" Quan exclaimed.

Sigurd immediately turned left and decapitated the Verdanite trying to attack him. "Quan, on your right!" Sigurd warned his good friend.

Quan looked to his right and drove his lance right into the throat of a Verdanite. Quan grinned. It's just like old times. He noted.

Ethlyn was smiling as well as she hung back, just in case anyone was injured in the fight. Sigurd and Quan's teamwork was almost flawless, and she was finally seeing it in action. What's more, they would be pretty much unstoppable if Eldigan was here too. When Sigurd wrote home during his days in Belhalla's military academy, he could not help but brag that his instructors simply gushed about the unbeatable trio of Sigurd, Quan and Eldigan.

Then an archer got Ethlyn in his sights. "I've got you!" He declared.

Ethlyn narrowed her eyes in slight frustration. This damn archer probably thought she would be an easy mark because she was a healer. Boy, was he in for a surprise. The Verdanite archer let his arrow fly, only for Ethlyn to tap her horse on the neck. The horse got the message and leapt to the side, avoiding the arrow.

"Okay, let's get him." Ethlyn ordered.

Ethlyn moved towards the archer with incredible speed. She took out her slim sword and slashed the archer across the chest, dealing him a fatal blow before he could react. The archer could only look at Ethlyn in disbelief. This was not an easy mark at all. "Don't take me lightly just because I'm not my brother." Ethlyn grinned. "He gave me swordplay lessons, after all."

The other Chalpy-Leonster alliance knights struck at the Verdanites with renewed fervor. Alec, Naoise and Nessa were all quick to cut down any barbarian they came across. Meanwhile, Finn impaled one Verdanite in the chest with his iron lance and flung him over his shoulder as he continued riding towards the village southwest of Castle Yngvi.

Soon, all that remained was Dimaggio, who was gaping in shock at how quickly this small bunch of knights had taken down his entire force. The Verdanite captain was quick to regain his composure as he tightly gripped his steel axe. "They can't beat me...I'm one of the best Verdane's got to offer. I was handpicked by Prince Munnir! These dogs of Grannvale can't hope to beat the likes of me!"

Growling, Dimaggio made his way down Castle Yngvi, past the barely alive Midir. Midir could hear the commotion outside. Someone is...fighting. He noted. The only people here in Grannvale to defend besides my fellow Arch Knights who were all killed...are Lord Sigurd's group.

If...Lord Sigurd is fighting...I must fight too. I cannot die here! Not yet!

Dimaggio exited Castle Chalphy, confronting Sigurd and company. "You must be the man that Prince Munnir placed in charge of the castle." Sigurd noted. "Where is Edain?"

"You think I'll tell you?" Dimaggio snapped. "I guess you think yer something special since you made it all the way here?"

"Bah, yer still nothin' but a bunch of Grannvale cowards." Dimaggio declared. "I, the great, Dimaggio, will finish you all!"

Alec leaned over to Nessa and Naoise. "He's not serious, is he?" He whispered. "He knows he's outnumbered like...six to one, right?"

"Meh, he's on a roll." Nessa smirked.

Sigurd looked over at Quan. "What do you think, old friend?" He asked. "Do you want to take him, or should I?"

"I'll let you have this one, Sigurd." Quan replied. "After all, Yngvi is part of Grannvale, and that makes this your fight more than mine."

Sigurd nodded and leapt from his horse. "Tell you what, oh great, Dimaggio," Sigurd taunted, cracking his neck as he raised his steel sword. "As a knight, I believe in fighting with honor, so my comrades won't interfere."

"And let me make this clear, when I'm done with you, you will either give me back Edain, or tell me where you savages have taken her."

Dimaggio roared in response and charged Sigurd, swinging his axe wildly. Sigurd scowled at how sloppy Dimaggio looked. He's telegraphing his movements so much, it's almost laughable. Sigurd noted. After years of training at Belhalla's academy, guys like him practically move in slow motion.

Sigurd sidestepped and avoided Dimaggio's first swing. Sigurd swung his steel sword and dug it into Dimaggio's back, making the man yell in pain. "Dastard!" Dimaggio yelled, spinning around and trying to attack Sigurd once more.

Sigurd sighed and parried all of Dimaggio's swings. He then closed the distance and slashed Dimaggio across the chest, making the Verdanite stumble backwards. "That's enough, Dimaggio." Sigurd told him. "All it's taken are a few swings and I can already tell you will never beat me."

Dimaggio snarled in response. "Blasted Grannvale dogs, you think you're so damn better than everyone else just because you've got all that Crusader blood!"

"Well no more, this is Verdane's time!" Dimaggio declared.

Sigurd frowned. It would seem that the Verdanites had grown resentful of Grannvale. Was that the reason they were attacking? Was even the pacifistic King Batu resentful now? Sigurd knew the story of Verdane. It was formed by an ex-bandit warlord who united all the barbarian tribes southwest of Grannvale and south of Agustria. Eventually, after years of savage behavior, King Batu instituted a more peaceful reign.

Of course, now Verdane was invading, so none of that mattered to Sigurd in the slightest. He did not give a damn if Verdane resented Grannvale for having the blessings of the Crusaders from the past. He really did not. They attacked his homeland and took a dear friend of his captive. He was not going to let that stand, regardless of the reasons.

"Take this!" Dimaggio screamed.

Sigurd responded by charging forward and shoulder-checking Dimaggio right in his open wound. Quan actually winced at how brutal the move was.

While Dimaggio stumbled backwards from the pain, Sigurd closed in again and slashed him across the stomach. Dimaggio let out a pained gurgle and crumbled to the floor. Sigurd looked at the downed Dimaggio.

"Now, where is Edain?" He demanded forcefully.

Dimaggio just groaned in pain. Sigurd, sighed, realizing he might not have left the man in the best condition to talk. "Fine, I'll go find out for myself." Sigurd rolled his eyes. "Oifey, with me."

"Oh, yes sir!" Oifey exclaimed as he leapt from his horse to join Sigurd.

Sigurd turned and made his way to the doors to Castle Yngvi. When Oifey passed Dimaggio, however, the barbarian suddenly rose to his feet, demonstrating incredible willpower and shocking everyone who witnessed this.

Dimaggio was furious. How could this Grannvaleian make a fool out of him like this? He could not let this stand. If Sigurd was going to humiliate him like this, then Dimaggio would make him suffer by taking something dear to him.

That brat was a good start.

And with that revelation, Dimaggio charged towards the unsuspecting Oifey, much to the horror of everyone else. "Oifey!" Ethlyn yelled out a warning.

"Sigurd, he's still moving!" Quan added.

Sigurd and Oifey turned to see Dimaggio charging towards Oifey. Oifey quickly drew a dagger to defend himself while Sigurd ran towards his cousin. I have to get to him in time...damn it, how could I be so careless?

However, before Dimaggio could come anywhere near Oifey, a large fireball suddenly came streaking into view. The flames struck Dimaggio, incinerating him and leaving him a charred mess. Dimaggio screamed in pain as he crumbled to the ground. His screams soon faded, leaving only death knells.

"No…" he muttered. "This...can't...be…"

Ethlyn's eyes widened. "That...was fire magic!" She realized.

Everyone then turned to see a familiar face running towards them "Lord Sigurd! I'm so relieved to see you're unharmed." Azelle exclaimed

Sigurd gasped. "Azelle? Azelle of Velthomer? What are you doing here?" He demanded

"I'm here with Lex." Azelle gestured behind him. Everyone saw a man on horseback riding into view. Azelle then continued to speak. "We want to do whatever we can to fight the Verdanite invasion. Please, allow us to fight by your side. We won't let you down!"

Sigurd smiled with relief and gratitude. "Of course! I couldn't ask for better help." Sigurd's expression then turned serious. "But what of your brother, Lord Arvis? Is he alright with you helping out?"

Azelle's expression turned nervous at this. "No... He's been tasked with command of the Royal Guard. He made it clear that I wasn't supposed to leave Belhalla at all." Azelle admitted.

Sigurd looked impressed. Meek little Azelle actually disobeyed his brother? "Did he, now? I can only imagine the scolding that you'll be in for later!" He noted.

Azelle winced at this. "I know this is a dreadful thing to say, but to be honest, I'm terrified of Arvis... Sometimes, when I'm around him, I... I feel as if I'm only a nuisance to him."

Ethlyn winced at Azelle's honesty. In her younger days, she felt like that to Sigurd. Then she realized how much of a mess her father and brother were and realized she was practically irreplaceable in the Chalphy household.

"Is that right…" Sigurd hummed before giving Azelle a gentle and encouraging smile. "Well, whatever your reasons, I'm just glad that you're here, Azelle. You're more than welcome to stay for as long as you want."

"Thank you, sir!" Azelle said gratefully.

"And thank you so much for saving Oifey." Sigurd said gratefully. "Really, impeccable timing on your part."

At that moment, Lex joined the conversation. He smiled at the son of his father's most hated adversary. "It's been a while, huh, Sigurd?" Lex inquired

"Lex!" Sigurd nodded. "So, you really are here to help too, huh?"

Lex laughed. "Yeah, Azelle dragged me into it. I swear, I can't say no to this twerp!" He admitted, rubbing Azelle's hair much to his best friend's distress.

Sigurd laughed. "You haven't changed a bit, have you, Lex?" Sigurd's expression turned concerned. "But what about your father, Lord Lombard? Does he know you've come here?"

Lex shook his head. "Oh, hell no!" He exclaimed. "You know as well as I how much my father loathes yours. There's no way he'd ever let me help House Chalphy, even if his life depended on it. I had to slip out behind his back."

Lex gave Sigurd a serious expression. "Just so we're clear, Sigurd, I'm not here for you." He declared. "Azelle's my best friend, and he really wanted to help. That's all."

Sigurd smiled. "Heh. A bit harsh, but thanks for coming all the same. Any help is greatly appreciated."

Lex's expression turned lighthearted again. "Hey, it's me, I've got plenty to offer."

"Sir, we should check Castle Yngvi." Oifey got Sigurd back on the task at hand.

"Ah, you're right." Sigurd nodded. He then turned to his group. "Ethlyn, could you come with us? There's always a chance that there are survivors that need healing."

"If there are injured survivors, they were lucky to hold out this long. I see your point though." Ethlyn mused, dismounting her horse and running up to Sigurd.

"All of you keep a perimeter while we're gone. We'll be back before you know it." Sigurd ordered as the three Chalphys entered Castle Yngvi.

Azelle watched Sigurd enter with a look of awe on his face. "Wow, he's just like all the rumors say! He's nothing like Arvis…"

"Aww, careful Az, Edain might think you're cheating." Lex teased.

"Lex!" Azelle exclaimed in betrayal.

"So that's Lex of Dozel and Azelle of Velthomer." Nessa noted.

"Lord Lex is certainly as rambunctious as the stories say." Naoise mused. "And here I thought Lord Sigurd was exaggerating…"

"I know he's a Dozel, but I like him." Alec admitted.

"You definitely wouldn't think he and Lord Azelle are such good friends though." Nessa mused. "I mean, talk about oil and water there…"

"Lex is the kind of person who appreciates directness and honesty, and Azelle has always been the picture of honesty." Quan explained. His expression then turned somber. "You all know the story of Azelle, right?"

"Umm...I mean, he is Lord Arvis' brother, right?" Nessa asked.

"Half-brother, actually." Quan replied with a sigh. "A...very tragic affair with a maid that resulted in Azelle."

"That's gotta be rough for the kid." Alec noted.

Naoise gave Alec one of his 'are you serious' looks. Alec noted this and frowned. "Don't worry, man, I see the irony of me lamenting about something like a love affair." He said.

"Arvis' father, Victor, was a very notorious womanizer." Quan explained. "But in an ironic twist of fate, he could not stomach when his wife had an affair and took his own life."

"Great, a hypocrite." Nessa scowled.

"It's no wonder he's so meek," Naoise noted, watching Azelle and Lex in an argument that was serious on Azelle's side and playful on Lex's, "an illegitimate child growing up in the Velthomer household? That could not have been easy for the lad."

"You misunderstand, Naoise. Azelle is not meek because of his status. In fact, the Velthomer household and many who know him are actually quite fond of him." Quan revealed.

"Oh, because of that directness and honesty that Lord Lex likes, right?" Nessa asked.

"Correct, Azelle is very well-loved by the people for being kind and approachable, in spite of his shyness." Quan replied. "No, the reason he is so meek is because he lives in the shadow of a man as great as his brother, Arvis of Velthomer. I'm sure you're all aware of his story, yes?"

"He became the Duke of Velthomer at the age of seven, right?" Alec remembered.

"And now he is the captain of His Majesty's royal guard." Nessa reminded Alec. "A man whose stature surpasses even Lord Sigurd's."

"Surely you jest, Nessa." Naoise frowned.

"I'm just being honest, Naoise. I'm sure Lord Sigurd would agree that Lord Arvis is a far better man than he with what he's overcome in his life." Nessa pointed out. "Anyway, have you met the man, Lord Quan?"

"Arvis? Once or twice through Sigurd." Quan admitted.

"What was he like?" Nessa was curious.

"You got a crush, Nessa?" Alec teased.

"Stow it!" Nessa snapped.

"A mystery," Quan replied, "and yet incredibly charismatic at the same time. That being said, I can understand why Azelle would be so shy and intimidated living in his shadow. Arvis is certainly a man who casts a big, intimidating shadow."

"And yet you find him charismatic as well?" Naoise was surprised.

"According to many, Arvis is one of the rare few who possesses what has come to be known as the Gift of Kings." Quan explained. "A rare talent, intellect and mental fortitude that grants him the resolve to shoulder on. It's likely how he managed to become Duke and corral the Velthomer courts all at the age of seven."

"Damn." Alec whistled, sincerely impressed.

"That kind of strength...could draw anyone in." Quan revealed.

Meanwhile, three individuals were making their way through Grannvale. All three wore the black robes of the Roten Ritter, the elite brigade of the Velthomer army. All with various shades of red hair. Two of them, young women in their twenties, had a lighter shade of red hair.

The younger woman of the bunch, her red hair in a ponytail and a prayer sword sheathed, fell into step with the lone male. "Lord Arvis," she said to the man, "we have entered Dozel territory. We'll be in Yngvi by the next day."

The serious-looking man's long red hair flowed in the wind. His gaze was one of intense focus. "Good," said Arvis of Velthomer, "Aida, you have the rear, make sure the Chalphy knights didn't leave any stragglers."

Aida bowed respectfully as she fell out of step with her liege. Arvis then turned to the other woman, who wore her light red hair longer and more unkempt than Aida. She appeared to be in her mid-to-late twenties and carried a prayer sword. "Marah, you're with me." He ordered.

Marah, Aida's older sister, nodded. "As you command, Lord Arvis."

Aida's face briefly contorted into one of jealousy. This was not lost on Marah, who sighed in annoyance at her younger sister's affections towards Arvis. "Now then," Arvis gave off a mysterious smile, "let's see how Sigurd is handling himself against these savages."

A.N: Hey look, it's Arvis. He's so cool and handsome and better than everyone. What? Also, best boy Lex is here too! Isn't that great?

It's time once again for Nicholas' Unit Review. Next up is the red cavalier of Chalphy, Naoise. And now that we've gone past Sigurd, we'll eventually have to review something ELSE about the other units in-game. But, I think I'll talk about that in later chapters.

Strengths: The cavalier duo of Genealogy is can be very difficult to use. But that doesn't make them unusable in the slightest. Genealogy's cast is a bit smaller compared to other games, so they really can't afford to be unusable. And Naoise, thankfully has his uses. The big thing to keep in mind in the case of Naoise is that being the 'Red Cavalier' of the game, he is a unit that focuses on high HP, strength and defense. That means, in the early game especially, he's probably one of your most durable units. He's also far more adept at chipping enemies to set up kills for others because he lacks Pursuit, meaning he won't double units as long as he doesn't proc Charge, which is an ability that allows a unit to attack again (but be left open to a follow-up from the enemy as well). But to make him a real monster, you need to give him a few things. At that point, if you like him as a character, that's when its worth it.

Weakness: Unfortunately, if we actually ranked the units in Genealogy, Naoise would be pretty close to the bottom. That lack of Pursuit will quickly become a burden, especially as the game goes along. Enemies will eventually have Pursuit, and then it REALLY becomes a problem. His class also won't allow him to reach A-Ranks in swords and lances, meaning he'll never wield silver weapons, even after promoting to Paladin. His skills, Charge and Critical, will rarely activate because he has very low skill and speed. Basically, if Sigurd can't chip, you have to rely on Naoise, and in the early game that's great. As it goes on though? Not so great.

Overall: Naoise is a niche unit. He can provide great chip damage with how hard he its and take it just as well, but he'll likely never end up the MVP of a Genealogy run. There are ways to turn him into more than that. But some of the items you get are way better served on someone else.

Hope everyone enjoyed part 2. I'll see you all in part 3.