Back again with another chapter! I wanted to get this up out of the way faster but it was a boring chapter to write and I got hooked on the Ezio Trilogy, the first two Mass Effect games and the first 50 or so episodes of Fairy Tail. Damn my addictions…Suck up what little time I have off of my job.
Now before anyone gets too excited about this chapter I just want to warn you that it's not my best work and is more of a filler than anything else. Honestly nothing really crazy happens in this part of the storyline even though it's a critical turning point. I tried to make it a bit bigger but honestly every time I tried expanding on it the stuff I wrote just seemed forced and I scrapped it. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint too many people and if it does I apologize and promise to make it up to you next chapter which I think is going to be pretty awesome.
Anyway time for Reader Response:
To:
Obiki Doragon: I'm sorry if you think Hector came off a little jerkish but that is how he acts when you first see him and you also have to keep in mind the fact that he has a temper and would no doubt be frustrated at this point. I do a lot of research while I write just so I can make this story as accurate as possible. Hell I spent two days looking up information about bows and archery just so I could write a few lines about Rebecca. As such I try to make sure that I have at least the foundation of a character's personality as close to canon as I can before adding in how I think they would act based on that. That's fine if you disagree though, I could be wrong. Hector being self taught is actually canon as well. He makes mention of it when Lyn appraises his skill during their initial meeting after a fight and his wiki profile states this as well. You're right though about axes being much more limited than swords in terms of attack options. It really isn't the most elegant of weapons… It still works though and you can be pretty fancy with an axe if you want…Look at Gimli and Abraham Lincoln (the only reason I watched the movie with the latter was because he did some cool axe stuff)! It's definitely a boon for Hector to wear heavy armor though and now he's only gonna get better!
Lazruth: BAHAHAHAHA! Oh my gosh your review made me laugh sooo hard! Heehee…classic…anyway Hector is definitely a monster in the game. He's pretty awesome especially after he gets Armads. How it's possible he's supposed to be killed at the beginning of Roy's game is beyond me…I'm glad you like the fight although I draw the line at Link stopping an axe with his bare hand. That would just be ridiculous hahaha! I agree with you that it does make for great bad-a** status solidification but after seeing it like every other fight in Bleach I think it's a little overdone these days. It's like Dragon Ball Z as well…there's only so many times you can launch a laser beam capable of blowing up the planet before it gets old. Then again if it's done properly in a game, manga, etc that normally doesn't have the super evil bad guys immune to blades it definitely adds the perfect touch of holy sh** to the epicness. Now for Rebecca, kinda figured me out did yeah?…Haha yeah you made me laugh…monkey-slapper…priceless…While I admit that I didn't have Green Arrow in mind while I was planning out Rebecca's growth I must admit it's an apt comparison although unfortunately the fancy arrows might be a little much for the time period hahaha. You'll just have to wait and see how things go…muahahaha!
Jimbobob5536: Now that is an interesting image…I wonder if I could make that work somehow…. Thanks for the review!
XxNeo-ChanxX: Woohoo! Thank you very much! Glad to bring a smile to your day! While Link isn't impossible to fight he's pretty damn hard to do so and for the exact reason that you say. He's a freaking GOD STOMPER! Of course he's not going to stay unchallenged forever. That would just be boring. I think you're gonna like what I have in store for him in the future. Or hate it. Depending on your view….
Shadoe0888: Hahaha! Where did that come from? I think I only mentioned Sain once that whole chapter! You're right though, I think him and Gatrie would get a long swimmingly!
Isoulmani: Good to hear from you and thank you sooo much for the compliments! I try to make this story as good as I can and I'm glad you appreciate my efforts towards quality. You're right though, sometimes writing about Link's placement in Elibe is a challenge but I enjoy it and it'll get easier once I start to get to the more powerful villains and such. The thought about introducing different classes has crossed my mind several times and I'm still trying to sort out my plans for that. Luckily I still have quite a ways to go before I have to make a solid decision so we'll see how things go. Link's presence is definitely going to make an impact in their enemies but not for awhile yet. At least not until they start to experience the full breadth of his capabilities. And as a last note I would like to thank YOU as a writer for taking the time to read and review my work. Good reviews truly make writing fanfiction worthwhile and I'm very happy to hear you hold my story in such high regard. That you would consider it a benchmark for anything is truly an honor. Thank you very much and I'll try to get at least a couple of chapters in before Christmas haha! Technically I should have finished this fic quite awhile ago since it is quite old but I guess you could also say the slow pace gives me time to improve and solidify far reaching plans and ideas that I might not have had earlier…and now I'm trying to justify myself…shameless…Anyway I hope to hear from you again!
Wildfire Dreams: Thank you very much! I'll try to update more often but I appreciate your support regardless! Honestly…I haven't thought much at all about Fire Emblem 6 because I don't know anything about it. I've never played it or even seen it played. I don't speak Japanese (although I wish I did) so unless it gets released in English over here at some point or there is a translated emulator version kicking around that I don't know about I doubt I ever will. I'm sorry to say but continuing into the next game is not a feasible option for me although I have tossed around a few ideas for a potential sequel. On the other hand Link's meeting with Karel is something that you will see eventually and I think you're going to like what I have planned for that. I am aware that he does a complete turnaround in his personality from researching his character and I can definitely say that why that happens will be addressed in this story. As for Rebecca being Roy's wet-nurse… I actually have not thought about it since I was only vaguely aware that she becomes such…it's not stated in her Wiki page and is only mentioned in Wolt's bio and I tend to avoid looking up stuff from games I haven't played since I don't like spoilers even though running across them is sometimes inevitable. I hope that satisfies your questions and I hope to hear from you again!
Adyen: Yeah…it would be very broken. Hahaha very broken in deed…Thanks for the review!
Jahm: I'm very glad to hear you liked my rupee logic. Hahaha I spent a lot of time mulling that one over. I hope you continue to read and enjoy my fic!
Madlink007: Yeah I deserve your criticism. I'm a terrible updater. But the next couple of chapters I have been waiting for years to get too so hopefully I can crank them out a little faster.
Starwars05: Haha well Bartre may have a match with Link in the future. Not sure when, but it could happen.
Whatwhatwhat333: Yup! Link is da bomb!
Wolfstorm33333: Thank you very much for your praise! I totally agree with you and I try very hard to keep the characters true to the game. For the most part at least. I like playing with how I think characters react to various situations like Wil with his trauma. There's really no way to know that for sure since most of the characters aren't as fleshed out as others. Makes it fun! And don't you worry, I have…plans for Link and Karel….not saying anymore than that! Ufufufufufu!
Zinnv: Thank you very much! I know I'm not nearly perfect and there's much I can improve on but I'm trying! And yes, Link does have his masks. I think you'll like how I plan to integrate those. One of them is coming up very soon heehehehee
Hylian Knight: Thanks for the review! Glad you liked the fight! Unfortunately your questions are not ones that I can answer because doing so could potentially spoil the story or close doors on paths I may take. My plans are constantly changing due to random brainstorms I get throughout my daily life so few things are a for sure thing until I sit down to write them. You'll just have to find out!
Wraith54: Man I love long reviews! Thanks for your input! I agree with you in regards to Eliwood, he has potential but it's never a for sure thing on how he'll develop. Kinda annoying but hey now I can develop him how I choose! I also agree with you about fear in a fight. It can be very debilitating. But on the other hand it's also necessary for development. People are capable of accomplishing great things under extreme duress as long as they don't break from it. The reason why I had Link beat Hector down was to show him he's not the top dog. If you have never had anything to fear then you really have no reason to improve. I've always believed that overconfidence is just as bad as under confidence. Overconfident people bite off more than they can chew but under confident people never take the bite. That's what Hector was, an overconfident person with no reason to fear anything. Have you ever tried telling an over confident person what their shortcomings are? In my experience the only way they listen is to have it shoved in their faces. Now I could be completely wrong but that's how I feel. Thank you very much for your input! And you're right Hardin is pretty damn awesome.
Swordmaster7175: Normally I wouldn't answer a question like that because of potential plot spoilers but I can safely say that Ganondorf will not be appearing as a morph.
Neo Fan: Haha Thanks! And I like Rebecca a lot as well! Just wait till I get her trained up!
Sven Vollfield: That's true there are a lot of girls but I was asking for the opinions of people who know about all of them and who they would prefer seeing so I could work that into the interactions in future chapters.
WhiteHero: Thank you very much! Praise me more! Hahaha I really hope you like my next chapters!
The Azure Heart: Thanks for the vote!
Arcane Valor: Glad I've peaked your interest. I really should go back and edit my early chapters though…thanks for your vote!
Soul Titan: Thanks! I'll try!
AreiaCananaid: Glad your still alive! Definitely don't want you to die! Thanks for the review!
DPT24: Thanks for your review! I appreciate you voicing your thoughts. This Link is the one from Ocarina of Time and Majora's mask but it's after he has grown up following the events of Majora's Mask. So this is several years after he's killed a dozen giant monsters and defeated two beings basically on the same level as gods. So he's accomplished a lot like you say. That being said if I came across as portraying him as a mage that's the envy of Erk and Lucius, it was not my intention. He simply wields a different type of magic that is fundamentally more powerful due to the different magical source. Because it is something they've never seen before they are fascinated. Both of them are much more learned and can do more things with magic than Link can but he is more powerful for now because they haven't reached their full potential yet. Think of it like comparing an assault rifle to a shotgun: Erk and Lucius can cast magic much longer and with greater precision and control than Link but he can blow people away with a single spell. Link's also had several years to improve on his magic abilities so I'm taking some liberties with that over Ocarina of Time and also semi incorporating Super Smash Bros. He'll never be a magical savant but he will not be a magical slouch either. As for the tactics part I both agree and disagree. First off it's true that Link is not a military leader by any stretch of the imagination so you're right he has no clue how to run a large army and won't be commanding one any time soon. That being said coordinating things in a small group is much different than a big army. Link takes his experience with fighting by himself and applies that knowledge in their skirmishes. He knows how to work with small numbers. Any changes he suggests making towards big plans revolve around his direct influence in a particular area. I also explained in my last chapter how my Link understands how to fight at a fundamental level and so he has reached his monstrous level of strength through his experience and absorbing the life force of the monsters he's killed (my reasoning behind Heart Containers), and since tactics and strategy is also a part of combat he's not clueless in that area either. He recognizes Zelda as a true leader and knows what qualities make good ones so he can see that potential in people. Also in Ocarina of Time Link swordfights against several Gerudos, which may be included in those exceptions you mentions, and they train themselves to fight people and are very dangerous in their own right. It stands to reason that Link will face much more than just monsters in his years of travel. When he trains people he's acting more like a sparring partner than anything else. He doesn't tell people who have already trained in a style what to do. He fights them and points out weaknesses that he can exploit. With Rebecca it's a bit different because she's basically a blank slate to him so he can show her how he would use a bow. Now perhaps I am making him too strong but I do have thorough plans that I have laid out and have polished up over years of thinking that will address this issue in future chapters and it's a little late to change them now. Thank you again for your review! You raise some very valid points and I hope I have addressed them to your satisfaction. If not then I apologize and hope you will continue to read anyways.
Jon58840: Hey there! Glad you like my story so much! You're definitely not the first person to raise concerns over Link's capabilities (see above response) and you won't be the last. If it concerns you please take comfort in the fact that I have planned around this. My fic isn't one of those ones where a character comes in and consistently stomps a mud-hole in strongest people in the world and somehow prevents all forms of tragedy so that everything goes peachy. Link is basically untouchable now but things will change as they pick up. He can't be everywhere at once and he can't cover for everyone's weaknesses so bad things can still happen. He also won't go unchallenged either. Trust me I have plans. Thanks for the compliments about the characters! I try very hard to flesh them all out and make them relatable individuals! Something that you should know though is that the Fire Emblem games only really build on several main characters despite the existence of many minor ones so a lot of them have been portrayed with single defining traits and it takes several playthroughs to actually get an idea of everyone's deeper personalities. This makes for a lot of freedom for writers like me to play with but can also be double edged as you say. Serra for instance is certainly very loud and annoying but if you peel away her exterior you'll find she actually wears a mask to cover insecurities. It's kind of a neat little thing that Fire Emblem does with their characters because all of them have some form of baggage and it takes time and effort to actually find out everything about them. I will openly admit that my update time is not very good so your trepidation is justified but I have every intention of finishing this fic. Thanks for your vote and I hope to hear from you again!
Rizaidym: Nothing wrong with sticking to your guns! Hahaha but I'm glad I was able to change your mind! Thanks for the vote!
Dessel Ordo: Abducted? No. Infiltrated and systematically put the fear of Earth into an entire alien race? Possibly. Haha yeah Hector is pretty beast but he does need a bit of humbling. But now he'll only get more awesome! And you're right, I could very easily turn this into a harem for Link but that's something I do not want to do. That's why I'm having such a hard time with the pairing. And yes, Link has his masks. Not this chapter but soon, just wait and see hahaha!
Nyan-chan: Dou Itashimashite Nyan-chan! Haha thanks for your vote (though I don't think I really deserve the –sama)!
Sparxthehdgehog: Yeah pretty much hahaha! At least for now. He'll have challenges in the future but for now he's beast. And speaking of beast….lol. Yeah I'm still alive and kicking! Just not a fast updater….sigh…I envy some fanfic writers' for their speeds…I'll try to do better and I hope you stick around for more!
Nesser24: Haha wow…the fact that you've actually read this 7 or 8 times is an honor…never mind your so called weakness in not making it through before the new chapter! I'm very glad you like it! As for Link…I'm neither going to confirm nor deny anything but you could be on to something…heehee…I can't wait to get Rebecca trained up and get back to Caelin either! The two chapters after this one are going to be (at least in my mind) EPIC! Muahahaha I have been waiting a long time to write those two. Bless you as well and I hope to hear from you again!
Azuna: Thank you very much! Nice to know you're finding so much enjoyment in my work! It really makes writing for free worthwhile!
Guest: Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Feral Eye: I'm truly glad to hear that you enjoyed my take on Lyn's story with Link involved. It was fun writing it! You're right. That chapter was a bit rushed. More than anything I wanted to start up Eliwood's story line. I do plan on revealing what was said between some of the others and Link in a couple of flashback type scenes so don't worry, he didn't just up and leave. I just decided to save some of it for later. Thanks for your vote!
Linkfan680: Yeah I did. Took awhile again but I did it. Glad you liked the fight! Hope to hear from you again!
Guest: Thank you very much!
Guest: Yeah he's pretty awesome! Glad you approve of my little filler interactions, they're a lot of fun to write hahaha! And now you understand my difficulty with pairing hahaha!
Link01742: Thanks!
Cj1of4: Fire Emblem Awakening is pretty fun. They introduced some new concepts that I really like. Your thoughts on Link are pretty much spot on. He's awesome now but knows that the others need to be strong enough to face their own problems. I totally agree with you about the "weakest" units in Fire Emblem; be patient with them and they turn into army slayers! Link is definitely a key factor in the growth of the group's overall power! Haha yeah I'm pretty damn excited to write the battle of Laus. I really hope I don't disappoint anyone with it!
The Invisible Fan: I see you! Haha sorry couldn't resist. Glad you like my fights! I put a lot of thought into them. Hope you continue to enjoy them!
Epic Snow: Heh thanks! I've put a lot of thought into incorporating him into this world. Heheh good to hear you caught my little hint with Matthew trying to be sneaky. Very happy to hear that you share my opinion on Link and that you like my story! It's great to hear from new reviewers! Hope you like my future updates as well!
Starless: Haha thanks for the vote. Serra is in the minority but she is fun to write!
Jack Fire 2: Thanks for the vote!
Calming-seas88: And I'm happy to see that you're still entertained! Glad you liked the Link/Hector fight. It was a good way to break the ice concerning Link's ability to the rest of Eliwood's group. Now they know he's not just some nobody that showed up in their affairs. I hope I hear more from you in the future!
OmegaInfinite: Are there professional reviewers on fanfiction? To me all reviewers are awesome. Even flamers (though those really hurt) cause they at least take the time to voice their opinions. I just hope I don't get any…Anyway thank you for the praise! It truly makes this type of writing worthwhile knowing I've entertained people like you! It is a very high honor for me when you say you made an account just write me such a wonderful review! Thank you very much! I'm so glad you enjoy the fruits of my imagination and I really hope you like what I have in store for the coming chapters. I haven't even gotten started yet. Scream on fanboy. Scream on. Oh and as for equipment Link pretty much has everything he had in both Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.
Guest: Yeah it's been awhile. Technically two years less cause I went on that hiatus but yeah still a long time. Hey now! You're review is far from useless! I loved it! Epic is one of my favourite words and if you think my story is qualified to bear that word under its description then it is mighty praise indeed! Thank you very much!
Dragooner: Hahaha thanks! Glad I could hold your attention!
A Certain Unfortunate Guy: Hahaha thanks for taking the time to expand on your review! Don't we all wish we were Link? Deadly, humble, and total ladies man. Yup. He's awesome. Serra is actually pretty cool once you get to know her so I don't wonder why you voted for her. Thanks for the vote! One more for Serra! It's me who's fortunate for you coming across my story! That's one more person in this world I've brought a smile too! Yay!
Guest: Hahaha is it bad that I understood that perfectly? Thank you very much!
Guest: He has them. Just haven't shown up yet.
SneakyDorcas: HEY! I'm still alive! No circle of hell for me so I won't be able to pass your message on! At least not yet. Sooo happy to hear from you again and that you still like my story! I'm slightly sad that Wayward Son knocked it off of its pedestal but with my slow updates it's not surprising. But your praise is still pure holy nectar of the gods for the soul! I'll just have to endeavor to make my story even more epically epic! Take that Ripley! It's quite an honor for you to consider my fight scenes such high quality, I personally would have loved to see you on Thanksgiving! Just wait till you see what I have planned for Laus….heheehheehee… Don't worry I personally have no plans on dying any time soon (though the man upstairs might have different ones) so no need for mourning yet or the calling upon the Lady of Pain or anything like that. Oh and my plans for Guy do not involve porn. Sorry. BTW that's quite the name hahaha!
xxx
Whew… that was a long reader response…at least compared to the chapter content. A little over 11k words total and 4k of it is reader response…not sure what to say about that...well anyway now that that's out of the way let's get on with:
Whom She Found
Chapter 20:
Looking For Answers
Standing in his chambers within Santaruz Castle, Marquess Helman was not amused. "Master Ephidel! What is the meaning of this?"
"Peace, Lord Helman." The shadowy figure stated calmly. His eerie voice sending shivers down the old man's back. "Whatever is wrong?"
"You said you were just going to frighten Eliwood! Your men almost killed him!" Helman cried out. This was not how things were supposed to go. He hadn't really supported the plan in the first place and now things were spiraling far beyond what he could tolerate. "My patience is at an end! I've decided I must tell Eliwood everything and apologize."
"…..You would betray us?" Ephidel inquired emotionlessly after a pause.
"I am tired of you and the Black Fang!" Helman replied angrily. "Now, remove yourself from my castle! Your presence pains me!"
"Lord Helman…" Ephidel stepped forward with an unnatural grace. "Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?"
"Nothing!"
"In that case…you're no longer of any use." With that Ephidel thrust a dagger into the stomach of the old marquess.
"What?!" Helman cried in surprise and pain before falling to the ground. "Gaa…urrgh…"
"It would seem it is time for me to leave this place," Ephidel stated simply. "Although I should leave a parting gift for the young lord."
Without a sound the dark cloaked man exited the marquess's chambers but unfortunately for him, he underestimated the old man's resolve to live.
xxx
Earlier…
The company broke camp at first light, now desperate to reach Santaruz. They crossed through the mountain pass quickly without incident and made towards the capital as fast as circumstances would allow. The city at last became visible just as the sun had begun its evening decent.
"There's the castle, Eliwood!" Hector announced pointing at the large structure in the midst of the city.
"Come!" Eliwood replied. "Let us make haste! We must get there as soon as we can!"
With that the group quickly made their way towards the city gates. However, once they reached the city they were surprised to find the streets rather sparsely occupied. It was as if all the citizens had cleared out save for one or two people who quickly averted their attention when looked at.
"Strange…" Marcus commented as he narrowed his eyes. "Something's not right here."
"Agreed," Eliwood nodded. "Santaruz was much livelier than this the last time I was here."
As they walked deeper into the city none of them could shake the strange sense of foreboding that seemed to permeate the air.
"Someone is here, milord Hector," Matthew suddenly stated and stared down a dark alley. At his word everyone turned their attention towards the silhouette of a man as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Heh, found me did ya?" The man said as he stepped forward. He was an armored man, obviously one of the castle guards or at least he was if the crest on his chest plate was any indicator. The man was bald but had rather well groomed dark green facial hair. "So much for that plan." He had been hoping to sneak up on them but unfortunately for him it was pretty darn hard to sneak up on someone like Matthew.
"Who are you?" Eliwood demanded.
"Me? I'm Boies, but I would be more concerned about yourself if I were you."
"We need to speak with Lord Helman," Eliwood said to the now identified man.
"Yeah, well I'm afraid I can't let that happen," Boies laughed.
"Oh, really?" Hector growled. "I think my axe will change your mind!"
"Oh?" Boies quirked an eyebrow in interest. "The cub thinks he's a wolf? Hahaha well laddie does your bite match your bark? I suppose if you make it the castle we'll see eh?"
With a laugh Boies knocked over a several large crates and barrels to cover his back and retreated back down the alley. Soon the blare of a horn rang through the air and signalled several soldiers who took up positions along the streets to the castle in an attempt to block their path.
"It would seem we will have to fight our way to the castle," Oswin stated.
"I'm afraid so," Eliwood sighed.
"Let them come!" Hector growled. "Our blades will prove ourselves superior to those of traitors."
"We should divide our forces," Marcus said. "These narrow streets are best traversed in small groups."
"Good idea," Eliwood replied. "That way we can find the fastest way to the castle as well."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Link piped up cheerfully. "I'll take Rebecca and we'll cover you from above."
"From above?" Eliwood and Rebecca both asked in surprise.
Link merely grinned before swiftly wrapping one arm around a startled Rebecca's waist and pulling out his hookshot with the other. The young archer gave a startled gasp when she suddenly found herself flying through the air and onto the roof of a nearby building. She stood there stock still for a second, too shocked to do anything else, before turning to the Hylian beside her with an open mouth.
"What was that?" She demanded.
Link grinned in response. "Hookshot. Fancy little device that helps me get to out of reach areas." He turned to wave cheerfully towards the people on the ground. "Now let's go scout around shall we?"
"Convenient," Eliwood stated as he and the rest of the company on the ground watched them take off along the roofs.
"Indeed," Marcus nodded. "They will be most helpful. Now then let us turn our attention towards more pressing matters."
"Right," Eliwood agreed and drew his rapier. "Everyone, advance!"
xxx
Lowen gripped the shaft of his lance nervously and chewed on a small strip of dried meat. Eating always seemed to calm his nerves and right now he felt anything but confident. As a journeyman knight and Marcus's handpicked apprentice he felt he had a large shadow to fill. He had grown up poor in a small village on the outskirts of Pherae but he had been determined to become a knight. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe he would gain an apprenticeship, especially under a knight as decorated as Marcus. Now he was serving on a very important mission directly with the son of the Marquess; it was a little overwhelming. Despite his lack of confidence he had resolved to try his best to be of use but his self esteem had taken a major blow when the company quickly filled with able bodied warriors.
He was envious of Bartre whose massive frame coupled with an exuberant battle loving personality that just screamed intimidation made Lowen seem like a mouse in comparison. Dorcas scared him even more because not only was he big and strong but it was impossible to tell what he was thinking at any given time. Matthew was a specialist who obviously excelled at what he did and Serra…well she definitely had no shortage of self confidence. To Lowen, Oswin was decorated knight from Ostia and a counterpart to Marcus while Lord Hector was a powerful fighter with equal status to Lord Eliwood. The only one Lowen had felt any sort of kinship with had been Rebecca, the bright and cheerful girl from a small Pheraean village. Lowen would never deny that he thought she was pretty but even though he wanted to build at least some form of rapport with her, if for nothing else than to establish some form of mutual support, he had yet to really talk with her since she had been taken under Link's wing.
Ah, Link. Now what could Lowen say about him? He wasn't even going to start comparing himself with the Hylian. It was pointless. He was just glad that everyone else seemed to be just as amazed by the green clad warrior as he was. Lowen shuddered to think that the world could possibly be full of people like him and that he may be called as a knight to fight someone like that. But if even Marcus was surprised by his ability then perhaps there was hope for him after all.
Swallowing the meet and gritting his teeth, Lowen shook his head to rid himself of his negative thoughts and focused on the task at hand. He had a job to do now and come success or failure, on his honor as a knight-in-training he was going to give it his all.
xxx
Rebecca took a deep breath and focused her aim on a target below. She was crouched down by a chimney, both for cover and to steady herself while she aimed. She was lucky that most of the building roofs in the city were close together and, for the most part, easy to traverse; she wouldn't have gotten very far otherwise especially after Link moved a few roofs over to cover Bartre and Dorcas for a bit. A light twang signaled the release of her arrow and she watched the missile sail through the air only to grimace as it spanged harmlessly off of a soldier's pauldron. She frowned when the soldier and those around him turned their attention towards her, alerted to her presence due to the failed attack.
"*Tsk*" Rebecca clicked her tongue. "Link was right, I do need a better bow."
She was about to retreat in order to avoid being attacked when she saw Matthew suddenly appear and leap down from a roof directly above the soldiers. Like a wraith the thief descended upon them and a few quick slashes of his dagger saw their end before they could retaliate. Rebecca blinked in surprise when Matthew sent her a cheery thumbs up to thank her for the distraction before scrambling back up to the roofs and darting away.
"Well," Rebecca shrugged as she stood up to move to another roof. "I suppose that works."
xxx
Oswin maintained a slow but steady pace as he advanced through the streets. He was being followed closely be Serra who, surprisingly, was being rather quiet as she walked in the big man's shadow. She had very little to fear while following in his wake, he weathered the assault of their attackers like a boulder in the wind and she took shelter behind him. His heavy armor easily deflected all attacks that slipped through the defensive reach of his lance and in the highly unlikely chance he would be injured, Serra was right there ready to work her magic. It really was a win-win situation.
Every now and then a bold soldier would attack only for Oswin to step over his body a few seconds after slamming into the metal wall that was a heavy knight of Ostia.
Honestly, you would think they would try something else. Oswin thought to himself but saw no reason in voicing any opinion on the matter. If these men wanted to throw themselves onto his lance who was he to complain?
With that in mind he carried on with his unstoppable trek.
xxx
With their superior skill and excellent ranged cover, the company was making steady progress through the city towards their goal. Although the soldiers they fought were numerous they were able to deal with their numbers fairly easily due to the close quarters the streets provided. But that all changed when Eliwood approached a bridge crossing a small river in the middle of the city. The choke-point the structure caused was being blocked by a tall and confident looking young man standing in the middle of the bridge with his arms crossed.
"You shall not pass this point," the youth stated calmly.
Eliwood narrowed his eyes as he stepped forward to gauge the young man. He was dressed in the traditional clothing of the Eastern style marking him as a nomad of Sacae. The nomadic lifestyle of the plains produced many fine warriors with a fearsome reputation and Eliwood was not unfamiliar with that knowledge. His blue colored clothing was very similar to Lyn's but obviously more tailored to his male physique. He even had long green hair that he wore in braid with a blue headband. His hair was a lighter shade of green than Lyn's but Eliwood would not have been surprised if he was told the two of them were siblings. The young Pheraean Lord took a deep breath to prepare himself. If this man was anything like Lyn, he was going to be tough.
"Please stand aside," Eliwood pleaded. "I must speak with Lord Helman!"
"I am sorry," the Sacaean tilted his head in pity. "But I am being paid to prevent you from crossing this bridge and by my honor as a Swordsman of Sacae I will fulfill my job. If you wish to pass you must defeat me."
He drew his blade from its sheathe and settled into a loose stance. Marcus's eyes widened when he saw the sword.
"No…a Killing Edge!"
That wasn't good. Not good at all.
Killing Edge…the term used to describe a sword or dagger forged using a unique method that created a blade that was lightweight, exceedingly sharp, and meant to strike at vital points on a target for quick, clean kills. They were not weapons commonly seen on the battlefield since they were not made to strike at armor or block other weapons. While their lightweight made the weapons fast and easy to use it also made them much less durable than a typical sword and carried less striking power. However despite these weaknesses a Killing Edge was truly a weapon to be feared, especially in the hands of a master swordsman. They could slice so deeply and cleanly into flesh that victims would be unaware of exactly how badly they'd been cut until they bled to death. They were blades created for the sole purpose of killing and perfectly complimented the Eastern Swordstyle of the Sacaean people. That such a weapon was in the hands of one of those very people did not bode well for Eliwood's group.
"If you know about this blade then you should know that it is foolish to face me," The swordsman declared. "Turn back now and you will keep your lives."
"I can't do that," Eliwood stated.
The Sacaean simply nodded. "Very well then."
Eliwoods eyes widened in shock as the man struck. He was fast. Faster than him by a fair margin and Eliwood barely managed to draw his rapier in time to block the myrmidon's slash. The high pitched ching of metal sung through the air as time seemed to slow for all those around. The green haired swordsman was crouched low to the ground, sword stretched out to the side at a slight angle, and his back slightly turned to the red haired lordling. His gaze shifted casually over his shoulder to focus on Eliwood who struggled to recover from the swift attack. Before Eliwood could even think of trying to counter the Sacaean had returned to his starting position with a rapid spinning hop.
Although no damage had been done to either of them it was clear that the Sacaean swordsman had won that exchange. His move had taken very little effort on his part and he may as well have not even moved at all for how much it had affected him. Eliwood on the other hand was forced to take a step back and looked visibly rattled by the exchange.
He couldn't beat this man.
After testing the water so to speak and now having a good idea of his opponent's level of ability the Sacaean swordsman moved to strike again but his blow was intercepted by the shaft of a lance. Both youths blinked in surprise as Marcus deflected the blade aside and moved in front of Eliwood.
"Marcus?" Eliwood looked at his mentor in surprise.
"Stand back, milord," The veteran knight stated. "I will handle this."
He spun his lance into a ready position that made full use of the superior range of the poled weapon. The Sacaean narrowed his eyes before moving to attack. The boy was fast but Marcus had faced swordsmen of Sacae many times in his career as a knight and he knew how to fight them. He easily maneuvered his lance to block the attack and quickly countered with the butt end of the pole. The swordsman was able to dodge the swing and tried to attack again only to be blocked once more. He growled in frustration at his inability to get past the older man's defense.
That was the great strength of the lance and the reason why they were the backbone weapon of large armies. Although not as versatile and dextrous as a sword the lance possessed more thrusting power and superior range allowing the wielder to keep their opponents at a distance. This range forced the opponent to spend extra effort trying to get within their own striking distance and gave the lance wielder the space needed to easily block attacks with the shaft. Like any weapon the lance was difficult to master but one could learn to use one adequately very quickly which made it the perfect go-to weapon for militia. While axes were strong enough to break through a lance's defensive game, they were the bane of swordsmen. A novice with lance could readily match an adept with a sword.
Marcus was much more than just a novice but the Sacaean could not make that same claim with his own weapon. While he was faster, slightly more skilled, and had greater experience than Eliwood, the Sacaean had nothing on the veteran knight. But despite being outmatched and unable to get in past Marcus's guard the swordsman did not let up and continued to attack. It was only after the two separated after locking weapons that their fight was interrupted.
"Hey! Hold a moment!" Matthew announced when he saw the swordsman's familiar face. "I know you! Isn't your name Guy?"
Everyone around blinked in surprise including the now identified swordsman.
"Is…Is that you, Matthew?" Guy asked in shock.
"Ah, well now isn't this a pleasant surprise?" Matthew grinned nonchalantly, completely disregarding the circumstances of the reunion and stepping in between the two men. "How's your sword work coming?"
Guy grit his teeth at the thief's attitude. "You are aware this isn't the best place to be catching up, aren't you? After all…" he raised his blade. "We're on opposite sides."
"What?!" Matthew gasped in over dramatized shock. "Are you saying you're going to fight me?"
"I…" Guy twitched as if unsure how to respond. "Well yeah. I'm much better than before. You can't beat me."
"Ugh…" Matthew grimaced and took a step back. "You're quite the terror Guy." He moved a hand behind his back as if to draw a weapon but instead whipped out a piece of paper that he unfurled with a flourish. "Except that I think I'd prefer if you repaid what you owe me."
"Huh?" Guy blinked.
"Last time I saw you, I gave you food. If I remember correctly, you said you owed me your life.," Matthew grinned and pointed to the paper he was holding. "In fact it says so right here!"
"I only said that 'cause you said you'd feed me if I did!" Guy exclaimed angrily. "I hadn't eaten in ten days, and you were cooking meat!" He glared at the thief who met his gaze with an amused twinkle in his own eyes. The stare down only lasted a few seconds before Guy began seething. "You…This…This isn't fair!"
"The people of Sacae never lie. Isn't that right, Guy?" Matthew smirked in victory knowing what Guy's decision would be.
"Grrr…" Guy ground his teeth in frustration. "Fine!" He sheathed his sword to concede his defeat. "I finally find work, and now I have to throw it away! Why can't I ever catch a break! This is all your fault Matthew!"
"Oh come now, don't be like that!" Matthew laughed. "In fact I'm sure you'll find that I'm actually doing you a favor!"
"Oh really?" Guy growled in disbelief.
"Yup!" Matthew replied cheerfully. "And once you do this whole little exchange will be nullified and you'll owe me one again!"
"What?! Never! You hear me! I'll never admit to that!"
xxx
"Ugh," Rebecca groaned as another one of her shots was deflected by the armor of a soldier. Despite all her efforts she had yet to seriously injure anyone and all she seemed to be doing was providing distraction. While some would be relieved at not having to worry about killing people and normally Rebecca would share that sentiment, right now she was just frustrated. It felt like she wasn't accomplishing anything worthwhile. She watched as the person she had just shot looked around wildly for where the arrow had come from but was quickly felled by another arrow from a much stronger bow. Rebecca sighed again and craned her head to see Link standing a few feet away.
"Sorry about that," the young girl sighed dejectedly. "You must be getting sick of cleaning up my mistakes…"
"Not at all," Link chuckled reassuringly. "As I said before: right now I don't care if you kill anybody as long as you take a shot. I did say that short bow of yours wouldn't stand up well to armor. I'm just glad that you're gaining the experience necessary to further your skills."
"But there's got to be something I can do," Rebecca rubbed the back of her neck. "I hate feeling like I'm not helping at all."
"Understandable," Link nodded. "But you are helping even if you're not doing much damage. You're drawing attention away from everyone on the ground and giving them some room to move as well as alerting them to soldiers they may not be aware of."
"I guess…" Rebecca said slowly still not fully convinced and turned her attention back to the streets below.
"Hmmm," Link mused to himself. "Well if you're really hung up on it there is something you can work on to fix that."
"Really?" the young Pheraean snapped her head to him. "What is it?"
"It's something I was going to teach you later on, but now is as good a time as any I suppose. Let me see you're bow for a second."
Rebecca readily handed him her weapon and watched as he drew the string back and pointed an arrow at a soldier who was waiting for an opportunity to attack Dorcas. Link patiently waited for the right moment and let the arrow fly. Rebecca blinked in surprise when the arrow sunk into the soldier's hand causing him to cry out in pain and drop his weapon. Another arrow quickly buried itself in the man's neck, silencing his cries.
"How did you do that?" Rebecca asked in astonishment as Link handed her bow back.
"Simple," Link replied. "Rather than strictly aiming to kill, I aimed for his weak points."
"Weak points?"
Link nodded. "Everything has a weakness, Rebecca. No matter how big or how strong something is they will have a weakness. Victory is simply a matter of learning to exploit them. The reason why I succeeded where you haven't is because I targeted the weak spots in that soldier's armor."
He paused for a moment to drop another soldier with his own bow. "No matter how strong the armor is there are places where it is weak. Joints and areas where armor plates meet are the most obvious examples. With greater knowledge of different types of protective gear you'll also be able to pick out places where protection is thinner and therefore weaker than other spots."
He chuckled a bit before continuing. "Granted knowing about those weak spots and exploiting them are two very different things but the principle is there and sometimes it is easier to incapacitate someone than it is to kill them and that can be just as effective. That soldier wouldn't have been able to do much with that hand even if I hadn't killed him."
"I see," Rebecca nodded. "So basically you're saying it's not my bow that matters but all in how I take my shot?"
"Yup!" Link grinned. "It's all on you. Always has been, always will be. The reason why people make and use stronger weapons is to compensate for the difficulty in taking advantage of a weakness so that they won't need too." He paused for a moment and tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Well unless of course you're fighting something crazy like a giant monster, dragon, or an evil sorcerer whose powers makes them immune to conventional weaponry. Then you might need a little more than a typical bow; but how often does that happen?"
Rebecca blinked and stared at him with a stunned expression. "You know when you say things like that I can never tell if you're being serious or not."
Link chuckled. "Hey! I'm always serious! At least sometimes."
Rebecca shook her head exasperatedly but couldn't suppress an amused smile. "Well Mr. Serious, let's see if I can't put your advice to good use."
xxx
With the addition of Guy to their group it wasn't long before everyone had convened at the castle gates where Boies was waiting for them.
"What's this? You made it this far?" Boies scratched his beard casually as he watched them approach. "Bah, I paid too much for a worthless pack of sellswords."
"Your men have fallen," Eliwood declared. "Now stand aside! I must see Lord Helman!"
"Nothing doing, laddie!" Boies brandished his lance. "Only way you get to him is through me!"
"Gladly!" Hector roared and launched himself towards the armored man.
While he may have been severely humbled by Link, Hector wasn't broken. He was still strong and confident in his abilities, but now he knew he was far from the biggest fish in the ocean. Even if that wasn't the case his temper wasn't something you could cure overnight and that would have made him attack Boies even if he had been traumatized by his recent trouncing.
A mighty swing of his axe was met by the heavy shaft of a reinforced lance. Boies growled at the notch made in his weapon and pushed the blade aside. He tried to counter with a thrust but Hector was used to sparring with Oswin, a much better heavy knight, and easily evaded the attack. He let loose another challenging roar and jumped high overhead into his favored aerial axe drive. He brought his axe down with bone crushing force, smashing right through Boies's defense.
"Ergh…" Boies dropped to the ground. "You've beaten me…not bad…seems the pup has some bite to him after all…heheh…" He coughed and blood splattered the ground. "But you're too late to save him…Too bad…eh laddie? Gehahe…heheh!"
"Bloody cur!" Hector spat.
"We've no time for this!" Eliwood declared and dashed past his friend. "Let's go! Quickly!"
No one spared a glance at the fallen knight as they passed by.
Xxx
Despite the resistance outside of the castle Eliwood met very little once inside. Most of the castle dwellers recognized him and did not impede his path to the marquess. They knew that all was not well in Santaruz.
"Lord Helman!" Eliwood burst into the marquess's chambers and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the old man laying in a small pool of his own blood.
"… Is that you…Eliwood?" the marquess gasped when he heard the voice. Eliwood was at his side in an instant.
"Hold on, my lord!" the young Pheraean knelt down and tried to staunch the blood flow.
"I… I must apologize…" Lord Helman choked out. "Your father… He…"
Eliwood's eyes widened. "Do you know something, sir?"
"I…(cough) … If I hadn't told Elbert…about…(cough)(cough) Darin's plans…This would…never…have…(cough)(cough)…"
"Lord Helman!"
"…..Go to Laus…Darin…the marquess of Laus…knows all."
"Marquess Laus?" Eliwood blinked. "So the rumors were true..."
"I'm sorry, Eliwood" Helman gasped again. "…I…I can't…"
"Hold on!"
"Beware…" the dying marquess coughed. "The Black…Fang…"
With his final warning the Lord of Santaruz breathed his last.
"Lord Helman!" Eliwood shouted in despair.
"He's gone…" Hector put a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"It can't be…" Eliwood blinked back his shocked tears. "Lord Helman…Why…Why did this happen?"
"Blast!" Hector growled. "First your father, then those bandits, and now this?! What is going on?!
"…..We go to Laus." Eliwood stated softly after a pause. "We must speak to the marquess of Laus, Lord Darin."
"You're right." Hector agreed readily. "We should leave quickly. I'm not sure how far we can get today, but…I can't sit still."
Just then the steward made his presence known. "Pardon me…" He addressed the two young nobles.
"Hm?" Hector turned in surprise.
"If I may?" the steward tentatively asked.
"Who are you?" Eliwood stood to address the man.
"I'm the steward of Santaruz." The man bowed. "With our lord gone, what are we to do?"
Surprisingly it was Hector that responded. "First, you give Lord Helman a proper burial. After that…I'm sure the Lycian Council will have to meet. Stay here and defend the castle until you hear more."
"I understand." The steward nodded.
"Let's go." Eliwood said. "We must keep moving."
"Yes…" Hector nodded. "And now we seek answers for Marquess Santaruz, too."
"Wait." The steward spoke up, catching the Lords' attention. "If you are traveling to Laus then we can help you."
"Help us how?" Eliwood asked.
"While I do not have the authority to give you any troops I can provide you with some supplies and horses. But it will take a little while to get everything prepared."
"Hmmm…" Eliwood took a deep breath to think. One of the reasons they had come to Santaruz in the first place was to find information about Eliwood's father and to request aid. They now had a destination and even though he truly wanted to leave immediately he knew that they were not adequately prepared for the journey. "That would be very helpful indeed…Even though I would like to press on now, doing so unprepared would be foolish. It would be prudent to exercise some patience for now."
"Grrr…" Hector growled. "As much as I'd like to disagree…you're right. I just…Bah…I'll leave the logistics to you. I need to go hit something." With that Hector left to vent his frustrations. Eliwood sighed as he watched his friend leave. He understood his frustration and felt it himself but Eliwood had always been the more level-headed of the two so he was more able to control his aggression than Hector, a mark of a good leader.
"…Lord Helman…" He turned back to the body of the fallen marquess. "May you find peace."
xxx
Link sighed and grumbled to himself as he wandered the streets of the city. Now that the fiasco at the castle was over with and everyone was resting up while supplies were being prepared it was time to take care of a few errands he had been meaning to run. Unfortunately many of the shops had closed early because of the attack and he was having a bit of difficulty finding the things he needed. It wasn't too surprising really. Things would be a bit hectic for a few days and the chaos would offer problems for many of the locals so, in some ways, it was better to be safe than sorry. Even so the Hylian still found it irritating that the few shops and stalls he found that were not closed did not sell what he was looking for.
As he turned down an empty street his grumbling was interrupted by a rather high pitched shriek. Blinking at the sudden noise he quickly determined the direction it had come from and dashed to find its source. Rounding a corner he found a group of men hassling a well dressed man in purple robes standing next to a broken cart full of random trinkets.
The victim in question was slightly shorter than the ruffians around him but had a rather full build. It wasn't that he was muscular or fat or anything, rather he looked like a person that lived a just above average life of luxury and did enough physical work to stay in decent condition. His blue hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail and a thin but well groomed mustache sat below his round nose.
Link blinked again in surprise when the man let out another shriek that would be considered girly by anyone's standards and sighed once more as he rubbed the bridge of his nose before walking forward. He recognized this man.
"Are you in trouble again, Merlinus?" The Hylian called out as he approached. His sudden arrival brought the commotion before him to a sudden halt as the now identified Merlinus turned to the new voice, along with his harassers, and his eyes widened in both recognition and relief.
"Sir Link! Oh bless the goddesses above!" He cried out in joy. "Please! You must save me from these hooligans!"
Link groaned in exasperation. He had met Merlinus during one of his odd jobs as a caravan escort. The man was a rather skilled merchant that probably would have done very well for himself if he wasn't so plagued with bad luck and always in a rush. If there was ever a problem during that caravan trip Merlinus was always a part of it, though it usually wasn't his fault. He just always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The fact that outside of a business transaction he had no backbone whatsoever didn't help either. Case in point: his current situation.
"What's going on?" Link asked half-heartedly as he gazed at the half dozen or so scruffy looking men. He could already guess what they were doing but he held out the very slim hope that they were simply dissatisfied customers that decided to get a little rough. He really wasn't in the mood for this type of crap right now.
"Oi! Piss off you nosy punk!" One of the ruffians shouted angrily. Apparently he was the leader. "We're in the middle of our first big score in months!"
"Hey now," Link waved his hands non-threateningly, still trying to dissolve the situation peacefully despite the blatant declaration of robbery. "Can't you just leave him be? I think it'll be better for all of us if we just go our separate ways. I don't really wanna deal with this right now."
"You expect us to leave all this stuff behind?" The man gaped at him. "Who do you think you are?!"
"Just an old acquaintance of the man you're trying to rob," Link replied casually.
"That so?" the thief narrowed his eyes. "If that's the case then you must be rich, too! Get him boys!"
The group of thieves charged forward all at once, intent on adding whatever valuables the green clothed man had to their loot. Link palmed his face with a heavy sigh. So much for that plan. With a groan he resigned himself to his inevitable fate.
12.64 seconds later….
"What are you doing here, Merlinus?" Link asked the merchant. "Last time I saw you, you were headed towards Sacae weren't you?"
"Ah yes, well you see…" Merlinus rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I had a modicum of trouble with a fellow entrepreneur and his associates and was forced to cut my business venture slightly shorter than I had anticipated. I was planning on selling my wares around Lycia but…it seems to be a rather dangerous time to travel these days."
"So it seems," Link said dryly before turning his eye to the merchant's cart. "It looks like your wagon got busted up pretty good."
"I know!" the Merchant whined. "It is completely inoperable! How will I sell my merchandise now? I'll have to purchase a new one!"
"Could be worse," Link replied.
Merlinus sighed. "Yes…I suppose it could. Thank the heavens you arrived when you did, Sir Link. I shudder to think what those ruffians would have done otherwise. This is but temporary setback."
"You're welcome," The Hylian replied with a light smile. As annoying as Merlinus's bad luck was Link had to give it to the man; he always seemed to bounce back. "You're sure you're going to be alright? I'd stay and help but I really need to get some things done before I leave in the morning."
"I should be alright now," Merlinus nodded and bowed to him. "Thank you once again for your help. Is there anything I can do in return?"
"Don't mention it," Link waved him off before turning away. "Just be more careful in the future. I won't always be around..to...bail..." He stopped midstride as an idea struck him. Slowly he turned back to the merchant with a thoughtful expression. "Say, Merlinus? Do you have a solid idea of what you're going to do now?"
Merlinus quirked an eyebrow but shrugged. "Well I'll have to purchase a new wagon in the morning and then perhaps I'll try to find a way to move to the next territory safely. Why do you ask?"
"Because I just had an idea that I think would be mutually beneficial to us both." Link replied. "I'm currently traveling with a small group of…mercenaries I suppose you could say and it seems to be growing at a fairly steady rate. I can only expect it to get bigger and a growing company needs somebody to manage supplies and inventory. Would you be interested in filling that role?"
"Truly?" Merlinus's eyes widened at the prospect.
"I think it would be a good idea," Link nodded. "You would be able to travel safely with us and we would benefit greatly from your experience with managing supplies. Truth be told I'm more used to traveling on my own and taking care of myself than a group of people and nobody else in the company believed it would grow this much in such a short time so we are a little bit disadvantaged in that area. Best to take care of it early on before it becomes a problem in the future, we might even be able to get you new wagon."
"Why that is a SPLENDID idea!" Merlinus cried happily. "Managing merchandise is my specialty after all! I would be glad to assist!"
"Great!" Link grinned. "Come with me and I'll introduce you to the leaders of our little group."
"Wait!" the Merchant stopped him. "What about my wares? I have no way of moving them anywhere and I can't just leave it here."
"Oh," Link nodded. "Well I don't think you have to worry about that too much." He jerked a thumb towards a groaning pile of battered and bruised bodies behind him. "After all I'm sure these guys would be just HAPPY to carry all your stuff for us as compensation for the damages to your wagon."
"Well, in that case," Merlinus smiled happily. "Lead on Sir Link!"
"Excellent!" Link clapped his hands. "Now then I was also wondering if you could help me with something else…"
xxx
A/N: Well there we go. Glad that's out of the way. Nothing really crazy happened that you didn't already expect. Guy joins, Helman dies, Eliwood becomes determined to reach Laus. Pretty straightforward. I thought about trying to draw out the fight between Boies and Hector but in the game Hector with his Wolf Beil axe can pretty much stomp a mud-hole in him to begin with. So there wasn't really any point. Luckily I decided to stuff Merlinus into this chapter so I don't have to write the whole side-chapter-save-him-in-the-dark thing. And screw him only having a tent and not a wagon. How the hell does he pack the tent around? That never made any sense to me. So now the group has a manager, proper supplies, funds, and transportation. You know, stuff that they should have but technically never really say that they do in the game. Go creative liberties! So yeah, gonna dive right into the Battle of Laus. Might take me a bit cause I plan to make it good and lengthy but I promise it'll be worth it!