The Shepherds marched on to the main hub of trade and commerce to Regna Ferox, Port Ferox, and settled in, if the Valmese Empire wanted to fight, then they were going to get one, Chrom was in the belief that he can reason with them, keep them from doing anything rash or deadly while the Feroxian army mobilized and readied themselves for the same battle, Alex taking his time in looking over the records before a stomp of leather and metal came his way, the door swinging open to Christian. "Ah, my brother-in-arms, take a seat."
"Thanks..." He did so and breathed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Chrom is so willing to bench Sumia, in case things go wrong, I am wondering if I should also try to keep Olivia on the back lines."
"She is your wife and she wouldn't want you to make that kind of move without her knowledge, that would hurt a lot more than just telling someone they can't do it." Alexander scribed out the main force that was to come and made notes on how to repel the force to come, repeating it several times to spread across the standing forces. "The women of the Shepherds are far from helpless, they make their own splash without us and they would be grieved if we just gave up on them being the best they can."
"I guess..." Alex paused as he leaned toward Christian and asked.
"Are you doing okay, my friend?" Christian breathed as he answered.
"Really, I don't know, I am just hoping that we can come out of this, I mean, Plegia is one thing, a whole continent, how the Gods are we going to fight that!?"
"I know..." Alex spoke as he returned to writing. "But it is likely that they have never faced us before and they will regret fighting us at all, if this is a war, then we have reason to fight it, we can't give up on those who have placed their hopes and dreams on us, we can't just let a Conqueror tell us what to do." Christian nodded as Alex finished. "Get some rest, we are likely to see action soon." With that, Christian stood up and headed out, the door closing as Alex worked, tomorrow was going to be trouble, even Tharja's encircling arms were not a soothing notion that they will come out on top, there was much that could happen...
They rested enough and were right to do so as the pound of drums and the shouts of men called out as the Shepherds formed up and rushed outside to the arrival of the Valmese, barely getting in before making demands and yelling. "You dare board our ship, worm? I'll not discuss terms with a peasant; I will issue demands to all!" The leader, a Paladin, shouted after throwing a man to the wood of the ship. "Citizens! Soldiers! Hear my words! The Conqueror himself, Emperor Walhart, claims dominion over these lands! You will grant your new emperor your ships! You will grant him all your provender! You will grant him your loyalty and your every possession! And you will surrender this land's greatest treasure, the Fire Emblem! Do this, and your lives will be spared. Resist, and your lives are forfeit! Now, kneel! And swear fealty to the mighty Valmese Empire!" The man scrambled up as he pleaded.
"B-but if you take all that we have, how are we to make our living? Without food and ships, people will starve! Would you have us all die?" The leader didn't take any other answer than the one he gave.
"...You'll do for now." Without a word or notion of mercy, the man was run through and Chrom grimaced as he shook his head in grief.
"These savages will never listen to reason." With that, he shouted. "Everyone: prepare to engage!" Everyone shattered to collect their gear and weapons as the Valmese made to surge into the town, the Feroxian guards doing their best, but it was going to be a losing battle if the Shepherds don't step in, Fredrick stopping Chrom for a moment as he asked.
"Milord, are you certain? Another war..." Chrom was without pause as he readied himself and primed Falchion for combat.
"I've had time to ponder Ylisse's place in the world, Frederick. ...And my own." Chrom breathed as he felt the weight of the sword once more and was ready as ever, just like his blade readied for Gangrel and his twisted madness. "We must stand against evil, in all its forms, or there can be no peace!" The arrival of Cherche, her role that of a Wyvern Rider, coming in handy as the push began, Alex and Chrom divided to dice through the lines that came for them, Panne making solid progress at tearing through the cavalry with her husband of Fredrick, horses completely topple when they crash into Kellam who was solid as a boulder like no body's business. Suddenly, the battle was changed greatly to their side as the pair of Cordelia and Lon'qu seem to slash and thrust without equal, Maribelle held ground while Gaius sniped both arrows and attacks with speed exceeding the normal man, Lissa still held to healing the others when things got too dicey, but she need not worry as Donnel was by her side and he was peerless with fighting with a Steel sword in hand.
Sully and Gregor were two peas in a pod in combat which was... odd, but no odder than Ricken and Nowi banding as one to fight the fools, even Cherche took to the fight, but truly gave praise to Vaike as he was one juggernaut unable to be stopped as Alex could have sworn he punched a armored horse hard enough to throw the man off and kill the horse. Olivia kept Christian pumping with energy to fight which he blessed with kisses here and there, but Alexander and Tharja were just as lethal, blowing more and more foes away and getting to the leader in record time as he shouted in rage. "You are nothing! A speck of sand on the boot of the great empire!"
"Well, maybe you should think twice of invading, you did a poor job of being nice to begin with." Alex pulled his blade free, holding Tharja close, as he repelled the thrust that was aimed at her and turned as Dalton wheeled about on the horse. "No one touches the light of mine." He extended his hand and fired, a Thoron bolt ripping through the armor, said to weaken the strength of magic, and leaving a sizable hole in and through the torso as the leader stammered in disbelief.
"What... H-how... Ahh..." With that, he toppled to the side, blood gushing out now as Alex and Tharja headed back down as he started.
"Chrom, is that all of them?"
"Yes, but victory's come with a price..." Alex took a look around, the damages were not bad, but the town was going to be a wreck for some time, and the deaths of so many Feroxians meant that they could have acted faster to save those lives as Basillo huffed in the same concern that filled Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds.
"The town is in shambles, as is my army."
"This is most troubling news." Fredrick started as he trotted over with Panne taking a moment with the moment to survey the damages and heal who they can. "Feroxi soldiers are the finest east of the long sea. If they are having trouble, we are ALL in trouble."
"That's not the half of it." Alex didn't roll his eyes at that tone as it ALWAYS was something with these people as Flavia continued. "This was just the vanguard—but a taste of the meal yet to come." A taste was not enough for Alexander, but he could see the problem, they were not enough to hold off a whole fleet of ships like this one, the town was ruined and some of the soldiers had passed on, what hope was there if they surged over all of the continent of Ylisse.
"And once it arrives, their host will wash over the whole continent in a matter of weeks. There's no way we could repel them and defend our people." Basillo shook his head in regret if that were to happen. "It would be a slaughter."
"Ylisse is no better equipped to handle an attack from the sea..." Chrom turned to his strategist for the answer. "Alex, what do you suggest?" Alex took a moment to line the facts up and place them how he sees them, Tharja lingering for a moment longer before heading out to see what she could do for now.
He started off with a hum before he spoke. "Their greatest strength is their cavalry, which puts us at a disadvantage... on land." Suddenly, the answer came closer as he continued in his thoughts. "But if we were to catch them at SEA..." It was sound, the best plan they could use in the face of these invaders, but Chrom still had a concern, a viable one.
"But how?! Ylisse has no warships, nor does Ferox." Basillo thought about it as well as he mused.
"So we'd need aid from a kingdom that does..." Clearly, Flavia picked up on that tone as she inquired.
"You have someplace in mind, oaf?" Basillo hummed before he answered.
"Perhaps a land that borders the sea, with enough wealth to afford this campaign?" Alex thought about it to himself, what country would have both the ships to put into this conflict, but also the funds to back it all? The answer didn't hit home quite as fast, but Alex knew what it was as it was a former foe that would provide the way they need.
"Plegia!" Chrom reached that same thought and just as quickly... rejected it.
"No. Absolutely not. Out of the question."
"They have gold, boy! Countless ships! And more importantly, we have a fart's chance in the wind without them." Alex felt a sweat drop appear on his head at that reasoning, why exactly was Basillo Khan in the first place to begin with?
"The oaf is right." Flavia shrugged as she continued. "...Crude, but right. There's only one path forward." Chrom was silent as Alex asked for him to do the impossible, to forgo a hate for a country that has caused so much chaos and ask them for aid.
"Chrom, will you reconsider?" That was a tough call to make and he paused to think it through, but he accepted it.
"...Very well. Send a messenger and request a summit immediately. Let us pray this new king is more reasonable than their last." Alex nodded as he agreed to that notion, there was hope that they would be more helpful than obstinate.
"Indeed."
"You know, Alex..." The tactician turned to Flavia who had a smile on her face. "For your first time against Valmese forces, that was an impressive victory. You and Chrom have both grown quite adept. You should be proud." Alex nodded as the Shepherds moved to collect everyone and put it away as best as they could, Fredrick taking the time to send a messenger as quickly as they could to get Plegia to aid them, despite any lingering feelings of spite...
No sooner had they moved out of the Port and into more secure locations in the nearby forts, did Fredrick return and gave a message from their own messenger. "Milord, we have word from Plegia." Chrom nodded as the Great Knight continued. "They have agreed to meet with us at their outpost on Carrion Isle. A poor venue, should things go sour, as the island's name makes plain. But then I don't see we have much of a choice." Chrom nodded as he voiced the same.
"Cautious as ever, Frederick the Wary. Don't worry. We'll get our ships. This threat hangs over all of us—Plegia as well. They must see that." Alex was not sure about that, not fully, he had heard reports and results that Plegia had fallen to the worship of the Grimeal, the cult controlling everything that still remained in the domain, somehow he felt that if this does go sour, that they will have minor warning to it and not some half-brained scheme to sever the will of the Shepherds, they already have enough trouble as it is...