"Die by the Sword" By Luke's Dragon.
A/n
Whilst writing my Mcdohl/Kasumi fic I played through both games again for research purposes. And one of the things I noticed was General Kiba. Never paid him that much notice on the first few times I played through but this time I was really taken with him. So in honor of him here is a fic dedicated to General Kiba. It also has a fight scene, a few actually and unlike many of my fight scenes I'm not terminally embarrassed about it. Still not great but hey I think it's a slight improvement.
Despite looking at various Suikoden sites I couldn't find out the name of Klaus' mother. I'm assuming he had one so I'm going to call her Karen.
Disclaimer
Suikoden is not mine, not now not ever.
~~~
Though I am my master's life I owe him no loyalty
And he who lives by me will surely die by me
What am I?
~~~
General Kiba Windamier lead what was left of the once might 3rd Highland Company out of Phoenix Castle for what would be one of the hardest missions in his career as a solider. He had already bid farewell to his son and the leader of the Dragon Army and now led his company across the plains of South Window towards the burnt out husk of the old mercenary fortress across the river. There they would undoubtedly be attacked by the Highlanders led by the military strategist and self-confessed genius Leon Silverburg and there they would die.
Kiba knew in his heart that he had signed up for a suicide mission, he had less than 5000 men, those who had followed him when he had joined the Dragon army. And they would be facing off against at least 15000 men, of whom a good number were hardened veterans, each man a formidable killing machine. As his horse carried him across the plains Kiba thought back to last night, Lord Shu had asked him if he would take the mission, but there was no room for refusal in Kiba's mind. He was at the end of the day a solider and a general. His life was to fight, live by the sword, and die by the sword as the old maxim said.
This battle was not one that had to be won, all they had to do was take the fort and hold it for as long as they could. The initial taking of the fort wouldn't be too hard, a few hundred or so men guarded the fortress itself, a lightning blitz from his armored cavalry would smash through their defenses and then it was a case of waiting around to die.
Perhaps he was being a little negative, after all he had overcome worse odds than three on one before. He had gained his position as a general after successfully defending the fortress of Rhetto from an attack by Muse, where he used 100 soldiers to defend against 3000 enemies. But that had been a long time ago and the opponent's strategy had been a simple rush forward to be cut down, and Rhetto was a massive walled castle as opposed to a flimsily constructed charred wooden stockade. But then again, last night he had started believing in miracles again. It was, as he had said inappropriate for a general but the way Lord Reo could united the hearts and minds of people was something else again. When he had fought the Dragon army at Two River he could not bring himself to hate Reo, rather he admired the way such a young man could bring so many people together to resist him and the might of Highland.
"General, we are in position sir"
"Very well. Cavalry… Charge!"
The battle was short to say the least, Kiba led the cavalry contingent of his army straight through the main gate. The few guards on duty were slain by the first charge before they could even draw swords, the rest, rookies to a man fell shortly afterwards with no real resistance. Kiba felt a slight sense of sadness when he noticed how young all the dead soldiers were, certainly no older than his own son, but that was the thing about war, it made no difference who you were, all you could depend on in the end was your own skill.
"Set up as many barricades as you can, lock the gates, we make our stand here"
Kiba's men set to work making the fort as difficult to take as they could, he sent his archers to the main tower to provide covering fire and act as scouts. Silverburg would be approaching from the wreckage of Toto to the north, and the earlier they knew their opponents were coming the better they could prepare.
Thinking of Toto and the massacre that had taken place took Kiba's mind back to Luca Blight, he had been part of the army that had raised Toto and Ryube to the ground. And although he had despised Luca's policy of killing everyone there was little he could do to stop the prince at that time.
Then of course it had all changed, Luca had murdered King Agares, his liege lord and the man Kiba respected the most. That was when he had joined the Dragon Army and for the first time in as long as he could remember actually it was nineteen years, five months and six days. The exact amount of time Klaus had been alive, It wasn't anything to do with Klaus, Kiba was so proud of his son. He had grown into a fine young man and although he may never be a fighter his knowledge was impressive even to Kiba. No the reason was Karen.
His beloved Karen, the woman who had taught him what love was, the woman who had given him a purpose in life, the woman who had given him a son, and in doing so had lost her own life. Maybe a weaker man would have cried at the memory but not Kiba. Crying was weakness, and as a solider he could not ever do that, he had cried the night she had died, but since that day he had not shed a tear despite many of the terrible sights he had seen.
There had been no time to grieve even if he had wanted to, four days later he was in Harmonia fighting rebels, leaving Klaus in the hands of his nursemaid. And that had been his way for nearly seventeen years, talking only of the task at hand, fighting because there was nothing else to do he had indeed died in his mind. Which was an admirable quality in a general but not perhaps in a human or a father. So it had been a proud day when Klaus had graduated from the military academy and could accompany him into battle, it made him feel less like a heartless killer and more like a man again. True he had not always been there for Klaus but he had always tried to teach his son to live with honor and dignity.
Now the preparations were complete, Silverburg had been sighted his forces would be upon them within an hour, there were more than Kiba had expected but they should be able to hold them for a while. The problem was there were a good amount of demons mixed among the Highland forces. Demons! What was Highland coming to? King Agares would have never sanctioned such a heinous act, but they were probably from Harmonia or summoned by that fiend Yuber. Demons, regicide and black knights, Highland certainly was not the place it used to be where warriors had honor and pride. Qualities which were fast becoming signs of weakness in this day and age.
Maybe they could hold for a while, if the Highland forces had to try and come through the main gate they could fight defensively, but if the demons managed to break the walls down it was as good as over, surrounded by those monsters they would fall quickly.
It was the waiting that was the killer. It reminded him of that night nineteen years ago when he had been stood waiting for news of mother and baby. Feeling totally helpless that there was nothing he could do, that the lives of the two most important people in his life were in the hands of someone else. Then as now he had thought of the first time he had met Karen. She like him was from an upper class background, her father was a big man in the military and there had been a ball at the country estate of one of the generals of Highland. Back then he hadn't been a general himself and hated these tedious affairs, he wanted action and then she had exploded into his life. Dancing across the floor wrapped in a long blue dress with her hair flowing around her. He had fallen in love at first sight. But none of that mattered now, back then his love had not been enough to keep her alive, and now it was probably far too late for any such sentiments.
"General Kiba! The enemy are upon us"
"Very well. Everyone take positions"
Kiba looked over his assembled collection of men, here and now they would have to stand and face the on rushing tide of the Highlanders, there was no turning back now. Kiba turned to his troops and prepared to give them a speech to motivate them, not that motivation was any shield but it couldn't hurt.
"Stand your ground men! Don't Flinch! Every second we hold out brings us a second closer to Victory!
For the Dragon Army!
"FOR THE DRAGON ARMY"
The cry went up, as arrows flew overhead Kiba drew his blade and waded into the fray, fighting with the skill of a veteran he cut his way through the first wave of inexperienced troops. They were all posing and fancy moves rather than the actual cut and thrust of a pitched battle. And then he was face to face with Leon Silverburg.
Kiba knew that Silverburg was a master tactician, but maybe not a fighter, if he could take him out then maybe they would have a chance to actually win this thing. Charging forward Kiba swung a powerful chopping blow at his adversary trying to take his head off with a single strike, it was parried at the last moment. However it allowed Kiba to notice his opponent did not have a good grip on his sword, the weapon was obviously too heavy for him to use effectively which meant… Kiba swung another powerful blow, Leon moved to parry but Kiba pulled back late into the strike leaving Leon's blade exposed. Quickly raising his own sword Kiba brought it down in a two handed strike knocking Leon's blade out of his hand, then shifting his weight Kiba thrust forwards running his sword through the chain armor of his opponent and deep into the flesh. Leon cried out, as Kiba went for the finishing blow two fully armored warriors closed in on him, blocking the strike and cutting Kiba across the thigh. He quickly slew one, striking at the vulnerable area of the neck, knowing that part was poorly armored on most Highland knights.
The other man picked up Leon and ran back towards the gate, there were just too many opponents for Kiba to give chase, but with any luck the blow he had struck would prove enough to finish Silverburg.
As Leon was carried away from him in the swirling melee of battle Kiba tried to take stock of the situation. Although the Highlanders had suffered horrendous casualties they had the man power to do so, his forces could scant afford to loose a man, let alone the 4000 or so Kiba couldn't see stood fighting right now. What they needed was a good defensive position, that's what Klaus would have said, looking around for a place to make a stand he heard the sound of timbers being torn asunder as the demons entered the battle.
And then they came through the walls. The situation as Kiba had predicted was now hopeless, all they could do was hold out for as long as possible now. And maybe take a few of the blighters down with me! Slashing with his blade Kiba took down one of the demons, they may have been strong but give them a taste of cold steel and they bleed like the rest.
"Fall back to the tower!"
Kiba and the remnants of his force gathered around the main tower of the fortress, although it had in reality been less than six months since he led his company here under Luca Blights orders it felt like a life time ago. Things seemed to move in slow motion as the weakest demons and strongest Highlanders all fell victims of what remained of the 3rd company. But the strongest demons were still there, still coming at them. Unstoppable and inhuman there was nothing he and his handful of men could do but keep on swinging their blades until it was all over.
And then through the carnage and destruction he saw a beautiful young woman, dressed in a long blue gown dancing through the mayhem. She turned and smiled at him, a smile that said 'I'll see you soon'. Gripping his blade firmly in his right hand General Kiba prepared to die as he had lived.