I… am… so… bored…
Guy: So you decided to take out your boredom on this fic?
FireEdge: Um… yeah…
Matthew: Well, I guess an update's an update…
FireEdge: You bet…
Reviews:
TheOneAndOnlyT: Actually, I'm not too sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing… And Matthew and Guy were fighting because… actually, I have no clue about that either… it was just appropriate…
Wandering Cat: Afa's Drops rises your growth rate for each stat by 5%. And Barigan is the General from Ilia. He founded the Knights of Ilia.
Kratos Aurion: Thanks for reviewing!
ErkTheSlayer: Read above… Do that people really not know who Barigan is? Anyway, thanks for the various weapons and review!
FireEdge: Guy! Open the closet!
Guy: What? Why? -=Opens the door. And guess what falls on top of him?=-
Guy: Ow… X.x
Martin: Thanks for reviewing!
Legolasgirl5: Thank you!
Lord Cynic: Tsk, tsk. You know you shouldn't chase after the cute little puffballs! Now give Kirby a hug!
Ed, the Master Tactician: Thank you for clearing up the RPG thing for me. ;;
Guy: Man, he said "nice" a lot this review. Let's see… one, two, three, four, five--
Matthew: Shut up! There's only three!
Wyrmseeker: Whoa, really?! Thanks so much! I didn't realize it was that good!
Ragnarok-legend: Read above (my reply to Wandering Cat).
FireEdge: Oh yeah, and I'm assuming that Afa's Drops are drinkable. Because if they're not, then I'll end up poisoning someone…
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem.
Stray Arrow
Chapter 13
The army waited uneasily, peering through the thick fog of Bern. Most of them never thought that they would find themselves in the famed country so known for their military. But here they were, right in the middle of it, waiting for Lord Pent and Lady Louise to return from the Castle. The lords also left, to find out information for themselves in the nearby town. Now everyone else was left to wait. It was nothing new; they were quite used to this by now anyway.
Florina leaned on her pegasus's neck, revelling in the warmth that it gave her. She sighed. Her mind wandered back to what Athos had said. Was she really the reincarnation of Barigan's long lost lover? How did that charm end up in that shop in Lycia when it had lied in Barigan's grave for more than a million years? And if it was really fate, why did it choose her?
Her mind was clouded with too many questions, and she soon lost track of her surroundings, sinking into her own world. She almost fell asleep if it were not for a hand on her shoulder.
"Florina?" Her eyes opened lazily, and she blinked as her vision cleared. It was Wil, but he looked different. Did he have a change of clothes? For some reason he seemed stronger than before.
"You look… different…" She murmured. Wil smiled at the comment.
"Uh, yeah. Elfaiya was digging around in Merlinus's tent and she found some interesting things. One of them was an Orion's Bolt."
"Orion's… Bolt?" Florina's head tilted slightly. He let out a chuckle.
"It's an item used by veteran archers to show that they're stronger than most. It marks them as snipers."
"Oh! Con-congratulations!" She stammered, sitting up straight and looking Wil up and down with new found curiosity. She was right, he did have a change of clothes. His tunic was adorned with a gold fringe and his armour was larger and thicker, as was his boots. His quiver was also bigger and decorated. He also had a new bow strapped to his back. "Wow… I wonder if I'll ever get promoted…"
"Of course you will. It just takes a matter of time." Wil smiled. "Oh, yeah! I almost forgot! Here, I want you to have this." He reached behind him, into his pouch and pulled out a small bottle. He pressed the little blue bottle into her hands. Florina blushed slightly.
"Um, th-thank you! But what is it?"
"It's called Afa's Drops. Elfaiya gave it to me. Neither of us know what it is either." Replied Wil. "But it can't be anything bad, afterall, Achsage Athos did give it to her."
"Um… okay, I-I'll try it out." She opened the top and drank the liquid inside of it. Closing, the top, she felt a tingle run through her body. She didn't feel any different. But she had this sense that felt like that of when she grows an inch.
"Hmm, I wonder what it did…" Wil wondered aloud. But before they could continue their conversation, their tactician yelled out orders to get ready for battle.
"Looks like we're going to have to fight in fog… Be careful." Said Wil to Florina before he ran off to take his position in the battlefield. She took in a deep breath and flew off to join the other winged units for the upcoming fight.
Wow, this new bow's fantastic! I swear, the enemies are practically a piece of cake! Wil thought to himself as he drew another arrow and shot a nearby enemy myrmidon. Looking around he tried to determine the right direction to go in. Elfaiya had clearly stated to head north towards the castle. But that was easier said than done. He had already gotten lost in the blasted fog. Of course he had been careless enough to forget a torch.
Letting out a sigh, he decided to just walk forward. It was eerie as he walked slowly, his boots crunching lightly upon the wet grass.
"Has everyone gotten that ahead of me?" He said to himself. "Hmm, what's that?" He squinted into the distance. Wil could see a faint shadowy figure ahead of him. Though shrouded in fog, he could tell that the person was quite large. Is he an enemy, or a friend? Damn, it's way too foggy for me to tell. I'll just have to sneak up to him and check. With that in mind, the sniper crouched down and carefully made his way towards the unknown figure.
Soon he was in sight of the person. From where he crouched, Wil saw that the man was clad from head to foot in thick armour. Oh no, a general. If he's an enemy, I couldn't possibly take him down by myself! As he tried to inch forward once more, his foot stepped upon a brittle twig, causing a loud sound in the silence. He let out a muffled gasp as the general turned around quicker than Wil thought he was capable of. The general hefted his large silver lance and was slowly advancing towards the sniper hidden in the brush.
"Who's there?! Show yourself or prepare to die!" The general called out gruffly. That voice… it sounds so familiar, where have I heard it before? Not hearing an answer the general thrusted his lance forward towards the area he heard the sound coming from.
"Ahh!" Wil let out a yell as he quickly jumped and barely dodged the oncoming lance.
"Eh? Wil! Is that you?" The general demanded.
"Wh-What?!" Wil shook his head as he stood up. Blinking a few times, he saw that the general that had nearly killed him, was none other than Wallace. "L-Lord Wallace?!" He exclaimed.
"That's my name. Now are you Wil or not?" Wallace replied.
"Urm… yes, sir." He replied, stepping in front of the general.
"Well met, Wil!" Wallace greeted heartily as if he had not just barely skewered the young sniper.
"Uh, well met to you too, sir." Said Wil. "So, what brings you here, Lord Wallace?"
"Hmm, I was trying to get to Caelin, but then this blasted fog rolled in! Now I can't even tell which way is north!" The general frowned.
"Uh… isn't Caelin to the west?"
"… …Of course it is! Now what are you doing here?! Are you not suppose to be there now, protecting the Lady Lyndis?!" Demanded Wallace.
"The Lady Lyndis is here right now…"
"She is? Well, then you should feel very lucky that I'm here! For I will protect her, also! Tell me, Wil! Where is she?" He answered. Wil sighed silently. Yeah, real lucky…
"I'm also a bit lost. This fog is too dense for me to see through."
"Well then, we shall look for her together!" Wallace replied, giving Wil a slap on the back.
"Ack! Y-Yes sir!"
"Where's an archer when you need one?!" Elfaiya muttered angrily.
"I thought you promoted Wil…" Lyn asked.
"Same thing. Either way, we need him here! No one else here can use this ballista!" She replied.
"D-Do you think he's okay? Maybe he got lost?" Florina asked, coming up to them. Elfaiya frowned.
"Maybe… alright, I'll send someone to go find him. Ugh, I hate fighting in fog." She looked around. "How about you go with Matthew to find him, Florina?"
"H-Huh? O-Okay…"
"Matthew!" She called the thief over. "Go with Florina and find Wil. Just check up to the village by the mountains. If you can't find him, come back."
"Yes ma'am!" Matthew mock saluted and ran off.
"Oh! Um… wait!" Florina stammered, as she hurried to catch the over-enthusiastic thief. Using his sharp eyes to penetrate the fog, Matthew scanned the area in front of him for the wayward sniper. Florina hovered behind him.
"Um… do you see him…?"
"Nope… oh wait! What's that in the distance? Hmm… two figures…"
"Two?"
"Yup. One's really big and the other is smaller." Replied Matthew as he squinted to see clearer.
"Are they enemies?"
"Not sure. We should go closer. But can you go first? I'm not that close at combat, you know?" He gave a small laugh.
"Um… uh… o-okay…" Florina then nudged her pegasus forward.
"What's that in the distance?" Wil thought outloud.
"Eh? It looks like something on wings." Said Wallace. Wings? Could it be Florina? Wil stood at the ready as the winged unit came closer. Soon he could make out the winged creature to be a pegasus. And ontop of it was Florina.
"Ah! Florina!" He called out, relaxing.
"Wil?" She flew up to them.
"Finally, we found him!" Another voice came from behind her. "Elfaiya needs you in the front lines! Hmm? Who's this big guy?" Wil recognized the voice to be Matthew's.
"It's General Wallace. Don't you remember? He travelled with us last year." Replied Wil.
"Oh! So that's the general that was with us! Ah… haha… well met! We should be on our way!" The thief spun on his heels and started returning.
"Bah. Young folk, always forgetting things!" Wallace muttered, following the thief. Wil and Florina followed suite.
"Um, Wil? Are you okay? Everyone was worried when they couldn't find you…" Florina started. He turned to face her with a smile.
"I'm alright, I just got lost."
"Th-that's good." She replied. They remained in silence for a while. But then Florina spoke up again.
"Wil?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think I'm really the reincarnation of Barigan's lover?" She asked rather awkwardly. Wil thought for a moment.
"I don't know, but what I'm certain of is that no matter whoever you are, you're still Florina. And no matter what happens, I'll be there for you." He replied. Florina blushed.
"Uh… th-thank you Wil… I'll try and not be a burden…"
"You're never a burden, Florina. You have to stop thinking that way. Be more confident." He smiled gently, reaching up giving her hand a light a squeeze. Florina nodded and managed a shaky smile. Soon they found the rest of their group.
"There you all are!" Elfaiya sighed. "Wil get on that ballista and fire at the swordmaster in the distance, by the castle." The sniper nodded and ran towards the ballista, getting it ready to fire.
After a long and hard battle, Lloyd, the White Wolf of the Black Fang fell. There had been a slight struggle afterwards between him and Eliwood, but that was also soon over. They were now on the road, going deeper into Bern. Searching for the lost Fire Emblem that would be their ticket to the Shrine of Seals.
FireEdge: Done with this chapter.
Guy: Yay! Not…
Matthew: Ha! I'm in it, and you're not!
Guy: Grr…
FireEdge: Eh… I think I slacked off this chapter…
Guy: You always slack off.
FireEdge: I do not!
Matthew: Please review!
--FireEdge--
