Hello everyone, this is a reintroduction chapter for the other characters. So enjoy
Disclaimer: I own nothing, Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo and Solomon Kane is Robert E. Howard
That night, aboard the former Black Fang ship Fiora stood watch. The agreement was to sleep in shifts, with Fiora having the first half of the night to watch for enemy movements. Her thoughts for the moment went to her clients: Lord Pent, and how she would explain her failure, and Solomon Kane; and how he just might save the mission. "Two against the full fury of Nergal's army… Well we took on this ship's crew well enough; maybe, just maybe we can still fight." Then she heard a call in the dark. "Hello there, you guys beached? Need help?" This is an enemy scout she thought to herself, she realized she needed to think fast before he alerts others. She threw a spear at him, striking him in the heart and silencing the unprepared soldier. Fiora thought that would be the end of her problem, but then she heard "Attack!" and saw a group of Black Fang troops appear from the woods.
The first thought she had was to wake up Kane, so she ran to his door and opened it to see him already awake and armed. "Never kill the scout unless you have to, people will look for him." The puritan said solemnly. "And they're already here, any suggestions?" Fiora asked "Barricade the windows, make sure there is only one way in or out, that will make things easier." Fiora and Solomon got work blocking the window to the Captain's quarters with tables and chairs. "What now Sir Kane?" "We wait for them to come through this door, and we kill them as they come, and I am not a knight, do not call me 'sir'." Solomon ordered the young girl. "Sorry, it's just that with how I've seen you fight I thought you should be one by now." "I am a wanderer, I have no need to be a knight."
There were only six of them, Kane and Fiora took them out with ease. "We should go now, before the main army awakens." Kane said "Not without a plan" Fiora ordered. "I do not take orders from you" Kane growled. "But you paid me to take you to Nergal, I say we wait." "I paid for you to take me to Dread Isle, and here I am, I no longer require your services." "That doesn't mean you can go gallivanting off on your own on some revenge rush for people you've never met without a plan or reinforcements. I've seen you fight, you are good but there's now way you could take all of them. And I was paid to bring down Nergal, so the situation requires me to work with you" Solomon felt a wave of clarity and let Fiora's words sink in. It was true that his skill was legendary, and he could probably take on Nergal on his own, but there were so many on this island. He needed a plan and some help, and it seemed Fiora was the only one in the area. He turned around slowly and spoke "Yes, we need a plan."
Hours past sunrise the two studied a map of the island, noting what might be Nergal's base of operations. "You could fly around this building, and then report the defenses, we will plot an attack from the information you find." Fiora pointed to a spot on the map "This looks like a blind spot, I'll check it out."
Fiora was about to take wing when she noticed another ship landing on the beach near them. They did not wave the Black Fang banner so she assumed they meant no harm to her. "Hello there, you need help?" One said as he disembarked from the ship "I know that man, he led an army I sided with a year ago." Kane said while making his presence known to Fiora and those on the ship. "Kane? Solomon Kane? What are you…? Oh yeah you're after Nergal too, but what a coincidence. Actually, did you deprive us of a good fight already?" "It is good to meet you again Mark, and yes I left plenty for you and whatever army you command now." "Good, the troops are gettin' restless from a couple days at sea. So who's the girl? You decide to hook up with somebody after all?" Mark said. "She was part of a mercenary unit that I hired to take me here, and no, we have not 'hooked up.'" "Where's the rest of her unit? Reinforcements are always good" "They died" Kane said quietly. "Shame, could've used the extra hands. Wait, there's something about you that looks familiar, I can't place it but something…" Mark said as he looked at Fiora, then a voice called out from the ship "Sis!" It was Florina, then Mark said "That must be it, she did say some stuff about you" Florina dashed off the ship's ramp and embraced her older sister. "I would not have guessed you two were related" Solomon said. "Kane? You know my sister?" Fiora asked. "We fought together a year ago… Back at Caelin" Florina said "Oh right, I should have known from the letters you sent… You must be Mark, I trust you took good care of my sister." Fiora said "Under my command yes, but between then and now that was Lyn's job, ask her." "Is Lyndis on this mission as well?" Kane asked "Oh yeah, the gang's all here… Well except for Rath, Nils and Wallace. Plenty of new people too."
Kane and Fiora were introduced to the army Mark had amassed for the raid on Dread Isle. Solomon almost put a bullet into one named Canas when he found out he used offensive Dark Magic, but Mark ordered him to stand down and Kane decided he was not worth the effort, not yet anyway. The one to leave a lasting impression on the Puritan was one named Raven, he did not speak much but Solomon could tell he had much inner hatred, probably at someone in the group. He met lord Eliwood whom he made a sparring appointment with after the battle was over, it was rare to see a fellow fighter of his style in this land, so he took the opportunity. Lord Hector, he felt needed some lessons in humility. He met Rebecca and told her the battlefield is no place for a girl her age, she pointed her bow at him and he gracefully walked away from the young archer. Marcus acted of the ageing warrior, his understudy Lowen was the typical new recruit, speaking of honor and devotion to one's country. Oswin had an air of morality to him, something Kane admired. The young traveling swordsman named Guy impressed Kane in his own way, seeing a bit of himself in the young man. All in all, most of the friends he made in the mission for Caelin were the same people he knew from those days. Sain still spoke of women and partying, Kent tried his best to restrain his attidude, Florina was still quiet around others, Will remained the optimist, and Matthew still had the air of a spy around him.
"Now that the tearful reunion's been taken care of, we really should get to work with invading the island and all… Kind of important you know." Mark said, and thus everyone disembarked from the ship.