To start off with I'd like to apologize about the wait in between updates, I have a lot more homework now for some reason and I'm making my own Fire Emblem website for IT! It's going to have stuff on FE7 and then I'm going to add stuff on FE8. Anyway:
Uhh I know I said that Raven would be appearing soon, but I changed some stuff so maybe in a few chapters there'll be a cameo fest…
Chapter 7 – Nosferatu
-In a castle in Lycia-
"General Borz! We have received information from a spy!" A soldier shouted into the meeting room, effectively halting the heated argument between the Hero and his cousin. "They've spotted the group that killed your brother!"
Technically Borz wasn't a General by any description, but enjoyed the sound of it and forced his soldiers to refer to him as such. Borz rose from the table and walked out, closely followed by his cousin.
"Cousin this is madness! Have my words no effect on your obstinacy? The Black Fang is finished, did you not see the evils that our members had done? The Black Fang is now synonymous with cruelty, and dishonour." The swordmaster argued, as she walked beside Borz.
"We must do what we can to stop evil, if we eliminate these warriors then surely our good reputation will be restored. In the name of The Black Fang!" He finished resoundingly and walked away. "Send the nearest Black Fang members to create an ambush." Borz ordered.
"As you wish General, they will be ready as soon as possible." The soldier said, jogging away.
"No! Do not listen to him! His judgement is clouded!" The swordmaster shouted at the retreating soldier, futilely. She leant on the wall and stared at Borz, giving out orders.
-Outside Badon-
Just a few kilometres outside of Badon, on the road that lead towards Laus, A cart was being pulled along in the midday sun. Dart, who, as a pirate, was used to harsh sunlight, was sitting in the front. He accompanied by Wil, who was outside just to avoid Rebecca. Wil wasn't too sure what he had done to annoy Rebecca, but with the sly looks Dart was giving him, he was sure he was going to find out.
In the back of the caravan Rebecca and Geitz were sitting in relative silence. Rebecca was facing backwards, with her legs dangling over the edge, while Geitz was lying down, his back on a sack of rice.
"Geitz…" Rebecca said, trying to start some conversation. "Geitz?". He snorted a little and turned to her.
"Rebecca." He replied shortly.
"Geitz, what's it like in Bulgar?" Rebecca asked him curiously.
"Oh Bulgar…" Geitz said, with a note of sorrow in his voice "Well it's got a pretty good climate…"
"I meant, what is it like living in Bulgar? What's your family like?" Rebecca explained. Geitz turned away.
"I really don't want to talk about my family… Feel free to tell me about yours, though" Geitz said, with a forced smile.
"Oh Ok, where should I begin…." Rebecca begun. Outside Wil and Dart were still sitting in silence until Wil decided to break it.
"So Dart, what did Rebecca say anyway?" He said, trying to sound casual, but not really pulling it off.
"We had a good talk…" Dart teased. Wil was trying to fight the urge to shake him senseless.
"And?" Wil pre-empted impatiently, giving up trying to sound offhand.
"She was upset at you 'cause of somethin' you did" Dart said slyly.
"Something I did?... Did she say what?" Wil asked thoughtfully.
"Uhhh no" Dart said hesitantly. The reasoning behind this response is easily explained: As a new brother, he was beginning to feel the pull of protectiveness.
"Really? She didn't tell her big brother anything?" Wil asked, sceptically.
"No" Dart said more firmly.
"Oh okay… maybe I should go apologize?" Wil suggested.
"Yarr! That's a good idea! Go talk to her!" Dart said happily (He hadn't got the hang of the protective brother thing yet). In the back of the caravan Rebecca had finally got Geitz to talk about his family.
"I really miss them." He finished. "Especially Nan-Nan and Grampy."
"They sound like really nice people, I miss my family too, I really miss talking to them about nothing at all…" Rebecca said, gazing out into the distance.
"Well I mostly miss having someone to do stuff for me, but I like talking to them as well." Geitz said, but Rebecca wasn't really listening, in fact her trained eyes had spotted a weird shape in the sky.
"Hmm… look at that!" Rebecca said, pointing.
-In Badon-
In Badon, Farina and Karla were about to set off again, this time with a stranger. They had left earlier, but Karla's leg injury had began to ache after a while and they were forced to return to the infirmary. The priest had healed her quickly and they bought some forgotten supplies.
In the item shop, however, they ran into a young mage by the name of Leo.
"Hello, My name is Leo, I'm one of Captain Fargus' band." He had greeted them, as they were browsing the healing items. "Are you Farina, and Karla.
"Hello Leo, yes I'm Farina and this Karla, How are you?" Farina said, turning around.
"I'm very well thankyou. May I inquire as to your health?" Leo said awkwardly. When he was faced with a social situation Leo tended to make his speech very formal.
"We're well too." Karla answered for them
"So Leo, are you still helping Captain Fargus?" Farina asked him, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.
"Actually I've taken leave, I'm going to travel for a year" Leo replied with some confidence.
"Really? We're travelling too, to uhhh Sacae and Ilia." Farina said, resignedly lying to him.
"Actually I plan to travel to the Nabata Desert." Leo said, unaware that that was the probable destination of Farina and Karla.
"Oh" Karla stated simply.
"I was wondering whether I could accompany you then, if you are travelling to the north. Even for a short way, as I believe there is great strength in company. I am accomplished in natural magic and could aid you." Leo rambled, trying to justify his joining.
"Of course you can join us Leo! We'd be glad to have a magic user come with us, but we'd probably have to leave you near Santaruz." Farina offered generously.
"Thankyou very much Farina, Karla. I have bought a horse, so you need not worry about transport. I would be glad to take Karla on my horse, if your Pegasus is tired." Leo offered in return.
"Murphy doesn't mind carrying Karla, she likes her." Farina said, patting Murphy, who was standing next to them. Karla smiled at them for a moment.
"I too like Murphy" Karla put in. "We should prepare to leave now" she added, grabbing a small bag, which contained her possessions.
Farina quickly mounted Murphy in quick jump, and leant a hand for Karla to get on. Leo mounted his horse in a very awkward manner, throwing a hand over the horse's flank and sliding on.
Together they began to trot out of the town.
-Outside Badon-
In the caravan, Rebecca realised that the weird shape in the sky was actually a Pegasus knight. It was at the moment of realisation that the pre-planned ambush began. Two archers, still hidden in the shrubs that lined the road, fired at the horses, but instead of stopping as they expected them to, they immediately bolted.
The increase in speed was so great that Rebecca, who had been sitting on the back of the cart, was thrown off with a scream.
"Rebecca!" Wil shouted, attempting to jump off the cart himself, unlike Dart, who had the presence of mind to try and slow the horses. Geitz, who had just managed to hold on to the cart by grabbing the sack of rice he was lying on, pulled out his hand axe.
As he did so several brigands, swordspeople and magic users jumped out of the bushes brandishing their weapons. Dart had managed to calm down the horses and the cart came to a halt, but Rebecca was surrounded. Geitz hurled his hand axe at the closest warrior, who reacted slowly and received its full force in the chest. He pulled out his Killer bow and hastily grabbed an arrow, while jumping from the cart.
Wil loosed an arrow while running and it struck another swordsman, injuring him. The remaining warriors advanced on Rebecca, while Dart ran to the back of the cart and grabbed his Swordslayer as well as a steel axe.
"Who are these people?" He shouted at no-one in particular.
"Silence! You are to be dealt the Black Fang's justice" The head mercenary ordered, raising his blade above Rebecca.
"No!" Wil shouted, firing an arrow at him. It struck the mercenary in the shoulder, so violently he fell backwards. The other soldiers attacked as one, taking the felling of their leader as their cue.
The enemy archers fired into the air, forcing everyone to keep an eye on the air above them, while the mage and the shaman added their spells. The warriors ran forwards and Dart and Geitz found themselves hopelessly outnumbered.
Wil ran back to the cart and lifted a Swordreaver with difficulty. He threw it to Geitz who caught it effortlessly and used the momentum to bear down on a myrmidon. Wil leapt up into the cart and continued to fire arrows at the enemy, while Geitz and Dart fought their way into the centre of the fray, where Rebecca was trying to evade the swords of the less honourable members of the Black Fang.
In the sky, the shape that Rebecca realised was a Pegasus knight, was in fact three and they attempted to enter the fray, but a well shot arrow from Wil struck one off her mount. Rebecca shot another, before having to dodge the lance of the last.
Dart and Geitz stood around her protecting her from the attacks of the swordsmen, while Rebecca fired through any gaps with her bow. The last Pegasus knight fell on top of her, pinning her to the ground.
The shaman saw that Rebecca was trapped and took the opportunity to cast Nosferatu to gain some more energy. The spell hit its mark and Rebecca could feel the rune draining the energy out of her body. It rose in dark streaks and returned to the shaman.
Rebecca tried to lift herself, but the ground was strangely sticky and held her fast. She tried to scream, but it only came out as an inaudible gurgle, which muffled by the Pegasus knight on top of her.
Just outside Rebecca's range of vision, Dart and Geitz were slowly being moved towards the cart with every attack. With each minute a few more soldiers would fall, until Dart and Geitz found themselves with their back against the cart, a hundred metres or so, from Rebecca.
"Where's Rebecca!" Geitz shouted over the fighting.
"OhHH! -" There followed a string of curses as Dart expressed his frustration. He threw his axe in the air and caught it, using the momentum of the axe to slam it into the nearest swordsman.
Next to Rebecca, a few soldiers were moving the dead Pegasus, in an attempt to get to her. Dart and Geitz tried to break through the group of warriors in front of them, but it was too late, the soldiers had moved the Pegasus and had found Rebecca.
One of the soldiers flashed Rebecca an almost toothless grin and picked her up. Again Rebecca tried to scream and this time she was a little more successful, emitting an odd honking sound. The soldier began to take off her armour and she honked again, unable to do anything else.
"Elfire!" Leo called out from the distance and the soldier next to her burst into flames, as though he was coated in oil. The soldier holding Rebecca suddenly jerked, as Farina's Killer lance burst through his chest, barely missing Rebecca.
Karla jumped off the Pegasus and slashed at the last mercenary, who collapsed where he stood.
By the cart Dart and Geitz both drove their axes into the last soldier and Wil shot the last archer. They leant back on the cart, exhausted while Farina, Karla, Leo and Rebecca, who was on Leo's horse, approached them.
"Thanks for the help, how's Rebecca?" Wil asked them quickly when they came within earshot.
"I'm not sure" Farina said, almost apologetically.
"Well let's get some elixir into her" Dart advised, walking over to Leo's horse. Leo slid off and they took Rebecca off the horse. Together they took her over to the cart and placed her on a mat. Wil grabbed an elixir out of a bag and poured some into Rebecca's mouth, then set about making a bed for her.
"Pherae, huh?" Farina asked Dart, sceptically.
"Uhh Yes, we're going to Pherae." Dart confirmed. Geitz placed a hand over his face."
"So why then are you on the road to Santaruz?" Farina continued.
"Err.. This is the road to Santaruz?" Dart asked, attempting to feign ignorance.
"Mmhmm" Farina said, nodding.
"Oh I guess we took the wrong road then…" Dart continued.
"Mmhmm" Farina said again, with a raised eyebrow.
"Okay well I guess we'll be going now… that way" Dart said pointing back down the road. "Good bye Farina, Karla, Leo". He jumped into the front of the cart again while Geitz and Wil said their goodbyes.
Gahh Farina, he thought angrily, Why'd she have to be on this road? Damn Farina… though she is damn hot! He shook his head, as if to clear it of such thoughts, while Wil clambered back into the cart. He sent Geitz to get a vulnerary and some buckets for the horses and quickly removed the arrows from the horses.
Geitz returned grumbling and threw two buckets in front of the horses with some water in them. Dart poured some of the vulnerary into the buckets, and the horses quickly drank it, their small wounds sealing themselves. Waving goodbye to Karla, Farina and Leo, Dart turned the cart around and they made their way back to the town.
After ten minutes they reached the town and Dart and Geitz went to the back of the cart to check on Rebecca. She was regaining some energy and could move a little.
"Rebecca are you alrigh'?" Dart asked the limp archer.
"I've been better" She croaked.
"Well so long as you're okay…?" Geitz started, but trailed off when Rebecca lay back on the makeshift bed and closed her eyes.
"I'm just resting" Rebecca said, in barely a whisper.
"Okay, you know we met Farina an' Karla an' that magic guy, Leo and we went back to Badon. So do we keep goin' towards Pherae and then go to Santaruz, or do we turn around again?" Dart asked them all.
"Let's go to Pherae" Rebecca rasped. "Actually go there…"
"Uhh" Dart said, ineffectually trying to fight the persuasiveness of his little sister.
"Please?" Rebecca gasped, turning to face Dart.
"Ohh Fine, Yarr, I told you not to use that look again!" Dart conceded angrily. Rebecca smiled and went back to sleep. They left down the road which led directly to Pherae and travelled for some time, almost 6 hours before the sun began to set.
In the cart Rebecca stirred a little. She felt unbelievably cold, despite the layers of blanket on top of her. Wil was still sleeping against the wall, while Rebecca looked around for some blankets.
"Sooo Cold." She said shivering. Rebecca crawled over to Wil dragging her blankets along with her. She nestled up against him, covering them both with blankets and pressing against him.
Wil's in for an awkward situation when he wakes up! Hehehe…
To the Reviewers:
Lemurian-Girl: Thanks, I'm sorry about the misunderstanding, I kinda changed the plot so, no that wasn't Raven. As for re-instating the Black Fang, well I wanted some enemy so…
ManaMage: Wow… Thanks! Yeah I really like their relationship, for that same reason. It's a lot more interesting than a lot of other supports.
Nightmare3: No I most certainly did not… well okay I wanted Rebecca to kick Wil (a la 'B' Support) but not in the stomach again, so that was the first thing that came to mind (Originally he was going to be like: "You kicked me in the stomach… again"). Thanks, uhh a bag of sugar?… bad memories….
SweetMisery430: Thanks! I agree, Wil and Rebecca is a great pairing. Actually I only chose it because it was the only in-game pairing I could have with Rebecca, but after reading their supports I decided to stick with it.
I'll try really hard to finish the next chapter soon, but the more reviews I get, the more time I'll spend on this. R&R if you want to see how this turns out…!