~~~~ communications via circlets
I borrowed the opening lyrics to This is War by 30 Seconds to Mars these are italicized.
In one adaptation of the war Karla is on the battlefield and shoots Beld with a crossbow, rather than a massive javelin, in the OVA I cannot tell if she is in the area or not, but she'll be there in my portrayal here.
Chapter 9: The War of Heroes
The army had assembled and departed Valis, each of Xapferey's troops bearing his sigil on tabards marking them part of his army and distinguishing them from the Valisian troops.
Xapferey showed Jebra and the others how to deactivate the runic shields incorporated in their armor as they marched. He knew this would be one of his greatest tests and he was prepared. Deedlit was riding at his side as they rode to the battle.
"Copper for your thoughts?" Deedlit asked with a grin.
"Thinking."
"About what?"
"Many things, this battle, how we will hold up… my people have a saying, no plan survives first contact with the enemy."
"Seems appropriate," Deedlit agreed as she spied Pirotess by Nethalus. The Dark Elf was still under her magical glamour and wearing runecrafted leather armor similar to Deedlit's though Pirotess' armor lacked the extensive pauldrons. "Do you trust her?"
"Enough to turn my back to her when in battle. Everyone can rise above who they were… we are defined by our choices not our abilities or race Deedlit."
Deedlit sighed and nodded as she relaxed her grip on her horse's reins.
"I suppose you're right. I'll try to be less suspicious of her."
Xapferey rubbed Deedlit's hand in a loving manner.
"That is all I can ask for my love."
The two continued riding in comfortable silence before the foggy lands where the battle was taking place came into sight. Triggering his communication circlet Xapferey sent orders to his troops as he knew what was coming and hopefully his plan to deal with Karla would pay off.
~~Formation group beta, archers string your bows, Linebreakers ready.~~
The responses came through with affirmatives as his troops circled around to follow his orders as they arrived to the battle.
Most of Kashue's forces were dead by this point, along with the army of Marmo beast troops. Beld's army had arrived directly in front, a rather daunting sight considering their sizable numbers.
Ashram appeared with his force boxing in the beleaguered allied armies. Xapferey made a decision before he signaled king Fahn with the circlets. ~~Your majesty, might I suggest reinforcing king Kashue? My forces will battle Ashram's. ~~
~~Very well, ~~ Fahn replied as his armies marched forwards.
~~Archers prepare to volley, Linebreakers on me, we're cutting into them and halting at the entry point where we shall remain until I order otherwise. Swordsmen advance to a halfway point between the Linebreakers. ~~
~~Yes sir. ~~
Xapferey began to hum a song under his breath as they formed up; Jebra with the swordsmen, Pirotess and Nethalus with the bowmen. At his side, Deedlit could hear him quietly singing.
"A warning to the people, The good and the evil, This is war. To the soldier, the civilian, The martyr, the victim, This is war. It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie, The moment to live and the moment to die, The moment to fight, the moment to fight To fight, to fight, to FIGHT!"
~~Linebreakers forwards! ~~ Xapferey roared over the link as he finished his song and the 750 elite troops charged forwards with battle cries.
The division of Linebreakers charged forwards to meet Ashram's force and with a great sweep of their weapons, they cleaved into Ashram's front lines. After completing their strike, the first line danced behind the second line allowing them to cleave before repeating the process. At the moment of the third strike, Xapferey's archers began volleys over their heads into the ranks of Ashram's forces.
Xapferey let out a roar as he began hacking his way through the enemy with Deedlit beside him. Xapferey parried aside a kobold before stabbing as it passed before he cleaved apart a goblin. Now he was facing several human Marmo troops and with a roar he charged them.
The Linebreakers had become a meat grinder for Ashram's forces, the twirling and flashing monster swords were difficult to parry, but when combined with multiple attacks from the twirling Linebreakers, they were nigh impossible to block.
Jebra redeployed some groups of swordsmen to watch the rear of their army and guard the archers. His swordsmen were yet not engaged with any of Marmo's troops due to the Linebreakers.
Jebra listened to the reports filtering through the communication circlets, something he was still marveling at. It made communication across the battlefield and tracking all his soldiers a godsend and less risk to runners bringing messages. As Jebra listened, he decided to provide Fahn with a few volleys and requested the archers to fire on the Marmo armies engaging with Fahn and Kashue's combined army. Several volleys flew through the air to impact into the Marmo forces and many fell screaming in pain or dead to the pointed shafts.
Across the battlefield, Xapferey and Deedlit were engaged alongside the Linebreakers. Deedlit skipped back as Xapferey carved into a Marmo officer then he somersaulted backwards allowing Deedlit to stab a kobold in the eye. The two were a team just like the Linebreakers, and had spent many months to learn the fighting style of the other and work it with their own.
Xapferey launched a telekinetic wave at the Marmo forces, knocking them back several meters.
~~Reform the line~~ he ordered. The Linebreakers shifted rapidly in response to his order, the front line holding their blades pointing upwards, the second line held their weapons in a overhead grip, ready to bring them down in a great slicing motion to cleave through their enemies.
The Marmo forces charged again with a roar, humiliated that this much smaller force had slain so many of their number.
~~Archers, 5 volleys, decreasing angle ~~ Xapferey ordered. The archers responded by losing five shafts each into the onrushing Marmo horde, the front line of Libreakers jumped back the moment before the Marmo line would have clashed, as such they were momentarily off balance and the second line cleaved through the front of the Marmo assault. The Linebreakers then surged forwards, shifting between the two lines as they counterattacked the Marmo; the smaller but better trained forces of the Linebreakers cutting a bloody swath through the Marmo army.
Xanpferey then jumped up and activated the runes on his boots and readied his G11 on full auto. Soon the area echoed with the report of a firearm and the Linebreakers halted for a moment as they stared at the gruesome wounds caused by a firearm but they quickly continued, heartened that such a weapon was on their side. The Marmo forces in the rear were completely demoralized, between archer fire, the Linebreakers and now this fearsome new weapon, their cohesiveness as a fighting force was breaking down and some began to retreat from the battlefield.
Deedlit bounced up to where Xapferey was crouching before Xapferey spotted Ashram. The Black Knight was attempting to rally the Marmo forces to the rear and was doing a decent job of it before Xapferey emptied the last of his magazine into Ashram's officers. Xapferey then slid and jumped down to stare at the Black Knight, he stared back with a slightly impressed look.
"I have no idea how you survived, but it doesn't matter now… all that matters is the sword."
Ashram struck at Xapferey and he parried. Xapferey sidestepped around a slash as he smashed the pommel of his sword into Ashram's chest plate. The Black Knight stepped back as he surveyed the dent with mild surprise before he began hacking at Xapferey with skilled yet clipped strikes. Ashram did not bother with feints at that moment as he could tell this swordsman would probably recognize them and avoid them.
The two caught each other in a swordlock and began pushing in an attempt to overcome the other. Xapferey shifted lower then shoved forwards, knocking Ashram off balance with a surprising surge of strength. Ashram backpedaled as he worked to regain his balance as Xapferey advanced on him. The two then came together in another clash of arms when a shout rang out across the battlefield.
"BELD! BEEELLLLD! WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU? COME ON, SHOW YOURSELF. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID? SURELY YOU HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN MY FACE? BELD, BELD… HEY BELD… BELLLD…. BELLLD."
Xapferey watched as Ashram pulled away and ran to join his lord. Xapferey grimaced as he opened his telepathic connection to Abathur.
'Now Abathur, find Wagnard, kill him," Xapferey ordered the Zergling that had been searching the mountains for either Karla or Beld.
'Here's Karla master, this location… she didn't notice me."
'Good, I'm on my way there.' ~~Deedlit rejoin Parn and the others, I have something to take care of.~~
~~Be careful,~~ Deedlit replied over the circlets.
~~I intend to my love.~~
Xapferey muttered an invisibility spell and a silencing spell centered on him. He took off into the air to where the Grey Witch was watching. Karla didn't seem to notice Xapferey as he flew overhead; Karla was too intent on the duel between Fahn and Beld to notice what was above her and with a controlled motion, Xapferey flew down at a rapid rate. The silencing spell muffled the air around him as he passed through it and with a motion of his hand; he swiped the circlet from Leylia's forehead as he passed by. His invisibility spell faded to reveal his form to Karla who stared in shock. The Grey Witch had a few remaining moments of coherency in Leylia's body as she triggered a contingency spell. A couple of large javelins flew at the two rulers followed by a massive lightning bolt, Karla was taking no chances with her last spell as she intended to maintain the balance despite the loss of a host.
Xapferey growled a powerful spell and his flight speed shattered the sound barrier, allowing him to just beat Karla's spell. He tackled the two rulers and sheltered them behind his large forearms and claws.
"FETHOS DI ARCANISS!" He roared as a shield of magic reinforced the one on his armor. His bracelet warbled in alarm as his shields buckled and one javelin stuck in his armor slightly and vibrated for a few moments before it fell out.
Xapferey released Fahn and Beld as they both staggered away as everyone stared in shock at the appearance of a gold Dragon in familiar armor with an enlarged version of a communication circlet on his head. Xapferey was easily thirty feet long from the tip of his tail to his snout as his body shifted to give the two rulers room. his wings were large and finlike and a trail of spines ran from the back of his head down his long neck and back to the end of his tail. Upon his face were several limp tentacles, which looked very much like a catfish's whiskers, giving him the appearance of having a long mustache. Upon its head were two swept-back ridged horns and his golden eyes glowed with power.
"Xapferey…" Deedlit gasped as she stared at his new form and she walked towards him. "You… you went through the bloodrite."
"Yes my dear, I am now a Dragon albeit earlier that I had originally planned, but you have Ashram there to thank for my need of having to undergo the ritual far earlier than planned."
Xapferey then turned his attention to Fahn and Beld, both were rather shell shocked from the sonic boom cause by Xapferey's movements and being tackled by the revealed Dragon.
"How?" Fahn asked
"I am not native to Lodoss, and in my bloodline was a Dragon. These Dragons could shapeshift into humanoids and have children. I called forth that bloodline and purged my human half," Xapferey explained.
"Why?"
"For Deedlit. I am immortal now."
Fahn nodded, he knew High Elves were immortal. Beld however chuckled; he himself understood the power of love, considering he started his conquests of Lodoss due to the love for the fallen hero Flaus.
Xapferey turned his attention to the Marmo emperor who had gotten back to his feet, Soul Crusher held loosely at his side.
"I think we can end this battle don't you emperor?"
"Your forces are still outnumbered despite that rather impressive showing against Ashram's," Beld countered.
"Yes, but I think it was evident that Karla engineered enough of this war as part of her balancing schemes. She was the one after all to shoot that javelin and lightning bolt. I doubt either of those would have been conductive to your health if they hit."
Beld snorted in agreement.
"What do I get in return?" He asked with an amused expression. Xapferey looked at Fahn and he gestured, saying that Xapferey could offer his thoughts.
"We will recognize your… acquisition of Kanon, at the very least if you wish to set up a puppet government aligned with Marmo, Valis and my own future nation will not object."
"Your nation?" Beld asked while Fahn had a look of realization.
"I do have an army to provide for and I intend to," Xapferey proclaimed.
"Very well then as long as Fahn can guarantee your suggestion I will accept and withdraw my forces."
"Very well Beld, but if you ever threaten Lodoss again..."
"Your majesties, please… there is no need for threats right now, perhaps a more useful compromise can be negotiated but for now at least a ceasefire will suffice and hopefully a peace treaty in the future."
"Very well then, my armies will withdraw to our lands. I do wish you luck in your… endeavors," Beld said as he smirked at the Dragon, his forces then began withdrawing at his order. Jebra then ran up along with Parn to join them both stared in surprise at the Dragon and made to pursue the Marmo forces but Xapferey stopped them.
~~All forces stand down, the Marmo are withdrawing,~~ Xapferey ordered and he received acknowledgement from all his unit commanders almost immediately.
Xapferey then pulled out his isolation box. A runecrafted box with 8 physical adamatium locks and 3 separate locking charms and he rested Karla's circlet on it. His mind was now too alien for Karla to take over; not to say Karla was being silent about her predicament, but Xapferey's reinforced and powerful mental shields rebuffed her mental assaults.
Once the circlet had been put in the box and sealed, the pressures of Karla's mental assaults faded. In the distance with his enhanced eyes Xapferey could see the Marmo armies withdrawing back to Kanon.
"Your majesty, if it would not trouble you, but I hope you would allow my army to remain in your lands for a time while I settle some personal matters."
"I would be happy to, I look forwards to us meeting as equals in the future."
Xapferey nodded in respect to Fahn and the approaching Kashue before he gathered his forces and retook his human form. All of his forces were staring at him in awe before they arranged in formation at his order.
~~Men, you are to return to Valis, where you go after I leave to you, but if you wish for a new land, a land where in time we will grow and prosper. I will not say it will be easy, nothing in life ever is. But if we work together then we will create something to be proud of. Gather your families and join me when you are ready. I have some affairs to arrange myself, Jebra and Nethalus are in charge while I and Deedlit are gone.~~
~~Understood milord,~~ Jebra sent.
~~Milord?~~ Xapferey sent back with a mental smile.
~~You are our king now Sire, we will await your return.~~
Xapferey nodded to Jebra as he let Deedlit on his back after he retook his Dragon form again.
"We are going to pick up Abathur then we will see your parents Deedlit," Xapferey said.
Elsewhere on the battlefield
Abathur, the Raptor strain Zergling familiar of Xapferey Manaweaver was bounding from cliff to cliff in search of his target. Finally the Zerg discovered his target glaring down at his master before he flew off and in that moment Abathur pounced viciously on Wagnard, the dark priest of Marmo.
Wagnard screamed in pain as the Zergling's talons and jaws ripped into him, a quick spell knocked the alien away and another saw him teleport away. Wagnard was then forced to suffer even more pain as the curse inflicted on him took his toll as he healed himself.
Barely alive, Wagnard collapsed unconscious from the sheer amount of pain he was suffering, but he would survive… for the moment.
Abathur screeched in annoyance as his prey escaped before he could finish it, but the Zergling climbed on his master after he dropped to the ground. Once the Zerg and Elf were set, Xapferey then flew to The Forest of No Return to meet with Deedlit's family.
Two days later
Entrance of Forest of No Return
"Are you ready my love?" Xapferey asked.
"Yes Xapferey, let's go," Deedlit opened a new and different portal through the woods and they disappeared through.
A/N: BAM, how's that for a chapter? Next time, on Chronicles of the Draconic Knight… More surprises to come, and a wedding as you're probably expecting. Big surprises coming next and one question you're probably asking yourself, who is XAS? (IF you do know the answer, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF).
