I'll keep this note brief since right now it'd be inappropriate for me to bluster on about unimportant things.
Apologies for this chapter taking so long to come out. After my time away I had written roughly half of the chapter during few the days after I came back, but then I caught COVID for the second time and wasn't up to writing again until a few days ago.
I hope you enjoy this latest chapter of Adventures of a True Shield Hero. As always, I do not own Rising of the Shield Hero or any of its characters, locations, events or anything else related to the anime/manga/Light Novels. The only thing I own is my OC, Fergus Ward.
This chapter, and every chapter I write hereafter, will be for Billy.
Chapter 5 – Revelations and Reassurance
"Yes…it's been many years…and now we meet again, Queen Mirellia of Melromarc." The new arrival replied.
"Hold on…What?"
~AoaTSH~
Before Raphtalia and I could fully process her cryptic words, the representative from the Spirit Tortoise got to his feet and deferentially bowed to the new arrival, an action that confused the hell out of me. "Milady, I'm so glad that you are safe," he intoned reverently.
"Wait…Milady?! Just who is she and how do these people know her?!" I screamed inside my head.
Queen Mirellia, perhaps sensing mine and Raphtalia's confusion, spoke up. "She is the concubine of the now-deceased King of the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom, and as of now the nation's regent" she explained gravely as the new arrival lowered her hood, revealing her face fully. Unlike her previous grave expression from earlier, she was now looking at me with a kind yet somewhat sad smile. Not going to lie, she was quite attractive to look at. And there was something else about her too…a feeling I couldn't quite place. The best way I could describe it was…ethereal and other-worldly…
"I didn't give you my name when we met earlier, did I Shield-Hero?" She said in a soft tone.
"No, you didn't…" I replied cautiously, not trusting myself to say anything more given not only our previous encounter but also what had just been revealed about her. "Surely wouldn't do well to tell them all that she asked me to kill her…"
"Then please allow me to introduce myself," she continued with a polite nod. "My name is Ost Horai, of the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom, and as of right now, as your Queen explained, I am the regent of what remains of it...or at least, that's what the world thinks I am." These words, spoken very cryptically, caught all of the representatives as well as everyone else gathered off guard and caused them all to gawk at her as she continued. "Contrary to what you all might think or know of me, I am a familiar of the Spirit Tortoise."
"Wait…what?!" I could only stammer in response as everyone's expressions turned from confusion to shock. She was a familiar of the Spirit Tortoise, just like the monsters we'd just encountered just now?! This didn't make any sense! If she really was a familiar…then from our previous experiences she should be trying to attack and kill us…and yet, here she was, admitting the fact in front of a council of representatives from many of the world's nations that had been formed to take down the Spirit Tortoise!
As if sensing my thoughts, Ost continued speaking. "I'm not the first of his familiars that you've met, but I'm probably the first that you haven't attacked or slain on sight. No doubt you're wondering why that is the case."
"So what you're saying is that…you're the same as those monsters we've been encountering?" I asked hesitantly, still reeling from the confession of her identity, as was everyone else in the room.
"Yes," she replied instantly. "However, unlike them, I have taken the form of a human, nor do I have any wish to attack anyone here. On that, you have my word."
"Milady…what are you saying?" the representative from the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom stammered, and judging by the look on his face he was still trying to come to grips with Ost's revelations.
The woman in question gave him an apologetic look in response. "Oh…forgive me, but it's true…everything was a lie," she apologised before turning back to the rest of us. "It was simply the job I was given. As a human-type familiar, I was told to get close to the centres of power…and use subterfuge to gather up a small number of souls without anyone noticing…"
"Wait…gather souls?!" I thought to myself in alarm as the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom representative collapsed back into his chair, still struggling to process what he'd just been told. "Wait…hold on a second!" I blurted out, desperately searching for any semblance of sense in this situation. "When you say you were gathering souls…does that mean-?"
"It is the task I was given by my lord, the creature you call the Spirit Tortoise, in order to block the Waves of Calamity from appearing," Ost answered. "To accomplish this, he must use human souls as a resource."
"Wait…you're saying the reason it gathers souls is as a means to block the Waves?" I asked, struggling again to make any sense of all this. "But…the Waves are still appearing…and we've had to battle through several of them, so you saying that it blocks the Waves doesn't add up."
"The Waves are a phenomenon even the Tortoise can't fully prevent, not without the required amount of souls it needs," she explained. "All it can do with the souls it gathers from us is to provide a sort of…barrier covering the world that prevents the Waves from being even deadlier."
"Okay…but then what's with the sudden attack by all these familiars? What's changed that caused them to appear?" I then asked.
Ost let out a sigh before proceeding to explain. "Human-type familiars such as myself are created and sent out into the world in order to deceive those in power in the hopes of causing warring countries to fight so that their souls can be gathered. And if that failed, monsters such as the familiars that you've encountered would be used to gradually gather souls from all over the world." Her expression then turned grave. "However, if neither of those methods were successful in gathering the required number of souls, then as a last resort the seal on the Spirit Tortoise would be broken, and in a desperate attempt to gather enough souls it would roam across the world, rapidly gathering the souls of all the inhabitants that are crushed beneath its feet."
"Well, that explains what's going on right now…" "Have things really gotten that bad already?" Raphtalia asked worriedly.
Ost shook her head in response, a gesture that instantly screamed to me that something was wrong. "No…this time, someone broke the seal without any warning, meaning the current destruction the Spirit Tortoise is causing is not of its own volition," she explained regretfully. "Even if this current path of destruction manages to prevent the Waves of Calamity from appearing…if it isn't stopped now then there'll be no world for it to protect." Her expression then changed from sadness to one of despair. "And if that were to happen…I will not be able to fulfil my duty…" She then threw herself into a bow, her tone now one of pleading. "I beg of you, Shield-Hero, and all of those gathered here today…please, put the Spirit Tortoise of its misery and stop this chaos!"
Silence followed her words as we took all this in. Truthfully, I wasn't sure how to feel right now. Yes, the Spirit Tortoise was causing great suffering in its rampage…but if Ost was correct, and seeing how open she'd been with what she'd divulged I had no reason to believe she'd been lying, then what was happening…wasn't the Tortoise's fault. No, it was the fault of the one who'd deliberately broken the seal and set this whole thing into motion. Which then begged the question…who was responsible for this? And what use could they have for seeing the population of this world eradicated?
"Lady Ost," I heard Eclair speak up, and all eyes went in her direction. "You mentioned that the seal on the Spirit Tortoise would normally be broken as a last resort, correct?" Ost nodded in response to the question. "If you don't mind my asking…how is that done? An incantation? Or through physically destroying said seal?"
"Only I know the method to do such, or at least I thought I was, given what's currently happening," she answered gravely. "A human-type familiar such as myself would inform the Four Heroes how to break the seal in the event of our plans being discovered."
"Wait…WHAT?" "Hold on! Surely you don't mean-!" Whatever protest was on my lips died as Ost cut me off.
"When the Waves cannot be stopped, it falls to the four Cardinal Heroes to revive the Spirit Tortoise in order for it to gather the necessary souls. Only through that method will the Waves stand still." She turned her gaze in my direction, her green eyes seeming to pierce right through my soul as she rhetorically asked one last armour-piercing question. "What other options do we have when it gets to that point?"
Her words, and that final question, were like a despair-riddled knife that plunged straight through my heart as I slowly comprehended what she meant. If for whatever reason myself, Motoyasu, Ren, Itsuki and the rest of our forces along with those of the nations around the world weren't enough to hold back the Waves, then it was our job, as the four Heroes, to break the seal of the Tortoise and allow it to rampage across the world in order for it to consume the necessary souls that would allow it to hold back the threat of the Waves.
I palmed my face with both hands as I considered this…how could any one person make that decision? How could any one soul carry out an action that would result in the death of millions…heck, it could even be billions...of people just so the Waves could be held back? And that choice alone rested on the likes of us? Heck…Ren and Itsuki were still teenagers…they wouldn't be adults for at least a year and a half yet, and yet this sort of choice could've been foisted upon either one of them should the situation get to that point. Even as much as I hated Itsuki right now…if either one of the four of us were put into that position…I couldn't even begin to imagine how any of us would be able to cope with that task.
And that's when it hit me…the true meaning behind Fitoria's words back then when she spoke of the four of us having to make a choice between the world and the people living in it. This is what she was talking about, should the worst come to pass and we weren't able to hold back the Waves. One of us, either myself or one of the others, would put into motion an event that would end up sacrificing an untold number of humans just to prevent the world from being destroyed, or do nothing and watch as the Waves consumed both the world and everyone living in it?
I was only dimly aware of everyone in the room giving me looks of sympathy as I suddenly felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around my shoulders. Peeking out through my fingers, I saw Raphtalia pressing her face into my neck as she tried to give me as much comfort as humanly possible…which right now, given my current state of despair…I was really grateful for.
"If everything that you've just told us is the truth…" Mirellia spoke up, her voice stammering slightly, and as I took my face out of my palms and nodded to Raphtalia that I'd be okay, I saw her looking at me with the utmost sympathy. "Then…how very cruel... What a trial fate has concocted for us and the Cardinal Heroes…"
"I'm so sorry…please forgive me…" Ost apologised, lowering her head. I only shook my head in response, hand raised outward to stop her from saying any more. This wasn't her fault. It was just like Mirellia had said…fate, and those long ago who made it this way…those were the ones at fault for the choices we still may have to make.
"So all this time…You were only deceiving us with that guise of yours?" Mirellia continued, looking at Ost with…sympathy? Anger? I couldn't read the expression currently on her face. "When I met you that first time…I thought you were someone trustworthy…"
"Again, I apologise for my deception, but it was part of my duty," Ost replied with a touch more firmness as she raised her head. "I wanted to look the part so…I played the role of an evil consort to avoid raising any needless suspicion so…"
"Ost," I spoke up firmly, catching some of the representatives off guard. No doubt they'd thought I was still wallowing in despair from her earlier words. "I don't blame you in the slightest for anything that's currently going on or the truths you have just revealed to us. In fact, I just want to thank you for coming here and being so honest with us…what you've told us may yet save many lives." Ost was caught off guard for a moment but quickly recovered and gave me a gentle smile, and once more I felt Raphtalia squeezing my shoulder in appreciation as I brought the conversation back around to one of Ost's previous admissions. "So, let's get back to what you said about why the Tortoise is doing this…you are saying it's not of its own will, correct?"
"Yes," she replied firmly. "I believe the one who was able to break the seal is responsible for its actions."
"Then as one of its familiars…do you know of any way we can stop it? And if so, will you help us in doing so?" I asked.
"Of course, I wouldn't leave you to do this all on your own," she returned instantly, her gaze shifting to one of determination. "I will help in any way I can, and any advice I can give will be yours. For my part, I want to find out who is behind this." She stopped to cough before continuing. "Since the Spirit Tortoise has a tendency to head towards densely populated areas to gather as many souls as possible, I believe this city, along with the armies you have gathered here, will be its next target once it has awakened."
"That is what we had already believed from the legends, but thank you for confirming it for us," Mirellia spoke up in a grateful tone.
"I-I see…I'm glad to have helped…" Ost started to stammer, losing some of her cool as she groped for any more information she could give. "Oh…there's the head! If you cut off the head of the Tortoise, it will be forced to stop!"
"That tends to happen to all monsters when you cut off their heads," Eclair replied dryly, causing a few of us to chuckle out loud, relieving the cloud of tension hanging over us, albeit only slightly.
~AoaTSH~
However, the representative from Haikazuya wasn't happy in the slightest at this slight moment in levity, if my quick glance in his direction was anything to go by, and his tirade that broke our brief relief of tension was the proof.
"Enough of this!" He roared, slamming the conference table with both fists and bringing our slight bout of merriment to an end as he glared at us. "This war council gathered here before you is a sacred event, and you are treating this as a joke?!" He then turned his furious glare to Ost, causing her to jump a little in fright. "If you think so, then I'll gladly take your head off first! Who knows, that might be enough to get rid of the Spirit Tortoise without sacrificing any of our soldiers' lives!"
"Oh no you don't!" I saw, out of the corner of my eye, Raphtalia and Eclair's hands moving towards their swords. But before they or I could act, Ost spoke up.
"I'm sorry, but it doesn't quite work like that," she replied in a placating tone, hands help up towards the angry man. "You have to defeat the real Spirit Tortoise first, otherwise I'll keep coming back…no matter how many times you cut off my head…"
"Calm down sir, we already know how to defeat the Spirit Tortoise and have already come up with a plan to do such, so there's no need to waste your anger on her," the Mideus representative spoke to his fellow. The Haikazuya representative glowered a little but did as the other man suggested. "The more pressing concern at the moment is…"
"...a leader," the representative from Lowhirot interjected. "We need to decide who will take charge."
"Say what?" And it wasn't just me who was stunned by this turn of conversation. Raphtalia, Eclair, the Queen and Ost all wore expressions of puzzlement.
"We will! We are providing the bulk of the corps, so it only makes sense that we take charge!" The Haikazuya representative stated. "Since when?! Last time I checked, Melromarc was the one providing the most troops!"
"Oh really? And how do you plan to take its head off without the power of our siege weapons?" The Lowhirot representative scoffed. "Last time I checked, WE are the only ones who brought them, so that means I should be in charge!"
"Is that right? If I'm not mistaken, Melromarc is providing most of the funding for this expedition, and not only that but the Shield-Hero and his companions have come on their Queen's behalf, so I believe she should be the one to lead us," the Mideus representative reminded them as he looked over at the Haikazuya representative with a frown. "Also, I believe you may need your eyes checked if you believe that you brought along the largest corps because from what I observed, Melromarc's army outnumbers your own by a significant amount."
"In pure numbers, yes, but we brought along troops none of you has, our legendary dragon riders!" The Haikazuya representative stated proudly, puffing himself out. "A corps of those is worth several infantry companies, so in terms of effective manpower we have brought along the deadliest troops, hence why I should be the one in charge!"
"This isn't the most pressing issue we're dealing with right now!" The Queen interjected desperately.
"She's right, it doesn't matter who ends up taking command," the Spirit Tortoise representative spoke up, seemingly in agreement. "Finally, some voices of reason!" I thought in exasperation, but my hopes of this guy being sensible were dashed by his next words. "As long as we are all in agreement that our battalion is the clear and only choice to lead the vanguard of the charge!"
"What difference is one battalion going to make in a charge?!" The Haikazuya representative shouted back.
"He's right, your forces should stay in the rear where they belong!" The Lowhirot representative agreed.
"How are we supposed to avenge our people by staying in the rear?!" The Spirit Tortoise kingdom emissary shot back.
"You'll die for nothing if you go up the front!" The Haikazuya representative responded.
"Even if it's for nothing, we'll die gladly if we can get the chance to avenge our dead!" The Spirit Tortoise Kingdom representative stated angrily.
As these lot had bickered back and forth, I had remained silent. Not because the conversation didn't involve me, but because I was stunned by what I was hearing. These lot…were seriously having a dick-measuring contest about whose armies were the biggest and who should lead the vanguard? At a time like this?! People's lives were on the line…heck, the lives of people around the world were at stake, and these lot were more worried about who should take command?!
It was bringing back memories of the council we'd had with the other Heroes, back before we all went to Cal Mira, and just like back then I was getting seriously annoyed with all the pointless bickering and efforts at seeing whose dick was biggest when that was the least of our concerns. And judging from their expressions, the Queen and Eclair were feeling exactly the same way. Ost and Raphtalia, on the other hand, were both wearing expressions of worry. In Ost's case, she was probably worrying about whether all these people who were now at odds with each other would be enough to take down the Tortoise. And as for Raphtalia, given that her worried expression was directed my way, she was no doubt concerned about how I'd react to all of this and that I may end up giving in to my anger due to the sheer idiocy of it all.
And she had every reason to feel that way as I could feel myself getting angrier and angrier at every word that was coming out of their mouths. And given my current state of mind, after all of Ost's revelations, I would've been well within my rights to vent all my anger and frustration on these idiots.
But now wasn't the time for that. No…instead of wild rage, my anger and fury would have to be controlled and focused given what was truly at stake. And like it or not, these idiots will listen to what I have to say and return their focus to what's important: saving lives by stopping the Tortoise.
And it was the words of the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom representative that finally got me to break my silence…how dare he talk about sacrificing lives so casually like that in some misguided death-or-glory chance for revenge!
No, I would not let anybody else die, especially not for something stupid like this!
"That's enough!" I roared as I jumped to my feet and slammed my hands on the table, startling all the arguing parties and causing them to shut up as I glared around at them all.
"Are you all actually hearing yourselves right now?" I continued, deliberately keeping my tone hard and full of anger to make sure they heard and understood every word. "While you lot are arguing amongst yourselves about who's got the bigger army and who should be leading us, there's currently a giant monster slumbering almost on top of us who in a couple of days will wake up and try to kill us all! That should be your biggest concern right now, not whose dick is the biggest!"
Most of them looked suitably ashamed at this point, for which I had to give them credit. At least they were listening, which was more than what the other Heroes had done at our first council meeting. But I wasn't done with them yet, one of them especially as my angry glare now landed fully upon the representative from the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom. "And you! You make me sick most of all right now!" I growled as he withered before my gaze. "You speak of throwing your men's lives away for nothing, out of some vain notion of death and glory to avenge those you've already lost, and act so casual about it?! How fucking dare you! Any king, ruler or representative worthy of their name should be thinking of the best way to preserve the lives of those under their care and not speak so casually of throwing their lives away! You should be fucking ashamed of yourself!"
The representative's eyes widened as he seemed to take my words on board, his hand shaking as he held it to his mouth as though the realisation of what he'd just said was about to make him sick. Again, credit where it was due, he did seem to be listening as I continued. "As both a Hero and a leader, I strive to uphold the ideal that all life, no matter what gender, age or species, is sacred and should not be cast aside on the whims of anger or vengeance. And whilst it is not the easiest tenant to uphold, and trust me I know this better than anyone given that, very recently, I had the lives of the two people who'd wronged me for months on end in the palm of my hand, it is one I have striven to fulfil for every day that I have been in this world. Which is why I cannot, and will not, allow you to throw away the lives of your soldiers so casually."
"You're right, I shouldn't have spoken about the lives of my men so flippantly," the man in question spoke up, his expression and tone more than conveying his shame. "That was unbecoming of me, and I'm sorry that you all bore witness to that. It will not happen again." Ost let out a sigh of relief as he spoke, and I gave him a nod of appreciation before continuing.
"I am not completely ignorant though. From the sounds of it, the creature we're going to be up against, this Spirit Tortoise…if what Ost has been telling us about its power is correct, then we are going to lose people whether we like it or not…" I stated grimly. Whilst I hated saying the words that were coming out of my mouth, there was no point in lying to myself or the others. "Between the Tortoise and the familiars, not everyone you've all gathered here today is going to make it back alive. That's an undeniable fact. But what I can and will do, as everyone here should, is do everything in my power to make sure that as few lives are lost as possible. That should be everyone's main focus right now instead of this pointless debate about who should be in charge." I then looked around at them all again as, now that my anger had been burned off, my tone changed to one of pleading. "Please…I ask…no, I implore you…please set aside your pride and mistrust and do what is right! Not for yourselves, but for everyone you've brought here today and those whose lives will be in danger if we fail!"
Once more, the room lapsed into silence after my impassioned speech, and once more I felt Raphtalia grasp my shoulder. As I looked up, she was giving me a look that was a mix of pride and worry. I reached my other hand over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze as the Queen broke the silence.
"Thank you, Sir Fergus, for once more making clear what should have been obvious to everyone gathered here," she stated, giving the other representatives a disapproving look.
"Indeed," the representative from Mideus spoke up next. "It doesn't matter in the end who's in charge, as long as the goal we all work toward is the same: the destruction of the Spirit Tortoise with the loss of as few lives as possible." The Haikazuya representative merely grunted his agreement with this.
"I too will admit I was wrong not to think of the bigger picture and will strive to do the same," the Lowhirot representative stated last of all. "However, we do need a firm consensus on how we proceed, otherwise nothing will get done. And that means we need a decision on how this alliance will function." I couldn't argue with that, but at the same time, it wouldn't feel right to just have one person in charge, not with all the array of forces gathered here…
That's when it hit me as to how it should proceed, an idea so simple that I was mentally kicking myself for not thinking of it in the first place and thus avoiding this whole argument!
"I have an idea…if you're all willing to hear it?" I ventured tentatively.
"Go ahead Lord Fergus," the Queen replied with an encouraging smile. "After all, you were the one who reminded us about what's really at stake right now, so I think it would be beneficial to hear what you have to say." The other representatives all nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," I nodded gratefully as I turned my gaze to everyone present as I spoke. "What I propose is quite simple really: All of you bought different units on this expedition which will fill a specific purpose in the plan you put together, so instead of one person being in command of all the forces, have everyone here merely be in charge of the units they brought here." I could see one or two poised to interrupt but held them off with a raised hand. "I know what you are about to say, that that's already the case. But hear me out because that isn't what I meant. What I propose is that we finetune your plan by laying out the strengths and weaknesses of all the units you have brought here and that any decision or alterations to the role of a particular unit should only be approved by the representative of that specific force since they know the capabilities of their units best. As for any changes to the whole plan? There's five of you here, a number which allows for a majority to be reached on decisions, even if it's just by one vote, and as such you can make decisions that much quicker!" I then proceeded to let out the breath I'd held in as they all considered my words.
"I think that's a splendid idea, Lord Fergus," the Queen smiled before addressing the room. "And what about you gentlemen?"
"I see what she did there…she's already taken my suggestion on board by asking the others to give their agreement, or disagreement, on my idea." Once again, I was both thankful and amazed at how sharp Mirellia's wits were.
"I agree…I believe that would be the best way to proceed," the Mideus representative spoke up next.
"As do I, and I will be more than happy to give a more thorough explanation on the function of our siege weapons if it helps," the Lowhirot representative followed up.
"Yes…that sounds fair to me," said the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom representative. And even though he didn't look best pleased about it, the Haikazuya representative nodded his assent as well. I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief which was echoed by the likes of Ost and Raphtalia.
"In that case, I would like to address an issue regarding the ground forces we have brought here," the Haikazuya representative said next. "Since I am assuming none of the five of us will be participating in the battle itself, we will need to appoint someone as a commander to lead the troops directly. And seeing as I have no generals of note amongst my own forces…"
"Say no more sir, I think I know what you are suggesting," Queen Mirellia cut him off, albeit with a genuine smile. "The knight standing at my side, General Eclair, will be commanding the infantry I have brought. If you wish, I can have that command be extended to your infantry and dragon riders as well."
"That would be acceptable," the representative from Haikazuya replied with a rare smile as he looked over at Eclair. "If I give a full account of the strengths and capabilities of each of my corps here and now, would that be of help, General?"
"I would be very grateful, honoured representative," she replied promptly.
And just like that, the talks resumed once more, only this time the representatives were more than happy to go into greater detail about the units they'd brought along. And since they were now making decisions as a council and voting by majority, any issues or decisions that required such a vote were now proceeding much more swiftly.
And once more I was more than happy to sit back and watch this all unfold. I'd done my job in reminding them all what was truly at stake and getting them all to co-operate, and so I'd leave the actual military planning and coordination in their expert hands.
But even as I watched and listened with a satisfied smile on my face, I still couldn't get my mind off of the revelations Ost had given us earlier regarding the role of the Heroes concerning the Spirit Tortoise. I may have been smiling on the outside, but internally? My heart and mind were anything but at peace right now…
~AoaTSH~
The council continued for another hour or more as the representatives continued to divulge more information about their forces which in turn led to the overall plan being altered. And even when Mirellia called for an end to the council for today at least, the others looked uneasy as though they had more that they wished to contribute. However, when Mirellia bought up that they had at least another day or two until the Tortoise awoke, and that a good night's sleep would refresh their bodies and minds for further discussions the next morning, they acquiesced to her reasoning.
As soon as this respite was called, I immediately got out of my chair and, with a quick bow, proceeded with Raphtalia to leave the meeting room. Truth be told, at this moment in time all I wanted to do was find time to myself to process the revelations I had learned. However, judging by the firmness with which Raphtalia latched onto my arm as we left the room, that was going to be a difficult task. And honestly, given that she'd heard everything I had, she was no doubt incredibly worried about my current state of mind and how I must be feeling.
"Sir Shield-Hero, may I have a moment?" I heard a voice call out as we left the building where the meeting had taken place, and as Raphtalia and I turned around we saw Ost approaching us, an inscrutable expression on her face
"How may we help you, Lady Ost?" I asked respectfully. Despite everything she'd revealed, she had still been the consort of the ruler of the Spirit Tortoise kingdom and thus it was important, at least for me personally, to address her with the etiquette her position entailed.
"Well actually…it's how I might be of help to you," Ost said, wringing her hands awkwardly. "During the council, I promised I would help you in any way I could, and I intend to keep that. So, if it's okay with you…I would like to accompany you and your party when you set out to face the Tortoise."
I'll admit, her request threw me slightly, leaving me unable to reply for a few seconds since I was expecting Ost to stay away from the battle, perhaps taking more of an advisory role to the Queen and the other representatives. And yet, judging by the sudden earnestness on her face and given how forthcoming she'd been during the council meeting…I couldn't see any reason to deny her request. All except one. "Are you sure about this? We'll be heading into grave danger…" I asked carefully.
"That's kind of you to worry, but I can assure you that I am more than capable of taking care of myself," Ost was quick to reassure me with a smile. "As well as earth and support magic, I am also skilled in the use of gravity magic…all of which, along with all the knowledge I possess, I'll happily put at your disposal if you'll allow it."
Well, that put to bed my main worry, but there was still one other opinion to consider. "What do you think, Raphtalia?" I asked my demi-human flame.
"It's entirely your decision Fergus, and if you are happy with her joining us, so am I," she replied with a smile.
"Okay then," I spoke next, returning my gaze to Ost. "In that case, we'd be more than delighted to have you come with us, Lady Ost."
"Oh, thank you…I promise I won't let you down," Ost gushed happily.
"Raphtalia, can you take Ost to our camp and introduce her to everyone?" I then asked.
"Aren't you coming with us?" Raphtalia asked back, her smile quickly fading.
"I will…eventually…I…just need some space for a short while…" I reassured her truthfully.
Her look changed to one of understanding, albeit still tinged with worry. "Okay, but if you aren't back soon, I'll come and find you myself," she stated in a tone that brooked no objection, and truth be told I suspected it would end up being the case. "But what about Ost's true identity? Should I keep that from them or…?"
"Do not worry, Lady Raphtalia," Ost interjected quickly. "I will tell them myself. After all, it wouldn't do well to keep secrets from those I'll be fighting alongside." She then looked at me. "And what should I tell them about the Heroes being the ones to break the seal?"
"The only ones I'd trust with that information right now are Filo and Keel, given they've known me the longest. Raphtalia…would you be up for telling them?" She nodded as I returned my gaze to Ost. "As for everyone else, it's probably best to keep that to yourself for now, and when the time is right, I'll tell the other Heroes personally."
"Understood," Ost replied with another warm smile before returning her gaze to Raphtalia. "Well then Lady Raphtalia, care to lead me to your camp? I would very much like to meet the gallant companions that the Shield-Hero has surrounded himself with."
"Oh…right…sure," Raphtalia replied hesitantly, looking at me for confirmation.
"You two go ahead. I'll be with you shortly," I assured her, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, causing Raphtalia to blush which led to Ost letting out an amused chuckle as the demi-human led her towards the rooms where the rest of my party along with the other two parties were staying. As for me, I headed towards and through the town gates, looking for a quiet place where I could finally reflect on what I'd learned during the council…
~AoaTSH~
Whilst there may have been no obligatory grove or oasis to serve as a meaningful backdrop or a cliffside where I could dangle my legs over and watch the waves batter against the rocks, in the end I settled for the next best that I could find: the area in the immediate vicinity of the border town where the terrain changed from flat to downhill. It was just enough of a change for me to be able to sit comfortably without feeling like I could fall off at any point, and it was still close enough to town for people to come and find me should the need arise.
And as I parked my bum and looked back towards the mountains and rough plains that seemed to dominate the Haikazuya landscape, the Ost's words from earlier today, along with the at-the-time cryptic question from Fitoria all those weeks ago, kept replaying over and over in my mind, giving me no peace despite the quiet atmosphere I was in.
"When the Waves cannot be stopped, it falls to the four Cardinal Heroes to revive the Spirit Tortoise in order for it to gather the necessary souls. Only through that method will the Waves stand still. What other options do we have when it gets to that point?" Ost's soft voice, tinged with regret, echoed in my mind once more.
"In time all four of the Heroes will have to decide what they are fighting for, the world or the people that inhabit it. If you choose to fight for the world, you will fulfil your duty but many lives will be lost in the process. However, that is the easier choice. If you choose to fight for the people, you will face many hardships and trials, but in doing so you will have made the same choice that the previous Heroes had made before you, and is the path they expected their successors to take." Fitoria's words followed.
It all made sense now, what she had said back then. All throughout the time period from then until now, whenever I'd had a moment, I had thought back on her words and wondered if there had been any other meaning besides what, at the time, seemed obvious. And every time I'd come to the conclusion that there had been no hidden message behind them, that they had just been a test by Fitoria to see where my priorities were and whether or not, in her mind, I was truly up to the task of being one of the four Heroes.
But no, Ost's revelations had been the missing puzzle piece to her words, and now looking back on it, I understood why Fitoria had been so happy with my answer: She was one of the protectors of this world after all, someone who had been tasked by her Shield-Hero to keep the world and thus its people safe, even if she viewed its inhabitants poorly. Yet even despite her misgivings, she, like I, no doubt viewed life as a sacred gift and not to be thrown away or discarded on the whims of hate or prejudice. And yet despite this, I had no doubt that, should the worst come to pass, she too would break the Spirit Tortoise's seal and set it upon the world if it meant keeping the world she was born into safe. After all, she had told me herself that should it come down to it, she'd been prepared to kill all four of the Cardinal Heroes should we have proven unworthy of our role.
But that made me wonder, regarding our duty as Heroes to break the seal of the Spirit Tortoise should it ever come to that…had Ost and Fitoria been the only ones who knew about this? What about those who had summoned us, such as Trash and the Pope? And what about the Vassal Heroes, both from this world and the others? Would this be their role too, or would it just be for us Cardinal Heroes? And was this process just restricted to our world? Or did the Cardinal Heroes, or their equivalent in the other worlds, have to face the same choice?
So many questions that I doubt I would ever get answers to. But right now, all I could think about was the weight of such a burden that was on our shoulders and curse those who'd made it this way. After all, not only were us for Heroes, and the people fighting alongside us, the last line of defence for this world against the Waves, but now we were also the ones who could potentially hold the lives of millions, maybe even billions, of people in our hands should we prove unequal to that charge.
And all of this whilst we were still so young! More so in the case of Ren and Itsuki who were only 16 and 17 respectively, but even Motoyasu and I were still in our early twenties and thus barely adults. To put this sort of burden in our hands…fate really was a cruel mistress sometimes.
And what about those I'd come to care about, the people I'd sworn to protect and who I held close to my heart? Raphtalia, Filo, Keel, Rishia and Melty came to mind immediately, but what everyone else who I had become close to and friends with? People like Queen Mirellia, Erhard, Van, Eclair and all of the traders and shop owners who I'd met and befriended. And then there were the people who now lived in New Rurorona, who looked up to and respected me not only as one of the Cardinal Heroes but as their lord as well. And finally, all the inhabitants of this world…human, demi-human and non-humans alike? How could I bear to look at any of them, knowing that I could be the one responsible for ending their lives should the worst come to pass? How could I, or indeed any of the other Heroes, be viewed as the same figures of legend that the world already saw us as knowing that, if we failed in our duty to hold back the Waves, we could end up being the ones letting the likes of the Spirit Tortoise on the world to consume their souls just to preserve the existence of this world?
Yes, we're this world's Heroes, meant to fight back the Waves, but we are also the ones who have the potential to bring about a mass extinction event of such proportions that would surely cement our place in history as some of the most infamous beings to ever exist. As much as I appreciated Ost's honesty and her willingness to be so open with what she knew…right now I wished she hadn't been so open, that I hadn't known about this terrible burden that was now upon my shoulders.
Would those I loved ever see me the same way again, once they knew about this? Would Raphtalia still love me, knowing I could be a potential mass murderer? Would Keel still look upon me with the same awe and respect she'd always done? Would sweet, innocent and bubbly Filo still see me as the same kind human who'd raised her from her egg up until now? Or would they instead look upon me with fright and fear, knowing that I had the means to bring about the deaths of every person they cared about? And what about Rishia? If she ever found out about this, and what it meant for her beloved Itsuki, it would break her heart for sure. And right now, I could feel my own heart tearing up at these thoughts that now wormed their way into my mind.
This was so unfair! A Hero should be the one to preserve life, not end it! If this was the role I'd end up having to undertake…did I really want this life anymore? Could I honestly live with myself anymore, knowing I had the power to bring about the deaths of billions of people?
I couldn't stop these thoughts now that they'd started to plague me, and with it came the inevitable tears that I allowed to fall. Tears of anger, pain and heartbreak at the cruelness of my potential fate. And as the tears continued to fall, I couldn't help but let out a few sobs as I struggled to hold back the well of sadness and pain that was threatening to burst.
But, in the midst of my despair and pain, I suddenly felt two masses of flesh press themselves into my side, followed by two pairs of arms that wrapped themselves around me and proceeded to hold me tight. And just like that, my body and my mind instinctively started to relax as they noted their familiarity.
"Raphtalia told us everything," I heard Keel whisper from my right. "I can't even begin to imagine how it must have affected you, knowing the burden it has placed upon you. But you never have to worry about us looking at you any differently." As I looked over at her I saw her giving me a reassuring smile full of confidence as she gently wiped away some of my tears. "I will never stop believing in you, Sir Fergus. I know you'll get us through this. We'll stop the Spirit Tortoise and save the other Heroes. We'll beat back the Waves. And we'll keep everybody safe. I know this, we all do, and everyone who believes in you as well will be there at your side to make it so."
"Keel…" I murmured in a broken voice as my heart started to swell with relief instead of despair. Such a loyal and trustworthy friend…to think that I could ever have doubted her…
"Master is the best person there is," I heard Filo speak up from my left-hand side. "You raised me from the moment I came into this world and gave me all the good things in my life. All of the people I have come to love…Mel, sisters Raphtalia and Keel, and everyone in our new home…it was all because of you. No matter what anyone says about you…even if the world comes to hate you…I will never stop loving you. We will never stop loving you because all the good things we have in life came from you."
"Filo…" I wept joyously as I held them close and buried my face in each of their hair. Once more I had been wrong, so very wrong, to believe they'd ever think less of me. Even if I lived this life a hundred times, I know I wouldn't have any better friends and loved ones than the ones I had right now. Nor would I want any other friends. "I'm so sorry you both had to see me like this…" I apologised with a small chuckle as I wiped my eyes with the fingers I could spare, my arms still wrapped tight around both of them.
"It's okay, that's part of the reason we're here after all," Keel reassured me as she unwound herself from me and stood up, offering her hand out to me. I proceeded to take it and allowed her to pull me and by extension Filo who was still holding me tight, to my feet. "Not only are we your comrades in your fight against the Waves, but we're also your friends, and we'll always be here for you whenever you need us." Her eyes then darted to a point behind me briefly before returning. "And that goes doubly, even triply so, for one of us."
There was only one person she could possibly be talking about with those words, and sure enough, as I turned around, I beheld my angel, the woman I loved with my whole heart, standing there and looking back at me with those gorgeous amber eyes that I adored so much with the same love and care that she had always done.
Neither of us said anything, there weren't any words that needed saying at this moment. And as Filo unwound herself from my side, Raphtalia quickly crossed the distance between us and wrapped her arms around me. I responded with the same embrace, and for a short while, neither of us said anything as we held onto each other. I pressed my head into her neck, drinking in her scent and drawing in all the reassurance I needed from her mere touch as she proceeded to soothingly stroke my hair.
"No matter what happens, what you become or the choices you make," she breathed into my ear. "I love you. I have always loved you. And I will never stop loving you." She then broke the embrace as she proceeded to wrap her arms around my neck and looked straight into my eyes with a gaze full of love and devotion. "And whatever the future holds, I will always be at your side. You are the Shield-Hero, and I am your sword. Now, and forever."
Her words brought forth a fresh well of tears from my eyes, not tears of anger or joy but shame. Why I had ever doubted her, or indeed any of the others, I will never know. Having them at my side, not only as my comrades but as my friends, or in Raphtalia's case my girlfriend, was both my greatest source of joy and strength which right now was restrengthening my resolve and belief. At this moment I knew that, with them by my side, we'd be able to face down the threat of the Spirit Tortoise. We'd get the other Heroes back. And we'd fight back the Waves. And we'd make it so that I, or the other Heroes, would never be put in a position where we'd have to sacrifice so many lives to save the world.
No, we'd save the people, and thus the world, and in so doing fulfil the vow that I had made to Fitoria all that time ago…
And that's chapter 5 done with. I hope you enjoyed and again, apologies for the time it took to come out.
Not much to say in regards to changes from canon. The first half until Fergus' outburst was as it was in the anime, and from then on it was pretty much my original content. I'd always planned on Fergus not storming out like Naofumi did and instead having to verbally wrangle the other representatives into co-operating. And then of course the scene of self-doubt from all the revelations along with the comfort and reassurance he got from his loved ones was something I really wanted in there to showcase that Fergus still does have his vulnerable moments and that when it comes down to it, he can always rely on Raphtalia, Filo and Keel to have his back.
Next time out will be the expedition against the Spirit Tortoise. Until then, this is theoneandonlyedster signing out for now and I'll see you in the next one.
Rest in peace Billy Kametz (1987-2022), thank you for all the entertainment you provided for us. A great voice actor, taken from us far too soon, who voiced many great characters including, of course, Naofumi in Season 1 of Shield-Hero. Condolences to your family, friends and loved ones.
