First off, apologies for this taking longer than usual to get out. Some parts of this chapter were tricky to write, plus I often found it a struggle to motivate myself to actually get on with it. And over the last few days, I've been incredibly tired, even though I've taken this week off work' since my dogs like to get up early in the morning and I struggle to get to sleep if I try to go to bed too early. But better late than never
And as of today, it's pretty much the end of the spring 2022 anime season. And during the course of this season, I've been watching the following series: The second season of Shield-Hero obviously, Spy x Family, Skeleton Knight in Another World and Yuusha, Yamemasu (aka I'm Quitting Heroing). And honestly…out of all four of these series, I think I rated Season 2 of Shield-Hero as my least enjoyable watch out of the four of them, which really hurts considering how much I love this show. It just felt so rushed at parts, especially during the Spirit Tortoise arc, and some of the characters weren't as memorable or interesting as I felt they deserved to be, such as Rishia, Eclair and Kyo. And even though the second arc was slightly better, that was mainly down to Kizuna carrying those episodes, and the finale wasn't as epic and right as it should've been. Plus, the other three shows were all pretty memorable in their own way which made me like them more than Shield-Hero. I just hope Shield-Hero improves for Season 3.
As for summer 2022, I've once more got four series I'm planning to watch: Overlord IV, Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World, RWBY: Ice Queendom and Parallel World Pharmacy. Very much looking forward to getting into those when they start.
Enough waffling, time for Chapter 6. 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.
P.S Consider this my early birthday gift from me to you, since tomorrow (June 30th) is my birthday proper. Enjoy!
For Billy.
Chapter 6 – Operation: Shell-Cracker
Nobody was idle during the day after the conference. Everyone, from the council leaders to the common foot-soldiers, was aware that the Spirit Tortoise could awaken at any point in the next few days, and once that happened, it would be all systems go in terms of our plan to bring the monstrosity down.
Speaking of said plan, it was continually being evaluated, changed and perfected with each piece of information that the council leaders divulge about the strengths and weaknesses of their armies. Whilst the finer details were being worked upon, the brief overview of it went as such: The main bulk of the armed forces that had been assembled, including all of the cavalry units and under Eclair's command, would charge out into the nearby plain in order to act as bait for the Spirit Tortoise. As soon as they grabbed its attention, they would then retreat towards one of the nearby valleys that surrounded the plain where all of our siege weapons and mages along with any infantry companies that were assigned to guard them would be waiting. Once the Spirit Tortoise entered the valley, the siege weapons would concentrate their fire on one of the Tortoise's legs with the aim of rendering it unable to move, and if they were unable to do so then the sappers from the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom would detonate explosives to collapse the valley around the Tortoise. This latter move, however, would only be a last resort should the siege weapons fail as collapsing the valley would put any soldiers passing through it at risk. Either way, once the Tortoise was rendered immobile, the mages would then cast their ritual-magic spell, pooling all their power together in one powerful attack that would (hopefully) separate the Tortoise's head from its neck.
As for myself, my companions and the other two parties, our job was to deal with any familiars that the Tortoise sent out ahead of it, or at the very least lure them away from the main forces with our taunt skills. To that end, given how many of us there were, the council members had authorised that a large battle wagon, capable of fitting all fifteen of us (i.e., everyone minus Filo who would be pulling said wagon), be constructed. This wagon, which was put together in no time given the manpower and resources on hand, consisted not only the usual driver's seat that would be able to fit 3 people comfortably sitting side by side but also four slightly elevated platforms situated on each corner that would be ideal for getting maximum visibility for our ranged-skills, whether it was myself or the tanks using our taunts or our archers and mages firing off their arrows or spells respectively. As for the middle area of the cart, it was open-aired which meant we could all climb on or off the cart easily in case of disaster and had enough seating for the majority of us to sit down comfortably.
Given that we would likely have to deal with a significant number of familiars, every one of the people I'd brought with me made sure they were fully prepared both physically and mentally. In the case of Jarek, Valda and the twins, this meant ample physical preparation in the form of workouts and mock duels with wooden weapons to keep their skills sharp. As for Aidan, Lynn and Doruk, I put them in charge of making sure we were stocked with enough arrows, potions and other supplies that we may need on the battlefield. Fianna joined Keel in getting some last-minute sharpshooting practise by shooting at targets. As for Osmond and Sirona, they spent most of that day either in meditation or offering prayers and guidance for those soldiers who were dealing with last-minute nerves.
Raphtalia and I spent most of our day either going over the plan with the other council members or joining the others in whatever preparations they were making, and though Filo kept us company it was more out of sheer boredom and having nothing better to do. And after introducing Ost to everyone else the previous night, Rishia had quickly struck up a positive rapport with the familiar which had resulted in the two of them going through any and all of the information that Ost had provided along with a very thick tome containing all recorded knowledge about the Spirit Tortoise and the other guardian beasts that the Queen had brought with her from Melromarc.
The planning and preparations went on until the early hours of the evening. when once again everyone decided to break until the following morning to allow everyone a chance to eat and get a good night's sleep, a consensus that was readily welcomed by everyone gathered.
And that decision turned out to be a very good one, as it was during the early hours of the following morning whilst everyone was either waking up or getting their morning meals prepared that the loud and now very familiar piercing roar sounded once again throughout the valley.
The Spirit Tortoise was awake once more.
~AoaTSH~
Whilst there were gasps of astonishment, fear and terror amongst the troops, their reactions only lasted for a few seconds, and from there it was all stations go. Any who weren't already in their armour were now quickly donning them, and those in the middle of a meal either guzzled down the rest quickly or passed the remains to one of their fellows who hadn't eaten yet. Aside from that, there were no wasted movements or questions asked, everyone had been briefed by their superiors on the plan and what was required of them, and within the space of a quarter of an hour, or at least what felt like a quarter of an hour, all of the soldiers and cavalry were assembled in their designated formation and ready to march. At the same time, the sappers from the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom and the mages from Mideus, alongside the archers and infantry companies assigned to guard them, were already setting out for the nearby valley where the siege weapons from Lowhirot had already been assembled.
As for myself and my company, we had already gathered by our battle wagon and were currently loading it with all the supplies we needed, including extra arrows for Keel and Fianna and emergency provisions should we find ourselves trapped out there. And it was whilst we were loading up that we heard a clatter of hooves pounding their way towards us, and as we looked over in that direction, we saw Eclair riding up to us on her white horse and clad in a full suit of armour, her long pink hair flowing out from behind her helm
"Sir Fergus!" She addressed us with a swift salute which those of us who weren't already occupied returned. "We'll be doing this as planned then?"
"Indeed, we'll march alongside your forces and split off when the familiars show up," I replied.
"Lady Eclair…please, come back to us alive," Raphtalia entreated the pink-haired knight, and on seeing her expression Eclair's own face softened.
"I will, you have my word. And you make sure you do the same Lady Raphtalia, and you too Keel," she addressed both demi-humans who gave her firm nods in reply before returning her gaze to the rest of us. "Good luck, all of you. I'll see you on the field of battle."
"Right back at you," I returned, and with a swift nod she rode back in the direction she came where the rest of the army was assembled.
"Sir Shield-Hero," a new voice spoke up from my left, and as I turned to look towards where the voice was coming from, I saw another woman garbed in a soldier's uniform kneeling before me respectfully. "I'm here to inform you that I've been entrusted with the task of being your messenger, I dare say." Those last three words gave away her identity instantly.
"The Queen's Shadows…I had a feeling you'd be around here in one form or another," I replied with a respectful nod. "Shouldn't you all be either attending the Queen or Princess Melty back in Melromarc?"
"It was their idea to have me come help you however I can, I dare say," she replied dutifully. "The other Shadows are already stationed amongst the other battle units as well as the council, and by accompanying you I will be able to relay or receive orders from the other Shadows during the battle."
"I see…in that case hope aboard and make yourself comfortable, we're about to head out," I instructed. She nodded dutifully and made her way into the wagon as Doruk and Aidan climbed off of it.
"Sir Fergus, all the supplies we need have been loaded onto the wagon. We are ready to leave at your command," Aidan dutifully informed me.
"Very good. Doruk, assemble your party and get them onboard." Doruk nodded sharply and went off to do just that, and as he did, I could already see Osmond doing the same for his party. I then turned to look at Aidan, and whilst outwardly he looked expectant and excited, I could see his hands shaking as he gripped his staff tightly, the knuckles starting to turn white. "Aidan…" I began gently. "Are you sure you're doing alright?"
"What? Me? Yes, Fer-I mean, yes, I'm fine Sir Fergus!" Aidan stammered
"You don't sound alright Aidan…talk to me. What's wrong?" I prompted him gently.
"It's just…" Aidan stammered, his usual bravado fading and replaced by an expression of fear. "This expedition…it's going to be dangerous, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is…" I replied stonily, seeing no reason in lying just to ease his fears.
"I just…I'm just nervous that I'm going to do something to screw up and cause one of the others to die…I don't want that."
"Aidan," I spoke up firmly, causing him to look at me with a mixture of fright and shame. "You're going to do just fine, alright? I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't believe in you." I gave his shoulders an encouraging shake. "Just do your best and follow my orders, and we'll all come back out of this alive, alright?"
He looked at me for a second as though not sure whether to believe or not before nodding. "I can do that," he replied, relieved. "I trust you, Sir Fergus, and I know you'll keep us safe."
"Damn right I will, you and all the others." As I was speaking, I saw the Queen and the other council members, minus the representative from the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom, approaching us. I then proceeded to give Aidan an encouraging slap on the back. "Now get on board with the others." As he went and did as I instructed, I gave a low bow to the Queen and the other council members as they stood before the cart.
"Is everything set?" I asked.
"Yes, my Shadows have communicated that the other units are in position," the Queen replied, her expression grave. "We are ready to proceed with the first phase of the plan."
"Very well, we'll head out straight away," I nodded. "If I may ask…where is the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom representative?"
"He demanded to go with his sappers to ensure the best chance of their success, should circumstances necessitate their use," the Lowhirot representative answered before turning his gaze to Ost. "He also sends his regards to Lady Ost in case he doesn't return." Ost's expression turned sad at his words but she was still able to manage a nod in reply.
"On behalf of everyone here on the council, good luck Sir Shield-Hero, to you and all your brave companions," the Queen spoke up once more as she and the other council members gave us all a short bow, one which everyone on the cart respectfully returned as either a bow or a curtsy. "And may you return to us safely."
"We will endeavour to do so, your Highness," I returned, and with one last sharp salute I clambered up to the driver's seat. A split-second later Raphtalia took the seat on my right-hand side whilst Valda sat herself on my other side, with Keel and Fianna immediately taking up positions on the elevated platforms at the front of the cart.
"Okay Filo, let's go," I instructed. With a single nod of confirmation, the Filolial slowly pulled the cart forward and started carrying us in the direction where the rest of the army was currently marching.
"Oi, Sir Fergus!" I heard Jarek call out from the cart, and as I turned around, I saw him and the majority of the others all gathered around an area of the cart, each of them wearing looks of confusion.
"What's up Jarek?" I asked as I clambered into the back of the cart, handing off the reigns to Valda as I did so, and as I joined the others, I too let out a gasp at what had had them so confused: a banner pole, long enough to cover the whole length of the cart and bearing a flag, was lying. But what had me most astonished was the design of the flag, one I had only seen in a dream a long time ago. A half-and-half design, the left side of which was the left side of the official flag of Melromarc whilst the right side was the right-hand side of my Shield on a lime-green background.
"What's this design? And how did it get here?" I pondered out loud.
"Her Majesty had me bring this aboard." All eyes turned to look at the Queen's Shadow who was the only one remaining calm. "She said having this aboard the wagon bearing the Shield-Hero and his companions as they went into battle would be a morale-booster, I dare say."
"Ah, I see what Her Majesty is up to," Osmond chuckled, drawing surprised looks from some of the others.
"What do you mean, Os?" Myla asked first.
"Yeah, how will this help us?" Marsa added immediately afterwards.
"To the common people and soldiers of Melromarc, the four Heroes are seen as legends and are held in great esteem throughout the land, and none more so right now than our legendary Shield-Hero considering all of the good things he has done and the people he has helped out," Osmond explained, giving me a warm smile as he spoke. "If they see this banner, symbolising the joining of forces between Melromarc and the Shield-Hero, along with the Shield-Hero joining them in person…think of how much their spirits will be lifted! To know that in this most crucial of battles, the Shield-Hero will be fighting alongside them to help protect everything these soldiers care about."
And just like that, everyone's eyes widened in realisation, including mine. If this was going to drive the soldiers onto new heights, and thus increase our chances of success in this battle even by just the smallest bit, I was more than willing to forego any sense of embarrassment or hesitation regarding my status and use it for the benefit of others! "Alright then Jarek," I said as I picked up the banner and handed it to him. "Seeing as you found it, you get to wave it. Get up on one of the other raised platforms and raise it high for all to see!"
"Alright!" He grinned wickedly as he proceeded to do just that, clambering up his chosen platform and proceeding to hold the banner as high as he could.
"As for everyone else, on your feet. Let's give the men as much of a morale-booster as we can!" I encouraged them. "Let's all wave to them and give them as much encouragement as we can! Osmond, Sirona, if you've got any spiritual words of blessing or encouragement, now's the time for them."
Osmond gave me an encouraging smile and nod whilst Sirona's eyes lit up with happiness. "Oh absolutely, it would be my greatest honour to bless these soldiers on their way to the battlefield," she gushed before her expression faltered just a tad. "If I may…Sir Fergus…I know you don't believe nor have much love for any sort of religion, and given your experiences with the Three Heroes Church, I don't blame you, but invoking your title as part of the blessings…it may serve as greater encouragement for those believers amongst the troops."
I smiled in gratitude as I laid a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for your concern, Sirona, and yes, if you believe it will help then you have my permission to do such." I glanced over my shoulder quickly and, noticing that we were about to draw up next to the marching soldiers, returned my gaze to the others. "Okay everyone, we're just about in position. Let's do this!"
"Right!" I heard the others reply as they all got to their feet and moved as close to the side of the cart facing the soldiers as they could. Even the more reserved amongst my companions, such as Rishia and Lynn, were joining in. The only ones who stayed put in the cart were Ost and the Shadow. And as I returned to the front of the cart, Filo turned our wagon to the left so that we were now riding alongside the soldiers as they marched, and as I looked out at the mass of armoured figures on the move, my heart swelled with pride and relief to see so many preparing to do whatever it took to keep those they cared about along with the rest of the world safe from annihilation.
Almost immediately after we pulled alongside, the soldiers noticed us. Not just those from Melromarc who already knew me but troops from the other nations as well. But despite that difference, and judging from their excited whispers and expressions, their spirits were already starting to lift:
"Would you look at that? He's really here!"
"The Shield-Hero? He's fighting with us!"
"I can't believe it…it's actually him!"
"We're honoured to fight with you Shield-Hero!"
"Shield-Hero!"
"Look, he's brought others to fight with him too!"
"Hey, isn't that the Lady Raphtalia? She's fighting with us too!"
"We're counting on you Shield-Hero!"
Just hearing all of these cries and shouts was enough to send my heart and spirits to the heavens! Unable to help myself, I raised my Shield high and let out a large shout of encouragement, one that was echoed by all of my companions as Jarek proceeded to lift our banner as high as he could manage. In the midst of all of our shouting, I could make out Osmond's and Sirona's prayers to both the Light and the faith of the Shield-Hero to bless and protect these soldiers in their fight. Even the timid Rishia was offering words of encouragement at the top of her voice.
And as I basked in the midst of this cheering, shouting and morale-boosting, I felt a familiar warm hand grasp my left hand, as I looked down at her I saw Raphtalia looking back at me with a mixture of pride and adoration. I smiled back at her in response before turning my head back around and letting out one more shout of encouragement, along with everyone else, before lastly turning my gaze towards the horizon, where our foe no doubt awaited.
"All right everyone, you ready?" I asked out loud and heard varying cries of affirmation from companions in response. "Let's do this!" At the same time, I heard Eclair order the army to pick up the pace, and in perfect sync, Filo did exactly the same as everyone charged forward
~AaoTSH~
Although the sounds of its heavy footprints could easily be heard crashing against the ground, it seemed that the Spirit Tortoise wasn't in the biggest of rushes to take our bait, and had instead sent out its familiars to deal with us first as a large swarm of the bat-like creatures appeared on the horizon. Like an onrushing dark cloud, they flew directly at us, which is exactly what we had been banking on.
"Okay everyone get ready, here they come!" I shouted. "Osmond, you're up top with us! Raphtalia, make some room!"
"Okay, good luck!" With one last peck on my cheek, Raphtalia easily vaulted into the cart itself and her space was immediately taken by Osmond.
"As soon as they get close, focus everything you have into your taunt skills," I instructed both him and Valda. "Hold nothing back. You both ready?"
"Yes sir!" They both replied immediately as the swarm got ever closer to the column of soldiers. We had to time this just right…too early and they'd be out of range of our skills, or too late and they'd start attacking the soldiers.
"Steady…steady…" I bade as the gap between us and the swarm of familiars kept closing. "And…. NOW! HATE REACTION!" My voice turned into a roar as the familiar wave of red light erupted from my Shield and struck the swarm dead on, striking a good majority of them.
"RIGHTEOUS DEFENCE!" Osmond bellowed at the top of his lungs, causing the same yellow light from before to burst forth from his mace and snag some of the familiars I had missed. As for Valda, she didn't let out any spell or incantation. Instead, she let out a bellowing roar at the top of her lungs, the force of which impacted the last of the familiars that Osmond and I had missed, and as one the swarm peeled off from the soldiers and headed straight towards us. Success!
"It's working!" Raphtalia cried from behind.
"That's right you winged freaks, come where the real fight's going to be!" Jarek further taunted them.
"Alright everyone, time for the next phase! Keel, Fianna, open fire on those bastards…whittle their numbers down as much as you can!"
"Yes, Sir Fergus!" "On it!" Came the replies from the archers.
"Jarek, get back down in the cart and get ready for the upcoming fight! Aidan, Lynn, you two take the other towers and help thin out their numbers!"
"Right!" "You got it, sir!" "Will do"
"Everyone else, hold on tight because we're about to kick it up a notch!" I then placed a hand on Filo's back and gave it an encouraging rub. "Alright Filo, as soon as you're ready…FLOOR IT!"
"I'm on it, Master!" With a flap of her wings, she immediately picked up the pace, veering us off to the left and away from the soldiers who now had a clear run straight towards the Spirit Tortoise.
"Good luck, Sir Fergus!" I heard Eclair's final shout as we left her and the army behind, and in response, I gave her and the soldiers a salute and thumbs up as we left her behind, the swarm of familiars still right on our tail.
"Whatever you do Filo, don't let up!" I encouraged her over the clattering of our cart's wheels against the rocky ground. "We need to put as much distance between us and the army as possible!"
"You got it, Master!" She shouted back as she upped her pace even further, and as the familiars flapped their own wings even faster to catch up, they were already being picked off by accurate arrows from Keel and Fianna along with bolts of fire and water from Aidan and Lynn respectively. "Everyone okay back there?!"
"We're-EEEEEP!" I heard Rishia squeak as we hit a particularly nasty bump that jolted the cart up and down. "We're okay, except for Raphtalia and the twins!"
"Ah shit, I completely forgot that Raphtalia doesn't do well on a fast-moving cart, and it looks like the twins are the same!" "Sirona! Is there anything you can do for them?" I yelled back.
"I'll-I'll do what I can to make it slightly better for them!" She shouted back.
"H-Holy shit!" I suddenly heard Jarek cry out in fear, something I never thought would be possible for him, and as I looked back into the cart, I saw him looking into the distance and pointing, his eyes wide and limbs shaking. "It's here!" And as those of us who weren't currently occupied looked in the direction in which he was pointing, we all let out gasps of astonishment and fear as we finally beheld our enemy.
To say it was a living mountain was one of the biggest understatements you could ever make. That thing…there was no other to put it…was gargantuan, so much so that the ruins on the back of its shell dwarfed the mountain and valley peaks around it. And though its head, general body and legs bore an exact resemblance to a tortoise from my world, even the biggest amongst those would be mere ants compared to the size and mass of the beast currently lumbering in our direction on its massive legs, one of which could easily crush a whole district of buildings. And though its head was the smallest part of its body, it was still large enough to strike fear and terror into all those who saw it, to show all who beheld it that was a much bigger threat than anything the Waves of Calamity had thrown at us so far. And finally, there were its purple eyes. Though they were mere pinpricks to us at this distance, they could still be seen glowing with an eerie menace, their gaze fixed on the mass of soldiers currently charging towards it.
"By all that is holy…" Both Osmond and Sirona breathed.
"It's-it's so big…" Aidan gasped
"How is anyone going to be able to take that thing down…?" Fianna added fearfully.
"We-we just have to hope the plan made by Her Majesty and the other leaders works," Valda answered grimly. Throughout all this Ost hadn't said a word, her sad gaze fixed on the creature she served.
"Valda's right, we have to focus on our part of the plan and trust everyone else to do the same," I spoke up, and as I was speaking, we all watched as Eclair give the signal that caused all the units, like a well-oiled machine, to turn around and start retreating back towards the valley where the trap had been set. But judging from the sudden burst of speed that the Tortoise was able to put on, they'd have to vastly increase their own pace to not get caught themselves.
"How much further are we going, Sir Fergus?! Because Raphtalia and the twins aren't going to last much longer!" Doruk yelled as we too picked up the pace.
"Just a little bit further, just hold on a moment longer on you three! Keel, Fianna, Aidan, Lynn! How much have you guys got left?!"
"I've got a quarter quiver left!" Keel yelled back
"Same!" Came the cry from Fianna as both picked off another familiar each.
"I don't think I'm going to last much longer! Same with Aidan!" Lynn called back.
"Understood! A little bit more and-!" My words were cut off as the ground suddenly start to crack in front of us, and a split second later a load of familiar shapes burst forth from underneath. The ape-like familiars from before!
"Looks like that decision has been made for us!" "EVERBODY HOLD ON! FILO, HIT THE BRAKES!" I bellowed, and without hesitation, the Filolial dug her claws into the ground and brought us all to a complete stop just in time. And thanks to my warning, everyone was able to maintain their balance and not go flying due to the sudden braking. However, judging by the sudden sounds of retching that could be heard from behind, it looked like our sudden breaking had only exacerbated Raphtalia and the twins' motion sickness.
"Aidan, Lynn, you two stay with those three until you all recover! Everybody else, hop off! We're gonna take down the rest of the familiars right here, right now!" I ordered as I quickly hopped off the driver's seat, with Valda doing the same thing and Osmond joining us a second or two later after quickly unhitching Filo from the cart.
"All of them?! B-but there's so many!" Rishia squeaked worriedly
"She's right! I'm all for a good fight boss, but this seems like way too many for us to deal with at once!" Jarek cautioned in a tone that, once more, we weren't accustomed to hearing. But to be fair he and Rishia had every right to be worried, as not only would we be dealing with a sizable pack of the ape-like familiars, but we also had the bat-like familiars still swarming down on us from behind.
"I know these are dire odds Jarek, but we have no choice. We need to keep the familiars focused on us and away from the soldiers," Doruk reminded him sourly.
"All of you, focus on the familiars on the ground. Leave the aerial ones to me," Ost suddenly spoke up in a determined tone, and as we all turned to look at her, we saw her wearing an expression of grim determination.
"B-But Lady Ost! There are so many, surely you can't mean to take them by yourself?! You'll die!" Rishia pleaded. The familiar smiled and patted her head reassuringly in response.
"Trust me, Rishia," she told her before turning her gaze in my direction. "Please, Sir Fergus, allow me to do this for you."
"Are you sure you can handle so many?" I asked her cautiously. She'd mentioned to us that she could use earth, support and gravity magic, but had remained quiet on the extent of her powers.
"I can keep them immobilised for a short while, long enough for the rest of you to deal with the other familiars," she replied.
Seeing as how I was out of ideas otherwise given the current depletion of our numbers, I had no choice. "Okay then Ost, do it," I instructed her before turning to the others. "Osmond, Valda, just like we did before. Let's gather as many of them up as possible. Jarek, Filo, you're on melee duty. The rest of you get back on the cart and take them from range."
"Understood!" Like a well-oiled machine, we all took our positions to face the approaching horde of the ape-like familiars, all the while trusting Ost to deal with the bats.
"Bind my power…so that the gravity of those before me be amplified…Ultra-Gravity Enhancement: Sinking Temple!" From Ost's hands shot a large ball of black magic that hit the swarm of bat familiars dead on, causing them to plummet to the ground and stay there as she held them in place.
"Such power…that's what gravity magic looks like?" Doruk marvelled.
"I can only keep them like this for a short while…do you what have to!" Ost grimaced, hands outstretched and her face set in concentration.
"She's right, every second is precious!" I directed my gaze back towards the swarm of ape familiars and raised my Shield of the First Avenger. "Hate Reaction!" Once more the familiar beam of red light, along with Osmond and Valda's taunt skills, shot towards and captured the attention of the advancing horde. "Melee, with me! Don't let them surround us!"
"You got it boss-man!" Jarek whooped in response. "Filo, give me a lift!"
"'Kay!" In one smooth motion, Jarek leapt onto Filo's back as she prepared to charge forward. "Master, give us a boost!"
"Got it! Springboard Shield!" As Filo charged at me, I once more laid my Shield to the ground, allowing Filo to bounce off it and soar high into the air right above the familiars.
"Look out below monkeys!" Jarek cheered as he leapt off Filo at the height of her jump and brought down his great sword on top of the monkeys, cleaving several of them as he landed.
"High Quick!" A burst of wind surrounded Filo's talons as she landed, blowing back several more of the familiars in the process. And as they were recovering, Filo changed back into her human form and held her hands out. "Drifa Tornado!" From her hands, a large column of air burst forth in a large tornado that blew away those on the ground and caused the ones in the rear to dive to the side to avoid getting hit. This however put them in the path of Osmond and Valda who had used the chaos caused by Jarek and Filo's assault to launch an attack on their flanks. With their front and side ranks now decimated, the horde's numbers were greatly reduced and proved easy pickings for our archers and magic-casters.
Whilst this had been going on, I'd been keeping an eye on Ost as she continued to hold down the bat familiars with her gravity spell. She was visually straining from the effort but still had them pinned to the ground by the time the rest had finished mopping up the ape-like familiars. With the aid of Sirona as well as Raphtalia and the twins who had just recovered from their bout of motion sickness, my companions were easily able to focus down the bat familiars, with most of the damage coming from large area-of-effect spells cast by the magic-casters.
"Okay everyone, take a few minutes to rest and replenish what you need," I told them after the last familiar had fallen since most of the magic-casters looked about ready to keel over from exhaustion, Ost especially since I had to quickly dash forward and catch her as she suddenly started to keel over. "Woah there, easy…I won't let you fall," I assured her as I laid her gently on the ground.
"Thank you, Sir Fergus…I fear I may have over-exerted myself in holding down all of those…Ugh!" Ost's hand palmed her face as she suddenly seized up in pain.
"Ost! What is it?" I cried, a healing spell on my lips. But Ost held my hand back as she shook her head.
"I'm…fine…" she breathed heavily. "I may be a familiar of the Spirit Tortoise but… oftentimes I can feel some of its pain as my own…"
"She can? But that means…" A sudden loud crashing sound along with the sound of falling rubble interrupted my thoughts as we all looked over towards the valley where the rest of the allied forces were intercepting the Spirit Tortoise, and even though we could only see only a slight part of the Spirit Tortoise's rear, the fact that it was currently flat on the ground, its back legs slightly splayed out beneath it was more than enough of a clue that our ambush had been successful, but in order to do so, we'd had to resort to our back-up plan of blowing the sides of the valley.
"Sir Fergus!" I suddenly turned to see another of the Queen's Shadows kneeling on the ground next to us. "We were able to lure the Tortoise into the valley and, using all of the siege weapons, inflict enough of a wound on one of the Tortoise's forelegs to cause it to slow down. This gave the sappers from the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom the opportunity to safely detonate the explosives and collapse the valley around the Tortoise, effectively pinning it to the ground." Her expression then turned grave. "However, to ensure all of the detonations went off…the general from the Spirit Tortoise Kingdom and all of the sappers had to detonate them at close range…there is little doubt that they perished in doing so…"
"I see…" I murmured gravely. Even though we'd tried our best to come up with a plan to ensure zero casualties, in truth we'd all known that was never going to be the case. All around me the others marked their sacrifice in silent respect, with Osmond and Sirona offering up prayers thanking them for their sacrifice.
"If Ost is feeling it that bad…" I turned back to look at our new companion with a slight frown. "Then the Tortoise must've taken a really bad hit…" "Is there anything we can do to relieve your pain?" I asked eventually.
Ost shook her head. "No, it's fine…please don't worry about me. This needed to happen…" She too looked over towards the collapsed valley. "It's imperative now that your allies don't let up. They need to destroy the head before the Tortoise can recover."
"O-Ost is right, Sir Fergus!" I heard Rishia call out as I got Ost to her feet and, with Osmond's help, escorted her back towards the cart. The green-haired magic-caster was currently leafing her way through the tome containing all the information on the Guardian Beasts. "According to what I'm reading…even though the Spirit Tortoise has been stopped and is slightly weakened, it's still dangerous!"
"R-Rishia is right…" Ost murmured as we all quickly jumped back into the cart and, after reattaching Filo's reins, started heading over to where the Tortoise was. "And being this close to the Spirit Tortoise…seems to have reawakened some information in my mind…"
"What are you talking about Ost?" Raphtalia asked worriedly. She, Rishia and I were currently kneeling next to Ost in the back of the cart whilst up front Valda, Osmond and Jarek had the reins.
"When the Spirit Tortoise is in a situation like this where it cannot take souls through trampling all in its way…then it'll use other means to do so…"
"Other means?" I asked. "What are you-?"
"Wait…do you see what's appearing behind the Tortoise?" I suddenly heard Valda exclaim, and as I got up and looked at what she was talking about, I and everyone else let out a horrified gasp at what we were seeing: What appeared to be giant, pink spikes of energy were materialising all along the back of the Tortoise's shell.
"No…there's so many…" Doruk murmured, horrified.
"Wait…Ost! Is that-?"
"Yes," Ost cut me off gravely. "A long-ranged assault." "Oh no…" All of a sudden, the pink spikes flew off the Tortoise's back and launched into the sky before arcing back towards the ground, all of them aiming at the forces currently gathered in the valley, along with Eclair's decoy troops who were rushing back to confront it.
Time seemed to slow almost to a crawl as the pink spikes flew into the air. From what I could see, all the soldiers and the siege crews manning their equipment were struck dumb and rendered helpless by what they were saying.
"There's nothing we can do to stop it!" Ost cried weakly from where she was lying. "Sir Fergus, you have to tell them to retreat!"
"She's right…I can't let any more lives be lost today!" "Voice Gengar Shield!" As the Shield quickly changed into its megaphone form, I hurriedly raised it to my mouth and bellowed: "EVERYONE GET BACK! NOW!" Although Eclair and a good portion of her forces, mostly the cavalry, were able to scatter and move away, most of the infantry and all of the siege weapons and crews either looked over our way questioningly or simply couldn't move in time as the spikes impacted the ground and cliffs around them, creating miniature pink explosions that sent bodies, equipment and debris flying in their wake.
"No…all those people…" I fell to my knees in despair as a sudden wave of hopelessness overwhelmed me. So many lives…wiped out just like that. And what was worse was that there'd been nothing I could've or would've been able to do about it. I felt Raphtalia wrap herself around my back as she shared in my despair, whilst at the same time I had similar sobs, cries and curses as everyone reacted to what we'd just seen.
"So much devastation…is it really that desperate for souls?" I heard Keel question out loud.
"No, it's gathering more than the number it needs" Ost replied, her voice a bit stronger having recovered a little. "I suspect that this is the work of the one who broke the seal and who is currently controlling it."
"Watch out! Some're coming this way!" Valda exclaimed, and as I looked up, I saw what he meant: several of the pink spikes were currently arcing straight towards the cart, Filo in particular. And it was thanks to Valda's shout that I was able to snap out of my brief moment of despair. I'd mourn the loss of all the soldiers later, right now I had to protect my companions!
"Hit the brakes, Filo!" I ordered as I leapt forward, and as she and the cart skidded to a stop the momentum from my leap forward carried me right into the path of the spikes. "Iron Meteorite Shield! Activate skill: Meteor Shield!" My skill activation came in the nick of time as the familiar blue bubble appeared in front of us and successfully blocked the spikes, keeping us safe for the moment. "That was way too close…if it attacks again, we'll be slaughtered…"
"Thank you, Shield-Hero," Ost spoke up gratefully. "And you're correct, it will attack again soon. We need to find cover."
"She's right…if we stay out in the open, we'll be massacred…" Doruk said grimly.
"We need to find somewhere where the spikes won't hit us whilst we come up with a plan of attack. Anyone got any ideas?" I asked everyone.
"Sir Fergus…I noticed that when the spikes landed, none of them fell in the Tortoise's immediate vicinity," Fianna piped up. "I don't think it can direct its spikes in the area surrounding its body."
"I saw it too…the nearest spikes landed a good few metres away from its body," Keel spoke up in agreement.
"I see…it must not be able to angle its attacks to land close to it," Osmond murmured with a furrowed brow. "That means if we can get close to it…"
"…we'll be able to avoid the next round of attacks whilst we come up with a plan to take it out…" I finished. "Awesome observation skills there, Fianna. Okay everyone, we're gonna go in close and take cover beneath the big lug! If we're lucky, us getting in close will confuse it enough to hesitate."
"I don't mean to be rude but are you lot crazy? That thing will trample us!" Jarek exclaimed in disbelief.
"It's the only option we've got!" I told him firmly as I retook my space in the driver's seat whilst Valda moved to sit in the cart itself. "Shadow!"
"Yes, Shield-Hero?" She was instantly kneeling on the ground beside Filo, looking up at me expressionlessly.
"Spread the word to all the other units: If they are unable to get out of the valley, have them get in close to the Tortoise itself. And remind them to take care not to get crushed beneath it."
"Understood," she replied promptly.
"Once you have done so, get a message to the Queen and the other council members," I told her. "And tell them we're moving the plan to stage 2. They'll understand."
"I'll make it a priority." With those words, she dashed away towards the other side of the valley as I felt, and heard, Jarek move into the back of the cart as well and the person replacing him move to grab my hand.
"Fergus…do you think this will work?" As I looked over, I saw Raphtalia looking back at me worriedly.
"We've run out of options," I returned grimly as I shook the reins and urged Filo forward into a quick trot. "Let's just hope all the mages we've brought here will be enough…"
I'm not sure what manner of spell would be cast, but judging from what the Mideus representative had told us during the council meetings, it would be a spell of massive proportions that was designed to wipe out entire legions of soldiers at a time.
And right now…that's exactly the sort of spell we would need to even make a dent in the Spirit Tortoise's defences…
~AaoTSH~
"This thing…!" I grunted as I blocked yet another spike thrown our way. "Just won't…" And another. "LET UP!" I growled again as I tanked a further couple of spikes. At the moment I was currently using my Meteor Shield as a barrier whilst we got in close, but the damn Tortoise, as if it knew what we were up to, just kept pummelling the surrounding area with even more spikes. And despite their best efforts to be careful, I could see the number of Eclair's soldiers being whittled down with every spike that landed amongst their ranks.
But that deterred neither them nor us, and slowly but surely those who remained got within the minimum range where we wouldn't get hit by the spikes. And while the Tortoise continued to fire, it was unable to angle its attacks low enough to hit the ground in its immediate vicinity, just as Fianna and Osmond had speculated.
"Okay, we're in position," I spoke as the last soldier made it inside the 'safe zone' before raising a fist. "Keel, do it!"
"Right! Light Arrow!" As she spoke a shining arrow left her blow and flew straight into the air, in plain sight of where the mages were gathered on a nearby cliff.
"Alright, that's the signal. Everyone hold onto something, this could be rough," I warned.
"Please let this work!" Both twins spoke up as one.
"All that magic poured into this one spell…" Lynn said, her expression set in a mix of awe and nervousness. "If this doesn't work…then what will?"
"This is our best, and last, shot at crippling this lug. With every mage pouring all their magic into this, they won't be able to try again if they fail…" I gripped the side of the cart even tighter as we all watched, daring to hope and believe that the mages could do this.
"And even if this spell doesn't kill it…if it works as intended, it should not only destroy the injured leg but also create a hole big enough to trap the Tortoise in to keep it from moving again," Ost explained.
"But even if they manage to create that hole, the sheer size of the Tortoise means there's no guarantee that that hole will be enough to hold it," I added grimly. "But even so…should it work, it should buy us enough time to decapitate it the old-fashioned way." I then turned to look at the two individuals who'd been at my side the longest. "Raphtalia, Filo…you two are by far the strongest amongst us. It'll be up to you both to finish the job if needed."
"You can count on me, Master!" Filo chirped from up front.
"Me too," Raphtalia added, a determined glint in her eyes as her hands moved to her sword.
"And those of us who are able will buff you with as much power and strength as possible to make doubly certain of this," I said, my gaze roving over Oswald, Sirona and Rishia who all nodded back determinedly.
"Yes…if we can do all that, that should be enough," Ost confirmed, her determined gaze not wavering an inch despite knowing what our success would mean for her fate.
"Are you sure?" I asked her gently. Despite knowing we had to do this or risk the lives of everyone here, I still couldn't help but feel awful that by doing this, we'd be sealing her death as well. And judging by the grim, and in some cases sad, expressions on the faces of the others, they were feeling the same. Rishia in particular looked as though she was about to burst into tears.
"Absolutely," Ost replied instantly as she patted Rishia's head reassuringly, as though she could sense the girl's sadness. "I knew the minute I came to ask for your help that this fate would be possible. And if it saves the lives of everyone here, and ends my master's torment, then it is a price I will pay gladly."
"Okay, if you're-" What I was about to say got cut off as Raphtalia suddenly gripped my hand.
"Fergus watch out!" At her cry, my gaze snapped back forward just in time as the ground broke apart in front of us and a monster that could only be described as grotesque rose and placed itself right in our path. I couldn't even begin to describe what it resembled since it looked like a horrible mismatch of different monsters: it had the body of one of the ape-like familiars we'd fought before, but its face looked like a demonic pig's with a dark blonde mane surrounding it, and protruding from its back was two claws that greatly resembled those of a mantis. As I tried to comprehend all of this, a tool-tip popped up in my status menu next to the monster that read: 'Spirit Tortoise familiar – Level 56' with a sub-text below it that put its type as an amalgamated parasite, which was a better description for it than anything I could potentially come up with.
"Damnit, we don't have time for this!" I cried in frustration. "We need to get even closer to the Tortoise so that we can launch our attack!"
"Leave this to us!" All of a sudden, a column of Haikazuya dragon-riders rode past us and headed straight for the familiar, swords drawn.
"Wait?! What are you doing? You're no match for that thing!" I shouted as they passed by.
"Please fall back! You'll be killed!" Raphtalia pleaded further as one of the riders stopped next to our cart.
"Your job is to handle the Spirit Tortoise! Let us deal with this one!" The rider demanded.
"Go, Fergus!" I heard Ost shout, and as I looked back, I saw with horror that she'd leapt out of the cart, her hands outstretched towards the familiar which suddenly drew to a halt, its muscles and limbs visibly struggling to push itself forward against what I now realised was Ost's gravity magic holding it back.
"No, Ost!" Rishia screamed as she desperately tried to go to her aid, only to be held back by the twins and Doruk.
"Ost! What are you doing?! You're going to get yourself killed!" Her only response to my shout was to extend her right arm out, her hand glowing green as light green domes proceeded to surround each of the soldiers moving to attack the familiar as well as our cart, an action that saved our lives as a split-second later another barrage of pink spikes impacted the area around us. But thanks to Ost's magic, everyone was safe and despite the fact she was panting heavily, she was still able to give me a reassuring smile.
"Ost…thank you. Okay Filo, punch it!" I commanded, turning away and looking back towards the turtle with grim determination.
"Hold on tight, one more time!" With these words the cart sprung forward once more, circling around the struggling familiar as we headed around the Tortoise's underbelly to get a batter angle at its head whilst at the same time taking extra care not to get crushed under the Tortoise's belly. And as we rode, we watched the mega-tier spell the mages were casting form in the air above us, and as it came together…why did it suddenly look so familiar to me?
"Wait…is that?" Keel asked disbelievingly
"I'd recognise it anywhere…that's Judgment!" Sirona confirmed
"Y-You mean that same big spell the Pope used when he tried to kill all the Heroes?" Rishia squeaked, her expression and voice still somewhat downcast.
"The very same," I answered as the two magic circles in the sky started to glow ominously, which was then followed by the now very familiar huge yellow beam of light shooting straight downward at the Tortoise's head. We all averted our eyes and held on for dear life as the spell hit its target, causing the massive beast to let out a huge bellow of pain. But as the spell faded and the dust cloud from the impact cleared, we all gasped in horror to see the Tortoise's head still moving about. Had it really just…shrugged off that mega-tier spell like it was nothing?
"What the hell?! That should've blown its head clean off!" Jarek exclaimed in disbelief
"No, look! There's a gash!" Fianna shouted, pointing at the Tortoise's head, and as we followed where her hand was pointing, we saw that she was right: a huge rip in its skin that ran vertically down the left side of its neck.
"We've got a target then!" I shouted as I quickly unhitched Filo from the cart. "Okay girls, you're up! Hold nothing back!"
"Right!" They both yelled as Raphtalia leapt and in one smooth motion landed on Filo's back as the Filolial leapt upward, using the Tortoise's shell along with the peaks and valleys amongst the ruins on its back as stepping stones to gather momentum as they shot towards the Tortoise's neck.
"Spiral Strike!" I heard Filo yell as she switched to her human form, her hands glowing light blue.
"Eight Trigrams Blade of Destiny!" Raphtalia bellowed, her sword emitting a dark purple light that, even from this distance, I could somewhat notice its very familiar pattern…was that a yin and yang symbol?
"What sort of attack is that? I've never seen her use it before!" I wondered as the girls struck at the gash with all their might, their combined attack expanding into a yellow and purple beam that was slowly cutting through the Tortoise's neck. But despite their best efforts, I could visibly see their attack slowing until it suddenly fizzled out, causing the Tortoise to let out a triumphant roar as the wound slowly started to seal itself.
"No! It's healing itself!" Aidan screamed.
"If that wound seals itself, we'll lose our only hope of hurting it!" Osmond bellowed.
"Not on my watch! Air Strike Shield!" I bellowed, creating the familiar ethereal green Shield and launching it into the gash to try and keep it from sealing. But despite my sudden action, the wound continued to close, and so I poured more and more of my mana into the lodged Shield, causing it to expand in size and preventing the gash from sealing any further. But even as I kept pushing, I could feel the weight of the wound and the Tortoise's own magic start to fight back, trying desperately to push my Shield out. "Oh no you don't! No way am I letting you heal!" I roared inside my head.
"By my power…" I suddenly heard a weak, but very familiar voice, speak up as a familiar pair of hands suddenly laid themselves on my Shield of the First Avenger. "May strength be granted to the Holy Shield before me. Now go!" At these words my Shield glowed an even sharper shade of light green, causing the Shield lodged in the side of the Tortoise's head to expand even further.
"Ost…" I murmured as I saw her leaning upon my Shield, her body almost slumped from exhaustion but her eyes and expression that carrying the same determination as before. "Alright, listen up everyone!" I proceeded to shout "Those who can, buff Filo and Raphtalia with everything you have!"
"Will do! Divine Favour!" Sirona held her hands out, enveloping Filo and Raphtalia in a yellow glow.
"Light's Blessing!" From Osmond's hands came another beam of yellow light that wrapped itself around Raphtalia's sword and Filo's hands.
"I-I'll help too! Zweite Power!" Rishia called out, shooting forth a large orange ball of light that also wrapped itself around Raphtalia and Filo
"That'll do it! Raphtalia! Filo! One more time!" I ordered, laying my Shield down in front of me. "Springboard Shield!
"Right!" They shouted determinedly as they both leapt on top of my Shield and shot up one more time towards the Tortoise's neck
"You can do it you two!" Keel encouraged
"You've got this!" The twins shouted.
"Give it hell!" Jarek egged them on with the others joining in with similar shouts of encouragement. Driven on by both their comrades along with the various buffs they had been given, the girls powered into the gash one more time and, unlike last time, easily carved through the neck and out the other side. Rendered utterly powerless by its various wounds along with my Shield lodged in its neck, all the Tortoise could do was scream and bellow in pain as its large head was detached from its neck and started falling to the floor. And as both of the girls landed, the Tortoise's head crashed to the ground behind them, raising up a large dust cloud that temporarily hid them from us.
"They did it…they actually did it…" I murmured, somewhat shocked. Even though I always had faith in the pair of them to accomplish whatever came their way, it had seemed almost impossible that they could pull off something of this magnitude on a creature this powerful…and yet…despite those odds, they had.
"THEY DID IT!" Keel roared triumphantly.
"W-We won! We really won!" Rishia exclaimed joyfully as everyone around me started cheering, giving each other hugs and high-fives as they revelled in our victory. My eyes, however, were focused on the dust cloud in front of me, and as the two familiar figures emerged from the gloom, I found myself unable to contain my joy and relief as I dashed forward, arms wide and outstretched.
Raphtalia was the first to leap into my arms as I spun her round in the air and held her tight before proceeding to snog her senseless which she gladly returned.
"That was mega babe, I'm so proud of you," I whispered as our lips parted, and as I put her down Filo launched herself at me, her expression ecstatic as I proceeded to wrap her in a warm hug as well.
"Did you see me, Master? Raphtalia and I kicked its butt!" She bragged joyously as she clung to my neck
"I saw the whole thing Filo…you two were amazing," I replied as I hugged her close with one hand whilst using the other to pull Raphtalia back in as we shared a three-way hug. "We did it you two…we won!" And as we hugged, I heard the cheers started by my companions echo throughout the valley as all the surviving soldiers joined in.
"I'm so glad we won…" I heard Raphtalia sigh happily against my chest, but as she pulled her head back her expression changed into one of sadness. "I just wish…we didn't have to lose so many people…"
"I know…I wish we could have saved everyone…" I murmured, stroking her hair reassuringly. Even though we'd only known her for the best part of a day or two, losing Ost still hurt. She'd been so kind to all of us, especially Rishia. "We'll make sure to remember them though…Ost, and everyone else who gave their lives so that we might win."
"W-wait…OST! W-what are you still doing here?!" I suddenly heard Rishia squeak loud enough for us to hear.
"HUH?!" The three of us looked back towards where the others were still gathered. And every one of my companions was looking just as stunned as I was on seeing that Ost, instead of vanishing or dying, was still on her feet, alive and well! In fact, it looked like she'd already recovered from the exertions of the battle! "Hold on…if she's still alive…then that means…!"
"Oh…well, that's a shame…" She spoke up sheepishly as Rishia flitted around all her, hands to her face as though she couldn't quite believe what was before her eyes. "I'm sorry to say that, despite all the power and strength you just displayed, it would appear that you haven't been able to defeat the Spirit Tortoise just yet…"
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT?!" Everyone else, including myself, exclaimed loudly as the sun started to set in the sky behind the massive body of the fallen Spirit Tortoise…
Wait a minute…was that one episode covered in one chapter? Hallelujah it's a miracle, took us 6 chapters to manage that! In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Not much to say except having to factor in Fergus' added companions and how they would affect the events that took place in episode 3.
I plan to sleep as much as possible the next few days and then get cracking on with chapter 7, hopefully as soon as the weekend time allowing, and in that chapter, we'll be exploring the ruins on the Spirit Tortoise's shell and once again linking up with our favourite Scythe Boy and his gang, an interaction I have been looking forward to writing ever since I saw the episode. Until then, this is theoneandonlyedster signing out for now and I'll see you in the next one.
