Chapter 9
"Say, Erk... have you finally got all that anger out of your system?" Priscilla inquired.
"Yes, I'll be fine. I should at least be glad that you're with me, and Sothe is safe here with us. We're in very good standing, from the way I see it. Now we'll just have to formulate the perfect plan of taking down Queen Serra" Erk said.
"Easier said than done. That girl is both insane AND powerful! And you know how difficult taking out a psycho is. I still remember how good Ashnard is, and unfortunately, the King's got nothing on this crazy lady." Sothe said.
"Right. That's exactly why we have to be very powerful in handling her. So for now, we have to gradually diminish her army until only she remains. At least that way, we know that Serra will have Indignationly no assistance when we take the fight to her directly. I am certain this is when we will stand our best chance" Erk analyzed.
"I'm not sure... I've seen her power, it isn't... human... the unconventional mix of light and dark power swirling within her is beyond that of anything we could ever come up against... I bet she could slaughter dragons with what she has!" Sothe exclaimed.
"That's why we must not lose heart. As long as we have hope, there'll always be chance to win" Priscilla assured.
"You're... a little too positive about this" Sothe sighed.
Before Erk could reprimand the little thief, a random lance-wielding soldier rushed in.
"Sir Erk! Lady Priscilla! It's an emergency! Queen Serra's main army has reached Castle Caelin! They're preparing an all out assault!" he cried.
"This is certainly serious" Erk responded.
"Lady Lyndis has requested everyone's attendance at the main hall" the soldier informed them.
"Thank you, my good man. Come, everyone! To the main hall!" Erk called out.
Both Sothe and Priscilla nodded silently as the three of them proceeded into the main hall as instructed.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey had disturbing visions of an ominous figure mounted on his mighty steed, laughing victoriously as he carried an unconscious Princess Elincia by his side. The disturbing laughter echoed in his head as the scenery around the rider blackened with a storm, as thunder crashed regularly and frequently. When the face of the mounted figure became clear in his mind, Geoffrey rised up from his depressed state and rushed towards the main hall after the three companions.
"I can feel it... he's here!"
In the main hall, Lady Lyndis was in the middle of offering the greatest words of encouragement she ever gave any troops she was in charge in. The Revolution Rebellion Army nearly overcrowded the halls as they listened intensely on their leading lady.
"... And so, this is why we must stand up and fight! For too long has Mad Queen Serra hunted down us Revolution Rebels like a bunch of helpless game rabbits! And for what? For the ridiculous reason of preserving the "Wii" name! Well, he cannot allow her to maim, slaughter, and torture us for her purposes any longer! We must stay strong! We must stand together! And we must show her our might! Our victory today will earn us the preservation of life, and a hope for a better future! Our defeat will mean the end! So, our choice is obvious! We MUST win this battle, nay, we WILL win this battle!"
The crowd cheered. They had had enough for their unreasonable persecutions, and they bared their fangs to rip Serra's Wii empire to shreds.
"Very well troops! MOVE OUT!" Lyn ordered.
Without a moment's hesitation, the Rebellion soldiers poured out of the Castle to attack the Wii Army head on.
Outside of the Castle, Kenneth smiled in delight as the rebellion made their way to the front lines.
"ALRIGHT YOUSE THUGS, IT'S TIME WE SEND THEM REBELS UP THE RIVER STICKS, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN!" he cried to the hundreds soldiers at his back.
His loyal minions were more than happy to follow his command, as they all charged forward to meet the rebellion in chaotic melee. What they did not predict, however, was the lightning-quick silver streak that elegantly cutting its way into the battle from behind its own lines.
Fighters quickly chose personal foes to concentrate on as the raging forces collided. Some enemies met equal matches, while others fought loosing battles. Either way, neither side was ready to give in, so neither side gained the advantage.
In one portion of the battlefield, two fledgling mages duke it out for anima supremacy.
"You're such a cute girl, to be honest, Nino It's a shame I have to ruthlessly defeat you right now, unless you change my mind. Honestly, how could you fail to recognize the brilliance of the "Wii"? It's a name I could cry all day, and it could never get annoying! It's a name that emphasizes the joy that one receives from the experience of the gaming! Feel the Wii! Love the Wii! Cry the Wii! Wiiiiiiiii! Can't you see how fun calling out such a great name?" a red-haired boy in light blue robes called out to his green-haired opponent.
"But some people have started loosing respect for Nintendo since making that move. And for my case, this isn't about the name of a console! I can understand what you're trying to accomplish, Ewan, but I know perfectly well what Serra does for her cause! I cannot abide by so cruel and tyrannical, and...I'm sorry, if you've chosen to ally with her, I cannot allow myself to be defeated by you!" Nino answered back.
"What a shame. Maybe if I can take you in alive, then Queen Serra can help you understand our vision!" Ewan cheerfully cried.
"I WON'T GO!" Nino cried back.
The two of them then sent Ellfire spells at each other, which clashed together and created a big boom with a shockwave that pushed the opposing mages further apart.
"Say, you're prety good, Miss!" Ewan complimented.
"Thanks. You're not too bad yourself!" Nino waved.
"Guess I'll have to take it up a notch" Ewan smiled.
He then began another spell, which Nino was ready to counter, but she was not prepared for a direct assault, as Ewan halted mid-chant and disappeared from view. She then felt a deep pain in her lower body, as Ewan delivered a swift knee to her gut.
"G-gha... why did you... but... it's... it's not..."
"Fair?" Ewan grinned. "Yeah, I know that, but this is war, Miss Nino. It's too risky to be courteous, as you've just witnessed. Sorry I have to this, though..."
Certain of victory, he again prepared to release another Elfire spell. He let it charge into critical power and was just about to release when a Lightning spell crashed into him from above, knocking him out. From behind, an arrogant woman with violet blue hair watched apathetically on her horse.
"U-Ursula! You actually saved me! Oh, thank you! I still can't believe you've sided with us!" Nino cried in joy.
"Don't be so grateful, girl. I'vve merely joined forces with the likes of you because I really don't enjoy how the balance of power has shifted lately." Ursulla scoffed. She then trotted away, leaving a speechless Nino in awe.
"Damn that cleric girl! If Lord Nergal's power should belong to anyone, it should be me! It is Ursula of the Four Fangs that truly deserves that honor!" Ursula ranted aloud with her fist clutched tightly.
In a nearby battle, another mage contended with an archer by trading snipe after snipe.
"You really don't have an open mind about this kind of thing, do you?" A cheerful young man with spikey red hair and aqua tunic called out as he aimed a few arrows at his opponent.
"I'm afraid not. I do not see the logic in the "Wii" name. Why give a highly-anticipated revolutionary console such an obscure, questionable name? I have the strongest feeling that the potential fan base for Nintendo has already dropped. It's... an ill-conceived idea" a prodigy mage with purple hair answered.
"Well, on the surface, that's what it would seem. You would have to admit that your sense of logic is a bit... premature, don't you think, Lute? You've failed to see internal meanings behind the "Wii" name, so already you've failed to comprehend the new console!" the archer called back.
"You may have a point, Wil, however, I also fail to understand why you've joined Serra's cause. You could've established a more peaceful method... maybe a support group that could spread the word with little conflict" Lute proposed.
Wil sighed. "Yeah, I suppose that's true. Unfortunately, I got attacked by a radical anti-"Wii" group made up mostly of violent laguz. I... really haven't been the same since then, so I felt that helping the "Wii" army prevail would ensure the safety of Wii supporters such as myself. Understand that I meant no harm to Lady Lyn by making this choice. I truly felt it was the most appropriate course of action"
"I'll be sure to tell Lady Lyndis as soon I defeat you" Lute coolly answered.
"Then I guess I'll have to deliver that message personally" Wil responded.
On a hill further away from the chaos, the mysterious Paladin watched the battle in amazement.
"So many ladies packed in one place, and yet so many of them are enemies that must be defeated. 'Tis a shame how much damage is to be done, but I'm sure I'll have plenty to salvage." he grinned.
The mysterious figure soon dealt with a magical assault from both sides, which he somehow dodged with ease.
"After trying to have fun with Priscilla, I think you've had a little too much of the ladies, Sain." Erk called out in a low tone.
"As the enemy of womankind, you must be dealt with!" Priscilla cried from behind.
The powerful Paladin smiled in delight as he turned to face the beautiful Valkyre.
"Ah, Princess Priscilla! 'Tis a pleasure to reunite with you, I'm sure!" he pronounced in his most knightly voice.
"Can it, Casanova!" Priscilla shouted. She then turned her head in shame of what she witnessed. "Sir Sain, I thought... you were better than this. Even if you were a little, strange... you were a hearty friend. But now I see that you're willing to abuse power in order to pillage women for your own desires! I would've actually forgiven you for trying to rush a relationship with me, but this is going too far!"
"A 'hearty friend', eh?" Sain answered softly. "I don't want a 'friend' for a girl... I wanted something more... I ALWAYS wanted something more... there are so many beautiful girls in this world, and yet all of them seemed predestined for a man other than me. I had proclaimed my affections for you, Princess Priscilla, and I failed. But before even then, there was another who rejected me, and it's quite the irony that I stand before you today with such power because of her."
Erk stared at Sain in confusion. "Wh-what? What do you mean by that?"
Sain had a nostalgic look in his eyes along with a sick grin. "It was so long ago. Infact, it was on that same day I met you, my mage friend. Those gorgeous pink strands of her, those bright violet eyes... and holy garbs of pure white. Her social graces further enhanced her natural charm. I was immediately smitten with her, but I found so little opportunities to make my move. But then, finally, on that day we all fought to save the very Castle that stood before us, I found the perfect opportunity, but she blatantly turned me down. To this day, I felt that has been one of the crudest rejections I had ever faced. And yet, when my lovely Queen Serra observed the powers of Nergal and started her campaign to preserve the "Wii", she became desperate for minions. Interesting that I happened to be the very first recruit that she turned too. After turning down my station at Ostia, I wandered Elibe tired, alone, and desperate for a romance befitting a knight after countless rejections. Just when I reached my darkest hour, my newly reborn Queen in a dark violet gown reached out to me, ready to grant my deepest desires. She initially promised me power, which was a prospect that mattered to me so little, until she explained how I could use this power to achieve my one true dream. So here I am, a Paladin of the Wii, ready to gather the lovely harem I've always wanted!"
"You... were in... love with... Serra? I think... I'm going to be sick" Erk groaned.
"So then, that means... I WAS JUST SOME CHICK YOU WANTED ON THE REBOUND!" Priscilla cried angrily.
"Don't think of it that way, my lovely princess. The way I see it, each woman I come across has a unique beauty all on their own. For me, it's like experiencing a different kind of love with a different woman" he explained.
"And that makes it alright! Sain, you tried to--"
"Yes, and I understand very well what I did, Princess Priscilla. To me, you were a regal beauty with a strong sense of devotion, a resolute beauty who gained a wisdom rare in other nobles. It is a shame that you have chosen that androgynous mage over me. We could've made a really good couple, you and I" Sain sighed in regret.
"I will not allow you to insult Erk any further!" Priscilla cried. She then cast another Elfire with deadly accuracy, but Sain's steed managed an impressive leap over the massive ball of fire, and charged straight at the surprised lady.
"You've severly underestimated me, my dear" Sain grinned, completely unharmed.
Priscilla panicked and increased the intensity of her Elfire assault, but Sain's maneuverability was just too good.
"Priscilla! Retreat! Sain's become too powerful! We have to fall back and think of another strategy!" Erk cried out desperately.
But she was too late to heed his advise. The powerful Paladin seized Priscilla from her horse, who was far too paralyzed by fear to retaliate.
"Ah, yes... such a fine woman to join my harem! This shall be my greatest victory yet!" Sain smiled as he crowed in triumph.
"Priscilla! I WON'T LET YOU HAVE HER!" Erk shouted. He then rushed forward with an Excalibur tome and was about to unleash its mighty power, when he suddenly felt his own strength drain. The sage watched in horor as he saw the dark energy that emitted from Sain's sword. "Gaah... a... a Rune Sword?"
Sain chuckled. "Complements of Queen Serra. This one's a little more special, as it can drain the power of multiple targets at ones. Even as I speak, Princess Priscilla's own energy is being drained. Soon the both of you will grow so weak, that neither will be able to resist me. After the sword's through taking your health, I can then finish you off, and then have Princess Priscilla all to myself."
A delightful memory then popped into Sain's mind. "This is even more fun than the first target I abducted! But such a distinct beauty she had... such long, fine green hair she had... and such a gentle expression..." The lustful Paladin soon found himself licking his lips. "Such a lovely harem I am culminating right now. After the victory I claim over Caelin castle, it will soon be complete!"
Being completely caught up in the moment, Sain found himself laughing maniacally at his latest accomplishment. With one of the many girls that had rejected him in the past finally by his side, he felt utterly competent that he will achieve the many romances that he has been deprived of. The sudden joy that overwhelmed his senses so much, that he failed to notice the incoming horse that charged straight at him.
Soon, his blissful world fell apart with one swift punch to the jaw, knocking him off his horse. What stood before him was a vengeful soul atop his equally intimidating horse.
"YOU WILL PAY FOR ABUCTING PRINCESS ELINCIA!" The enraged Geoffrey yelled.
Although the damage he sustained from his recent fall was considerable, Sain was still healthy enough to get back up on his two feet. "How dare you? I will not let you ruin my dream..." Sain growled threateningly as he raised his sword to fight. Unfortunately, Geoffrey happened to wield a lance in his free hand, which quickly collided with Sain's armor, sending the helpless scoundrel flying a few yards away.
Despite being considerably weakened by the Rune Sword, Erk hurried desperately over to Sain's former horse to console his beloved Priscilla.
"Priscilla... Priscilla... are you alright?" he cried out.
Priscilla gave out a weak smile. "E...Erk, is that you? Oh, thank goodness, I thought that you almost---"
but before she could finish her sentence, her body slipped into unconsciousness and nearly fell off the corpse itself. Reacting quickly, Erk dove forward to catch the weakened lady in a loving embrace.
"Don't worry, Priscilla. You should be fine" he consoled as he gently caressed her cheek.
Geoffrey's fist still shook from the frustration that overwhelmed him. "Princess Elincia... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I failed to protect you from this madman. I swear that we will defeat Queen Serra purge you from your prison."
Somewhere else, two lone warriors continued their desperate struggle for supremacy.
The crazed red-haired sage raised her hand while chanting a spell with a demented look in her eyes. "INDIGNATION!"
The skies darkened once more as a giant ring of ice materialized and created a deadly mist, which the blonde-haired Soren hater quickly leapt back from in order to avoid the shattering energy that came later.
At this time, the red-haired sage looked unusually healthy for one that had to avoid devastating light beam after light beam.
On the other hand, the blonde-haired warrior was breathing heavily, as he expended far too much energy trying to nail his adversary with multiple castings of Judgment.
"This... can't go on... like this... my arch nemesis is on the offensive... now... she'll just overwhelm me at this rate..." the blonde-haired warrior said aloud to himself.
He then raised his Brave Lance in the air, ready to charge full force at the red-haired sage. After the affects of Abolute wore off, the blonde warrior speeded towards his opponent at full force while screaming his most threatening battle cry.
"Oh come on, n00b! You're just making this too easy now! INDIGNATION!" The red-haired sage once again casted her deadly ice spell, but the blonde was moving way too fast to be caught by its devastating effects. The sage sighed at her little flaw. "Okay, fine. If you wanna go into a weapons melee again, I'll be happy to accept." She then raised Last Fencer in the air, which surged once more with deadly fangirl malice. "I better warn you though, it's your funeral, n00b!" she grinned.
The blonde warrior continued charging ahead with Brave Lance pointed straight out, while the red-haired sage stood confidently with sword in hand without a considerable defensive stance. Just as he got within striking range of his target, the blonde warrior drew back his lance to deliver a devastating blow, but the sage took advantage by slashing before he could make his thrust. Acting quickly, the blonde warrior rolled to the right to evade the slash, and was about to thrust his lance deep into the sage's ribcage, but she countered with an even swifter slash, which utterly shattered his Brave Lance.
"Pwned", the red-haired sage grinned.
The blonde warrior's hands trembled as he held merely a fraction of the formidable lance he cherished. "N...no!"
"While it is true that in the World of Fire Emblem, a Lance bests a spear, it does not detract the facts that a higher quality sword can best a comparatively weak lance. What really did you in was your careless desperation to do me in quickly. You managed to hold your own quite well against me, but in the end, you disappoint me." she explained.
The blonde warrior shook angrily as the sage pointed her blade right at his next. "This isn't over!" he cried threateningly before he quietly chanted something in quite.
"Well now, I'm pretty sure it is for you. I COULD probably spare you right now, and keep you around like a hunting animal could pursue until I grow bored of you, but I just know you'd become a considerable threat in the future." She then smacked the blonde warrior's face with the blunt side of the blade.
"Trying to save yourself with a last-minute Photon spell, right? Nice try, n00b!" she smiled with the utmost malice. "Isn't there something else you had in mind for your last words, other than a load of meaningless spell crap?" she taunted as she drew her blade high above her head.
But just before she could deliver the finishing blow, a mysterious object knocked it right out of her hands. "WHAT THE HELL---" the red sage cried as she scrambled to get Last Fencer.
The blonde warrior then glared at the very object that saved him. "... Vidofnir, the Winged Lance? But I thought Franz had it in his possession when he had his honeymoon with Amelia! How in the world was I saved by this?" he asked himself.
Instead of wasting further time with his curiosity, the blonde warrior swiftly picked up the legendary lance and once again went on the offensive on the unarmed sage.
Back at the main battle, the Wii army's morale fell considerable after another defeat of one of their commanders. A frustrated Kenneth cried out to his troops for battle as more and more soldiers began retreating.
"WHAT ARE YOUSE GUYS DOIN'! CAELIN'S JUST OVER YONDER! THIS BE DA ENEMIES' LAST STAND, AND NOW WE'RE HAVIN' OUR SORRY BUTTS HANDED TO US BY EM'? WHAT'S DA MATTA WIT' YOUSE, PUNKS? WE GOTTA WIN DIS FOR DA WII! WE GOTTA WIN DIS DA BROAD! ANYBODY ELSE THAT CHOOSES TO RETREAT WILL BE RECEVIN' SOME FREE CEMENT SHOES, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN! UH-GWAHH!"
The same silver streak from before had bisected the chubby Bishop before he could go on with his ranting. The cool, collected Karla then revealed herself once more. "I believe this is the last of their commanding officers. The remaining army should fall prey to us rather easily" Karla commented.
And thus, her prediction came true as the tide turned quickly in favor of the Rebellion. Numerous forces of the Wii were slain or captured, and the onslaught continued until none of their opposition remained left.
"YEAH! WE DID IT! THE WII ARMY IS NO MORE! VICTORY IS OURS!" Lady Lyn shouted as she jumped up and down with joy, causing the rest of the army to cheer victoriously.
Meanwhile, Sothe sat on a patch of grass by his loneself self, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Phew! That was a relief! After all these nutcases pursued me throughout the Fire Emblem Universe, we finally take them all out in one decisive battle! How convenient! Now, if we could just find a way to take out Queen Serra..." he muttered to himself.
"Did someone just call for their Queen?" a perky voice cried out from the heavens.
The entire rebellion gasped, as an ominous shadow loomed overhead. The source of the shadow belonged to an enormous violet Wyvern, with Mad Queen Serra riding proudly on top.
"I just about had enough of Captain Haar's incompetence, so I crafted this little beauty instead. You like?" she asked in an unusually friendly tone.
"ATTACK!" a nameless soldier yelled as a swarm of arrows and spears headed straight towards her, but the Mad Queen effortlessly deflected them, forcing the arrows to rain down upon the rebellion.
Ballista then aimed their ammunition straight at the massive Wyvern, but those two were countered easily. An offensive line of mages, shaman, and bishops then quickly formed to blast the Wyvern to nothingness. Their combined force formed a mass of energy strong enough to take out fleets of Wyverns, but that too proved no match for Serra's power. She ruthlessly reflected their efforts back, which eliminated the line with ease. Queen Serra then proceeded to blast away at any cluster of soldiers that met her eyes. She remained untouched as her manslaughter commenced.
On the ground, Erk clutched his fist with a vaguely conscious Priscilla at his side. "Damn it all... we were just on the verge of victory, and then SHE had to come in... this has gotten ugly really fast. If only we were given time to discover and exploit her weakness" he growled with frustration.
"Erk... we.. have to hold on..." Priscilla weakly pronounced.
Erk sighed. "I'm witnessing her power before our very eyes. I don't know... I honestly don't know how she can be stopped at this point.
After significantly reducing her opposition, Queen Serra headed straight for the formerly jubilant Lady Lyndis. Her violet wyvern made a smooth descent to the ground to meet her leading nemesis, as Sothe watched nearby in a startled state.
"Serra! I don't know how long you intend to carry this out, but I intend to stop you right here and now!" Lyn proclaimed to the insane Queen.
"Ahh... Lady Lyn, my old comrade. It's odd that we reunite in the place that represented our former alliance. Now here I stand, with unimanigable power, while you are forced to tremble before my might. How satisfying it will be to destroy you in your very domain" she grinned.
"I see you've grown quite arrogant since we last met" Lyn scoffed. With her Mani Katti in hand, the Lady of Caelin attempted a lightening-swift critical strike, which Queen Serra easily thwarted by snatching Lyn's sword hand right before her sword can connect.
By tightening her grip ever so tightly, Queen Serra forced Lyn's Mani Katti to slip from her grasp.
"And I see you still like playing with your sword. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much of a challenge from you" she grinned. She then tossed her former ally aside, sending Lady Lyndis crashing into the floor. She then turned to face her most prized prey.
"Ah yes, my adorable little infidel... the one who most blatantly insulted the pride and joy of the "Wii" name. You are such a cute little boy, it's almost a shame I have to kill you now" she said in a soft voice.
Sothe shook in terror, but he quickly drew out his knife. "LIKE HELL I'LL BE DYING TODAY!" he shouted threateningly.
"Such a cute little toy for a cute little boy. I'm surprised you failed to witness the demonstration I showed you earlier with Lyn. I would figure a boy as a bright as yourself would learn from example, but I guess it's up to Miss Serra to be educating the future generation, isn't it?" she taunted in a sweet voice.
Slowly, her violet Wyvern crawled closer to the panicked thief as he prepared for a countermeasure. Queen Serra's right hand crackled with dark energy while waiting patiently for her prey to make the first move. The Wyvern suddenly stopped moving as the Mad Queen unleashed a Nosferatu spell not at Sothe, but to her right side. Karla the Sword Princess soon found herself standing right between Queen Serra and a helpless Sothe.
"You don't honestly think you could take me by surprise like from before, did you Karla?" Queen Serra asked with slight aggitation in her voice.
"As I said before, I will not allow you to lay a hand on him" she threatened.
"You're going to have to out do Lyn's efforts if you intend to accomplish that, little Sword Princess!" Queen Serra taunted.
Karla then held her Wo Dao close to her face, which reflected unforgiving eyes. "That's exactly what I plan to do" she answered.
Queen Serra grew impatient by her open defiance . She then raised both hands in the air to charge her most lethal spell yet. "Very well then... if that's the idea, then I'll just have to make this more challenging for your sake! IT'S ABOUT TIME I STOPPED PLAYING AROUND!". The Mad Queen let out her most diabolical laughter as the air around her crackled with enormous dark energy. In a matter of moments, she was just about ready to unleash a more powerful version of Nergal's signature spell, which she personally dubbed Neo Eshrikergal. Her eyes widened violently as her cherished power flowed through body.
While Sothe was paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of power, Karla was still prepared to deal with the worst. She was just about to attempt her one-hit kill when music filled the battlefield. Most noticeably, it happened to be the legendary theme music, "Receive the Blessings of Water".
A sorrowful essence enveloped the air, sending a cold chill through all who could hear the music. Karla loosened the grip of her Wo Dao as she listened curiously to the song, while Sothe looked around, trying to find the source of the music.
Most notable of all was Queen Serra, whose complexion quickly paled as the music reached her ears. Her dark magic quickly dissipated, and her entire body trembled. Even her eyes, once tainted by madness, quickly teared with a blank stare. "That song... that very song... it's... it's..."
Calmly approaching the Mad Queen was an individual whose ruby eyes sparkled with a mystical radiance. His face also bore a seemingly warm and open smile, with short, raven black hair atop his head. His casual black shirt and slacks were worn underneath his deep crimson trench coat, which flowed carelessly into the wind. What stood out the most; however, was the flaming red spear that he carried in his left hand.