Hi everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting. I think this is the longest I've gone without updating since I started this story, but to make it up to you I'm giving you the longest chapter I've written yet! Buckle up kiddos, we're in for a ride.
Chapter 27: Commander
"Gaius." I stare back at my new companion from my position at the front of the group.
"Chuckles?" He tilts his head quizzically.
"How many people did you say were attacking the library again?" I peer around the corner that leads to the library, trying to do a quick count. The number I arrive at is far higher than I was planning for.
"I think it was like… a dozen. Maybe a little more." Gaius frowns thoughtfully.
I roll my eyes. Yeah I think it's safe to say that he fucked this one up. "Hm. Cordelia, your estimate?"
"Twenty seven. Twelve axes, nine spears, five swords, two archers, and a mage." Cordelia replies instantly, peering around the corner next to me. At my blank stare she raises an eyebrow. "Taking accurate count of the enemy is an important part of my job as a Pegasus Knight, you know."
"Damn." Gaius lets out a low whistle. "Looks like they rounded up some backup. Must still be having trouble breaking in."
I lean in past Cordelia, taking another look at the situation. "Not for much longer. Those axes are tearing the door apart. I assume there's a barricade on the other side, but I can't say for sure."
"They've definitely set tables in front of the door." Cordelia squints, trying to gather details past the mass of Plegians stalking around in the hallway. "I can't tell how good their barricade is, but they definitely have a spear wall set behind it. I can see the points come out now and again."
"Whatever they have, it won't be good enough if that mage knows any fire spells." Severa says with a grimace. "As soon as he has an opening he can burn right through the wall. Hell, he could probably burn down the whole library without trying."
I inhale sharply. "Shit, she's right. No chance of biding our time then." I look back to the others. "Do we have any sort of ranged option?"
"I can throw my spear, but then I'll have no offensive option." Cordelia replies.
"Two throwing axes." Severa chimes in. "They won't be too reliable in that crowd though."
"I've got something that might do the trick." Gaius reaches into a pouch on his belt and draws a few small throwing knives. "They're not usually good for much more than a distraction, but those mage types don't usually go for armor, right? I bet I can cause some damage."
"Right then." I frown as I mull things over. It's not an easy situation. The hallway leading to the Library is devoid of any other entrances. Devoid of windows as well, meaning the Pegasus Knights have no way of knowing that this little siege is happening. Just a straight shot down an empty hallway to nearly two dozen armed enemies. I don't think there's a plan I can come up with that won't put us all in ludicrous amounts of danger. If it wasn't for that fucking mage I'd have nothing to do with this.
"Wait a little longer, until they're almost through the door. By then they'll all be focused on the Library, and we can ambush them. Cordelia, if you see that mage start to move then say the word and we rush them. Gaius, you target that mage. They're priority one. If you have knives to spare afterwards then try to deal with the archers."
Gaius and Cordelia nod, and I turn to Severa and Ruth. "Severa, as much as it pains me to say it, you need to hold back here with Ruth. She's in no state to be on her own."
"What?" Severa gapes in shock. "But I can help!"
"I wouldn't be asking this if there was any other option." I frown. "In terms of strength I'm the one we need on those frontlines the least, and I know that, but I can't stay with her." I turn my gaze to the shaking maid and she seems to shrink nervously. Yeah, I think she's had enough of men for the evening. More than enough. "I won't put her through that."
Ruth sobs helplessly at my words, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"It's not your fault." I say gently. "You're okay, okay?" She falls silent at that, but still cries quietly into Severa's shoulder. "That's it, it's alright. Just stay here so Severa can take care of you."
Severa opens her mouth to protest but after thinking it over she falls silent in the end. She knows as well as I do what we need to do. If we're going to keep Ruth safe while we charge in here, it means leaving either Cordelia or Severa behind, and as strong as Severa is Cordelia is far stronger still. A part of me feels guilty for forcing that comparison on her. But I can't let that stop from doing our job. Not with lives on the line.
Clearly Severa feels the same, because she steps back without protest, standing next to Ruth protectively. "You." She snaps out, pointing at Cordelia irritably.
"Yes?" Cordelia frowns as she looks down at the teenager.
"If anything happens to him while I'm stuck here, I'm kicking your ass."
"Aww, she does care!" I stage whisper loudly, prompting a smirk from Gaius.
Severa's face falls flat. "You know what, never mind, let him die."
"I'll be fine, Severa." I become more serious. "I'll be right in view the whole time. It won't be like before."
"Better not be." Severa mutters.
A hand on my arm draws my attention back towards Cordelia and the hallway. "We need to move now."
"Right." I nod grimly, drawing my sword. "Quick and quiet as long as they haven't spotted us. Our best chance comes from ambushing these bastards."
"Shit." Gaius curses, drawing his knives. "Mage is moving. Double time." He darts off ahead of us, forcing Cordelia and I to follow as best as we can.
Turns out that while Cordelia can't run at my level for the most part, she does have something of a knack for sprinting over a short distance. She pulls ahead of me quickly, rushing behind Gaius as best as she can, leaving me to bring up the rear. I grit my teeth as I try to keep up without making a racket. I was planning to be the one leading the charge.
Probably for the best that I'm not though.
I'm halfway down the hallway when Gaius finally takes his chance to throw his knives. The mage, who was starting to approach the door, falls to the ground with a choked gurgle as one finds its mark in her neck. The crowd of soldiers falls silent in confusion at their fallen foe. Start to turn around. Gaius' second round of knives snap the bowstring of one of the archers, and blinds him in one eye as he looks our way. The unfortunate man falls back screaming, and everything descends into chaos.
Since Gaius slowed down to throw his knives, he and Cordelia hit the group of soldiers at the same time. The tactics are vastly different, however. Gaius darts in and stabs a man under the arm. He slips into the middle of the group, hamstrings two people, and then dodges out again before anybody really knows what's happened. From there he starts fighting defensively as attentions focus his way.
Cordelia on the other hand, demands attention right from the beginning, her spear darting out as she lets out a fierce cry. Her weapon is a blur as always, and she kills two men in seconds before they organize themselves enough to defend.
That's roughly the point when I reach them. Unlike the others though, I don't go for the kill. I don't know what that'll do to my head and it's far too early to risk it.
I do something much stupider instead: bellow like a lunatic and tackle the first two men I see. With how packed together they are, I figure I can get a lot of mileage out of the move. Not normally recommended when rushing superior numbers, but these men haven't had a chance to brace themselves yet. Hell, they still don't really know what's happening.
The men I hit are sent sprawling into those behind them, and from there a sort of domino effect occurs. Soldiers stagger back throughout the little mob they've rounded up, and while only the first two men I hit are knocked to the ground, the group as a whole is sent back a few steps.
And since those men are looking our way now, they find themselves hit in the back by the group of castle guards that erupt from the library doors. "Holy shit!" I gasp as I stumble backwards. "I was just trying to catch their attention, I didn't think they'd start a pincer attack already!" Apparently seeing the thugs turn their back to the doors was all the opportunity the guards needed to go on the offensive. Whatever Frederick and the other knights are teaching these guys, they clearly don't fuck around.
It seems almost comical the way this group of enemies is getting tossed around, but it all comes down to formation. These Plegians haven't encountered much of an organized resistance to this point, killing mostly surprised guards and unarmed civilians. They're less like trained soldiers and more like common thugs. With time to rally the guards are able to mount a proper retaliation, and after at least an hour of running rampant the Plegians are just not mentally prepared for that.
Well, most of them aren't. There's a small group of men on one side of the hall that seem to be attempting to fight back, using their remaining spears to maintain space, but the core of the enemy force is shattered. The guards fall upon them as they struggle to turn back the way they were facing originally, and those few Plegians not currently caught up in a fight decide to make a run for it.
Two men rush me, one with a sword and the other with an axe. The axe user I recognize as the archer Gaius half blinded, his face and hands a mess of blood. Clearly he was grabbing at his injury; an action that proves to be a mistake as his axe slips from his fingers as he swings at me.
I dodge the blow, and ignore the man for the moment as he scrabbles for his fallen weapon. The sword user is decidedly more skilled, but every bit as panicked. He flails desperately, and I find myself stuck on the defense. The duel rapidly becomes annoying to me, as his attacks are more clumsy than dangerous. Still, they're fast enough that I can't get a hit in…
That's not true though, is it?
Truth is I could end somebody fighting at this level pretty easily at this point. It's just my fucking head holding me back. I'm hesitating because a part of me doesn't want to put myself through killing again. If that means potentially losing to this goddamned loser though…
"No, that's wrong!" I hiss in frustration. "Not for pride, not again. It has to be-" I gasp as I see my other opponent approaching again, axe in hand. I took too long! They're both right on top of me!
"FUCK!" I yelp in panic, twisting beneath the flailing sword in front of me and lashing out blindly. I'm rewarded with a pained shriek, the man falling back out of my line of sight. That should give me a brief window of time to deal with the axe. I leap back from the wild swing of the heavier weapon, and dart in as the man's momentum carries him a bit too far. He twists to compensate for his overbalancing, but he hasn't had nearly enough time to learn how to adapt to missing an eye. Before he can face me again properly, I've brought my hand axe up in one smooth motion, from my hip straight into the big blind spot on the side of his head.
My vision swims for a moment, but I shrug it off immediately. No time for freaking out, I've still got the other guy to deal with… ugh. I grimace in shock as I direct my attention back to the sword user. It looks like my hit was far more effective than I thought. It didn't just drive him back, it completely disembowelled him. The man whimpers in front of me, sword left aside, desperately pawing at the guts bleeding all over the floor.
When I cut his head off I try to view it as a mercy. It… doesn't entirely work. My mind fills with visions of that night. Not great. Still, the fighting hasn't stopped yet, so I need to…
My stomach suddenly roils in agony. "Oh fuck." I stagger backwards, and just barely have time to brace against the wall before I throw up on the ground.
That was… ugh, that fucking sucked! The way he kept grabbing for them, sobbing away… it reminds me of that guy who hit me with my own axe back at Kidnapper's Keep. The blank stare he gave me as his guts tangled around his feet…
I vomit again. Then again after that. One of the Plegians runs by as I stagger, but he seems more preoccupied with escaping than stopping to pick another fight. Gaius runs past me in pursuit, yelling something that I don't quite manage to make out.
"Auuuugh." I groan as I regain my footing. I look back towards the fight. The last few stragglers are getting finished off by Cordelia and the guards. The group that managed to organize themselves fights back desperately as spears press in on all sides, but there's only six of them left, and they're steadily being herded further away from the library.
Then, as if some invisible switch is flipped, the guards fall back, putting a wide berth between themselves and the Plegians. The Plegians pause, confused, but swiftly turn to run for the hallway. They barely manage two steps between the lot of them before they're consumed by a pillar of fire.
"A far from satisfying conclusion after the trouble they've caused me." Miriel says with thinly veiled irritation as she appears at my side. "Still, I am relieved that this particular ordeal is over. You have my gratitude for your timely appearance, Ben."
I wave a hand absentmindedly in response, spitting bile from my mouth.
"Hmm, you are unwell. An illness perhaps? Something you ate? Ah, or could this be a physical manifestation of your recent current mental condition?"
Hmm. Not the sort of wording I care for. Still, she has the right of it. I hold up three fingers, not trusting my self to speak.
"Fascinating." She nods as she takes in my appearance. "I shall have to inquire further once the castle is cleared of these invaders. Ah, but in the meantime, I believe I have a solution to your predicament."
I keep my gaze fixed firmly on the floor, so she can't see the face I pull. Not really looking forward to whatever crazy scheme she's coming up with at… the… moment.
I blink in surprise. A hand is on my back.
Miriel's rubbing my back.
"There, there." Miriel intones drily. "Everything will be satisfactory. You have done well. Your health will be at optimal levels before long."
I promptly burst out laughing.
"How interesting! A far more positive reaction than even I anticipated." Miriel stares at her hand in wonder. "Clearly this 'emotional support' I have been studying is exceedingly potent."
"Never change Miriel, never change." I chuckle as I straighten up.
"A foolish notion." Miriel sniffs indignantly. "Am I to simply stay frozen in this place for the rest of my life? I have no interest in limiting myself in such a way."
"Turn of phrase." I reply, "But we can stop to decipher that one later." I take one final look up and down the hallway. The guards are splitting up into groups, with some bringing wounded back into the Library and others pulling the dead to one side, keeping the hallway clear. Cordelia is being brought inside with the wounded, though there's no clear injuries that I can see. Still, my crazy plan did see her taking on the worst of the fighting, so I can't help but worry.
"Are you hurt?" A voice calls out behind me. I turn the other way and see Severa approaching, Ruth following closely behind. "You don't look hurt."
"Not a scratch, somehow." I reply, looking myself over to confirm.
"Good, then I'm moving on. There is no way I'm going near… that." She eyes the mess at my feet with a disgusted look and carries on to the library. Heh. What a brat.
"Don't feel too bad, she was freaking out a moment ago." Gaius calls over, dragging the body of the Plegian he was chasing to rest with the others. The man clearly took a few hits in the middle of that fuster-cluck. He's favoring one leg, and has a black eye that already appears to be swelling.
"Holy shit Gaius, you alright?"
"I've had worse." Gaius waves my concern away, wiping his hands on his trousers. "Though I wouldn't say no to some medical attention. Oh, by the way, here." He dips a hand into a pouch on his belt and tosses something my way. I jolt and barely manage to catch it before it falls in the mess on the floor. "Nice reflexes." He teases. "Anyways, figure that'll help get that puke taste out of your mouth."
I stare down at my hands. It's a candy, wrapped in paper. "You're a goddamned hero, you know that?" I grin, popping the sweet into my mouth. Bland by the standards of my homeworld… but I haven't been living in my world for a long time, so it tastes pretty goddamn magical. Some sort of crystalized honey thing that melts on my tongue.
"Don't sweat it." Gaius shrugs, "I've got plenty more where that came from. So do we have any doctors in that dusty old room back there or is that just where everyone's hiding until this all blows over?"
"Lissa and Maribelle were with me when the attack began." Miriel answers. "They are both proficient in healing magic."
Gaius nods at that. "I'll head in then. 'Preciate it, Specs." He staggers off towards the library, whistling away.
"A curious fellow." Miriel comments idly, watching him leave. After a moment she sorts her head out again and turns back to me. "Now then, if you have already been sent to relieve us, am I correct in assuming that this incident is drawing to a close?"
"Not to my knowledge, no." I sigh. "We didn't have the numbers to relieve the Exalt, so we're helping where we can. How many guards do we have?"
"Thirty two of the castle guard present are capable of serving!" A voice calls to my right. An older man wearing the armor of a higher rank guard salutes as I turn my attention on him. "Apologies for interrupting, sir. Sergeant First Class Jeremy, of the castle guard."
"Ben, of the Shepherds." I frown, throwing back a salute that feels sloppy by comparison. "So that puts you right below the Captain of the Guard, right?" I rack my brain trying to remember what I've read on Ylissean military ranking.
"That is correct, sir." Jeremy nods, still holding his salute. "As soon as I realized we were being invaded I rallied as many guards as I could find and evacuated non-combatants to the library."
"Uhh, right, good work." I shift uncomfortably under his gaze. "Uhh… At ease, Sergeant."
"Thank you, sir." Jeremy relaxes only a little bit, dropping his arm but holding fairly rigid.
I sigh, realizing that this is the attitude I'll have to expect for the rest of the night. Where Shepherds fit into the military hierarchy is currently a little bit complicated depending on who you ask. The more religious people hold us in high regard due to our proximity to Chrom (or rather to the Falchion), while those of a more noble background consider us little more than glorified peasants. The truth is somewhere in the middle, putting us higher than most of the castle guard, but lower than trained knights. Technically Cordelia is the highest ranked person here that I know of (with the obvious exception of Lissa), but I get the feeling that Jeremy here is one of the more superstitious ones.
"Alright, let's get inside so I can figure out what we're working with." I sigh, moving quickly. Not particularly inclined to have a tactical conversation while standing in a pool of my own vomit.
I'm pleased to see that the inside of the library is packed full of people, far more than just the thirty two Jeremy listed. The room is full of those working at the castle, far more than I expected to see. Clearly the Old Sergeant wasn't fucking around with his evacuation plans.
The place was clearly hit by the Plegians before they managed to block the doors though. Several bookshelves have been knocked over, with some tomes having fallen apart from the stress of the impact. One of the far windows at the back is also destroyed, no doubt the one Miriel used to cast that spell she got our attention with. Most telling though is the pile of at least a dozen Plegian bodies not far from the entrance, and that many of the civilians here have injuries, though most are thankfully minor.
The guards paid dearly to ensure that such was the case. For each of the soldiers Jeremy has in fighting condition I spot another that has been wounded, or worse.
"Most of what you see here is the result of our fight to reach the Library." Jeremy reports sadly. "Once we secured the doors we managed to largely avoid injuries, save for that little scuffle just now, but before that…"
"You did everything you could." I say, staring in awe. "This is… incredible work. Truly." I mean it, too. The number of lives saved by these guys is just… amazing. I'm glad our little surprise attack was able to help them in time. If we failed to kill that mage the Plegians brought I have little doubt that many more of these men and women would have died for the sake of these people.
"I'm honored." Jeremy replies softly.
Unfortunately I can't allow myself to remain in awe for any longer than that, knowing the time crunch we're all under. Time to get down to business. "Alright, you said you had thirty two people altogether, right? What sort of training do they have?"
"Our soldiers are all trained primarily to use the spear, sir." The guard frowns, looking suddenly ashamed. "We do not have any specialist units amongst our ranks."
The only way to train that many people efficiently, no doubt. Disappointing, but I'm not about to let it show. "Alright, that makes the organization easier. Does your count include minor injuries?"
"Some, yes. There are some injuries that aren't severe enough to warrant putting additional work on our healers. A few bumps and scrapes, but nothing serious enough to prevent us doing what we need to."
"Alright, next question. How many people does it take to hold that barricade once it's been put back up?"
Jeremy winces. "Against numbers like we just saw, no less than ten."
A high estimate, no doubt. The doors aren't that wide. Still, I won't begrudge him that. There's little doubt in my mind that this is one of the largest rally points in the castle for civilians, and he's had plenty of men and women die to protect them already. "Are there any among the more injured guards who can assist in that? People unfit to move that can still hold a spear."
Jeremy frowns. "You would ask-"
"We go to the Exalt's aid, Sergeant." I cut in, harsher than I'd like. "I need every man that can be spared."
Jeremy's clearly unhappy with the question, but nods. "I'll see what we can do." He moves towards the area where Lissa and Maribelle are working, a line of tables running through the center of the library.
"Your use of harsh logic to sway his thoughts was quite effective." I jump at Miriel's comment; she's been so quiet that I totally forgot she was still following. "I would not have thought to speak to him in such a way."
"You're the most logical person I know." I frown at the mage resentfully.
"I lack the power to manipulate people with my words like you do." Miriel muses. "I do not have your skill for communication."
"Well that's a back-handed compliment if I ever heard one." I grumble, walking further into the room as the guards rebuild the barricade behind me.
"I apologise. I was attempting to be sincere." Miriel frowns.
"There's such a thing as being too honest." I sigh. "Whatever. It doesn't matter now. I just need to figure out what we've got to work with so we can get back out there and help Chrom."
"Indeed." Miriel muses. "I would appreciate the chance to put my skills to proper use. My offensive capacity is dramatically reduced in an area with such a high risk of combustion."
"I imagine Ricken's probably the same." I chuckle, looking around. "Where is that kid anyways? I would have thought he'd be first out the door earlier."
"Not an inaccurate assessment."
I freeze. That is… not a tone I'm used to hearing from Miriel. I look back slowly, feeling somehow like sudden movements are a dangerous thing. And as soon as I get a look at her I find myself feeling vindicated. While Miriel's expression is the same as ever, there's something about it that I can only describe as wrathful.
Oh boy, whatever Ricken did he clearly fucked up in a big way. Wait…
"He didn't get himself hurt, did he?" I whirl back towards the medic tables, looking for the familiar short stature and red hair.
"While I cannot dismiss that as a possibility, I'm afraid I have no way of knowing." Miriel's frown deepens. "My fool of an apprentice rushed from the library as the fighting first started. By his declaration, he was heading to warn Chrom."
"He would have been one of the first people to know though." I blink in confusion. "He'll be one of the primary targets of this assassination attempt, certainly the one most capable of defending himself. If the Plegians brought anyone competent with them they'd go after him first to have the best chance of killing him."
"That was my assessment as well." Miriel nods. "Unfortunately Ricken has developed something of an obsession with accumulating achievements in this war. He wishes to bring honor to his family, and has made a point of risking his life to do so. One need look no further than his first appearance on the battlefield to surmise what I mean."
"That little shit." I sigh in exasperation.
"Quite."
"Alright, well no use dwelling on it for now. We'll ground the little bugger later." I say, shaking my head. "In the meantime…"
"BEN!" I flinch at the sound of Maribelle's furious voice calling out across the library. Miriel suddenly makes herself scarce.
"In the meantime I guess I'm going to die." I look over in alarm to see Maribelle storming over to me. "What's going on, why are you angry?"
"You have a lot of nerve asking a question like that! Bad enough when you send vagrant criminals to my healing tables," she points over to Gaius, who waves sheepishly as Lissa tends to his leg. "But now I find you also have the nerve, the sheer audacity, to demand that our injured return to the front lines!"
"It was hardly a demand!" I protest indignantly. "But if I'm going to get a group together to help Chrom I'm going to need every able body I can get, and that means-"
"I don't care what you think it means!" Maribelle hisses, jabbing a finger into my chest. "If they have been pulled from battle then they will not be returning until they are well! Of all the ludicrous, egotistical ideas-"
"Enough." I growl, grabbing the hand she's prodding me with and meeting her glare with one of my own. "I'll ask them myself."
"You will do no such-"
"I said that's enough, Maribelle!" I snap. "We don't have time to argue about this. The Exalt's life is at stake. They are butchering people out there, and I will not sit by and let it happen."
Maribelle sputters indignantly, but I don't pay her any further mind. "Soldiers of Ylisstol!" I call out, walking towards the injured waiting near the middle of the room. "I am Ben, of the Shepherds. I'm sure most of you recognize me from my time spent running laps at the ass-crack of dawn every day." A few chuckles scatter throughout the room. "Let me say before anything else, I am humbled beyond words to be working with as fine a group of men and women as you. Your work to this point has been nothing short of exceptional. I dearly wish I could let you all rest, content that you have done your part in the defense of this castle and those who live here.
"Unfortunately I cannot. As we speak, many more Plegian assassins are still running amok within our walls. And this cannot stand. Once I have finished speaking I will be gathering as many as we can muster to purge these invaders from our halls. I would not ask you to march with me. I know that such a thing is asking too much of you after all you have done to this point. What I ask instead is this: step back to the barricade, all those who feel able. Become the wall that these people need, that we may leave free of worry. Who here can rise to this challenge?"
There's a round of cries throughout the wounded, and more than a dozen men and women rise to their feet. Several are sat back down shortly after, being willing but not truly able to hold strong. In the end I have seven people still fit enough to wield a spear despite their injuries. Maribelle looks like she dearly wants to tell them all off (and do far worse to me), but it's clear that the weight of the crowd's opinion is already settled. She settles for giving me a murderous glare and storming back towards the tables.
"You have good people here." I comment to Jeremy.
"Thank you, sir." The older man nods curtly.
"Pick five of those still in good condition to support them and we'll take the rest." I nod. "With how quiet the halls were out there, it should be enough to keep this door secure until we've routed these bastards." Hopefully by giving Jeremy a few extra hands to guard the walls it'll ease some of the misgivings he seems to have about leaving.
Jeremy nods and calls his men together, leaving me to my own devices. I busy myself with Miriel, plotting a course through the castle that we can take to reach the Exalt and her defense. Severa and Cordelia join shortly into the discussion, and together we come up with a suitable path of attack.
As we wrap up and go to discuss our plans with Jeremy and his men, Lissa ambushes me.
"I'm going with you guys."
I blink in surprise, looking down at the princess who just jumped into my path. "Hey Lissa, nice to see you too. Yes, I'm doing fine, thanks for asking."
She turns pink, but recovers immediately. "Hey! No distracting me! I said I'm coming with you to go help Chrom and Emm!"
"That certainly is a thing you said." I reply noncommittally, turning to the others. "Cordelia, would you mind talking with…"
"Of course." Cordelia nods and heads over to Jeremy with the others. A part of me was hoping she'd interpret that as a request to deal with Lissa and take care of this for me. Hell, a part of me was requesting that, but Cordelia wisely ignored that part. Looks like I'm on my own.
"Alright talk fast, why should I let you follow me into a war-zone?"
"You should have somebody there to help if there's a medical emergency." Lissa replies without hesitation.
"Might as well paint a target on your back at that point." I snort. "Attacking the healer is the most obvious dick move in warfare."
"I'll have you to protect me!" She beams up at me. Ha. Flattery.
"I can barely protect myself right now." I shut that one down completely, remembering how I just threw up in the middle of a fight not long ago.
"So we'll both stay near the back and be safe." Lissa nods.
"Lissa, I really don't think-"
"It's my family, Ben." Lissa replies, giving me a firm look. "I'm going if I have to tear through that barricade myself."
Not something she's really capable of. But Lissa is very much a force of nature when she wants to be. With her mind made up like this I really can't do much to dissuade her. Of course that's all just simple justification. Truth of the matter is, I'm a total sucker for the 'family' thing these days.
I groan in frustration, and Lissa knows me well enough to know that means I've agreed, grabbing me in a hug and cheering.
"Alright, okay, but we're going to have somebody ready to bail you out if things go to shit." I say, patting the girl on the back. "Actually, I think I know the perfect guy for the job. Gaius!"
"Putting me back to work already?" Gaius looks over uneasily. "Damn, you're driving me harder than those Plegians did."
"Don't worry I won't ask you to fight… actually before I say anything more, how's the leg?"
"Fit as a fiddle." Gaius gives a few small hops to demonstrate. "The Princess here fixed that sprain up good as new."
"Glad to hear it." I grin. "Because I'm going to need somebody who's good at running when shit's about to go bad, and I think you're the best we have for that."
"Aww, Chuckles, you know me so well!" Gaius grins. "It's like we've known each other our whole lives."
I bark out a laugh at that, and Lissa bursts into a fit of giggles. "Good to know I can count on you. All I need you to do is stay near the back with us. And if things go to shit, you take the Princess and run."
"Oh." Gaius' laughter stops as the weight of the request hits him. "Wait, you're trusting me with the Princess?"
"If anyone can do it, I think you can." I nod. "You're clever, fast, and trustworthy."
"Trustworthy?" Gaius laughs in disbelief. "I've known you for half an hour, tops…" He trails off and looks me in the eyes. His smile melts away. "But you really mean that, huh? Shit." He pauses for a moment, thinking on the request. When he looks back at Lissa and I his eyes are clear. "Okay, I'll do it. Whatever happens, you'll be safe with me, Princess."
When Maribelle figures out what I've arranged she loses her goddamn mind, but I make a point of being outside the barricade by the time that happens. Gaius has the same idea, leaving the two of us standing awkwardly out in the hall where we can still clearly hear her screaming.
"She… really didn't want Lissa to go, I guess." I say, clearing my throat uneasily.
"Yeah… yeah that's probably what she's mad about." Gaius nods along. Of course from what I recall about the game half the reason she's so mad is probably due to exactly who I've tasked with looking out for the princess, but Gaius and I both choose not to bring that detail up, if for different reasons.
The guards follow me out a moment later, along with Miriel, Cordelia, and Severa. Not quite as much assistance as I was hoping to secure, but we really don't have any more time to waste. I was in that library for nearly fifteen minutes, and lord knows what's been happening upstairs in that time.
Marching formation is decided swiftly, with Severa finally getting her wish and taking point with Cordelia this time. Miriel and Jeremy take position near the middle, and Gaius, Lissa, and I are at the back. Lissa so she can be evacuated if necessary, Gaius to do the evacuating, and me... because I'm an unreliable mess right now. Yay.
"Alright soldiers! Move fast, keep your eyes open, and clear any room that isn't locked as we go. We don't want any Plegians getting ideas about flanking us!" I call out.
"You heard the Shepherd, let's go!" Jeremy echoes, and the guards roar in response, raising their spears and rushing down the hall.
And just like that… I become irrelevant. There are around 30 people between me and any action, and all of them seem to know what they're doing. Most of the remaining Plegians have moved upstairs at this point, focusing on the Exalt, and those that remain are either injured or stupid. Easy pickings for the guards. And the few times when things look dicey Jeremy steps in to command them. Not unexpected, since he knows the way these people work far better than I do, but it doesn't leave me with much to do.
Of course, I'm not so stupid as to think that's really a bad thing. I barely handled two thugs earlier before my fucking PTSD kicked my ass. If there had been a third attacker I'd probably have been killed. Clearly I need to have another talk with Libra once this is all over.
Until then… I guess my daughter has to cover for me. I grimace at the thought even as I watch Severa tear into several Plegians caught trying to break a door down. Letting her and Cordelia lead was absolutely the smart move, but I don't like seeing her fighting up there while I'm stuck at the back feeling helpless.
"Your kid moves well." Gaius comments idly, following my gaze. "You teach her those sword tricks?"
Lissa whirls around and stares at me wide eyed, and I cut in hastily before things get completely out of hand. "She's not actually my kid. She joined the group a month after me and we just became close. My style of fighting is more of a… brute force kind of deal." I know I'm planning on revealing the truth in the very near future, but that doesn't mean I can go letting Lissa know just yet. She'll blow it completely out of proportion and tell everyone in the castle before I've even had a chance to talk to Severa about the situation.
Lissa frowns suspiciously, but has no reason to think my statement is inaccurate, so she looks back towards the soldiers keeping an eye out for injuries. Gaius clearly has questions as well, but he's nothing if not quick on the uptake. He sees my attention towards the princess and immediately registers that whatever is going on between Severa and I is not public information. "Well then." He comments idly, "Whoever taught her did a hell of a job. I doubt I'd stand a chance against her."
"Probably not." I reply. "By Chrom's own admission she's probably more skilled with a sword than he is."
Gaius whistles appreciatively, but Lissa immediately cuts in. "Chrom would still win in a fight though! He's way stronger." It seems Lissa is feeling protective in all regards today. I can't help but chuckle in response, which immediately sets the princess to pouting at me.
"Sir Ben, Princess!" Jeremy's voice cuts in, interrupting us. "We're approaching the main hall!"
"Right." I snap back into focus. "Be on guard! Once we find the primary Plegian offense we must be wary of enemy mages! If they sent one to attack the library they'll have spell casters to spare!"
The group falls into silence. I peer out over the mass of helmeted guards and watch as Severa and Cordelia continue to lead, approaching the door at the end of the hall. The main hall is where most of the fighting will have occurred, and where we'll have the easiest time moving upstairs. It leads right to the main staircase, which leads directly to the throne room. If all goes well we should be able to flank the Plegian group and hit them from behind, much like with the library.
I hear a faint voice scream in pain on the other side of the door. From this far away though I can't tell where the sound comes from. Cordelia looks back from her position beside the door and gestures upwards. The fighting's already moved up the stairs to the throne room then. Good. We'll hit them in the back and flank them opposite Chrom.
Severa throws the door open and the guards rush past her, spears at the ready just in case. Cordelia and Severa are forced to fall back as the initial tide of bodies push through too quickly for them to fall in. When they find their chance to slip back into the crowd they're level with Miriel and Jeremy.
That may be the only thing that saves their lives.
I realize as I enter the hall that we're not the only ones there. Most of the fighting is happening at the stairs near the end of the hall, barely in sight, but there's a small group making their way through the hall in the wake of the fighting. Three men wearing mage robes, guarded by four heavily armored knights. That's all I have time to see before the front lines of my group are blasted by spell fire.
"PLEGIAN SORCERERS! SCATTER!" I hear Jeremy's voice call out a half second too late, his voice being drowned out before he's finished speaking. The flame magic crackles loudly like wildfire, almost as noisy as the screams of the people burned by it. The wave of heat sends me staggering, forcing me to brace myself against the doorframe as hot air rushes over me for a brief instant that makes my eyes water.
"Pah! Blasted Ylisseans, scurrying out of the woodwork like rats!" A voice snarls in irritation. "I grow weary of these incessant delays."
I pull myself away from the doorway and try to take stock of what happened. Four guards lay dead at the front of the group, bodies scorched and armor glowing red from the heat. Another lies groaning behind them, alive, but not for much longer from the look of him. To the left and right several other guards are thrashing in agony, not critically wounded, but certainly taken out of the fight. Those unlucky souls are being evacuated by the healthy soldiers before the mages can attack again, pulled either past me through the doorway or behind the cover of the pillars that line the wall.
Nearly a third of our force decimated in an instant. What the fuck… How do we deal with this?
"Gaius!" I gasp out, thoughts becoming clear. I whirl around to try and find the princess. She's lying on her back in the hallway, dazed but unhurt. It looks like the blast wave from the fire magic hit her harder than me.
"Way ahead of you." The thief rushes past me, scooping the girl up in his arms.
"…Huh?" Lissa groans groggily, before going rigid in Gaius' arms. "No! WAIT! I CAN HELP THEM!"
"Ah, it would seem fate has granted yet another boon. To deliver yet another of Naga's chosen at my feet! The Fell Dragon looks fondly upon his servant tonight!"
"Shit!" I whirl back around to see the tall mage at the back raise his arms, book in hand. His right hand raises, pointing a sharp manicured nail past me towards the princess. "Oh no you don't!"
I slam the door. I hear the telltale sound of footsteps behind me, signalling that Gaius is making good on his promise and booking it while there's still a chance. I don't get a chance to look though, because even as Gaius' footsteps grow quieter my eyes are fixated on the door that blackens in front of my eyes.
Oh shit, I should probably not be standing here!
I dive away, falling into a roll that is suddenly extended a great deal by the explosion behind me. The door bursts into splinters, which are scattered against the stone around me, though my coat easily stops them from harming me. My head swims as I push up into a kneeling position, just in time to see Gaius round the corner, with a still-struggling Lissa held firmly in his arms. She screams my name as she rounds the corner.
Alright, princess is evacuated. One less thing to worry about.
So now what the fuck do I do? What… what the fuck is even happening? I stagger back to the door, past the soldiers that had sheltered in the hallway, most of which were killed or injured when the door exploded.
We lost nearly a third of our number in the initial blast, and now those still in fighting condition have been cut in half again. While the soldiers cowered behind the pillars the knights advanced, and are taking their time finishing off the wounded we couldn't pull out. At least a dozen capable men and women have died in a matter of minutes.
I… don't understand. We were in control! How did things go to shit so fast? This doesn't make sense!
"Hold strong!" I turn to my left to see Jeremy bellowing at his troops, blood running down the side of his face from a gash across his temple. "Those spellbooks won't mean a damn thing if we can reach them!"
"Your failure to understand your current situation is almost endearing." The mage at the back grins arrogantly. "We are no common mage soldiers, little rat. You face the Grimleal on this night."
Apparently the Grimleal have something of a reputation in Ylisse, because this declaration sends a wave of shock running through the soldiers. Their resolve fades before my very eyes, as the men and women cower behind their cover in fear. Can't say I'm surprised. Pretty sure fear of the Grimleal is half the reason Chrom's shithead dad waged his dumbass war. These people are something like the Ylissean Boogeyman, the subject of stories of monsters that swoop in to punish unsuspecting folks in the night. And the end result of meeting these people in person seems to be a bunch of soldiers with no will to fight left.
Well, we can't have that.
"So, not mages then. Just a bunch of brain dead cultists!" I shout out with a sense of confidence that I do not feel on any fucking level.
The mages turn their attention to focus solely on me with an intensity that has even their own knights shuffling nervously. I flinch internally at the hatred already present in their eyes, but keep my poker face strong. If they're this pissed already, wait until I get going.
"Yeah, you heard me! What, did you think you were important? A pack of slobbering neophytes hiding out in the desert, kissing the sand at the feet of that great stupid dragon corpse you have sitting at the door to that capital of yours? What a fucking joke."
"How dare you." The leader of the mages snarls, throwing the hood of his robe and striding forward furiously. "HOW DARE YOU MOCK THE FELL DRAGON IN MY PRESENCE!? I am no mere neophyte, foolish boy! I am Validar, high priest of the Grimleal! I am the one who shall see my lord returned to his rightful place as ruler of this world! You are no more than an insignificant speck in comparison to his glorious form!"
This has to be one of my stupider ideas since coming to this place. I'm not sure the morale of the guards is worth the shitstorm I'm calling down on myself. That said, the satisfaction I get from badmouthing a harbinger of the apocalypse is its own reward. "His form is a big dead skeleton." I wave a hand flippantly. "A glorified diving board for your king to throw prisoners off of. You're just the jackass deluded enough to think that pile of old bones is significant."
Validar screams in indignant rage, and while his mage buddies aren't quite as noisy they manage to follow up pretty well. They raise their arms to attack me, and I find myself diving out of the way of an explosion of flames for the second time in less than five fucking minutes.
What the fuck is it with me and boss characters anyways? Raimi, Ezra, the Super Risen, Validar… I'm starting to notice a pattern and I'm really not liking it. I'm like some kind of magnet for the toughest fuckers on the battlefield.
I come out of my roll fuming at that, and am pulled behind cover by Severa just as Validar throws a bolt of lightning at me. It whizzes past the column we're hiding behind.
"Pay attention, what the hell are you doing?" She snaps at me, curling into my side defensively as flames explode on either side of our pillar.
"Sorry, it just occurred to me that I seem to have a real knack for getting myself into bullshit situations on the battlefield." I muse, slapping at a few stray embers that settle on my coat.
Severa stares up at me blankly. "You're just noticing this now?"
"I've never stopped and thought about it before." I shrug, hazarding a glance around the pillar. Another wave of flame is flying at my face. Okay, back into cover we go, holy fuck! "Man, I really pissed them off huh?"
Severa glares at me, not dignifying that with a response, and dives behind the next pillar as soon as the fire stops, leaving me to cower alone. I think she might have reached her capacity for my bullshit for the night. If I'm being honest that took longer than expected.
Another glance around the pillar has me ducking away from a bolt of lightning, which hits the side of the pillar and punches a small hole in the side. "Not dead yet, you hooded douchebags!" I bellow, getting more incoherent screaming in reply. I look back to the rest of my companions as more fire explodes around my pillar. "You know, if somebody could kindly kill a few of these pricks while I'm drawing their fire it would be very much appreciated!" I shout loudly, making it clear how unhappy I am with the current situation.
"There's no opening!" Cordelia cries in response. She leans to the side of her cover and pulls back just before a bolt of lightning can take her down. "They're not nearly as focused on you as they want us to think!"
"I can't risk sending my people out there!" Jeremy calls from my left. "We've lost too many already! At this point we won't even have enough numbers to support the prince!"
"In case you haven't noticed, this is the guy in charge of this fucking operation!" I snap back impatiently. "Killing him will stop any chance of this attack succeeding."
"Ben is likely correct!" Miriel calls from further down. "A Grimleal High Priest holds more power in Plegia than a general! Killing him will be a crippling blow to their forces."
"That doesn't do us a damn bit of good if we can't get near the son of a bitch!" Jeremy roars back.
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Severa snaps impatiently. "Do I have to do everything myself?"
I turn back just in time to see her run out into the open. "What the hell? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"Saving the day, what does it look like?" Severa snaps out, narrowly dodging spellfire as she rushes to the middle of the hall, keeping a wide berth from the knights and dark mages. I try to move to help her, but the fucking dark mages haven't forgotten how much they seem to hate my fucking guts, and they force me back into cover. I'm forced to watch helplessly as my daughter runs in the open, as Validar calmly sends spell after spell at her. Cordelia attempts to aim her spear, but the dark mage calmly switches targets to her before she can throw. From their vantage point they can easily shift their aim to whoever pokes their head out from… the pillars.
Wait.
Cordelia's on the far left, Miriel the far right, and Severa and I were in the middle. So now…
"Cordelia! Miriel!" I yell out, getting their attention. I pull out my hand axe and hold it up to make my intentions clear. "Simultaneous!"
Now that Severa's running around, Validar's attention has been drawn in the opposite direction from the rest of our group! Which means that there's only two mages left to attack our group and three of us with ranged options!
Cordelia and I both step out and aim with our weapons, but are driven back by gouts of flame.
Which leaves Miriel free to cast her spell in peace. A bolt of lightning flies from her fingertips, and I roar in triumph… which turns into a yell of outrage as one of the knights throws themselves in front of the spell. He's reduced to a smoking heap, falling to the ground with a loud clatter of armor which would be pretty goddamn satisfying if it didn't leave the two mages free to keep fucking shooting at us!
"Goddam fucking zealot bastards!" I scream in frustration, "I've fucking had it with you!" I decide to take a leaf from my daughter's book, and run out into the open like a lunatic. It takes the mages only a moment to turn from their fallen comrade and resume their attempt to vaporise me, but by then I've got the momentum I need to make sure that doesn't happen. The fireball sent my way explodes at my heels instead of hitting me directly, the heat rushing over my back in a wave before dissipating harmlessly.
"Another rat to scamper about at my heels." Validar sighs impatiently. "I rapidly find myself tiring of this." He turns back to Severa. "First, I shall deal with you." He raises his hand and a orb of purple energy forms in the air, crackling with electricity.
"Don't you fucking dare!" I snarl, darting around as the dark mages attempt to hit me. Miriel uses the opening to blast them again, but this time one of them simply counters with magic of his own. The other suddenly turns aside from me as well, driving Cordelia away yet again, and the sudden lack of fireballs and lightning bolts is startling enough that I almost trip on my goddamn feet. And then, just as I think for the briefest of moments that I'll have a chance to stop Validar, one of the remaining knights blindsides me, decking me in the face and sending me tumbling.
"Now or never soldiers! Rush the Plegian bastards!" I hear Jeremy yell behind me as I try to regain my senses. The mage not being harassed by Miriel looks past me worriedly as the castle guard comes running, but before I can see whether he'll try anything else the knight's on me again, and I'm forced to focus on the man in front of me rather than the battle as a whole.
A spear flies at my face, drawing a line of blood along my jawbone as I barely manage to twist to the side, head still ringing from the gauntleted punch I just took. I attempt to swat the spear aside with my sword, but he manages to pull it back in time, taking it in both hands and trying to cross-check me with it. I drop my sword in time to catch it, though he sends me skidding backwards for a moment, driving me away from my weapon. Doesn't stop me feeling strangely triumphant at blocking his move though.
"Bitch, I grew up in hockey country." I grin savagely, wrestling for control of the spear. "You can't fucking cross-check me, I learned that move when I was like, five." The knight pauses for a moment, looking at me in complete confusion (probably trying to figure out what hockey is). I take the opportunity to use another move I've learned, though this is one Frederick taught me. I step back, throwing my weight to one side, which catches the heavier knight off balance. From there I twist the spear, tearing it from my opponent's hands. With all that fucking plate he's wearing he doesn't have the flexibility to save himself, and he crashes to the ground leaving his weapon in my arms.
Before he can even think about recovering I've already thrown said weapon aside (because my abilities with a spear are honestly still rubbish), and retrieved my sword. I don't even take the time to kill him; with his weapon gone he's not a priority anymore. I need to get to Validar.
I look back to the others. The guards are struggling to get through the armor of the other two knights. Miriel is battering at one of the mages, attacking relentlessly as their defences grow feebler. Cordelia has just struck the other mage in the shoulder with a spear. Severa is dodging around Validar's spell. Validar calmly makes a gesture with his hand.
Validar's spell turns in midair and hits my daughter.
She screams.
Then falls silent.
And when the spell vanishes she lays still.
I.
She.
What?
That's not.
That didn't just.
That was my daughter.
She just.
No.
No.
No.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO?"
Validar turns around just in time to see my throwing axe strike him in the chest. He falls back with a cry of agony.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" I rush the fucker.
The mage Cordelia hit earlier tackles me before I can get close, throwing me off balance and hanging off me like a fucking leech. The last of my patience immediately expires. Words are suddenly overrated. I forgo coherency at this point and just bellow at the top of my lungs as I stab the dark mage in the back repeatedly.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
By the time he's slumped to the ground a few seconds later I've torn his back to shreds. I rip my sword from his back one final time, . Stomp on his head. When it doesn't burst like I want it to I consider, for the briefest of moments, pausing to mutilate the body further.
Then I remember the real target of my hatred, and leave the fucker to bleed out.
Validar is still staggering back to his feet when I reach him. The wound in his chest is bleeding everywhere, but he doesn't seem to be letting it stop him yet.
Fine. I'm not close to done either.
Validar sees my sword coming and throws himself aside just before my sword can take off his head. Instead I tear through his clothing and shear a strip of flesh from his shoulder, not nearly enough to even hinder his movement. He attempts to fire a spell in retaliation; a bolt of lightning at point blank range. But I easily twist aside and slash at the hand he uses to attack me. Another narrow dodge; he gets away with only losing a few fingers.
Validar switches tactics at this point, blasting me with a sudden wall of wind that throws me backwards and creates a good bit of distance between the two of us. For a moment I think he's about to get the chance he needs to take me down, but an orb of lightning flies past me and hits him in the shoulder, sending him stumbling away. Miriel's finished with the other mage, apparently.
A hand appears at my shoulder, helping me up as Jeremy and the remaining guards rush past me. It's Cordelia. She looks me in the eye as I get to my feet, and it's enough to push the rage that was driving me back. It's still there, but it hardly seems so important at the moment.
"I'm so sorry, Ben." Cordelia says, grief written plain across her face.
"I…" My chest tightens, and for a moment I feel like I'm going to break down on the spot. I gently push Cordelia to the side before that can happen. "Not yet. I'll grieve once he's dead."
Cordelia's hand lingers on my back a moment longer, then moves to grip her spear. "Of course." She says calmly, suddenly all business. "Then I'll do what I can to ensure you have that chance as soon as possible."
The gratitude I feel towards her is pushed aside to the same place I'm keeping my grief locked away in. The anger I feel is bottled up as well. Now that the initial shock has worn off and I'm feeling more rational (if only slightly), I recognize the need to not let my emotions rule me until this is all over. To not fall back into that state that's been haunting me for months. When I advance this time, it's with a clear head.
Cordelia, true to her word, has already advanced ahead of me, following after Jeremy and the others. Validar is on the run now, casting spells on the move as the guards clamor to finish him off. In spite of this he still somehow seems to retain the upper hand. In the brief time I've been out of the fight he's killed another three people. Only Jeremy and three of his soldiers remain, with Cordelia and I struggling to catch up and Miriel still firing past us whenever she finds an opening.
Finally, as I draw level with Cordelia again, one of the guards hurls a spear taken from a fallen comrade, and manages to strike Validar in the leg. He stumbles, his latest counterattack flying wide and crashing somewhere behind us, and the guards fall upon him. Before he can turn properly, another spear strikes him in the side. Jeremy's spear follows, though Validar manages to twist aside before the blow can take his eye out. Even as he avoids this attack though, the next guard is thrusting, poised to strike him in the heart, and Validar's eyes widen as the death blow approaches-
Before an explosion of black flames erupts from the ground around him and send the soldiers flying back! "ENOUGH!" He roars, sending the flames rushing towards Cordelia and I with a violent gesture, and all too late I find myself remembering that Sorcerers in this world have an annoying tendency to become more powerful the more injured they are.
When the flames hit me, they don't burn like I expect. It feels instead like being struck with a sledgehammer and being dunked in a tub of ice water all at once. Battering force combined with a horrible feeling of wrongness, like this power that's hitting me shouldn't even exist.
I'm thrown through the air, screaming in alarm, and sent skidding across the ground. My head jolts as I land, and between this and the punch I took earlier I'm almost certainly concussed by now. I attempt to sit up and immediately drop when the pain in my head spikes and I suddenly feel like I'm about to throw up. Yeah… definitely concussed then. And from the way Cordelia seems to be groaning beside me I doubt she's any better.
I lay staring at the ceiling for a moment or two, hoping that my head will stop swimming so I can get back in the fight. Somewhere off to my left I hear the telltale sounds of fire and lightning, before another voice cries out in pain.
…Miriel. That was Miriel. Now that Validar's channeling all that pain into his spellcasting it looks like even she was no match for him. And if she's been taken down… damn. I guess that's it, then.
I hear footsteps approaching, and some sort of gargling sound. Sitting's still a no-go, so I prop myself on my elbows instead, painful still but manageable. Validar approaches, limping at first, but with a gait that grows steadier as time goes on. The reason becomes clear as he gets closer and my vision improves; he holds the body of one of the soldiers in his hand. Her body seems to be withering away, and Validar's wounds close in tandem. The gargling was the sound she made as he drained her life force. A Nosferatu spell.
"You should never have come here." Validar snarls as he stops a short distance away from us, dropping the dead soldier at his feet. "You were never meant to be here. Emmeryn was supposed to be an easy target. To attack me was tantamount to interfering with fate itself! And now, for your arrogance, you will pay."
His hand raises, his remaining fingers dripping with his blood as he points them at me. "You will pay for interfering in my designs!" He states coldly, energy gathering around his hand.
Before he can gloat any further, a loud roar interrupts, sending a spike of pain through my head and distracting Validar from his execution. He turns in the direction of the sound, and for the briefest of instants his eyes bulge almost comically.
Then what I can only describe as a furry car hits him so hard that he's carried out of my line of sight before I can even realize what's happened to him. By the time I've turned my aching head to face him Validar is already being dealt with. A razor toothed rabbit, larger than a horse, has Validar's head in his jaws and is shaking his body like a ragdoll. When the screaming Validar attempts to cast a spell on the rabbit they show their disapproval by lifting and slamming his body against the floor with a meaty thud. For the briefest of instants the arm raises again, if feebly.
The rabbit jerks their head one last time and snaps his neck. His body goes limp. And then, in a flash of light, the rabbit disappears, and it's a woman standing over Validar's body instead. She glares disdainfully down at the mage and spits a glob of his blood out of her mouth. "Foul." She mutters, before turning her glare to me instead. "Lie down, idiot man-spawn. You're clearly injured."
"I've had worse." I reply, though I do lay my head down like she asks. "Like, so much worse. Though I suppose that almost wasn't true. Thank you."
A thundering of footsteps approaches from out of sight, nearly drowning out the disdainful scoff that answers my show of gratitude. "Save your thanks, man-spawn. I have no need or desire for them."
I take my time thinking of a suitably sarcastic reply, but that proves to be enough for Virion to appear over me, fretting nervously.
"Mon dieu! Are you quite alright, my friend?" Virion frets, attempting to help me up.
"Concussion." I reply woozily, clumsily pushing his arms away. "Pretty sure I'm better off than most."
"That is a relief to hear." Virion gives me a half-hearted smile. "Worry not, the fair Lady Exalt has just arrived."
I'm about to ask what that means when a wave of white light suddenly flies over my head, and suddenly I find the fog in my head dissipating. I sit up tentatively with some help from and my head is free of pain. To my right I see Cordelia in a similar situation, being helped up by Sumia. She rubs her head shakily, and turns to meet my eyes.
The distraction of battle leaving my mind feels like a punch to the gut. "Severa." I whisper in horror. Then I throw myself away from Virion and start scrambling on all fours towards my daughter.
It's no surprise when I find Noire already there, though the additional presence of Laurent, Kjelle, and Lucina does surprise me, if only momentarily. Lucina sees me coming and steps forward, glaring in my direction. I determine immediately that her stupid grudge can fuck right off at the moment, and bulldoze past her before she can start snapping at me again.
Noire looks up to face me, tears in her eyes, with Severa's head cradled in my lap. I collapse to my knees beside her. My daughter. Oh fuck, that's my daughter. She's still, and quiet, in a way that I've never seen from her before. Normally even when she's being silent there's a noisy sort of energy about her, but it's gone now. She's laying completely still, hands still gripping her sword by the sheath.
Her sheath…?
For some reason that detail distracts me, even though all I should be able to focus on is… But, why did she sheathe her sword? I stare at the sheath in confusion. It doesn't make sense, she was fighting, so why… I notice a gemstone set in the blade, near the sword's hilt.
"It's… it's a staff?" I mutter in bewilderment. She turned her sheath into a staff by setting a gemstone in it. Which means she was casting a spell when she was hit?
"One… of your brighter ideas." A familiar voice mutters. I feel my heart stop for a moment.
"SEVERA!" I yell in alarm, staring in shock as my daughter cracks an eye open to look my way. I make to grab her, but Kjelle barely manages to stop me.
"Stop, uncle! She might be alive but she still needs medical attention." She cautions me, "No getting rough with her." I look back at the others and realize they already knew. I'm the last one here to learn that my daughter is alive.
"Fucking hell!" I explode with both frustration and relief. "I thought you were dead! What the fuck were you thinking running out there like that?"
"Well, somebody needed to distract them!" Severa snaps back irritably, though in her condition it lacks the usual bite. "And I was the only one who could cast Ward, so I- Ugh!" Her protesting gets her too worked up, and she clutches at her ribs in pain.
It proves to be too much for me as well, as I finally lose it completely. She's alive. She's actually alive, she had a plan from the start, and why the fuck didn't she tell me about it beforehand!?
"Goddamn it, kiddo!" I grab the hand she's not using to cradle her side and burst into tears. "You're grounded forever!" I let my head drop to the ground as my whole body shakes with sobs.
"What the hell? Stop- stop that!" Severa's hand squeezes mine weakly. "Just, stop it with the crying okay? I'm alive, so- so stop freaking me out!"
I ignore her, gripping her hand back with both of my own like it's a lifeline, even as I sob into the floor. "I love you. I love you so much, kiddo. I'm so glad you're okay."
Severa goes quiet at that for a moment or two. Then squeezes my hands back again. "I love you too, Dad. I'm sorry. I'll be okay."
We remain like that until the medics arrive to bring her to safety.
Thank you for reading.
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