Imppala: And another lame boss gets his posterior beaten upside-down.
Grim: Shame your temporary break from mandatory education ends today.
ShadowedTactician/Imppala: (stares) ...I don't need you talking about that.
Gijinka Renamon
ShadowedTactician: You didn't say that? (rubs eyes)
Imppala: I think your spectacles need washing, dude.
ShadowedTactician: In the meantime, why don't you sit back and watch TB supply a few possible ideas, like he's been doing.
Generic Reviewer
ShadowedTactician: Well, GR, I'll give you a clue... it's a medium height, middle weight Pokémon!
Imppala: ...Oh yeah, big help there, ShadowedTactician...
ShadowedTactician: And thanks for the review!
ShadowAngelUmbreon
ShadowedTactician: Why are Karel, Raven and Lucius acting as if they're a few Pokéballs short of a Mart?
Imppala: It's all part of the fangirlistic culture of today's fanfiction.
Grim: Sad but true.
ShadowedTactician: But thanks anyway!
Passing through Araphen and Khathelet, Lyn and her friends arrive in Caelin. However, Caelin is now under the rule of Lord Lundgren. Lundgren's henchmen lay it wait to assassinate Lyn. They wait for her approach and ready a special weapon.
"Look, Shadow!" Lyn said to her tactician as the group passed the border between Khathelet and Caelin. "The mountains seem so far away now. We've come such a long way..."
"Indeed," agreed Shadow. "It seems as if it was only yesterday you found me unconscious on the Sacaen Plains..."
"Milady Lyndis! Shadow!" Sain called. "We can't be very far to the castle now!"
"By my reckoning, we can reach Castle Caelin in two days if we hurry," estimated Kent.
"Two more days..." Lyn closed her eyes. "Hold on, Grandfather. Please..."
"Cheer up, Lyn!" Florina smiled at her friend. "If the others see you looking so sad, the entire company will lose heart."
"Florina..." Lyn looked at the young pegasus knight. "You're right. There's nothing to be gained by worrying. We just have to press onward."
"That's the spirit!" cheered Florina. Just then, Nils started to look serious. "Lyn... Danger approaches..." he said worriedly.
"What did you say?" gasped Lyn.
"I don't see anything..." Sain said as he squinted into the distance. "Are you sure?"
"I feel it too. I'm sure of it..." Ninian spoke as sweat poured down her brow. "Ah!" Her eyes suddenly flew open, "Milady, don't move!"
"Huh?" At that moment, behind a group of small hills not too far away, an enemy archer had just clambered into a large contraption and activated a lever system, causing a huge wooden arrow to come flying at Lyn, landing only centimetres next to her.
"What in...!" Lyn broke into a cold sweat. "Where did this bolt come from?"
"They have a ballista!" exclaimed Kent.
"Lord Lundgren is getting serious," Sain noted with a frown. "Deploying siege engines is no mean feat."
"What is a ballista?" asked Lyn.
"It's a weapon designed for long-distance attacks," explained Kent. "Only archers can use them, but they can be devastating."
"Florina! You must stay aground! Do not take to the air!" warned Sain. "The ballista would target you in an instant!" Hearing the words 'archer', 'bolt' and 'target', as well as catching a glimpse of the huge wooden arrow, Florina squealed in fright, jumped off her pegasus, and hid behind Lyn.
"Is there a way to combat it?" Shadow asked.
"Hmm... The safest course would be to use someone with good defence as bait, so the enemy wastes arrows," Kent suggested.
"Then you can walk up and knock the fool on the head," added Sain.
"Wil, can you use a ballista?" Lyn asked the archer.
"I've never tried, but... it's just a really big bow, right?" Wil shrugged. "I should be able to figure it out."
"All we can ask is that you try..." Lyn faced the direction where the arrow had come from. "Let's see what we can do!"
"Ah... Lady Lyndis? Shadow?" Matthew piped up.
"Yes, Matthew?" Shadow turned to the thief.
"I have some minor... business... to attend to. I'm unable to join you," Matthew said sheepishly. "If you need any of my possessions, please take them now."
"...Okay, sure." Shadow received the iron sword and vulnerary from the thief before he waved goodbye to the others and walked off. "Okay, here's the plan," he said as he gestured to the others to gather around. "Kent, Sain and Dorcas will form the first wave of attackers, while Erk, Lucius, Wil and Rath back them up with their ranged attacks. Florina will also aid with her javelin on the ground. Serra and Nils, support the group from the back. Lyn and I will go over the the village over there to warn the locals. Everybody got it?"
Brief mumbles of discussion were heard for a while, before the others nodded their approval.
"Let's do this in the shortest time possible and move towards Castle Caelin!" Shadow punched the air. "Go!"
Almost immediately after Shadow had given the order to charge, the ballista began to fire its deadly arrows. "Here it comes!" shouted Kent as another arrow flew down from the sky.
"Slugma!" Erk sent out the Lava Pokémon, "use Ember on that arrow!"
"Ma!" The Fire-type slug breathed a stream of flame onto the missile as it arched across the sky, causing it to start burning.
"Erk! What do you think you are doing!" Serra screamed, shaking Erk by the shoulders. "You'll burn the whole place up!"
"Wait!" Erk hushed the cleric, and pointed to the blazing arrow. The fire surrounding it had intensified. "Dorcas, now!"
"Water Gun, Poliwhirl!" commanded Dorcas, bringing forth the Tadpole Pokémon. "Poli!" It said as it shot out a pillar of water from the centre of its swirl. Instantly, the arrow disintegrated into thousands of tiny ash particles as the powerful Water Gun smashed into it.
"Instead of risking anyone getting hurt beyond medical help by one of those arrows, I came up with this plan for destroying them and told Dorcas," Erk explained. "By using a flame attack on the arrow followed by a dousing of water, we can reduce it to ashes before it hits anyone!"
"Not bad, Erk." Kent smiled. "Now let's continue!"
Meanwhile, Lyn and Shadow had reached the village.
"Excuse me!" Lyn called. "We're fighting a battle here. If you would please close your gates..."
"Hm? What's this?" An old man hobbled out to meet the two. "You came to warn us of danger? That's very thoughtful of you youngsters." He smiled, then as if suddenly remembering something, continued speaking. "I've got a bit of battle advice for you. Do you remember the weapon triangle? Axes over lances and whatnot?"
"Yes," nodded Lyn.
"Well, this is important, so pay attention." The old man coughed a bit, then went on. "There are some weapons that don't follow the normal rules. This here lancereaver is one of those," he said as he untied a sword from his waist, still in its scabbard, and held it up for Lyn and Shadow to see. "It's a sword that reverses the triangle."
"Reverses... the triangle?" Shadow was amazed.
"Yes. So if you wield this blade, you can best a lance with it. Of course, there's a downside... axes can best this sword." So saying, the old man passed the lancereaver to Lyn. "Here, take this as a gift. It's your reward for warning us of danger and listening to an old man ramble."
"I..." Lyn began to hesitate, as she usually did.
"Don't be so shy. It's not like I can use the thing," urged the old man. "Not everyone can wield a sword of this calibre. You look like you could use it, though... I see you've got some experience in using blades." Lyn blushed at the compliment, and finally decided to accept the lancereaver.
"What are you curs waiting for! They're nothing but fleas!" snarled the knight in command, Yogi. "Call up for reinforcements, and rush 'em!"
"Okay, Wil." Kent pointed, "the ballista's all yours."
"Thanks!" Enthusiastically, the archer climbed onto the huge bow mechanism. "Now... let me see here..."
KA-CHUNK! As Wil accidentally triggered a lever, a large arrow immediately shot out from the ballista, flying across the horizon.
"Captain Yogi!" shouted a soldier. "There's something headed in this... ACK!" He screamed as the missile skewered him through the navel.
"Curses!" swore Yogi. "The ballista must have been taken... What's going on here! Somebody, get that girl!"
"You called?" Yogi turned to see Lyn, Shadow and the others making their way towards him and the five fortresses from a bridge.
"Lyn, he's wielding an axereaver. Maybe you should strike him down with your Mani Katti!" Shadow shouted.
"Good idea," agreed Lyn as she unsheathed her Mani Katti. "Yaaaaa!" she yelled, lunging at the knight.
"Ungh!" Yogi managed to block the strike, but because of the effectiveness of the Mani Katti, the tip of his axereaver was cleanly sliced off. "Grrrrr..." The knight growled as he revealed a Pokéball from his waist. "Ursaring!" he shouted, summoning a large brown Pokémon that looked like a bear with a circle on its belly.
"Uh... Bulbasaur!" Lyn responded quickly, sending out her Pokémon. "Use your Razor Leaf!"
"Ursaring, Aerial Ace!" shouted Yogi. The Hibernant Pokémon slashed across the air, slicing the leaves into shreds and knocking Bulbasaur aside.
"Bulbasaur needs support!" Florina cried. "Go, Mitch! Use Whirlwind!"
"Poliwhirl, Bubblebeam now!" Dorcas commanded.
"Thunderpunch!" Ursaring charged through the billowing wind and storming bubbles, and delivered an electric blow to the two attackers. Being severely susceptible to Electric-type attacks, Mitch and Poliwhirl fell backwards, defeated. "Earthquake!" Swiftly, Ursaring followed up with a shattering punch to the ground that caught Ponyta and Stantler unawares. "ARGH!" screamed the two cavaliers as they plummeted into the crevice. Everyone else managed to get out of the way just in time.
"So... so strong..." Lyn panted. "How can one Pokémon be so versatile?"
"Normal-type Pokémon are known for having wide varieties of attacks!" answered Shadow with heavy breaths. "Because of their inability to be classified under a certain category, Normal-type Pokémon in fact have the power to use many different techniques! Thunderpunch and Earthquake themselves are merely common moves that most strong punching Pokémon can execute!" Gazing at the growling bear, he remarked worriedly, "This means we have no idea of what it'll do next!"
"Hahahahahaha!" Yogi laughed madly. "Our informers from before had warned us of you and your Pokémon! This Ursaring has been trained solely to handle any Pokémon that you throw at us!"
"What!" Lyn gasped. "That means... it knows all our weaknesses!"
"That may be true, but Ursaring's not without weaknesses either!" Shadow clenched his fist determinedly. "Ursaring may be strong, but we can try to disable it first by taking advantage of its low speed!"
"Okay!" Lyn raised her hand. "Bulbasaur, try your Stun Spore!"
"Will-o-wisp, Ralts!" Lucius shouted.
"Slugma, use Smog!" Erk called. Bulbsaur began to shake the bulb on its back, producing a yellow powder. Ralts breathed out purple flames, while Slugma produced a choking gas. The cloud of attacks flew towards Ursaring and surrounded it, soaking through its skin and poisoning its bloodstream.
"Alright!" cheered Shadow. "Now Ursaring's been paralysed, burned and poisoned!"
"Don't be too happy yet!" smirked Yogi. "Façade!" Ursaring lunged forward, madly flailing its arms, battering Bulbasaur, Ralts and Slugma. "Façade is an attack that does more damage when the user is under any of the three above status problems! With all three status problems, Ursaring's Façade is doing colossal damage, which is further amplified by its Guts! You've just played yourself into your own grave!" the knight laughed wildly.
"Maybe so..." muttered Shadow. "But those status effects will take a toll on Ursaring eventually!" he shouted. As Ursaring's movements began to slow down from paralysis, the tactician noticed the opening. "Serra! Nils!" Shadow beckoned. "Use your Pokémon and fight!"
"...Fine! Loudred!" Serra cringed a little before sending out her Pokémon. "Plusle!" Nils shouted, bringing out his little Electric-type.
"Shock Wave!" yelled the two at the same time. The big-mouthed creature and small rodent concentrated, generating orbs of electricity within their palms, then thrust the bolts forward, hitting Ursaring squarely in the middle of its circle.
"Yes! We finally knocked it out!" Lyn cheered. "...Or have we?" Shadow suddenly frowned. Ursaring had fallen and its eyes were closed, but something didn't seem right. "Oh, no..." groaned Shadow as he slapped his forehead. "It's sleeping! Ursaring must've used Rest to restore its status!"
"And that's not all!" Yogi snapped his fingers, "Snore!" Ursaring began to produce a loud growling noise, creating shockwaves of sound that blasted Loudred and Plusle into submission.
"Grim!" Shadow yelled desperately. "Use Dream Eater!" Grim gently hovered over Ursaring, and began to use its dark powers. A red aura surrounded the snoozing bear, which then consumed Grim a few seconds later. "Grim's Dream Eater is slowly draining Ursaring's health while it's asleep!" explained Shadow as Ursaring started to have nightmares and writhed in its slumber. Just then, Ursaring opened its eyes, causing the red aura to disappear. The Dream Eater had awoken Ursaring, and it was anything but happy. Grim floated back in surprise and horror.
"Faint Attack!" Yogi roared. Angrily, Ursaring charged at Grim, disappeared just as it was going to hit the Duskull, then reappeared behind Grim. A split second later, Grim fainted to the ground.
"Hahahahaha! Your Pokémon can no longer do battle!" Yogi laughed like a maniac. "Now it's time for Ursaring to take care of... Wait a minute!" The knight paused his evil rant for a moment and began to mutter to himself. "One... two... three... There's one missing!" he snarled. "Where's your other friend?"
"Oh!" Lyn gasped. "We left Wil at the ballista!" At that moment, Yogi and Shadow managed to catch sight of something flying through the air. "What in the world is that?" Yogi muttered as he squinted against the sunlight.
"It's a bird!" guessed Shadow.
"It's an arrow!" suggested Nils.
"No! It's..." Lyn's voice trailed off when she saw what it was. It was green in colour, with two madly waving arms and spikes all over. "CACNEAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" it yelled.
"What!" Yogi exclaimed. The Cactus Pokémon suddenly shot out a storm of sharp objects. "It's Cacnea's Spikes!" yelled Shadow as everyone else ran for cover. Ursaring was not so lucky as it was riddled by the incoming bullets.
"UGH!" Yogi fell back as Cacnea scored a direct hit, using his forehead as a landing pad. "Lord Lundgren... I've failed you..." he grimaced as blood trailed down his face. "I pray you hurry... with those reinforcements... you promised."
"Cacnea!" Wil came rushing over to the fortresses a few moments later. "Is he okay?"
"Yes, he's fine." Lyn held the Grass-type in her arms. "A little dizzy..." Shadow added, "...but fine nontheless. How did you come up with such a brilliant attack plan, Wil?"
"Well... to be frank... I'd already used up all the bolts when Cacnea wanted to play with the levers, and... you get the idea," Wil said sheepishly.
"...Is it over?" asked Lyn as she looked around.
"Yes. I see no more enemy soldiers," answered Kent. "However... something is bothering me."
"What is it, Kent?" Shadow asked.
"I noticed it during the fight. Our opponents..." Kent suddenly paused for a moment, then continued, "They were soldiers of Caelin. I even recognised some of those we fought. I trained with many of them... and yet they attacked us without hesitation..."
"They're black-hearted traitors who've joined Lord Lundgren," growled Sain, seemingly unperturbed. "Good riddance, I say. It also means less resistance at the castle."
"I hope you're right..." Kent mumbled, wiping his eye with his armoured hand.
"I'm just glad Nils and Ninian are with us. If that first shot had hit me, I might not have survived," smiled Lyn.
"We are honoured to have served you well," bowed Ninian. "We won't let you down!" Nils affirmed.
"I know," Lyn said as she placed her hand on Nils' shoulder. "I'm relying on you."
"What's this?" came a familiar voice. "You dealt with the ballista, too? Nicely done!"
"Matthew, where were you during all this?" asked Lyn.
"Truthfully... I went to the village to sniff about for information," the thief admitted. "I got some interesting news for my trouble, too."
"Let's hear it," said Shadow.
"First, about Marquess Caelin's illness..." Matthew began. "He really is unwell. He's been abed on nigh for three months."
"Oh, no..." Lyn cringed. "Grandfather..."
"I heard an interesting rumour about his condition, though..." The thief beckoned to the others to come closer, so no one else besides them could hear his report. "The people believe that someone's been poisoning the marquess."
"He's been poisoned!" gasped the plainsgirl.
"And this someone..." Matthew's eyes darted here and there. "Well, everyone's too afraid to mention a name. However, they say that, as soon as the marquess took ill, a certain noble took control of the castle as though it were his own. I fed a hungry innkeeper some coins, and he fed me a name..." By now Matthew's voice was barely above a whisper. "...The marquess of Caelin's own brother, Lord Lundgren."
"How... how can this be?" Lyn backed off a bit in disbelief. "How can they allow him to get away with this? The villagers know he's the one poisoning my grandfather, and yet no one raises a hand against him?... Why?"
"They are afraid, and they lack proof," Kent replied sadly. "The whisperings of the common people mean nothing."
"That's the truth of it," nodded Matthew. "And of the marquess' loyal retainers who might have lent credence to these rumours, there is no sign."
"Are you saying they've been silenced?" asked Lyn in shock.
"It's a fair assumption," sighed the thief.
"This is beyond believing..." Kent held his forehead in his hand.
"The worst news is yet to come..." Matthew regained his serious tone. "What? There's more?" groaned Sain.
"An impostor's appeared, claiming to be the marquess' granddaughter," Matthew continued. "...At least, that's the story Lundgren's telling to all who'll listen."
"What does that mean?" Shadow asked.
"It means that the people are waiting for two traitorous knights and a baseborn child to appear and lay claim to Castle Caelin," the thief answered grimly.
"But... but that... It can't be!" Sain stammered.
"Traitors? Us? Ridiculous!" Kent fumed.
"He says... I'm an impostor?" Lyn could not believe what she heard.
"Don't you have anything that proves your lineage?" asked Matthew.
"When my mother joined the Lorca, she brought nothing of Lycia with her..." sighed Lyn.
"Milady, Marquess Araphen himself remarked at your resemblance to Lady Madelyn!" Sain exclaimed. "Your face is your proof!"
"They'll say we found a lookalike somewhere..." Kent disagreed with Sain's brainwave. "Besides, we're already seen as betrayers of our knightly vows. Our word means nothing."
"So... our only hope is to see Marquess Caelin himself!" concluded Shadow.
"We must hurry then. If not, my grandfather..." Lyn shook away any tears that might have been forming in her eyes. "I must see him! With my last breath if need be."
"But we must formulate some manner of plan!" pointed out Matthew. "Even if we set out for the castle, the troops patrolling the area will cause no end of problems. You have been branded as oathbreakers, after all."
"I've got it!" Shadow piped up. "Eliwood... He seemed sympathetic to our plight. And he should still be in Khathelet. If we can talk to him, he might help us!"
"Of course! A sound idea!" Kent clapped.
"Let's hurry!" urged Sain.
"Yes!" Lyn punched the air resolutely. "Back to Khathelet!"
To be continued...
ShadowedTactician: And so ends today's chapter.
Imppala: Back to waking up at five, six in the morning.
ShadowedTactician: Back to boring assignments, quizzes and whatnot.
ShadowedTactician/Imppala: SIGH.
Grim: ...Review.
