Welcome, welcome! Come one, come all, to this glorious installment of- Wait a second. This isn't some kind of circus!
Greetings, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.
Summer is finally here – or so I thought. We're still shifting between hot temperatures and early-spring levels of cold where I live, and it makes it annoyingly difficult to know how much clothes I need to wear at the start of the day. For once, my mother has a point in her constant insistence that it's too cold to go outside without my jacket.
Now, onto some reviews.
SuperVegitoFAN: Huh. That would explain Goku's insane leap in power whenever he enters that state. Not that any of his form changes don't result in an insane power leap already…
TheOrangeLord: Thanks for pointing out my mistake so quickly. Hopefully not too many noticed :P
Ittehgaps: Nope, it's just Ultra Instinct in this fic. I feel that any more extra forms would just detract from the value of letting Yarne achieve that form. It's kind of like how I feel it gets pretty old whenever Goku enters a new stage of super saiyan time and again to the point that the first stage becomes the standard, when it originally was his trump card.
prisontaker: No, but I have something along those lines in mind.
3-13 Sniper: Yeah, I just love using Lucina as a medium for fighting game memes. That's the idea behind her build to begin with.
I looked up that dust bowl you mentioned, and I've gotta say; that's some creepy stuff. While using wind magic on sand is a bit situational, it shows how effective situational awareness can be.
Regarding Kellam; I did say that I want everyone to have their chance to shine, and that involves everyone's favorite forgettable Shepherd as well. Dude deserves his time in the spotlight after all the times he gets neglected.
1silvergamer2: I thought it would be common knowledge by now; there is no saving from the blood and thunder once Noire sets her sights on you.
warrior of six blades: While most of the kids consider Jack to be their teacher only, there's some nuances in some of the relationships with specific child characters. That's something I intend to flesh out as Jack interacts with them more.
And, as Laurent has demonstrated, mages are not to be trifled with.
Blaze2121: Believe me, Jack won't take the whole Robin's-heart-is-linked-to-Grima's thing in any other way than bad. As I've demonstrated in this fic, Jack is extremely devoted to Robin, and if he perceives a threat to her, he gets violent until that threat is eliminated. Which makes it interesting that you would mention a possible Fates fic. The more I think about it, the more Jack's devotion to Robin reminds me of Camilla's devotion to Corrin, though to a less extreme extent. Camilla's just… Yikes.
LegacySpellsword: You bring up a good point regarding Vexen. In fact, I originally planned on basing Laurent's skillset on Vexen's abilities while I was deciding on character builds. However, Zexion won out in the end due to, as you mentioned yourself, giving Laurent a more balanced skillset, which is more in line with his generalist approach to research and gives a nod to Laurent's weapon of choice being tomes. I also find Laurent's personality to be closer to Zexion's than Vexen's.
Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.
I've heard enough of your delusional blather! It's high time you knew your place, and I'll see to it personally! – Noire
Chapter 18:
Damsel in distress – or not?
I am the bone of my split personality.
"Fire!" *Fwoom!*
I slip to the side and dodge the fireball Laurent launched my way.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
The continued barrage of fire magic forces me into a zigzag pattern as I weave between the spells. I frown as I dodge Laurent's spells. His casting speed is acceptable, but his angle of approach is far more simplistic than what he displayed in that last battle. I refuse to believe this is all he can do. The fact that he's Miriel's son means he has something else in mind. I have to look at his approach from at least two steps further.
Deciding to test the waters, I wait for the next spell from him.
"Thunder!"
There!
I sprint across the sand, allowing me to dodge the lightning spell and head straight for Laurent in the process. Three paces before I can aim a punch at the Mage, he jumps back with the assistance of an Aero spell, while simultaneously kicking up some sand to obscure my vision. I skid to a halt before I can run into the displaced sand. Now, what is he cooking up under that pointy hat of his?
I notice movement under my feet. Is the sand sliding apart?
My eyes widen as I realize I've been played. I hop back in a burst of Gale step. A split-second later, enchanted paper bursts from the sand. The mana-infused pages swirl in a small whirlwind before they fly to Laurent's open tome. Said tome closes with a snap right afterwards.
I relax in my stance and give Laurent an approving smile. "You used all those previous spells to distract me from the fact that you planted some enchanted paper under your feet. You actually wanted me to approach me for a melee range attack, and thus lured me towards you, all while pretending to try to keep me at a distance. Clever. Very clever, Laurent."
Laurent adjusts his glasses (it's creepy how similar that mannerism is to Miriel's). "It would seem you have seen through my entire strategy. And here I thought I had you outplayed."
I nod. "You almost did too. Had I been a moment slower, you would've succeeded."
"What gave it away?"
"Your strategy as a whole was well thought out, but your execution could use some work." I explain. "The way you baited me with those low-level spells indicated that you were up to something more complex than mere brute force. Had your spells been more powerful, I never would've suspected a thing."
Laurent nods in understanding. "I considered that angle of approach as well, but ultimately discarded it in favor of a more cost-effective approach. Since my objective was to lure you into that trap, using excess of mana to lure you into that position sounded like too much effort for the desired result."
I rub my chin. "Hmm… I won't fault your reasoning per say. In fact, it's quite solid. However, that kind of mindset could turn into a disadvantage against experienced opponents like me."
"Because you are more likely to see through my ruse?"
"Exactly. And once your opponent does that, they can plan around your strategy and maybe even turn it against you." I raise a finger. "And herein lies the irony of your approach; what seems like the smarter plan at first, actually turns out to be the dumber."
Laurent nods. "I see. It seems I need to take my opponent's perspective into account to a greater extent next time. Rest assured, Master Jack, our next spar will go very differently."
I nod back with an easy smile. "Of that, I have no doubt. But before we finish for today, I have one more thing to say."
"Yes?"
"Laurent, I've noticed that you approach not only combat, but just about everything around you as if it's some kind of research subject."
The Mage nods. "Indeed. It is ultimately my dream to carry on my mother's legacy as a scholar and advance the research she devoted her life to. But to carry such a heavy responsibility, I must sharpen my mind every day, until I am a scholar of at least the same caliber as her."
I sigh. "Look, Laurent, while I think it's admirable that you want to walk in Miriel's footsteps, I think you misunderstand her."
My student gives me a neutral look (Seriously, cut that out, man! It's creepy!). "Explain."
"Well, your mother is more than just a scholar. She's a Shepherd, an ally, a comrade-in-arms, a married woman, and – as you yourself are well aware of – a mother. I know that Miriel devotes much of her time for research, but I've seen her put time in activities that aren't related to science at all. Well, at least not in a direct manner."
"And what does that have to do with me?"
I walk up to Laurent and place a hand on his shoulder. "Laurent, life is more than just going from one research project to the next. Heck, the way you behave when you conduct research together with Miriel looks more like two friends enjoying a common interest, rather than two scholars trying to make a new discovery. There's nothing wrong with you sharpening your mind every day, but it's equally important that you learn to discover other facets of life. Many of them can't be discovered through reasoning and research alone. In fact, using such approaches could rob you of the enjoyment of life sometimes."
Laurent frowns as he contemplates my words. "I believe I understand what you're trying to tell me, Master, but I fail to see how else I should approach it. To be honest, I do not know of any other approach."
"Maybe you do." I counter. "If I know my future self right, he must've instilled a very important lesson in you before he agreed to take you under his wing. So, as his past counterpart, I'll take on the responsibility of reminding you of what is no doubt your very first lesson under our tutelage." I smile and poke Laurent on the chest. "May your heart be your guiding key."
Laurent returns my smile. "How long has it been since I heard those words? It takes me back to all those years ago when you agreed to train me, Master Jack. Rest assured, I will take due time to contemplate your wisdom."
I leave Laurent and head back to camp, but not before I turn my head towards him with a knowing smile. "That's the trick, Laurent. You're not supposed to think too deeply about it. Just go with what feels right, and take action." I turn back to where I'm headed and wave over my shoulder. "You know the correct course of action more often than you're aware of. You just need to learn to guide your mind, instead of letting your mind guide you. Master yourself, my dear student."
Your relationship with Laurent has improved!
I lift open the flap to the war tent to find the usual group gathered inside, with the addition of Lissa and Lucina.
"Sorry for the wait." I greet the others. "I had to get some stuff in working order with Laurent."
Emmeryn gives me a calm smile. "Worry not, Jack. We were just about to begin ourselves."
Everyone soon gathers around the map on the war table.
"All right, this is our current situation." Robin begins. She places her finger on the place where we currently are. "From here on out, we should be able to travel directly to Port Ferox without running the risk of any ambushes from unsavory parties." She drags her finger north on the map until she hits a thick white line, then trace it to the west coast. "All we need to do is travel north until we reach the main road along the Great Wall, and then follow it west."
Chrom nods while rubbing his chin. "That's the route we decided on during our last meeting, Robin, so why bring that up?"
Robin traces the map back to our current position, then drags it eastward instead. "We currently have the mountain borders to Ylisse east of us. In fact, the most well-traveled route through the mountain pass is less than half a day's march from here." Her finger stops at the capital. "If we take this route, we can make a stop in Ylisstol if we so wish. The roads between Ylisstol and Port Ferox are easy to travel, so it shouldn't be too much of a detour if we decide to stop by the castle."
Robin raises her head and looks at Emmeryn. "Well, Your Grace? How about it? Do you wish to proceed directly to Port Ferox, or do you wish to take some time in the palace?"
Emmeryn closes her eyes in contemplation. "When we first set out on this travel route, you told me it would delay our return to Port Ferox by a few days, Robin." Emmeryn looks at Robin directly. "How long can we afford to stay at the capital?"
Robin rubs her chin as the proverbial gears turn in her head. "Considering how long we've traveled, the Plegian ships should arrive in Port Ferox in a day or so. From there, I estimate that preparing all the necessary supplies, recruiting enough crewmembers to sail the ships, and loading all the cargo onboard should take a total of at least two weeks. Ylisstol is at least four days of travel from Port Ferox at our current pace. Assuming we need about a full day to reach Ylisstol from where we are now, that means we can afford to stay in the capital for little over a week at most, if we want to set sail for Valm as soon as possible."
Emmeryn nods. "I believe staying that long should not be necessary." She directs a smile at her younger sister and eldest niece. "Well, you two? How about staying a few days at the palace?"
"Gods, yes!" Lissa exclaims in a heartbeat. "I've been sleeping on a bedroll for far too long. My pillow back home misses me, and I'm obligated to snuggle with it."
Lucina blinks owlishly. "You pillow has feelings, Aunt Lissa?"
…
"It was a figure of speech, Lucina…" Chrom explains to his eldest daughter.
The blue-haired princess blushes deep red upon realizing her error, though she shakes it off quickly. "Oh, er, well… If we can afford the time, I would love to stay in the capital for a few days." A longing smile grows on her face. "It's been so long since I've seen the world so peaceful. Maybe I could even enjoy sleeping at home again."
Cordelia happily claps her hands together. "Oh, that sounds wonderful, Lucina. We'll find you a nice, comfortable room to call you very own where you can enjoy some peaceful sleep, you'll see."
Lucina raises an eyebrow. "Actually, Mother, I was thinking I could simply stay in one of the guestrooms before we set back out again. Besides, my baby self already has her own room."
"Absolutely not!" Cordelia counters fiercely.
"M-Mother?"
"You're as much my child as the little baby waiting for me back at the palace, and I will not accept anything less than you having your own room in the very palace where you live."
"Mother, I really don't think that's nece-"
Cordelia practically gets in her daughter's face. "I WILL find you a suitable room, Lucina. Is that clear?"
Lucina gulps. "Y-yes, Mother. Thank you. Though… I would prefer if I could share that room with Severa."
The Falcon Knight tilts her head to the side. "Well, I suppose that could be arranged, but why?"
"During the last years before we traveled back in time, we often had to make do with sleeping in rather…cramped spaces. Not to the point that we slept on top of each other, but certainly close enough that personal space was practically a luxury at night. It was a bit awkward at first, but necessity won over personal feelings very quickly. Fortunately, my comrades were understanding enough to let Severa and I always sleep during the same hours, seeing as we were family and all that. At this point, not sleeping together is almost unthinkable for the both of us."
A somber atmosphere descends in the tent as the meaning behind Lucina's words sink in. When fighting a losing war against a giant apocalyptic dragon and its army of killer zombies, you had to make do with what you found and whatever respite you were given. While not the happiest of settings, it definitely served to strengthen the bond between the royal sisters. It's a matter of finding the silver lining, really.
Cordelia seemingly reached the same conclusion, judging by her nod and tense smile. "Of course, dear. We'll arrange for a room for the both of you as soon as we reach the palace."
Lucina smiles back, genuinely in her case. "Thank you, Mother. I'll let Severa know when we are done with this meeting."
"Which would be now." Robin interjects. "Our next destination is decided, so all we need to do is break camp and be on our way."
And so, here we are, about ten minutes later, and a pair of clones packing up mine and Robin's tent while I'm chilling on top of a random, conveniently placed crate with my wife sitting on my lap and the two of us snuggling together.
Hey, why bother with the dirty work, when you can just copy yourself and have said copies do the work for you? That technically counts as doing it yourself, right?
"It's official; we don't get enough credit." clone # 1 grumbles as he puts Robin's desk and writing supplies in an organized pile for loading on a cart later.
Clone # 2 rolls his eyes. "Tell me about it. With how often Boss abuses us, you would think he'd figured he could just make more of us to snuggle with our bae in case he's busy doing something personally for a change."
"I heard that!" I shout from my seated position.
"That was the plan!" clone # 1 shouts back. "Seriously, Boss! If you're so bent on hogging Robin for yourself, why not teach her how to make clones too? We clones have feelings too, you know, and we need some time with our beloved as well."
"Don't you dare get me started on that." I fire back. "I know you. The second you're done with whatever task I give you, you'll just sneak away for some crazy stuff, 'cause you're essentially me with almost no inhibitions. If a clone of Robin is nearby, you'll just grab her along for the trip and do stuff not considered safe for children."
Robin blushes upon hearing my reply. "Well… It wouldn't be that bad, would it?"
Clone # 2 nods sagely. "You heard the lady, Boss. Besides, everything we experience goes back to you anyway, so any hot, steamy stuff we do with Robin's clones will just go right back to you two when we're done. It's a win-win situation, honest."
"No, it's not. What do you think will happen if you dispel after that kind of stuff while Robin's in the middle of a meeting? Or trying to devise a strategy for an upcoming battle? Or while she's busy fending off an ambush?"
My clones freeze at my reply.
"Oh…" clone # 1 mutters. "Yeah… That would suck."
"Come on, Boss, you can't leave us in the cold like this." clone # 2 insists as he finishes rolling up the fabric of the tent. "Isn't there something you could do to make our short existences more worthwhile?"
I rub my temples. "*Sigh* All right, I guess I could think of something. But until then, you guys have to be patient."
"Fair enough." clone # 1 replies as he puts down a crate filled with tomes and dusts off his hands. "All done." He grins at his brother-clone. "Soo…tag with desert critters?"
Clone # 2 grins back. "Heck yeah!"
My clones vanish in twin blurs, leaving our portion of the campsite cleared out and ready to be loaded up.
Robin glances at me. "You know, Jack, your clones bring up a good point. Not only would it make my own workload lighter if I could make clones myself, they could give your own clones some company. Sure, they're always motivated to help me, but I can't help but notice how lonely they look."
"Oh, I'm well aware, Robin. I feel and experience everything they feel, remember?"
"So why don't you do something about it?"
"Oh, but I do. Why do you think I'm always in a cuddly mood after I dispel a bunch of clones who have worked for an extended period of time?"
Robin's eyes widen in realization before she rubs her temples. "That explains so much… You really need a better way for coping with your self-imposed loneliness, Jack. I won't always be available for that snuggling, nor will I always be in the mood."
I nod reluctantly. "Fine. I'll try to figure something out."
Timeskip: The next day
Severa stares intently at the baby version of her technically-older sister, who happens to lie safely in the arms of her adult self. Baby Lucina, in turn, stares up at her not-yet-born sister with wide-eyed curiosity.
The present princess and future princess hold their little staring match for a while longer.
Then Baby Lucina blows some spit bubbles at Severa before she turns around in Adult-Lucina's embrace and snuggles with said adult princess.
Severa's right eyebrow twitches violently. "Of all the- You were terrible as a baby, Lucina."
Lucina, for her part, apologizes profusely on behalf of her baby-self.
"This looks so strange…" Cordelia comments baffled. "I never thought our daughters would argue about their behaviors as children in such a way."
Lissa shrugs. "Yeah, seems like all this time travel stuff can cause some messy situations." She smiles at the Falcon knight. "But look at it like this; if our future children can meet their baby selves, maybe that can remind them of what they fight for."
Chrom raises an eyebrow. "You sound awfully sure about becoming a parent, Lissa, just like when Lucina was born."
"I already told you, I have a budding motherly instinct!" the blonde princess huffs while stomping her foot on the floor.
Chrom gives her a flat look. "Judging by your behavior, I'm not convinced."
"I'll prove you wrong someday! You'll see, and then you'll be sorry!"
Sigh. It's during moments like these that I wish they would hurry up and integrate soundproofing in building technology. Stone walls may be sturdy, but sound in palace structures travel way too easily when loudmouths are around.
"It's during moments like these that I tend to forget we're planning for a war…" Robin muses in the adjacent room we're in at the moment.
I cut off Mind's eye to take my attention away from the spectacle happening outside and focus it on my wife.
"I know what you mean." I reply. "Still, all the more reason for us to protect peaceful moments like these." I take a glance on the map of the continent again. "So, back to our travel plans."
Robin nods. "From here, our path forward should be quite clear. After our respite here in the capital, we should hurry straight to Port Ferox and oversee preparations for our trip across the Long sea. We have some hectic days ahead of us, between loading a thousand vessels with supplies, hiring extra members for the ship crews, and making sure our troops are in the best possible shape." Robin sighs. "I might need to delegate some tasks."
I nod. "That's a sound idea. Whatever you do, don't overdo it. Our army's better off with you in good health and a few days' delay rather than you being dead on your feet all the time."
Robin smiles at me. "Well, at least I can count on you to be there for me."
I scratch my head. "Yeeaah… Except I won't."
"…"
"…"
"Say what…?" Robin asks me deadpan.
"I'll be busy making a round trip along the northern part of the continent while you guys head for Port Ferox." I explain as I retrieve Itachi's scroll. "There's a few more locations I need to cover before we set sail for Valm, and now's the best opportunity I still have left to cover them."
Robin frowns. "Like when we found Severa, Yarne and Laurent during our round trip back to the capital?"
I nod and pick up a few pins. "Yeah. Based on what the squirrels reported, the remaining locations should be around here, here and here." I place the pins on the spots described in the report. Then I place my finger on the position on the capital and drag it along the edge of the continent counterclockwise. "I should be able to cover them all if I travel along a route like this. That should hopefully net us some more useful allies for our campaign."
Robin sighs. "In other words, you'll be off traveling along the Feroxi countryside, while I'm stuck with managing our army alone. Is this really necessary, Jack?"
I purse my lips. "I wouldn't mention this unless I thought it was important – you know that by now. I'll try to complete my task as fast as I can, but I'll still need some time to make the trip. The best I could do for you is leave a clone by your side to help smooth things along for you until I return."
Robin raises an eyebrow. "Speaking of your clones; I've never seen them be around for more than a few hours. How long can they last?"
I blink. "Actually, I've never tried to find that limit. For all I know, they could last indefinitely, so long as they don't take too much damage or run out of mana to sustain themselves."
Robin's frown returns. "Can't you just send a band of clones for that trip instead?"
I shake my head. "That's too unreliable. If an accident happens along the way, the entire band could get wiped out before they complete the journey. My clones can't take as much punishment as I can, so I don't want to run that risk. At least managing ship loading is much safer than traveling the countryside."
Robin rubs her temples. "There's no talking you out of this, is there?"
I sigh. "If there was, you'd probably have succeeded by now. Look, Robin, I have faith that our soldiers are capable, but I'm not sure if that's enough to stop the Conqueror. We'll need every edge we can get against a force of that magnitude. And if we have to put in extra effort to gain that edge, I think that's better than getting crushed under the oppression of a potential tyrant. Besides, we already gave Lucina our word that we'd help her find her lost comrades, and I hold the most leads on their whereabouts."
"I know… It's just…I had hoped you'd help me with these final war preparations, Jack."
"Oh, believe me. I'd wish for that just as much as you do. But between all these pressing matters, I think this is the best route to go." I huff in exasperation. "Besides, maybe letting one of my clones spend some extended quality time with you will finally stop their constant whining. Naga help me, their nagging could test the patience of a rock."
Robin gives me an amused smile. "You do realize that's basically you arguing with yourself, don't you?"
I roll my eyes. "Do I ever… Between our allies and all their…quirky…personalities, I think I'm the closest to being put in a madhouse if it wasn't for Emmeryn's trust and benevolence." I sober up quickly. "Back on topic, though. I'll make this excursion worthwhile, Robin. I promise."
Robin purses her lips a bit before she nods. "All right. I'll try to manage the best I can on my end, then. Hopefully your theory about your clones holds up."
I nod in agreement. Then I snap my fingers. "Oh, and one more thing." I pick up another pin and stick it at the north-western end of the continent, a bit north of Port Ferox. "There was one more place that the squirrels reported would be of interest. I'm not sure if my planned traveling route could take me there. Do you think you could cover that place for me?"
Robin raises an eyebrow. "Hmm… It shouldn't be too far away from Port Ferox. In fact, we might take a detour there before we head for the port itself. Why? Think we'll find another one of Lucina's allies there?"
I nod. "I'm positive."
I turn to the open window and whistle. A few seconds later, a squirrel lands on the window sill. I pull out a hazel nut from my bag and motion the squirrel over.
"I have a special assignment for you, Itachi." I tell the woodland critter as I hand him the nut. "I want you to follow my wife for the next week or so." I motion for the pin north of Port Ferox. "She will travel to this location soon. I want you to guide her there safely."
"Understood." Itachi replies before he vanishes in a puff of smoke.
Robin blinks. "Another one of your squirrel friends?"
"More like associates." I correct. "Anyway, when you pass Port Ferox, have some nuts ready and signal for Itachi with a whistle. He will guide you to the exact location of this pin."
Robin nods as she processes the information. "All right. I'll see what I can find there."
Robin bends back up after slumping over the map for so long. She sighs satisfied as her back emits a few pooping sounds. "Phew. That should be enough strategizing for one day."
I nod. "I agree. I'd better assemble a traveling group and gather supplies for the journey."
Robin raises an eyebrow. "You won't be traveling alone?"
"Of course not. I'd never put you under such unnecessary worries like that unless I had a good reason – which I don't have in this case."
Robin sighs. "Well, that's at least one less issue for me to worry about."
"You little- Argh! Lucina! Your baby-self drooled in my hair!"
"I'm sorry, Severa! I'm so sorry!"
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "*Sigh* But first, I'd better check up on my dear students before Severa harms her sister's present self."
Robin giggles. "They can be quite a handful, can't they?"
"You have no idea, my love. Just know you're not the only one who has to deal with people with tiresome tendencies on a daily basis."
Timeskip: The next morning
I stand outside the palace gates in full gear, Harvest Moon safely attached to my back, and my bag filled with just about everything I need for the journey. On my right is a small horse-drawn cart with supplies, provisions, spare weapons and other useful stuff for the journey ahead. All that's left is my traveling crew.
"Ugh. Remind me again why you had to drag me outta bed this early?" I hear Vaike grumble.
"'Cause Jack's going on a trip that a bunch'a squirrels tipped him off on, and Robin won't shut up until she knows that he ain't travelin' alone." Sully replies.
I turn and spot the Paladin and her husband approach, packed up and ready for travel.
"Morning, Vaike. Morning, Sully." I greet the couple.
"You'd better have a good reason to drag us on this thing, Jack." Vaike replies irritably. "I had a great dream when Sully all but picked me up from the bed and threw me out the room before she threw my gear on top of me."
"That's what you get for bein' a sleepyhead, Vaike." Sully fires back. "Jack told us all about this yesterday, and even mentioned we'd be setting out early, so you only have yourself to blame for turning in late."
"Can't you guys save your bickering for later? It's way too early in the morning for all this racket." we hear Nowi complain.
The three of us turn and find Donnel carrying Nowi piggyback while the manakete rubs her eyes sleepily.
"Mornin', fellas." Donnel greets us cheerfully. "Sorry for the wait. Nowi wouldn't let go of the pillow."
The manakete pouts. "Hey, a girl needs her beauty sleep. Do you want your adorable wife to get wrinkles within her second millennium due to lack of sleep?"
Donnel raises an eyebrow. "Er, Nowi, I won't be around in a thousand years."
Nowi blinks. "Oh… Yeah, forgot about that." She jumps off Donnel's back and stretches with a yawn. "Could you at least let me nap in the cart?"
I shake my head with a smile. "Nope. If I let you do that, Vaike would ask for the same, and we can't have that."
"Hey, that's low, Jack!" the Barbarian shouts.
"Am I wrong?" I fire back immediately.
Vaike opens his mouth for a retort, before he stops cold. He scratches the back of his head. "Uh… Well, not really. But that's not the point!"
"Well, aren't we a happy-go-lucky band of travelers…" Tharja remarks sarcastically as she and Gaius reach us. "We're not even out of the capital, and you're already bantering like we've made camp on the first night."
"I hope you planned some stops in towns along the way, Buttercup." Gaius adds as he rummages around in his robes a bit before he nods. "My stash won't last for more than a few days without a good supply point."
"You'd better listen to him, Jack." Tharja adds. "Gaius gets very cranky if he goes without sugar for too long."
"Aw, it won't be that bad, Tharja." Nowi replies, now all sunshine and rainbows, and hugs the Sorcerer. "It'll be fun, you'll see."
Tharja's right eyebrow twitches as Nowi rubs her cheek against her chest. "Spare me. Unlike you lot, I prefer peace and quiet. Anyone who barges into my tent better have a good reason. Speaking of which…"
After managing to pry one arm out of Nowi's surprisingly strong hugging grip, Tharja pulls a bottle out of a bag attached to her hip. "I just finished the potion you asked me to make back at Carrion Isle, Jack."
I take the bottle and run an Observe on it. Yes… This is exactly what I needed.
I nod pleased. "Thanks, Tharja. This should come in handy in the future."
Tharja gives me a pleased smile in return. "Oh, it wasn't much. I'd love to mix something else for you in the future, Jack, be it a potion or something more…sinister. Just give the word, and I'll see what I can do."
"Tharja, you're not hitting on Jack again, are you?" Nowi asks with a disapproving glare. "You know he's happily married with Robin."
"Hey, what about me, Nowi?" Gaius asks flatly. "What am I, chopped liver?"
Nowi blinks before she resumes her glaring on Tharja. "Oh, yeah. Gaius will be upset too."
I sweep my sight over the assembled Shepherds. None of them know it yet, but if memory serves, they're all in for a surprise as we travel the northern parts of Regna Ferox. Well, besides the fact that it's going to be biting cold. Good thing I packed some extra winter cloaks to give everyone, including future traveling partners, some much-needed protection from the cold.
"I take it this is everyone you wanted to bring along, Jack?" we hear Robin ask as she exits the palace. She takes a look at my assembled crew before she raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure you at least don't want to bring a healer like Libra along? How will you fare in case someone gets wounded?"
I smile at my wife. "Don't worry. I've got that covered. One of the first things I arranged for this trip was stocking up on plenty of medicine and bandages. Enough of us know first aid in case anyone gets hurt. And if that's not enough…"
A breeze swirls to life around us. Tharja's and Robin's eyes widen upon realizing what it does.
"You…infused a wind spell with healing magic." Tharja notes.
I nod. "Yep. This spell helps speed along the body's natural recovery process. Between this and all the medicine, we should be fine. And if that's not enough, I made sure to have someone more…experienced tag along our group."
"Ho, now! Gregor not late, no?" we hear the middle-aged Hero shout as he runs up to us.
Robin raises an eyebrow. "Gregor? Jack asked you to accompany him?"
Gregor nods. "Gregor very familiar with treating wounds. Many years of sellsword see to needing creativity when stopping bleeding and gashes. For example, rag and rum make good bandage with no infection, yes?"
I nod as well. "Gregor knows ways to treat wounds no one would even think of, and all he needs could be found anywhere where there's a town. His skills as a physician may be unorthodox, but they can be a life saver. That, and he's among our most experienced fighters."
Robin takes one more look at the assembled crew. "While not quite how I pictured your selected squad, I know firsthand how capable each and every one is." She takes a deep breath. "All right, here's how things will work; I've already approved this trip that Jack suggested. For the duration of this trip, Jack will be the commanding officer. Any second-in-command will be appointed at his volition. Any questions?"
"Yeah." Sully answers. "Where are we even going?"
I pull out a map with some areas encircled. "Roughly speaking, we're going along the northern parts of the continent. If my intel is correct, we should be able to recruit some valuable allies along the way. I've already arranged for gear fitting the weather, so we shouldn't run any risk of freezing there."
The others glance at my described traveling route.
"This looks like a seriously roundabout trip, Buttercup." Gaius mutters while he pulls out another lollipop. "You sure about this?"
I nod. "Absolutely. I mean, look what we found during our first "roundabout" trip after Carrion Isle."
The Assassin nods. "Fair enough. I guess your goal is finding allies the same way you've done these past few days, then?"
I nod. "That's pretty much the gist of it."
Vaike rubs his chin. "Soo… We're gonna look for Lucina's friends? I'm game."
"Me too!" Nowi interjects happily. "Lucina will be so happy when we return with more of her friends!"
Sully pats her horse. "Well, what're we waitin' for, then? We're burning daylight here, people."
Robin nods. "Looks like everything's in order then. Well, good luck on your journey." She gives the others a look that almost seems pleading. "Please… Keep an eye on Jack for me."
Donnel gives her a reassuring grin. "Ya can count on us, Robin! Jack's in as good hands as a chick under 'is ma's wings."
Robin smiles. "Thank you, Donnel." Then she walks up to me and gives me a tender kiss. "Stay safe."
I caress her face gently. "I will. I'll see you again in Port Ferox, with more allies for our cause."
"Hey, lovebirds!" Sully shouts down the streets. "Ya gonna separate sometime this week?!"
I roll my eyes. "Cool it, will you, Sully? Things like this take time."
I faintly hear Vaike snicker. "Dang. We're not even out of the capital, and he already misses her."
Gregor grins. "Jack and Robin very much in loving, no?"
"They sure are." Nowi adds with a bright smile. "It would make for a great love story."
Ugh. Better get going before the teasing escalates even more.
*Poof*
A Shadow clone pops up beside us.
"Robin is your number one priority, no matter what happens. Tell Lon'qu he's in charge of the team until I return. Got it?" I tell my clone.
"That's my default setting, Boss." the clone replies like it's the most obvious thing in the world (it is). "I've got this covered. Make sure you get those buddies into the fold."
I nod in approval and turn to Robin for one last chaste kiss. "You're in good hands. I'll see you back in Port Ferox."
Robin nods with a mixture of…longing, worry and affection. "All right. Don't take too long, Jack."
"I won't."
With a surprising amount of required willpower, I slip out of the embrace of my wife and head out to join my traveling crew. Sigh. The more I think about her now, the harder this journey will get. Let's get this over with.
"About d-mn time, Jack." Sully huffs as I catch up to the others outside the capital's gates. "If I read that route correctly, we've got a lot of ground to cover in just one week. H-ll, will we even have time to get to all those places and catch up with the others in Port Ferox at all within that time?"
I smile at the Paladin. "Relax, Sully. I've got that covered."
Gregor raises an eyebrow. "Gregor knows Jack is crafty, but how will Jack do the bringing of all around continent in just one week?"
My answer is summoning four clones around the cart (to the notable confusion of the horse drawing it). "Everyone get close to the cart, your horse included, Sully." I tell everyone.
I get a few skeptical looks at first, but they file in one by one. I'm the last one in the square.
"All right, men. You know the route." I tell my clones. "We've got places to be and a date with best wife ever in Port Ferox, so we'd better get going on the double."
"Yes, Boss!" my clones answer in chorus and kneel down on the ground.
I point northward. "Commence operation "moving stone"!"
My clones clap their hands before they put the palms on the ground in unison. Sparks fly along the earth before the ground we're standing on gets raised up and then starts moving. That's right – I'm using the same method as when I transported my entire team to Port Ferox in record time back during our first battle with Valmese soldiers.
"Whoa, what the- Since when can you do this, Buttercup?" Gaius asks astounded.
"Since a while back." I reply. "I first gained the ability to manipulate stuff like earth sometime when Nowi joined our merry band."
The Assassin gives me a flat look. "Those powers of yours again? I swear, they only get weirder every day."
Sully snorts. "Ain't that the truth. So how come you didn't help us all travel like this ever since you figured this out, Jack? We'd be zipping around the continent in record time if you did this all the time."
"What am I, some kind of vehicle?" I fire back. "I'm not about to turn myself into some glorified troop transport, Sully. Besides, marching is an essential part of keeping an army in shape. What do you think would happen to our army's overall performance if I carried everyone around like this all the time?"
"Army get used to easy travel, army get lazy. Lazy army is sloppy army, which mean dead army." Gregor deduces.
I nod. "Exactly. I only use this kind of transportation when I'm pressed for time. Otherwise, I travel by foot, or wagon if so offered."
Nowi prods one of my clones. "And you can copy yourself any time you'd like, right, Jack?"
"Yeah, so long as I have enough mana. And at this point, I already have so much, and I also recover so fast, that I pretty much always have enough mana for at least one copy."
Nowi's face splits into a massive grin. "Hey, that means you can always leave one of yourself for me to play with. Yay! Playmates on demand!"
At the same time, a sinister smirk grows on Tharja's face. "Hmm… A dozen Jacks, to keep around wherever I want. Oh, the possibilities."
A tic mark pulses on my head. "D-mn it, you two! I'm not some kind of toy! Why can't you just treat me like an ordinary person?!"
"And what part of you is ordinary, Jack?" Vaike counters. "I mean, you do all kinds of stuff everyday that no one else could even imagine, and you have some kind of freakish power from another world. Teach ain't no expert on Outrealms, but even I know when something isn't normal."
"Says the one who walked straight into Regna Ferox bare-chested because he wanted to flaunt his muscles for the local women."
"That was ONE TIME!"
"We're gonna have to listen to this stuff all the way 'til arrival, don't we?" one of my clones asks dryly.
"Yep." the other three answer in perfect sync.
Turns out Vaike really did learn his lesson from our previous visits to the cold country. Seeing as the snowy landscape of Ferox was fast approaching, I made sure to pull out the winter cloaks I had prepared beforehand. And, lo and behold, Vaike was the first to accept one.
"Told ya so. Teach has learned his lesson." the Barbarian says with a smug grin. Then he starts flexing with the cloak on (which still manages to show some outline for his muscles). "Besides, the only one I wanna flaunt these babies for nowadays is Sully."
Sully rolls her eyes. "Well, ain't you a charmer? Though, I suppose I like it when you flex every now and then."
"You might wanna step up your training, then, Muscles." Gaius comments with a grin. "Last time I checked, Curls is catching up to you on the muscle department – fast."
Gaius brings up a good point. Donnel's physique had already improved significantly by the time I returned from the Outrealms, and that was more than a year ago. Since that time, it's almost like he hit a late growth spurt, 'cause I'm sure he's at least a head taller since last year. To compliment his vertical growth, his muscles have gotten even bigger, and they seem hard enough that you can bounce a coin off of just about any muscle group. And, of course, Nowi's had a blast these past few days rubbing it into everyone's faces over how big and strong her mate has gotten.
I think she's going into heat soon.
For his part, Vaike gains a nervous sweat. "Er… Sure. Thanks for the heads-up, Gaius. Not that muscle size is everything, am I right?"
No one deigns to answer that, much to Vaike's annoyance.
Timeskip: Three hours later
We've finally made our first stop in a small town along our traveling route, much to everyone's relief. Sitting on a slab of packed dirt can give you some nasty cramps unless you're careful, so everyone was happy to get some none-moving ground under their feet again and stretch their legs.
This also provided an excellent opportunity to check if we needed to stock up on anything. Seeing as how fast we got here, we're good on supplies (save for Gaius's sweet stash). Still, it wouldn't hurt to check in on what the local shops have to offer.
I barely make it through the door when the shop owner gives a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank goodness you came back. When I heard you say you'd set out for that bandit stronghold, I feared you'd march straight to your-"
The man stops cold when he turns around and sees me. "Oh, my apologies. I thought you were someone-" His face grows pale. "No… Oh, gods, please, no!"
"Whoa, easy there. Deep breaths." I tell him calmly. "What's this all about? Who did you think I was?"
The shop owner gulps. "There was a young merchant girl who came to our town a few days ago to sell her wares. Then one day, some soldiers passing through town mentioned having found the stronghold of the feared bandits known as "the twins". The young merchant overheard their conversation and started making plans to go there herself. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen." The shaken man sits down on a chair and releases a shuddering breath. "When I heard you come through the door, I thought you were her. But it seems like she's going through with that reckless plan of hers after all. Gods, she has no idea what she's getting herself into!"
Quest alert:
Side quest: Rooting out the twins (part 2)
After more than two years, you finally find a lead on the whereabouts of the second half of the feared twin bandits. Now's your chance to end their terrorizing pillaging in eastern Ferox for good and let the people have some peace return. You'd better hurry though. Some townsfolk saw a young woman head their way alone. The less you think about what those bandits intend to do with her, the better. Just find her before they do, and make it snappy!
Objectives: Ask around town for information about the twin's hideout, defeat Vincent
Rewards: Increased standing with Regna Ferox, 5 000 EXP, 5 000 gold
Bonus objective: ?
Bonus rewards: 1 000 EXP, 1 000 gold
Failure: Not only will an innocent person meet a tragic fate, the bandits will keep on pillaging. Which leads to an angry Flavia. You don't want an angry Flavia.
Judging by the description of the events, that young merchant was most probably Anna – the one that joins the Shepherds as an optional unit. While I'm convinced she can handle a bandit or two without much trouble, I doubt she can handle the whole gang. Better hustle, as the alert suggests.
I narrow my eyes. "Tell me where she went."
"You'll help?" the shop owner asks hopefully.
I nod. "Those bandits have caused Regna Ferox a whole slew of trouble. Better put them down now, when there's an opportunity. Besides, I can't just let that young woman march into what could be the greatest mistake of her life."
"Oh, thank you, kind sir! Thank you!" the shop owner exclaims.
"*Sigh* Just tell me where those bandits are hiding."
The man nods. "Well, the soldiers who found the bandit hideout should still be in town. I'd wager they've headed for the town's inn for some food and drinks."
Perfect. That's where my other companions went while I busied myself with checking the stores in town. That means I can get some valuable info and gather up the group in one go.
The moment I enter the inn, I sweep the interior with Observe. Let's see… Bar maid? Nope. Traveling bard? Nu-uh. Vaike doing the monkey on a table? Close, but no dice. Feroxi soldiers? Hello, objective numero uno.
I plop down at their table and I order a round of drinks for all three of us (being the responsible adult I am, I settle for a cup of milk) before they can ask anything.
The first soldier raises his eyebrows. "Well, now. Ain't every day someone strolls up and offers free drinks. What's the occasion, stranger?"
"Since you seem to be in the know, let's cut to the chase." I explain. "I heard from the townsfolk that you've found the hideout of the bandits known as "the twins". I'd like to hear of its location."
The second soldier snorts. "You? No offense, fella, but that's a place you should leave to us professionals. Ain't a place for some civi- Eep!"
Said soldier promptly shuts up when he finds me holding a steak knife at his throat within the blink of an eye.
"Rest assured, I'm no civilian." I tell the soldiers with a casual smirk on my face. "In fact, I've run into their ranks before, and unless they've gotten any stronger than last time, I could handle that lot easily enough on my own." I hike my thumb to the table where my companions are seated. "And to make matters better, I'm not alone. We can handle those bandits, no problem."
Soldier # 1 gulps. "H-hey, now. What's it to you? You in for some kinda fame or somethin'?"
My smirk grows wider. "No. I just so happened to learn that a charming young lady overheard the news. We couldn't possibly let her go all on her own in that direction and just remain idle here, now could we?"
The soldiers' eyes widen upon hearing that little tidbit. From there, they share everything they managed to learn from their trip. And just as they finish, the bar maid returns with our drinks. I accept my cup with an easy smile and sweep the contents in one go before I head towards my companions. No point in dawdling, now that I've got the coordinates registered and that golden arrow pointing me exactly towards where I need to go. I do so love my mini-map.
"All right, everybody. We've got some urgent business to take care of. We'll be off as soon as you finish your meals, and make it snappy. Time is of the essence."
Nowi pouts while munching on a loaf of bread. "Already? Jack, we haven't even been in town for an hour."
I shake my head. "I just learned that a young merchant was headed for the hideout of some bandits that we fought two years ago. If left alone, who knows what could happen to her?"
Sully raises an eyebrow. "Ya mean those twins? I thought we beat 'em."
"Correction." I reply. "You only defeated one of them. The other wasn't there during that battle, which means he may well still be alive and kicking."
Nowi chomps down the last of her bread and forces the contents down with a healthy serving of milk. "He's right. We'd better hurry."
"Huh. Didn't take you for the thoughtful type." Tharja comments.
"It's not that, Tharja." Nowi explains. "Remember when I told you I was captured by bandits and sold as a slave? That could happen to that woman as well." The manakete balls her little fists. "I refuse to let that happen to anyone else – not as long as I can prevent it."
Seeing as Nowi's past as a former slave is common knowledge among the Shepherds who joined before her, her explanation spurs the others into finishing up in turn. Though I idly note that Donnel looks at his wife with wide eyes. Wait… Does that mean he doesn't know?
Timeskip: Half an hour later
"Looks like that's it." Gaius remarks as we spy the ruins of a fortress in the distance.
And, true to his deduction, the arrow on my mini-map points exactly in that direction. The only problem is that Anna was nowhere to be seen on our way here. That most probably means she's already infiltrated the hideout.
I glance at Gaius. "What do you think? Any clear signs of sentries?"
Gaius narrows his eyes. "None that I can spot. They've either hidden themselves well, or they're not there at all."
Seeing as Mind's eye can't pick up on anything close to the walls either, I'd lean towards the second option.
Hang on. Something seems to be going on further in.
"Do you guys hear that?" Nowi asks. "There's some commotion happening inside."
Great. Sounds like they spotted Anna, or at least know she's there.
I draw Harvest Moon. "Guess there's no time to lose, then. I'll go on ahead and try to find that merchant girl. Follow as fast as you can."
"Ya sure 'bout this, Jack?" Donnel asks concerned as he pulls out his Imposing axe. "Runnin' off on yer own sounds dangerous."
I shake my head. "I can handle myself against a bunch of bandits, but I can't say the same for that merchant. I'll find her a secure spot first. With any luck, I'll distract them enough for the rest of you to barge in from the front door and blindside them."
Tharja shrugs. "Either way suits me." She pulls out a Nosferatu tome and smiles sadistically. "Well, ready when you are."
I nod. "See you guys inside."
It's at moments like these that I'm reminded of how powerful Mind's eye can be. Since I can "see" just about anything within a 100 meter radius, giving any guards or sentries the slip is easy.
Which is why I can see just about every bandit running around all over the place while an extra big one, most probably their leader, barks out orders while pointing every which way. What's gotten their undies in a knot?
Hang on a sec… There's a woman sneaking around the hideout. I'd bet gold that's Anna. Whelp, time to meet up with the money loving merchant.
I have to give the redhead some credit, though. She managed to infiltrate this place quite easily, given what a weird mix of fortress walls, open space and the odd tree this hideout is. Not to mention she hardly seems to have left any tracks. Considering there's hardly any roof covering this place, and the fact that snow is the norm here, she's done a great job in leaving little to no evidence of her presence. Me? I'll just hover over the ground.
I eventually find the Trickster in a room with some treasure chest. Loot gathered by the bandits from their numerous raids, no doubt.
Anna Lvl 32 Class: Trickster
"Come to Mama~." the redhead whispers in a voice dripping with honey as she fiddles with the lock on the chest.
"And what's a merchant such as yourself doing in the middle of a bandit's hideout?" I ask behind her.
To her credit, Anna only jumps halfway up the wall. "Yeesh! Sneak up on a girl and frighten her halfway to the grave, will you?"
I shrug. "Better halfway than all the way. I'll ask again; what are you doing here?"
"Trying to rob these bandits blind, what else?" Anna replies like it's the most obvious thing in the world. To be fair, that's a good point from her position. "And what about you? You don't look like you're with them, so what's your beef with these ruffians?"
"I'm here partly for you." I explain. "A local shop owner in the town some ways away from here was concerned for you when he learned you went here all on your own, so I volunteered to make sure they won't harm you. That, and putting these guys down should make the area more peaceful."
Anna smiles. "Well, aren't you the chivalrous one? You hustled all the way here just to protect little old me? That's sweet. Though I'll have you know I can take care of myself. Once I've emptied their lair of loot, I'm outta here." She points behind me. "By the way; Thundara."
*Brzt!* "Augh!"
The bandit behind me collapses in a smoking, twitching heap. He won't get up anytime soon.
Both my eyebrows shoot up. "You know Thundara? You…are no ordinary merchant, even by the standards of your family, are you?"
Anna gives me a knowing smirk. "Let's just say I've been around. If you want to cash in on the big gold, you've got to keep your eyes peeled on good business avenues, no matter how far you have to travel."
I shake my head. "Look, while I'd gladly hear about what places you've been to, we'd better let that wait until you're safe and sound. Right now, the whole hideout is bustling with activity. The bandits probably know you're here, and they won't rest until they get their hands on you."
Anna sighs. "Figures. Can't even sneak into one measly hideout without someone living here raising a ruckus. Guess I'll book it for the nearest exit and lay low until they cool off in the snow."
I nod. "You do that. Though I'd like you to stay nearby. I have a proposal for you once we clear those bandits out."
Anna smirks. "You're proposing? Aw, but we've just met. I know I'm a sight to behold, but don't you think you're moving a little fast, handsome?"
My right eyebrow twitches. "It's a proposition of employment. For your information, I'm a married man, and my wife and I love each other dearly."
The redhead waves off the comment. "Sure, sure. Can't take a joke, can you? Oh, okay, I'll stick around. Maybe I'll sneak a glance to see what you're good at. My answer depends on your performance."
I rub my temples. "Just… Just stay clear off the bandits. Me and my group will take care of them."
Anna raises an eyebrow. "Your group?"
BGM: Here come the Squeaks!, Kirby Star Allies music
A wall outside the room explodes in a shower of stone by a blast of Nowi's dragon fire.
I smirk at the redhead. "You didn't think I'd set out for a bandit hideout without some help, did you? Trust me, they're all capable fighters."
Vaike walks in through the dust cloud. He grins as he spots us. "There you are, Jack. We got tired of waiting, so we decided to bust in from the front door. There weren't exactly anyone stopping us, so we've been running around trying to find you."
I raise an eyebrow at the Barbarian. "Hang on… I know Nowi's close by, but what about the others?"
Explosions, screams and Tharja's sadistic giggling rings out from various places around the hideout.
Vaike shrugs. "Eh, we figured we'd cover more ground if we split up." Then he turns towards the hole in the wall. "Hey, Nowi! Jack's over here!"
The manakete skips into the room like she didn't just blast a hole in a stone wall. "Great. Let's clean up here. Waiting's boring."
I give my two grinning companions a flat stare. "When I said you could barge in through the front door, I didn't mean literally." I shake my head. "Whatever. You've got the right idea, Nowi. Let's put these bandits down, and we can be on our way."
As I leave with the Barbarian and manakete, I turn back to Anna. "Remember, I'll expect you to wait nearby when this is over."
Anna smiles. "Hey, who am I to say "no" to a free show?"
I briefly wonder if I should leave a clone with her, but decide against it. Even when unarmed, Anna can handle herself against the bandits in this place. The one she fried with her lightning spell was lvl 18. She'll be fine.
On another note, the low level of that bandit means these guys will probably barely qualify as a warmup.
"Huryah!" *Boom!*
Did Sully just suplex one of them into the ground? Now I almost feel sorry for them, considering how over-leveled and most likely over-trained everyone is compared to these outlaws. Well, almost. They're still jerks for stealing from the populace.
By the time we find the others, the open space where the most of the fighting takes place is absolute pandemonium. Sully treats the bandits like training dummies by unleashing all manner of wrestling moves on them. I'm pretty sure some of the backs are not meant to bend that far.
Donnel and Gregor are tearing through their ranks like a pair of chainsaws through a bunch of twigs. The bandits think they're strong, until they realize how swole the Fighter and Hero are.
*Bam!*
Ooh. Homerun for sure on that hit. Did they really have to double team that grunt?
Gaius practically dances among the bandits, making them look like amateurs as the constantly miss their swings against him. Every now and then, one of them drops with a lethal sword wound over their chest. The bandits start freaking out after the first half a dozen of their comrades suffer this fate.
And Tharja?
"Hee hee hee hee…"
Yeah, she's having fun. And with fun, I mean that she's raining down unholy destruction on any bandit unfortunate enough to be too close to her. To be fair, they only have themselves to blame for ogling the Sorcerer like a piece of meat before she opened her tome.
"Hey! Save some of the action for me!" Vaike shouts as he runs straight into the fray. Sigh. I'd reel these guys in if it wasn't for our overwhelming advantage in raw power. If Robin knew we stormed the bandit hideout with tactics as sloppy as these, she'd laugh at me for half a day, and then spend the next three days teasing me over it.
"Just wait 'til we tell everyone of the exciting adventure we had on this trip." Nowi tells me with a smile full of innocent joy.
I barely resist the urge to facepalm. That all but guarantees that my wife will find out. Great… Now I need to find ways to shut her up without making it abusive. First idea would be to take her to a room and kiss her so deeply, she won't get a word in.
Ugh. It's only a temporary measure, and I know it.
Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!
Oh, good. Their leader is here. The faster we can put him down, the shorter this embarrassing episode will be.
Vincent Lvl 32 Class: Berserker
"You…" Vincent growls as he steps forward. "I recognize some of you. You're the ones responsible for Victor's demise two years ago. You and that blasted merchant wench! Where is she?! I'll kill the lot of you and sell her as a slave. That should give enough money to make dear Victor the finest gra-"
*Fwoom!*
BGM ends
Whatever he tried to say gets cut off by a blast of dragon fire from Nowi.
"Not a chance, jerk." the transformed manakete growls back. "I won't let anyone suffer from becoming a slave again."
As Vincent recovers from the sudden blast of fire, he belatedly realizes that most of his underlings are either dead, knocked out, or buried into the ground by various extents. He also belatedly realizes that every single one of us glare at him with the intent of inflicting very big amounts of bodily harm, and all of us are more than capable of doing it.
The Berserker starts to sweat as he tries to back away. For each step he takes, we all take one step in return. Vincent gulps and raises his hands in surrender. "Uh, heh heh… Truce?"
Gregor grins savagely. "Friends not in mood of truce." To hit the point home, he cracks his knuckles. "Friends in mood for smashing."
One beatdown of unholy proportions later.
Vincent has been defeated!
Quest alert:
Side quest: Rooting out the twins (part 2)
At long last, the threat of "the twins" has been eliminated for good. Regna Ferox should become a lot safer to travel now, with some of its most notorious bandits brought to justice or simply put down and left to the whims of nature.
Objectives: Ask around town for information about the twin's hideout, defeat Vincent.
All objectives cleared!
Rewards: Your standing with Regna Ferox has increased! You gain 5 000 EXP! You gain 5 000 gold!
Bonus objective: Don't let Anna die.
Bonus objective cleared!
Bonus rewards: You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!
I huff as I dust off my hands. "Well, glad that's over with. I hope Flavia will appreciate what we did today after she finds out."
"Well, color me impressed. That was some great fighting there." Anna comments as she vaults over a wall and walks up to us. "If it wasn't for you guys, robbing these bandits blind would've been much harder."
I shrug. "Eh, it's not like they posed any real challenge to us. Still, better than leaving you alone to deal with them yourself."
Anna nods in agreement. "So, about that proposal you gave me earlier…"
"Ah, that. Say, you're good with keeping stock on supplies, aren't you, Anna?"
The redhead smiles proudly. "Of course. Every merchant worth their business has to keep stock on their inventory, or they'd end up offering something they don't have, or worse, they miss an opportunity for a great sale because they forgot they have something that the customer would pay a hefty amount for."
I nod. "Just as I thought." I stretch out my hand. "How about becoming the quartermaster of our army, then? What do you say?"
Everyone blinks at me in shock.
"Come again?" Anna asks stunned.
Sully frowns. "Jack, you can't be serious. It's the second time we run into this lady, and you up and ask her if she wants to keep stock of everything in the convoy of our entire army? What are you thinking?"
"I'm dead serious, Sully." I reply. I rub my temples. "*Sigh* Look, I wouldn't ask for something this big unless I thought it important. Take a moment to think about it; Who's currently responsible for keeping stock of inventory for the allied army?"
"That'd be Robin, right?" Sully answers after a few seconds of thinking.
I nod. "Exactly. And who keeps tabs on the troops roster, as well as reports from every troop division?"
"That's Bubbles, alright." Gaius answers without missing a beat.
I nod. "Also correct. And who carries the main responsibility of planning troop movements?"
"Robin." Gregor answers.
"Yep. Battle formations?"
"Robin."
"Battlefield assignments?"
"Robin."
As the name of my wife keeps getting repeated, realization dawns on my companions.
"D-mn…" Sully breathes out. "Jack, when does Robin have time to sleep?"
"At night." I answer tersely. "Robin's list of duties is even longer than Frederick's daily agenda, and if it wasn't for my ability to copy myself and have said copies help her out in her various daily tasks, she could probably busy herself until the crack of dawn."
My companions wince.
"Now do you see why I'm so determined to find us a designated quartermaster?" I ask everyone. "Sure, we're good at fighting battles, but Robin puts so much work into preparing us all for every single one of those battles that she hardly has time for her own preparations – and that includes resting. And she carries this immense workload on her shoulders because she knows that gaining an edge, no matter how small, can shift the tide of an entire battle. She did the same for us during the war against Plegia two years ago. Our army was smaller then, and she still suffered from a severe lack of sleep. Honestly, I'm amazed that she could even stand on her feet, let alone fight alongside us the whole time."
A small tear forms in the corner of Nowi's right eye. "Jack, I… We're so sorry. We didn't know…"
I shake my head. "She wouldn't blame any of you for that, so neither will I. But I refuse to let my wife carry such a heavy burden on her own again. One of the things I hoped to achieve before we set sail for Valm was to find a quartermaster who can keep stock on the army's inventory and troops. That should lessen Robin's workload significantly, and I won't quit until I find a worthy candidate."
"Well, count me in, then." Anna replies.
I turn to the merchant in slight surprise. "You accept?"
Anna nods. "Sure. I mean, being quartermaster basically means I keep stock of a bigger inventory than before, right? That, and I basically decide whether to give something from said inventory to the others in the army when they ask me for it. I may not look like it, but I'm a stickler for details, even by the standards of my family." A smile blossoms on her face. "Besides, I recognize you from the description my cousin gave me from when she helped fend off the other half of this band of outlaws two years ago."
Vaike blinks. "Hang on a sec… That wasn't you?"
The redhead smiles even wider. "Nope. That was my third-removed cousin, Anna. Why people keep mixing us up beyond me. I mean, look at me. I clearly take better care of my hair. Though I've got to admit that she knows more about skin care than I do."
The rest of us give her deadpan stares. We couldn't tell the difference between those two Tricksters, even if we tried.
[Fun fact: The two Annas you find in the paralouges when you fight the twins are identical, right down to the little teddy bear attached to their sword hilts. It's no surprise that Chrom's confused when he speaks with them during the battle. They literally look the same.]
Anna shakes her head. "Anyway, consider this as repayment for saving my cousin back then. She told me about how you helped her out of a tight spot when she was busy defending a village from those brutes. In our family, helping out one of us is the same as helping all of us, and one of the ironclad rules of our family is to always repay a favor."
I nod and stretch out my hand again. "Uh-huh. Well, guess this works out for all of us in the end. Welcome aboard, Anna."
As we shake hands, Gaius rubs his chin. "Hey, Buttercup? I couldn't help but notice while we were fighting those bandits, but they've piled up quite a hoard."
"Noticed that, didn't you?" Anna replies smirking. "I've had my eye on these bandits for quite some time now, as I knew they've got some nice heaps of loot in this hideout. All I needed to do was find out where said hideout lay, and here you have me."
Gaius smirks back. "Heh. Wouldn't put it past you, Moneybags. Anyway, I was wondering… Since they obviously won't have any use for all this stuff, how about we take it for ourselves? I mean, finders keepers, right?"
I shake my head. "Gaius, this is all stuff those bandits stole from others. For all we know, some of the trinkets here could be precious family heirlooms or even the life savings of some poor villagers. Just taking it for ourselves won't make us any better than the bandits who stole it in the first place."
The moods of both Gaius and Anna deflate instantly.
"Oh, come on!" Anna complains. "I went through all this trouble to get my hands on some nice loot, and now you're just going to guilt trip me out of the chance to help myself with all these valuables lying around? That's just mean! A girl's gotta earn her coin to keep herself fed, you know?"
I roll my eyes. "Oh, cry me a river, will you? Unlike you, I try to keep a broader perspective. Think about; If you had something stolen from you, wouldn't you want it back?"
"Of course I do." Anna huffs. "Everyone does."
I nod. "Exactly. So imagine if all the victims of these bandits learned that their precious valuables that were stolen had been taken by a traveling band of soldiers from a country allied with the land they live in. Not only would the knowledge that they may never see those valuables again pour salt in their wounds, they could easily complain to the reigning khan. True, she might not listen too much, but it'll still strain our relation with her. And we have a war coming up, so the last thing we want is things getting tense with one of our closest allies."
That makes both sticky-fingered individuals pause.
Gaius pinches the bridge of his nose. "Ugh. You just had to pull the moral high ground card on us, didn't you, Buttercup?"
I nod sagely. "Hey, someone has to keep you guys in line, and as your superior officer for this trip, that responsibility falls on me. Robin entrusted me with this role, and I'd see myself hated by my companions before I betray her expectations."
Anna looks at me like I just kicked her non-existent puppy. "But- But the loot…"
I sigh. Can't she just drop it?
A thought hits me. What if there's stuff that can't be returned for various reasons? Like, say, the only owner of a trinket passed away in the raid when the bandits stole it. Leaving that here would actually be a waste.
Hmm… Well, I might have a solution that'll stop their whining. "All right, here's what we'll do. We round up as much of the bandit's loot as we can and head back to the village we came from. Then we let the townsfolk know we've raided the bandits' hideout and intend to return what was stolen. If someone can describe any of the stuff that was stolen from them, we return it to the owner."
Just as Gaius and Anna move to protest, I raise a finger. "However! Should no one lay claim and manage to prove their ownership of any of the stuff here by the end of the day, we'll keep it. Deal?"
Anna's face lights up like Christmas came early. "I knew you were a good guy!"
Gaius grins at me. "It's a deal!" The Assassin turns around and cracks his knuckles. "Alright, people, stay put. I'll clean this place out and be back in a jiffy."
"Now wait just one moment, mister." Anna calls out just as Gaius is about to take off. "You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you? I'll have you know I'm efficient in, ah, finding treasure."
Gaius raises an eyebrow. "Moneybags, you obviously don't know who you're talking to. I'm known as Gaius the nimble among my old gang from the streets. Trust me, I don't need any help."
Anna smirks at him. "What? Afraid you'll lose to a girl?"
Gaius's face goes calm. But it's not his usual dull expression. This one has an edge hiding underneath the surface. Anna must've pushed his button big time.
"You've gone and done it now." Gaius tells Anna, all serious. "You think you can loot this place faster than me? Tell you what; If you're so sure about yourself, how about a bet?"
"I'm listening."
"We both loot as much as we can form this place. By the time we've swept the place clean, we compare who has the more valuable pile. That should decide who's better at this."
Anna places a finger on her lower lip. "Okay… What's the bet?"
Gaius rubs his chin. "Hmm… If I win, you buy me all the sweets I want next time we find a sweets shop that I find acceptable."
Tharja winces upon hearing Gaius's terms. "I don't care how deep her purse is. He'll ruin her."
Anna rubs her chin as well. "Huh. Well, if I win, you'll have to work for me for an entire week for free."
Gaius smirks at the merchant. "That's it? Fine by me."
Anna smirks back. "You're on, bub."
I walk in between the two thieves. "All right, seeing as you've made up your mind, I'll be the judge in this little contest of yours."
I raise up an arm. "Both contestants, on your mark." Gaius and Anna immediately get into position to start running.
"Get set…" Gaius shifts the lollipop in his mouth. Anna licks her lips.
I swing my arm down. "Go!" I barely finish the motion before the two vanish out of sight.
Donnel whistles at the display of speed. "Dang. Those two moved fast."
Gregor nods. "Both seem very fired up by the competing. Should make for exciting match, no?"
I shrug. "Eh, I'll let them have their fun. Come on, we might as well wait for them out back.
Timeskip
"You have got to be kidding me…" Gaius mutters in disbelief as we finally get down to compare their loot piles. There's no contest; Anna won by a longshot. While the average value for each trinket in their respective piles is roughly equal, Anna's pile is nearly twice as big.
Anna, for her part, smirks and puffs out her chest proudly. "Told you I'm better at this. Well, I'll be expecting you at my wagon at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Don't be late, Gaius."
The Assassin raises a hand. "Hold it. There's just one thing I have to know before we can consider the matter settled."
"And what would that be?"
Gaius gestures to Anna's pile. "How?"
"How what?"
"How the heck did you get such a big pile in such a short time? I noticed we're about equally fast runners, and the trinkets here aren't that far apart in value. So how did you get so much so fast?"
Anna smirks wider. "Well, I've got a confession to make. I happen to be better with locks than just about anyone else on the continent, and these bandits happened to store most of their loot in treasure chests. So while you were busy prying those chests open the traditional way, I had a method to unlock the chest in a snap."
Tharja raises an eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe. I've seen Gaius pick locks before, and no lock has ever held him up for more than ten seconds. How could you unlock anything faster than that?"
Anna stretches out her hand towards us. "Simple. I used this."
Sparks dance around her hand before a weapon appears in her grasp in a flash of light.
The entire weapon is colored gold, and may well be made of the stuff, considering Anna's personality. The guard is shaped like thunderbolts and loops around the hilt on both sides, connecting on the other end. A golden chain is connected where the hilt ends, and a small golden crown symbol hangs from the other end of the chain. The place where the guard meets the blade has a finely polished emerald encrusted on each side. The blade is jagged like that of a Levin sword, with small rubies and sapphires alternating in dotting the length. At the end of the blade, the wide end of a Japanese paper fan flares out perpendicular to the tip. All in all, the weapon looks like it would be worth a fortune.
My jaw drops. There's no way…
Gilthunder, Keyblade, Base damage: 55, Unique
A golden keyblade born from a deep and genuine desire to protect one's business and money. While not the most noble sentiment, the strength behind the conviction is unquestionable. This weapon doesn't just look flashy, it possesses potent qualities for anyone versed in magic. For instance, gold is a fantastic conductor of electricity, which makes it easier for the wielder to channel lightning-elemental mana through the weapon. Despite this, the blade is sturdier than steel.
Damage dealt from lightning-element magic increases by 19 %. The cost of lightning-element spells is reduced by 7 %.
"You're a keyblade wielder?!" I ask in disbelief.
Anna smiles proudly. "Yup. I usually keep this a secret for anyone outside my family while I'm around here, but since I'll be traveling with you guys for the foreseeable future, I may as well let the cat out of the bag."
I rub the top of my head. "How the heck did you manage to summon a keyblade? That's not normal."
"In this world, no." Anna concedes. "But I'll have you know I'm a seasoned traveler, even in the Outrealms." Anna smirks. "A good merchant knows the value of trading goods from different places. What's considered an everyday item in one place could be all the rage in another, and that especially goes when you hop between different worlds."
"Still doesn't explain where your keyblade came from." I point out.
"Yeah, funny story there. It happened when I had set up shop in Traverse Town a good while back. Just as I was ready to open for the day, the square got sent into panic as these shadowy creatures pop up and started harassing the townsfolk."
I narrow my eyes. "Heartless."
Anna nods. "Yep, Heartless. It was bad enough that they scared away any potential customers, but when I considered telling them off, they attacked me instead. I tried standing my ground, but my trusty sword didn't work against them. Worse yet, they just kept coming. So there I was, stuck in a marketplace overrun by dark creatures who attacked innocents like beasts, and unable to fend for myself. I soon realized I might not make it. But that would mean all my wares would be left to those fiends for the taking, not to mention my precious money. At that moment, something shifted within me. I knew – I just knew – that I couldn't let those beasts have their way with me. I'd protect my money, even if it was the last thing I did!"
Nowi's completely enthralled with the redhead's story. "And? What happened then?"
Anna lifts up her keyblade with a proud smile. "I had lost my sword and was at the end of my rope when it happened. I closed my eyes and raised my arms in a desperate effort to protect myself. Right as those Heartless lunged at me, I felt something appear in my hand. I swung on instinct, not even expecting it to do me anything good. Imagine my surprise when no pain came. I opened my eyes, and there it was. I got lost in marveling at its beauty for a moment before I remembered there were these creatures trying to kill me. But now, I could fight back, and fight back I did."
Anna affectionally rubs her cheek against the golden keyblade. "This little beauty saved me and my money in our hour of need. Mommy's so proud of you, sweetie~."
I raise an eyebrow. "Wait, that doesn't make sense. Last time I checked, keyblades don't just pop out of nowhere. Anna, did you happen to come into contact with another keyblade before that happened?"
Anna places a finger on her lip. "Hmm, let's see… Well, there was this silver-haired pretty boy who was passing through town a few days before I got my keyblade. He had a strange weapon in his hand that reminded me of a bat's wing with a bird's wing at the end, and he used it to fight against some more of those Heartless, but that was before the big outbreak. When he was done, I took the opportunity to invite him over to my stall in the hopes that he would be interested in my wares. I might've brushed up against him a few times in the hopes that he'd open his purse a bit more if I showed him some of my womanly charms." Anna crosses her arms and huffs. "He ran before I could even present the first piece of merchandise. What a cheapskate. Anyway, he still had that strange weapon out when it happened, so I might've touched it in the process. It was only later that I learned that his weapon is called a "keyblade". I connected the dots, and realized I had one of my own."
Oh, so that's why Riku sometimes grumbled about this crazy, red-haired merchant who wouldn't leave him alone when he last visited Traverse Town. Huh. Guess it's a small multiverse.
"While this is interesting and all that, there's something that's been bugging me this whole time." Tharja speaks up. "Why did you specifically target these bandits? I know for a fact that there's quite a few other bands scuttling around the Plegian deserts, mainly because the former king never bothered with them since he was so obsessed with destroying Ylisse and get the Fire Emblem."
The rest of us blink. Tharja raises a valid point. Bandits are probably everywhere, especially in war times. And unless some serious cleanup is done across the lands after the dust settles, chances are those bandit bands will remain. And considering the sites of the many battlefields during the last war on this continent, Anna's way off course.
The merchant nods. "Sharp one, arent'cha? Well, the truth is, I had one more reason for targeting these bandits."
The Sorcerer raises an eyebrow. "Which is…?"
A scowl forms on Anna's face (which is the first time I remember seeing on anyone in her family). "One of the reasons the "twins" were so infamous was because they didn't just pillage undefended towns. Sometimes, if they come across a pretty maiden, they'd try to snatch her and sell her off on the slave market. My cousin told me that's what those brutes tried to do with her two years ago. If you guys hadn't come to her aid, she may not be a free woman today unless our family pooled together enough gold to buy her freedom back."
A chill runs down Nowi's spine as she clings to Donnel with a frightened expression. "T-those bandits were in the slave trade?"
Anna shakes her head. "Not exactly. From what I've heard, they mainly stick to pillaging. But rumor has it, there's a band of slave traders who are in cahoots with just about every band of outlaws in the local region. I've been digging for information around here these past months, and my leads pointed me here. Chances are, these bandits have a contact with the rumored slave traders."
Vaike scratches his head. "Yeah, sounds good and all, but how the heck do you even plan on finding them? These bandits don't seem like the organized types."
Tharja snorts. "That's rich, coming from you."
"Yeah, ain't that the- Hey, are you insulting me, Tharja?!"
Anna rubs her temples. "Intellect aside, the muscled guy raises a good point. This was the final good lead I had on those slave traders, and unless I find a good source fast, I'll probably end up stumbling in the dark again."
Gregor rubs his chin. "Maybe too early for the giving up."
The rest of us turn to the Hero.
"Really?" Anna asks hopefully. "How come?"
"Anna's digging say bandits have contacting with slave traders, no? That mean at least one bandit here who is knowing where to find contact." Gregor explains smiling. "Now only need to finding bandit in the knowing."
Nowi snaps her fingers. "Their leader! It only makes sense that he'd be the one in contact with the slave traders!" Her smile turns into an angry pout (which I think was intended to be a scowl, but fails due to Nowi being so adorable). "I'll drag that big lunk over here right this instant."
Aaand she's off.
Anna looks where Nowi took off with a sweatdrop. "Wow. Didn't think she'd be so enthusiastic about it."
I sigh. "Nowi's a former slave. If there's anyone with a grudge against slave traders and their associates, it's her."
"I'm back!" Nowi happily shouts as she returns with the Berserker in tow. Specifically, the manakete's dragging Vincent's unconscious body across the ground by the foot.
"That's neat, save for the fact that he's out cold." Anna grumbles. "How do we get anything out of him?"
Gregor approaches the prone Berserker with a big grin and cracking knuckles. "Leave that to Gregor."
Vincent finally comes to a few minutes later, only to find himself tied to a tree.
"What?! Hey, what's the meaning of this?!" the bandit shouts.
"Gregor still in need of some answering." Gregor explains as he gets up from his seat a bit away from Vincent. "Needs information about contacting with slave traders. Friend cooperate, no?"
Vincent struggles against his bonds. "And what makes you think I'd cooperate with the likes of you?! Not only did you invade our hideout, you're the ones responsible for Victor's demise! Oh, poor Victor… How I miss those days when we pillaged the countryside to our hearts' content."
*Whack!*
"Ow! What was that for?!" Vincent shouts in pain after Gregor chopped him on the head.
Gregor pulls back his hand. "Gregor not interested in sobbing story." The Hero gestures to Anna, who's sitting right beside where Gregor was waiting. "Gregor want information for lovely Anna over there."
Vincent scoffs. "Like I said; what makes you think I'll cooperate? Torture me all you want, my lips are sealed."
Tharja smiles sadistically at his bravado. Her right hand is coated in dark magic. "Well, I'm all for putting that to the test. There's a few hexes that I've been hoping to test out these past days. Pity I couldn't find any good test subjects – until now."
Gregor raises an arm. "No, no! No need for the dark magic. Gregor have better method." The Hero grins and reaches into a pouch strapped to his back – and pulls out a feather. "There is no better torturing…than tickling."
Vincent gulps.
A few minutes later
You know, despite his rough exterior and bulky physique, Gregor is surprisingly dexterous. He managed to slide the feather with just the right amount of pressure across Vincent's exposed skin to get a reaction out of the bandit leader. From there, it was only a matter of time before the Berserker cracked and spilled the beans. It's a good thing I still had that map on hand, as it allowed us to take notes and mark down on the map where Vincent's usual meeting point with his contact with the slave trade lay.
"That was everything friend knows?" Gregor asks.
"Yes…" Vincent pants exhausted. "Everything… I swear."
Gregor nods in satisfaction. "Good. Now we ready to leaving."
That's the cue for us all to pack up and get ready to return to town.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Vincent shouts, still tied to the tree. "What about me?! I told you everything I know! Let me go already!"
Sully turns around and grins. "Nope! You're gonna be put on trial like the rest of your men. Have fun in the snow, chump!"
As we leave, Vincent not only shows off some impressive lung capacity, but also a surprising knowledge in the art of swearing. In fact, I didn't even know you could curse someone out in nearly as many ways as Vincent does. The only reason why I'm not going back to shove a bar of soap in his mouth is because I'm busy covering Nowi's ears. I don't care if she's the oldest in our group by at least nine and a half centuries. That kind of foul language is not suitable for children!
Though I make a mental note to ask Vaike and Sully later about what some of those curses meant. For cultural research, of course.
"So, how are we doing this?" Anna asks as we return to the town.
"First, we pile up all the stuff you and Gaius found in the bandit's hideout." I explain. With a simple flex of my mana, a few dozen clones pop up around the place (much to the shock of the local populace). "I'll send word to the nearby towns and villages that they're free to reclaim anything the bandits stole from them, so long as they can prove well enough that it was theirs to begin with. In the meantime, we'll be busy keeping stock of this looted inventory and make sure everything stays organized. You, Anna, will keep a list of everything."
Anna eyes the combined pile, which is quite sizable at this point. "You want me to keep track of…this mess?"
I shrug. "Consider it your first assignment as our new quartermaster. Besides, this pile doesn't hold a candle to the size of our army's full inventory, so this should basically be a warm-up for you."
Anna grumbles, but gets to work quickly after she ropes Gregor into helping her sort everything out.
Timeskip: That night
We all take a look at what remains of the pile of loot.
Gaius raises an eyebrow. "Huh. Didn't expect there to be so much left."
While there were indeed many who came to the town and managed to prove ownership of many of the trinkets in the pile, a substantial amount was left unclaimed. The original size of the pile was about as big as our wagon. Now it's small enough to fit into Gaius's ever present sack should he empty it of sweets.
Anna sighs. "Well, at least I got to keep something."
"Technically, this is a pile that both you and Gaius gathered together. That means you two have to share." I correct the redhead. I walk towards the inn where I arranged for rooms for us to sleep in and wave over my shoulder. "You two have fun dividing the loot. I'm turning in early. Make sure to get enough sleep, 'cause we're hitting the slave trade tomorrow."
I barely reach the door to the inn when Anna's negotiations with Gaius over splitting the pile gets very vocal. Hey, I may be in command of this ragtag group, but that doesn't mean I'll concern myself with mundane squabbling unless it affects group dynamics. Those two grubby-fingered thieves better sort it out on their own, because that's a can of worms I prefer to leave unopened.
I'm just about ready to go to bed when I hear the door open behind me. I turn around and find, to my surprise, Nowi.
"What do you need, Nowi?" I ask her curiously.
Nowi shuffles her feet. "Jack, do you have time for some talk?"
I nod and pat the bed as I sit down on it. Nowi walks to the bed and hops onto it gently. That immediately gets a raised eyebrow out of me. Nowi's normally very energetic in everything she does until she pretty much crashes into bed. Whatever is eating at her, it's gotta be big.
"Alright. What's the issue?" I ask after a few moments of silence.
"You're serious about going after those slave traders tomorrow, aren't you, Jack?" Nowi asks nervously.
Ah, so that's what's bugging her. Really should've seen this one coming.
I nod. "I am. Judging from how I've seen you react to mentioning them, I take it you don't like the thought."
Nowi nods sadly. "Yeah. Every time I think of it, I'm reminded of my time as a slave myself. You have to remember, Jack, I haven't been free from slavery for more than three years. But those men…" Nowi shudders. "…those despicable men kept me captive and sold me around for at least a decade. It wasn't until a few months after I married Donnel that it finally sunk in that I was truly free from the slavery. Jack, I… I…"
I hug Nowi close and hold her there. Nowi buries her face in my chest and sobs softly. We remain like this for a while.
"Just thinking about seeing slave traders again scares me, Jack." Nowi tells me between tears and snivels. "What if… What if they recognize me? What if they try to capture me? I can't bear the thought of being sold to some faraway place for people's amusement again. I'm too scared to imagine being away from everyone. You… Robin… Tharja… Cherche… Donnel… Oh, gods, I don't wanna get separated from Donnel!"
"Did you…tell Donnel about your fears too?" I ask.
Nowi shakes her head (with her face still buried in my chest). "No… Donnel hardly knows anything about my past as a slave. He didn't even enter my life until after I became free."
"Maybe you should let him know. When you clung to him back at the bandit's hideout, I noticed that Donnel looked confused about your reaction. He needs to know this, Nowi. He needs to understand what you've been through."
Nowi looks up at me teary-eyed. "But what if he rejects me? I don't want to be left alone!"
I shake my head. "I doubt Donnel would leave you for such a stupid reason. And if he, by some inexplicable reason, did leave you, that means he was never worth your time in the first place. Donnel's not one to judge anyone by their background, especially since he came from humble beginnings himself. He, if anyone, knows what it means to accept someone else with open arms."
Nowi nods. "I know that. I just… I'm scared."
I hug her close. "Then I'll personally make sure you'll have nothing to be afraid of. If you're ever in over your head, I'll protect you, me and Donnel both. We'll never let any slaver take you away, Nowi. I swear it."
"Thank you, Jack…" Nowi tells me between sobs. "Thank you so much…"
Nowi goes still a few minutes later. Just as I think she's fallen asleep again, she hops off the bed and dries her tears.
"Finished?" I ask her.
Nowi turns around and nods. "Yeah. I'll go speak with Donnel. You were right. He deserves to know. And…thank you for taking time for me, Jack."
I give Nowi an affectionate smile and pat her on the head (to her slight annoyance). "I'll always lend an ear to you, Nowi. That's part of what being a family is about, isn't it?"
Nowi smiles back and nods. "A family… Yeah, it is." She walks to the door, but turns around and points at me before she opens it. "And another part is playing. So next time, you'd better be ready for some playtime."
I chuckle and wave her off. "Sure, sure. Off you go now, Nowi. Good night."
"Good night, Jack."
The door closes softly.
Your relationship with Nowi has improved!
About half an hour later, the other males in our group file into the room. Vaike and Gregor share some inside joke, judging from their grinning faces. Gaius looks sullen. When I ask him what the issue is, he just clicks his tongue and mutters about stingy redheads.
We get ready for bed when I notice the distinct lack of our fifth man.
"Where's Donnel?" I ask the others.
The others blink.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen the guy since me and Gregor had some grub before getting back up here." Vaike replies while scratching his head. Then he shrugs. "Eh, he'll come here sooner or later. Kid can take care of himself."
At that moment, the door opens to reveal Donnel with Nowi.
"Hey, Jack? Can you get us another room for tonight?" Nowi asks with the beginnings of her puppy-dog eyes.
I close my eyes and steel myself mentally in case of assault by cuteness overload. "Why in the world would you need another room? The two rooms I arranged for has enough beds for everyone."
"Because I want to be alone with Donnel tonight." Nowi explains.
I raise an eyebrow. "And?"
"I told him everything." Nowi hugs Donnel with a bright smile. "He hugged me!"
I scratch my head. "And?"
Nowi pouts. "Can't you take a hint?! I want to show him my appreciation tonight, but I can't do that if we're not alone! So get us a room already!"
Why does she need to be alone to- Ooh…
Donnel blushes and averts his gaze, even as the other males give him catcalls.
I rub my temples and throw a small bag of coins to Nowi. "Here. This should be enough for a room for two. Just… Just keep it down, okay? We're not the only ones sleeping in this town tonight."
Nowi huffs indignant. "Who do you think we are, Chrom and Cordelia? We won't make any noise. At least, not too much."
Nowi shuts the door before I can retort.
"Ya think that was a good idea, Buttercup?" Gaius asks.
I gesture to the door. "Do you want to discuss that with Nowi? You're married to Tharja, for crying out loud. You know the dangers of denying a married woman what she wants."
A shiver travels up Gaius's spine. "Good point."
I glance around the room. "All in favor for sleep?"
The answer is unanimous: "Aye."
…
Turns out, not only can Gaius be a deep sleeper, Vaike and Gregor snore loudly. I'm amazed Sully can sleep through that noise.
That's not my main issue, though. My main issue is the fact that Robin and I are far apart. This is the first time since our wedding night when we sleep in two separate beds. It's only here in the darkness of night (and incessant snoring from two of my companions) that I'm once again reminded of how much I take Robin's presence in my life for granted. I frown as I turn in my bed. This neglectful attitude won't do. From now on, I'll make it a point to show Robin how much I appreciate her, be it in our daily chores at daytime, or in the peace and quiet of our tent / room at night. I just hope I'll remember this realization for years to come, if not permanently.
Bah! I can't sleep like this! If I won't be able to catch some shut-eye, I might as well do something productive instead!
A Shadow clone, an empty ID, and a chant later, I stand on the breezy hills of my UBW for the first time since…a long time. With sleep eluding me and nothing better to do, what better way to spend the night than with an all-night training session?
But before that, I might need to boost my stats a bit. One thing that I've noted is that my stats haven't risen after any battle ever since I returned from the Outrealms. My guess would be that I'm simply too powerful to get any meaningful gains through the traditional means anymore. While stat boosting could still be possible through physical exertion, the mental parts might be out of reach for me. With that decided, I open up my Status menu and allot points on INT and WIS until both stats hit 100. The game reacts accordingly.
Due to your high intelligence, you have gained "Supercharge!"
Due to your significant increase in wisdom, "Intermediate mana manipulation" has turned into "Advanced mana manipulation"!
Due to your significant increase in wisdom, "Mana savant" has turned into "Mana paragon!"
Just what I need for the coming training session. Now, let's get started.
*POOF!*
I eye the small army of clones that I summoned in front of me.
"All right, men! You know the drill. Find some open space, and get practicing on those skills. Focus mainly on the skills I learned during the training trip." I shout out.
My clones snap into smart salutes before they scatter.
"Hey, what about you, Boss?" one clone who remains asks.
My eyes flash yellow. "I'll practice our trump card."
The clone gulps. "Uh, okay. I, uh… I'll let the others know. You need a lot of space for this one, don't you?"
I nod. "Yeah. In fact, that can be easily arranged." I summon a new clone and dispel him immediately. Moments later, I sense my other clones move further away from me very fast.
I take a deep breath and exhale. Black mana swirls in my right hand. "All right. Let's do this."
The next day
I retake my position in bed around 4 am. After the crazy stuff I did all night in my UBW, I figured I could take a little nap. Not that I need it, just, you know, relax a bit before the show starts. All in all, training at night was a fruitful endeavor.
…
Man, just lying here in bed is boring. Heck, the snoring's gone silent, so you would think it would be peaceful enough for me to just shut my eyes. Instead, I find this lack of activity boring.
Muttering to myself, I grab my gear and head downstairs. Considering the early hour, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the place is empty. Even the innkeeper doesn't wake up this early. Ah, well. Some peace and quiet might be what I need anyway.
I sit down by a table and pull out the map. Now, where can I find a lantern?
I grumble to myself (again) as I sneak back into the room, pick up the lantern sitting on the nightstand by my bed, and return back down. A twist of the knob, and the flame inside spreads a gentle shine in the room.
Under the gentle flicker of the lantern flame, I study the area around where Vincent told us he usually meets his contact in the slave trade. Based on his information, the location is surprisingly close to another location mentioned in a different report I have on me.
I rummage in my bag and pull out Itachi's scroll. Yep, it's the described location, all right. Our destination is set. Now to figure out the most efficient way to get there. Of course, I could just take us there by moving stone slab, but I wonder about the surrounding terrain…
My musings are cut short as I hear footsteps from the stairs. That's when I realize I've been studying the map for the better part of two hours.
I turn towards the stairs and spot Donnel walking down with a grin that I recognize from the day after mine and Robin's wedding night. Looks like somebody had a passionate night with his wife.
"Morning, Donnel. Had a good night's rest?" I greet the former farmer.
Donnel's grin gets even wider. "Mornin', Jack. Hoo wee, that was crazy! I just told Nowi I love her, no matter what she's been through, and girl won't stop kissin' me! Well, she did, but then she was all like "We're gettin' a room!", and then she gets us a room, and then she wouldn't let me go. Everythin's a blur after that."
I chuckle as the Fighter keeps walking like he's the king of the world. I can relate. After all, that's how I feel after a particularly wild night in bed with Robin.
Then I blink as I notice that Donnel's headed for the door.
"Going somewhere?" I ask him.
"Jus' got an errand to takes care of." he replies. "Should be back for breakfast."
I shrug before I get back to the map. Hmm… Planning routes always feel much easier with Robin around.
I resist the urge to slam my head against the table. Ugh. The more I think about my wife, the more I miss her. Come on, Jack. Focus!
The innkeeper walks in about half an hour later. After some quick greetings, he heads straight to the kitchen to get started on breakfast. Not long after that, Sully walks down.
"Mornin', Jack. Surprised to see you up so early." Sully greets.
I shrug. "What can I say? I found myself awake early in the morning, so I figured I might as well do some planning before we get started on the day."
Sully rubs her chin. "Huh. I'm so used to Robin bein' the one doin' all the planning that I'm surprised to see you do it. Seems d-mn responsible of ya too, considering the early hour. Rest of our team's still upstairs snoozin'." Sully smirks. "Speakin' of which, Vaike didn't give ya too much trouble last night, did he?"
I give her a sour look. "Vaike's snoring puts two lumberjacks at work to shame. How in the world do you sleep through that noise?"
Sully shrugs as she heads for the front door. "Eh, you get used to it. And if ya don't, just throw Vaike outta the room. Big lunk's such a heavy sleeper, he won't even notice until morning."
"You could've told me before we went to bed, you know?" I grumble. "So, what're you up to? Donnel headed out to town about half an hour ago for an errand, but what about you?"
"Just some runnin' before breakfast. Gotta get my body goin' before the action starts."
I nod. "Got it. You might want to keep it short, though. I saw the innkeeper head for the kitchen, so breakfast should be ready soon."
Sully nods and leaves.
Even as I continue studying the map and jotting down notes, the sound of utensils rings from the kitchen. The telltale crackling sound of a fire suggests that part of breakfast will be cooked, though I can't figure out whether it's over an open fire or in a pot.
The sound of a wooden tray set down on the table breaks me out of my musings.
"Figured you'd be hungry at this point." the innkeeper tells me. "Here's part of today's breakfast, but the porridge will have to wait for at least half an hour before it's ready."
I nod at him in thanks and hand him a few extra coins for the hospitality.
Hmm… It's mainly bread and cheese on the tray, alongside a cup of water. A decent breakfast in these parts, especially when combined with porridge. Well, he went through the effort to serve me some food even while preparing everything, so I might as well dig in.
I just finish the last of the bread when Donnel comes back from his errand. Much to my surprise, he's got a new tool in his hand.
"Donnel? What's with the shovel?" I ask.
"Oh, this?" Donnel replies and lifts up the digging tool. A scowl forms on his face. "Nowi told me her past as a slave. We're goin' after some o' them today, right?"
I nod. Donnel grips the shovel harder.
"Those gosh darned brutes ain't gonna live to see another sunrise, they won't. And nobody's gonna find them bodies either."
I suppress a shiver as Donnel walks up the stairs. Naga above, the Killager is out for blood…
By the time Sully returns from her morning jog, the innkeeper tells us breakfast is ready. That's our cue to wake the others up. Sully heads for the ladies' room, while I'm saddled with the mens' room.
"SSnnrrrr…"
Which brings me to my current task of waking a heavily snoring Vaike.
Gaius chews on a bonbon. "So, how are we doing this, Buttercup?"
Gregor scratches his head. "Gregor try many tricks in waking. Nothing works."
I rub my chin as I run through what ways I can give the Barbarian a rude awakening without ruining the inn beds. Let's see…
Frying pan to the face? Nah, too simple.
Drip cold water on his forehead? That could wet the sheets.
Rip the covers off his body? Bah, that's for children.
If only Sully were here. She'd know exactly how to-
A grin forms on my face. Of course. Sully.
I lean in close to Vaike's ear and whisper. "Oh, Vaike~."
"Mrmph… Snnrrr…"
"Is that Sully I see over there?"
"Snr?"
"Hey, I think that feroxi's trying to hit on her by flexing his muscles."
Vaike practically flies out of the bed. "Lemme at 'im!" Then he blinks upon discovering no Sully, and no feroxi trying to hit on her.
The blond axe wielder turns to me with a vein pulsing on his head. "Not cool, Jack!"
I snicker. "No, but it was funny."
Gregor and Gaius join in on the snickering, much to Vaike's annoyance.
After a much-needed breakfast for my companions, everyone was to gather outside town. All that planning by the table this morning has given me a rough idea of how to proceed towards our next destination. Now to wait for everyone to get ready.
My group comes out in full gear soon enough, with Sully taking an extra turn to get her horse. To my surprise, I hear the neighing of two horses, besides hers. That's when we spot Sully and her horse accompanied with Anna and a horse-drawn cart of her own.
Gregor raises an eyebrow. "Anna have own cart, yes?"
The Trickster nods. "Of course. Every decently successful merchant will need one if they want to transport their goods from one market to the next. I mean, can you imagine how tiring it would be if I had to lug around all my money and merchandise by hand? I'd be stuck in whatever region I'm doing business in for weeks."
That…sounds reasonable.
I nod. "Well, that means we have extra space to load things into in case we run out of free space."
"Like what?" Tharja asks skeptically.
"Who knows? When traveling a long distance like ours, chances are we'll run into stuff we might want to bring along for the ride."
Anna rubs her hands. "Does this mean we'll raid some more bandit hideouts? I'm all for it! Just think of all the valuables I could profit fro- Er, I mean, give a new home."
Everyone gives her a flat look.
I shake my head. "Whatever. Just get yourself and your cart in the square of my copies."
Anna looks at my clones. "Yeah, about that. You said they're your copies? How?"
Gaius places a hand on her shoulder. "Long story short, Buttercup has the longest list of crazy abilities we've ever seen. Just roll with it."
Anna gives me an apprehensive look. "Okaaay…"
I grin at her. "Relax. It's mostly safe unless you're an enemy."
"Uh huh. That doesn't sound reassuring at all."
AN: The following scene is inspired by a review posted by Sapphireweapon12. Many thanks for the funny idea.
We've been traveling by stone slab for the better part of two hours. According to my estimates, we should be close.
Right on cue, I notice a bush near the road rustle. I order my clones to stop. The stone platform sinks back into the ground.
"Hey, why'd we stop, Jack?" Nowi asks confused. Confusion that's shared by the others.
I smile back at the manakete. "You'll see."
A few rustles later, and the expected squirrel pops out from the foliage.
I kneel down in front of the critter. "Good morning, Nagato. So you're my guide for this one."
The squirrel nods. "Indeed. The location you seek is far from this road. You would do well to follow my guidance."
I raise an eyebrow at the squirrel's choice of words. "Uh, okay. Lead the way."
Nagato leads us off the dirt road towards the open plains. With all the snow covering the ground, Transmuting a pathway is pretty much necessary in order for the horses and carts to follow with us.
We soon find a small cluster of trees and bushes to rest among. The ruins of an old fort lies in the distance.
"Here is as far as I will guide you, Jack." Nagato tells me.
I nod in thanks. "A job well done, Nagato. Here, just wait and let me get you your reward."
"That will not be necessary." the ripple-eyed critter tells me. "It is not necessary for a god to be rewarded for his guidance. Your thanks are enough."
I raise an eyebrow. "You? A god? I get that you have unusual eyes by any standards, but that's a bit much, even for you."
"It would seem you are ignorant to the truth. Allow me to enlighten you." Nagato tells me in a neutral voice. He turns to a nearby bush and raises his paws into the air. "Behold the power of a god! Almighty bush!"
The tiny shrubbery rustles a bit before it grows to proportions beyond what a bush should be able to grow for this area. Leaves and branches grow with amazing speed as the bush grows taller. At its greatest height, the bush bends down until the top rests right above Nagato. An acorn pops out from among the leaves – despite it not even being an oak bush – and falls into the squirrel's waiting paws.
Nagato turns back to me as the bush shrinks back to its original size. "Never doubt the words of a god." The squirrel vanishes in a blur, acorn and all.
Our resting area grows so quiet, you could hear a pin land in the snow.
Sully points at the bush that underwent the strangest growth ever. "Okay, what the h-ll was that, Jack?!"
I raise my hands in a placating gesture. "I don't know! I swear I had no idea the squirrel could do that!"
Anna shakes her head. "And here I thought I'd seen everything. That was freaky, even by Outrealm standards."
Timeskip: Ten minutes later
Okay, so we're done freaking out over a squirrel playing God with a bush. It's just one freaky incident with a squirrel. No need to have an existential crisis – yet.
Now that everyone's calmed down, I pull out the map and place it on a stump.
"By my estimates, we should be around here." I tell the others and point at the map, close to where I've drawn a circle. "The information we got from the bandit leader indicates his contact should be in the area. That's our chance to strike at those slavers and deal a hefty blow. If we can pry some information out of them, we might be able to cut off their operations up here for good."
Vaike punches his fist into his palm with a grin. "Sounds good. What're we waiting for?"
I raise a hand. "Hang on, Vaike. We don't know how well received we'll be by this contact. For all we know, he could be traveling with a small army of bodyguards for protection. We'd better approach the area carefully. Gaius and I will take point and scout the area ahead in case there are any nasty surprises."
The others nod and go about preparing their weapons. Good. We'll most likely end up fighting against that contact, and it's better to be safe than sorry anyway.
I glance at Gaius. "Ready?"
The Assassin shifts the candy stick in his mouth. "Ready."
We sprint towards the nearest hills overlooking the general area around the fort ruins. By the time we crest the top, Gaius stops dead in his tracks with a deadpan expression.
"That's…a lot of people…" he mutters.
"That's not all." I add and point towards the ruins. "Notice the young woman over there? Based on the movements of the group, they're after her."
Gaius chews on a bonbon while rubbing his chin. "Hey, Buttercup? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
I narrow my eyes. "If your thoughts are along the lines of "slavers hunting for a girl", then yes. And that means we've got trouble."
I leave Gaius behind to further scope out the situation while I relay the news for the others.
"Well, what're we waitin' for?!" Sully shouts as she jumps up on her horse. "Girl needs help, so we'd better make d-mn sure she gets it!"
"Or we could stay right here and just let me go to work on them." Tharja interjects with a sadistic smile. "A curse to wither them away, perhaps? A slow death over a year?" A sinister giggle escapes her lips. "Oh, fie. Let's make it two."
I scowl at the Sorcerer. "That better be a joke, Tharja. I don't care if you like cursing any slavers to a slow and agonizing death. Like Sully said, that girl needs help immediately, and we'll just do that, with or without you. Everyone, prepare for battle!"
Quest alert
Side quest: A shot from the Dark
A young maiden is being chased by slavers! Put those lowlifes down and rescue her as fast as you can! Things might not be as they seem though. That maiden seems to be anything but defenseless, even when overwhelmed.
Objective: Defeat all ruffians
Rewards: 10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold
Bonus objectives: ?
Bonus rewards: 1 000 EXP
Thanks to the general readiness of our group, we're back at the hills and ready to storm down on the approaching group to intercept them. Which is exactly what we do.
*Boom!*
The group of strangers stop in their march as I land on the ground hard enough to form a small crater.
"Hey, you." I call out to them as I rise up from my crouch. "Mind telling me what a group of strangers are doing in the middle of nowhere?"
Their presumed leader rides to the front.
Ezra Lvl 45 Class: Bow Knight
Jackpot.
"Oh, please don't mind us." the Bow Knight replies in a polite voice. "We're just a band of mercenaries traveling in search of potential clients. You know how it is, don't you? When war is brewing and resources become scarce, you have to make do with what you can get your hands on, and drive off any who would intrude on what's yours."
I scowl. "Really? So you consider a young maiden hiding in the area a potential client? Especially when all signs point towards her hiding from you lot?"
Any sign of friendliness instantly vanish from Ezra's face. "So, you know we're after her, do you? Well, what of it? It's not your business, so you'd better be on your way."
My scowl turns into a glare as winds whip up around me. "And what? Allow you all to gang up on her? To extort her? To kill her on the spot? Or worse…" The winds get stronger. "To sell her off as a slave?!"
Ezra backs away immediately. "So, you know who we are, then?" the Bow Knight snarls. "It doesn't matter. A maiden like her is sure to sell for a high price on the market, and we're getting our hands on her one way or another. But first of all, we're getting rid of any witnesses. That means you die first!"
A Paladin rides out from the ranks of slavers and thrusts his lance at me. I bat the lance aside and smash a Hurricane fist right in his chest.
*Fwoom!*
The Paladin flies into the distance, to the shock of the slavers.
"I think not." I answer them coldly.
The others slide down the hill, weapons out and ready to fight.
"Hey, Boss! There's more of them!" a Griffon Rider shouts.
"I can see that, you imbecile!" Ezra snaps back. "No matter! There's only a handful of them. A few of you go after that girl, while the rest of us take care of this lot." Ezra eyes the females of our group. "With any luck, we'll net us a few extra ones in the process. That little one in particular should sell for a handsome sum in a few years."
Wait… He means Nowi, doesn't he?
…
Must…PROTECC!
BGM: Psychostorm, Hyrule Warriors music
I growl and draw Harvest Moon. "If you lay so much as a finger on her, I'll grind you to a red paste and dump you in the ocean as fish food!"
Ezra growls back. "So you can punch hard, and then what? Do you honestly think your measly numbers can stop us?"
I smirk as I notice Donnel tense up behind me. "No. I know."
*Shing! Boom!*
The slavers are scattered from Donnel's massive axe swing. The Fighter rises up with the angriest glare I've ever seen on him.
"No one touches mah' wife! Least o' all you hogs!"
"Jack help young maiden." Gregor tells me confidently. "Friends can do handling of this mob."
I glance at my companions. They all show confidence in their abilities.
"Anna, how good are you at healing magic?" I ask the Trickster.
Anna twirls her keyblade a few times. "Good enough to heal most wounds easily enough. I've got this."
I nod. "All right. I'm counting on you."
I zip away with Gale step, determined to overtake the other slavers. While I have no doubt that the girl they're after can handle herself, there's only so much a single Archer can do against such numbers.
*Boom!*
Wait a second. That came from the old ruins. Don't tell me these slavers have figured out how to make gunpowder. If that's the case, I'm on a tighter schedule than I thought!
As I jump between trees and the occasional pile of rubble, I soon spot a group of slavers headed towards probably the most intact part of the ruins; a rectangular walled area with a few open windows in the walls spread evenly. The roof's missing, but there's enough walls to provide cover from most angles.
*Thwip! Boom!*
What the- Something flew out from one of the windows and exploded as it hit the ground! What's going on here?
"Don't back down now!" one of the slavers shouts to his allies. "She won't be able to hold out for long. Just distract her a little more, and our comrades will circle around the walls and catch her off-guard!"
Soo…they're trying some misdirection to distract the one holed up in there? Not if I can help it!
It's a good thing the roof's missing on that piece of building. With Harvest Moon in scythe form, I make a beeline for the wall. The slavers hardly see me coming as I rear back my weapon for a sneak attack.
*Shing!* "Augh!"
"Huh?" *Shing!* "Gah!"
A few swings and dead slavers later, I manage to carve a path through their ranks and straight to the wall. I reach the stone wall, tense my legs, and take flight straight over it.
I clear the wall in a matter of seconds. From there, I spot a lone orange-haired Archer.
Noire Lvl 27 Class: Archer
Bingo. Found her at last.
I land silently behind Noire. "Yo."
Said Archer jumps into the air before she whirls around with a peculiar looking arrow nocked on her Steel Bow. She does not look happy. "Wh- How did you get behind me, wretch!?" Then she blinks, all signs of hostility gone. "J-Jack-sensei?"
"I'd prefer if we talked without an arrow pointed at my face." I tell her dryly.
"Eep! Sorry." Noire squeaks as she lets up on the draw.
I rise up from my crouch and face the lone entrance to the open room we're in. "We can talk later, though. Right now, there's a group of slavers circling this place and trying to trap you in here. Leave those to me. You can focus on taking care of the ones outside."
"Thanks, I guess. But don't worry, Sensei. I can handle myself."
I raise an eyebrow at Noire's show of confidence. Before I can ask how she intends to do that, she lets her arrow fly.
*Boom!*
I gape in shock. "Wha- You're the one who caused that explosion earlier?!"
Noire nods. "Yes. That's part of what you taught me."
Now that I take a closer look, Noire has no quiver – just a bow.
"But if you're out of ammo, how will you handle the slavers?" I ask.
Noire smiles. "You taught me something valuable, Jack-sensei. Watch this."
Noire faces an open window again and stretches out her right arm.
"Trace on."
Sparks fly from Noire's open hand before a Steel Sword forms from the mana there. Noire grabs hold of the weapon and nocks it on her bow like an arrow. As she pulls the string, the sword changes shape until it resembles an arrow of sorts.
No…way… Future-me taught Niore how to Trace weapons and transform them into arrows?!
"Aha!" Noire shouts and lets the next transformed weapon fly.
*Thwip! Boom!* "Augh!"
Noire pumps her fist. "Bullseye!"
I look at the Archer in shock. What in the world happened to the meek girl I'm used to see in this mission?
I hear someone chuckle outside. "Heh heh heh… That girl won't suspect a thing."
I scowl as I turn back to the entrance. Sounds like the bandits have circled around. I smirk upon realizing that they don't know I'm here too. Based on what Mind's eye tells me, they'll reach the entrance in about ten seconds.
I tense my legs and shift Harvest Moon back to sword form. Wait for it…
Right as I spot a foot belonging to one of the bandits, I dash forward with Harvest Moon in full swing.
"Peekaboo!" *Shing!*
That's one slaver down, and four more to go.
"What the- How did you get here?!" a Swordmaster shouts surprised as he points at me.
I smirk and settle in a stance. "That's for me to know and you to never find out. None of you will set foot in this building so long as I'm here. Come on!"
The slavers hesitate before they charge me. First up, the Swordmaster.
I angle Harvest Moon to parry his initial thrust. I push the Silver Sword aside and use the momentum to wind up for a big swing-
*Clang!*
-only to have it blocked by a Paladin's lance. A Berserker jumps up above them and brings down his Killer Axe with a war cry. Thinking fast, I push back against the lance with Telekinesis and use the momentary shift in balance to yank the Paladin by the lance towards me.
*Shink!* "Aurgh!"
The Berserker barely has time to realize that he just killed his own ally before I stab Harvest Moon right in his throat and then kick him off the blade. All that's left are the Swordmaster and his Assassin buddy. The Assassin runs towards me, but then takes a left turn and runs along the wall. At the same time, the Swordmaster comes in from the other side to complete the pincer maneuver.
I shift Harvest Moon into scythe form and run up the wall to meet the Assassin.
*Clang!*
Any momentum we had is lost in our clash, making us fall off the wall, though we still swing at each other as we fall to the ground. I idly note the Swordmaster ready a swing of his own for when I reach the ground, so I aim a Gale step against the wall and push away. The moment I land, I rush the Swordmaster. My first swing has him grit his teeth as he tries to stop my blow. Before he can retaliate, I spin the other way, flip Harvest Moon mid-motion, and come in from the other direction.
That's when the Assassin gets between us and blocks Harvest Moon from the other side. I lean to the left as the Swordmaster stabs at me and disengage the blade lock in the process. The Assassin rushes in low and swings at my legs. I respond with a rising slash that pushes him back. That's when the Swordmaster rushes into the opening and thrusts at my chest. I lean to the right and shove the butt end of Harvest Moon into his own chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. That gives me the opening I need to pull the Swordmaster towards me with Telekinesis and then quickly sidestep him. By the time he regains his balance, he finds Harvest Moon's blade at his neck.
*Shing!*
That's four down, and one to go.
The Assassin backs away slowly, now that's it's only me and him. He throws his sword up in the air, pulls out a Killing Bow and has an arrow nocked within seconds. I swipe the arrow away with Harvest Moon easily enough, but at the same time, the Assassin catches his sword on its way down and rushes at me, hoping to capitalize on the slight opening.
Too bad he doesn't expect me to place my free hand on the wall and Transmute the stone. Nor does he expect the stone fist that shoots out from the masonry and socks him in the cheek.
*Wham!*
The Assassin stumbles around dizzy from the rock-solid sucker punch. That's when I rush in, impale him on Harvest Moon's blade and swing my weapon in an arch over my head, slicing open the slaver from stomach to head.
I flick off some excess blood before I shift Harvest Moon back into sword form and return to where I left Noire.
"Aha!" *Thwip! Boom!*
Seems like she's doing well. With only a few windows to shoot from, she's doing an admirable job in sniping those slavers outside with Traced weapons turned into arrows. And, from what I can see on my mini map, she's racked up quite the kill count.
"How are you holding up, Noire?" I ask the Archer.
Noire leans against the wall and sighs. "I'm fine for now, Sensei, but I've lost track on how many weapons I've Traced and fired at those slavers. I think they're thinning out, which is good, 'cause I'm starting to feel tired."
I give her a proud smile. "For what it's worth, I think you've done a good job. How about I help you reunite with the others so we can put an end to this?"
The Archer sends me a small smile. "That sounds wonderful. I wonder if she's here."
*Squawk!*
We both look up to find a Griffon Rider descend on us with a Silver Axe raised high. Drat! Noire can't Trace a weapon fast enough to shoot him down!
"Enough already!" I roar and swing my arm skywards as I conjure a narrow vortex of wind aimed straight at the flier. Due to his overcommitment, the Griffon Rider is powerless to stop his collision with the incoming wind spell and is sent spiraling upwards and away from the ruins. Judging from the harsh landing headfirst on the ground some ten seconds later, it's safe to say he's dead.
"We can't stay here for much longer." I tell Noire and rummage in my bag. I pull out the potion Tharja gave me before we set out from Ylisstol and hand the flask to Noire. "The taste might not be pleasant, but a sip from it should help restore enough mana for the rest of the battle."
Noire gently takes the flask from my hand with a grateful nod and downs a mouthful. She wipes her mouth with a grimace before she sighs and hands me back the flask. "That tastes awful, but I sure feel better. What did you put in it, Jack-sensei?"
"I think you're better off not knowing." I reply. In a puff of smoke, I Mimic the form of Virion's trusty steed. "Hop on. I'll carry you to the others. Think you can cover us from horseback?"
Noire blinks at my sudden shapeshift before she nods. "I've never tried horseback archery before, but I'm told my aim is really good."
The Archer grunts as she hops up and gets comfortable on the saddle.
"Ready?" I ask her.
Noire nods and Traces a Killer Lance. "Ready."
I take a few experimental steps to get used to being quadrupedal. By the time we exit the room, I slowly build up speed until I'm in full gallop.
"There she is!" we hear the remaining slavers shout as I book it back to the others.
"They're onto us already?" Noire exclaims shocked. "They'll catch up soon!"
"I can keep track of them easily enough." I assure Noire. "Just make sure to fire in the directions I tell you."
"How can you do that if you're busy running with your eyes pointing forward?"
"Do you trust me?"
"Huh?"
"I repeat; do you trust me?"
"Um… Uh, yes."
"Well, there you go. Leave the running and awareness to me. You just focus on shooting them down as I point them out."
"Um, okay…"
I push Mind's eye to the max as I tear up the ground with my hooves. With a range of a bit over 100 meters, I know fully well if someone tries to catch us.
"Falcon Knight, three o' clock!"
"I see her!" *Thwip! Boom!*
Direct hit!
I note a few arrows flying my way from a pair of Bow Knights. Some zigzagging helps me dodge the arrows without much trouble, but their harassing cover fire limits my options for where I can run.
Hm… There are some stone walls on my left. Low enough for me to jump over if I have a running start, but high enough to give us sufficient cover.
"We'll blindside them over at those walls." I tell Noire. "There'll be a few sharp turns, so make sure you stay on that saddle."
"Got it."
Amazingly enough, this place is a bit of a miniature labyrinth with how the walls are placed. That works well enough for me, since I can use the walls as cover and even potential sneak attacks.
A left turn here, a right there, gallop along the wall, and stop.
Noire blinks at our stationary position. "Sensei?"
"Have an arrow nocked and fire at my signal." I tell her.
Noire nods, Traces a Beast Killer and nocks it on her bow. The sound of hooves pounding over some leftover cobblestone reaches our ears.
"Ready? Three… Two… One… Fire!"
Right as Noire lets go of her arrow, the two Bow Knights enter the wall complex – right in the line of fire.
*Boom!* "Aurgh!"
Noire lowers her bow in wonder. "Wow… That went better than I thought."
"Nice shot." I commend her. I exit the wall complex and resume my gallop. "Hang on. It shouldn't be much further from here. Stay ready."
We're soon set upon by more slavers. This time, it's a pair of Paladins approaching us from the front, one from two o' clock, and one from ten.
Noire looks frantically at the approaching riders. "Oh no! Which one do I aim at?!"
"Aim for the right one! I've got a plan!" I tell her.
Noire complies and blasts the Paladin off his horse and to kingdom come. With the way cleared, I steer to the right where a fallen wall section lies conveniently propped up on a rock like a platform. I run up the stone wall and jump near the edge, allowing us to clear the river lying past the ruins and onto solid ground.
"Got you now!" we hear the other Paladin shout as he has his horse do the same thing.
"Exactly how far ahead did you plan, Jack-sensei?" Noire asks apprehensively.
"Up to this point." I answer her confidently.
"Guess who?"
An arrow flies past Noire's head and nails the Paladin in the face. I slow my gallop to a trot and eventually stop by a boulder, where Gaius jumps down.
BGM ends
"Nice shot, Gaius." I commend the sugar loving Assassin.
"Talk about cutting it close, Buttercup." Gaius mutters in response. "We've been real busy while you were off rescuing that girl." The Assassin indicates the girl sitting on my back. "That her?"
I nod. "Yep. Gaius, meet Noire."
Gauis nods in greeting. Noire returns the gesture the exact same way, but notably shyer.
"Man. That took more effort than I thought." I hear Anna huff as she approaches with the others. Now that I take a good look on them, they all bear marks from some intense fighting.
Everyone except Nowi. In contrast, Donnel looks the most beat up.
"Guess your healing magic needs some more polishing." I tell Anna.
The Trickster huffs. "Oh, cut me some slack here! I had to heal them while fending off a bunch of crazy ruffians. Speaking of crazy; how the heck did you transform into a horse?!"
I do the horse equivalent of a shrug. "I've got a broad set of skills. Including this."
I let my own healing spell loose on the group. Their wounds close up gradually while the scuff marks slowly fade.
"So you can wield a giant sword like it's nothing, talk to squirrels, transform into an animal, punch a man into the distance, and now you can heal multiple people with magic." Anna comments in disbelief. "Is there anything you can't do?"
I tilt my head to the side. "Uh, let's see. Oh yeah, I specialize in wind magic, but I can't use magic of any other element."
Anna gives me a flat look. "Between all the stuff you can already do, that's not exactly reassuring. What's next, you can stop time?"
Awkward silence…
Anna blinks. "Um, guys?"
More awkward silence.
Vaike scratches his head. "Yeah… He can do that."
Anna's jaw hangs loose for a moment. "Oh, come on! I was just joking!"
Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected.
Ezra's still around? Where's he- No!
"Get down!" I shout.
*Clang!*
An arrow flies right at Donnel. It's only thanks to his fast response that the arrow hit the brass pot on his head instead of his chest.
BGM: Emiya, Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works OST
We all turn our heads towards where the arrow came from. We soon spot a person riding among a few fallen walls.
"I clearly underestimated you." Ezra growls as he readies another arrow. "Here I took you for some easy prey, but you've proven more trouble than you're worth. I don't care about netting any wenches to sell off anymore. I'll kill the lot of you right here and be done with it all!"
The next arrow flies from his Silver Bow.
*Ping!*
Only to get shot clear out of the air by another arrow. Where- Noire?
Whoa… Noire looks pissed.
"Insolent worm! All this time you thought yourself the hunter, when in reality, you were the hunted all along!" Noire snarls with a look of absolute fury on her face, much to everyone's shock.
Ezra recovers quickly. "Bah! If they find out you're like this, the price won't be more than a few measly bags of coin. Fine, then! You think I'm the hunted?! We'll see about that, little girl!"
"I've heard enough of your delusional blather! It's high time you knew your place, and I'll see to it personally!"
I sweatdrop at Noire's violent personality shift. "Uh… Noire-"
"SILENCE!" the Archer snarls. "You'll be my steed as I hunt this cur down and wedge an arrow right in his head! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Great… Girl's entered blood-and-thunder mode.
Oh, fine.
I nod (in slight resignation). "Got it. Ready?"
"Born ready!"
I quickly build up speed into a gallop. Ezra kicks his steed into gear as well in response. It's not long before Noire and Ezra ride side by side. The Bow Knight nocks an arrow while Noire Traces a Hammer and transforms it into an arrow with a blunt head.
Ezra lets his arrow fly right towards where Noire's chest will be upon impact. Noire reacts quickly and bends backwards before she fires her own arrow.
*Boom!*
While she missed her target, the arrow shattered an entire boulder with ease. Ezra spares a quick glance at the rubble before he switches out his bow for a Silver Sword and commands his horse to accelerate. He quickly rounds and rides directly towards us.
Noire Traces a Steel Lance and has it nocked within seconds. But instead of letting the weapon fly, she holds it as we quickly approach the slaver. Ezra winds up for a horizontal swing at Noire.
"Duck!" Noire shouts. I obey instantly. At the same time, Noire leans left on the saddle until she hangs on my side, allowing her to completely dodge the sword. I catch on to her plan and circle left, allowing her a clear shot at Ezra's retreating back.
*Boom!*
Noire clicks her tongue at another missed shot. She heaves herself back up onto the saddle with a grunt and steers me in pursuit of the Bow Knight. Ezra, in turn, switches back to his bow with another arrow at the ready. This time, however, he's not aiming at Noire.
He's aiming at me!
"Gotcha!" the slavers cries out triumphantly and lets the arrow fly.
Too bad he doesn't know I have Telekinesis. A push from the side, and the arrow flies way off course. It's only through sheer reflexes that Noire's next arrow simply grazes his cheek instead of hitting him square in the face.
"I tire of this game of cat and mouse!" Noire shouts impatiently on my back. "We're ending this now!"
I nod in agreement and circle around for another attack run. Ezra is already in position with a new arrow nocked. I get ready to steer away when Noire interrupts me.
"Keep going forward!" she shouts as she readies a new arrow herself.
I'm kind of nervous here, but I trust her.
As both Noire and Ezra get closer to each other, they release their respective projectiles. They hit each other in the middle, but in such a way that they graze off each other and fly at slightly altered angles.
*Thunk!* "Ungh!"
Drat! That last arrow managed to hit Noire's left shoulder!
"Keep going!" she tells me through gritted teeth. I oblige, following her directions behind some stone walls. Ezra, who managed to dodge Noire's arrow, rides after us in pursuit.
"Do you even have a plan, Noire?" I ask the Archer apprehensively.
Noire nods resolutely. "Yes. Listen, Sensei, I need you to do exactly as I tell you. Understood?"
Though confused, I nod.
Ezra soon reaches the stone walls himself and rides among them with an arrow nocked and ready to fly. He looks in my direction as the sound of my hooves reaches his ears. Through Mind's eye, I see him ready his bow for where I'm about to appear from behind a wall.
"Die!" he shouts triumphantly as he fires the arrow the moment he sees me.
The arrow flies right where Noire's head would be-
*Plink!*
-only to sail right over my empty back and hit stone instead.
Ezra blinks in confusion. "Hey! Where'd that girl go?!"
"Hya!"
Ezra looks to the right in shock – and spots Noire jump off a fallen piece of masonry and right on top of his horse. Before Ezra can react, Noire pushes him back with a foot and aims the very arrow the Bow Knight hit her with right at his forehead.
"To the abyss with you!" *Thunk!*
The pointblank headshot kills Ezra on the spot. The horse swerves every which way with no one to steer it anymore. Noire jumps off the horse and lands back on my saddle.
Ezra has been killed!
Noire has leveled up!
Noire slumps against the back of my neck. "Phew… So tired…"
"That was a bold move, Noire. For your first time fighting on horseback, that was a splendid performance." I tell her proudly.
Noire smiles shyly in return. "Thank you, Jack-sensei." She clutches her shoulder in pain. "Ow. I hope that arrow didn't hit anything important."
"Come on. Let's get back to the others and have your wound dressed." I tell her as I steer towards where the others are waiting.
Amazingly enough, even with a wounded shoulder, Noire's grip on the Steel Bow stays firm. The true hallmark of a disciplined archer.
BGM ends
Quest alert
Side quest: A shot from the Dark
At times, it's surprising how far people are willing to go just to capture and enslave others. These slavers where willing to march with a full band of professional mercenaries just to hunt down one girl. This goes to show how deep the influence of the slave trade goes. Stay on your guard, as you never know when slavers could attack someone you care about.
Objective: Defeat all ruffians.
Objective cleared!
Rewards: You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!
Bonus objectives: Reunite with Noire and have her join you in fighting the slavers.
Bonus objective cleared!
Bonus rewards: You gain 1 000 EXP!
Noire sighs in relief as Anna dresses her wounds (behind cover, of course). "Thank you for coming to my rescue. If you didn't, I fear for what would have happened."
Even though the Archer shudders at the thought, the rest of us regard her with various degrees of skepticism, mainly due to her…violent outburst when fighting Ezra earlier.
Anna tugs the bandages tight one last time before she secures them with a firm knot. "There we go. A few days of rest, and your shoulder should be as good as new. And don't mention the rescue portion, sweetie. We girls have to stand together when slavers run rampant around the area."
As Noire puts her clothes back on, she glances at us nervously. "Um, about that… Can I join you? There's someone I need to talk to, but I'm s-scared to be alone."
Noire steps out from behind the cover and approaches Tharja.
The Sorcerer raises an eyebrow. "Yes? What is it? I don't have all day."
Noire fidgets nervously before she digs her hand into a small satchel attached to her waist. "I, um… I mean, er… H-here, please look at this."
Noire reveals a ring in her hand. Tharja picks it up and inspects it in silence.
"Nice ring." she remarks. "Looks just like mine. You messing around with alchemy? Or is it something…darker?"
Noire shakes her head fervently. "Wha-? N-no! It's nothing of the sort! It's just-"
Tharja's gaze darkens. "Tell me the truth, girl. You don't want to see what happens if you lie to me."
*Smack!*
Pin-drop silence descends around us. Did Nowi just slap Tharja on her butt?
"Stop harassing her, Tharja!" the manakete chastises the Sorcerer. "She's obviously nervous, and your attitude's not helping. Play nice."
Tharja grumbles before she turns back to the astonished Archer. "Fine, I'll hear you out. Take your time."
"Hold on a sec." Gaius interjects. "Noire, was it?"
Noire nods.
Gaius shifts the lollipop in his mouth. "You wouldn't happen to be mine and Tharja's daughter from the future, would you?"
Noire looks at the Assassin in shock. "Wha- How did you know?!"
Gaius shrugs. "You're not the first kid from the future we run into. Besides, Buttercup over there was the one who led us here to begin with, and with his track record lately, I figured you're another one of Lucina's buddies."
Tharja raises an eyebrow. "Well, that explains the ring, at least. Though I never expected that a child of mine would be so…meek. What happened to all that flair you showed back during the last battle?"
Noire shuffles her feet. "Um… It's not like I'm like that all the time. You could say…that I have a bit of a dark side."
Gaius nods sagely. "Yep. You're Tharja's kid, alright, and mine as a consequence. …Unless you've been up to no good, Tharja."
Tharja rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. Like I'd ever go after another man besides Jack, and we both know he only has eyes for Robin."
The rest of us (Noire included) give her flat looks.
Nowi steps behind Tharja again.
*Smack!*
"You married Gaius, so you stick to him, Tharja!" the manakete scolds the Sorcerer. "Stop giving him self-esteem issues! He already has enough troubles on his plate."
"Hey, I'm right here, you know." Gaius grumbles.
Tharja rubs her rump with a mild glare directed at Nowi, but makes no move to retaliate. "Oh, fine. It's not like I'd actually go after Jack anyway. Gods know what Robin would do if she found out." Then she returns her gaze to Noire. "Fidelity aside, there's another matter we need to discuss, now that we've established that you're my child."
"And what's that?" Noire asks curiously.
Tharja pulls out a knife and a vial from within her robes. "The fact that you're my daughter means that you have my blood, right? I'm going to need some of it back."
Noire backs away with a frightened expression. But before Tharja can get close enough with the dagger, she finds herself staring down the tip of a hastily Traced Ladle turned into a blunt arrow of sorts. On the other end, Noire looks furious.
"My blood stays in my body, right where it belongs, whether you gave it to me or not! I shall not become some test animal for your dark research, for if you do, vengeance awaits you! And even if you succeed, the rage within me shall burn strong still!"
Tharja blinks before she puts away her implements and nods in satisfaction. "Ah, much better. No daughter of mine needs to play the meek damsel in distress. You're strong on your own, Noire. You need only find the strength to stand up for yourself." A pleased smile spreads along Tharja's lips. "Hee… Hee hee…"
A manic grin spreads across Noire's face. "BWAAA HA HA HA HA!"
Mother and daughter continue their deranged laughter contest for a few seconds longer. After that, however, Noire's mood takes a nosedive.
Gaius raises an eyebrow. "What's the matter, Cupcake? Why the long face?"
Noire's entire face turns downcast. "It's just… Before you found me, I lost my bow…"
Vaike scratches his head. "Huh? But you've got a working bow in your hands right now."
Noire shakes her head. "No, you don't understand. That bow was special. It was a bow that my mother and father gave me as a present when we celebrated my tenth birthday." Tears start to fall from Noire's eyes. "It was- *sniff* It was the last time we celebrated *sniff* as a family. The last happy moment we shared before *sob* before you went on your last mission, Father…"
Gaius bites down on the stick in his mouth nervously. "Last mission? You don't mean…?"
Noire nods. "You…never came back. When Mother learned the news, she shut herself in and devoted all her time to get revenge on the ones who robbed us of you." By this point, Noire looks completely heartbroken. "On that day…my family died! Mother's ring and the bow you gave me were the last things I had left to remember the days we were still together. And now… *sniff* …now I lost the gift that you both gave me…"
"Oh, quit whining." Tharja chides her daughter.
Noire looks at her mother like the Sorcerer just slapped her. "Wh- Mother?"
"You held those items dear, because we were no longer in your life, right? But take a second to look beyond your pity party. Me and Gaius are right here. Sure, we're technically not your parents, but we're close enough. We're a whole family again."
Noire's face lights up with hope. "You… You mean…?"
Tharja shrugs. "Sure. You can come along. I'm not exactly thrilled about this whole parenting thing, but that might change. Besides, it wouldn't do to leave my own daughter out here all alone. I'm not that heartless."
Noire smiles. "M-Mother! Thank you!"
Gaius claps his daughter on the shoulder with a warm smile. "Come on, Cupcake. We'll head for the nearest armorer when we return to town, and get you a new bow. The one you have now may work for a few more battles, but it looks like it's on its last legs. Can't have my daughter left defenseless, now can I?"
Noire quickly embraces her Father with happy tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Father! Thank you so much…"
Even with the (relatively) sweet family moment taking place, I rub my chin as an idea takes root in my mind. "Actually, there might not be any need to do that, Gaius."
The reunited family looks at me curiously.
I rummage around in my bag. "Noire, I may have the solution to your problem right here."
I pull out the Savage Lynel Bow that I snatched from the White-maned Lynel that I defeated back during the battle when we first met Nowi. Even though I've hunted down and slain my fair share of Lynels during my trip through Hyrule, I only kept a few of their weapons as materials to forge Harvest Moon later on. The rest was sold to various collectors. This bow, however, I kept as a trophy of sorts – not that I needed to.
I hand the weapon over to Noire. "Consider it a gift from me."
Noire slowly leaves the hug she shares with her father and takes a gentle hold of the brutal looking metal bow.
Her arms slump a little under its weight. "Oof. This bow is heavier than the ones I've used in the past. I think I'll need to practice for a while before I'm comfortable wielding it." Noire looks at me with an eager glimmer in her eyes. "Um, Sensei? Would you mind if…if I tried it out for a bit?"
I nod proudly. "Sure thing. It's yours now."
Noire smiles at me. "Thank you."
The Archer turns around and stretches out her hand. "Trace on."
She grabs hold of the sparking mana that forms in her hand, revealing that she Traced a Silver Axe. The axe is nocked on the bow and transforms into an arrow. To our shock, Noire's excited visage turns into a cross between manic and furious.
"I AM THE AVATAR OF RETRIBUTION, THE HARBIGNER OF DESTRUCTION FOR ANYONE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO DRAW MY IRE! THE EARTH ITSELF SHAKES IN TERROR AT THE FACE OF MY MIGHT! BLOOD AND THUNDER!"
The transformed weapon turns into a streak of light, splits into three the moment it leaves the Savage Lynel Bow, and detonate upon impact in three violent explosions that rock the area and destroy part of the landscape.
BGM: DeDeDe bustle, Kirby: Right back at ya! OST
"MWA HA HA HA!"
The rest of us gape in shock at the display of mindless destruction.
"What the h-ll?!" Sully eventually gets out.
Tharja smiles in approval. "Hm, I think I like her better this way. Hee hee hee."
"This can't be normal." Nowi remarks a bit frightened. "What did you do, Jack?" No answer. Nowi looks at me curiously. "Jack?"
I stare in wide-eyed awe at the destruction Noire wreaks on the landscape. "My word…" I whisper in a terrified, hollow voice. "Future-me built an avatar of destruction. And now I've given her the tools to unleash her full power and set her loose upon the world. What have I done?"
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
"AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"
To be continued (BGM ends)
Noire's character sheet
Noire Lvl 30 Class: Archer (+ 8 % DEX)
Tharja's daughter from the future. Growing up, Tharja frequently picked her own daughter as a test subject for her research. Being on the receiving end of the dark arts for years has damaged Noire's psyche severely, to the point that she developed a violent split personality. Desptie this, Tharja never taught her how to cast magic herself. Under Jack's tutelage, Noire developed a skillset similar to that of the heroic spirit of justice, Shirou Emiya. Inventor to the most unorthodox delicacies.
Born on October 7th.
Titles: Miss Personality (+ 5 % STR and DEX, - 5 % CHAR)
HP: 4 500 / 4 500
MP: 2 225 / 2 225
STR: 38.9 (37 * 1.05)
VIT: 30
DEX: 59.9 (53 * 1.13)
INT: 29
WIS: 21
CHAR: 9.5 (10 * 0.95)
LUCK: 13
ITEMS:
Savage Lynel Bow (Equipped)
Hiraishin Kunai
Skills:
Archery mastery, Lvl 44 [41 %], Passive
Building on the ranged options that the spear offered, man eventually engineered a weapon designed exclusively for attacking at range. The result was the bow. Handling a bow requires great commitment and dedication, as the user needs to take factors such as wind direction and the target's movements into account when lining up a shot – let alone having a clear line of sight in order to even aim properly. Those who can master this weapon, however, can send death from afar before most enemies even have the chance to react. Increases attack speed and accuracy by 220 % when attacking with a bow.
Trace on, Lvl 32 [24.0 %], Active, Cost: 44 MP
A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya while he was still a magus-in-training. By channeling mana through an object, the caster can analyze the object's structure on a molecular level, as well as its history from the moment of making until the present day. Any weapon that has been traced can be recreated and wielded as the caster's own weapon by using this skill again. Should a traced weapon enable use of a skill, the caster can use that skill while wielding the weapon. Maintenance cost: 28 MP / minute
syncronization effect: While UBW is active, all costs related to this skill is reduced to 0.
Unlimited Blade Works, Lvl 5 [42.0 %], Active, Cost: 500 MP
A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya. Creates a reality marble; a manifestation of the caster's own soul in the shape of a separate dimension. Within this reality marble, any weapon that the caster has traced can be used at their will. Does your enemy have enough weapons stocked up? Maintenance cost: 80 MP / minute
syncronization effect: Any weapon that the caster analyses with Trace on is automatically added to UBW.
Blood and thunder!, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 80 MP
While most would consider a damaged mind a debilitating hindrance on life, you have managed to turn it into an asset in battle. With the flip of a mental switch, you can unleash the destructive forces confined within your psyche and wreak havoc on anyone foolish enough to cross you. As an added bonus, flipping on the enemy at the right moment is sure to give them a good jump scare – and an excellent opportunity to hit them where it hurts. Just be careful not to unleash it in the direction of an ally.
Duration: 2 minutes.
Places the user under the Female Fury status condition upon activation. Critical hit rate increases by 30 %.
This skill has a cooldown of 1 hour after use in battle. Cannot be used if user is already under the effects of Female Fury.
Preview of the next chapter:
Noire: I'm happy that you defeated those slavers, but that wasn't the last of them. There's more.
Jack: Guess we're heading out to destroy their base once and for all, then.
*Fighting breaks out inside the slavers' headquarters*
Guard: Intruders! Kill the men and apprehend the women, quick!
Sully: Apprehend THIS, chumps!
Nowi: Hey, can't we free the captured girls in here while we're at it?
Jack: Sounds good to me. But we need to be careful. This is their home turf. There's no telling what they have in store here.
Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:
Slave ring exposed! Furious Reaper becomes papa bear!
*Prison cell opens to reveal a girl in a jester's outfit*
Rose: Hey, Dad! I was wondering when you'd pick me up.
Jack: Oh, I'd come by eventu- Wait, WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!
Omake: Waifu wars, Fire Emblem style
Jack sits down at the campfire and sighs heavily.
"What's got you down, Jack?" Vaike asks as he sits down on the opposite side.
"It's Robin." Jack replies. "I knew being separated from her would be distracting, but I never imagined it to be this bad."
The Barbarian raises an eyebrow in amusement. "Heh. For all your bravado, you sure are easy to knock off-balance when Robin is involved. You sure this trip's worth the heartache?"
Jack sends Vaike a mild glare. "You make it sound like I'm helpless without her."
"But aren't you? So long as you two are together, you act like you're on top of the world. Now? You're sulking even more than Cordelia before she married Chrom."
Jack crosses his arms and looks to the side. "So I miss my wife. Bite me!"
"Hey, it ain't like yer away from Robin forever, Jack." Donnel interjects as he joins the two men at the campfire. "When we're done with whatever yer plannin' out here, we're meetin' up with the others back at the port, right?"
Jack leans back on his arms with a sigh. "Yeah, you're right, Donnel. It's just… Robin's the kind of woman you only meet once in a lifetime. It's come to the point that I can't imagine life without her."
Vaike nods sagely. "I know what you mean. I feel the same about Sully. Sure, it all started with me proving I'm not just dead weight, but along the way, she grew on me. Now I don't want to leave her side – ever."
Donnel joins in on the nodding. "Ain't that the truth! Nowi's the sweetest gal you can imagine. I sure am one lucky fella, marrying her."
Jack regards Donnel with a raised eyebrow. "Not that I'd object, but why?"
Donnel grins. "'Cause my Nowi's the best girl there is!"
Jack glares at the Fighter. "Now wait just a minute, pal. I admit Nowi has her moments, but she's far from the best girl."
Donnel glares back in challenge. "Oh yeah? Then who is?"
Vaike crosses his arms with a proud smirk. "Sully, of course. No one else can compete with her. She's strength, beauty, and one h-ll of an attitude wrapped up in a neat package. You won't find a woman like her anywhere else in the world."
Jack scoffs. "Please. Neither of your wives could ever hold a candle to my Robin. She works harder than anyone, plans greater strategies than anyone. You don't know how radiant her smile is. You've never heard her laughter when she's at her happiest." A blissful smile spreads along Jack's lips. "She's beyond compare."
Donnel stands up from his seat and glares at the Reaper. "That's it! I ain't takin' this lyin' down! Yer wives are great, I get it. But ya don't know how great Nowi is!"
Vaike stands up as well, staring the other two men down. "Aw, please. We could stand here all night talking our ears off and get nowhere. That's it, I'm taking this one for Sully." The Barbarian punches his fists together. "Get ready to get socked in the face!"
Donnel cracks his knuckles with a determined glare.
Jack stands up, his smile turned into a bloodthirsty grin. "If you want to make this a contest of strength, I'm all for it. Bring it on, punks."
Meanwhile at Castle Ylisstol
Robin sits at a table and enjoys some tea together with Cherche and Maribelle. The Grandmaster gently picks up the cup of freshly brewed tea. Just before she can take a sip, a strange sensation races up her spine.
Maribelle looks at her friend curiously. "Something the matter, Robin?"
Robin stares into the tea with a thoughtful look. "I'm not sure why, but I suddenly have this urge to declare to the world that Jack is the greatest man around."
Cherche raises an eyebrow. "That's…unexpected. What brought this on?"
Maribelle shakes her head with an amused smile. "Oh, darling, being away from your beloved seems to take a greater toll on you than you're aware of. While I find it endearing how devoted you are to your husband, your love for him obviously makes you delusional."
Robin frowns at the Valkyrie. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"
Maribelle's smile turns delighted. "Because my dear Ricken leaves Jack in the dust any day of the week."
"Look who's delusional." Cherche counters frowning. "It's obvious you're both fawning over your husbands, with no regards to how great they actually are."
Maribelle challenges the Wyvern Rider with a frown of her own. "Oh? Then who do you propose takes the top spot, then, Cherche?"
Cherche's put on the spot by the sudden question, but then rubs her chin in thought. "Well… These past few days, I've gotten to know Lon'qu better." A small smile blooms on her lips. "You'd be surprised what secrets he hides behind his calm façade."
Maribelle does a doubletake. "Lon'qu? All I see in him is a reckless brute who throws himself into battle with little to no regard for his own safety. What charm could you possibly find in that?"
Cherche smirks at the blonde. "Oh, you have no idea, Maribelle. For starters, Lon'qu's quite the gentleman once you get past that gruff exterior of his. And while he may act taciturn, he does have a soft side."
Robin's eyebrows shoot up into her hairline. "Lon'qu has that? I know I've gotten to know him a bit through his friendship with Jack, but I never thought he was like that."
Cherche nods with the slightest smugness. "Like I said, you'd be surprised."
"So what if he has a soft side?" Maribelle huffs. "If he has, he has little capability to show it to others. My darling Ricken, on the other hand, practically wears his heart on his sleeve. He's always open with how he feels, especially to me, and he never hesitates to show how much I mean to him."
"If you're talking about showing affection, Jack has both of them beat." Robin counters with complete confidence. "He's always sweet to me, always ready to help me, no matter what it is. And if he's not, the only reason why is because he's somewhere else, far away from me." Robin indicates the passing Shadow clone that Jack left by her side. "And even then, that's not stopping him."
Cherche raises an eyebrow at the clone. "You know, Robin, there's being sweet, and there's being so devoted that is becomes suffocating. Are you sure you have a healthy relationship with him?"
Robin shoots Cherche a mild glare. "More than you know."
"Hah! Don't delude yourselves into thinking affection is everything." Maribelle interjects smirking. "My Ricken isn't just the sweetest, he's also very capable domestically. Why, recently, he's taken to learning how to cook – with magic, of all things."
"Oh, Lon'qu's no slouch in the kitchen either." Cherche replies smiling. "The times when I had mess duty, Lon'qu would always volunteer to help me out. You should see his talents on the chopping board. No matter what needs to be cut up, Lon'qu has it down to an art form. What's more, he does it so fast that I have time for other things afterwards."
"Heh. That's amateurish compared to what Jack can accomplish." Robin counters. "Why, there was this one time when he came into my office with a jug of milk in one hand and a freshly baked, homemade meat pie in the other. It was only then that I realized that I hadn't had any lunch yet." Robin smile turns blissful. "He's always looking out for me, ready to tend to me whenever necessary. I'm starting to think he's spoiling me."
The moment gets broken as the three women find themselves glaring at each other across the table, none of them willing to back down.
That is, until Maribelle grabs her parasol and stands up from the table. "Bah! This childish bickering is getting us nowhere! Listen up! There's only one way we can settle this dispute in a civilized manner, once and for all."
Cherche looks at the blonde healer curiously. "Oh? What do you have in mind, Maribelle?"
Maribelle gives her female companions a confident smirk. "We will settle this matter outside, in place of our beloved."
Cherche frowns. "But I'm not even married to Lon'qu."
Maribelle points her parasol at the Wyvern Rider. "The moment you added your opinion to this discussion was the moment you threw your hat into the ring. If you back out now, that means you yield."
Cherche returns the gesture with a defiant glare. "Never."
Robin rises up from the table as well, confident smirk in place. "A competition? That's cute, Maribelle. I'm more than capable of taking both of you on. Have at you, ladies."
Maribelle directs her gaze at Robin. "Careful, darling, or I will make you eat those words."
As the three women head out towards the nearest open space outside, Lissa regards them with a bemused expression and scratches her head.
"I get the feeling falling in love makes you stupid somehow."
"I know, right?" Henry chirps from her left. "Seeing those girls fawn over their men is just priceless. I smell a catfight coming in, and I don't want to miss it."
Lissa shakes her head in exasperation. "I'm surrounded by lunatics."
New Skills:
Pure breeze, Lvl 12 [14 %] Active, Cost: 38 MP per second
A wind spell with healing properties. By infusing the air around the target with healing mana, the caster can let it seep into their wounds directly and add to the body's natural ability to mend them. While not the most potent way of healing injuries, this spell has the advantage of healing any damage it can reach, including the lungs when inhaled.
Restores 120 % of the caster's WIS per second.
Element: Wind
Note: The enhancing properties of passive skills increase the HP restored with this spell in the same manner that it increases damage dealt by offensive spells.
Supercharge, Lvl MAX, Passive
Your understanding of how the mana flows when you activate skills has reached a point where you can regulate the flow with great freedom. Simply put, channeling more mana while activating a skill without the excess mana leaking out or blowing up in your face is now within your skill range. Channeling more mana into your skill naturally boosts its potency, allowing you to elevate their effects to levels beyond their natural limits.
The bearer of this skill can spend extra MP beyond an active skill's cost to increase its effect. Increase in potency and changes in characteristics varies depending on the skill.
Advanced mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive
Only the greatest of master sages have ever ascended to this echelon of control over the flow of mana. Having reached this level, your control of the mana flowing through your body has become as finetuned as an artisan's hand when constructing a masterful piece of art. With enough focus, the mana bends to your every whim, allowing you to utilize it with efficiency that would make even experienced mages green with envy.
Passively reduces the MP cost of all skills by 25 %.
Mana paragon, Lvl MAX, Passive
The power of your spirit has grown so strong that lesser men would believe your pool of mana to be inexhaustible. While technically untrue, there's no denying the fact that the amount of mana you can hold in your body has grown enormous, to the point that you could probably supply the mana for a large-scale ritual all on your own. Harness this power responsibly, and you'll become a guiding light for generations to come.
Passively increases maximum MP by 50 %. All magic based skills deal 15 % more damage.
Jack's encyclopedic corner
Archer, Class
A soldier trained in wielding bows. This training usually requires great commitment due to the challenge of hitting a moving target in the heat of battle. As a result, Archers tend to specialize in their field to an extreme degree. The payoff is that their ability to attack from beyond the range of just about any melee weapon makes them a constant danger, especially for fliers. Arrows may be relatively small, but the wounds they inflict can be deadly. That being said, Archers often need to fire from behind cover in the form of natural obstacles or an ally. Beware the Archer's curse.
Passively increases DEX by 8 %. Increases accuracy and damage dealt by 15 % when attacking with a bow. Damage dealt with any other weapon is decreased by 10 %.
Savage Lynel Bow, Bow, Base damage: 60, Very rare
A massive bow wielded only by the strongest of Lynels. This weapon is forged from a rare and heavy metal only found in areas near an active volcano. The draw weight of this bow is much greater than that of most manmade bows, making it difficult to use unless the wielder has sufficient strength. On the flipside, this weapon fires arrows with enough stopping power to tear through all but the thickest of armors. What's more, a strange enchantment engraved in the metal multiplies the arrows fired from it, furthering its offensive potential.
Any arrow fired from this weapon turns into three. All duplicate arrows have the same effect as the original arrow.
Beast's blend, Consumable, Very rare
A potion made by using a standard Concoction as the base. Lynel parts have been added to the brew to increase the potency of the liquid, as well as other various ingredients to draw out the full effects of said Lynel parts. Just one sip of this broth will not only restore your strength, but also fill you with the immense power of a Lynel for some time. Best consumed when you want to decimate an enemy.
Restores up to 40 % of your maximum HP and MP. Increases attack power by 30 % for 10 minutes after consumption. The duration of this effect can be prolonged by consuming additional servings. Each flask can hold up to three servings.
Shovel, Polearm, Base damage: 12, Common
An everyday implement for digging holes or shoveling stuff like dirt or snow. It may not be the weapon of choice for the common soldier, but this tool can make for a good weapon when nothing else is available. In fact, legends tell of a chivalrous knight who singlehandedly defeated an entire order of corrupted peers led by an evil sorceress, while armed with nothing more than a shovel and his unbending resolve to set any wrongdoing right. There is much work to be done. For shovelry!
I have turned Noire into a one-woman heavy artillery division, and I'm torn between awe at what I've conceived and fright over what I've unleashed on the internet. In case you're wondering what I smoked to come up with such a crazy idea, the truth is, I don't smoke anything. I simply gave the mentally most broken member of Lucina's generation a skillset based on the mentally most broken animé character I could think of on the spot. The fact that they both use bows makes it fit all the better.
One thing that I keep scratching my head over is Noire's character portrait in Awakening. In every instance, Noire is seen holding a Blessed Bow. While it makes perfect sense to wield such a weapon against the Risen, due to the bonus damage against Revenants, the Blessed Bow is a rare weapon and not even in Noire's inventory when she joins. In fact, you could easily clear the main campaign without Noire ever getting her hands on one.
Tharja's treatment of Noire is the single greatest issue I have with the female dark magic user. I don't care what Tharja's reasons were or are – using your own child as a guinea pig is NOT okay! In fact, there have been times, both when playing Awakening and writing this story, where I considered letting Tharja go unmarried for the express purpose of preventing Noire from going through with this suffering. And, sure, this brings up the question whether it's better for Noire to not be born at all or be born and suffer under Tharja's dark research. I know Tharja's no saint – something that she makes abundantly clear from the moment you meet her – but hearing Noire describe her childhood shows how little becoming a parent changed Tharja. Just… Why, Tharja?! What in the world did you go through to become such a coldhearted person, even to you own child?
On a different topic, the Shepherds now have their very own keyblade wielder. And it's none other than Anna.
I once entertained the thought of what characters from other series would be classed as if they were to end up in the world of Fire Emblem. For example, Link would probably be a Hero or a Bow Knight, depending on whether Epona's around or not. Usopp would make a great Sniper. So how about a keyblade wielder? Well, considering how acrobatic Sora is, between reaction commands, aerial combat, flow-motion and what have you, the most reasonable conclusion would be a Trickster. So I just traced that line of thought backwards, and ended up with turning Anna into a keyblade wielder.
I can already sense the excitement you guys will give off upon knowing what awaits in the next chapter. Believe me, it's one that I look forward to writing.
Until next time.
VipeR out.
