Fear is a curious emotion. Those who become afflicted by it react in a myriad of different ways. Some lean towards irrational, even foolish behavior. Others simply drop everything in favor of doing nothing at all. But the one common factor in all reactions to fear is that they give a glimpse of what kind of people we are deep down. What do we value the most? What's our chosen course of action in the face of danger or the unknown? How far are we willing to go on said course, irrespectively of how others are affected by our actions?
The reason why I bring up these questions is due to the almost constant flow of news connected to the pandemic disease known as Covid-19. While the disease itself is nothing to be ignored, the many different ways in which people act when taking it into account surprises me. We cover pretty much the whole spectrum here.
On one end, we have heartwarming altruism in people willing to help the elders with their daily errands, medical students volunteering to help out in healthcare institutions to make up for the lack of available staff, and even industries willing to reroute part of their production to provide healthcare with all manner of resources needed to ensure the patients get the healthcare they need.
On the other end, a lot of people act in ways that I can only call stupidly egotistic. Among the more harmless – if annoying – cases, we have masses of people who empty the store shelves of anything from rice and pasta to toilet paper, all for the sake of preparing for a period of quarantine. I get the part about foodstuffs, but packs upon packs of toilet paper? We're talking of amounts that could last for months, maybe even a year – for each person. It's gone so far that a few gags regarding the toilet stockpiling have been spawned on the internet. But then there's the more harmful cases, including finding a scapegoat for this pandemic (and this is before we include all the political bickering between certain national leaders) or people who openly cough and sneeze at elders for the sake of a cheap laugh.
Times of crises like these seem to draw out both the best and worst in people all around us. I bring this up, because I hope that you, my dear readers, will take a moment to reflect upon your own course of action while humanity tries to weather this storm. Do your actions benefit others than yourself? When this is all over, will you be able to look back on your choices with pride or shame? Will you still be able to look at those around you the same way as before?
I believe taking some time to reflect on these questions is well worth the investment, especially if you live in an area that has indeed been put into quarantine, and you are thus more or less confined to your home with the limited options that come with the situation.
And lastly, while the overall mortality is lower than other pandemics that humanity has been afflicted by in the past, I by no means downplay the sorrow that comes with someone succumbing to the disease. Every death is a tragedy. If you happen to be one of those who have lost a loved one in this pandemic, the least I can do is give that person a moment of silence with all the empathy I can offer.
In fact, I propose we all have a minute of silence for everyone who has passed away in Covid-19. After all, if you have the time to read this fanfic, you have the time to offer a moment in honor of those who have died.
…
And if you're still with me at this point, I thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts on this. I have kept you waiting long enough, dear readers. Enjoy the chapter.
Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.
I'll not weep twice for losing the same mother. – Gerome
Chapter 29
Edgelord Mk 2!
I said; The exit's the other way!
It doesn't make sense. By all accounts, I have absolutely nothing to fear. So why in the world am I shaking in fear over Lissa's angry glare at the back of my head, to the point that I can hardly eat my stew without spilling the stuff from the spoon 7 times out of 10? She's just standing there – menacingly!
"Lissa? You've been glaring at me for at least 15 minutes." I nervously point out.
"Good. That means you at least haven't ignored me." the blonde princess growls. "And it should be quite obvious why I'm glaring at you. You only have yourself to blame for this, Jack."
I shakily put down my bowl of stew and turn around to face the source of my new irrational fear. "What exactly are you even referring to? We both know I know better than to mess with you."
"It's your fault my son turned into a nutcase!" Lissa yells while pointing at an interaction taking place at the other side of the open area of the camp that we're in.
Owain points to the sky, orange shades gleaming in the sunlight. "So it is, Morgan, that only a true man walks up to the enemy commander like they don't even matter and beat the living daylights out of them to show how much of a boss you are! Take it from me! When you show that your strength is as great as your tactical prowess, the ladies will swoon at the mere mention of your name!"
Morgan nods fervently while jotting down notes in a small booklet. "M-hm. I see, I see. I still have much to learn in the ways of the true man…"
I turn back to Lissa. "I fail to see how that's an issue. For one, you see your son trying to imprint his own brand of crazy on mine, and you don't see me complaining. Honestly, I think being a bit more forward with his opinions would do wonders for Morgan's confidence and charisma. Second, I think you're just nitpicking, Lissa. I mean, you're betrothed to the biggest nutcase of our generation, no offense to Henry. If anything, I'd say he's the perfect example of the phrase "method to your madness"."
Lissa's eyebrow twitches. "And do you know how stressful it is living so close to him all the time? I have to constantly keep an eye on Henry, just to make sure he doesn't blow himself up in his latest experiment and is left to bleed out in the aftermath. Or to make sure whatever eldritch horror he summons – by accident, mind you – in one of his crazy rituals doesn't break loose from the rune circle and wreaks havoc in our camp."
I blink bemused. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that last part?"
Lissa crosses her arms. "You wouldn't believe the kind of stuff Henry dabbles in while he's in his workshop – assuming it's still standing by the time he's done. Even Tharja's creeped out by his more outlandish experiments."
Tharja? Creeped out by research in the dark arts? What in Ashera's name does Henry get up to in his tent?
Lissa rubs her temples. "At this rate, I'll get wrinkles before I turn twenty. All because I can't stop worrying about my fiancé. And now I have to worry about my son potentially trying something so out of the realm of realistic that he might pull it off by some sick twist caused by whatever deity is out there!"
AN: Achoo!
"And last time I checked, you're the one who's responsible for instructing all of our future children, Jack. That means it's your fault that my own son keeps adding to the stress I have to put up with every day. It's time you took responsibility!" Lissa concludes.
And to emphasize her point, the War Cleric pulls out Betty.
I immediately get up and back away slowly with my hands raised. "Now, Lissa. Let's not do anything rash. I'm sure your son is perfectly well off on his own."
"And if your strategy demands you retreat, just toss it aside and show the world your macho power!" Owain shouts from the side.
Lissa gives me a dry look. My own expression mimics the reaction of biting a lemon.
Owain, you may be a great guy to have around in a pinch, but when I get my hands on you, we will have some words.
Until then, I'll be busy running away from your pissed off mother and try not to fall victim to her hammer. Which she's using as a medium to channel enough lightning magic to make it shine like a 1 000-watt light bulb.
"You sure you want to spar now, Jack-sensei?" Owain asks uncertainly as he takes a ready stance with his training sword. "You look kinda… I don't know, harried."
"You have no idea, Owain. Let's just say you're very privileged to have such a caring mother." I reply dryly, ignoring my disheveled appearance as a result of Lissa's hectic hammer chase. I settle for taking my own stance with a practice staff. "No need to worry about me, though. I'll be fine."
Owain raises an eyebrow curiously before he shrugs. After being all…Kamina during that last battle, I'm honestly surprised at how calm he acts when we're about to spar. On the plus side, that means he knows better than to shout random stuff while posing in ways that could measure up to whatever Inigo can come up with.
Owain makes the first move with a quick dash that covers the distance between us in a second. The cracking sound of our weapons meeting rings through the sparring area. Huh… He actually managed to push me back a bit with his opening move. And judging by his subtle smirk, he knows it too.
Alright, you cheeky brat. Wanna play hard? I'll give you hard.
I push Owain away with a grunt and chase after him before he can regain his balance. By the time Owain's feet return to the ground, I'm already in front of him mid-swing.
Diagonal, jab, twirl, sweep kick, upwards, feint, overhead, sidestep, jab, jab, jab, cartwheel over him, low sweep, high sweep, twirl overhead, double overhead swing, backwards thrust, crouch, pivot in aaand palm strike!
"Guoh!"
Owain gets knocked flat on his back from that last attack.
I smirk and shoulder the training staff. "That'll teach you to take your own teacher lightly. Well, how about it? You up for round two?"
"Amazing…" Say'ri mutters in awe from the sidelines. "He moved even faster than when I sparred with him."
"Now that I think about it, I can't remember if I've ever seen Jack truly get serious in a fight ever since he returned from his training trip." Chrom remarks. "Maybe I should have a spar with him soon."
"You…have to wait your turn, Uncle Chrom." Owain groans as he pushes himself back up. "I'm not done yet."
I smile in approval when I note that he kept a solid grip on his training sword, even when I knocked him down. Good. That's at least one fundamental lesson in fighting that's stuck on him; the only time you can let go of your weapon in a fight is when you aim to throw it at your opponent.
Owain's stance leans more on the defensive this time. Guess he's taking a more careful approach to the hectic combo I just unleashed on him. Let's see what his defense consists of.
I close the gap between us in an instant and unleash my barrage of attacks again. Right as our engagement begins, Owain takes a step back. That tiny bit of extra distance gives him the time needed to prepare a proper parry and deflect my first strike. Right as the opening becomes visible, Owain capitalizes on it with a fast counter strike against my face. I roll with the shifted momentum of the deflected blow to dodge Owain's counter before I skid to a stop and twirl my staff a few times while getting back into striking range. Owain ducks under my swing and steps in for a vicious rising slash. I deflect the swing with the butt end of the staff, but Owain's swing has so much momentum that it still hits the underside of my arm. The jarring blow causes me to lose my grip on the training staff. Owain keeps up the pressure before I can even begin trying to retrieve my practice weapon. Good. He's learned to never let your opponent grab their weapon after they've dropped it. Zero chivalry. 100 % practical.
As I keep dodging Owain's frantic offensive, I notice a small shroud of mana slowly building up around his right hand. More importantly, his swings gain more ferocity at the expense of finesse. Any one swing could hurt if they connect, but Owain's approach is growing too straightforward. It might work against slower or less experienced opponents.
I fit in neither category. Which means dodging becomes easier for me the longer Owain keeps swinging. And I also notice sweat forming on his brow. He should slow down any second now…
There!
*Clap!*
Owain's eyes widen in disbelief as I catch his practice sword between my hands. I tug the sword upwards and send Owain back with a kick to his stomach. As the Myrmidon lands and retakes his stance, he throws a glance at the training staff still lying on the ground. Too bad I'm leaving it there for now. Owain realizes his blunder moments before I swing my fist at his face. I turn the tables on him with my own martial arts combo, mixing jabs and straight punches with the occasional sweep kick and even axe kicks. Owain ducks as best as he can, but still suffers a few glancing blows. He attempts a desperate counter slash as I step in. I answer that with a quick flick of my hand that strikes the flat of Owain's training sword to knock it wide. I grin triumphantly and take the last step in to deliver a backhand right at his face.
Moments before that happens, I notice Owain reach for something behind his back with his free hand.
*Bam! Shing!*
We both skid back from that last exchange. I swipe the back of my hand against my cheek, right where I feel something sting. I see red on my hand as I inspect it. Blood.
Owain, on the other hand, leans against a tree trunk with a grin on his face, despite the notable bruise there. His training sword is still firmly gripped in one hand. The other has a dagger with a bit of blood on its edge.
I grin back. "A hidden dagger for surprise attacks in emergency situations, eh? Looks like you've taken lessons from Olivia."
Owain twirls the dagger a few times before he replaces it behind his back. "Picked it up from Noire, actually. Girl always carries that weird dagger around."
The Hiraishin kunai, huh? Interesting place to find inspiration from, and with some effective results at that.
I pull the training staff back to my hand with some Telekinesis before I retake my stance. "Good to know you've got a few tricks up your sleeve. Let's see how long your bag of tricks can last you."
To my surprise, Owian grits his teeth in pain as the red shroud becomes more prominent.
"Ngh! Don't you…dare interfere now, sword hand. Stay…down!" Owain grinds out as he grabs his sword hand.
I circle Owain warily, staying vigilant in case his sword hand does indeed act up.
The red shroud calms down a bit. Enough to make Owain sigh in relief before he glares back at me.
"Let's see how well my real trump card stacks up to you, Sensei!" Owain shouts before he charges me.
The cracking sounds of our weapons clashing again and again ring throughout the sparring area. There's the ferocity Owain displayed earlier, but this time, it's tempered with the finesse he showed at the start of our spar. He's not favoring one over the other; he's harmonizing both aspects. The tense look on his face shows that it takes an immense amount of concentration for him to pull this combination off, but the fact that he manages it at all is an impressive feat in its own right.
Owain cartwheels over a low sweep and thrusts at me while upside down. I manage to dodge with a hasty roll and continue rolling as Owain gets back on the ground and swings at me relentlessly. I use a pulse of Telekinesis to stall my student for a fraction of a second longer. I use that fraction of a second to put flip myself upright and take a few steps back. Then I immediately jump and toss my training staff like a javelin before I dive after it again. Owain dives under the training staff, causing it to get buried a bit in the ground instead. His maneuver has the added benefit of putting him out of harm's way from my diving attack as well.
But that's just what I was planning for. As Owain turns around to retaliate, I grab hold of my training staff and pull on it to stop my sliding after the dive. Then I spring back at Owain, dislodge the training staff in the process, and put all of the momentum in a single violent swing. Owain is caught off guard by the sudden move and gets sent skidding on his butt to the other side of the sparring area.
Owain rolls backwards and is on his feet soon afterwards. The shroud around his hand grows more prominent as he charges me with enough force to whip up a dust cloud in his wake. I smirk and settle in a low stance with the training staff resting across my shoulders. As Owain gets close, I send a butterfly kick his way and follow up with a one-handed swing of the staff while in midair. Owain pivots around my attack and answers with a brutal swing of his own. I land on my free hand and kick the flat of the blade while upside down before I twist and pivot while landing on my feet. I grab the staff with both hands and put all the momentum into the next swing. Owain regains his balance and answers with a similar swing.
*Bang! Plonk, plonk*
Both of us look at each other surprised. That last clash was so powerful that our training weapons snapped from the impact.
I pout as I toss away the remains of the training staff. "Man, conventional training weapons just don't cut it these days."
Owain shakes his head disappointed. "Mere wood simply does not stack up to the combined power of our manly spirits, Jack-sensei. If we're to spar at full power, we may leave a scar on the land itself."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Owain. I know we both have some crazy aces up our sleeves, but something of that magnitude might be a tiny bit out of our league." I remind my student. "On that note, my thoughts have been on that sword hand of yours since you joined up."
Owain indicates his right hand, red mark still glowing from the last bit of excess mana bleeding out.
"Ah, this. As you may have heard before, my hand has been cursed with a terrible power." Owain explains with a bit more drama than necessary, not to mention questionable validity to his claims. "I have forgotten when exactly it happened, but during the years I spent training under you, this mark appeared on my hand. To my surprise – and horror – it had established a bond with my very soul. Through this connection, I can tap into a well of power that I have yet to see the bottom of. But when I did for the first time, I learned that this power is tainted by malice and bloodlust unfathomable."
"And the translation in Normal is?" I ask dryly.
"Whenever I tap into my sword hand's power, it becomes so great that I can't control it." Owain elaborates with none of the aforementioned drama. "Using this power is insanely risky, because I could end up hurting both myself and my friends in the process."
I nod in understanding. "I noticed that you did manage to exert control over whatever power lies within you hand while we sparred, but it seemed like a difficult task for you to accomplish.
Owain nods, right back in drama mode. "Indeed! 'Tis the result of many months of grueling training that I submitted myself to in the hopes that I would one day tame my sword hand. Alas, absolute mastery eludes me to this day, despite my best efforts. That's why you found me in that hamlet a few days ago. Ever since I arrived in this timeline, I have been tirelessly searching for the legendary sword Mystletainn."
I raise an eyebrow. "I fail to see how a sword, legendary or not, could help you with whatever your hand's containing."
"But that is exactly the point, Sensei!" Owain exclaims. "Mystletainn is said to be infused with the power to ward off evil. With the legendary blade in hand, the bloodlust should be kept at bay, thus allowing me to live life and fight by your side with no worries that I might lose control." Owain's face turns downcast. "But, curse my luck, the blade was nowhere to be found. Another dead lead, I suppose."
"Maybe you've just been looking in the wrong place, Owain." I try to console the Myrmidon as I rummage through my bag. I pull out a sheathed sword. "After all, I happen to carry a rather valuable sword that bears the same name as the one you're searching."
Owain does an amazing impression of a fish as he eyes the sword in my hand, right down to the way he flaps his mouth.
"You- Wha-! But how- Is that-" the Myrmidon stutters out.
"Funny story there." I relay to him. "While hopping through realms during my own training journey, I found myself in the temple of the Deadlords."
The disbelief on Owain's face grows even more palpable. "You entered a place only believed to exist in legend – by accident?!"
"Not really. I had a guide who seemed to know exactly where to go." My expression turns sour. "And when we arrived, the residents there promptly challenged me to a fight. Just one-on-one, mind you, but they wouldn't take "no" for an answer. So I had to pick an opponent and fight them."
"And…did you win?"
"Barely. For all my training, it seems I just barely measure up to the legendary warriors of old. But a win is a win. And the Deadlords were so impressed with that fight that they offered me one of the treasures they were guarding."
"But there's one thing I don't understand, Jack-sensei." Owain points out. "If you've had Mystletainn with you all this time, why didn't you draw it in the last battle?"
I smile and tap Harvest Moon. "Because I already carry my prized blade right here. I don't care if Mystletainn might be a more powerful weapon. Harvest Moon is a blade that I had made according to my own preferences. I even took part in its making, as I was the one who gathered all the materials. Odd as it may sound, I've become attached to this weapon. I can use other weapons from time to time, but Harvest Moon will always be the first option I consider when a battle breaks out."
Owain nods sagely. "Of course. How foolish of me to consider that a great swordsman would choose a sword other than his own." Then his face turns pleading. "Your weapon of choice aside, may I…see that sword in your hand?"
I shrug and hand over the sword. "Be my guest."
Owain accepts the sword with hands trembling in reverence. The sword practically sings as he draws it from its scabbard. Owain beholds the sword in awe.
"This… There's no doubt about it. This is Mystletainn, the legendary sword of old. The weapon that I have searched for so long. At long last, I can-"
I swipe both the sword and scabbard and put them back in my bag. "Alright, that's enough admiring for today."
Owain blinks and gives me a look of betrayal. "What?! But why?! The sword I've been searching for was right there in my hands! Why are you doing this to me, Sensei?!"
I give Owain a stern look. "Remind me again why you were searching for Mystletainn in the first place, Owain?"
"Well, so I can suppress my sword hand and fight without worrying about hurting my friends in a fight." Owain explains like it's obvious.
I shake my head. "And that explanation right there shows that you're not worthy of wielding the sword."
"I'm not- Hey, low blow, man!"
I stand my ground. "I'm serious, Owain. For one, I'm not even sure if your claims that the sword can tame the bloodlust in your hand are even true. But let's assume that this is the case and I let you wield Mystletainn. What will that sword become to you?"
"Well, my companion in battle, of course."
I shake my head. "Wrong. You will rely on that sword as your only means to control your power. In other words, you will treat Mystletainn like a crutch. A crutch that can slay Naga-knows-how-many enemies, perhaps, but a crutch nonetheless. And like every other crutch, it's only a matter of time before it becomes unusable. I'm not well-versed in the history of Mystletainn, but even I know that great care and dedication was put into forging it. To use such a finely crafted sword for such a demeaning purpose is not only an insult to Mystletainn's maker, but to Mystletainn itself as well."
That, and Mystletainn requires the wielder's level in Sword mastery to be at least Lvl 72. Owain's not there yet.
Owain is stunned by my words.
"I won't allow one of my own students to commit something so foolish." I declare. "More importantly, imagine what would happen if I let you wield Mystletainn anyway. You rely on the sword to suppress your bloodlust. But when the sword is no longer usable, then what? Your only means to control your bloodlust is gone, putting you entirely at its nonexistent mercy. You'll become an even greater danger to yourself and your comrades than before."
Owain slumps in defeat. "Curses… All that searching, only to learn that I was chasing a foolish dream at best."
"I wouldn't way that it's a foolish dream, per say. You're just not worthy of wielding Mystletainn – as you are right now." I remark.
Owain looks at me questioningly. "As I am…right now?"
I grin. "What kind of teacher would I be if I didn't help my student achieve their goal? If you want to wield Mystletainn, I'll train you to become a worthy wielder of the sword. Of course, whether you can achieve this goal will largely be up to you. I can show you the way, Owain, but it's up to you to walk it to its end."
Hope returns to Owain's features, along with the massive grin from earlier. "You're gonna make me a worthy wielder? Bring it on, then! I'll show you that I can surpass anything you throw at me, Jack-sensei!"
I nod pleased. "That's the spirit. I'll hold on to Mystletainn for now, but when the day comes that you prove your worth, I will personally hand the sword over to you. You have my word as your teacher, Owain."
The sunlight gleams off Owian's sunglasses. "Excellent! Then let's seal our pact, right here, right now, as two men who have sworn a blood oath together!"
I give Owain a dry look. "Keep up with the drama, and I quit your tutelage."
"I'll be good!" Owain squeaks.
Your relationship with Owain has improved!
Perhaps it's for the best that I omit the part about the Deadlords apparently being so lonely that they almost never shut up. For a bunch of undead guardians, they had a lot of topics to discuss. Never expected Gus to be such a big fan of knitting. He was even kind enough to give me a pair of handcrafted mittens – top quality at that – to commemorate my visit.
While I understand the need to be inconspicuous as we travel through empire territory, even the "small" elite force that was selected to attack Fort Steiger is a pretty sizable traveling party. If it wasn't for a few of us being able to pull some really convincing acts, the locals who are loyal to the Conqueror would've raised alarms the moment we entered town proper.
The most recent example is the town that we arrived in less than an hour ago. The town guard was our first concern, since we could tell immediately that it was a soldier from the imperial army. And just as the guy was about to call us out, Anna pulled the save of the decade by stacking her wares in front of the soldier. She even went so far that she almost convinced the poor fool to buy the whole pile for a sum that I'm convinced is way beyond market price. He ended up stopping at merely a tenth of Anna's presented knickknacks and a purse so empty that it still left him crying and asking loudly why he bought all that stuff in the first place. Ricken is still scratching his head over how Anna pulled such a successful business negotiation, unlike the rest of us, who simply dropped the matter.
As for me, I've been wandering the town in search for a blacksmith. I'm not the one who'll need their services, though. It's for Say'ri.
"While I do not mind finding a decent blacksmith in these parts, I fail to see how useful that would be now." the Dynast Swordmaster remarks. "We will only stay in this town for a few more days at most. Even the most skilled blacksmiths in Chon'sin cannot forge something worthwhile in such a short time."
"Be that as it may, I think it best if we at least try." I reply while scanning the various establishments. "While I think my old sword is a useful weapon, I doubt it will make the cut against the finest of the empire. There's only so much you can do with a sword whose main gimmick is that you can launch blades of air by swinging it."
Say'ri frowns. "I am inclined to agree. Still, that does not solve the issue of how short on time we are."
"If you're pressed for time, maybe I can lend a hand, kupo." a squeaky voice offers from a house a bit further down.
I stop in surprise. That voice sounds familiar, not to mention that manner of speech. I run up to the house and find that it's actually a shop with the wall facing the street acting as the counter. And behind that counter, floating over a glowing circle on the ground, is the white, red-nosed, plushy like little merchant known as a Moogle, one of Square Enix's most iconic characters. And I can only think of one thing to say.
"What the heck's a Moogle doing in this realm?"
"Isn't it obvious, kupo? I'm here to do business, kupo." the Moogle explains. "Need anything crafted? Maybe sell some stuff you don't need and get some extra pocket change? I can offer that and more in my humble shop, kupo."
"Sir Jack, are you familiar with this peculiar creature?" Say'ri asks as she catches up to me.
"How rude, kupo!" the Moogle huffs. "Just because I'm not from around here doesn't give you the excuse to call me weird, kupo!"
Say'ri takes a step back in surprise before she gives the Moogle a short bow. "My apologies. I was merely, ah, surprised. As you may have already noticed, I am unfamiliar with your kind."
I nod. "I can't really blame you. Last time I checked, you don't find Moogles in Valm, much less someone who picked up merchantry and set up shop in a town within empire territory."
"Well, I did have some help, kupo." the Moogle merchant admits. "Ever since you introduced us to that merchant family full of redheads, the business ventures and connections available to our merchant association has grown vastly, kupo. This realm is full of both interesting wares to sell elsewhere and curious customers who have never seen our wares before, so business is booming, kupo."
Say'ri raises an eyebrow. "Wait, you are not from this realm? And what do you mean by a merchant family full of redheads?"
"Well, who would've thought I'd run into you here of all places?" Anna cuts in.
The Moogle happily waves in the Trickster's direction. "Hi there, kupo. Nice meeting one of my business partners, kupo."
Say'ri looks between the Moogle, Anna and me with a lost expression. "Am I the only one unfamiliar with whatever is going on here?"
"Maybe I should take it from the beginning." I tell her. "While I was on a training journey through all sorts of places, one of Anna's relatives traveled with me. She's actually a traveling guide for anyone who can find the realms that I've traveled. And during those travels, I enlisted quite a bit of aid from these Moogles. Some of them, like the one in front of you, specialize in trade and crafting. They travel to all kinds of places to do business."
"And while all of that happened, Jack was even kind enough to hook some of them up with the family business on my side." Anna continues. "We only needed a few weeks of contact before we both realized that working together could net us a nice, big profit. So we decided put our heads together and form a merchant union."
"The Anna-Moogle merchant union." I reminiscence with a trembling voice. "By far one of the most terrifying forces that I had a hand in unleashing upon existence."
Anna cheerfully pats my shoulder. "Aw, don't be like that, Jack. Everyone benefitted from that arrangement, including you."
"*Sigh* Yes, I can't deny that." I admit and tap Harvest Moon. "In fact, it was through the combined efforts of these two merchant groups that I could have my prized blade crafted."
Say'ri raises an eyebrow. "Merchants who practice forging? I have never heard of such a thing before."
Anna gives Say'ri a business smile. "Oh, you are missing out, dear. If you ever have the time, maybe I should introduce you to my cousins living in the weapons capital. They make top-of-the-line weapons of all kinds there, so long as your purse is heavy enou- I mean, so long as everyone gets along. And ever since those adorable Moogles set up shop in that town, their services have gotten even better."
I nod. "It's true. They practically charge an arm and a leg for their services, but I can personally vouch for the quality of their craft. The results are more than worth the absurd price tag."
"And if you're good at scavenging, I can cut you a deal, kupo." the Moogle merchant adds. "If you bring me the materials needed to forge the weapon you want, we can cut the material costs, so you get the weapon made for a lower price."
"That certainly sounds beneficial." Say'ri agrees. Then she shakes her head. "Though I'm afraid I can only offer what gold I have in my own purse. I am skilled at wielding a sword, aye, but I know little of what quality makes good steel for the blade."
I smile. "Well, you're in luck, then, Say'ri. One of the reasons that I was looking for a blacksmith in this town was because I wanted to see if there was one who can work with this material."
I pull out an ingot of silvery white metal from my bag and place it on the counter.
Anna gives the ingot a critical eye. "Wait a minute… Is that…mithril?"
My smile turns into a grin. "Got it in one, Anna. I got it as a souvenir back when I trained on the Destiny Islands. Never found any use of it, since I soon got all the materials I needed for Harvest Moon."
The Moogle merchant picks up the piece of mithril and gives it a thorough inspection. "Oh, this is some high-quality material, kupo. I can definitely whip up something good with this, kupo. Now then, which weapon do you want to make?"
I point at the Windcleaver hanging from Say'ri's hip. "See that katana? I want the mithril fused into the blade."
Say'ri looks at me shocked. "You would essentially give me this ingot and ask for nothing in return? I- I cannot accept such a gift. I do not have much of value on me at the moment, but at least let me promise you something valuable from the treasury in the royal house of Chon'sin in return after we defeat the Conqueror."
I shrug. "I'm honestly good with what I have, Say'ri. I won't stop you from picking up whatever you consider proper compensation when this is all over, but I'll consider it a gift at that point; not compensation."
"And then there is still the matter of time." Say'ri reminds me. "Even if this merchant forges a new blade for me that is better than the one I currently have, we might need to leave within a few days at most."
"Give me one day, kupo." the Moogle merchant interjects. "I could finish it faster, but if you give me a bit of a cushion, I can make sure everything works just fine, kupo."
"A- Just one day?" Say'ri asks in disbelief.
I give Say'ri an amused smile. "Moogles offer very good services within amazingly short timeframes."
Anna nods sagely. "A satisfied customer returns sooner rather than later. And returning customers are always good for business."
Say'ri nods and unties the Windcleaver before she hands it over to the Moogle merchant. The white shopkeeper draws the sword a bit out of the scabbard before he nods and puts it back. "This is a fine sword, kupo. Yup, I can make something really nice out of what I was given, kupo. Just remember to bring the proper payment when you return, kupo."
"I hope I do not have to pay more than my purse can hold." Say'ri whispers nervously.
I wave off her concerns. "Hey, it'll be worth every piece of gold in the end. Besides, if we run into some bandits along the way, you can just claim whatever gold you can find on them as your own. It's highly likely they got it through illegal means anyway."
"You're telling me to loot common brigands to pay for my own sword?" Say'ri asks in distaste. "Far be it for me to resort to such crude means."
I shrug. "It's your choice, Say'ri. I honestly believe you could use a better sword when we head to confront the strongest in the empire. And I've already helped you along by cutting away the material cost. I'd say this is a fair deal, all things considered."
"I- *Sigh* Fine. I will find a way to gather enough gold for the sword, should what I have in my purse be lacking." Say'ri relents.
The Moogle merchant nods and scoops up everything laid on the counter (in a way that honestly baffles me, considering how small his arms are). "All right, we have an agreement, kupo. Now to get to work, kupo."
"My lord, I insist that we make the trip southeast, if only for a day." Cherche argues with Chrom.
"You have yet to tell me what's so special about whatever is in that direction, Cherche." the prince points out.
"Wyvern Valley." Cherche replies with a fond smile. "It's where Minerva grew up, and where we first met. My dear friend has been positively bursting with excitement over the chance to meet with others of her kin."
Chrom gives the wyvern a look. "She looks the same to me as always."
"Oh, that's because you haven't had the time to get to know her yet." Cherche argues while petting Minerva. "Just look at the way her tail is twitching. It's been ages since I saw her this jittery. Isn't she just adorable?"
Chrom looks at the pair with a drop of sweat behind his head. "I…see… I think?"
"We should exercise caution while we are in the area, milord." Frederick interjects. "Wyvern Valley has the greatest population of feral wyverns in all of Valm."
"Oh, they're not so bad so long as you leave them be." Cherche reassures the Great Knight. "Wyverns usually stay away from humans unless they've grown familiar to them or if the humans are the ones to trespass on their territory first. That's actually how Minerva and I first bonded."
Robin raises an eyebrow. "That's one thing that's been on my mind for a while, Cherche. As far as I know, wyverns in general prefer staying away from humans. How did you and Minerva grow so close?"
"You have to understand that I did not always have fighting on the frontlines in mind when I first started my training. In fact, I was originally trained to be a cleric."
"You? A woman of the cloth?" Frederick asks in mild disbelief. "Forgive me my skepticism, but you hardly strike me as one who tends to the wounded, domestic skills notwithstanding."
Virion nods sagely. "Indeed, when one first sees Minerva, the thought of Cherche being trained in healing might be the furthest thought from your mind. But I can assure you all that our lovely wyvern expert does indeed have some medical training under her belt. I have known her ever since that time – to my great pleasure, I might add."
"Ahem!" Olivia coughs into her hand.
"Of course, there is no greater pleasure than being married to you, my beloved Olivia!" Virion adds hastily.
"So you're originally trained to be a healer. How did that change?" I ask.
"It all started when I found myself wandering through Wyvern Valley while collecting some herbs." Cherche elaborates. "While searching for some growing just outside a cave, a young wyvern crawled out and tried to snatch the food I had brought with me for the trip. I wouldn't allow it, so I did the most sensible thing; I whacked the wyvern over the head with my training staff – which was quite heavy, mind you. And then I dragged the wyvern with me back home to teach it some manners." Cherche smiles while patting her wyvern. "That wyvern was Minerva."
"Hold on a moment." I interject. "You're telling me… That you, a healer-in-training at the time, subdued a wyvern with only a training staff?!"
Cherche nods. "Yes. Minerva was terribly upset for that. We spent the first few months arguing with each other over what the other was at fault with. We eventually learned to set aside our differences. At that point, we both realized how comfortable we had grown with each other, so Minerva decided to stay. I couldn't possibly say no when she asked with those puppy dog eyes. And that's the story of how Minerva and I became friends."
"Whoa there! Slow down." I protest while waving my hand. "Let me get back to the part when you first subdued Minerva. You didn't use any conventional weapon, since you weren't even trained in using one. So you just used a staff to fight back."
Cherche nods. "Yes, that's what I told you. I stand to gain nothing by lying to you."
"But that's the thing!" I stress. "First Lissa manhandles a lone Soldier using only her staff and her bare hands! Then Maribelle fights in tandem with L'Arachel well enough to keep up with trained soldiers on the battlefield, while armed with nothing but a parasol! And now you're telling me you pulled something similar years ago – and against a wyvern at that?! What is it with healers who keep smacking their opponents around when they're not even trained in combat to begin with?!"
"Animé logic, Dad." Rose explains. "Lolis are either sweet little beans who no decent person would hurt, and who bad guys occasionally hurt under punishment of cruel instant karma, or they're secretly lethal little fighters who absolutely destroy anyone who looks at them wrong. Or it could be a combination of the two."
"This isn't an animé, Rose, no matter how some of us behave sometimes." I point out.
Rose shrugs. "*Sigh* Oh, if only you knew how close the truth is practically dangling in front of your face, Dad. And you still miss it."
"Well, what will it be, Lord Chrom? The valley isn't far from here, and since we'll be staying in this town for a bit, we might as well enjoy the sights a bit." Cherche insists. "I will make sure it will be a perfectly safe trip for everyone. Who knows? Maybe you will even get the chance to pet a wyvern?"
Chrom's face goes sour. "I'd rather not… But if you insist."
Cherche claps her hands together with a happy smile. "Wonderful! I'll look around for anyone who wants to join in on the trip."
Something that should be pointed out is that the definition of a short trip is radically different in this realm compared to, say, the modern world I originally come from. While a short trip in that world would be any trip lasting less than 20 minutes, a short trip by the standards of this realm would be anything less than 2 hours.
It's not that I mind the walk, though. But it serves as a reminder of how hectic of a society I originally grew up in, what with people constantly demanding things be done in an instant. Granted, the pace can still be urgent around here as well, seeing as we're in the middle of a war and everything, but the whole sense of urgency is still on a completely different scale here. It was only during my travels through the Outrealms that I was reminded of this discrepancy. And ever since I returned to this world, I've felt more calm and at ease, simply because I'm originally raised to live with a tighter schedule.
Of course, this says absolutely nothing about the terrain traveled while making said trip. Case in point;
"Ugh! I can't believe I got roped into tagging along on this stupid trip in the stupid mountains! What was I thinking?!" Severa groans while using a stick as a makeshift traveling cane.
"Oh, come now, Severa. It's not that bad." Chrom assures his younger daughter. "You've already braved one mountain range since we arrived in Valm, and that one was far more dangerous than the one we're traveling now."
"Which only means I hated that one even more." Severa hisses. "How can you enjoy something like this, Daddy? This is practically torture!"
Cordelia raises an eyebrow. "I thought Jack's training was quite strict. I never thought anyone would complain after being trained under him."
Sevear huffs. "Well, unlike some other training nuts that Sensei took under his wing, I have a delicate constitution."
Kjelle smirks. "Funny. I remember this one time when you slashed your way through an entire horde of Risen, just because you wanted to retrieve a handkerchief that you had forgotten, and we were forced to relocate with all haste."
Severa freezes up with an embarrassed blush.
"And you looked absolutely fine afterwards, with nary a scratch or a bead of sweat on you." the Knight tacks on.
"I was covered in soot!" the Mercenary yells.
"That was a result of your own fire powers aimed poorly." Kjelle counters. "You complained more about something that you washed off not even an hour later, than the fact that you had just singlehandedly cleared out a whole village filled with Risen with your life constantly on the line."
Severa pokes her fingers together. "It was… Well, Cynthia was the one who made it for me. It's not like I could just leave it there for those monsters to do whatever they wanted with it…"
Said Pegasus Knight glomps the redhead from behind with a beaming smile. "Aw, you did love it after all, Sevvy! You should've just told me you lost it. I wouldn't mind making you another one."
Severa's eyebrow twitches as her expression turns uncomfortable. "Th- That's not my point! Resources were scarce and we had to get by with what little we had. I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't go to waste, that's all."
Cynthia's smile grows even brighter. "Your face tells me otherwise."
"Sh-shut up, you dummy!"
Sumia's eyes sparkle as she looks out over Wyvern Valley.
"This place is so beautiful! I could spend all day flying among the cliffs and marvel at the natural beauty."
"I know, right?" Cherche agrees smiling. "It's the main reason why I kept coming back here as a child, even though the adults kept telling me to stay away. This place is just too marvelous to ignore."
To be fair, the ladies have a point. There's just something fascinating in how the giant valley is shaped. Maybe it's the way the cliff faces are arranged in relation to each other, or the way the sunlight shines between each rock formation as it travels from one end of the sky to the other. Or it could be the sheer scale of the place, with wyverns flying out and about. Or the fact that the local villagers are running about in a panic.
…Wait a minute… That usually spells bad news.
One of the villagers spots us and practically throws himself before us.
"Please! You have to help my friends!" the terrified man begs.
"Whoa! Hold on a moment. What's going on here?" Chrom asks.
"My people are fleeing from a pack of armed brigands, sir! Those blackhearts came here to capture the wyverns, and they kill anyone else along the way." the villager exclaims. "We fled as fast as we could, but now we've gotten separated… Oh, the horror of it all!"
"Well, today's your lucky day." Chrom tells the villager. "We'll aid you and your friends."
The villager's face lights up with hope. "You will?! Oh, thank you! Please, sir! Give 'em what for!"
One of Nah's eyebrows twitch. "Brigands? Again?! Seriously, we've been fighting outlaws more than imperial forces ever since we got here. Don't tell me I got dragged on that blasted ship just so I can clean up for the lacking law enforcement around here!"
Nowi pats her daughter on the shoulder. "Every place has its problems with bandits and rouges, Nah. This continent is no different." The pure-blooded manakete pouts. "But you do have a point. We've run into so many of them lately that it's getting ridiculous."
Quest alert
Side quest: Twin wyverns
It's kind of surprising how organized a pack of brigands can be in this day and age. While most bands are mostly made up of barbaric ruffians who run around and pillage anything they can get their hands on, this particular band shows enough sophistication to have a whole squad of fliers in their ranks, complete with flying equipment and everything. Clear that wyvern habitat off those outlaws before they ruin the whole ecosystem, and make sure you save the people living here while you're at it.
Objective: Defeat all bandits.
Rewards: 10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold
Bonus objective: Protect the villagers scattered among the cliffs.
Bonus rewards: 500 EXP and 500 gold per living villager after the battle ends.
"Milord, I can see some people hiding among the cliffs in the distance!" Frederick reports as we reach one of the many mountaintops connected by an intricate network of bridges – some of which are in a serious state of disrepair.
"Those are my friends!" the villager tells us. His eyes widen in horror as he looks further out over the valley. "Oh no! The brigands are almost upon them!"
True to his observation, I notice several mounted wyverns and gryphons flying over the valley. Each and every one of them are armed, and they're all searching among the cliffs.
"Gods, they're trapped!" Chrom notices. "At this rate, it's only a matter of time before the brigands find and kill them! Shepherds, protect those villagers and drive the brigands out of here!"
We're all ready to go when the sound of another wyvern reaches our ears. We turn to the right and spot a lone, masked Wyvern Rider land not far from here. This brunette Wyvern Rider, however, sticks out from your average one in several ways. For one, he carries two poleaxes on his back, instead of just one weapon. Second, the tail of his wyvern lacks the spiked end that wyverns naturally have. It's been replaced by an axeblade instead. And then there's, of course, the black mask.
More importantly, he's got a familiar name floating above his head.
Gerome Lvl 38 Class: Wyvern Rider
"That should be far enough." the Wyvern Rider muses. "Battles like these are not my call."
"Oh, you came back." the villager notes. "You decided to help my friends after all?"
"I do not fight battles that are not my own. Why should this one be-" Gerome pauses as he faces the villager. "Wait a minute. What are you doing all the way out here?"
The villager blinks confused. "What are you talking about? I live here. You're the one who said you would leave, but here you are again."
That makes Gerome pause. "What?! How is that even possible?! I know I went in a straight line out of here!"
The wyvern he rode on screeches something.
"What do you mean "I took a wrong turn three mountaintops ago"?!" Gerome snaps.
"*Purr*"
"Shut up! My sense of direction does not suck!"
Chrom blinks and looks between wyvern and rider. "Am I the only one confused by this?"
"Maybe he could help us out." Cherche proposes and approaches the masked Wyvern Rider.
"You're not one of the villagers, are you?" Cherche interjects, effectively stopping Gerome's argument with his wyvern.
Both Gerome and the wyvern freeze for a moment. Gerome catches himself moments later and calms down.
"No. …I am Gerome. A traveler."
"And a fellow wyvern rider, I see." Cherche remarks. "This is a good piece of news! We fight to keep these villagers alive. Will you aid us?"
"Why? No man can stop fate." Gerome replies cynically.
"These people will be killed by spears, traveler. Not fate." Cherche points out.
Gerome shakes his head. "Heh. Spoken like one who has yet to witness fate's implacable cruelty."
Cherche frowns. "So you do nothing, then, save for wandering the land in a fog of cowardice? And your wyvern? Has she seen enough? Does she also yearn to surrender?"
Gerome and his wyvern look at each other in silence.
"…You would know better than I." he eventually concludes.
Cherche claps her hands together with a smile. "Wonderful. As far as I can see, your wyvern is more than willing to put up a fight to protect the innocent. I take it you will fight with us, then?"
"I didn't say that." Gerome protests flatly.
Cherche's smile becomes just a little bit strained as she begins to radiate a sinister aura. "I said; I take it you will fight with us, then?"
Gerome's spine goes ramrod straight at Cherche's reply. Then he clears his throat.
"F-Fine…"
"Whipped…" Cynthia remarks.
BGM: Masked DeDeDe, Kirby Triple Deluxe music
"Chrom, I'll handle the western part of the valley!" I shout as I run to the edge of the cliff.
I take a Reinforced leap off the edge before I switch on Air shoes and add extra wind magic to my soles to speed up. Right as I spot the first few ruffians, I home in on them with sparks dancing along my arm. I need somehtin' ta clobbah dose dere bandits, and I know just the thang!
"Trace on!"
The massive frame of King DeDeDe's Jet Hammer appears in my waiting arm. My strength prior to my trip to the Outrealms would've been too little for me to wield this massive mallet. But now? My current base STR combined with Reinforcement and a few Telekinetic pushes here and there makes wielding it quite easy.
To note, this isn't a perfect replica of the genuine article. While the real deal has a built-in jet engine to build up speed and power for one wicked Hammer Flip, this version is 100 % solid wood. Still heavy enough to send anyone hit by the swing to the medical tent, though.
So it is, then, that a certain nameless ruffian Wyvern Lord notices a flat surface with a star motif descend on his face at high speeds.
*Wham!*
In other words, he got a face-full of solid wooden mallet right to the kisser. Oh, and he got smacked off his wyvern as well. Have a fun trip to the bottom of the valley – even though that blow probably killed you already.
As his companion turns to me surprised, I shoulder the Jet Hammer and make a come-hither motion.
"I feel like playing some whack-a-mole. And you ruffians make the perfect moles." I declare smirking.
The brigand Wyvern Lord commands his mount to fly a few paces back while he readies his lance. "If you think I'm just going to sit here and-"
"Here I come~!"
The Wyvern Lord manages to command his wyvern into a fast climb moments before Cynthia flies past and swings her Savage Lynel Crusher with enough force that I can feel the draft from where I'm levitating.
The Pegasus Knight pouts. "Aw, you weren't supposed to dodge that."
"Like h-ll I wasn't!" the brigand yells back. "And why is a little girl swinging around a club as big as she is?!"
"You're doing it wrong, Cynthia." I lightly chastise my student. "If you want to smack your opponent with a massive, blunt weapon, you have to catch them off-guard or pin them down first. Watch and learn."
I send a burst of wind magic through my soles and start chasing the Wyvern Lord. The flying outlaw switches between lance swings and whatever his wyvern can do to keep me at bay. Too bad a combination of Air shoes and Gale step lets me maneuver around those moves with almost laughable ease, even with my heavy weapon.
I spiral around a lance thrust before I prepare a swing from below – except it's a feint. I let go off the Jet Hammer mid-swing and toss it up into the air instead. The Wyvern Lord makes the mistake of looking up after the wooden mallet. And while he does, I zip forward, snag his wyvern by the snout and hoist myself around its neck to get right at the rider. By the time he realizes his mistake, I stagger him with a kick to his temples.
And that's when the hammer comes back down. I snatch it out of the air and swing down on the dazed Wyvern Lord.
*Wham!*
I shoulder the Jet Hammer once more. "See? That's how you do it."
Cynthia rubs her chin before her face lights up in realization. And then comes the megawatt grin.
"Aha! I've got it!"
*Squawk!*
"Come on, you bozo! Is that the best you can do?!"
Cynthia and I follow the direction the voice came from and spot Severa engaging a Gryphon Rider. I notice a villager hiding behind a rock nearby. Looks like the redheaded Mercenary managed to get to the poor guy in time to stop one of those bloodthirsty brigands from claiming another victim.
And she's doing a great job as well. With her sword on fire, she manages to keep that gryphon at bay, which limits what its rider can do.
But that doesn't stop a Sniper from crossing the nearby bridge towards the trapped villager.
"We'd better help her out." I remark and head for where Severa is fighting.
Cynthia is right behind me as we both fly towards the clifftop. The Sniper takes note of our approach and starts firing arrows at us, which spells bad news for Cynthia.
"I'll handle that Sniper! Help Severa!" I shout before I change course towards the bridge.
The Sniper notches another arrow and grins as he takes aim. He apparently thinks he can get an easy headshot on me due to my head-on approach. Well, normal targets don't fly with a cone of wind in front of them to deflect incoming projectiles. By the time the Sniper realizes that his arrows have no effect, I'm less than a second from contact.
"Rasengan!" *Boom!*
The Sniper gets sent flying and spinning off the bridge while I continue my flight. Now to see how Severa is doing.
The gryphon pounces on the young Mercenary and starts snapping at her with its beak. A swing from Severa's sword is enough to deter any more of that, but it also gives the Gryphon Rider an opening for an attack. She manages to dodge the axe swing with ease as well…
…only to realize that she jumped off the cliff in the process. Severa's face goes blank.
"Ah…"
And then gravity kicks in big time.
"AAAAAAHH!"
I notice Cynthia spur her pegasus to fly faster in order to catch up to her falling friend. Though this leaves the poor villager defenseless as the Gryphon Rider takes advantage of the lack of nearby protectors.
Question; How do you hit an enemy flying out of range of your hammer?
Answer; Yeet!
*Wham!*
Judging by how the Gryphon Rider's body contorts around the shape of the mallet, I think I broke several bones in his ribcage and maybe ruptured a few organs in the process. No skin off my back. I'll just retrieve my weapon with some Telekinesis. As the mallet returns to my hand, a spark of inspiration lights up in my head. It might be crude and inefficient, but I've got one heck of an effective idea to bring those flying brigands down from the sky. As for Severa and Cynthia…
The Pegasus Knight finally manages to catch up to her adoptive sister and grabs the redhead with her free arm. I manage to listen in on their conversation through some careful wind manipulation.
"Th-thanks…" Severa mutters while hanging by Cynthia's arm.
Cynthia smiles. "No need, Sevvy. I'll always be there for you."
"Don't you think I know that?" Severa huffs blushing. "But…I appreciate it."
The tender moment ends as a sparkle glimmers in Cynthia's eye. "Alright, let's get you back up and in the fight."
Green sparks dance all over Cynthia's arm and torso.
Severa blanches. "Cynthia, wait! Don't you da*Yeet!*AAAAAARE!"
Dang… Cynthia put a lot of force into that throw. Severa just climbs and climbs while screaming her head off.
And whether Cynthia just pulled a galaxy brain play or just has dumb luck, there's an unsuspecting Wyvern Lord flying right where Severa reaches the apex of her arc. The guy gets blindsided by a flaming sword that knocks him off his mount and leaves it for Severa to command instead.
"Wha- Hey! Whoa, calm down, will you!"
And it appears she has no experience commanding this type of beast.
I give Cynthia a dry look. "I don't think that was smart."
Cynthia gives me a V-sign. "She'll be fine!"
"I said "climb"! Don't start divIIIING!"
"She'll be fine." Cynthia repeats (with less enthusiasm).
I scratch my head before I shrug. "Guess we can leave her to it and look for the others, then. You with me, Cynthia?"
"Count on it!"
Cynthia and I scour the clifftops for any other villagers hiding from the bloodthirsty brigands. Quite a few battles are taking place among the peaks already, though it's thankfully limited to the ground only. Guess that's why those brigands targeted the wyverns; they want to add more fliers to their ranks.
That being said, limiting most battles to the ground is kind of troublesome when you have a whole band of brigands running over peaks that are too small to give such large numbers adequate wiggle room. For example, Chrom and Lissa keep fighting off wave after wave of brigands on one of the rope bridges spanning between said peaks. It just doesn't end. I'm honestly shocked that those rope bridges are holding up, even with the persisting pressure of heavy violence taking place on top of them.
And, since brigands in general behave like jerks, what fliers they have in their nearby ranks swoop in to flank the royal siblings from the sky. Well, I'm not having any of that.
"You take the left side! I take the right!" I shout to Cynthia before I speed up and fly under the bridge to come up on the other side.
And just in time for a Wyvern Lord to start his attack run on Lissa. As he spots me, he readies his lance and flies at me instead.
"Fine! I'll handle you first!" he shouts and commands his wyvern into what I suppose is a tricky maneuver.
I point at the Wyvern Lord. "How about "no"?"
I swipe my hand to the side, activate Telekinesis…
…and dump 1 000 MP into the skill. That's roughly 14 metric tons of force. The wyvern jerks to the side in an instant and slams into the mountainside.
*Wham!*
And because I'm in such a good position, I do it again – with the rider facing the mountainside this time.
*Squish!*
A red splatter appears on the mountainside behind the flattened wyvern. I let go and fly up to provide any further needed assistance. In fact, since the brigands opted for using air support on the bridge battles, I might as well do the same.
So it is that I find myself flying right under the bridge while keeping an eye out for incoming brigands. A Warrior charges at Lissa with his Silver Axe raised to swing down. As he gets near swinging distance, I dart out my hand over the edge and grab him by the ankle hard enough to stop his charge. Yay for Reinforcement!
"Huh? What the-" *Wham!*
That's all the brigand had time to say before Lissa stepped in and golf swung him back to the mountaintop behind the brigands. An Assassin takes aim at Lissa while she's still finding her balance again after that swing, but Chrom jumps it to block the arrow – with the Fire Emblem of all things.
But that costs him as a Paladin thrusts his lance at the prince in that moment.
*Shink!*
Chrom bites back a scream as the lance sinks into his shoulder. The Paladin gets batted aside moments later by Cynthia swooping in.
Chrom staggers back while holding his bleeding shoulder. Lissa quick to pull out a staff.
"Sit down! I'll close the wound quick."
"Not while those brigands are still coming!" the prince protests.
I land on the bridge and twirl the Jet Hammer a few times before I rest in on my shoulder. At the same time, Cynthia circles the bridge from below and hovers at the ready for the next fight.
"We'll handle this, Chrom. Just make sure that wound gets treated." I tell the prince.
The Assassin from before tries his luck with me with another arrow. But moments after he fires it, he darts forward and swaps it for a Killing Edge. So, use the arrow as a convincing distraction, then go in for the kill with the sword. Classic Assassin tactic, but it works.
I take a stance and intercept the arrow with a shove of the hammer. The Assassin jumps on top of my weapon moments later and swings down. In response, I grunt and heave the hammer upwards, sending the Assassin into the air. Then I zip up where he's going, hammer already poised for a swing.
*Wham!*
The (most probably dead) Assassin flies towards his fellow outlaws like a cannonball and stalls their advance a bit. That's when a Gryphon Rider swoops in from the right. Cynthia's on him before he can even reach the construct. Silver Axe meets Savage Lynel Crusher as the two fliers clash in the air. Cynthia tries a few loops and rolls to throw her opponent off-guard, but the Gryphon Rider shows remarkable experience in aerial combat and reads her angle of approach correctly. Despite the immense power behind Cynthia's swing, the brigand manages to deflect it with a deft swing of his own. Not only does this throw the Pegasus Knight off-balance, the gryphon joins in on the clash by snapping and clawing at Deku. The Pegasus backs off, which only makes it harder for Cynthia to regain her equilibrium.
But just as it looks like the Gryphon Rider will get a swing in, Deku lands a hoof right in the gryphon's face. The eagle-lion hybrid backs off, more startled than hurt, but this gives Cynthia the time she needs to get back on track.
The Pegasus Knight pats her mount proudly. "Nice work, Deku. Time to show everyone how a hero fights!"
The pegasus whinnies in what sounds like agreement before it takes off against the gryphon. The Gryphon Rider commands his mount into a dive talons-first in response. As the aerial combatants almost make contact, green sparks dance across Cynthia's whole body, the full length of the Savage Lynel Crusher and even Deku. The pegasus whinnies one more time before it zips to the left and starts darting around far faster than a pegasus should be capable of. The maneuver catches the Gryphon Rider off-guard and causes him to pause and try to keep track of Cynthia. The quickly evaporating fear shows that he gets a read on the Pegasus Knight quickly. He readies his Silver Axe for a backhanded strike just as Cynthia zips in for a flanking blow, only to blink in surprise when he swings air anyway.
He realizes why moments later; Cynthia jumped off her mount so hard that she flew over her opponent while Deku ended up flying underneath due to the shock of being pushed down so hard. Cynthia has her massive weapon reared back over her head by the time she reaches the apex of her jump and tosses it straight down. The crunching sound of bones shattering rings through the air as the Gryphon Rider's head and torso cave in from the violent impact one moment, and then sends both mount and mutilated rider plummeting to the bottom of the valley the next moment.
Cynthia lands back on Deku and catches her Savage Lynel Crusher before it can fall too far for her to reach. My heroic student raises her weapon into the air and grins proudly.
"Nailed it!"
I'd celebrate Cynthia's win if I wasn't fending off the brigands that just got more reinforcements. Fighting on the bridge is getting a bit hard. Sure, I could use the limited space to whack these bozos around with ease, but I'm not sure how much more punishment this bridge can take between everything Chrom, Lissa, me and the brigands have thrown around on top of it. Guess I'll just have to push them over to solid ground instead.
With that plan in mind, I charge at the brigands with my hammer held high. Looks like my weapon will have to take a few hits if I'm to pull this off. Good thing it's essentially a temporary mana-made construct, so it's no big loss.
A Swordmaster answers with his own charge and thrusts his Silver Sword at me as he gets close. I jump off the bridge and use the railing to swing around him near the feet before I slip back up behind him and shove the giant mallet head in his face. While the Swordmaster is busy stumbling back from having a face full of wood slammed in the mug, I turn around to concentrate on the Berserker and the axe coming down on me. I step back and answer with an upwards swing. Though the axe blade sinks into the wood of my hammer, my superior strength means my swing goes on just about uncontested. The Berserker stumbles back and loses his grip on his axe from the jolting motion in the process. I use the momentum to pivot in close and send the Berserker back with a kick to his stomach. Right on cue, the Swordmaster is back up and aims another thrust at me. I answer by thrusting the hammer at him in return. The blade of the Silver Sword sinks into the mallet. The Swordmaster's eyes widen moments later when he realizes his mistake; his weapon is now stuck. I smirk and pull on the hammer quickly, then shove it right back at him. This causes the Swordmaster to first lose his grip on his sword, and then have the pommel smacked in his gut.
I take note of more brigands coming in from behind me. Alright, that's it. Those outlaws are getting off the bridge, and that's final!
I jump over the stumbling Swordmaster and start to concentrate mana around my Jet Hammer. The concentration of mana around the mallet becomes so high that it catches fire. When I feel like I have enough power stored up, I kick the Swordmaster at his comrades. It's enough to only stall them for a moment, but a moment is all I need. I'm right behind him the next moment, mallet ablaze and my body angled to turn what would normally be an upward swing into a horizontal one.
*Ka-BOOM!*
I smirk as I land in a three-point crouch. "Aw yeah. Smooth as silk."
Not that there's any brigand on the bridge to comment on it. They were all either knocked back over to solid ground or sent flying off the bridge from the explosion. Also, my weapon feels a bit lighter than I thought. I glance at it, only to find that the giant mallet head has been reduced to a charred tip of what's essentially a stick now.
Whoops. Guess my Jet Hammer replica couldn't handle all that power. Which only makes it more confusing when I consider the fact that the bridge I'm standing on is still intact.
More importantly, I can finally take the fight to solid ground. More brigands are gathering near the bridge, so I'd better stop them quick.
But just as I get near the end of the bridge, an alarmed voice rings through the air.
"Heads uuuUUUP!"
Severa flies in on the wyvern she mounted not too long ago, crashes it into a surprised Warrior, leaps off the flying mount before it slides off the edge, cuts down a Trickster in the same leap and slides to a stop with a spooked look and heavy breathing. When she notices several of us look at her surprised, the redheaded princess stands tall and flips some hair over her shoulder.
"I- I meant to do that. Honest."
I give Severa a dry look. "Yeah… Sure. Let's go with that."
"Severa? I didn't know you could fly a wyvern." Chrom remarks as he catches up to us, fully healed and with Lissa in tow.
"Not really…" Severa corrects. "Just, you know…winging it."
I smirk. "Literally."
"Oh, hush, you!"
"Jack it might get a bit cramped if we all fight here." Lissa remarks as she pulls out Betty.
I take a look around the mountain peak we're standing on. "You think? Seems like there's plenty of space here to me."
Lissa points behind me. "Not with all of those over there."
I follow where she's pointing and spot about a dozen more brigands approaching us.
I groan. "Oh, come on. Now they're just crawling out of the woodworks."
"There might be more villagers on the other peaks." Chrom tells me. "Go. We have things handled here."
Cynthia lands besides us with a flashing grin. "I'll handle the skies here, Sensei. You'll be needed elsewhere."
"What am I, superfluous?" I grumble before I jump off the mountain and take flight.
I soon notice fighting quite a ways ahead of me. A closer look reveals that several Gryphon Riders and Wyvern Lords are teaming up against Cherche. Our own Wyvern Lord is making good use of her new lance as she twirls and stabs every which way. Though that's just to keep those brigands at a distance. Their constant harassment prevents Cherche from following through on any opening and land a decisive blow on any of the brigands. That's my cue, then.
I dive before I make a sharp climb, accelerate and draw Harvest Moon.
*Shing!* "Guah!"
That's one less Gryphon Rider to be concerned about. More importantly, my entrance has created a brief lull in the fighting that gives Cherche some much-needed breathing room.
"Jack?"
I hover near the Wyvern Lord. "Looks like the others made the right call in telling me to look for others. You okay, Cherche?"
"I'll live, at least." Cherche replies before she twirls her lance into a ready position. "Mind helping me cleaning up here?"
I smirk and shift Harvest Moon into scythe form. "Gladly."
One of the enemy Wyvern Lords scoffs. "So what if you added another one among your numbers. It doesn't matter if he can fly. Kill them both!"
We've got a total of seven flying brigands coming at us at the same time. A coordinated attack would certainly be an effective tactic in aerial combat – normally.
"Yeah…no." I counter and start spinning Harvest Moon over my head.
As my weapon spins, I channel my mana through it, causing the air that it cuts through to follow along in streams. Within moments, I form a small twister that surrounds me and Cherche. The vortex catches the brigands off-guard as it snatches them clean out of the sky and traps them in the violent winds.
I stop the spinning and get ready to charge. "Ready?"
Cherche pats Minerva on the neck, causing the wyvern to flap her wings harder. "Time to tidy up!"
Since I'm the one controlling the twister, maneuvering the wind is no problem for me as I dart between brigands while dealing out slashes whenever I see an opening – which is pretty much constantly, since they can hardly get their bearings straight while rag dolling in the air.
Cherche, for her part, goes for a more careful approach and stabs the brigands who drift near the inner circumference of the twister. Each stab is a calculated move that sends her targets back into the vortex and keeps trapping them there.
It only lasts for about 30 seconds, but it's more than enough to get the job done. So I float to the middle of the twister and cross my arms.
"Cherche, take cover beneath me!" I shout as I concentrate wind magic around me to the point that I start glowing green.
And then I release it all in an omnidirectional wind-element spell that hits all the trapped brigands at once and dispels the twister in the process.
Moral of the story; Never mess with a wind master in the air.
"Say, do you know what happened with that Wyvern Rider we met before the battle broke out?" I ask Cherche as everything settles. "You know, the masked one?"
"He first joined me when fighting in this part of the valley." Cherche reveals. "He took off sometime after I started engaging those brigands, but he should still be close by. Oh, there he is."
I follow where the Wyvern Lord is pointing, and lo and behold, there's Gerome. And to my surprise, he shows some crazy moves for a Wyvern Rider.
The guy constantly wields one poleaxe in each hand while commanding his wyvern to perform turns, dives, spins and loops – which mean he steers his mount without any hands, somehow.
A Gryphon Rider commands his mount for a head-on assault. Gerome answers with the same approach. Moments before contact, Gerome's wyvern does a barrel roll which places the masked rider upside down above the brigand. Gerome swings both axes down and nails the Gryphon Rider's shoulders hard enough to knock him off his mount.
Next up is a pair of Wyvern Lords. Gerome's wyvern does a quick climb before it dives at the closest one. The Wyvern Lord answers with a lance thrust. Gerome angles one poleaxe to make the lance slide along its shaft and away from him before he comes down with his second axe. Right after he completes his swing, his wyvern spins and slams the axe blade at the tip of its tail into the Wyvern Lord's side. That's when the second Wyvern Lord comes in with his Killer Axe ready to bisect Gerome. Gerome answer is to jump off his wyvern just as the deadly axe passes where he was, lands on his opponent's wyvern and downs him with a clean cross slash over the back. Then Gerome backflips off the wyvern and throws one poleaxe towards one of the bigger mountaintops and nails a Sniper in the chest with it. Gerome lands back on his Wyvern, which dives at the Sniper in a burst of speed. Gerome beheads the staggered Sniper while retrieving his other poleaxe, all while he passes by the brigand. And then he simply dives off the edge of the mountaintop.
BGM ends
I land on said mountaintop moments later and whistle impressed. "Wow. I had no idea a Wyvern Rider could fight like that."
"Me neither." Cherche remarks as she lands Minerva right beside me. "That's not how one who aspires to become a wyvern rider trains at all. For one, fighting without having a hand free to steer your wyvern goes against one of the most fundamental principles of riding one of those creatures to begin with. And second, you're not meant to dismount your wyvern while flying. And yet that young man defies both rules and still fights effectively."
"I-is it over?" a villager peeking out from a rock asks worried.
Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy approaching!
I scowl and face the direction of more incoming brigands. "Not quite. Stay put."
From the other end of the mountaintop we're on, I see about half a dozen brigands approach us, led by a Berserker with a hungry grin.
Morristan, Lvl 48 Class: Berserker
"Wyvern or man, everyone's all snarl and fire until they learn the feel of the lash!" the brigand leader declares smugly.
I point Harvest Moon at him. "Guess we know how best to punish you when this is all over, then. A good lashing should teach you a long overdue lesson about animal rights."
"What animal rights?" the Berserker scoffs. "These beasts are meant to serve man. I merely travel here to bring them into their rightful service."
"You're poaching an endangered species and messing with the local ecosystem as a result!"
"So what? There's no law forbidding us from snatching up a wyvern or ten. It's free real estate." Morristan points out.
BGM: Zoro kokonotsu no yaiba, One Piece OST
"You're impossible. I swear, the things people do for personal profit…" I grumble resigned. "Fine. If you won't listen to reason, we'll just do this the hard way."
"Oh, and how do you plan on doing that?" Morristan asks smugly.
I smirk back and point towards the edge of the mountaintop. "For starters, I wouldn't stand where you are right now, because of what's coming from there."
Morristan blinks bemused and peeks over the edge.
That's when he spots Gerome ascend at an angle against the mountain itself with both his poleaxes reared back and gleaming like obsidian.
"TOUROU!"
*Shing! Ka-Bram!*
The image of a white line cuts through part of the mountaintop before everything behind said line flies off the rest of the mountain with violent winds whipping around the slashed area.
Most of the remaining brigands get sent tumbling backwards from those winds. Gerome loops and comes down for an attack run specifically aimed at Morristan.
The Berserker blanches upon realizing Gerome's intent, turns tail and books it.
"Stop that freak of nature NOW!"
The remaining brigands put themselves between the approaching Wyvern Rider and the retreating brigand leader (albeit while shaking in fear).
Gerome proceeds with his attack run like the mooks don't even matter. "Move!"
Right before contact, Gerome's wyvern spins around and slashes at the brigands with its axe bladed tail. Gerome himself jumps off the wyvern and lunges at a Swordmaster. The Swordmaster blocks the first axe swing with visible effort.
*Krk…*
Cracks spread along the blade before the whole things shatters under the pressure of Gerome's gleaming axe. The second axe comes down a split-second later and cleaves the brigand in half. Two Assassins charge at the Wyvern Rider from either side. Gerome answers by flipping one poleaxe into a reverse grip and then jumps while spinning like a top. The force behind the move is so immense that he makes a miniature tornado that sends the Assassins flying while slicing them up in the process. Gerome comes down right as his wyvern takes flight again. But instead of landing in the rider's seat, Gerome's wyvern spins and lines up its tail where Gerome is falling.
The moment Gerome lands on the tail, the wyvern swings it and sends Gerome flying straight at the fleeing brigand leader. Morristan has only a fraction of a second to look behind him before Gerome hits him like an obsidian missile and bisects him with a slash so powerful that everything in a ten-pace radius gets cleaved as well.
Gerome slides to a stop and flicks some blood off his axes. "Pathetic…"
BGM ends
Morristan has been killed! Gerome has leveled up!
Cherche gawks at the masked Wyvern Rider. "How in the- I think I need to reassess everything I know about fighting while mounting a wyvern. Fighting like that should NOT be possible!"
I rub my chin impressed. "I might get some pointers from that guy. Which would be quite ironic if my hunch is right. But that should probably have to wait until we've gotten rid of the rest of those brigands."
Still got some straggles to take care of. Shouldn't take too long.
Quest alert
Side quest: Twin wyverns
After a hectic battle that took you to the skies, the brigands threatening Wyvern Valley have been wiped out, and both the wyverns and the villagers are safe once more. Now should hopefully be a good time to take in the sights around the place before you get on your way again. Just mind the rope bridges. Chances are some of them are in bad shape after all that fighting…
Objective: Defeat all bandits.
Objective cleared!
Rewards: You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!
Bonus objective: Protect the villagers scattered among the cliffs.
Surviving villagers: 5
Bonus rewards: You gain 2 500 EXP! You gain 2 500 gold!
One of the villagers shakes Chrom's hand with more vigor than the prince seems comfortable with. "Our saviors! And it's more than lives you rescued… You've saved our hope in humanity, too. Thank you so much."
Chrom tries his best to simply roll with the handshake. "Um, well, that's the cause we fight for… We'd never leave the innocent to the mercy of brigands."
"Were it that all knights held such chivalry." the villager muses. "Well, we can't leave you emptyhanded. Please, sir. Allow us to give you a token of our gratitude."
"I think that won't be necessary." Chrom replies smiling. "We were just passing through the valley when we noticed the brigands attack. It was luck more than anything that brought us here in time. There's no need for any reward."
"No, I insist. There's no telling how awful things would've gone, had you not showed up."
While our favorite prince is busy discussing with the local populace about the necessity of a reward for our valiant efforts, I notice Cherche approach Gerome.
BGM: Road taken, Fire Emblem: Fates music
"Do you have a moment?" Cherche asks the masked Wyvern Rider.
"What is it?" Gerome asks.
Cherche smiles. "I was wondering if you might introduce me to your wyvern."
"Why?" Gerome asks bluntly.
"To see which of ours is cuter." Cherche explains, like it's obvious. "Not like it's very sporting of me when mine is the finest in the world, I know."
"…Do as you please." Gerome relents with a hint of resignation.
"I will, then! Thank you." Cherche replies before she skips over to Gerome's wyvern.
"Hmm… That's strange…" Lissa remarks as Cherche gets close to the wyvern.
"What exactly?" I ask.
"It's just… Cherche once told me that wyverns are pretty wary around strangers. But that wyvern doesn't seem to mind Cherche at all." Lissa points out.
Huh. Well, it makes sense when you know who that wyvern is, but hearing Lissa point that out does make it seem strange indeed.
"Hee hee! Oh, but you ARE cute! She's nearly a match with Minerva." Cherche gushes as she pets the wyvern. Said wyvern settles for purring in content under Cherche's affectionate gestures. "…Nearly so in every way." Cherche adds nervously as an afterthought.
The more Cherche pets and examines the wyvern, the more the unease on her face shows. And then the wyvern gives off a cry and rubs its head against Cherche's chest in what I can only assume is an affectionate gesture on its own.
"Wait, what sorcery is this? They… They look IDENTICAL!" Cherche exclaims in disbelief.
"That's because they are identical." Gerome reveals. "They're one and the same."
"Minerva? How is that possible?" Cherche asks in disbelief.
The now identified future version of Minerva keeps crying while rubbing itself against the Wyvern Lord.
Then Cherche's gaze lands in the tail, where the axe blade is fitted. "And what happened to your tail?" Cherche asks with a shuddering voice while petting the wyvern gently.
"You could examine her form tip to tail looking for scars and marks if you like. It's a perfect match – save for the axe blade at the end of her tail. She lost the tip of it in battle some time ago, so me and some companions had it replaced with the axe blade you see now." Gerome explains. "If that doesn't convince you, you could just look at this ring."
Gerome shows Cherche a ring that the Wyvern Lord recognizes instantly.
"I… I know that ring. That can only mean…" Cherche trails off as she connects the dots.
Gerome sighs. "I am, though I had not intended that we meet."
"Why not?"
"I came back in time so I might release Minerva." Gerome explains. "Not to seek out parents to whom I've already bidden farewell."
"You crossed the bounds of time just to set Minerva free? Whatever for?!" Cherche asks in disbelief.
Gerome puts a hand on future-Minerva. "In the future I know, she is among the last of her kind." The Wyvern Rider shakes his head. "I… I could not leave her to that solitude."
Cherche's eyes fill with sadness before she darts forward and wraps Gerome in a hug.
"What the- Let go off me!" Gerome protests.
"She is lucky indeed to know someone of such kindness." Cherche remarks while smiling through the tears forming in her eyes. "…As, I imagine, am I."
"Stay your words. I've no intention of getting close to you. Fate will not be mocked." Gerome replies while trying to pry himself out of his mother's embrace. "And would you let go off me already?! This war may claim your life anew, and I'll not weep twice for losing the same mother. My burden is heavy enough."
"But yet you carry it still." Cherche points out as she releases Gerome and takes a step back.
Gerome averts his eyes. "That's enough."
Cherche shakes her head. "Quite enough indeed. I'll not have my son carry the burden of mourning the demise of his parents on his own, while still caring for my closest friend since I was a child. Forgive me my selfishness, Gerome, but I will not accept anything less than you and Minerva joining up with us."
"And why should I care for a battle that is not mine to fight in the first place?"
"Because you're the only one of that mind. Does it look like Minerva wants to retire from the battlefield?" Cherche points out.
The future wyvern flares her wings and gives a determined cry to the heavens.
Cherche smiles. "It would seem Minerva still intends to fight."
Gerome sighs. "I figured this would happen. …Fine. I will join you."
"Thank you, Gerome."
Quest alert
Side quest: Gathering the gang
After an arduous journey spanning two continents and the ocean between, you have finally found all of Lucina's comrades who traveled with her back in time. With the crew fully reassembled, the Grimleal have all reason to fear the incoming battles. Every single member of the future generation have a bone to pick with the sinister cult, and they'll stop at nothing to protect their parents and their future.
Objective: Find all of Lucina's fellow time traveling comrades.
Objective cleared!
Rewards: You gain 15 000 EXP! Your standing with Ylisse has increased greatly!
You have leveled up!
To be continued (BGM ends)
Gerome's character sheet
Gerome Lvl 39 Class: Wyvern Rider
Cherche's son from the future. This stoic young man continually remarks the futility of changing fate and the inevitability of death, likely as a result of both his parents' passing. Despite his bleak worldview, he shows deep kindness to the ones he cares for, including his mother's wyvern, Minerva, whom he took care of after her passing. Under Jack's tutelage, he developed a skillset similar to the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro. The worst at reading a map. Born on September 1st.
Titles: Hunter of the skies (+ 10 % movement speed in the air)
HP: 5 700 / 5 700
MP: 2 200 / 2 200
STR: 72
VIT: 51
DEX: 50
INT: 15.2 (23 * 0.95)
WIS: 31
CHAR: 60.5 (28 * 1.1)
LUCK: 15
ITEMS:
Poleaxe (Equipped)
Poleaxe (Equipped)
Concoction
Skills:
Axe mastery, Lvl 63 [10.0 %], Passive
The axe was originally a tool meant for cutting wood. With war, however, came the weaponization of any tool available, including this one. Axes hold most of their weight as well as the bladed edge at the end of the shaft. With so much of their power concentrated at a small space, axes can deal more damage than most other melee weapons at the tradeoff of being among the most difficult to wield.
Increases attack speed and attack power by 315 % when attacking with an axe.
Dual wielding, Lvl 60 [36.2 %], Passive
The art of wielding a weapon in each hand is a skill that many have tried to attain, but few have succeeded in. And among those few, fewer still have managed to reach its full potential. Wielding two weapons simultaneously allows you to use the abilities of both at the same time (provided they have any) and generally gives you more offensive options than if you only wield one weapon. It also looks awesome when done right. Attack speed and attack power is 170 % of the average of both weapons wielded. This skill only applies when wielding two weapons of the same category.
Color of Observation, Lvl 73 [63.0 %], Active, Cost: 52 MP per minute
All living beings have a breath. The birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, the many critters roaming the lands. Heck, even plants have a breath of sorts. The ability to hear this breath is one attained by few, and only after nearly a lifetime of training or when they constantly live on a razor's edge between danger and oblivion. But for those who learn to listen to the breath, the world opens up in ways that most would consider supernatural, be it sensing the presence of other living beings, or their intent even before a decision is made.
Allows the user to perceive and interact with other living beings irrespectively of any other senses. Maximum range: 73 meters.
While this skill is active in battle, reaction time is reduced by 85 %.
Color of Armament, Lvl 53 [71 %], Active, Cost: 150 MP per minute
Increase your physical prowess through sheer willpower. Does it sound crazy? Yes, but that's probably part of the reason why this works in the first place. Why settle for merely letting your fighting spirit push you on in battle when you can let it back up your swings as well? Just channel it through your body and smack whatever smug jerk you're facing off against with an ability that effectively obliterates the source of their smugness and look awesome while doing it. The best part? You can channel this power through your weapons as well if you're good enough at it. Not only does it protect your precious weapons from wear and chipping, it also coats them in a wicked black sheen (that has a surprisingly easy time gleaming in whatever light source is nearby, despite the nature of the color black).
Increases attack power by 106 %. Damage taken on affected areas decreases by 50 %. Attacks ignore nullifying effects on the target while this skill is active, unless the target has Color of Armament active as well. Weapon durability is unaffected while this skill is active.
Animal buddy, Lvl 85 [23.0 %], Passive
The introduction of cavalry was a milestone that changed warfare forever. The ability to ride on an animal grants the rider mobility beyond what most, if not all, foot soldiers could ever achieve. Of course, a rider is only as dangerous on the battlefield as their ability to ride their mount in battle allows them to. In other words, your combat prowess heavily depends on how well you can work with your mount on the battlefield.
Increases movement speed and attack power by 50 % and DEX by 21 % while riding a mount.
Omake: Lucina's grab range
Lucina and Sully are sparring in the Shepherds' camp. Sully blocks Lucina's swing and pushes her away before she rears back her training staff for a thrust. Lucina regains her footing fast, reaches out her free hand…
…and grabs hold of Sully's shoulder, even though the Paladin is further away than Lucina should be able to reach. The move catches Sully off-guard, allowing Lucina to throw her opponent on the ground and pin her down at sword point.
"How the h-ll did you reach me?! Your arm ain't that long!" Sully asks shocked.
Lucina shrugs. "I have been able to grab hold of things that should be out of my reach for years. Now that I think back on it, it started some time after my tutelage under Master Jack started."
Sully rolls her eyes. "Figures he'd be involved. By the way, ever managed to find out how far your arm can reach?"
Lucina averts her gaze uncomfortably. "I…have tried – with some mixed results."
Lucina browses the small library of books available in camp, hoping to find something to read after supper. She eventually settles on one and reaches out for it.
Only to find a shield in her hand instead.
Lucina blinks bemused. "Wait… The arms tent is on the other side of the camp."
It's Lucina's turn to cook in the mess tent together with Brady. While the Priest gets the fire started, Lucina goes over the ingredients for the next meal.
"Hmm… We need more onions for this recipe. Brady, can you get me a few?"
"Sure! Catch!" Brady shouts and chucks one towards Lucina.
Lucina reaches out to catch the onion – and grabs hold of a green robe. The onion bounces off her head moments later.
Lucina eyes the piece of clothing with a frown. "This looks familiar…"
Meanwhile in Ylisse
Emmeryn closes her wardrobe with a small sigh of frustration.
"Your Grace? Is something the matter?" Phila asks the exalt.
"I have been trying to find my robe, Phila. But for the life of me, I cannot seem to remember where I left it."
Lucina sighs contentedly as she reclines in one of these so called "folding chairs" that Anna procured sometime after they arrived in Valm. With a book in hand, some freshly brewed tea on a small table besides her and the weather being clear, sunny skies, it all shapes up to be a rarely peaceful afternoon.
Right after she turns a page in her book, Lucina reaches out to pick up her teacup.
She grabs hold of something, alright. But it doesn't feel like a cup.
Lucina turns her head – and finds herself holding a plate with a piece of strawberry cake on it.
"Where did this come from?"
Meanwhile in Dreamland
Craters litter the landscape. Fires have broken out in various places. Meta Knight has been punted halfway through his own ship, which is quickly losing altitude due to a Meta Knight-sized hole in the main engine. And, most horrifyingly of all, there's no end to the poor Waddle Dees lying unmoving everywhere like ants after a massive cloud of pesticide. King DeDeDe looks in horror from atop his castle at the source of the carnage slowly marching towards him.
No matter how hard Kirby searches, he just can't find the tasty-looking strawberry cake that was meant to be his afternoon snack. So what if he beat up a few people while searching? They're the ones that started it by being in his way – the buildings included. Well, he hasn't tried DeDeDe's castle yet, so he might as well look around and smack away anyone who dares stand in his way. It's his cake, and he will have it.
Oh, look. A Miracle fruit.
Jack's encyclopedic corner
Poleaxe, Axe, Base damage: 62, Uncommon
This axe was originally designed to combat cavalry. The extra-long shaft gives the wielder enough reach to rival the average lance wielder. While this would seem like a good thing, it takes practice to wield a weapon of this design effectively. This is because the blade is positioned farther from the wielder than in the case of a normal axe, which means the wielder has to take a farther range into account while swinging. The extra length also means each swing easily leaves the wielder open for far longer than in the case of the average axe. And the most ironic thing is that, while this weapon was originally designed to combat cavalry, it's not unusual to see cavalry soldiers wielding one of these weapons themselves.
Damage dealt to mounted or flying units increases by 100 %.
Mystletainn, Sword, Base damage: 115, Legendary
One of the twelve weapons bestowed by the divine dragon Naga upon a group of soldiers, for the purpose of defeating the earth dragon Loptous. This conflict would go down in history as the Holy War, taking place centuries before Archanea became the grand kingdom that the Hero-King would one day be born into. After the war, Mystletainn was passed down through a family of knights for the protection of the royal family of Agustria until a tragedy ended the bloodline. Despite the purpose it has served, Mystletainn has become known as the "Demon Sword" within certain circles, but the reason remains a mystery.
Increases accuracy and attack speed by 16 % while wielded.
Requirement to wield: Sword mastery Lvl 72.
Gryphon Rider, Class
The gryphon is a majestic creature that soars through the sky with the grace of an eagle and strikes with the ferocity of a lion. Taming such a powerful beast is nigh impossible for all but the bravest and most experienced warriors, as gryphons are also known to have egos matching their stature. Anyone who can accomplish this feat is instantly recognized as an exemplary fighter. Riding a gryphon in battle certainly has its perks, as these beasts can fly at speeds that wyverns and even pegasi find challenging. Just make sure to hold on tight. Just because a gryphon recognizes you as its master doesn't mean it tolerates when someone is too clumsy to remain in their seat.
Attack power and attack speed increases by 10 % when wielding an axe. Movement speed increases by 15 %. Damage dealt from magic spells of any element decreases by 10 %.
Jet Hammer, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 64, Unique
A replica of the signature weapon wielded by the ruler of Dream Land, King DeDeDe. The massive wooden mallet head is so heavy that it takes an immense amount of strength to even lift this weapon for an extended period of time without suffering back pains afterwards. Unlike this version, the original also has a jet engine built into the mallet head to allow for even stronger and faster swings, provided the wielder can handle the recoil of holding back a jet-powered hammer. Jet engine or no, getting hit by this wooden weapon is guaranteed to hurt, making it the perfect tool for clobbering annoying pink puffballs. Moneyback guarantee not included.
Skill available while equipped: Hammer Flip
And so, the mini parallel arc of gathering all of Lucina's buddies comes to a close. My goodness, did this take a lot of effort! But I'm happy with how it turned out. Not only can the 2nd-gen Shepherds be a major plot point in Awakening's story (and it should – always), having this parallel journey take place alongside the Valm arc turned it into a major outlet for my creativity while providing me an excuse to nerd out in ways otherwise unavailable to me without messing up the writing.
And for those who feel disoriented by where I drew all the inspiration for the character builds, here's a list of them all:
Lucina: Fighting game character, Various series
Morgan: Force wielder, Star Wars series
Owain: Kamina, Gurren Laggan
Kjelle: Einheria Venus, Bravely Default
Laurent: Zexion (or Ienzo), Kingdom Hearts series
Cynthia: All Might, My Hero Academia
Brady: Edward Elric, Full Metal Alchemist
Yarne: Son Goku, Dragon Ball series
Severa: Stella Vermillion, Chivalry of a Failed Knight
Nah: Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail
Noire: Shirou Emiya, Fate Stay Night UBW
Inigo: Joseph Joestar, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Gerome: Roronoa Zoro, One Piece
Rose: Magilou, Tales of Berseria
While I like this spread, especially in the context of some of the plot elements in this fic, I admit that there were other series and characters that could've made the list just as easily if I had tweaked the general plot just a bit. For example, I could've based all of their builds on the members of Organization 13 (before Old Master Xehanort revealed his whole time travel plan). The list would be as follows (with some roles – admittedly – being a result of process of elimination):
Lucina: Xemnas – De facto leader and possible nihilistic character traits.
Owain: Xigbar – Unofficial second-in-command and generally smug guy who can back up his claims with crazy moves.
Kjelle: Lexaeus – The tank of the team and the only one strong enough to wield Skysplitter.
Laurent: Vexen – The team's scientist. Also has plenty of potential with those ice powers.
Cynthia: Xaldin – Why settle for one lance when you can have six?! Controlled with wind magic?!
Brady: Zexion – Only real candidate for potential medic build. Can also use illusion magic to reduce the chance of being targeted in battle, which is crucial for any healer.
Yarne: Demyx – They're both cowards.
Severa: Luxord – Severa gives me the impression of preferring to do things the easy way. Just pull your enemies into a stacked game, and the rest will literally play itself out on its own (And yes, I know Luxord's games are technically fair, but bear with me on this).
Nah: Axel – BURN, baby!
Noire: Larxene – Blood and Thunder. Blood and Thunder everywhere.
Inigo: Marluxia – He's already got the flower themed pretty boy schtick going for him. Also, Marluxia's moves are so stylish (or, dare I say it; fabulous).
Gerome: Saix – The dude's a stoic night owl who can wreak havoc on the enemy forces with one gigantic axe.
Morgan: Roxas – Suffers from amnesia. Also has his own important little role to play in the grand scheme of things.
Rose: Xion – Would actually be Morgan's twin sister in this version, with powers similar to his own. What's more, her name would be different in this version; Marigold.
And that's just one list I could come up with. Here's another one:
- Lucina: Saber, Fate Stay Night – The ruler of a fallen nation who wishes to undo the calamity that led up to it at all cost? Seems fitting to me. Also lets Parallel Falchion get way more awesome than it already is.
- Morgan: Young Xehanort, Kingdom Hearts series – Dual wields light sabers and can cast at least three kinds of elemental magic that line up with the tomes available to the Mages in Awakening. Just substitute the evil with amnesia, and you're all set.
- Owain: He-Man, He-Man series – "I have the POWER!"
- Kjelle: Erza Scarlet, Fairy Tail – Strict, stoic and fiercely protective of her friends? Check. Has only a mild interest in the concept of femininity? Check. Can wield a myriad of weapons? Well, Kjelle's default class lineup offers a wide range of potential weapons she can wield, so, check. Loves armor? Does she ever.
- Laurent: Konan, Naruto Shippuden – Continuing the trend of paper-based powers, Laurent can easily use enchanted paper both as a weapon on its own or as a medium to cast spells from angles and ranges that are otherwise impossible without careful setup beforehand. Just don't ask me where he gets all the paper.
- Cynthia: Kamina, Gurren Laggan – The original character that I planned the Kamina build for. Why? Because Spear that pierces the heavens, that's why! Giga Spear Breaker FTW!
- Brady: Eizen, Tales of Berseria – Neither could wield a weapon, even if their lives depended on it. So they settle for magic or just punching their enemies. It also helps that this makes Brady a very educated and cultured man, which Maribelle would approve of any day of the week.
- Yarne: Escanor, Seven Deadly Sins – "I have to act cowardly, just because I'm the last of my race? Who decided that?" Also, imagining Yarne switching between an overpowered badass and super meek scaredy cat at the drop of a hat sounds funny in my ears.
- Severa: Weiss Schnee, RWBY – You already know the fire-based tsundere. How about an ice-based tsundere?
- Nah: Po, Kungfu Panda – An actual Dragon Warrior. Imagine this sweet little girl pulling all kinds of crazy "F U, physics" kung fu moves on the Grimleal, while still acting a bit clumsy. Fear the Wu Xi fingerhold. Skadoosh.
- Noire: Haru Okumura, Persona 5 – The resemblance is striking if Gaius is her father. Also, she can get really dangerous if pushed too far. No need for a Persona. Just Blood and Thunder everything.
- Inigo: Dante, Devil May Cry series – Stylish swordsman (with a few magic projectiles as an option) with way more tricks up his sleeve than necessary. Also has zero luck with the ladies.
- Gerome: Kaiser Oblivion, Bravely Second – Masked badass who's as nihilistic as they come. But dig a bit beneath the surface, and you find a surprisingly caring and occasionally affectionate man with a strong sense of duty. And how do you make such a character even more awesome? Put him on a wyvern! Minerva fits like a glove.
- Rose: Ruby Rose, RWBY – Rose's original build and character design.
Phew… Not sure when the next chapter's coming out. I'm not sure whether it's because I'm running low on inspiration or because I'm just having a lot of fun playing FE 3 Houses, but writing is starting to feel more like a chore than a hobby at this point. I can only hope that it's a temporary funk, as there's still stuff that I wish to get written in this fic.
That will be all for now. Until next time.
VipeR out.
