DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts nor Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia characters, Square Enix, Nintendo, and Disney are the owners.
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Yep, Alm and Celica are stubborn, they choose what to believe and what to fight for on their own way after all. This attitude of theirs can lead either of them to a doomfall unless there's someone who serves as their guidance. This is what Roxas is doing, to serve not only as Celica's bodyguard but be her guidance so she doesn't let her own believes cloud her rational judgement and make a good use of her mind as to not be tricked easily by a some creepily evil person.
Anyway, it's time to begin the first arc of The Valentian Cold War Saga: War of Deliverance.
CHAPTER 6 – ENCOUNTERING A PAIR OF SISTERS.
DESERT STRONGHOLD | 1st of Pegastym, Year 401. Valentian Calendar.
In the middle of the desert far away from the citadels, there was a heavily fortified stronghold whose owner was no more nor less than Grieth, Roxas and his party's next target.
A white-haired man arrived after using a wyvern dragon and after he stepped inside the stronghold, he approached a blonde woman with a gray armor who was trapped behind the bars like a prisoner she was.
"Mathilda…" he greeted her in a dry voice...
"Fernand? What are you doing here?" she said out of surprise. "Have you come here to rescue me?!"
But her hopes sunk down as he spoke denying such action. "No, milady. I fear I no longer serve the Deliverance."
"What? What do you mean?" Mathilda questioned his attitude in disbelief.
"Exactly as I said." Fernand affirmed his true intentions. "Sadly, Clive and I no longer share the same ideals. "I have sworn my lance instead to Lord Berkut of the Rigelian Empire."
This statement made Mathilda upset, their own comrade turned his back on them to swear fealty to an atrocious enemy of theirs.
"The general who leads our enemies? Had madness taken you?!" Mathilda expressed her disapproval to his allegiance to the enemy army. "A lance sworn to him is lance through my heart. Don't you care about Sofia?"
"Sofia?" Fernand said coldly expressing disgust towards his former home. "You mean the proud kingdom whose riches fell to wild and ignorant savages? Sofia is dead to me. I have buried her and will not look back."
"How can you say such a thing, Fernand?" Mathilda replied in disbelief and sadness. "You and Clive were like brothers. It's not too late to fix this. Return to the Deliverance!" she tried to persuade Fernand to change sides. "I know Clive would welcome you back with open arms."
"… With you by my side, I might have chosen differently."
"Fernand?" Mathilda said in confusion.
"What is done is done." Fernand gave her one final disheartening message, something that made Mathilda gasp. "… Grieth intends to put you to death in a few days. It won't be long for now. On the morrow, I depart for Rigel at Lord Berkut's side. Farewell, Mathilda."
"Fernand, wait!" Mathilda tried to call him out as she helplessly watched him walk away, now she was doomed to her execution by Grieth and his henchmen.
Or… that's what she thought.
/
SOFIA CASTLE – COURTYARD.
Celica had a rather shattered reunion with Alm and the two had a heated arguing, leading them to be separated and choose their own path, as she walked downstairs, she let some tears come off her eyes.
Even through Roxas had secretly watched the whole scene, he felt something was not right with Celica, despite not being her boyfriend nor anything, Roxas needed to figure her out and support her during their quest to Mila's Temple.
[KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 DAYS BGM: DEARLY BELOVED]
"Celica, hey. What's the wrong?" Roxas said trying to comfort her. "Why are crying?"
"Ro-Roxas… I did something horrible." She replied in a broken voice as she was weeping. "I'm an idiot!"
"But why? What happened?" he asked her as she pressed her face against his chest.
"Alm is… Alm is really the leader of Deliverance… We argued and instead of trying to listen to him… I talked to him ha-harshly and said many horrible words on his face!" Celica confessed her wrong actions back at her reunion.
"Celica…" Roxas wasn't angry with her at all, instead, his face was also written in sadness upon seeing Celica like this, he need to do something to calm her down and wipe out her tears.
"What can I do to prevent Alm from dying?" Celica said sobbing calmly. "I want to save him…"
"It's not that I approve him in joining an army like that but… there's sometimes that we don't have a choice to reject something like a mandatory call to join an army. And our own believes can cloud our minds. I used to be like this until a friend of mines taught me how not to let my emotions screw my judgment." Roxas said giving her a deep reflection. "But I will tell you this…" He placed his hands onto her shoulders, showing Celica a serious determination. "We are going to do everything ensure our survival and Alm's too, I promise."
"Roxas…" she said soothing herself while wiping off her tears. "You are a considerate man."
"Thank you." He thanked Celica for her compelling. "I just want you to be happy."
As the two decided to have a walk around the courtyard, Celica decided to speak about her reasons to go to the Temple of Mila.
So, what relationship do you have with Alm?" Roxas began. "Is he a friend of yours?"
"Well, we've been friends for a very, very long time since our childhood." Celica explained to him her story. "He's a special person for me, we lived happily in Ram Village alongside Tobin, Kliff, Gray and Faye."
"You must have made precious friends." Roxas compelled taking a big like on her personal story.
"Of course, friendship is one of the most precious thing that any human being can have." Celica continued. "But our happiness was cut short when one of Desaix henchmen, Slayde, came to our village and discovered my heritage thanks to my mark here." She then showed her special mark on her right hand, getting the keyblade wielder's attention.
"Wow, that's…" Roxas was amazed staring at the mark. "…surprising. Nice mark."
"Thanks. Slayde and his henchmen tried to harm us, but my grandpapa saved us all driving them out of the village." Celica resumed her tale. "However, as my grandpapa was well aware that those people would not stop until they got me, I was forced to flee with him, leaving Alm and the others behind. As I departed, Alm wowed to one day that we would reunite. And that's what happened, but not the way as we wanted."
"I suppose you didn't have a choice." Roxas understood her reasons to constantly dodge those people who always wanted to capture her.
"That's right, after that, I spend most of my adolescence training in the teachings of Mila and I became skilled with magic, and not only that, I became close to Boey, Mae and Genny at the Priory." Celica mentioned her friends she made during her time in Priory, and she came to tell her reason to set out her journey to Sofia. "The real reason I decided to come here all this way, it's because I had a nightmare, no, I had a horrifying premonition."
"A premonition?" Roxas asked her out of intrigue paying attention to her story. "What did you experience?"
"You see, I dreamt of seeing Alm fight Rudolf, I was there watching helplessly how he suffered, he really suffered too much to carry a heavy weight as a leader of an army. I tried to stop Alm, but he went through past me and he was knocked down by a strong swing Rudolf landed him." She explained her nightmare, a horrifying nightmare she went through. "Alm couldn't move a bone as he was gravely injured lying on his own pool of blood. And then… Rudolf pierced his sword killing him and I woke up screaming in horror. I was terrified, I became really terrified for his life. This motivated me to set out my journey to come here trying to gain allies and to do everything to prevent his death, and then you appeared and joined us."
"Celica… if I understand well, Rudolf must be a terrible person to kill with such a cruelty." Roxas came to comprehend her motives to head to Mila's temple.
"Looks like it, but Sofians and Rigelians are part of Valentia, and I don't wish a fight between each other. Anyway, this is the real reason I want to go to the Temple of Mila, I wanna end this senseless bloodshed."
"I wish this was so simple, but, I will help you however I can." Roxas knew this is a very hard, if not impossible task but nonetheless, he decided to share his path with hers.
"Thank you, Roxas." Celica thanked him for his initiative.
/
SOMEWHERE IN VALENTIA | FOREST
Elsewhere in the woods, there were some men who were part of the Rigelian army riding their horses, at the front of them there was a brown-haired man wearing a dark-themed armor of the same color as his hairs with a little dark-blue cape.
"What? That's nonsense." He said not wanting to buy the story his men were telling him. "A kiddo with a black coat wiping out the pirates and giant dragons with stupid key toys? Don't make me laugh."
"We know it's a rumor lord Berkut and we are not sure if it is true." One of the Rigelians tried to explain him. "But many people affirm that this guy is stronger enough to handle such a big beast without any problem, even going as far as slicing a Cantor in half in a blink of an eye."
"Also, rumors point out his name is Roxas."
"Slicing a beast with key toys… interesting…" Berkut expressed having his face written in wickedness, letting out a low but dark laugh. "Aside of that Alm guy… this kiddo makes two cockroaches I can have fun with… and prove them my superiority…"
Berkut was very obsessed in facing not only Alm, but Roxas too, he wanted power, he wanted to rule over everything as he had been desiring for so long. To hurt the weak.
/
Roxas and the others set out head to Sofian Coast but to do that, they had to cross a very dangerous zone.
"Once we cross this mountain, we'll finally reach the coast." Celica said despite the deadly consequences they would have to face." It's a hard climb, bit I know we'll make it."
They were about to move when…
"Hold." A male voice said from nowhere, making the party realizing of the figure approaching them.
"Hmm? Who's there?" Celica was interrogating when everyone came to notice the said figure.
"That man." Roxas said gazing at the figure, who turned out to be the same masked knight.
"You're the one from before!" Celica seconded in surprise like the others. "I'm glad our paths have crossed again. I'd hoped for a change to properly thank you for helping us."
"I've no use for thanks." The masked man let out a slight smile. "I come bearing a warning: proceed no further here."
"What? I must know the reason for this warning." Celica demanded him.
"The terrain ahead is loose and prone to failure." The masked man explained the problem. "Additionally, there are still forces who would see you harmed. If you must attain the Temple of Mila, strike west through the mountains."
"West? But that's where Alm…" Celica expressed reluctance as she listened to his advice.
"You have been warned." The masked man finished before galloped away.
"Wait! Hold on!" Roxas tried to call him but it was useless.
"Aaaaand he's gone. AGAIN." Mae said rolling her eyes. "I seriously wanna know who this creepy mask guy is and why he's following us!"
"As do I, Mae. But regardless, this makes twice he's aided us." Celica assured the party about the masked man's good actions, or something like that.
"And with the dire warning ringing in our ears, what is the plan, milady?" Boey asked her about their next move. "Do we follow Mr. Mask's advice and take the western route? That would be quite a detour…"
"Do we have any cause to trust this masked fellow in the first place?" Saber didn't look pleasured with the masked man's actions. "Sure, he helped us out before, but that's no guarantee of pure motive."
"And what was that bit about "forces in play who would see you harmed?"" Mae expressed curiosity about the man's words. "Is he saying MORE people are going to turn up and kidnap Celica?!"
"I think he's referring to those guys in purple who have been spawning countless times with the same purpose as you say, Mae." Roxas said sensing the masked man's words recollecting important Intel.
"No. We are not taking the western route." Celica made up a rather risky choice. "We continue on as planned."
"Are you sure? If we do go straight ahead, we might put ourselves in peril." Roxas questioned her knowing the big risk they all were putting themselves into.
"I'm not dismissing what he said, Roxas, but our purpose cannot brook delay." Celica re-assured her initiative. "If we are attacked, I have faith we can prevail. Besides, even the cleverest trap will betray some sign to a watchful eye, so as long as we continue to be vigilant, we'll be alright."
/
Elsewhere in the forest close to where Roxas and his party were moving through the mountains, a creepy-looking purple man arcanist was stealthy watching over them in the shadows, however, he was feeling infuriated when he saw the keyblade wielder walk with them, not only that, he felt horrified by inside at the same time.
"Hmph. And here she is at last." He spoke in menace. "Do not mistake me for the base fools who came before. My power was bestowed upon me my Jedah himself. Now go, crush the girl alongside this filthy boy in black coat and the pitiful insects accompanying her!"
The arcanist casted his spell, causing a landslide, which made the cliff start collapsing and the whole place began trembling in an alarming rate...
"Waugh! Earthquake?!" Saber spat in shock feeling the whole place shaking.
"What is going on?!" Roxas replied watching the cliff collapse.
"Gah! I-c-can't even stand!" Mae was scared of this disaster.
"Look out! The cliff is crumbling!" Saber said trying to shield himself and the others.
"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me! As if anything else could have gone wrong on this blasted adventure!" Boey whined in frustration and fright.
"Everyone, be careful!" Celica said as she did something that alarmed everyone.
"Celica?! No! Don't come any closer!" Boey tried to warm her to not be reckless as to expose herself to the rock sliding.
Then, Roxas ran towards her risking his life to shield her even if that would cost his life, much to Boey's and everybody's horror.
"Milaaady! Roxaaaas!" Boey screamed their names in horror thinking that the two had seemingly died.
But… what they saw was Roxas shielding Celica with his body but only that, they were inside a field of energy, leaving them speechless.
"Celica! Roxas! Are you all right?!" Mae asked them out of shock and awe to see them alive and in one piece.
"Holy shit! Do you guys see that?!" Boey exclaimed out of amazement with Roxas risky but smart actions in protecting Celica.
After the field of energy vanished, Celica figured out that she came out unharmed but so Roxas did. Then, a huge curiosity came to her mind.
"Huh? But how…?" she spoke in surprise and curiosity. "Roxas… what in the world did you do?"
"Are you OK?" Roxas asked helping her to stand up.
"I'm fine, thank you." Celica replied letting put a slightly hurt grunt as they stood up. "What happened? How come those big rocks didn't hurt us at all?"
"You see, when I shielded you with my body, I casted a spell that created a field of energy and protected us, I call this spell "Reflega."" Roxas explained the situation. "It's one of the magic spells I can cast with my keyblades."
"I see. That's pretty clever of you." She praised him.
"Are you two unhurt?" that question came from the masked man, who had been few meters from them standing at the collapsed cliff.
"Huh? Why did I suspect I'd see you again?" Celica gazed at him with curiosity. "Anyway, it appears we are… thanks to Roxas. I owe you an apology. You warned me this would happen, and yet I—"
"Do not apologize." The masked man cut her off nicely. "But stop allowing petty emotion to cloud your judgement. Your choices steer fates of more than just yourself."
"…You're right." Celica understood his words, she needed to keep her mind crystal clear as a water. "I can offer no rebuttal."
"Still, there's little sense in turning back when you're almost through." Masked man stated her and the whole team, and then he gazed at Roxas. "Your skills are remarkable, young man, that is the reason that she made you an indispensable ally among the others."
"I do what I think it's best, just that." Roxas justified his reason to aid Celica and the others.
"Still, you have done the good works facing tough enemies and those people who wish to see the girl harmed, and you managed to drive them out of your way. The Sofian coast is just ahead. The road beyond should offer safe passage."
"How can you be certain?" Celica asked the masked man if he was telling the truth.
"My prey were kind enough to use magic potent enough to reveal their location." He assured her before leaving the team to ride towards an unknown location.
"Gone again, as sudden as ever." Celica said watching the mysterious man leave. "I wished he would at least offer his name."
"What is going on through his mind?" Roxas agreed with her.
"Yeah, talk about your shady characters!" Mae also shared the same thinking. "Still, I suppose he seems like a decent-enough guy."
"Yeah, well, Mr. Mask seems to enjoy our company. I wager we'll see him again." Saber began taking a like on the mysterious man, aside of asking Celica if she knew him. "And you're sure you've got no guess as to who he might me?"
"None." She admitted not having any knowledge of the masked man's name. "I've no allies left in this world, save the ones I travel with now."
"Oof… Didn't mean to sour the mood. Forget I asked." Saber realized of the mistake he had just committed.
"It's all right…" Celica made him see that she wasn't offended by his question, before going back to the main topic. "But back to the matter at hand, the road is well and truly blocked now."
"Which means we cannot turn back now." Roxas spoke after noticing the now blocked road with rocks.
"Yeah, we can't head back that way any time soon." She recognized the situation.
"Then it's a lucky thing that we have no need to head that direction." Boey stated with a little sarcasm, but still agreed with them.
"Now we couldn't go to aid Alm if we wanted to…" Celica muttered in low voice expressing failure.
"Milady?" Boey called her.
"It's nothing." Celica responded erasing her frustration away, decided to continue their journey. "We've spent enough time here. Let's press on."
/
SOFIAN COAST
The party walked a couple of kilometers until they arrived in Sofian Coast. A trade route through east Sofia that lead to the Temple of Mila.
However, they soon encountered a lot of obstacles on their way.
"Ah… Quiet, everyone!" Celica commanded them to not make any noise.
And then, the team came to see a thief man let out a wicked laugh.
"Who are those thieves?" Roxas asked her.
"That must be Garth and his men." Celica replied. "Probably best to avoid them. Let's go around that way.
But suddenly, two girls appeared from nowhere flying with their Pegasus, they seemed slightly hurt and tired.
"Change of plans, look!" Roxas spoke upon seeing the girls struggling for their lives against Garth's henchmen.
Celica and the others came to realize of this problem that those girls were going through, the first girl with green hair was struggling to keep up with Grieth's henchmen. "More of Grieth's thugs, I take it?"
"Well, give the little girl a prize!" Garth said in a wicked voice wanting to capture the girls. "Yer pretty smart for a foreign lass. In that case, might be ye also know how much a pair like you could fetch!"
"Catria!" said the green-haired girl advised the other girl. "Keep your wits about you and do not leave my side!"
"It'd those sisters!" Celica recognized the pair.
"Do you know them?" Roxas asked her.
"Not very much, but I talked to them a while ago somewhere." Celica assured him.
"Aw, cripes, Celica. What do we do?!" Mae whined in dilemma.
"About we go help those girls dealing with those bandits? We can't just leave them to their luck." Roxas suggested everyone to jump straight to action.
"That's right, let's go everyone!" Celica agreed with him as they headed to the battle.
[INFORMATION: Help Celica and the party to defeat Garth and his henchmen!]
[KINGDOM HEARTS II BGM: The Encounter]
Roxas and the others jumped straight onto the battle to fight Garth and his henchmen, Roxas, Kamui, Leon and Saber slashed and took down some of Garth's swordsmen while Celica, Boey, Genny and Valbar did their own thing.
Suddenly, more of Grieth men came out from nowhere and started to cause trouble to the sisters.
"Nhgh! Where those men come from?!" Palla snarled in frustration.
"I dunno, but let's keep fighting!" Catria replied in the same matter, aside of asking her to not give up and keep fighting.
"The sisters are in trouble! Kid! Go help them! We'll keep those fuckers off your tail!" Saber told Roxas to take his point and ensure the girls' survival.
"Got it!" he said as he ran to where the sisters were.
As he reached for Catria and Palla, Roxas proceeded to launch a strong and hard-hitting Strike Raid onto few bandits and repeated the same process on the rest of them. Palla and Catria gazed at Roxas with amazement upon watching him toss the bandits with ease.
"Those black clothes, blue eyes, Celica was quite right to have you as a comrade of hers." Palla compelled him.
"Thanks? She needed some to give her a sort of guidance." Roxas spoke giving them a smile the girls liked.
"Hey, YOU!" the voice of Garth got their attention and shouted in anger at Roxas. "Yes, you! How dare you to kill my henchmen and guard those girls I was about to have as my precious merchandise!"
"Go help the others, I'll deal with him!" Roxas indicated them preparing himself to fight.
"Okay, let's go, Catria!" Palla expressed her thanks before heading to where Celica and the others were fighting the rest of the bandits.
Roxas and Garth were face to face as the latter grinned in avarice and arrogance trying to make fun of him. "No matter how tough you look, you never gonna beat me, and neither lord Grieth, you little fuck!"
"We'll see about that." Roxas didn't care if he tried to dishearten him, because the keyblade wielder had an ace card below his sleeve, and he was willing to carry it out.
Garth surged towards him and tried to slice him in half with a horizontal swing but as Roxas had predicted his moveset, he dodge-rolled forward and landed a couple of slashes on his back.
Garth couldn't believe what had just happened, he wondered how could a young teenager like Roxas was able to dodge and hit him hard. But this didn't matter to him, as the arrogance and creepy obsession had already clouded his mind, all he wanted was to capture anyone whom he views as such a high value for his merchandise.
Roxas and Garth clashed their respective weapons with all their might, Garth tried to kick Roxas in the face but he managed to guard himself with his two keyblades and retaliated performing the Ars Arcanum slashing Garth a great number of times until Roxas came out with one last devastating strike as he pointed his keyblades backwards and performed a powerful slash through Garth's body, giving him a critical and fatal hit in the process.
"H-How…? I've bought'n sold tougher'n this… Uuuuuurk…" Garth winced in pain gazing at him with hatred before eventually perishing.
At the same, Celica and the whole party managed to finally clear the area from Garth's henchmen and keep Palla and Catria safe, who came to aid the party.
[Music Stops]
"Thank the Mother we managed to keep those sister safe…" said Celica showing satisfaction with their results.
"Thank you, guys, we wouldn't have lasted long if you didn't show up here." Palla said expressing their thanks.
"Are you guys ok?" Roxas called the party to see if they were not harmed.
"Yes, looks like you defeated Garith, I take it?" Catria affirmed his question aside of asking him if he really had killed the bandit.
"Pretty much, I sent him to his sleep." Roxas replied assuring her he really had taken him down.
"You're quite a hardened warrior, I see." Catria sensed his strength within the keyblade wielder. "I wonder where did you learn to fight like this?"
"It's long story." Roxas said remembering his moments as a part of the Organization XIII and aiding Sora against Master Xehanort.
"Come now. We'll gain nothing by lingering." Celica asked her party to keep forward with their quest.
Everybody nodded and kept pushing forward to Grieth's stronghold.
Unbeknownst to everyone, afar from the zone, a mysterious female figure dressed as same as Roxas in black coat and covered face by the hood watched the whole action without being seen as she leaned from a tree, she seemed to hold a tiny interest on Roxas and Celica.
What are her motives to hide her identity? Is it Xion? No, she stayed in Twilight Town with Axel and probably started their training for their incoming journey to Fodlan to aid Sora and the others so this is impossible.
What are her reasons to watch over Celica and Roxas? What are her intentions?
END OF CHAPTER 6
AAAND THIS HOW THIS EPISODE ENDS, NOW WE GOT A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN DRESSED IN BLACK COAT. YOU MIGHT WONDER WHAT IS SHE DOING THERE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW EITHER, BUT EVERYTHING WILL BECOME CLEAR SOMETIME LATER AT THE STORY. FOR NOW, LET'S KEEP THIS IN MYSTERY.
AND NO, IT ISN'T LARXENE NOR KAIRI IF YOU ASK ME.
ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER, ANY GOOD IDEAS AND FEEDBACK ARE WELCOME.
SEE YOU.