Mark quietly read a book by candle-light in Castle Pherae's massive library. Apparently Eliwood had always enjoyed his reading as a child, and his parents had it built for his tenth birthday. Since then, he had expanded it with his own funding from working around the castle and abroad. Mark found this tidbit of information about Eliwood interesting. His straightforward and honest pursuit of knowledge reminded Mark somewhat of himself. Though as far as he could tell he was slightly older than Eliwood, he felt they would get along.
Laying on the table in front of Mark were several books and maps of Lycia. Mark quietly plotted out the best course of action as he took a small sip from cold tea he kept forgetting he even had in front of him. Pherae was rather close to Caelin, around three days of slower-paced marching if Mark was accurate in guessing. This of course assumed the group took a directly straight line from Pherae to Caelin and faced no opposition along the way, which of course was folly to assume. Mark tiredly held a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, visualizing the map in his mind. First decision he had to make was whether to take the direct path and face Caelin's armies head on, or take longer by marching an indirect but more hidden route. Personally he preferred the later, but he considered the group. Lyn was obviously hurt due to the recent deaths, and still didn't know about her grandfather's death. If Mark was any good at understanding people, she was only going to get more impatient and therefore reckless as they went. If she felt that way it would reflect onto the whole group one way or another. No, the only ones who would be able to mentally handle the longer route would be himself, Erk, and Matthew. Possibly Wil. In addition, the longer Mark took, the longer he ran the risk of being dragged back before he could finish.
Therefore, even though it presented more immediate danger, the quicker route would be better. No matter what it was essentially that as many people as possible were still mentally sane by the time they reached Caelin castle. Taking a castle with only a handful of people even in top condition was hard enough, any doubt or lack of motivation would be crippling. Mark sighed and leaned back into his chair, staring at the ceiling. After a few moments of rest, he leaned back forward and continued to plot his course. Assuming the group took a purely direct path to Caelin, Mark figured they'd have two or three more major battle, and a handful of smaller skirmishes throughout. Concentrating on the map, Mark quietly reached into his massive pack and pulled of a handful of pins. He started by mapping out where he would place his forces if he was the enemy commander. After that, he lowered his standards and placed pins again. He repeated this process several times, using different pin heights to indicate which places were more likely to have enemies than others. Eventually, the whole section of map between Pherae and Caelin had pins in them. Mark leaned back and carefully held the map up to the light one more time to go over his work. After removing one or two pins, a total of twenty seven practical locations for the enemy to ambush them remained. Sighing and placing the map on the table, he took out his paints and began to mark a seperate map with the same spots, using colors to do what the pin's height had done before. Once he was done, he pulled the pins out of the first map and, after folding it, put it aside. The second map he left to dry as he picked up a book on Caelin's history, hoping it would give him some insight as to what Lundgren would do.
After reading for a little while, he heard footsteps approaching the library's entrance. Mark raised an eyebrow, bringing his eyes off his book and to the door. He quickly placed his tome on the table like it belonged there, just in case. Soon, an older version of Eliwood walked in. Mark immediately guessed it was the Lord of the castle, Marquess Elbert. If Eliwood had a more defined jawline and a moustache, these two would be indistinguishable from each other. Mark had learned the Marquess's name from Eliwood. Elbert carried himself with a prideful, yet reasonable air. While Elbert obviously seemed to hold himself to a high standard, he still gave off a very comfortable demeanor, so much so that Mark almost wasn't dreading the coming conversation. Yet, Mark was ready for anything. He swallowed lightly, standing from his chair and bowing.
"Lord Elbert. Then you for allowing us to spend the night in your castle." Mark said, cursing himself for slipping into his over-polite mannerisms. Lord Elbert held up a hand and gestured for Mark to sit down, which he did. Elbert didn't reply, and instead looked around the library for something. Mark went back to his book. Maybe Elbert didn't want anything from him after all. He was wrong. Just as Mark forgot about him, Elbert sat across the table and set down a large ornate box.
He paused. "... I'm not sure how to ask this of you, Mage General." Elbert began. Mark quietly eyed the box. "I am very proud as a leader. I have worked diligently not only for my land, by for all the land of Lycia. I'm proud of the villages under my domain, for instance. They export many goods, are happy, and spread that happiness among themselves. I'm proud of my son. He will be an even better leader than I am one day." He nervously tapped the box. Mark wondered why Elbert was telling him any of this. "You see, this pride of mine sometimes leaves me blind to the needs of the common, or to the mundane. I cannot always help but wonder if there are always things I'm missing in my leadership that I simply do not even realize are there. The other day, I received a very… pressing letter." He said, looking down and scowling. "This letter has left me with a choice that is nearly impossible to decide upon. Do I act upon what is good for my people, or do I leave things as they are and not do anything too drastic? I simply don't know." Elbert looked up. Please, PLEASE do not ask me what you should do. Mark thought silently, face unchanging. Elbert stared into Mark's eyes, saying nothing, mind racing. "...Usually when I find myself in such situations I turn to my son. He's a bright lad, but I already know his answer, and it is biased. This is to be expected, as he is not yet feeling the weight of leadership that comes with his birthright. And so…" Elbert trailed off and opened the ornate box to reveal…
"A board game?" Mark said, surprised. "I thought you were going to ask me what you should do?" Mark asked.
Elbert nodded as he set up the pieces. "I am. My son and I love this game. It is a very effective way to pick up and practice strategies. I'm sure a tactician like yourself that is able to work so diligently into the night will take to it like a fish to water."
"And you don't ask your son to play with you because…?" Mark said quietly.
Elbert laughed. "Well, how often does one have a Mage General in his home? This is a good opportunity for me to practice, as well as get a fresh answer." Soon the board was set up. It was a very simple game. The board was split into various landscapes that all had varying effects on the pieces. Then, the pieces themselves came in red and blue variants, representing two armies, a total of ten pieces on each side. Each piece had a number from one to ten on it. The goal was simple. You were allowed set up your pieces anywhere in any order on your side of the field, with the number's facing the controlling player. Pieces could only be captured and defeated by a number higher, the same, or one lower. For instance, seven could be captured by a six or above. Terrain on the board would affect the pieces on it by simple addition of subtraction. For instance, the forests added plus two to any given pieces value, while the tundra took two away. Only one piece could be moved every turn, and only one space. These were all the rules.
"I see." Mark said, after listening to Elbert's explanation of the game. "But what does this have to do with the letter? I do not know anything of the details. A board game is hardly related, no?" Mark finished.
Elbert shook his head. "You will see. I'll force you into the same position, and we will see what you do."
Mark sighed and closed his book. "I have no emotional attachment to these pieces, Lord Elbert. In a decision between something important to you, and something for the good of everyone, this is a poor-"
Elbert looked up from the board with a stern look on his face. "I understand your hesitation. Please, indulge me. Consider it payment for your night in my castle." Mark stared silently and set up his pieces. The game began slowly, one piece moving one space every turn kept things simple for a long time. However, once the pieces were more spread out, and neither side had opted to try and take a piece yet, things took a more interesting turn. Mark calmly surveyed the board. A piece would certainly be taken within the next few moves, since space was becoming more and more sparse. The question became whether or not he should make the first strike. Deciding to try his luck, he took his seven and attacked a nearby piece unconnected to the rest of Elberts pieces. A nine. Mark smiled and removed his piece from play. Elbert laughed and moved another piece.
"Do not worry." He said. "The game is still only begun."
"I'm not worried." Mark said flatly. "This is a vital step towards victory."
"Oh?" Elbert said. "So a sacrifice is necessary if it give you important information then?"
Mark bit his lip. "...Yes. Sometimes."
Elbert nodded sagely. "And this happens to be one of those times, I see." He said. They continued quietly. Elbert's pieces had converged into a ball in the terrain that gave his pieces the largest disadvantage. His nine was on the other side of the board. Mark had soon surrounded this ball, encircling it and keeping his pieces on the pain tiles, giving them no advantages, but no disadvantages. If Elbert wanted to break through, he would need very good luck.
"Lord Elbert, with all due respect." Mark said, "It may be wise to surrender. I know that you last piece that can move around safely is a nine. You are still unaware of what any of my pieces could be. Your pieces are on disadvantageous tiles. I've also deduced that these three pieces," Mark pointed to three of Elbert's pieces, "Are your one, two, and ten respectively. Perhaps it would be wise…" Mark squinted at the board. He leaned in. "Wait but if…" He trailed off. Elbert simply smiled, grabbed a piece, and attacked Mark's six with his eight, the only piece in his outer wall with any value. With the minus three penalty, it was barely enough to take the piece. Now there was a hole in Mark's defence. None of this is what bothered Mark. It was the placement of his lowest and highest pieces. The lower pieces were acting as a wall for the higher pieces. In this game, lower pieces were at a very distinct disadvantage to every other piece. Even a two could be taken by every piece in the game at base value. Therefore, they were only best used as decoys, or as bluffs. But with the way Elbert was currently set up, his wall was made of complete frailty. With the minus three penalty on the tiles his pieces were on, his highest number in his outer wall was likely around two or three. Why? It drove Mark crazy. Maybe by using the eight it was a ploy to get Mark to believe that the entire outerwall of the pieces were made of the highest numerical values, but Mark was certain the rest of the outer wall was made of the weakest pieces. This was not a feasible strategy at all. The only way the same strategy could maybe work is if the tiles were the additional three point tiles, rather than the subtracting ones. At least that way his wall would have some fortitude.
This is when it hit Mark. Elbert knew that Mark would be able to tell which pieces were what from the way Elbert played. Afterwall, Mark was the Mage General, an incredibly learned individual with strategy as a very forefront art. If Mark had realized it much later, the nine would already have swooped in to clean out his entire army. Afterall, the nine was able to take out any piece in the game. Now Mark had a choice. Did he confront the ridiculous strategy of Elberts wall of pieces, or leave things as they were and deal with the nine only once it arrived?
Mark wasn't sure how long he was sitting there, but eventually Elbert cleared his throat. "I now think you have some insight to my problem, as well as my strategy, yes? Either way, in this situation, you will come out the victor. I know that. I had no hope of beating you in the first place. This whole game was for this moment. What do you think you should do? Wait? Attack? I am ready for your answer." Mark stared at the board.
"...If I wait to attack you now that I've realized your weak defences, it would be foolish of me in a real life scenario." Mark started. Elbert Nodded. "But… why would you do something like that if this wasn't a game? In real life there is no reason not to put your more durable soldiers on the front lines. This is the equivalent of battle clerics being in front of armored knights. Whatever that ball is supposed to represent, it makes no sense. It simply cannot be the case." Mark paused. "But… if I wait…" Mark closed his eyes and sighed. "Then… then I'm not taking advantage of the fact that you are at your weakest possible moment. I am running a higher risk of your nine taking out half my pieces before I take all of yours. Either way, I'll win, as you said, but…" Mark wasn't sure why he felt such hesitation in attacking Elbert's defenses. Perhaps because he was trying to reason what real life scenario would be so hopeless in Elbert's eyes that he was portraying through such a poor defense. After all, that cluster of nine pieces should have much more priority than his one, stranded piece.
"And thus… your answer?" Elbert asked. Mark took a piece and started breaking into Elbert's cluster of pieces. Soon, the board was cleared other than Elbert's nine. Mark still had every piece but his seven and six. "I see." Elbert said. He leaned back and began to casually put his pieces back into the box. "You are a brilliant strategist hmm?"
"You made it obvious on purpose because you're trying to prove a point." Mark said, picking up his book again. "I would be willing to do this again another day where we are both trying our hardest." Mark thought a moment and put his book down again as Elbert was putting the box back. "Lord Elbert." Mark said.
Elbert chuckled. "The Mage General certainly doesn't need to call me lord. You outclass me greatly, but your humility is appreciated. What is it?"
Mark hesitated. "...What is your dilemma? What were you trying to portray in that game? What situation is that hopeless, to straightforward, yet so complicated?"
Elbert looked away. "...Those are matters of Lycian nobles, Mage General. I do not expect you to divulge matters of Etruria to me. I should, in all honesty, have never told you any of this, but I felt that I must. I thank you for indulging me so." Elbert turned on his heels, and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Mage General."
"... Of course Lord Elbert. But, while I'm here, travelling…" Mark opened his book again. "It's just Mark."
Elbert chuckled. "Yes, the traitor, the vagabond, the wanderer. The ever elusive…" Elbert paused and sighed. "...Mark. I thank you again. I have matters to attend to in the morning. I do hope we can meet again one day."
Mark nodded and returned to his book. "I must say Lord Elbert. I hope we can too." He said to himself.
A/N: Hey guys. Next chapter we are back on the road and back to some action. I just thought we could stand a little lore/world building before so. What better chance that after everyone is recovering from a massive break in morale? It should be relatively obvious for those familiar with 7's story just what Elbert might be contemplating over in this chapter, and I felt it was important for Mark to have at least one interaction with him before we get into Eliwood/Hector mode. In other news, I'm on summer now so I'm going to try and update this story every week or so while I'm available to actually do so. I know that I'm hyped, personally. I hope you guys are too. Till next time, as always thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day/night! :D -Matt (I added this to make it just over 3000 words, mwahaha) EDIT: Fixed stuff. :)
