c/w: themes of graphic violence and death
He stood there in the crowd as they parted instinctually; king among men. Dimitri stood up to his full height, Areadbhar in his hand and glowing a ghastly red. He shrugged off a weather cloak, giving way to his worn armor. But even the weeks on the road didn't hold back the commanding presence he had.
"First you take my army, then my kingdom?" he growled, heard by all. None spoke, too caught off guard by the appearance of the sovereign. He slowly began to stalk forward, each step echoed with the clanking of armor. People parted, giving way to the demon that'd emerged.
Only one dared to approach. "Dimitri!" cried Ingrid, running from the base of the stage to him. Sylvain caught a glimpse of her expression: hope.
Dimitri glanced at her as she ran to him, his cold eyes narrowing. He briefly stopped walking, allowing her to close the distance. "Dimitri! Goddess, are you—"
He shoved her out of the way.
Ingrid fell to the ground, so caught off guard that she didn't even think to catch herself. She landed in the slowly gathering snow, shocked.
Dimitri had no qualms and continued to walk forward. "Sylvain! Felix!" he roared.
Felix tense in front of Sylvain, still holding an arm out to protect his husband. "Boar," he hissed over the quiet din. "What are you here for?"
"For what is mine!" Dimitri yelled. "You speak of peace, of ending this war? You break bread with our enemies? Rowe sided with her, with Edelgard!" He stopped walking, but ten feet from the stage. Ashe had his bow knocked and ready, as did the archers lining the walls.
"Augustus is not our enemy, Dimitri," Sylvain said. "These people are not. Let it go, you're better than this."
"Better?" crowed Dimitri. "I seek justice. Justice for my father, for Glenn, for this nation!"
"Justice, or revenge?" Felix growled, slowly drawing his sword. More of the crowd started to back away, sensing impending bloodshed. "They're not the same."
"I don't care to hear your opinions," snarled Dimitri. "I've come to lead my people to war against her."
"This war is done, Dimitri," Sylvain said. "This treaty is the end. Our allies have taken the fight to the Empire. We're in no place to support them. This nation needs to heal, needs peace. Let it go."
From his vantage point, he could see nods coming from the crowd. They tired of war as much as he did.
"A king does not let his enemies go free," Dimitri said. "While she lives, she is a threat. She must pay for what she's done."
"Shut up, boar!" Felix snapped. "You talk and talk and fucking talk about her. Don't you care at all about this country? We're trying to fix it—to fix what you've neglected! Just shut up and think of someone other than yourself for one fucking minute of your existence!"
Dimitri's expression was hell frozen over, a cold that would never warm. His eye was an icicle, jagged and pointed as it bored into Felix.
"No wonder your father favored me," he spat. "You do not get to lecture me. You killed Dedue. I've come for my kingdom, and will take your head as well. Come down here and give it to me. To your king."
"You're not my king," Felix said with disgust. "You never were."
Dimitri raised his lance and smashed it into the ground. "People of Faerghus! I am your true king, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd! Come, and we will strike down these pretenders and take this fight to the Emperor."
No one moved.
He looked around, as if he really did expect people to flock to his side in his disillusioned state. If anything, more people backed away as if he were a rabid animal, liable to snap at any of them.
Seeing his request had fallen on deaf ears, he turned his gaze back to Felix and Sylvain. "So be it," he said. "If they will not join me of their own accord, I shall give them no choice."
He took a step forward just as Felix leapt from the stage, sword aloft.
Felix swung his blade forward and met Dimitri's lance, a brief contest of strength and they stared at each other. Their faces were close, each a picture of anger.
Behind him, he could hear Ashe yell, "Archers, take aim!"
Sylvain immediately shouted, "Belay that, you could hit Felix!"
Felix ignored them both, glaring at his once friend. "I don't know what reality you live in, but I hope you're ready to die for it."
"After I kill you and your philandering husband, I'll take care of Edelgard. No one will stop me. No one!" he yelled, pushing Felix back.
Felix danced back and Dimitri swung the butt of his lance out to break his leg. He screamed, "For Dedue!" and leapt forward like a madman.
An arrow landed in the ground, not far from them. "Hold your fire!" Sylvain shrieked.
Felix lurched forward, swinging his sword in an upward motion. Dimitri bat it away with a gauntlet, sweeping his foot out and tripping him. Felix hit the ground with a slam, rolling out of the way as Dimitri's foot landed where his head had been.
Felix pushed off the ground and got to his feet in time to block Dimitri's next strike. He grit his teeth as the boar let go of his lance with one hand and grabbed at Felix.
He tried to dodge but Dimitri wrapped his hand around his throat, strong enough to hold Felix at bay with just one hand. His hand clenched and Felix tried to scream, but could not breathe through the crushing grasp.
Then, he let go inexplicably, diving back out of the way. Felix stumbled back, looking up to see what had caused it.
Sylvain stood on the ground, holding the Lance of Ruin. Both kings of Faerghus stood apart, lances ready.
"Dimitri," Sylvain called out. "I'd like to welcome you back to us. I thought, maybe, that I could forgive you for everything, once upon a time. But…" His face hardened. "I will not forgive the man who has tried to kill my husband."
"Your husband is a traitor to his brother," Dimitri said, his eyes shifting back and forth from Sylvain to Ashe who had an arrow trained on him. "You think you can kill me, king? Then try it."
Sylvain gave him a gaze that Felix could only describe as pitying. "Alone? No. Ashe, take any shot you can! I trust you."
No sooner had he spoken than an arrow loosed, screaming across the air. Dimitri leaned out of the way, the arrow finding purchase on the ground instead.
Felix pushed himself up as Dimitri attacked Sylvain. His vision was blurry and his neck burned. Goddess, a second more and Dimitri's Crest-aided grip would have killed him. He grabbed his sword from where he'd dropped it and fixed his gaze on their enemy.
Dimitri and Sylvain danced around each other, each wielding weapons with far too long of reach to exchange blows. Instead they played a game of dodging, each knowing that the first that failed to avoid the other's Relic would fall.
Felix had to fight. He had to protect Sylvain. Had to help him, had to keep him safe.
Had to kill Dimitri.
Just as he hefted his sword and stood up properly, Dimitri knocked Sylvain down to the ground with a lucky shot. With a vicious smirk, Dimitri raised his lance above his head. An arrow from Ashe struck his gauntlet, just off mark.
Felix leapt forward, but would be too slow. He watched Dimitri begin to plummet his lance down, a savage downward arc aimed directly for Sylvain's head. Felix wouldn't get there in time. He was too slow, too far away from his husband. He could see Sylvain's eyes closing, preparing for the end. Too slow, too slow, too slow!
But Ingrid wasn't.
The lance stopped descending as she wrapped her arms around him, doing what she could to immobilize him. It didn't quite work, but did distract Dimitri sufficiently. He turned his head and roared, "You stupid bit—"
"Now!" Ingrid shrieked.
Felix didn't need to be told twice as he got to his husband's side and jammed the sword through both Dimitri and Ingrid, the blade's end sticking out from her back.
The crowd screamed.
Author Notes: Let's talk Clarent Saga: Tactics.
Clarent Saga: Tactics is a Fire Emblem-like, of which I have written the Arranged Script for (or rather, currently am writing). The game is already released with what we're calling the Original Script. This Arranged Script is taking the story of the original and making it a more in-depth experience, fleshing out the plot and characters. Currently, I've completed the Prologue through Chapter 7 for the script. Subsequent chapters are coming in the near future.
The Main Scenario was created and written by the game's creator, David. I'm overseeing the finer points of the plot and, most excitingly, the dialogue.
Clarent Saga: Tactics is out on Steam right NOW! In the first chapters of the game, you'll embark as Siegfried of Pherrelios as he enters a war to right a wrong done to his house whilst a plot brews in the background. In terms of FE story, you'll find it most similar to FE4.
Editing Notes:
2/18/2022: Minor grammatical adjustments.