Start the Fire
Chapter 5: The Shepherds
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It was dark in the early morning of Ylisstol. Currently, the moon is still out to illuminate the sky before her celestial brother takes over in a few hours. The castle is protected by two walls, the outer wall, and the inner wall. Each wall has a gatehouse that leads to the castle. Guards have taken up the watch at the fortified towers. Some are walking along the perimeter walls and keeping watch for intruders. They are all armed with the standard lance. They regularly change their shift to ensure that no one overworks. It would be suicide for a guard to defend the castle with a lack of sleep.
Right now, two of the guards on duty are just about to trade their shift with the next pair. As they walked away, they left their position unguarded. They didn't look behind them to see two hands grip the edge of the wall. Nor did they see Kamala pull herself up, over the ramparts, and land on the wall. The hero held her breath when she saw the guards disappear into a nearby tower. After confirming they aren't coming back, she proceeded to walk to the other side of the wall and jump off. The girl fell until she embiggened her legs to cushion her fall. There was a slight tremor in the ground, but not enough to alert the guards much to her relief.
"And that's the second wall," Kamala whispered to herself irritably while taking breaths to recover stamina. Beads of sweat glistened on her skin. "Seriously. How many walls do they need?"
To say that she got a good night's sleep would be an understatement. She had gotten up as early as she could to start her infiltration into Castle Ylisstol. Sneaking past the guards was pretty much simple as all she had to do was elongate her limbs. It probably would've been easier if she just used the shapeshifting side of her polymorph abilities. But experimenting with new powers while on a mission is never a good idea. Besides, it would look suspicious if a new Ylissean guard came waltzing at the gatehouse when nobody has seen them before.
In hindsight, if it would beat going over two thirty feet walls, she'd take the risk. Especially having to walk nearly miles of the outer ward.
"No time to dawdle," Kamala said as she began moving across the inner ward. She kept to the shadows of nearby trees in case there were any guards nearby. In less than a minute, the royal castle came into view. Kamala had to admit, it's cool to see a fantasy castle up close. The towering spires and white walls are cast in shadow from the night sky. It would've been breathtaking if it was cast in daylight.
"My friends are going to flip," Kamala whispers excitedly. Now she has reached the castle, she needs to find where they are going to set off for Regna Ferox. According to her limited knowledge, they most likely would use the same kind of wagons Anna used to carry supplies. She just needs to find them first.
Just as she entered a dark and empty corridor, she heard a voice. A familiar voice.
"Are all the supplies prepared?"
Kamala pressed herself against the wall as the knight who accosted her yesterday came walking out another corridor. Frederick held a lit lantern in his armored hand to light his way inside. He was followed by a man dressed in the Ylissean guard uniform.
"They are Sir Frederick," the guard answered. "Forgive me for asking, but is it necessary to do a supply check in the middle of the night?"
"Of course! Waking up before dawn is a crucial time to check supplies!" Frederick declared bombastically. But he lowered his voice when he realized he heard his voice echo off the walls. "It is crucial that all the supplies we need are accounted for. Someone could've stolen or eaten some of them while we were sleeping. Are you saying that we should let Prince Chrom eat improperly?"
"Not at all Sir Frederick!" the guard blanched.
"Lower your voice! Do you want to wake everybody up and ruin their sleep?" Frederick hissed under his breath. The guard immediately covers up his mouth with a hand. "Now… let's go over the supplies one more time."
Frederick turned on his heel and began walking down the corridor. The guard followed close behind. Kamala let them get some distance from her hiding spot before she shrunk herself. If there was anything to go by about this Frederick, aside from being overall rigid, he's sharp. Sure enough, he seemed to have picked out the bioluminescence of her powers in use because he turned back around to look in her direction. The guard followed his gaze.
"What is it?" the guard asked.
"I thought I saw something…" Frederick muttered, scrutinizing his gaze. After a minute, he shook his head. "I must investigate. I have to be sure."
Frederick walked down the hall to where Kamala stood in shrunken form. He looked gigantic from where she is viewing him. As he swept his gaze, Kamala consciously moved to the area between his legs to avoid his line of sight. She didn't know if he had night vision, but she couldn't take that risk. Seeing nobody there, he turned on his heel and walked away. Kamala barely avoided his clanking boots from accidentally crushing her. Then she thought of an idea. Stretching her arms, she grabs onto the greaves of his armor and pulled herself up. Carefully, she used the armor edges to climb Frederick and reach the back of his armor.
"Well, this is better than following him around in this form," Kamala quipped under her breath. Fredericks ears must've been sharp as his eyes because he turned around sharply. Kamala held onto the edge of the armor for dear life to withstand the sudden body twist. The blue knight scanned the direction where he could've sworn that he heard her voice. Her tiny voice.
"I must be hearing things," Frederick muttered as he turned back around and continued his trek. "Am I losing it?"
Kamala kept silent for the duration of her stay on the USS Frederick. He and the guard continued walking through the castle, their footsteps echo reverberating from the walls. After several minutes, they came outside again through a wooden door. Frederick and the guard walked down a dirt path for several more minutes. They continued walking until they came to what she assumed to be the stables. Sure enough, there is a wagon standing at the ready.
"Everything is there…good," Frederick breathed. "Thank you for accompanying me. It will take us a day and a half to reach the border, so ensure that the horses that I selected are properly fed in the morning. After the Shepherds depart in the morrow, you can take the day off to rest."
"Thank you, Sir Frederick," the guard said. As they turned to leave, Kamala lets go of Frederick's armor. The tiny hero watched them go a little away before she embiggens herself back to her regular size. She looked at the wagon, whom she can make out through the darkness.
"A day and a half, huh. I hope I can bear it," Kamala muttered. She was about to enter the wagon when a voice called out from behind.
"Halt! Who are you and how did you come from?"
Reflexively, she whirled around and threw out an embiggened fist. It hit something that elicit a crunch of metal and an exclamation of surprise. It was after her fist retracted that she got a good look at what she hit. She couldn't make out more in the darkness, but she can tell she hit a person. What was more confusing was that they weren't standing there a minute ago.
"How did I not see him?" Kamala gasped heavily. At that moment, she heard footsteps coming out of the castle. Acting quickly, and seeing no time to hide the body, she jumped inside the wagon. She pressed herself against the wood as the light of the lantern seeped through the cloth flaps. The teen held her breath and waited for what she feared was about to happen.
"No one here? I must be losing my mind. Must be from a lack of sleep. From now on, I shall conduct my inspections before dusk. If anything is missing, then I will personally pay for it."
Kamala blinked. Peering out from the wagon as she dared, she saw Frederick as he turned around. The light from his lantern revealed more of the person that she knocked out. It was a man in heavy plated armor, which had a fist-shaped dent on the breastplate. At his sides appeared to be a steel lance and a heavy shield. The blow must've been enough to knock him out. To her astonishment, Frederick just kept walking away, oblivious to the body behind him.
"He seriously didn't see him?" Kamala wondered incredulously. "He didn't see the unconscious body that was laying right there?"
The teenage hero continued to stare before retreating into the wagon. Shrugging her shoulders, she maneuvered her body around the wagon. She squeaked as she bumped into barrels and crates. Finally, she found room to seat herself and draw her knees to her chin. Now that she's here, all that's left to do is wait until these Shepherds come and start the journey to Regna Ferox where she can start looking for the Hulk.
And so, she waited. As the first rays of dawn emerge, Kamala felt drowsy. Soon, she fell asleep…
Robin felt the sweat on his brow from both heat and exhaustion.
He and his newfound friends, the Shepherds have woken up in the morning to begin their mission. Right now, they are traveling on the North road. They are to go to the northern kingdom, Regna Ferox and request their aid in combatting the new threat that emerged since the night before yesterday. By which means the creatures from that night.
The albino shuddered as he remembered those red eyes and mottled purple skin. If he would make a close comparison, for lack of a better term, they attacked like rabid animals. The moment they set their sights on them, they rushed at them without hesitation. They didn't have any self-preservation and attacked them with unchecked aggression. Not to mention that they never get tired. He should know because he fought against a creature that kept chasing him around the forest. Luckily, he was able to evaporate it with a powerful Thoron.
Regardless, this is his first mission, and he is determined to prove himself as their new tactician. Not to mention that he couldn't stand the thought of those things running loose. Already, he thought of a few strategies to deal with the creatures should they encounter them. They are merely based on their initial observations of them, but he hoped to gather more in future encounters.
"Ugh! Are we there yet?" Lissa complained while huffing for breath. The Ylissean princess' cheeks were flushed red.
"It's already been five hours Lady Lissa," Frederick said from atop his horse. Its armor is the same blue as its rider. "We won't reach Regna Ferox until tomorrow and we'll only break camp.
"But my legs are already aching!"
"If it helps, milady, that means your legs are getting used to this," Frederick said, making Lissa glower at him. "By the time nightfall arrives and we break camp, your legs will be stronger than before."
"Easy for you to say! At least three of us are riding horses!" Lissa complained, gripping the fabric of her dress to show the metallic crinoline. "If it weren't for this, I would be riding a horse as well!"
"You know how to ride Lissa?" Robin asked.
"I sure do!" Lissa declared proudly. "It's one of the things I learned as a Ylissean princess! Maribelle always makes sure that I keep up with my studies every time she visits Ylisstol."
"If I recall…didn't you give up when the horse bucked you off on your first lesson?" Chrom asked dryly causing Lissa to freeze up. The normally sprightly cleric slumped her shoulders.
"If I knew our missions would be like this, I wouldn't have given up."
Everybody laughed at her embarrassment. Robin pretty much liked Lissa. Out of the other Shepherds, she's the most upbeat and not snobbish about her noble status. She also doesn't mind that people address her informally like her brother. Turned out, the day they found him was the same day Lissa joined the Shepherds. In other words, she was a recruit like him.
During his stay at Ylisstol and the march, he had gotten to know most of the Shepherds. He played a few games with another fellow recruit, Virion. Despite his vanity and being a shameless flirt, the blue-haired archer proved to be a difficult opponent in terms of chess. Robin had played a few games against him, and he always lost. The albino hoped to play another game in hopes of beating him. Then there was Sully, the red-haired woman that they met the night that those creatures emerged. Chrom told him that she's always a tomboy ever since childhood. Especially when she kicked Virion in the face. She's no-nonsense and had a mouth that would make Brigands blush.
At the barracks, Lissa introduced him to more Shepherds such as Vaike. A tan-skinned blonde man whose only attire is a collar protector with hanging chains, trousers, a single armored pauldron, and boots. He's the biggest, loudest, and most aggressive man he met, especially when he refers to himself in the third person. But he's a good person. According to Lissa, he's not exactly the sharpest ax in the armory. He'll even forget his name if he didn't keep referring to himself.
There was also Sumia, who is given the job of driving the supply wagon. Her waist-length wavy brown hair had a wing-like ornament and two front ringlets. The armor she wore is lilac with hints of dark purple, especially in her boots. Like Sully, she is armed with a lance. But Robin started to have doubts about her combat abilities when she kept tripping on her own feet. There was also something about any task involving her ending with disaster. But according to Chrom, she is an excellent fighter.
Lastly, there is the third horseman, Stahl. A kindhearted man with olive hair was the last to arrive late due to Vaike's forgetfulness. According to Chrom, Stahl is one of his finest Shepherds, further talking revealed that Frederick trained him personally. But his armor is a rich shade of viridian instead of the bold azure the prudent knight wore. The guy looked heartbroken ever since he missed breakfast this morning.
"Ugh…I'm starving," Stahl groaned as he rode his horse up to him. "I don't suppose you have any fried fig cakes on your person, do you?"
"I don't, but I have some leftovers from breakfast this morning," Robin said, pulling out some carefully wrapped muffins and cakes in his pockets. "You can have them if you want."
"Thank you!" Stahl cried out in joy as he bent his body to receive them. At once he began stuffing his face. It appeared that the viridian knight is quite the eater.
They were broken out of their thoughts by a woman's scream. Everyone turned to see the supply wagon suddenly careen off the path. The horse gave off a shrill cry as they nearly rammed into a tree. Sumia fell out of the driver's seat and tumbled onto the ground. The woman groaned and felt her knee.
"Sumia!" Chrom called out as he and the other Shepherds came running. He knelt at her side. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Captain," Sumia assured he helped her up with a wince. "But I think I scraped my knee. Sorry…I thought that I won't mess this task up."
"It's nothing to worry about. It happens to the best of us," Chrom said. He turned his head until he found his sister. "Lissa, could you heal her?"
"Milord, if I may," Frederick interrupted before Lissa could move forward. "Lady Lissa's staff is valuable and has the potential to save our lives on the battlefield. Something this minor will only waste her energy for when we need her the most."
"Frederick—" Chrom's expression turned sour. As much as he hated Fredericks's prudence, he was correct. He heard stories about how men lost their lives because they were too reliant on the clergy to heal their wounds. He saw Lissa look down dejectedly. Healing was one of the things she's good at.
"He's right, Captain," Sumia interrupted. She was standing up, but there was a slight limp in her leg. "It's not like I've had a sword thrust in my gut, so it's nothing to worry about. Looks like I wasn't ready for a proper mission after all."
"Some lessons can only be learned on the battlefield," Chrom said. "Even when we get injured it teaches us something. I need all my Shepherds in their prime condition. We can't leave you like this."
"You won't, milord," Frederick assured him. "I'm not suggesting that we leave wounds untreated. I believe we have vulneraries and bandages for minor injuries such as this."
"Oh yeah!" Lissa said, brightening up. "I remember looking into the wagon and seeing a crate full of them before we left."
"I can get them," Robin offered.
"I'll get them," Frederick said, giving the albino a scrutinizing look. "In the meantime, we need to get the wagon back on the road. Do we have any volunteers?"
"Oh, I can get them, Frederick," Lissa huffed. "Aside from using a staff, I know how to apply medicinal herbs. Why don't you go help get the wagon back on track? It might help you build character a little bit."
"You can just leave it to the Vaike!" The tanned warrior grins, flexing his arm. "I can get that hunk of wood back on track in no time!"
"Remind me again, who has experience with horses?" Sully asked, pointing to herself and Stahl. "I reckon you wreck the thing with those muscles, you buffoon."
At once, the Shepherds got to work. At Lissa's sarcastic request, Frederick helped with the horses pulling the wagon while the others began moving it from behind. There was no damage done to the axels much to their relief, especially Sumia. The latter is being treated by Lissa. The girl had climbed into the wagon and came out with a roll of bandages and a pouch. She had gotten a few feet away from the wagon when she suddenly stopped. The cleric turned back to look at the wagon as it's being led back onto the road. As if deciding that treating Sumia took priority, Lissa hurried to her and began applying the vulnerary to her scraped knee.
"Something wrong?" Robin asked Lissa as he approached them. "You looked like you seen something."
"More like someone," Lissa muttered as she finished applying the medicine to Sumia's leg and began wrapping it with the bandage. "When I was getting the vulnerary, I thought I saw somebody sitting in there."
"You mean somebody is inside the wagon?" Sumia asked as she stood up. Now that the medicine is working its magic, it hurt less than it did.
"Yeah, but it could just be my imagination," Lissa said with a shrug. "You won't believe how many times I ran around the castle and thought I saw a ghost."
"A ghost?"
"Yeah. A big, armored ghost," Lissa explained. "It would just appear out of nowhere and scare me out of my wits! Every time I told somebody about it, they would think I'm crazy. I kept waking up everybody in the castle, including Emm and Chrom. But I've grown out of it."
"That's an interesting story," Robin said. "But what you said does warrant an investigation regardless. Let's check the wagon before we cry foul."
By the time Sumia's treatment was finished, the wagon was back on the dirt road. Frederick took the front of the procession with the two cavaliers while the rest have stood around the wagon to guard it. To help with her recovery, Chrom had Sumia ride at the front of the wagon with the horses' reigns again. Chrom was noticeably standing close to Sumia, which the brown-haired woman noticed. There was a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks. Seeing that the vigilant knight kept his focus on the front, Robin moved to the back of the wagon. He was somewhat hurt by the look Frederick gave him. Even after all this time, the azure knight remained suspicious of him. But could he blame him for being cautious?
Robin slowly stepped onto the foothold on the back of the wagon. He parted the flaps to get a look inside…
"To arms! Enemies approaching!"
The wagon stopped abruptly causing Robin to fall to the ground on his butt. Scrambling to his feet, he ran around the wagon in time to see the blue knight already had his silver lance at the ready. Following his gaze, Robin saw a line of purple advancing towards them. As they got closer, Robin realized with horror that those are the same creatures from that night. Passing Sumia the vulnerary, Robin hurried to where the Shepherds are rallying, already pulling out a leather-bound tome with a golden lightning bolt emblazoned on the cover.
"Gods, have the Risen spread this far?" Chrom said, gripping his sword, Falchion, at the ready.
"Risen?"
"We needed a name for this new threat, so the council gave them one," Frederick explains, hefting his lance.
"Mya ha! They'll remember ME once I drive my ax into their…" Vaike reached behind his back only to grasp air. "Wait…my ax. Where's my ax?! I had it a second ago!"
"Vaike," Chrom said in exasperation. "This is no time for jokes…"
"I'm serious! It's gone, but I JUST had it!" Vaike insisted as he scans the ground. "It's got to be around here somewhere…"
"Does this happen often?" Robin asked with a sweatdrop.
"You have no idea," Chrom groaned. "Vaike, keep to the rear! The battle is nigh! Robin, what do you propose we do?"
Everyone was focused on him. Robin knew, aside from Frederick, is expecting his input as to their new tactician. He was fortunate that he retained the ability to size up an enemy through a glance. But If he doesn't play his cards right, it could cost them some lives. His thoughts drifted to the Risen. From what he gathered they can be killed like any other living being provided that the blow is certain to kill. Once they are dead, they evaporate into smoke, thus leaving behind nobody.
"Unlike us, the Risen are driven by aggression but not completely unintelligent," Robin said. "While they can fight, they don't appear to work in cohesion. This gives us an advantage. Frederick, you, Sully, and Stahl possess the advantage in speed and mobility. It appeared that most of the Risen are foot soldiers, so you can close the distance and route them."
"Couldn't have said better myself," Frederick said, his horse ready to charge. "What of the rest of us?
"Because two of us aren't equipped for combat, the rest of us should stay near the wagon to protect them," Robin continued. At those words, Frederick took an opportunity to glare at Vaike. "We'll slay any that you miss but don't stray too far. We must assume that they might have archers or any long-range units. I know it isn't a good time for assumptions, but I don't want to take any chances."
"There's nothing wrong with being cautious, Robin," Chrom declared, planting Falchion on the ground. "Frederick, you heard Robin. Let's send these bastards to the hell from whence they came."
"As you command, milord!" Frederick declared as he hoists his lance and charges, Sully and Stahl following behind him. Frederick is the first to strike down a Risen. The blue knight thrusts his lance into the head of a swordsman Risen. He didn't have time to see the Risen evaporate as his horse continued to charge, trampling another one in the process. He struck down a few more Risen before he turned his horse to double back. Sully came from the other side, having trampled a few Risen for the fun of it and stabbing her spear into them. Having experienced the Risen firsthand, she knew to thrust at vital spots such as the head or heart. Stahl was a few meters behind Frederick, hacking a Risen ax wielder's head clean off with his sword. Like the rest, he trampled a few Risen to death, leaving a smokey trail. The riders doubled back before charging towards the Risen horde again and repeating the pattern. It was like they are three spears.
Meanwhile, as expected, some of the Risen managed to avoid the horsemen and set their sights on the group surrounding the wagon. Chrom is the first to meet them head-on, slashing and stabbing Falchion at vital spots. The last time he fought them, his sister nearly died. If it weren't for the untimely arrival of Marth, then she wouldn't be with them. This time, he was ready for them. With a roar, he slew every Risen that dared to cross him. The Risen gave out a groan as they dissolved into smoke
He wasn't alone.
"Thunder!" Robin called out with his arm forward and his tome open. Spell circles manifested as he casts his magic. From his hand, an orb of lightning was launched. It struck a Risen, electrocuting it but it still stood. Frowning, Robin cast the spell again, this time with a lot more power than the last. This time, it disintegrated the Risen before it could even turn into smoke.
"That should be the right amount to completely disintegrate them," Robin breathed. He heard a strangled cry from behind. He turned around to see a Risen had almost gotten the jump on him. If it weren't for the fact that it had a blade jutting out of its pec. It evaporated into the smoke to reveal Sumia standing behind it. The woman held her lance with a hardened look.
"Thanks," Robin said with a thankful smile. "Looks like even I need to learn a few things on the battlefield."
"Wise words and you're welcome," Sumia said before twirling her lance and stabbing another Risen. She used the length to block an overhead ax swing and swept it from the legs. Pressing the advantage, Sumia thrusts her lance into where the heart is. At that moment, Robin took back his thoughts about her. She's doing fine.
"Would be terrible if I let a woman do all the fighting," Virion declares. "Come foul creatures! Let the beautiful face of Virion be the last you'll ever see!"
Virion drew an arrow and released it with a twang. The arrow cut through the air and became embedded in the forehead of a Risen. It gave off a groan as it began to evaporate. The blue-haired archer continued firing arrows at the approaching horde. Many fell to his arrows as they struck vital points. Unfortunately, there were so many of them that one managed to get close to the archer. With a strangled growl, the Risen slashed its sword across his chest.
"Virion!" Robin cried out in alarm. Drawing his sword, he stabbed the Risen from behind. Like the rest of its fellow abominations, it evaporated into purple smoke. He didn't stop to watch as he hurried to his fellow Shepherds' aid.
"No! I cannot allow the final curtain to fall…" Virion gasped. "But alas I must go…avenge me, my comrades…"
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Lissa snaps as she waves her staff over him. The healing light enveloped Virion. Robin watched in fascination as the wound slowly closed. The light faded, and Virion is healed.
"My wound," Virion gasped in astonishment as he sat up. The archer gingerly touched the white line that is the scar of his wound. Then, without a moment's hesitation, Virion got on his knees and took Lissa's hand. The blonde cleric was taken by surprise and developed a blush when Virion kissed it.
"Thank you, Lady Lissa! Your gracious hands have saved my life! A gentleman always repays his debts! I hope to repay the favor someday!"
"Oh, stop!" Lissa waved him off. "This is nothing. You're making me blush."
"Um, hello?" Robin gestured to their predicament. "We're kind of in the middle of a battle here?"
"Gods, sorry!" Lissa yelped. Then her eyes widened. "Robin, behind you!"
Behind Robin, a Risen was charging towards him with an ax. Virion's oratory had distracted them from the battle going on around them. Something fatal to those who do. Lissa's warning came too late as the ax was swung, faster than Robin could react.
Just before it could claim his life, it was suddenly set ablaze. The Risen cried with pain as if it was excruciating. Robin had turned around just in time to see it burnt to ashes. His eyes found a bespectacled woman dressed in the mage's traditional robes and hat. Her hair is in a sleek and practical bob cut. In her hand, she held a red tome with a teardrop shape on the cover. Her eyes gave off sharp intelligence as she scrutinized the three Shepherds.
"I believe the term in these dire circumstances would be, your welcome," the woman said as she snapped her tome shut. "But this altercation wouldn't have happened if you dunderheads have been paying attention."
"Nice to see you to Miriel," Lissa grumbled. Robin looked at her and remembered that Stahl said something about one of Shepherd's mages catching up to them when they started the journey.
"You're Miriel?" Robin asked.
"I am if Lissa's prior sentence didn't clarify it," the red-haired mage stated. "You must be the new Shepherd that Captain Chrom recruited. Your white hair is fascinating. Which of your parents had this condition?"
"I…don't know," Robin said honestly. "But for the second time…WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE!"
"You don't need to caterwaul the obvious," Miriel said as she opened her tome and shot a fireball at another Risen. "I'm not an ignoramus like the one who left his ax lying around. Which I'm considering using a spell to fasten it to his hands…permanently."
"You mean Vaike?"
"Nya haha!" Speaking of the latter, the axman is currently laughing as if he's been handed a birthday present. The burly man had shattered the wooden shield of a Risen and lopped off its head with his ax. Then, he twisted his body to avoid being impaled by a Risen pikeman. With glee, he severed the length of its lance and buried the head into its skull. With zeal, he leaped upon another Risen and began hacking away at it. The Shepherds nearly felt sorry for it as it cried out.
"Aw yeah! The Vaike is back in action!" Vaike declares to the world. He then threw his ax at an oncoming Risen.
"Who else wants some?!"
"Yep…this is Vaike when he has his ax," Lissa said with a wry smile. "Though we have to remind him that his ax isn't meant for throwing."
"But we're glad to have his enthusiasm," Chrom yells out as he readied his spellbook. "The numbers are dwindling by the moments…Let's finish them off! Robin, what do we do next, Robin? Guide our swords?"
"Well…"
"Might I advise patience, milord?" Frederick asked as his horse trotted next to them. "Robin is a fine tactician, but we have been working him mercilessly. Even the best of us need rest."
"Yes, of course," Chrom agreed when he realized what he's saying. He gave Robin an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."
"It's no trouble," Robin assured him. "Everybody should do choose their actions during the battle. When things get difficult, you can count on me."
"We will," Chrom agreed. He held out Falchion as he declared. "Let's finish the enemy!"
In the end, they have routed the enemy without any mishaps. They managed to slay the last of the Risen, which they assume to be the chief of them. Nobody died in his first official battle with the Shepherds. Despite their victory, this only proved that the North road isn't safe. Everybody proceeded with caution.
Along the way, they had to leave Sumia behind. They encountered a Pegasus that is wounded. Despite their attempt to help, the Pegasus nearly kicked them. It wasn't until Sumia came forward that the animal calmed down. The klutzy woman has a way with animals. She told them to go on ahead. Despite Chrom wanting to make time and wait for her, she insisted that every moment is precious when all Ylisse is in danger. Reluctantly, he wished her safety and to have the rest of the Shepherds move on.
Several moments later, the sun began setting and they had to make camp. They set up tents and started a campfire. Frederick went out and, much to Lissa's consternation, speared a couple of bears. To her, It still smelled like old boots, but nobody cared. Miriel took an interest in this new type of sustenance and started to think of ways to tenderize it for future meals. After dinner, they put out the fire and began sleeping. Each of them took shifts in watching for enemies.
Right now, it was Robin's turn to take watch. He had taken over for Stahl when the viridian knight woke him up. He mumbled something about food before he turned in for the night. Robin, having taken light sleep himself, rubbed his eyes as he patrolled the camp. As he scanned the fields, he thought about his first battle. So far, it went off without a hitch. But people almost died, even he. He was going to have to get better and find efficient ways to deal with the Risen. If he recalled correctly, Miriel mentioned something about Alchemy.
He was broken out of his thoughts when the ground beneath him gave way.
"AH!" Robin cried out as he fell into a hole. Spitting out dirt, he struggled to climb out of the hole. It wasn't deep enough that he would've been stuck there. When he finally got out, he picked up the faint sound of laughter.
"Lissa…" Robin growled as he found the cleric hiding behind a barrel of water. The girl was covering her mouth to stifle her giggles. Nearby is a big pile of dirt. This wasn't the first time that Lissa pulled this off. One time, she woke him up by gripping his nose, causing him to wake up from a dream. To her, it was hilarious. Ever since then, she's taken every opportunity to prank him.
"Tee hee," Lissa laughed. "The look on your face is hilarious!"
"Lissa, we are currently on a mission," Robin scolded. "If you want to dig up holes, please do it to keep away intruders!"
"Why didn't I think of that?" Lissa pounded a fist into an open palm. "Thanks, Robin!"
"You're welcome…wait, that is not the point I was trying to make. How did you even dig up a hole anyway? I didn't see any spades in the wagon."
"Just some good old-fashioned hand spades," Lissa said, revealing her dirty hands underneath the moonlight. "But it was making my hands ache and I need to wash my hands."
"Serves you right," Robin scoffed. "But I know a stream about a few paces from here. We can go wash your hands there and come back before anybody notices. Then we're going to refill the hole."
Together, the two of them walked away from the camp. Despite the near lack of light, they made it to the stream. Lissa had already soaked her hands into the running water and rubbed her hands. Robin stood a few feet away from her in case she tried a water prank on him.
"So, what have you been thinking about?" Lissa asked without looking, this time with genuine curiosity.
"Our previous bout with the Risen," Robin answered. "I'm trying to think of more efficient ways to defeat them. But I don't feel any sense of…accomplishment."
"What do you mean?"
"I meant that I haven't done much as a tactician. The Risen are nearly mindless and driven solely by aggression. But what if we encounter Brigands, who are intelligent to plan ambushes? I don't think we would be alive."
"Don't sell yourself short," Lissa said with a smile. She stood up and faced him. "We fought those Brigands back at Southtown, haven't we? Before you came along, Chrom kept resorting to brute force. One time, he charged into a crowd of enemies to act as a decoy."
"He did?"
"Yep, and he nearly gave Frederick a heart attack," Lissa said with a small chuckle. "You see, having you around made Chrom less reckless. Today, he trusted your judgment, and look how that turned out. Sure, we may stumble and fall sometimes, but it's how we learn as my brother would say. So, what if we faced a few measly Risen? You're going to be the best tactician that we've had, you'll see."
"You know what…you're right," Robin said with a smile. "Thanks for the strength in confidence, Lissa."
The atmosphere was silent for moments. Then, the silence was broken by the snapping of a stick. Like deer, the two Shepherds froze and became alert. That didn't come from the camp. In less than a moment, the source of the noise came into view. Both of their faces became white with dread.
"Risen!" Robin cursed as several Risen emerge from the tree line. Their red eyes are locked on them. With a bloodcurdling roar, they charged at them.
"Get behind me!" Robin told Lissa as he drew out his tome and held out his hand. "THUNDER!"
An orb of lightning slammed into a Risen and reduced it to ash. Robin kept shooting out more magic at the Risen. The other Risen didn't care about their fallen comrade and focused on him. He only managed to get a few down before the rest closed the distance, forcing him to engage in melee combat.
"Lissa! Go back and wake up the camp!" Robin ordered as he drew his sword. "I'll hold them off as long as I can."
"Okay," Lissa nodded. She knew that she wasn't going to be much help in combat. But just as she turned around and ran, she was met by another Risen. Trembling, she backed away and fell on her bottom. Shaking, she backed away from the Risen until she was up against a tree.
"Robin!" Lissa cried out, her voice breaking. "There's another one!"
"Damn it!" Robin swore as he parried the strike of a Risen swordsman and stabs it. But then another Risen came and forced him to fight it, not letting him get to the cleric in time. The pressure got worse when two more came at him. "Lissa!"
Lissa couldn't speak from terror. She stared at the advancing Risen in terror. Memories of that night came back. If it weren't for Marth, she would've been dead. But this time, there wasn't anyone coming to save her.
Before the Risen could bring the ax down on her, a giant hand came out of nowhere and plucked it off the ground. It moved until it was over the Risen engaging Robin and slammed their comrade on them. The Risen that was in the hand's grip looks crushed. Its limbs are broken along with its neck, which broke when its head hit the ground hard.
Both were stunned at this development. They watched, in astonishment, as the giant limb retreated and shrank. Following it, they saw that it belonged to someone standing a few paces from them. The shadows of the trees and night obscured their features, so they couldn't identify them. Then the stranger spoke in a female voice.
"Okay…this time, I'm up for the second round of zombie smackdown. So, let's go!"
The two Shepherds stared at her. They could've sworn they heard her voice before. They were broken out of their thoughts by more Risen roaring. Before they could react, the stranger was already upon them. Her arm stretched out and socked a Risen in the jaw. Then, both her lower arms embiggened and she pushed herself forward with an embiggened foot. Crushing the Risen underfoot, she leaped into the air and rain down a flurry of blows from embiggened fists.
The shepherds watched this with shock and awe. Any Risen unfortunate enough to meet those fists is pounded. The impact reverberated against the earth, sending tremors. It was like hammering a sword against an anvil. What this stranger is doing is…hard to describe. They had never seen anything like her.
"What is the name of gods is she?" Robin found himself asking as he watched her stretch her leg and sweep several Risen off the ground. Then she hammered an embiggened fist onto each of them for good measure.
"I don't know," Lissa said, her eyes wide and focused on the battle unfolding. The stranger just slapped away a Risen. If she looked, she would've seen the Risen fall and get impaled by a tree branch. She was manhandling these things like it was nothing.
The stranger had just finished crushing a Risen until it became smoke. Then she spin-kicked a Risen away and stretched her arm again. Her hand grew bigger as she pushed the stumbling risen into two more Risen. The abomination is pushed against a tree, specifically a protruding, leafless, tree branch. It stabbed through them like a skewer, the tip of the branch just missed the stranger's big hand in between her fingers. The last of the Risen simultaneously became smoke and the battle is ended.
"That was cutting it close," the stranger sighs as she retracts her arm. It shrank back to its regular proportions as she turns around to face them. "Though next time, when somebody saves your hide, a little help will be appreciated."
Under the light of the moon, they saw more of the stranger. She is a girl dressed in a blue tunic with yellow outlines reminiscent of a lightning bolt. Wrapped around her neck is a red scarf. Her body is shrouded in a red cloak with locks of brown hair trailing out of the hood. Her face wore a mask, but the Shepherds instantly recognized her upon looking at her and hearing her voice.
"It's you…" Lissa gasped as she recalls the day, they arrived at Ylisstol. The girl was accosted by Frederick on the charge of being a spy or assassin.
"I knew I saw brown hair," Robin states recalling the day as well. Especially the detail where her skin and hair changed.
"ROBIN! LISSA!"
They turned to see Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds running towards them. They all look half-awake and haphazardly dressed. Chrom was breathing was ragged when he reaches them.
"Are you alright? We heard yelling."
"We're alright. Lissa pranked me with a pitfall, so we were going to the stream to wash her hands," Robin immediately said. Lissa flinched from the glare Chrom sent her way. "Long story short, we ran into some Risen."
"Risen?" Chrom exclaimed. "Where are they?"
"They were already taken care of," Lissa said. "If it weren't for…huh? Where did she go?"
When Lissa turned around, the stranger wasn't there. It was just like when they first met Marth. One minute he was there, the next minute he was not. They are experiencing the same thing all over again. Getting saved by a mysterious someone and then vanishing again.
"Where did who go?" Stahl asked.
"Not again…" Lissa grumbled before turning back to Chrom. "Get this, someone helped us, and it was the girl that we bumped into back at Ylisstol! The one Frederick thought was an assassin!"
"The girl from back then?" Chrom asked. "Are you sure?"
"I don't know," Lissa admits honestly. "She looked different from last time we saw her, but she sounded similar. But you should've seen her! She put down those Risen like it was nothing with her giant fists and feet!"
"Giant…hands and feet?" Chrom asked skeptically.
Everyone's silent at Lissa's explanation. Robin scanned their faces and saw looks of disbelief. Of course, what they are hearing is outlandish.
"Lady Lissa, are you sure you're alright?" Frederick asked.
"Perhaps she's suffering from the shock of the battle," Miriel declared, fixing her spectacles. "Near-death experiences can affect Lissa's brain."
"What! But it's true! I—"
"Yeah. Lissa's a bit in shock after that unexpected encounter," Robin said. Lissa looked at him, but before she could protest, he continued. "The point is, we would've been dead without her. She saved us and she vanished like Marth."
"Then we owe her our lives," Chrom declared. "Just what is it with mysterious saviors showing up out of nowhere?"
"While I admire that we survived a night ambush, the fact remains that you abandoned your post," Frederick glared at Robin. "If it were up to me, I would have you out of the Shepherds in a heartbeat for this misconduct! What if the Risen came from the other direction and you weren't there to warn us? Or worse, brigands?"
Robin cringed at Frederick's harsh tone. The tactician knew that he was right. He should've gotten someone else to take his stead when he went with Lissa. If it weren't for the stranger, Lissa and he would've died, and the fault will lie on him.
"I'm sorry…"
"Even the best of us make costly mistakes Frederick," Chrom said. "I'm sure Robin and Lissa have already learned their lesson tonight. Right?"
"Right."
"Good, then let us put it behind us and get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us when we wake up."
With that, the Shepherds began going back to camp. Some of them expressed yawns or in Vaike's case disappointment in no action. Stahl mumbled something about the travel provisions in his sleep. Meanwhile, Lissa marched up to Robin and elbowed him in the side hard. Her face would've made a Risen cower back to the hell it came from.
"What in Naga's pants was that?" Lissa demanded. "You saw her do all that…stuff as well! Why didn't you defend me?"
"They weren't going to believe us," Robin said. "When you met me, the only ones who believed that I had amnesia are you and Chrom. Frederick is still skeptical of me as we speak. Without proof, they'll only think we're mad."
"You do have a point," Lissa hung her head at the implications.
"Besides…I don't know why, but I have a feeling that we will be seeing more of her in the future."
Kamala woke up with a sneeze. Luckily, she managed to cover her mouth and nose before it could give her away. But that is nothing compared to the biting cold that woke her up. She clutched her sides to preserve body heat. Teeth chattering, she looked around the wagon until she found something that can help.
"I hope they don't mind if I borrow these," Kamala said as she took a woolen coat and a pair of mittens from a nearby box. The teenage hero had already taken a few items she figured that she'll need later. A waterskin, a handful of dried fruit, and bread. She had to resist the urge to take the salted bear meat leftover from last night while she puts her stolen provisions into her pouch.
She remembered yesterday clearly. The teenage hero nearly got caught if it weren't for the arrival of those zombies or Risen as the Shepherds had taken to calling them. Personally, zombies were much better. Kamala had observed the Shepherds fighting. Despite the reality of life and death, it was interesting to witness a sword and sorcery fight. It was way better than the roleplaying and videogame. Seeing as how they have a handle on things, she decided that it wasn't necessary to step in.
When they made camp, Kamala made sure to shrink down and get out of the wagon before they discover her. From a distance, she watched them set up camp. After a few minutes, she got bored and decided to go exploring.
After the night sky came to play, she heads back to camp to spend the night in the wagon again. It was dangerous to stay away from camp without light. But just before she could, she heard fighting and found two of the Shepherds surrounded by Risen. Throwing caution to the wind, she moved to assist them in smacking down the zombies. As Thor would say, that is something heroes would do.
But those people recognized her face and clothes. How could they not when she met them on the day, she arrived in Ylisstol. Of course, she used her polymorphic powers to disguise herself, but her outfit remained the same. Luckily, the arrival of the other Shepherds distracted them long enough for her to make her getaway. She's going to have to thank Nat when she finds her.
The next day, she got up early and repeated last night to evade detection before they got back on the road. Not even the moving wagon was enough to keep her up. She fell asleep and after some time, she woke up to the bitter cold. Considering that Regna Ferox is a northern country, they must be getting close to the border.
Over the wind, she heard the Shepherds speak.
"Trouble in the wind, milord," she heard Frederick say. "The Feroxi Guard are mobilizing."
"What?! Why?"
"Who can say? But they look ready to fly at a moment's notice. We'd best prepare for combat, just to be safe."
"Guess this is where the ride ends," Kamala muttered. She held her breath and waited. From the sound of it, it looks like the Feroxi isn't rolling out the welcome mat for them. Which will mean that this is where she's going to continue her journey on foot.
After what seemed to be several minutes, the wagon stopped. She heard movement going towards the front. Carefully, she picked herself up. She felt the numbness in her behind fade from having to sit down for so long. Exiting the wagon, she felt the winter wind against her face. Thankfully, the woolen coat was doing a good job in keeping her warm.
Peering around the wagon, she caught sight of the border. Though the proper term would have to be a fortress. It towered over three hundred feet high and stretched outward as if it's the line between Ferox and seemed to go on, but she bet that it stretches along the border. She could make out the fortress standing tall above the wall. At the center of the wall is a grille of latticed wrought iron bars that she knew must be the gate into Ferox.
"I bet this would be the Great Wall of China," Kamala comments, her breath condensing from the cold. "More like the Great Wall of Ferox."
Then, a voice called out over the howling wind.
"Halt!" A woman called out from the wall. "Who goes there?!"
"In the name of House Ylisse, I seek audience with the khans!" Chrom declared as loud as he could as he took a step forward.
"Not another step, my bold lad! I've lancers at the ready!"
"Hold, milady!" Frederick called out. "We are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest."
"My only interest is keeping you out of Regna Ferox, brigand!"
"B-brigand?" Frederick stuttered. "Now see here—"
"You think you are the first 'Ylisseans' to try and cross our border? I have the authority to fell, such imposters, where they stand."
"How dare you!" Frederick cried out in outrage. "You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the exalt's own blood!"
"Ha! Yes, indeed—and I'm the queen of Valm! You do realize impersonating royalty is a capital offense, yes? Mmm…then perhaps we should settle this in the Feroxi way. You claim to be the prince of Ylisse? Then prove it on the battlefield!"
"Rgh…Emmeryn won't like this at all…" Kamala heard Chrom grumble, and she couldn't blame him for how bad the situation got before he could even speak. "Please, good lady! If you'd just listen—"
"I've heard quite enough! Attack!"
Kamala watched as several soldiers above the fortress walls throw their spears at Chrom. She watched as the blue-haired prince braces himself. The teen hero held her breath as she watched the Shepherds rush forward to protect their prince. Right before she could think about stretching an arm to snatch him away, something flew down and whisked him away to safety.
With an open mouth, Kamala watched as a Pegasus flew high into the sky. She could pick out the blue hair of Chrom and the long flowing brown hair of the rider. More Feroxi knights threw their spears at the Pegasus, but it dodged them. Kamala let out a sigh of relief.
"Looks like I won't be needed," Kamala said. "These guys can handle themselves from what I can tell."
At once, Kamala ran away from the wagon and the Shepherds it belonged to. The snow crunched underneath her feet as she ran. Part of her, which is like three-quarters, felt bad leaving the Shepherds to fight off the Feroxi. But she remembered something T'Challa, otherwise known as the Blank Panther, once said. Something about letting the warrior who wields a weapon fight the battle.
But the point is that she can't fight their battles forever, which is why she didn't want to get involved with them. Plus, from the sounds of battle, the Shepherds were holding their own against the Feroxi. That's eased her conscious if only a little bit.
She stopped and turned her body to face the wall. Given Feroxi's words, the gate isn't going to be her way in. So, she's going to have to enter Regna Ferox the same way she infiltrated the royal castle at Ylisstol. Rolling her shoulders, she prepared to stretch her arms.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Kamala froze with her arms outstretched. That was Prince Chrom's voice and it sounded dangerously close. What was he doing all the way here when his Shepherds are engaged in battle? But then she heard another familiar voice. It took her a full minute to remember where she heard it before. Two days ago, when she slipped into the wagon!
"I'm standing in plain sight, sir. Right, he—"
"BWAAAH! Oh! I-is that you, Kellam? When did you arrive?"
"The same time as you. I've been with you all along," A tall man in heavy plated armor with orange accents answered. "Er, I AM still a Shepherd, right? It's quite the honor, after all. I'd hate to lose it. Sometimes I—"
"Of course, Kellam. Forgive me." Chrom apologized. "You're just so…quiet, I completely—"
"Quite all right, sire, quite all right," Kellam said as if this happens often. "I've been told I'm easy to miss."
"At least the Feroxi didn't find you," Chrom pointed out.
"I've been calling to you and waving my arms for several minutes…I don't think they've so much as glanced this way."
"You almost sound disappointed."
"Well, I just…I'm glad you finally saw me! Just try to keep an eye out from now on?"
The two Shepherds walked away to rejoin the battle. Kamala watched them go with her jaw open. Her eyes were locked on the knight's…or rather, Kellam's back. She could've sworn that she didn't see him when she passed by.
"How did I not see him?!" Kamala echoed out loud. After staring for several more seconds, she threw up her arms. This world is getting weirder than she thought. Turning her attention back to the wall, she elongated her arms until they gripped the top of the wall. The stone ramparts we're like ice cubes to the touch! Resisting the cold as best she could, her arms retracted her up like a rubber band. She lifted her legs just in time to land them on top of the wall. But it appeared that some of the soldiers are still lingering away from the fortress.
"There's one up here!"
"How did she get up here?"
"Who cares? Attack her!
Three Feroxi soldiers charged at her. Shaking her head, she stretched out her arm and embiggened her hand. The Feroxi knights stopped dead in their tracks as the large limb slammed into them. It pushed them off their feet and they flew a good distance before they landed hard on their backs. Now stopping to waste any time fighting them, Kamala walked to the other side of the wall and jumped down. She landed with a small tremor from her embiggened legs.
After she landed, she broke into a runaway from the border wall. She didn't stop until she got a good distance away from the fort and the battle taking place there. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out a slip of paper from her pouch. It was one more thing that she nicked from the wagon. When she unfolded it, it became a map of the continent. She traced the long blocky sketch that she knew is the Longfort and stopped at what she assumed to be her current position.
"I'm in Regna Ferox," Kamala breathed out. "Now…Where to now?"
[~][~]
Greetings and Bienvenu readers.
I feel that the Shepherds should get their time to shine before Kamala parts from them. As I said, most of the story will be focusing on different points of view. Rest assured, if you play the game, you know what happens next for the Shepherds. But now, Kamala has entered Regna Ferox and is about to begin to search for her fellow Avenger, the Incredible Hulk.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this fic.
Until next time.