DISCLAIMER:I do not own FoZ or C&C red alert 3,all belonged to there respective owners.
Chapter 10:The Competent Three
(Tristain Magic Academy)
A pleasant morning day greets everyone at the academy...but not for a certain man as his master keeps pestering him.
"I'll never stop bothering you until you tell me what is your secret!"Louise yells not leaving Saito alone,keeps following him all the time as she wanted to know about something on her familiar. It all started when they first ride on a horseless metal carriage Saito called out to carry mrs. Orleans or known as Tabitha's mother to her own manor.A true marvel to be considered to something like that moving without needing a horse to pull. Louise now demanding him to tell what else he's hiding.
"Stop pestering me or else I'll be solo added your training routine today,you understand."Saito replied to her.
"What,you can't do that!You promise to me that you gonna tell me this time now!"Louise keep demanding. Saito then sighs in defeat and turns around to face her.
"Alright,enough asking,I'll tell you about it later..Are you happy now?"Saito said finally accepts just to stop Louise from keeping asking him about it.
"That's a promise,you better not to forget it!"Louise remindng it to him.
"Your really going to show her your base partner?"Derflinger,his sentient sword whispers to him.
"Yeah,I decided,she will know it in the end anyway and most of all I'm already annoyed on her demanding that will lead to everyday."Saito replied on her as they arrives at the school grounds where the other two trainees are waiting for their training routine.
(Prisoner Chambers,Royal Palace Of Tristain)
"They've been zapped."Zarić commented seeing the crime seen.A traces of burn marks like it was being strike by lightning in the area were the infamous thief was recently prisoned,now became a fugitive as she manage to broke out of the jail.
"I can't believe she manage to escape here."Agnes said crossing her arms looking at the area with grim expression.
"No,someone broke her out."Zarić said still looking at the area.
"You mean,there's an infiltrator here in the palace?"Agnes bit surprised to hear it.
"Or a traitor."Zarić added the probability.
"How can you jump into that conclusion?"Agnes asked her.
"There's no traces of force entry happened here,which means the guards knows who it was that make them deliberately opened the chambers without suspicion to whoever this suspect is."Zarić stated her theory as she continues.
"Terminated the unaware guards inside and freed the prisoner afterwards."Zarić added.
"..Wow,just seeing the area and you already figured it out,only one problem remaining is about who is this traitor would be."Agnes quite amaze by Zarić detective skills.
"I already have an idea about the identity of the traitor."Zarić suddenly said to her.
"What?!"Agnes was again surprised.
"I suspected that the traitor is a male mage using lightning spells,I will request some records of all the male mages using lightning magic and investigate each one of them."Zarić said to her.
"H-how can you be so sure that the traitor is a male mage?"Agnes asked now in confusion as Zarić already pinpointing this case easily.
"Based on the wounds the beatened guards obtained,he's using a scabbard and all I know that mostly male mages uses scabbard as both weapon and a wand and most of all,only a man can beat up hardly this many guards without causing too much alarm,unless there's someone out there who is like me."Zarić stated to her. Agnes can't help but really amaze by Zarić,everything she said was full of base a short time,she made a reliable convincing theory to all of this,she's way more better than any other people around except to a notable familiar like her who is also seeing some skills of competence level similar to Zarić. As they're inspecting the site,an aide arrives and informs them on something.
"Miss Zarić,chevalier Agnes,her highness princess Henrietta requested your presence at her quarters."The aide informed them.
"Okay,tell her highness that we will be there in a moment."Zarić replied and the aide bows in nod then walks away to inform the princess.
"Alright Agnes let's get done with this and return back."Zarić said to Agnes and they both finishes investigating the area then proceeds to go back to the princess afterwards.
(On A Road To Imperial Base Command)
A sudden transport currently trudging it's way to the imperial base Saito established weeks ago. Inside the transport,Louise is seemingly excited as finally she will be see her familiar's very hiding secret but at the same time curious of this turn of confusion to this transportation their ride in eventhough she already had a try of riding it once while Saito sits on the driver's seat on the back. From Louise manor and now half an hour of ride as they finally now arrives at their intended location. After their daily routine training,they came to rest at the manor and here where Saito call out the transport that will carry them to the base.
"We're here."Saito just simply said to her.
"FINALLY!"Louise yells in happiness as she heard it,finally they're here. As she goes out of the transport,her eyes widened in bewilderment at the sight of the massive steel structure with moving claw on the top in front of her.
"S-SA-SAITO,WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!"Louise stammerd while dropping her jaw in awe with wide eyes at the huge building in font of her,just then Saito approach and look on her eye to eye. Just where did he get all of this?
"Whatever you see here never,I repeat,NEVER ever tell this to anyone,you understand?"Saito said with intimidation. Louise only nods in nervous on her familiar's given looks. After that,Saito turns and proceeds to go not before he looks back at his master who is lagging behind looking around in bewilderment.
"Oi,let's get inside."Saito called her out. Louise snaps out of her sense and turns to Saito.
"O-okay."Louise replied as she catches on the other sighs as he thought.
'This will be problematic. I'll be bombarded by lots of questions later,better to solve it.'Saito thought and they continues to go inside.
(Imperial Construction Yard Base Command)
"Coffee or tea."Saito offered her a drink.
"Ummm...just tea is fine."Louise replied. Saito then operates the electric kettle which Louise looks curiously. In a few moments,the tea is ready to serve. Louise gets fascinated of how the tea serves quickly. Saito place the steel cup of tea at the table and Louise takes a sip of it. Saito then sits at the other side of the table. Louise was about to say something but suddenly stops as her familiar raise it's hand.
"Before you ask on me,let's get one thing clear. Only one question each time you ask. No bombardment of questions."Saito said and Louise nods,gain at ease.
"..Okay,what do you want to know?"Saito then asked.
"Uhhh...what is this place?!"Louise blurted out asking,having eagerly wanted to know everything.
"My base."Saito simply replied.
"Your base,but...how can you build this whole thing alone?"Louise asked again.
"Technology. You don't understand it even if I enumerate it to you so don't bother to ask me about it."Saito replied flatly to her,Louise realizes it and decided to not ask as Saito already explained it to her before but she didn't understand any of it.
"Okay. ...then what's your purpose of building all of this?"Louise asked skeptic.
"For emergency purposes,it will be a big help in the near future especially for this nation that can't stand alone. You want to be her highness sword and shield right?"Saito replied,taking a sip of tea.
"Yes and I will,for her highness."Louise answered softly with determined tone.
"So then you can help her with everything here,but..."Saito said to her.
"But...what?"Louise asked skeptically.
"There's a possibility that I'm not the only one who have this kind of things here."Saito replied.
"What do you mean?"Louise asked.
"Her familiar Zarić is probably has this,if she manage to borrow that thing,their's a chance."Saito replied.
"You said to me that both of you came from another world right,is anyone in your world can make this whole thing?"Louise asked him regarding about it.
"Not all,only the higher ranks in the military has this."Saito replied.
"So miss Zarić also has this kinds of stuffs too,I'm wondering how can you create this whole places except magic,eventhough I doubt that magic can do this too and everything here looks alien to me."Louise said in wondering while looking around the facility with fascination.
"Don't waste your time on wondering all of this,just think of the way that you can fulfill your dream of becoming a reliable ally for the princess."Saito said unto her.
"...Yes youre right,theirs no time to think about all of this. I need to fucos on my goal,that is more important."Louise stated in decision as she glance at the cup of tea seeing her reflection from it.
"But you better gonna be tour me to your whole base Saito."Louise eagerly said.
"Alright but I remind you one thing,touch NOTHING."Saito stated to her,putting a reminder to the last word.
(Palace Of Londonium,Capitol Of Albion)
The Howland palace,home of the royal monarchy of Albion and center of the albionese government. Now turned into the central seat power of the reconquista faction. Inside the palace at the throne room,Cromwell the leader of reconquista is currently fuming in outrage.
"Damn it,we almost nearly get rid of the royalists and now this lowly scums are really getting my nerves!"Cromwell angrily said slamming his hands in the desk.
"How can those insolents manage to destroy our forces consist of mages that we sent there?!"He added in tone of disgusts and disbelief. He'd been expecting that the rebels will be brought down in no time because base on the information they're all nothing but commoners,but he was all wrong.
"Maybe they have a fortified line of defenses that can repel any attacks from us."One of Cromwell's aide said his opinion.
"What are you talking about?They're just a bunch of peasants,their's no way they have an edge against our magical superiority!"Another aide blurted out.
"But look at the reality,no one from our attacking forces that we send there had manage to go back alive,it is quite alarming now."The first aide countered. The first aide is right,in string of encounters on attacking to retake Eidenburgh in this pass few weeks was everything turned out to be a failure because they've been wipeout to the last man and none of them had manage to return. Making Cromwell and his men confused of how this mere commoners can pull off this stunt. It's been week since the rebellion became public and they have little to no information about the rebels capabilities and numbers.
"Your highness,I think we should call out our forces at Plotsmouth and send them at Eidenburgh to quell down these rebels once and for all."One aide suggested.
"No,the upcoming invasion in Tristain must not be postpone of just foolish insects dared to defy us."Cromwell denied the proposal suggestion and then he release out an order.
"I'll send one fourth of our dragon corps is enough to eliminate those upstarts accompanied by handful of experienced troops and a couple of triangle class mages. This peasants posed some serious problems that cannot be put aside."Cromwell ordered and all his aides nods in agreement.
'I'll crush both the remaining royalists and this foolish peasants,but I will invade Tristain no matter what.'Cromwell thought about it.
(Allied Construction Yard Base Command,Somewhere In Albion)
Inside the command room,Stanford is standing in front of the screen currently monitoring with his peacekeepers operating at the computers.
"How's the surveillance around Newcastle?"Stanford asked his peacekeepers.
"All in good commander,we're currently working a round the clock surveillance so their's nothing that we can't know about their movements."A peacekeeper that operating at the computer replied.
"Good,but don't forget about the surveillance on reconquista,it's more important now."Stanford reminded them.
"Yes commander."A unison from his peacekeepers was a response. Stanford nods in satisfaction as he returns gazing on the screen seeing the whole area of newcastle from above thanks to the surveillance sweep protocol that provided viewing to spy. While monitoring,Stanford notices a ship that lands at Newcastle. There he saw the crowned prince of Albion went out of the castle and get aboard at the flying ship.
"Hmm,where did our crowned prince go this time now?"Stanford thought in curiosity,then he order his men.
"Operator,I want you to keep an eye on the prince,monitor him of wherever he go."Stanford ordered the operator.
"Yes sir."The peacekeeper replied. Then another peacekeeper operator arrives and salute in front of him,giving an urgent report.
"Sir,we've been detected a large concentration of enemy hostiles approaching Eidenburgh."The peacekeeper reported.
'Idiots,still doesn't really learned a lesson.'Stanford thought after hearing it.
"Give me an aerial view of that."Stanford said and the peacekeeper nods and the two proceeds to go into another screen. The peacekeeper sits on his chair and began operate from it's computer. The screen blared to life showing an aerial image of a large cavalry marching down the road. Stanford analyzes the hostile forces and it's strength.
"They send more troops than before eh. Desperate but still underestimating us huh,that's good for us then."Stanford muttered with a slight grin.
"Notify our forces at Eidenburgh about this,also inform them about the enemy's strength and numbers. They need it in order to prepare for their defense."Stanford ordered the peacekeeper.
"Roger that sir."Peacekeeper replied.
"Now,let see what happens after this."Stanford said with a grin,gazing back at the screen.
(Outskirts Of Eidenburgh,Albion)
A large cavalry of reconquista are marching down the road towards Eidenburgh. The rebels after recieving the report from base command started to initiate their defenses to repel the incoming foes. IFV's are on standby at the last line while riptides on the second line supporting the infantry at the first line. Multigunners eyeing at the sky for enemy's aerial assets obviously dragons as the report says that the hostiles are accompanied by dragon riders.
"All defenses are now set."A peacekeeper said. Sandbags are already set forming a defensive line. The first line compose of trained militias armed with LRS and few of them armed with javelins.
"Alright,everyone man your positions!"He barked out an order and the militias scrambles themselves and go to their respective stations. The peacekeeper acting as their commander in charge seeing everything was in good order and well prepared of what their supreme commander said them to do nods in satisfaction. Now,all they need to do is wait for the enemy to come.
On the reconquista lines, a large unit of footmen,cavalry horsemen numbering in thousand and a handful of 50 triangle class mages with 30 dragon riders accompanied them are now on their way to crash the commoner rebels stationed at Eidenburgh. On one of the mages of this large unit is Fouquet. She was really upset after she recieves an order that she is one of the mages that will send there to eliminate the rebels. If not for some rumors she will complain about this in the first place but her contract as a mercenary for them complies him to do it. She stops from her thoughts when the leader of the force speaks.
"Halt!""The noble reconquista in command of troops in well adorned armor signaled his units to stop as he saw their targeted town at the horizon. From his position he saw a large defensive formation lines of the commoner rebels hiding behind the sandbags pointing their what seems to be some kind of muskets at them. The noble leader can't help but smirks at the puny defenses the rebels put against them. He's now wondered of why the recent forces that sent here comes to lose to this rabble upstarts. Then he turns to his army.
"Alright listen,those pathetic rebels are currently hiding behind their weak barricades. Too coward to face us,so don't falter of crushing them once and for all!"The noble commander said to his men and he is now release out an order.
"Frontline formation CHAAARGE!"The noble commander yells out his order and the wave compose of commoner footmen armed with pikes,swords and sheilds with some musketeers charges with war cry towards the rebel lines.
"This is company 1,hostiles incoming at 200 meters"The frontline defense squad informs through the comms.
"Understood company 1. Wait till they reach the 50 meter range before open fire."The overall squad leader said in reply to the other line.
"Copy that."It replied before cutting off. The reconquista first rank continues their charge until it reaches the 50 meter distance,and that's when the first line leader order to commence firing followed by barrage of burst fire frag bullets flies towards the enemy forces,effortlessly piercing through their plate armor. Shock as they suddenly halt and they caught in complete surprise. Falling comrades littered in holes was notice after barrage of scattered musket fire hits them from this distance?It was not enough from their confusion as it follows by a cacophony of gunfire coming from the riptides shredding the remaining first group of medieval footmen into pieces. Their cries was heard with entirely in mixture of confusion throughout the area,the noble commander from smirk fading away to shock seeing his frontline units being slowly decimated and few manage to fall back before they could even reach the enemy lines.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"The noble leader shouted,a dragon rider approaches to him.
"Sir,the first legion has been almost wipeout by a strange rapid fire muskets!"The dragon rider spokes.
"What?!What do you mean by that?!"The noble leader demanded. Before the dragon rider could speak,a strange object suddenly warps out of nowhere in the middle of the rear column where the noble commander is.
"Hey,what the hell is that?"One mage confused as he stared at the large square form object made of large cylindrical tubes as size as the large crate with a rectangular mirror with numbers on top counting down from five appeared in front of them. Before anyone could added a reply,the counter reaches to zero and appeared next is the image of smiling face with a words encrypting saying 'have a nice day' with a beeping sound caught the attention of everyone.
"Wha-."
"BOOOM!"
The noble commander didn't finish his words as the chrono time bomb explodes into oblivion,eating everyone within it's blast radius including the noble commander. This cause the whole remaining ranks into complete disarray losing their leader in unexpected event,even the dragon knights had a hard time to calm them because of their owm mixed of shock and confusion.
"Everyone calm down!"The lead dragon knight deperately yells on the panicking soldiers. All of their mages at the rearguard has been wipeout by the strange explosion came out of nowhere. Another volley of gunfire echoed from the rebel lines mercilessly shredding the whole ranks. Leaving no choice,the lead rider who is second in command orders the whole dragon corps to charge from above.
"Dragon riders approaching inbound!"A militia yells outto inform everyone.
"All javelin units switch to laser guide mode and shoot down those overgrown lizards!"The leading peacekeeper yells to the javelin units. The javelins activates their laser guidance system and take aim at the incoming dragon riders,as they lock on target they unleashes a salvo of homing rockets turning every dragons it hits into exploding meat pastes together with their riders.
"What kind of magic is this,I thought they were just bunch of peasants?!"The leading dragon knight yells in struggling and disbelief seeing every one of his fellow dragon riders falling one by one by this strange objects hitting them into their demise leaving a trail of smoke from behind. Multigunner turrets also releasing a barrage of homing rockets decimating the remaining riders that manage to survive the javelins including the dragon knight leader who attempts to chant a fire spell but a missile beat him to it and engulfs him in a menacing flames that ends him. Rebels relentless attacks continues,cavalry units who tried to reach the rebels defensive lines was pulverize by endless storm of bullets annihilate them before they could even meet the rebels. Others tried to advance raising their sheilds but no avail as the powerful rounds are piercing through it. It all lasted in 15 minutes of one sided battle until the last one of reconquista forces eliminated.
(15 minutes later)
"All hostiles eliminated,operation is a success. Report this to the H.Q."The peacekeeper in command said to his fellow peacekeeper.
"Affirmative."The peacekeeper replied with a salute and walks away. Back at the rebels they're busy clearing the battlefield,littered corpses and dismembered bodies has been placed in one area and was ordered to be burn,while the ones who manage to survive and injured were tended into medical tents provided by the engineers and turned them POWs but with humane treatment. On the other hand the whole militia were happily dancing,singing and drinking in their another splendid victory against their former oppressors,not only them but the whole Eidenburgh is celebrating by it. It's been awhile since they broke out in the chains of oppression and thought it was impossible until these men in blue armor appeared and make it possible for them. And now they've given a chance to make possible for them to retain their lost freedom since Brimir's time.
(Tristain Magic Academy,Tristain)
"Her highness really seems to very relying on us in terms of this sensitive tasks."Saito commented,an early foggy morning to begin their mission while him and Louise at the academy entrance waiting for their escort that will accompany them to Albion. It was yesterday night when they informed about their new mission from her highness after their tour around the base before they returned back in the academy where Henrietta together with Zarić and Agnes are waiting for them to give what it seems to be their first diplomatic mission outside Tristain.
"If that's the case,then her highness must have a high trust on us."Louise gleamingly said with obvious admiration.
"That's a good first stepping stone on your goal. Just continue it and you will difinitely achieve your dream."Saito said to her and that's when he sense something coming from above.
"Speaking of our escort..."Saito said looking at the location of a screeching sound behind the fog. As the figure is getting close they can now clearly picture it out,it's a two griffin that approaches to there location with a man riding on one of it. The two griffins slowly decended in front of them and the rider disembarks from it. The man is clearly a noble in early 20's if his clothes in question is any indication with a silver colored long hair extented to his back. Their was a scabbard strap to his waist,he wores a black hat and a black cape. Saito narrowed his eyes on the man while Louise widen her eyes in complete surprise.
"Vi-viscount Wardes?!"Louise stammers in surprise. The man in question chuckles.
"Well it's been awhile my dear Louise."The noble named Wardes replies humbly.
"Dear?"Saito raises his eyebrow while Derflinger tilts from his back. Seeing his master's reaction,she was being flustered red in the presence of this man. Wardes then looks at Saito who is looking at him blankly.
"And you must be mr. Saito,her human familiar. I'm viscount Wardes,the one will escort you and Louise to your journey."Wardes said in tone of reverent.
"It's a pleasure to meet you viscount Wardes."Saito replied in the same manner.
"Y-your the one her highness sents here to accompany us?!"Louise still stammers with a tint of red on her cheeks.
"Well of course my dear Louise. As your fiancee,I volunteered myself to this mission so that I can accompany and keep you safe at all times."Wardes replied in a gentle tone.
'Fiancee?'Both Saito and Derflinger thought.
"Well...y-you don't need to do that for me. I have someone to be relied on that."Louise said with a bit of stuttering,taking a glance at Saito.
"Hey partner,you never told me you have a lover. It's unfair after I told you everthing I have."Saito deadpans on her.
"I-it's not like that Saito!I mean that it's not really important to tell you about that!"Louise stammers in reasoning waving his hand. Saito just sighs on it.
"Well now enough of this love reunion,we need to get moving now. The early we can leave the early we can finish this mission."Saito stated getting back to the main topic.
"Indeed,so my dear Louise can I take you a ride in my griffin?"Wardes then offers his hand to Louise politely.
"Huh?...ummm well I..."Louise hesitated a bit.
'Bringing only two griffins huh...'Saito amusingly thought as he got what this viscount up to. Louise looks at Saito wanted to hear something to him.
"Just go with your fiancee,as long as your safe that's all matters to me."Saito responded but Louise seemed to be expecting a different answer.
"Louise?"Wardes calls out waiting for her answer. Louise still looking at Saito for a moment before she gaze back at Wardes.
"...O-okay..."Louise replied in low tone. She accepts his hand and lead her to the griffin,both of them riding on it's back. Saito proceeds to approach at the vacant griffin.
"Hey partner,it seems that you have a rival."Derflinger whispers teasingly to Saito.
"Enough of it."Saito retorted back in a whispering tone knowing what his sentient sword is thinking to.
"Have you been tried to ride a griffin before mr. Saito?"Wardes asks him.
"Not before,but we'll try."Saito casually replied as he rub the griffons head gently and rub him with it's head in response pleasingly. Saito then goes to it's back and ride on it.
"Hmm...it seems that you two are already getting along."Wardes comments after seeing it.
"It's just like taming a horse. Now let's get going."Saito said as both of them began to fly away to their destination.
(Medical Tent,Town Of Eidenburgh Albion)
After a one sided battle or a massacre to be exact for an attempt to retake Eidenburgh,Matilda Saxe-Gotha or also known Fouquet slowly wokes up in a bed with a bit dizziness what greets her is a bright light of a lightbulb above. As she regains her conciousness she suddenly remembers everything. She remembered that horrendous moment she had never experience her entire life,the battl-no a massacre she had witness and she is in a middle of it and out of a pure luck or god was mocking on her she manage to escape that hell.
"Where am I?"She mutters to herself wondering her eyes around and notices that she was in an enclosed tent and she was not alone,there are several people who is also lying on the bed with her. They covered in bandages and they're all clearly injured. She then switches her attention on the equipments and apparatus and looks curiously on it,this things were all foreign to her. She tried to get up but suddenly halted as both her hands were cuffed on the railing of the bed.
"What the-"Fouquet struggles as her hands were restrained by metallic handcuffs. She then feels sting of pain in her forehead and realizes that it was bandaged. Then someone enters the tent,an average man wearing a large apron like with a yellow hat and boots. The said man saw Fouquet and immediately returns back to inform his superiors. Fouquet saw it and was now afraid that the man saw her will inform his superior about her regaining conciousness. It was clearly as day that she was captured by the enemies,but what makes her confuse that they bothered tending the prisoners this much. But it doesn't matters now as she is now waiting for her inevitable.
(Allied Construction Yard Base Command,Somewhere In Southern Albion)
Stanford is currently in the war room planning his next course of action along with his assigned officers when suddenly a peacekeeper enters the room and approach Stanford saluting him,then handing out a folder to him. He accepts the folder and the peacekeeper takes it's leave. Stanford then opens the folder and read the contents,it's about the information the investigators guage from the POW's they currently held and treated. As he reading the files his attention caught by a certain name of a prisoner. His eyes widen a bit in surprise as he reads it's name.
"Matilda Saxe-Gotha,what the..."He mutters under his breath. This woman is probably...no he need to confirm it,then he continues reading the background file of the said prisoner. The longer he reads the faster it clearly confirmed his suspicion. It seems like he finally found his master's older sister but not in the way he's expected.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Finally,Stanford found his master's elder sister. But not what he expected.
Don't forget to R&R
Next chapter:Chapter 11:Full Of Surprises
