Chapter Twenty
Many thoughts went on the minds of the Shepherds on the patchy grass field. Some were concerned about loyalties and trust issues. Many had clear, empty minds that were battle focused. Henry was talking to the crows that made up his shadow with no care for anything. But everyone paused: where was the Valmese army? This was a perfect battle spot and not a soul was in view. Standing in front of Castle Rigel was intimating. How many soldiers were inside, waiting for us? Had to be a trap.
"Where is his army?" Chrom continued to scan the area.
Fredrick rode his horse up to him, "No sign of them yet, milord."
"Ha! The fools have no idea what they've just stepped into!" Excellus the worm was fidgeting with his hands and pacing around the throne room. "The Resistance will destroy itself—I needn't so much as lift a finger. The Ylissean League thinks the dynasts no longer fear me. But they don't understand how persuasive my methods can be! Hya ha ha! They'll know once they see their former friends with knives to their backs! If only there were someone with the intellect to appreciate my talents..."
The creepy smirk on his face disappeared when Walhart entered, "Excellus, who is the pinnacle of man, in body, mind, and spirit? Who is greater than the gods?"
The fat man gulped, knowing he was overheard, "Only you, my master!"
"Well, Excellus, that seems to contradict your last statement. What say you?" Walhart roared.
"M-my master! I assure you; I meant no offense! I only celebrate achievements in your service, master. To your glory."
"Glory is won on the battlefield! Glory is meeting your enemy's eyes and watching the hope drain away with his life. Glory is not won holed up in a castle with plots and cowardly schemes. And I'll be dead before I let some dynast farm lord take today's glory in my stead!" The crimson conqueror clinched his fists.
"Oh, why yes, of course! And so well put, my master."
Walhart gave a death stare with his white eyes towards his tactician before grunting and walking towards a fight. Excellus was left alone like a scared puppy until the coast was clear. "Damn that man! And that is all he is; just a man, not a god. I could easily squish him with my magic!" He huffed and puffed but then let out a sigh.
"Now, Excellus, keep your wits about you. They're all you have besides good looks. Let Walhart charge ahead—the big, stupid lobster. I'll end up on the winning side one way or another! Whee hee hee hee!"
The cranking of the drawbridge and marching of foot soldiers had our attention while we waited for the Valmese. The red armor gleamed in the sunlight.
"That's him, isn't it? Walhart. Brave of him to face us." Chrom unsheathed his sword.
"Brave? Aye. But more likely he just wants to enjoy this himself." Say'ri readied her killing edge sword.
The scarlet army stopped. The tension thick, the Conqueror yelled ahead first, "You do your sister's legacy proud, Exalt! But humanity already has a savior. A conqueror who broke stronger men than you when they refused to bow. Warriors of Valm! Ride with me now! Together we still stamp out this final pack of insurgents and unite the world!"
Of the thousands that were behind Walhart, less than two hundred of his finest charged up to the front lines and pursued the Shepherds. Why not send his whole army to fight the Ylisseans? Walhart wanted to prove a point that he could crush an enemy at any time and only needed his best to do so.
That calculation proved fatal in the underestimation of Chrom's army. Vaike, Gregor, Fredrick, Sully, Stahl, Lon'qu, Donnel, and Flavia lead the front line. All magic users assisted in offense and healing in the rear. Sumia and Cordelia took to the air along with Nowi, who transformed into a dragon. Panne also changed form and growled at the sight of the Valmese, anticipating to rip off limbs. I was in the back with Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds readjusting my tome when a hand was offered.
"Want a lift?" Cherche winked and grabbed my arm, swinging me around to sit behind her.
"Never been on a wyvern. Minerva won't mind, will she?" I had to ask to make sure I was on the dragon's good side.
"Would I have offered you a ride if it was unsafe?"
I guess not.
"Now hold on tight, but not too tight, dear." Cherche chuckled as we flew away into the clouds and reappeared to see our friends clashing metal. I never promised I wouldn't hold on for dear life, which I did.
"Aaahhh! I make I'm going to be sick." I debated to hold in my stomach or not fall off; gripping the lady was the better option.
After one too many loops, I found the ride to be more fun and panicked less. Cherche lead Minerva into a great spot to shoot out blasts of arc lightning bolts. Nowi was heard roaring as she spit out flames of fire breath at Valmese. This was going easy…too easy. Until waves of arrows flew at us. All air support was force to ground and I jumped off the wyvern from a safe distance.
All counters were meet with enemy re-counters. Our mages and wizards were able to secure the enemy archers, but were running low on concentration. After rounds of blows with the front liners, their weapons didn't hold up. Sully's steel lance already broke, forcing her to use a javelin. Even Fredrick with his whole arsenal of weaponry was forced to switch between blades.
Then, unexpectantly, the Valm army stopped. They saw something, or rather, somethings coming up over the horizon to our south…
Dynasts. Yen'fay's comrades. Tens of thousands, after losing count.They arrived and were hungry to duke it out.
"Chrom, I'm not dividing the Shepherds again." I raised a sword toward the dynasts.
"Look! You don't have to!" Say'ri yelled and pointed at arrows soaring over our heads and landing soft spots on Walhart's militia. Evening the odds, the southern dynasts fought without our help. Walhart had no choice but to send the rest of his army for support. But Walhart had no hope in his troops and acknowledged the loss. We rode off into his castle with the gate locking behind him. Some soldiers attempted to follow, but the Conqueror was not remorseful.
"Walhart has retreated into the capital! Fie, will this war never end?!" Say'ri looked around.
"His men gave their lives to secure his escape. They won't lay down arms until he does." Chrom walked away toward the castle.
"Then we must pursue and see that the deed is done." The exalt daughter followed.
"He lost? But how? How could the Conqueror be conquered?! He's insurmountable! Incontestable! Invincible!" Excellus watched from above in his quarters biting on his nails. "But then that means...Oh my...Good-bye, then! Do see to it that—" Excellus was running down the stairs and he froze when the 'red lobster' stood tall in front of him.
"Going somewhere, tactician?"
"Master! I was just coming to make sure you were all right. Are you hurt?" Excellus faked an examination using his eyes.
Walhart was not amused, "Rally our forces in the capital. We will put an end to this here."
"Have you considered, perhaps, waiting just one day?" Excellus rebelled.
"Have you seen the battlefield? No, I suppose not. Take your head from wherever it's lodged, and peer out into the daylight, snake. I'm sure your mighty intellect will quickly understand what's happened. Though if you had half the mettle of that Ylissean tactician, you'd already know. Take a good look again."
Excellus trembled and slowly turned around to peer outside…only to see slaughter, slaughter of his own people. Yen'fay's loyalists turned on him. The worm's eyes grew and fully understood what was at hand.
"Yen'fay's dynasts. But that's impossible. We had an agreement! Just like I had with...Oh dear, did they find out about Yen'fay?" Excellus went back to chewing on his nails.
"So, worm, you finally see what lays ahead of us? Now, if you would be so kind and quick, rally the forces inside…and don't make me tell you again!" Walhart slammed his Wolf Berg axe against the wall as he left his tactician in a mess of disarray.
"This boggles the mind." Say'ri said shaking her head. "Why now? Finally, now, they come to answer the call?" Yen'fay's last words and his past filled up her mind. Flavia reached out to bring her back down to earth.
"'Finally' is right. It's taken a lot of hard work to get here, Say'ri. A lot of sacrifice. From you, from Basilio, from your brother. Don't forget this moment." Say'ri looked towards the orange sky and thought of her best friend.
The sacrifices of the many would not be in vain. After gathering most of the gemstones and having Walhart on the ropes, momentum was on our side.
"Chrom, we got the momentum. Let's finish it off. Give the order." I nodded to the Exalt.
Chrom smiled and agreed, "Right. Now, let us finish what we began. To the capital, friends!" The Falchion lead the way as Gaius was well ahead picking at the giant fortress gate, looking for a weak spot. It didn't take long for an expert to unlock keys that lead to a mechanism. The thief pulled a lever and impatiently waiting, the gate was open.
Excellus gave the orders, fearing for his life. He looked out again at the losing battle. It was only time before the Shepherds burst in.
"So many of them! Is it possible it was Yen'fay they feared all along, and not me?!"
"Without him to back it up, your threat was only the grand shadow of a tiny spider." Walhart responded.
Excellus steamed red at the insult, "Tiny spider, is it? Well this spider has woven other webs in secret you could not even—"
"You mean how you blackmailed Yen'fay to keep his loyalty? Or perhaps your correspondence with the Plegian woman. Aversa, was it? Yes, I know you have designs on the Fire Emblem." The Conqueror threw papers at his right-hand man. "You have no secrets from me, worm."
Excellus picked up the stash of his handiwork. Traitorous writings and designs, showing he intended the fire emblem shield for selfish gain, "B-b-b-but...I don't...if you...knew all of that...w-why..."
Walhart stood over the crouching coward, "Why haven't I killed you? I've asked myself the same thing, several times. But you're no threat to me. And I admit, you have your uses. Besides, I'm not one for court jesters, but you do...amuse me."
Excellus lifted up from the ground, again insulted. He pointed a finger in Walhart's face, "Amuse you? I amuse you, like I'm a jester?! Are you amused now? With a million swords at your door, come for your head?! You've lost! Lost, and you are going to die! All of you! But not me! I want no part of this suicide!"
The Conqueror pushed away the finger and smirked, "Why, Excellus, did you just volunteer to lead my personal guard against the rebels? Unless you'd rather fight me. Right here. Right now!"
The tactician bowed on his knees crying, "Mercy! Mercy! F-forgive me, my master! A moment's madness only—it will not return!"
Walhart lifted up his Wolf Berg, but thought twice and reconsidered. Instead, he made him head general of what was left of the army and he marched off to sit on the throne.
Excellus checked for wet marks in his trousers and thanked himself for none. He dusted his cloak off and mumbled, "He forgot who I am. I could have fried him where he stood with my magic! We will crush these rebels...we must crush these rebels!" The spider had another sinister thought as he rubbed his double chin, "Or maybe...if Walhart is sufficiently injured...I might 'amuse' him with a spell. Nya ha, either way, this spider crawls out alive! Eee hee hee hee!"
The laughter died when the noise of crashing came below. Walls fell over and the screaming was deafening. Excellus ran down to meet the Shepherds already squared off against the Conqueror.
"Walhart!" Chrom stamped his sword to the ground.
"Prince…" Walhart didn't flinch.
"Will you surrender?"
"Don't waste my time with questions you know the answers to, boy." Walhart flipped a strain of his long white hair.
"It did not have to be this way. You believed in mankind's strength...and so did my sister. You believe that we are masters of our destinies. So do I. You could have joined with us."
The Valm ruler scoffed, "Me, join you?! Does a pegasus join with the flea on its back? A dragon, with a cow it eats?! You forget your place, boy. I am the Conqueror! I will unite the world!"
"No, I will." Chrom beat on his chest, "And not by forcing all the people to choose the sword or the knee. Peace will only come by stoking people's hearts...not their fear."
"You think that's what you've done? What your sister did before you? No, she shouted some nonsense and leapt off a rock! Such weakness!" Walhart spat in the Exalt's direction.
"Wrong. Not weakness—strength. That one act lives on, and will live on, longer than all your conquests."
The Conqueror laughed, "And longer than you will. Come then, flea, and die for your peace!" He pulled out his trademark axe as he stood, glimmering light reflection from the candles on the walls.
Chrom whispered as he pulled the Falchion from the ground, "Emm, I tried..."
"He said, he said…blah blah blah." I made a mocking face in the unrest. "Enough of this garbage…Arc fire!"
A bolt of flames left my hand and proceeded toward the Conqueror, but was overtaken by a bigger fireball and dissipated harmlessly in thin air.
"Hahaha! So good of you to join us! Yes, no more words, only your death is necessary! This spider has caught you!" Excellus rose from the shadows, not needing to teleport.
"So gross!" Lissa covered her face.
"You mock me, little girl? I will show you what's gross when my spells tear away your flesh, delicate flower!" Excellus folded his arms, unaware of the rage building in the lady he just disrespected.
I saw the red developing in Lissa's face, and I grabbed her right shoulder. "We got this," I gave her a unique gesture with my hands, and she understood what to do.
I charged at the gross man and feint an upper cut with my silver sword. The numerous twirls provided excellent distraction as I gave the signal, "Omaha!"
Excellus froze, expecting a slash of my sword, but I side-stepped to allow Lissa's lightning bolt to fry the sorry man.
"Aaahkk!" And with a thud, the worm laid dead on his face so no one could ever see his grotesqueness ever again.
Lissa walked up to the body, gloating in victory, "I am not delicate! Hmmph!"
I gave her a high-five and we moved on the other dark mages that slithered in the dark. Witnessing their newly dead general on the ground, the concentration on their spells was broken. Not one spell was spoken from their cold lips. Sumia had time to trip and land a blow of her lance on one of them, surprising everyone. Others were nimbler and connected with more grace. Tomes and body parts splattered the stone floors, ruined with stains of blood. All that stood was the Conqueror.
Walhart still did not move from his throne. Chrom made the first attack, putting the white-haired man on the defense. After three consecutive blows, Walhart surged with his Wolf Berg. Each swing of the great axe pushed Chrom back further on his heels. The Ylissean had great sweat from his forehead and gave an opening for the Conqueror. He slashed and connected on his left shin. Chrom yelled loudly, falling to his knees. His queen came in to provide backup from another hit.
"I'll keep you safe!" Cordelia blocked the axe with her brave lance. She was faster than Walhart, but not as strong nor durable. With four more strikes of her lance, Walhart laughed as if unfazed. The giant man swung but miss several times, allowing an opening for Cordelia.
"That's quite enough!" The pegasus knight jabbed her weapon through the right armpit of Walhart. Unfortunately, the lance got lodged inside. He grunted and threw the lance away. He walked right up to Cordelia and picked her up by her breastplate and threw her aside fifteen yards.
"Cordelia!" Chrom watched with wide eyes as he brought himself up from the ground. The adrenaline kicked in and he gave every assault to Walhart.
"Is that all you got, boy? I knew you'd be no match for me. Not even the so-called gods can defeat me. What makes you think you had a chance?"
"Arc lightning!"
Behind the Conqueror came a beam of light. The lightning bolt hit Walhart in the back, causing him to collapse. He was still alive, but breathing was heavy from his mouth. Good, I wanted him to hear this, as I walked up to him, "Gods, humans, I'm the guy with the sword."
With a swoop, his head rolled on the floor. That was the end of the reign of the Conqueror. Few Valmese mages and knights were left around, trembling their weak knees. A bang came from the entrance; the Southern Dynasts stormed the castle and pointed their weapons at the enemy.
Valm surrendered and Yen'fay's people took them in as prisoners. A soldier came up to Chrom and explained they had holding cells for the captives.
"We will see to it each is executed."
"Not necessary," Chrom raised his hand, "Each should be given an opportunity to choose alliance. If they refuse to bow and join you, then feel free to take any measure to eliminate them."
"Fair enough." The dynast bowed and left.
The war ended, but victory was not yet celebrated. Chrom struggled with thoughts of his sister, "It's strange, Walhart and my sister were complete opposites. One gave her life to stop a war. The other took lives to create one. And yet they both inspired those around them; both walked a path to end all war. Both lived, and died, trying to unite the people."
Lucina walked up and hugged his father, "Yes, Father, but as they say, the method is the message. Your father suffered from beliefs similar to Walhart, and his legacy is plain to see."
Chrom returned the hug, "Yes…these are matters too weighty for this moment. There will be plenty of time for reflection now that the war is done."
The Shepherds left victorious and heads up high. Everyone smiled at each other asked if they had any serious injuries. Vaike tried to one-up everyone, boosting about surviving a direct blast of a fireball to his torso. He showed off his battle scars to prove his point, even if they were quite small and healing well. Laughter and happiness were felt once more. I thanked the healers as I went back to back to my tent to retire for the night as I hoped for sunshine and rainbows instead of nightmares for a change. Prayers were answered as Grima did not get a hold of my thoughts that night.