Chapter 6
Plots and Ploys
"Your Highness."
Stella glanced back, then turned to greet the woman that had called out to her.
"Your Excellency," the princess said.
As First Secretary of Accordo, Camelia Claustra was one of those few individuals whose social standing would match that of a Tenebraen royal. The white hair that adorned her head was not only a mark of her greater years, but the responsibility that weighed upon her shoulders. It was a weight that Stella was well familiar with, even with her fewer years.
"The Empire has formally announced King Regis' passing," Camelia informed Stella as she stepped beside the younger woman.
"I see," Stella said softly. "And what of Prince Noctis?"
"Silence, for the most part," Camelia said, "though unofficially the Empire asserts confidence that they will find His Highness without much difficulty."
Stella took a deep breath. "That seems mildly optimistic."
"Look at it from their perspective, Your Highness," Camelia said. "Niflheim has finally managed to topple Insomnia's walls, slaying the Lucian king in the process. Their confidence and morale must be soaring right now, while that of the Lucian people is likely reeling."
"And yet Prince Noctis remains at large," Stella said, "along with a substantial portion of the Lucian army. The Empire may be declaring victory over Lucis prematurely."
"Perhaps," Camelia allowed. "But that the Empire achieved a major victory is indisputable. And that victory changes the calculus for many other plans."
"Yes," Stella agreed softly. "Yes it does."
Camelia regarded the younger woman. "Tell me, Your Highness. How well acquainted were you with the House of Caelum? On a personal level."
"Prince Noctis and I met many years ago, when we were both children," Stella said. "He was accompanying his father on a state visit to Tenebrae. That was before our annexation by the Empire."
The secretary nodded. "I too have met King Regis. Though back then he was just the crown prince and not yet ascended to the throne. He came to Altissia on a, trade, mission, officially to pay his respects to one of Lucis' longstanding trading partners, but unofficially, to see if the Protectorate had any appetite to chart a course of renewed independence, with the kingdom's help."
"I see," Stella said as she returned Camelia's gaze. "Am I to take the continued status quo then that Accordo did not possess such appetite?"
"That is certainly the impression we hoped was fostered to outside observers," Camelia said. "The Empire is not overly fond of those that ferment rebellion and sedition, as you are likely well aware."
"No, they are not," Stella agreed. "May I presume then that Lucis' defeat this past day complicates matters for Accordo to a similar degree as they do Tenebrae?"
"You may," Camelia said.
A telling admission, that. Publicly Camelia needed to present a loyal and subservient posture to the Empire, lest she be forcibly removed and Accordo as a whole suffer imperial reprisals. Privately, the two women were working towards the same ultimate end, to free their respective lands from Niflheim's grip. But neither possessed the power to do so alone, and even together the chance of success remained slim.
"May I inquire as to what extent discussions with Prince Regis progressed?" Stella asked.
"There was a mutual recognition that any attempt by Accordo to reassert its independence in the short term would only end in tragedy," Camelia responded. "The Protectorate's military capacity is limited, intentionally so, and Lucis was in no position to send relief with its own borders under such pressure from the Empire. To develop Accordo to the point where we could pose a credible challenge to the Empire would therefore take considerable effort, and patience."
"An overabundance of effort certainly cannot make up for a lack of patience," Stella noted. "For all that I preach such words, I myself am often guilty of too much haste."
Camelia offered a kindly smile. "To be aware of your own flaws is no bad thing, Your Highness. Besides, there are certainly times when haste becomes as much a virtue as patience. It is simply a matter of having the right person in the right place at the right time."
"And of becoming the right person if the need arises," Stella said, a touch of steely determination in her voice.
The first secretary offered no disagreement there.
"When negotiations were underway as to where the wedding was to be held," Camelia said instead, "King Regis sent a proposal to Accordo to see if the Protectorate would be willing to play host, as a sort of neutral party recognized by both sides, along with general inquiries about the progress of our two mutual, commercial, interests."
It said much about Accordo's rather unique status within the Empire's sphere that even while Niflheim and Lucis warred against one another, the Protectorate and the Kingdom continued to conduct significant amounts of trade. The Empire tolerated it, since the tax revenue so generated was nothing to be sneezed at, and also because it granted them a backdoor channel to Lucis for purposes diplomatic and otherwise. But the same held true for Lucis, as the Kingdom used Accordo as an avenue into Niflheim for its own clandestine purposes. None more so than the beachhead Camelia was hinting Lucis had been building Accordo up into since even before Regis ascended the throne.
"And have those interests been profitable?" Stella asked, participating in this dance of words.
"One might say so," Camelia said, her smile thinning. "But I should let one more intimately engaged in those matters speak for himself."
Right on cue, the doors to the office opened and entered a sharply dressed gentleman, his neatly combed grayish hair a stark contrast to his darkened skin. The twinkle in his monocled eye however hinted at the spirit that still stirred within him as he bowed respectfully.
"First Secretary Claustra, Princess Stella," the man greeted in a strong, deep voice.
"Your Highness, allow me to introduce Weskham Armaugh," Camelia proceeded with the formalities. "Weskham is an immigrant from Lucis, and the proprietor of Maagho."
"Maagho," Stella said, tilting her head thoughtfully. "That was to be the establishment that would have provided catering for the wedding reception. It is reputed to be one of the finest restaurants in Altissia. A shame indeed that I missed an opportunity to sample your culinary delights."
"Your Highness is too kind," Weskham said with a smile. "Still, opportunities may yet exist for you to partake in Maagho's services. My establishment also serves as a clearinghouse for various goods that pass through Altissia. Much of it is foodstuffs, but we also handle items of a more, utilitarian nature."
Stella's eyes narrowed. She had presumed Weskham's arrival to hold some deeper meaning, it was unlikely Camelia would have invited the man on a lark, and the point about him being a Lucian immigrant was certainly more than idle trivia. The First Secretary had certainly been laying the groundwork for the introduction in their prior conversation, and it was up to Stella to piece together the hints.
"Might I inquire, Mr. Armaugh, whom accompanied you when you first set foot in Altissia?" Stella asked.
Weskham's smile widened slightly, but there was also a sad tinge on the edge of his lips. "It was with my sworn liege, the then Prince Regis."
That was all the confirmation Stella needed. Weskham was a Lucian agent, left here to serve as a conduit between the Accordan and Lucian governments. His restaurant business was a cover and a base, and the trading that it conducted a means to slip things into Accordo that the Empire would much rather be kept out.
"The present unpleasantness notwithstanding," Stella continued, "I trust the trade with your homeland has been fruitful over the years?"
"Oh yes, very much so, Your Highness," Weskham responded. "Indeed, it reached such a volume that we could feed a small army with everything that's flowed through our warehouses."
Case in point, weapons enough to give the Accordan Guard some proper teeth.
Stella nodded slowly. "A small army, you say."
"I've tended to be a bit conservative when it's come to growing my business," Weskham stated. "I'm sure Your Highness understands, the prospective rewards must always be balanced against the inherent risks."
"I do indeed," Stella agreed.
It had obviously taken years, and even then the number of arms smuggled in was likely far fewer than Camelia or Weskham would have preferred, but that in no way diminished what the two had accomplished. If the Accordan Guard really had a stockpile of modern Lucian weapons, they would be capable of genuinely fighting against Niflheim's legions. Fight, but not win, not by themselves at least.
"Tell me, Mr. Armaugh. Would you be here today because you see some possibility of extending your business' reach to Tenebrae?"
"That was the thinking," Weskham confirmed.
"Then by all means," Stella said, a firm smile crossing her face. "Shall we discuss the prospective benefits, and the inherent risks?"
The ride was relatively quiet, aside from the rustle of the bush and the odd kweh here and there from the group's mounts. That was arguably a good thing, as the lack of other noises also indicated the absence of imperial forces and their very loud vehicles. Still, the four remained alert. Just because there were no imperial dangers did not mean the forests of Duscae were empty of all threats. Mother Nature could be quite deadly in her own right, after all.
The decision to make the trek through Duscae using chocobos instead of vehicles was a mixture of pragmatism and guile. The roads were still clogged with refugees, and while the Territorials did possess plenty of all-terrain vehicles, they would have still been constrained by fuel availability. Chocobos on the other hand, while slower in absolute terms, had greater endurance and could forage for whatever fodder they required. And so long as the four had a few pieces of fruit to serve as treats, the flightless birds would be perfectly happy to keep trudging along.
"Whoa, there," Noctis said, as his bird suddenly came to an abrupt halt.
Usually, at least, as the other third birds did likewise. They sniffed the air nervously, clearly sensing something amiss out there. Looking about, Noctis frowned. He couldn't hear anything, and that by itself was telling.
"Where are the birds?" he wondered aloud.
"Good question," Gladiolus said as he brought his chocobo alongside. "Now that I think about it, we haven't heard any animals for the past few minutes."
"Something clearly has the local wildlife spooked," Ignis remarked. "A predator, perhaps?"
"We sure it's not the imps?" Prompto asked.
Noctis shook his head. "No, I don't think so." He patted the bird. "Imps wouldn't have these guys riled up this much either."
"So what are we gonna do, go around?" Gladiolus asked.
Noctis tugged the reins, trying to get his chocobo to move forward. The bird flatly refused.
"Doesn't look like we've got much of a choice. Let's cut south, we need to start heading that direction to get to the ranch anyway."
"Gotcha."
"I'll radio the others, let them know to stay clear," Prompto said.
While it might appear that Noctis was alone with only his immediate retinue, in truth a portion of the Crownsguard were moving in sync with him, even if they were spread out a bit to cover his flanks. The prince however had insisted on taking point, which was not necessarily as terrible an idea as it might appear at first glance, when his martial prowess was taken into account. The Crownsguard had of course not been thrilled, but practical considerations like the limited number of chocobo mounts available ultimately meant Noctis got his way.
Getting the chocobos moving again required a little bit of backtracking, but the birds eventually allowed themselves to be pointed south. Responses from the other squads indicated similar difficulties with their mounts, but everyone was eventually back on track. Still, the stillness of the forest continued on, an indelible mark left behind by this predator.
"There's a watering hole nearby," Ignis called out. "We should rest the animals there for a bit."
Not to mention rest themselves. Sitting in the saddle for long periods of time was bound to make anyone sore.
"Sounds good," Noctis agreed.
The spring was as quiet as the rest of the forest, without any animals partaking from it. Hopping off his bird, Noctis led it to the water edge and watched as the chocobo gulped down several beakfuls. Once its thirst was quenched, it began poking around the underbrush for any tasty leaves or berries. While his mount was so occupied, Noctis took a swig from this own canteen.
"How much further till we get to the ranch?" he asked as Ignis came over to water his own bird.
Their intended destination, the ranch in question was ostensibly a private business but one in which the royal family held a discrete stake in. A large percentage of the Territorials were also sourced from there, and thanks to its size the Wiz Chocobo Post could easily absorb and hide a significant number of passersby.
"Should be another half-day of travel at this pace," the bespectacled man said, "assuming we don't have any further diversions."
Not that they would be staying overlong, but the ranch would serve as a good place to get some proper rest and food before continuing westward.
"Any idea what could drive out all the animals like this?" the prince followed up.
"I do admit, this is rather unusual," Ignis remarked. "We've never encountered anything like this in our past hunts, whether it be a single predator or even a large pack. Such a depletion of other wildlife would leave no prey to hunt and eat, which a predator would surely still need."
"What about daemons?" Prompto suggested. "They don't eat, at least I don't think they do, and anything that gets turned would be hiding from the sun during the day."
A few seconds passed as the other three all stared at Prompto, seemingly taken aback by the rather astute suggestion.
"Uh, guys?" Prompto gave a wave. "Something I said?"
Noctis chuckled. "Something like that. Though if there really was such a big cluster of daemons showing up, shouldn't we have gotten reports of it?"
"It might be fairly recent," Ignis said, "perhaps within the last month or so, when we were in Insomnia."
"Seems like the world just keeps falling apart whenever we go on vacation," Gladiolus said with a sigh.
"We'll check in with Wiz when we get to the ranch, see if he knows anything," Noctis said. "We need to get to Lestallum as quickly as possible, but if there really is a cluster of daemons hanging around here, they'll need to be cleared to allow the Territorials to move more easily."
While the Territorials could handle daemons with the proper preparations, the current invasion Lucis faced would make it a mite bit difficult for the army to put in their best showing. If anyone was positioned to deal with a coven of daemons, it would be those wielding the Lucian magic, of which Noctis and his cohort were not the exclusive wielders of.
"A task of which the rest of the Crownsguard can handle," Ignis pointed out. "Your Highness' direct intervention is not necessarily warranted, especially considering the urgency of our westward trek."
Noctis made no immediate response, a pretty clear indicator that his stubbornness was rearing its head again.
"Noct," Gladiolus said in a chiding tone. "You're not just the crown prince anymore, you can't try to do everything by yourself. You need to start delegating."
"Gladio is right," Ignis lent his support. "If we are overly delayed liberating Lestallum, countless settlements reliant on its power generation will be at risk of getting cut off. We're talking about thousands of Lucians."
"Alright, alright!" Noctis said with clear frustration. "I get it! The Crownsguard and the Territorials can probably handle a few daemons without us. At least that way I can take the fight to the Empire faster."
Perhaps not the best motive Noctis could have settled upon, but it would do. Or so they all thought, as suddenly a cry sounded in the forest. A chocobo's cry, at that. The birds accompanying the prince perked up, becoming noticeably agitated. They even began calling back.
"What the hell!?" Gladiolus exclaimed.
"Hey, hey there!" Prompto tried to calm down his mount to no avail.
As flock animals, chocobos were by nature very social animals. Amongst herbivores, they were one of the fiercer species, able and willing to directly confront predators to protect others of their flock. This faithfulness could extend even to their human minders, hence why the birds were so often used for mounted cavalry in before firearms became widespread, and then afterwards as dragoons. In the wild, each flock tended to focus solely on looking out for its own, but from time to time, if a major new predator moved in, a cry for help would be answered by multiple flocks. The cry that was being sounded now was definitely one such call.
"That sounds close," Noctis said, grabbing hold of his own bird's reins to keep it from bounding off. "We should check it out."
The others could have tried talking the prince out of it, but with an immediate local threat, that would have been a futile exercise. Besides, anything that would prompt a chocobo flock to call for help was probably serious enough to warrant their attention. Climbing onto their mounts, the four hurried in the direction of the call. It was not long before a scene of absolute carnage greeted them.
"What the hell!?" Gladiolus was the first to exclaim.
Multiple chocobos, or their blooded carcasses at least, were strewn about the forest floor. A few birds were still alive, desperately trying to drive back a gargantuan behemoth. It was a losing battle, but the birds, led by an impressively large black feathered chocobo, fought on nonetheless.
"Look, Noct!" Prompto pointed, having spotted just what the birds were so doggedly protecting.
Nestled amongst the bushes, a few eggs could be seen. This was the flock's nest, their home. And with their young at risk, there was no way they would back done, even if every last one of them fell.
"C'mon!" Noctis shouted, sword appearing in hand.
With a fierce cry, his mount reared back and leapt forth, joining the fray. The behemoth roared in response, clearly not impressed by the paltry reinforcements four more chocobos represented. Those upright figures riding upon them however, it seemed to recognize what they were, abstractly at least. As Noctis threw his sword, the behemoth actually rolled aside, letting the weapon sail past harmlessly.
"Wha!?"
"Careful, Noct!" Gladiolus shouted. "That thing's been round the block a few times!"
The appearance of the behemoth certainly seemed to suggest that. In addition to a broken horn, the right eye was a milky white, indicating the creature was blind on that side. It must have been a ferocious battle to have inflicted such wounds upon the behemoth, but that the monster had survived was ample proof of its own toughness.
"Any ideas!?" Noctis called out.
"It'll be more wary of attacks from the right, but its limited vision means it can still be taken unawares," Ignis said. "Prompto, flank and distract from that direction."
"Gotcha!"
Prompto immediately maneuvered his bird about, pistol drawn to take potshots.
"A behemoth's hide is thick," Ignis continued, "so only attacks with great weight will be able to pierce it."
"Sounds like my cue," Gladiolus declared, greatsword hefted over his shoulder.
"I will set a marker," Ignis said. "Our immediate objective is to immobilize the creature, so try to sever the tendons in its legs."
While they spoke, the behemoth had not been idly sitting about waiting for them to concoct their plan. The creature roared and made a tremendous leap, barreling towards Prompto.
"Whoa! Little help here!"
"Close in!" Ignis ordered.
Noctis and Gladiolus obeyed, trusting in their friend's command. A flicker of light signaled the dagger Ignis threw, and upon seeing it wedge itself on the behemoth's rear right leg, Gladiolus gave a might leap of his own.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"
The greatsword came slashing down, and sliced through a rotting log as the behemoth actually rolled aside.
"Wha!?"
"Look out!" Ignis shouted.
"Gah!"
The snap of the creature's tail caught Gladiolus squarely across the chest, sending the young man tumbling through the air. He came to a rough landing, bouncing and rolling a bit before arresting his slide. Prompto was immediately at his side, sports drink popped open and ready for Gladiolus to quaff down.
"C'mon, back on your feet, big guy."
"Thanks," Gladiolus said after gulping a few mouthfuls down.
"Now what!?" Noctis exclaimed.
"Keep moving," Ignis said. "This behemoth is much more agile than expected!"
While behemoths were fairly rare, it was not as if Noctis and the others had never faced one before. Granted that time they had been accompanied by a full platoon of Crownsguard, so slaying the beast was a much less involved task all around.
"Guys, should we maybe call for help!?" Prompto suggested.
"You think they'd get here in time?" Gladiolus said as he rose, weapon at the ready.
Of course the real question was whether reinforcements would arrive to find the behemoth already dead, or munching on their corpses.
"A simultaneous strike," Ignis said. "Gladio! You ready for another go!?"
"Just say the word!"
"Take it from the front, hold its attention!"
The muscular youth gave another cry, charging straight at the behemoth. The monster snarled, rearing back ready to pounce but waiting to see just which way to jump. It was clearly a cunning creature, and successfully tricking it would take some doing. Gladiolus charged, discarding any notion of subtlety or guile. True, trying to beat a behemoth with raw strength was probably a losing proposition, but they did not have time to be picky. With its larger size, the behemoth also had longer reach, swiping at Gladiolus while otherwise staying outside of the youth's range. This time Gladiolus was ready however, bringing his shield to bear to deflect the claws. With the opening this created, he lunged forward and gave his own sword a mighty swing. Again the behemoth rolled aside, deftly dodging the blade. Its movement was frightfully quick, as the moment it was back upright, it dipped its head and charged to skewer Gladiolus on its horn.
This time the motion saw the creature lean right into the blue flash, as Noctis managed a pinpoint strike on its vulnerable right. The creature howled in fury, swiping away to knock the prince aside. The cut had been too shallow, enraging the best and distracting it, but achieving little else.
"Ignis! Do you see anything!?" Noctis called out.
There were quite a few things the group could try, from trying to crack its remaining horn to going for the limbs to immobilize it. The problem however was the behemoth was proving a very shrewd opponent, recognizing its own weaknesses and making ample effort to compensate for them. If they were to strike it down, they needed something that it simply could not defend against, at least not with its usual repertoire of fast reflexes and strong muscles. Squinting, Ignis noticed a patchy, matted portion of its hide. Now that was interesting.
"Noct!" Ignis shouted. "Fire!"
The prince gave his friend a brief, disbelieving look, but began gathering magic in his hand nonetheless. Past experience told him that behemoths were actually quite resistant to flames, but if Noctis could remember that, Ignis certainly did as well. That he recommended it nonetheless suggested the bespectacled man had a plan, and so Noctis went along with it. Once the fire ignited, Noctis hurled the fireball at the behemoth. At seeing the oncoming flames, the creature roared and tried to dodge again, but the flames exploded and washed over the create like a tidal wave. So enveloped, the behemoth stopped lashing out at the chocobos or Noctis' retinue, instead desperately rolling around in the dirt trying to put the fire out.
"Gladio! Now!"
With the creature distracted, Gladiolus was able to close the distance and carved through the behemoth's leg. That caused it to lose balance, collapsing in a jumbled heap. With a still target, Prompto let off a quick burst from his pistol, and a crack sounded as the bullets struck the protruding horn. A silver glint then attached itself to the horn.
"Noct!"
An accompanying blue flash streaked towards the horn, and a much louder crack could be heard as it was broken clean off. The howl of pain and rage this time was much louder, as the behemoth staggered once more. It tried to lash out, but Noctis had already warped away. And then the prince was back, striking at a front leg with another bone shattering crunch. Sneaking in amongst the flurry of attacks, Gladiolus swung his blade upward, catching the behemoth below its chin. More blood splattered, and the creature's movements became increasingly haggard. Even Prompto joined in, dismissing his guns for a large, mechanical drill manifesting in his hands. This proved enough to puncture the creature's thick hide, creating what could only be a mortal wound in its gut. The four were not content to simply wait for the behemoth to bleed out, however. Not after everything else they had gone through.
"Noct!"
Gladiolus reached out, grabbing the prince and flinging him into the air. The prince came crashing down with sword in hand, even as Gladiolus struck his own mighty blow from below. The combined strike delivered the coup de grâce, outright crushing the behemoth's head. Functionally decapitated, the mighty beast was finally toppled.
"Phew!" Prompto said, leaning against the corpse. "This thing was a hell of a monster!"
"No time to rest, Prompto," Gladiolus clapped a hand on his shoulder. "We should check out those chocobos."
"Oh crap, right!" The blond youth immediately popped back onto his feet and hurried over. "Oh, crap."
The flock that the behemoth had been ravaging was not in good shape, with most of its members dead and the rest heavily wounded. The large, black colored chocobo that was probably the matriarch was collapsed, having expended everything it had in the fight. From the matted blood on her feathers, she did not have much longer.
"Hey, hey there," Noctis said as he tried to comfort the bird.
A weak kweh was the only answer, the chocobo struggling to even lift its head to regard the prince. Noctis grimaced.
"I'm sorry we were too late," he said, even if the chocobo was not likely to understand him.
The black bird tilted its head, looking at not just her fallen family, but also at the clutch of eggs still nestled away.
"We'll make sure they reach a safe place," Noctis said. "I promise."
That seemed to be assurance enough, as the chocobo stopped trying to move. Slowly, its eyes closed, and with it the rise and fall of its chest also stilled.
"Sleep well, old girl," Noctis said.
With a weary sigh, he rose and looked over at the other birds. Only two others were left, and they gave pitiful whines of sorrow as they nuzzled the flock mother's silent form. Reaching over, Noctis gave one a comforting scratch on the head.
As social creatures, it was not unusual for chocobo flocks to split up and merge as depending on the number of birds in an area and the amount of food available. Those birds that ended up orphaned from a flock, either because of food pressures or predators, tended to try to attach themselves to a new flock as quickly as possible. Those that failed to do so did not survive for long in the wild. Whether such strays would be accepted was at the discretion of the other flock's matriarch, or whichever human substituted for that role in ranch bred flocks. By comforting the chocobo like this, Noctis was also signaling his acceptance of it into his flock.
"Hey, hey Noct!" Prompto called out.
Looking over at his friend, Noctis frowned as he saw what caught the blond youth's attention. A black mist was wafting off the behemoth's corpse, casting an eerie shadow in the process. The sunlight at least seemed to be breaking it up, the flickering reminiscent of fading embers.
"What in the world?" Gladiolus said.
"This, looks like what happens after a daemon is vanquished," Ignis observed.
"But it's daylight!" Prompto pointed out.
"Perhaps it had not been fully corrupted," Ignis ventured.
"Whatever's going on, it isn't good," Noctis declared. "Gladio, can you slice off a, I don't know, sample or something?"
"Could try, but we don't exactly have anything to preserve it with here," Gladiolus said, taking out a knife. "We'll have to hustle over to the ranch to get it frozen."
"Even with a sample, would we have the capacity to analyze it?" Ignis pointed out.
"Maybe not now," Noctis said, "but better we hang onto it, just in case." He knelt down and looked at the carcass. "Remember that dualhorn we killed? It gave off a black mist just like this behemoth."
"What, really?" Prompto said. "I didn't see anything. You guys?"
"No, but we weren't exactly looking, either," Gladiolus said as he began cutting. "Huh, weird."
"What is it?" Noctis asked as he rose.
"There's, ugh, the hell?"
A blackish liquid spewed out, hissing as it hit the ground and discoloring it a sickly gray. Moments later, the behemoth's body began to decay at a rapid rate, before both flesh and bone seeming evaporated entirely.
"Whoa, okay, that was definitely daemonic," Prompto said.
"You alright there?" Noctis asked his friend.
"Yeah, don't think I got any on me," Gladiolus said, looking over his arms. "So much for a sample though."
"Perhaps not," Ignis said, picking up the stained knife with his gloved hand, showing off the ichor that darkened the blade. "This might yet tell us something, assuming we can find a specialist that can examine it."
Gladiolus sighed. "And I liked that knife too."
"Don't worry, we'll get you a new one," Noctis said. "Bag it, and let's get going. If there really are monsters turning into daemons around here, I don't want to be caught out here at nightfall."
The four hurried, wrapping up not just the knife but also the eggs from the nest. With any luck, they'd hatch into nice strong chicks that would never have to know just how close their entire flock came to destruction. It might be a small piece of the world, but that was still worth saving, as far as Noctis was concerned.
The sound of kwehs that could be heard were relaxed and even cheerful, the birds that inhabited Wiz Chocobo Post being well taken care of with plenty to eat and many opportunities to stretch their legs. With the influx of new humans, there were even more hands ready to scratch a bird or take one out for a quick jaunt in the nearby forest, so the birds were getting even more attention than usual, what with some of the humans actually bunking in the very barns that the chocobos themselves slept in. Not amongst the animals, of course, but in the lofts that stored the hay and other feed the birds chomped on.
Even with the overflow, the ranch was still able to accommodate all of its new residents, temporary though they may be. Some of course were granted somewhat higher priority in terms of the better rooms, if only because others insisted. Noctis was no stranger to roughing it, but the Crownsguard had been positively adamant that the prince take one of the actual guestrooms. Even then, it was not exactly the most luxurious of arrangements, as sheer numbers still obliged Noctis to share the room with the rest of his cohort. Mornings were full all around as the prince had to take care not to step on his roommates while trying to get from the bed to the door.
In addition to a good chunk of the Crownsguard, a few Territorial units along with Cor had also made temporary camp at the ranch. All of them were headed west of course, so they would not be staying overlong. The next leg of their trek still needed planning though, which was what Noctis was up to now that he had gotten some rest.
"So far we have confirmation that the Empire has deployed three of its legions in the occupation of Lucis," Cor said as he, Noctis, and Ignis were huddled over a map. "The bulk of the Fourth Legion has consolidated in and around Insomnia, while the Third and Sixth are working their way through Duscae and Cleigne. The bulk of the Sixth are operating in Cleigne, south of the Disc of Cauthess, with a large concentration in Cape Caem. The Third have also managed to take Lestallum, with units sighted advancing eastward."
"We expecting any further reinforcements from Niflheim?" Noctis asked.
"No, Your Highness," Cor answered. "The way things are, I doubt the Empire could spare any more troops either, at least not without uncovering crucial regions closer to their homeland." The man regarded Noctis. "Your Highness does recall the sum of Niflheim's standing forces?"
"You'll need to give me a refresher," Noctis said. "I have a rough idea, but not an exact breakdown."
"Of course," Cor said, sounding rather unperturbed by Noctis' admission. Then again, better that the prince admit his ignorance than try to feign familiarity on a matter of such import. "Officially the Empire's armed forces are organized into ten numbered legions, but not all of these legions are at full strength and indeed some of them only exist on paper. Thus far, we have confirmation of three legions having been deployed to Lucis, the aforementioned Third, Fourth, and Sixth Legions."
Noctis nodded, indicating he was both listening and remembered the previously mentioned points.
"Of the remaining legions, the Empire is highly unlikely to move any significant portion of the First, Fifth, or Seventh Legions to assist in occupying Lucis," Cor continued. "The First is responsible for the defense of the imperial homelands, including the capital city of Gralea. The Fifth and Seventh on the other hand are ostensibly deployed in the defense of Accordo and Tenebrae respectively, but it's something of an open secret that they also serve as an occupational force to discourage any tendencies towards seeking independence."
"The stick that goes with the carrot," Ignis remarked.
"Quite," Cor said. "At the same time, the Empire is not hesitant to employ newly incorporated subjects into its armed forces. A large percentage of the Sixth is composed of auxiliaries from Accordo and Tenebrae, and one of their regimental commanders is Colonel Ravus Nox Fleuret, a prince of House Fleuret."
"Hmm," was Noctis' immediate response.
While Noctis could be accused of a certain intellectual laziness, the young man's basic intelligence was not to be underestimated. The wheels in his brain were already turning as he contemplated the nuances of that last tidbit.
"The Third Legion on the other hand is effectively solely composed of Nifs," Cor continued. "They're commanded by Major-General Caligo Ulldor, an ambitious officer and one who is prejudiced against anyone that's not of pure Niflheim descent."
"Can we expect some tension between his command and the Sixth, then?" Ignis inquired.
"It's possible," Cor responded. "As far as we can tell though, the two legions are sticking to their own operational theaters and there doesn't seem to be much overlap of their forces."
"So that means whichever legion we pick a fight with, they'll be on their own for at least a little while," Noctis noted.
"Correct, Your Highness," Cor concurred, then tilted his head. "Do you have a target in mind?"
"The Third," Noctis answered without hesitation. "They're further north, which means their supply lines are also longer. And the ring of forts south of Lestallum would provide a solid defensive line once we kick the Nifs out."
Cor nodded approvingly. "A sound plan. I will coordinate with the Territorials, have them concentrate north of the Disc of Cauthess."
"We'll need to get the lay of the land around Lestallum too," Noctis said. "A small group'll be able to move through the area more easily."
To that Cor and Ignis both tensed, easily inferring what Noctis intended.
"Your Highness-" Cor began reprovingly.
"My mind's made up, Cor, so let's not waste any time arguing about it," Noctis cut the man off. "The faster we secure Duscae, the sooner you'll have a nice, safe place to stick me."
"I would be more inclined to believe that were you more willing to allow yourself to be so cossetted, Your Highness," Cor said dryly. "Still, if you are so determined to head west, might I impose upon Your Highness to run an errand in the process?"
"What errand?" Noctis said with not entirely unwarranted wariness.
"An important one," Cor emphasized. "Amongst the refugees evacuated from Insomnia are the cadets from Akademia. They need to be safely seen to the west."
That, Noctis could not well argue against, seeing as he knew exactly why the cadets were so important. Or rather, why a specific class amongst the cadets were so important. Even setting that aside however, Noctis and his cohort were personally quite close with many of the students, not least because all of them were alumni. Then there was the fact that Iris, Gladiolus' little sister, was one of the evacuated cadets.
"Where are they now?" Noctis asked.
"They evacuated from Insomnia before the attack, and were actually headed towards Lestallum," Cor said. "With the Empire's advance however, they're camped out in the Rydelle Ley."
"They didn't get to Aracheole?" Noctis asked, referring to the fortress directly south of Lestallum.
"Seeing as that entire area is heavily contested, they likely considered it too risky," Cor answered.
"Alright," Noctis said after another moment of thought. "I'll hook up with them, and then play it by ear. The safest thing to do would still be to get to Lestallum and liberate the city, at least that way we'll have a major base where noncombatants can find shelter."
"That is true enough," Cor conceded.
With their course of action determined, Noctis was clearly rearing to go.
"Before we set out, might I suggest we get one last hot meal in?" Ignis suggested. "I suspect we'll be on field rations for a bit until at least Aracheole."
Of course Ignis was well practiced in putting a brake on his friend's most precipitous actions. He even sounded completely reasonable when doing so.
"Fair enough," Noctis agreed. "If there are any other errands you want us to run out west, you got until we finish lunch to think them up, Cor."
"Of course, Your Highness," Cor said with a wry smile.
The two gave a nod to the marshal before taking their leave and heading towards the large building that was serving as a communal mess hall right now. Picking up Gladiolus and Prompto was also simple enough, considering the two were sitting in the makeshift field kitchen with knives in hand. Whatever the nominal prestige of the Crownsguard, all its members were still soldiers and thus expected to pull their weight while out in the field. Noctis and his immediate retinue were no exception, and considering the non-existent culinary skills of the two seated youths, peeling potatoes was probably the only thing that could be safely entrusted to them. That or washing the dishes.
"Oh hey Noct, here to join us on KP duty?" Prompto greeted.
"Nah, I'm just here to grab a bite to eat before we head out," Noctis said.
"So we got a plan?" Gladiolus asked.
"At least something that approximates one," Ignis said. "We are to rendezvous with the Akademia evacuees and escort them further west."
Gladiolus' eyes widened at that, and Ignis gave a knowing nod.
"We have confirmation that Iris is indeed with them," he assured his friend.
The larger youth gave a relieved sigh. "That's good."
"Good? That's all you gotta say?" Prompto said. "That's great!"
"Course it's great," Gladiolus said with a snort. "But we're still here, while they're not, so I'm not about to go celebrating too early."
"And it's not like they'll be that much safer even once we meet up with them," Noctis said, "seeing as I'm probably number one on the Empire's hitlist right now."
"That is certainly true," Ignis said. "Which is why it's even more important that we do secure a solid base of operations."
"So, Lestallum then?" Gladiolus was quick on the uptake.
"Lestallum," Noctis affirmed. "The cadets aren't some helpless kids, either, especially Class Zero. Lucis is as much their home as it is ours. If we're to save it, none of us can hold back."
The slight glint in Noctis' eyes when he declared this could be construed as desperate madness. To the three that had been with him since childhood however, they recognized it as a mark of pained acceptance. That Noctis was seriously contemplating sending teenaged kids into the fray was not out of some thirst for vengeance against the Empire by any means, but a recognition that they were truly out of options. To be so pressed pained the prince, but that was the price of leadership. The three before him were as like brothers, while his closeness with the Akademia's cadets, and with Class Zero in particular, was not far behind. Still, he would send them forth into battle, and even to their deaths, for that was the duty he bore thanks the crown that would be set upon his head.
End of Chapter
As a heads up, I've gone and redone the last scene of chapter 4, so those of you that have read it previously might want to go back and check it out again.
I was originally going to work on Vengeance, but ran into a sequence of scenes that I'm having a bit of trouble with, so I decided to work on Crown just for a change of pace. And then I realized just why I stopped working on this one to begin with, namely I was having trouble figuring out what to have Noctis do on his way to Lestallum. Fortunately I recalled that whole Deadeye bounty and so I decided to work it into the narrative. Pacing has proven a bit harder than I expected, but I think I know how I want to approach it now. That of course doesn't mean I'm going to get chapters out any faster, I have way too many things dividing my attention.