AN: I was able to punch out two chapters in one day folks! Chapter 38 just came out too!
The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 39
Fall of the Mad King
Lissa continued her work. It was all she could do. The anxiety she felt could not be tempered any other way. And since she was a cleric, she did the one thing that helped distract her from the fears she felt. She healed others.
The number of wounded at the Longfort was slowly dwindling down. A fact that put a smile on her face. She, Libra, Maribelle, and all of the Feroxi healers had done an amazing job. The amount of wounded soldiers they had after the disaster in Plegia was catastrophic. To save as many as they did with what little time they had was a blessing from Naga.
There was not much need for intensive care anymore. Most of the remaining soldiers that resided in the infirmary were in the later stages of their recovery. Some were learning how to walk again. Using either both legs, or just one. Others were getting used to life with one arm, one hand, one eye, or worse, none of those. It was now her and Maribelle's jobs to tend to these poor souls. To help them adjust back into normalcy.
Lissa sighed as she finished folding the linens that would eventually be used for bandages. In the back of her mind she knew there was no such thing as normal anymore. Especially not for her and Chrom. Emmeryn was gone. Really gone. It was a fact that hit her like a slap in the face every morning when she woke up.
She had cried a lot. The first few days after it happened she could hardly remember. What she did remember were tear filled nights. The tears being from both her own eyes, and the wounded soldiers in her care. And during those moments where she fought to save lives, she quashed her own grief. She bit back her own sobs and wiped away the tear stains. These men and women of Regna Ferox needed her to be calm. To be strong when they were at their weakest. That was her job. Not just to heal others. But to comfort as well.
Yes, normal as she knew it was over. With Emmeryn gone, Chrom would take over as the Exalt of Ylisse. That is, if Chrom came back.
Lissa shook her head and shut the cabinet door. She could not start thinking like that. Not again. Naga help her if Chrom also died. Honestly, Lissa was not sure what she would do if that happened. If Chrom fell in battle, the duty of ruling what was left of Ylisse fell to her.
But there would be no Ylisse if Chrom died. Gangrel and the Plegians would win. Her home would be gone. Forever absorbed in the growing evil from the desert. Perhaps with the end of Ylisse, she could find a new life. Remain a healer at the Longfort. She had enjoyed it well enough so far. The cold was a bit much. And the food could be improved. But it was not a terrible existence.
"He'll come back."
Lissa blinked and turned around to face the open door behind her. A surge of both worry and frustration rushed through her body.
"Marth!" Lissa snapped, "How many times have I told you!?" She wagged her finger at the wounded girl leaning against the door frame, "You need to be resting!"
Marth rolled her eyes, "I have been resting for most of the week. I will be fine."
As she said this, a sudden wave of weakness hit the young woman. Her right leg shivered and she nearly pitched forward. Lissa rushed up to her and caught the girl before she could fall.
"You were saying?" Lissa huffed as she slung Marth's arm over her shoulder and started hauling her back to her room, "I swear, you warriors are too stubborn! One of these days, you are are going to break something that is as stubborn as you are! You know that."
Marth gave the cleric a weak laugh, "When that day comes, you can say 'I told you so'."
Lissa rolled her eyes as she pushed the door to Marth's room open.
"You sound like my brother."
Marth snorted but said nothing in return. Lissa eased the girl back onto her cot. She watched as Marth sank into the soft sheets and fur blankets. As she laid down, Lissa's clerical eyes checked over how she moved.
She was still very stiff. Her muscles had not fully recovered from the amount of lightning that had coursed through her body. If she did not take her rehabilitation seriously, they likely never will. Marth barely moved the stump that was her left arm. Lissa frowned as she eyed the bandages that were wrapped over what used to be the elbow.
"Let me see." She muttered, "They need to be changed."
Marth swallowed, "I haven't seen them changed yet."
"That's because Libra took great pains to make sure you were asleep when he did that." Lissa answered as she pulled up a stool and grabbed a roll of bandages from a nearby cabinet, "He was worried about how the shock of seeing the wound would affect you. At the time, you were a lot more fragile. But since you insist on not taking the need to rest seriously, I will start treating you like an outpatient rather than a critical one."
The blonde shook her head and muttered inaudible words under her breath. Her slender fingers danced over the bandages. Easily unraveling Marth's arm and revealing- both Lissa and Marth sucked in a breath.
The skin was still charred. Pain rushed through the wound as the cold air hit it. Marth hissed and recoiled away from Lissa's hand.
"You are just determined, aren't you?" Lissa grumbled as she recovered her wits and snatched Marth's arm.
Marth winced in pain as Lissa gingerly inspected the wound.
It was unlike anything the Princess had ever seen before. The blade Maul used appeared to have severed every single muscle fiber, ligament, and tissue in Marth's arm. A completely clean cut. And it appeared to be instantly cauterized. There was no evidence of dried blood. Hardly any evidence of any bleeding at all actually.
"You may not need the bandages anymore." Lissa said as she gave the wound a thorough inspection, "It's probably going to have a nice scar though."
"I assume the same can be said for my stomach?" Marth asked as she bit back pain filled expressions.
Lissa noticed and frowned, "Do I look judgmental to you? If you gotta scream, let it out. You don't need to act so tough around me."
Marth let out a small, pain filled laugh, "I didn't realized I was acting."
"Mhmm." Lissa hummed, "Shirt off, let me see the rest."
Marth sighed. She slowly unbuttoned and shrugged off the loose shirt that hung over her skinny frame. Lissa's breath got caught in her throat as she finally witnessed the full extent of Marth's injuries.
Scars ran all over her skin like hideous, lumpy, pink spiderwebs. All of them were on the mend. None of them would ever completely fade away. And those were not the only scars either. Lissa could see several scars hidden behind years of healing.
Those probably came from old battles. She thought to herself before undoing the bandage she feared the most.
Libra said the damage Marth's stomach took was extensive. The fact that she survived at all was a miracle from Naga. Such a blow should have killed her. And once the bandage was removed, Lissa saw why.
A blackened divot in her skin was all the remained of the charred hole that once sat at the center of her bowels. Remarkable results given how the injury was still considered recent. Libra truly was a master at his craft. Lissa could not even imagine what the wound looked like when it was first treated. It was probably a healer's worst nightmare. Not only would one have to cope with the amount of surface layer trauma and pain, but the healer would also have to worry about organ damage or failure, internal bleeding, a domino affect on other body systems given the amount of damage. Lissa shook her head in disbelief.
"You should be dead." She said out loud.
Marth paled a little, but quickly regained her composure.
"I was."
Lissa's gaze snapped up to the girl's face. There was a far away look in her eyes. Something that told Lissa she was not lying.
"I-" Marth swallowed hard, "I don't know how I came back. But I was dead. Maul really killed me."
She's still trying to figure it all out. Lissa realized as Marth bit her tongue. Fighting off tears that were starting to form in her eyes.
"I probably should have died before that too." Marth said with a shaky breath, "But Tharja saved me then."
"From Kage?" Lissa said, a twinge of rage filled the normally cheerful girl.
Marth sniffled then nodded, "That's what hurts the most."
Lissa raised an eyebrow, "The lightning wounds?"
Marth shook her head, "No. Well… those do hurt a lot. But that's not what I meant. Kage-" She paused. Lissa could see she was struggling right now. Not with pain, at least not the physical kind. "Kage and I were close once." She finished with a whisper.
Lissa's eyes widened in shock, "What?"
"I-" Marth took another shuddering breath, "I knew him growing up." She shook her head in disbelief, "He was not always like this. I just- I just can't believe how far he has fallen."
"You knew he was evil?" Lissa breathed.
"Kage is not evil!" Marth suddenly snapped, startling Lissa. Marth closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I just-"
"No, I'm sorry." Lissa raised her hand, "I pressed into a part of your life that I had no business in. And I made an assumption that was likely very untrue." Lissa sighed then buried her head in her hands, "I'm scared Marth."
Marth gave the Princess a sympathetic look, "Chrom will come back." She said confidently, "And he will come back victorious."
"How do you know that?"
Marth gave her a small smile.
"I just know."
….
There was a haze that came with battle. When swords glinted in the air and fire danced in a man's eyes, everything became a blur in his mind. There was no longer a desire to make peace with Gangrel. No longer a desire to avenge Emmeryn either. All that mattered, when the Plegian lines hit Chrom's, was survival.
The Plegian's slammed into the Feroxi lines like a wave crashing down on the beach. With a roar like thunder and a great crash that shook Chrom's bones. Falchion sang in the air. Spinning and weaving between enemy guards with deadly efficiency and precision. No ordinary soldier could stand against the Prince of Ylisse.
Chrom spun around. Falchion cut a hideous arc through the dark air. He felt the blade bite into flesh and bone. His arms reverberated as it hit the bones of another man. There was a loud, strangle cry at the end of his strike. Blood flashed through his vision. The sand at his feet turned crimson.
He yanked Falchion free, just in time to meet an ax that was aiming to cleave his head from his shoulders. Chrom grit his teeth and shoved the massive weapon to the side. He let out a roar and rammed Falchion up into his attacker. It slipped through the other man's armor and body like a hot knife through butter.
A wet substance splashed against Chrom's face and chest. The Plegian soldier uttered a gurgling sound. Then he too joined the other dead that littered the sand around Chrom's feet.
Just a little longer. The Prince thought.
That was all he had time to think. Another wave of soldiers surged towards him. Lances were leveled at his body. Chrom grimaced and raised the Fire Emblem in order to shield his body.
Hooves thundered through the sand. Sully gave a loud whoop as she drove her lance into the charging horde. Frederick was right beside her. The stoic knight's lance was coated in blood. It crashed against a Plegian shield. The shaft shattered into a million splinters. Chrom heard Frederick utter a loud curse before he drew his sword and hacked down at that same enemy.
"Captain Chrom!"
Chrom spun around and deflected another enemy's attack. And within seconds, another Plegian joined the ranks of the dead.
"Captain! Watch out!"
Chrom spun around. Virion had his bow aimed directly at him. With little other options, Chrom fell into the blood soaked sand. Virion's arrow hissed through the air and plowed into a Grimleal mage. The mage cried out, then fell to the ground. Black tome landing in the blood soaked sand. Absorbing the blood of both enemy and friend as the pages fluttered in the breeze. Raindrops pelted its leather binding. The ink from the pages ran like black rivers down into the earth.
"Captain!" Virion rushed up to Chrom and hauled the Prince back to his feet.
"Virion?" Chrom asked deliriously as he tried to blink blood, sweat, and rain out of his eyes.
"My lord," The archer gripped Chrom's upper arm tight, "I think now is as good a time as any."
Chrom looked around. The fog was slowly fading away. The red haze that had engulfed his vision when the first wave hit dissipated.
What he saw nearly made him retch.
Feroxi were dying all around him. Not because they were unskilled in battle. Each Feroxi soldier took three Plegians with him before they fell. No, the Feroxi were not dying because they were inferior. They were dying because they were overwhelmed. The sheer size of Gangrel's army was enormous. Chrom was coming to realize that they had all severely underestimated their enemy's number.
"Captain?" Virion shouted over the roar of battle.
Chrom nodded, "Pull back." He muttered as he reached up and wiped grime and sweat from his mouth.
"Fall back!" Virion called out over the battlefield. The frilly archer displaying that he had a surprising set of lungs, "Fall back!"
"Retreat!" Frederick bellowed as he began to clear a path for Chrom and the other Shepherds to follow.
A hand gripped Chrom's wrist. Sumia had descended down from her battle in the air with what few Wyvern riders were among the enemy's ranks. His own mount had fallen in the opening stages of the battle. Chrom would readily admit he was a good swordsman, but not a good rider. The young pegasus rider set him behind her in the saddle, then dug her spurs into her steed.
The Pegasus let out a great cry then took to the air once again. Sumia made sure not to fly too high. Otherwise the Plegian Wyverns that were circling overhead would pick her and Chrom apart. She stayed low. Low enough to be able to make out Frederick, Sully, Gregor, Virion, and Lon'qu as they sprinted through the desert. The wet sand making their progress difficult and slow.
"Keep your head low!" Sumia shouted over the clanging steel and wing beats of her pegasus.
Chrom buried his face into her back. Just in time to avoid a couple of arrows that zipped over their heads. Sumia bobbed and weaved through the air with expert grace and timing. Lances were thrown up at them. Arrows shot through the black sky. Each one trying to take down the Pegasus Rider and the Prince. Each one failing to hit its mark.
Through the driving rain and rushing wind, Chrom raised his gaze and shouted.
"I think we can officially name you a Pegasus Knight now!"
Sumia let out a loud laugh, "Is that all I am to you?"
Despite the carnage and mayhem around them, Chrom found himself smiling a little bit.
"You'll find that out once we win today."
Sumia raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? I guess that's extra motivation then?"
"For you?"
"Nope. I already know what you're going to say." Sumia beamed at him, "You're just waiting on the answer."
Chrom felt his heart thump in his chest. How Sumia managed to calm his nerves and give him courage in these dark moments, he would never know.
"How much further do you think?" She asked as the rain intensified.
Chrom blinked as thunder flashed overhead.
"Set her down now!" Chrom barked.
Sumia snapped her head back at him, "It might be too soon!"
"And if you don't put her down now, we will be struck by lightning!" Chrom retorted, "We will have to hold out until the others reach us!"
Sumia took a deep breath then forced her pegasus back down to the ground. The mighty steed folded its wings together as Chrom hopped off and joined the reforming Feroxi lines. Virion was already barking orders at the mages and archers. Commanding volley after volley to be fired at the pursuing Plegians. Lon'qu stood at the very center of the line, blood soaked blade ready for round two of this vicious fight.
"Frederick! Sully! Sumia! Rejoin our cavalry and prepare to circle around the enemy line!" Chrom ordered and he stepped up alongside Lon'qu, "Virion keep that barrage up! Libra get your ax ready!"
"I'm running out of arrows, Captain." Virion shouted back as Libra brushed past him and joined the front lines. His staff now strapped to his back as he hefted his large ax.
"Then run out of them. Once that happens, grab a sword. We will not go down without a fight!"
Robin, Ben, Flavia, Basilio where are you!?
Chrom focused his eyes on the charging Plegians. There were thousands of them. They moved like a sea of ants over the waterlogged sand. His eyes widened as the outlines of multiple, black spells came shrieking at his men.
"Magic!" He bellowed as the first Nosferatu slammed into the Feroxi lines.
The screaming began. Men howled in pain as black magic strangled the life out of them. The arrows came next. Swarming over his diminishing force like angry hornets. Chrom raised his shield. Panic shot through his heart when he felt several arrows bounce off of it.
He heard a sharp cry beside him. His eyes widened. An arrow jutted out of Lon'qu's right thigh.
"Lon'qu!" Chrom shouted.
"Don't worry about me." Lon'qu grunted as he fought to stay on his feet, "It will take more than a little poke to kill me."
The Plegian lines roared again. Their foot soldiers were charging now. Behind them, Chrom saw Gangrel, Mustafa, and Aversa. The King and his Witch were watching with enormous satisfaction. They were certain of victory now. Chrom's army was no longer running. They were meeting their fate. Mustafa's expression was blank. The General showed no feelings on the surface. As far as Chrom could tell, this was another battle in a long line of engagements against the forces of Ylisse. All of which, Mustafa had come out victorious.
"Here we go." Lon'qu growled as he raised his blade.
Chrom took a deep breath. Robin and the others were still not here yet. Had he outpaced their armies that much? Did the Plegian's figure out their plan and foil it? Was Robin and the others currently facing the rest of Plegia's mighty military? Were they all going to die here, in the middle of the desert?
Chrom grit his teeth.
"Make them work for it." He said out loud.
Lon'qu glanced over at the Ylissean prince. A small smirk crossed the quiet swordsman's face.
"With pleasure."
Virion rushed up to Chrom's side. His bow was slung over his shoulder. The quiver at his hip was empty. Gripped in both hands was an iron shortsword that looked incredibly awkward in the archer's grasp.
"If I survive this, I'm getting lessons." Virion said with a small hint of laughter in his voice.
"Gregor will be happy to teach frilly boy." The old mercenary said with a dry laugh.
"If." Sully smirked as she leveled her lance at the enemy, "Personally, I think this might be it for us. Robin's gonna be rushing to save corpses."
"Not if I can help it." Chrom growled, "Hold this line!" He bellowed, "Stand firm!"
There was a small pause before the enemy hit them. A brief silence. Nothing but the hammering of feet in the sand. The howl of the wind and rush of rain through the air.
The two armies collided into each other. Muscle and steel smashed together. Creating a cacophony of chaotic noise that rattled Chrom's ears. Adrenaline rushing through his veins. Falchion danced in his hands as he fought side by side with his Shepherds. But as they fought, Chrom found that his army was beginning to inch backwards.
The Plegian swarm kept pushing. Feroxi soldiers kept falling. With each death, Chrom's line grew thinner. And whenever Chrom cut down one enemy soldier, another replaced him. An endless tide that crashed relentlessly against what was left of his battle group.
In his mind, Chrom had accepted a terrible truth. One that he had feared since the onset of this battle. For whatever reason, whether it was strategic error, enemy engagement, or just plain bad luck, Robin would not reach them in time. The plan was going to fail.
He was going to die. As steel slashed through the air around him, a sense of peace overcame the Ylissean Prince. Yes, he was going to die. He was certain of that. And the Shepherds that were beside him were going to die as well. He could see they too had come to accept this fate. They fought harder. No longer caring about winning the day. Only caring that they took as many of the enemy with them as they could.
He swung hard and slashed through one enemy soldier. Another slammed into him. Knocking the Prince off of his feet and down into the rain soaked ground. As he lay stunned in the sand, he could make out a small stream of blood coming from his own body. The crimson intermingling with the rainwater before slowing soaking into the thirsty earth.
His ears rang. Everything sounded so far away. All he could make out was the sound of his heart beating in his chest. Pounding so hard that he could feel it in his head. He was alive. But for how long?
"Chrom!"
Sumia dove over him and deflected the killing stroke with her own weapon. Her Pegasus let out a loud cry and bucked away from an enemy lance. Sumia screamed as she fell from her mount.
That scream spurred Chrom into action. The Prince let out a rage filled roar. All he saw was red as he defended Sumia. There were no more Plegians around him. Just dead men. And they would all be dead men until death grasped him as well.
Lon'qu grit his teeth as he fought back to back with Virion. Both hobbled by wounds. Frederick and Sully cried out as they were yanked from their mounts down onto the ground.
They were overwhelmed.
A horn blasted through the night air. Piercing the rain and thunder like a spear. It rang loud and long. Then another horn sounded. An answer to the first one. The Plegians around Chrom stopped fighting and glanced to the east and to the west.
Chrom felt a lump form in his throat. Was it more Plegians? Did the rest of the enemy arrive from Ylisse?
He froze as a single, solitary figure rushed in front of him and plunged a slender rapier through a Plegian's heart. His normal, brown cloak had been cast aside. Before Chrom could even blink, the warrior moved again. His movements so quick and flawless that the Prince hardly had time to register them. In seconds, the dozen or so Plegians that had surrounded Chrom and Sumia collapsed to the ground.
Chrom let out an enormous sigh of relief before falling to his knees and letting Falchion clatter from his grasp.
"You're late." He breathed with smile.
Ben Kenobi smirked back at him, "I am? As far as I can tell, you all aren't dead yet."
He twirled his rapier in his hand. Another horn blasted. The Plegian's turned away from Chrom and what remained of his battle group. Right into the charging fury of Flavia, Basilio and Robin.
….
Robin grit his teeth as he spell after spell flew from his palm. Thunder spells powerful enough to turn the sand at his feet to glass shrieked through the air and slammed into any Grimleal mages that tried to oppose him. Beside him, Miriel and Tharja followed suit. Miriel launched multiple fire spells into the enemy ranks. Helping to sow even more chaos, confusion, and panic into the surprise Plegians.
While Miriel sowed panic, Tharja created terror. Black spells the likes of which Robin had never seen before spewed forth from the ex-Grimleal. Men screamed in horror or in pain as Tharja's magic sank its claws into the front lines of the Plegian army.
"Once we hit the enemy, focus on the Grimleal." Robin told both Miriel and Tharja.
"And you?" Tharja asked as she sent another spell screaming at the enemy's front line.
Robin drew his sword, "I'm going to get some much needed practice."
"I don't think this scenario would qualify as practice." Miriel gulped.
Tharja smirked, "I think it qualifies just fine. Subjugating an inferior enemy is never a chore, but always a fun exercise."
Robin gulped, "Whatever floats your boat." He cleared his throat, "Gaius! Panne! Stahl! Move towards Chrom and the others! Help Ben begin to push the enemy back into us and the Khans! Kellam, Vaike, Cordelia, you're with me!"
They split off. Each group taking a smaller contingent of Feroxi soldiers with them in order to carry out Robin's orders. Just before Robin's group plowed into the Plegian army, he took stock of the situation.
It had worked. The strategy had actually worked! The Plegians were complete disarray. And at the center of the panic filled chaos stood Mustafa, Gangrel, and Aversa. Each one shouting contradictory orders in all directions. It took a couple moments for it to sink in, but all three now knew what was happening. They were trapped. Encircled by an army that was much larger and more ferocious than they previously thought.
The armies collided. And the Plegian lines collapsed.
Robin set his sights on Aversa. She was the most dangerous of the three Plegian leaders. The strategy for victory hinged heavily on her demise and Mustafa's survival. If they could isolate Gangrel away from those two, the likelihood of his capture increased. And the best way to lure Aversa away from the King was to challenge her directly.
Robin hacked and slashed his way through the collapsing Plegians until he was near the center of their army. Just a few dozen meters ahead of him, he could see Aversa starting to slink back away from the thickest part of the fighting. Cradled in her arms was-
His heart jumped to his throat. A reeking box was in her grip. And as the battle turned against her, she was growing ever closer to opening it and unleashing its evil upon the battlefield.
Not if I can help it!
Robin sprinted through the rain and sand, avoiding what few Plegians still remained fighting. He could see large groups of the enemy starting to break off and run. None of them wanted to die for a King that clearly did not care for them. He could hear Mustafa's booming voice thundering over the battle. Desperately trying to corral what little of his men remained. Gangrel himself had joined the battle. The King had drawn a strange, jagged sword, pointed it at a Feroxi soldier, and laughed.
A bolt of lighting jumped from his blade and pierced the Feroxi man. Robin's eyes widened. How many strange weapons did the enemy have!? He shook his head and returned his focus on the most dangerous one. The reeking box that Aversa had now placed on the ground and was about to open.
Her fingers flicked the latch open. Robin's blood ran cold in his veins. He was not going to make it in time.
No! He thought, Not like this! Not again!
Power surged through him. A strange darkness that felt intoxicating. He had no idea where it was coming from. All he knew was that it felt… good. It felt right. The battle around him began to slow down. Robin raised his free hand and pointed it at Aversa.
Never again!
Blue lightning surged from his fingertips, over the soaked sand, and into the Grimleal witch. Aversa uttered a startled, pain filled cry as she was lifted up off of her feet and thrown away from the reeking box.
Robin skidded to a stop beside the box. He reached down to pick it up. Only to have a nasty Flux slam into him. He spun to the ground. Pain rushing through his chest.
"Damn brat!" Aversa snarled as she limped towards the box, "You will not stop me!"
Robin grit his teeth and shoved himself back up to his feet. Only to have another spell smack him back down to the ground.
Robin groaned as he writhed in the sand.
That one hurt.
Aversa reached down and picked the Reeking Box back up.
"Did you seriously think a little lightning, no matter how strange it was, can stop me?" She winced a little as some electricity arced over her grey skin, "What has been written cannot be unwritten. Your friends will all die here. And you well… there is someone who wants to meet you."
Robin grit his teeth as Aversa prepared to open the box. He was in a lot of pain right now. It filled all of his senses. Aversa must have put an enormous amount of her power into those two spells in order to defeat him that easily. Robin hissed as he rolled onto his back.
His head fell to his right. He saw Chrom rush towards Gangrel. Falchion was slick with rain and blood as it clashed with the King's blade. Just a few feet away, Ben had engaged General Mustafa. A clash of speed versus power as the General swung an enormous ax at Ben while the nimble swordsman danced around him.
Tharja was leading the mages against the Grimleal. Her spells wreaked havoc on an enemy that knew how to attack with that magic, but not necessarily how to defend against it. Although she was having trouble with a strange, white haired boy that had an excited, almost thrilled smile on his face.
Cordelia had joined up with Sumia and taken to the skies with her. They were outnumbered by the Plegian Wyvern riders, but not outgunned. The Wyverns never stood a chance as two of the greatest Pegasus Knights Ylisse had to offer cut them down from the sky.
The other Shepherds led by Frederick and Lon'qu continued the route of Plegia's army. Flavia and Basilio had finally linked up with the outer edges of Robin's forces. Finishing the encirclement. There was nowhere for Gangrel or Aversa to run to.
But there was still the Reeking Box. If opened, the Risen would rise from the sand beneath Robin. And all of his friends would fall. Each one overwhelmed by a horde that could not be stopped.
Aversa gripped the top of the box. With what little strength he had left, Robin jumped to his feet.
Power unlike any he ever felt before surged through his veins. He reached out with his hand at the box. The black artifact was ripped from Aversa's hands and flew through the air into Robin's chest. The tactician grunted as it hit him hard. Before Aversa could do anything to stop him, Robin planted the box into the sand and ran his blade through it's heart.
A million shrieks sounded through the air. Robin screamed as he fell backwards. His hand felt like it was on fire. The hilt of his weapon smoked as it swayed to and fro in the box. A crackling sound silenced out the din of battle. The box shivered in the sand. The shrieking suddenly went silent. And the box became a pile of black ash swept away by the storm.
Robin lay still on the ground. He could see the Plegians beginning to cast their weapons down on the ground. Aversa was screaming. Ordering all of them to keep fighting. But Robin did not care. He was just tired now. He was not going to black out (thank Naga). But his body just did not have the strength to push himself back to his feet again.
I think I'll just lie here for a minute.
….
Chrom grit his teeth. Gangrel may be insane, but the man was no slouch with a sword. His strange, magical blade was giving Chrom a very hard time. Each time Falchion hit Gangrel's weapon, sparks jumped out from the blades. Lightning would crackle over the bronze material and Chrom had to jump away quickly in order to avoid being electrocuted.
"What's wrong, Princey?" Gangrel laughed as Chrom danced away from his weapon, "Afraid of a little shock?"
Chrom snarled at Gangrel then resumed his assault. Their blades locked together. Their faces sat mere inches apart. Chrom's fury grew as Gangrel gave him a manic smirk.
"I'll admit, I did not see this coming." Gangrel chuckled, "I thought I had you beaten. I thought I had won. Then again, I thought that after I had your sister killed too. But look where we are now. Ha Ha! Clearly I need to check my own arrogance."
Chrom smirked, "I'll help you with that."
The Prince spun away from the King. Gangrel narrowed his eyes and charged at Chrom. His blade sending small shocks through the air as he tried to lay a killing blow on the Ylissean. But Chrom held him off. Each slash was parried. Each hack blocked. And every blow was countered then returned in kind. Soon, Gangrel was the one retreating backwards as Chrom rained down a furious assault.
Falchion cut down at Gangrel's head. The King raised his blade and blocked it. Chrom twisted his wrists. Falchion shrieked down the King's blade then was yanked away in a shower of sparks. The Prince lunged as Gangrel rushed to bring his guard back down to meet Chrom's attack.
But it was too late. Falchion bit into Gangrel's sword arm. The King uttered a loud cry of pain as his sword fell from his now limp hand. A cry that was silenced by a fist to his jaw. King Gangrel fell like a ragdoll to the blood soaked sand. His crown rolled away from his head.
The soldiers around Chrom stopped fighting. Mustafa stepped away from Ben and glanced over at his defeated King. The General then turned to see Aversa stumbling away from that vile box as it was destroyed by the Ylissean tactician. The General knew what had happened. The final weapon Aversa had in order to assure victory had been destroyed. His army was surrounded. His King defeated. His men on the verge of dropping their weapons and running as fast as they could.
He had lost.
With a heavy sigh, Mustafa lowered his ax. He relaxed his grip and it fell with a soft thud into the sand.
As one, the other Plegians did the same. Aversa shrieked, cursed, and spat as she attempted to rally any soldiers to continue fighting. But even the Grimleal that served her refused to raised their spellbooks in her defense. Slowly it sank in for the witch.
She had lost.
Chrom pointed Falchion directly at Aversa.
"Surrender." He growled.
Aversa eyed the divine blade. There was a flash of fear in her eyes. But that fear was replaced by fury in seconds.
"You think this is over, Prince?" Aversa snarled, "Oh no. This is only the beginning."
Her spellbook opened. Chrom moved to stop her. Black mist poured from the cursed pages. It engulfed the Witch and obscured her from anyone's sight. Chrom covered his mouth in case the mist was poisonous.
He uttered a silent thanks to Naga as the mist faded away without any nasty effects. Only the black spellbook remained in the sand where Aversa once stood. The Witch had fled.
Chrom let out a heavy sigh.
"Damn it." He spat before turning to look at Mustafa, "You aren't planning on fading away into black smoke too right?"
The large man shook his head.
"Good." Chrom gave the man a weary nod, "I've had enough crazy for one day. Frederick!"
"Milord?" The Knight replied as he walked up to Chrom.
"Ensure Mustafa is put under guard. No one, save for myself, the Khans, or Robin is to speak with him until I say so."
"Yes milord."
"What of my men, Prince?" Mustafa asked.
Chrom sheathed Falchion, "They will be taken care of. Fed, given water, and shelter. Kept under guard until you and I reach an agreement."
"You and I?"
Chrom nodded, "Yes, you and I." He nudged the unconscious Plegian King with his boot, "He's not going to want to have a reasonable discussion. And the other Plegian leader just turned tail and ran. So… you are the man I'll be negotiating with."
Mustafa raised his brow. He glanced over at Ben.
"If you are half as honorable as your soldier, then I think it will be a rather productive affair."
Chrom smiled in agreement. Two Feroxi lancers moved to Mustafa's sides and escorted him towards Khan Basilio. As he was led away, Flavia walked up to Chrom. A wide grin on her face.
"Set up camp." Chrom told the men around him, "And see to the dead. We will rest tonight and conclude this business tomorrow." He turned to face Flavia.
"Don't say it!" The Khan snapped as she strode towards him, "I know we were late. But in all fairness, the oaf wanted a dramatic entrance."
"She lies!" Basilio hollered, "She wanted the dramatic entrance."
"Same difference!" Flavia shouted back, "If I say you wanted to be dramatic then it is so. I'm ruling Khan. Not you!"
Chrom chuckled, "I don't think that's how it works."
Flavia shrugged, "Yeah, but don't let him know that." She let out a long sigh and nodded as she surveyed the damage around her.
"That was fun."
"Fun?" Chrom replied in disbelief.
Flavia raised a hand, "You can rant to me later. Right now, you look and smell like shit. Get yourself rested and cleaned up. Help your Shepherds set up camp." She turned on her heel in order to start assisting her own men, "Oh! And Chrom," She gave the Prince an approving smile, "Well done today."
Chrom nodded to the Khan as she stepped away. Her booming voice barked orders as he turned on his heel to face the people he was the most concerned about.
His Shepherds all stood behind him. Waiting for him to finish the formalities. As he walked up to them, they all beamed at him.
"Hell of a fight." Sully grinned as she leaned against Stahl's horse.
"You did it, Captain. You won." Virion smiled as he helped Robin back up to his feet.
Chrom shook his head, "No." He looked over at Ben, who still stood a few paces away from the others.
"We won."
And chapter! I'm… actually not too sure about this chapter. I'm really not confident in my ability to write large scale battles like this. So I really hope it turned out ok. My goal was not to accurately describe every single detail but rather to give each individual character's perspective during a very chaotic moment. I found that both easier to write and a little more interesting than describing troop movements over a sandy desert. (which I know I would not be able to do very well). I wanted to keep this battle big, yet intimate, if you know what I mean. I don't know. I tried, let's just put it that way. I do feel like I'm improving. And whatever lessons I learn from this one, I will put into the next massive battle. I promise you all that.
Anyways, our heroes won! Chrom defeated Gangrel and let him live. Aversa fled. Mustafa surrendered. And we get a little more insight into the relationship Marth and Kage had before this all took place. I'm looking forward to getting the next chapter started! Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!