The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 79
Battle for Port Ferox
Frederick remained on top of the hill that overlooked Port Ferox. His eyes never left the silent city. His gaze traced over the deep shadows along the rooftops before him as fires blazed near the three bridges over the river. His sword remained in its scabbard. But Frederick itched to draw it.
He did not like waiting. Did not like being kept from the front lines. He believed one of his main duties as Knight-Commander was to lead the men into battle. To be beside Prince Chrom as they clashed with the enemy. And while the Feroxi were not his soldiers, they were his allies. He felt honor bound to stand beside them as if they were his own men.
Yet Chrom ordered him to remain behind with Khan Basilio. He still questioned such a decision. Frederick considered himself to be one of Chrom's most loyal followers. He had saved the Prince's life more times than he could count. And Chrom had saved his life more times than he could recall. The pair had fought together since they could both hold swords. And while Frederick was a few years older than the Ylissean Prince, the pair saw themselves as equals. He respected Chrom just as much as Chrom respected him.
So why leave him behind?
Frederick folded his hands in front of his body. His thumbs pressed into the back of his hands as he pondered Chrom's decision. It still baffled him. Why would Chrom willfully charged into battle with Ben and his traitors?
That is how Frederick viewed them. Traitors, the lot of them. Ben dared to raise his blade against Chrom. Someone who trusted the swordsman. Called him comrade and friend. Frederick had even considered Ben a close comrade and friend as well. His devotion towards Exalt Emmeryn eased many of the Knight's nerves from when he first met the enigmatic man.
But his attack on Chrom had been out of nowhere. And for such a trivial reason. Chrom simply asked him to stop keeping secrets. To finally reveal to the others who he really was. And instead of acting like an adult, Ben lashed out. An extremely rare instance of anger from the normally calm, collected man.
Frederick's hands tightened into fists in front of him. Ben got off easy in his opinion. Chrom had been extremely merciful. He granted Ben compensation for his service to Ylisse. Allowed him to live in peace on the outskirts of Ylisstol. If Frederick had been there for the incident, Ben would not even be breathing right now. He would be in the ground. A consequence for attacking his liege lord unprovoked.
It made the knight nervous thinking Chrom was alone in the city with Ben. Well, not alone. He still had Robin, Cordelia, Sully, and Gregor beside him. Flavia would also keep Ben on a tight leash… hopefully. But Frederick did not miss the rekindled friendship between Robin and Ben. They had started speaking to each other once again. Sharing strategies and bouncing tactics off one another as they planned for the Valmese invasion.
True, Ylisse's tactician needed to have close working relations with the newly appointed Feroxi General. But Frederick questioned just how professional such a relationship could be given the history Robin had with Ben. The pair had already traveled the world together. Developed a close friendship that seemed unbreakable. Fought side by side against rogues, bandits, Risen, even members of the Valmese army. Such a bond could not break easily. Especially since Robin did not blame Ben for what happened. A notion Frederick saw as pure naivete.
"Frederick?"
The Knight-Commander withdrew from his thoughts as Princess Lissa approached him. Her healing staff rested lazily in her left hand as she stepped to the top of the hill. Her worried eyes fell on the quiet city.
"Milady." Frederick greeted.
"You've been up here for some time." Lissa said, "Stahl and Basilio are wondering if you are even going to try and get some rest before we take back the city."
Frederick remained impassive, "I have no need of rest at the moment. Once the city is taken and Prince Chrom safely returns to our camp, I can rest. But even then, I must assist in the battle's aftermath."
Lissa sighed, "Always working." She muttered under her breath.
Frederick glanced at the Princess, "Aren't you supposed to have a bodyguard?"
Lissa snorted, "My bodyguard has a ten foot personal space radius."
Frederick arched an eyebrow, "Lon'qu?"
"No, it's Nowi. She's suddenly a germaphobe and can't stand being near us grubby humans." Lissa snickered a little bit as Frederick furrowed his brow, "Of course it's Lon'qu. Who else is afraid of women?"
Frederick shrugged, "Most men are afraid of women in some capacity."
"Oh really?" Lissa cast a mischievous glance at Frederick, "Are you admitting to actually being scared of something, Frederick?"
The Knight cleared his throat, "Not at all. I'm just pointing out a small thing you may not have noticed. Lon'qu just takes his fear to an extreme. But in my opinion, there is no finer warrior to be your bodyguard. He can close that ten foot gap in the blink of an eye if needed."
Lissa rolled her eyes, "That's what he told me too. I tried to tell him he didn't need to be that far away. But does he listen to me? Nope." She folded her arms as her attention returned to the city, "How do you think they are doing?"
Frederick detected the worry in her tone, "I'm sure Prince Chrom is just fine, milady."
Lissa snorted, "If you were so sure of that, you wouldn't be watching the city like a hawk."
Frederick opened his mouth to rebuttal. But he could not think of a reply. So he snapped his jaw closed and said nothing. Lissa snickered off to the side.
"I'm right again."
"Sure you are." Frederick sighed, "And my worry isn't regarding the enemy. Robin and Chrom are more than capable of handling any Valmese soldiers they may face."
Lissa glanced over at the Knight, "You're worried about my brother and Ben?"
Frederick face hardened.
"Oh come on, Frederick." Lissa said, "It was not that bad."
"It was. And you know that." Frederick remarked sharply, "Ben raised his blade against Chrom."
"After Chrom drew Falchion." Lissa pointed out, "You seem to be leaving out some bits of Robin's recounting of the argument."
Frederick gave Lissa a surprised look, "You think Chrom was in the wrong?"
Lissa sighed, "Here we go again. Everyone must take a side in this stupid fight. You're either with Chrom or against him. Is that right?" Lissa shook her head, "I seem to recall Ben risked his life to save Emmeryn. He risked his life to fight beside Chrom against Plegia even though he had no stake in that war. Heck, he even risked his life to rescue me and Chrom when the Risen first made their appearance. Did you forget that?"
"His good deeds do not erase what he has done."
"And what exactly has he done?" Lissa asked as a frown formed on her lips, "Did he go about the fight the wrong way. Yes, I'll agree with that. But so did Chrom." She let out a small laugh, "Chrom was never much of a diplomatic person. That was always Emm's specialty. Sometimes it seems like Chrom thinks with Falchion more than his brain. He didn't exactly go about the argument well either." Lissa kicked at some of the dirt near her feet, "Both boys just let their own stubbornness win out. And it caused them to do something stupid. That doesn't mean we can't trust Ben. Clearly he trusts Chrom. Otherwise, he would not have agreed to help us fight against Valm."
"Or he agreed because he wishes to assist Regna Ferox over Ylisse."
Lissa gave Frederick an incredulous look, "Ben lives in Ylisse. I think he cares more about his home than this snowball of a country."
Lissa shivered a bit as a frigid wind swept in from the north.
"Trust is a two way street, milady." Frederick pointed out, "How many times did we trust Ben in the past?"
Lissa sighed, "Quite a few."
"And has he ever trusted us in return?"
Lissa bit her lip. Frederick had a point there. Despite how close they all became as friends, Ben never revealed anything about himself. And when he did, it was only when pressured to do so or when it was necessary to their mission. Hell, the only time she ever heard him talk about anything personal was when he told everyone about his apprentice, Anakin. Even then, it had only been a brief explanation. Anakin had been his apprentice. A good friend turned traitor. Then Ben left the building. Either to gather his composure or to avoid revealing any more details.
But Ben also had a very close relationship with Tharja. Even closer than his relationship with Emmeryn during the war. The pair practically lived together. Surely Tharja knew about Ben's past at this point. She had to know who he was already.
"Tharja must know some things." Lissa said quietly, "She and Ben are close."
"I trust the dark mage even less than I trust Ben."
Lissa blinked in shock, "Wh-what?"
Frederick scowled, "The dark mage from Plegia still follows Grimleal teachings. The very teachings that brought war to our lands. That alone makes me nervous around her. Add in her loyalty to Ben, and I believe her to be even less trustworthy. Ben at least has some of my respect in regards to his capabilities as a warrior and commander. One does not become great at either of those without having a shred of decency. Meanwhile, Tharja is a proven turncoat."
Lissa felt aghast, "Frederick!"
Frederick sighed, "Pardon my words, milady. I should not have spoken like that."
Lissa huffed, "Consider yourself lucky Tharja or Ben did not hear you say those things. Tharja risked her life far more than Ben by leaving the Grimleal. If she even steps foot back in her home country, she could be executed. You know that right?"
Frederick frowned, "That is… a fair point. But it still does not change my own uneasiness regarding her practices."
Lissa rolled her eyes, "Oh you sound like that old man Byron now. Except Byron actually changed his tune after a few months. You need to give both Ben and Tharja a second chance."
"Why should I do that?"
"Because Chrom actually listens to you." Frederick eyed Lissa, "Oh don't look at me like that!" Lissa stomped her foot, "He listens to you a lot more than you think. Besides, consider the second chance not as a personal decision but as a military one." She noticed Frederick's brow furrow, "A divided army cannot fight good… er-well. Right?" Lissa shook her head, "Anyways! This stupid argument has divided the Shepherds. Broken us even. And now we are at war with Valm. The Shepherds whole are the finest fighting force in Archanea. Even better than Cordelia's pegasus knights. But we are weak as long as we are fighting among ourselves." Lissa exhaled, "It's time to stop fighting and heal this divide already."
Frederick closed his eyes. Of course Lissa wanted this fight to end. She was a healer. A damn good one at that. As a healer, she only wished to see wounds remedied. Whether those wounds be physical or mental. And that caring nature extended towards her relationships with everyone else. She hated seeing conflict among friends. Perhaps the only reason she sided with Chrom in the fight was because she was the Prince's sister. If not for that, it sounded like she would have not taken a side at all.
She presented a sound argument too. The Shepherds had been an unstoppable force at the tail end of the war with Plegia. The Plegian army could not stand against them on the battlefield. Between Chrom's leadership, Robin's tactics, and Ben's prowess; they could face down any opponent and come out victorious.
Perhaps some reconciliation was needed. But did that mean Frederick would outright trust Ben again? Absolutely not. That trust needs to be earned. And Frederick did not hand out his trust on a whim.
"Will you at least think about telling Chrom to stop this nonsense?" Lissa asked.
Frederick sighed, "For the good of our campaign against Valm, yes."
A small smile formed on Lissa's lips.
"But that still does not erase what happened. I will not trust Ben still."
Lissa gave him a weak shrug, "But you'll work with him. That's a step in the right direction, in my opinion."
A loud shriek shot through the cold night air. Lissa jumped. Frederick's hair stood on end. The shriek sounded painful. Unnatural. Frederick stared at the city as a massive, spectral skull formed above the buildings near the center of town. Its jaw opened wide as another shriek pierced the air.
"What the hell!?" Frederick exclaimed.
Lissa gulped with fear, "That can't be good."
"Frederick! Lissa!"
The two Shepherds turned to see Khan Basilio, Stahl, and Donnel rushing towards them.
"Khan Basilio." Frederick said, "What do you-"
"I have a feeling our friendly dark mage is signaling us." Basilio answered.
"She is." Donnel nodded, "And she's also using that thing to cause fear in the enemy. Which means they might be trying to cross the river now."
Frederick's eyes widened, "And if there are no Feroxi defenders, that means Chrom and Khan Flavia are about to battle the invasion force alone."
"Like hell they will!" Basilio roared, "This is my city, damn it! And I'll be damned if Flavia gets all the glory and credit for taking it back!" He turned back towards the army camped along the otherside of the hill, "Alright everyone! It's time to retake the city!"
A loud roar erupted from the one thousand Feroxi soldiers. Lissa gulped. She heard a dull roar come from above. She looked up and jumped a little bit as she saw a black wyvern soar through the air towards the city. Her panic eased when she saw Cherche atop the wyvern's back. Sumia flew close behind her. Lance nestled in the crook of her arm.
Lissa looked back at the army and noticed Cordelia's pegasus waiting near the other horses. Before Frederick could stop her, the Princess rushed to the pegasus and clumsily hopped onto it's back.
"Lissa!" Frederick cried as he caught up to her and snagged the reins, "What are you-"
"If they're under attack, then they're going to need a healer. And they won't be able to wait for the army to find them." Lissa replied sharply, "I've flown a pegasus once before. I should be able to do it again."
Frederick grit his teeth. He could not argue against her. She was the Princess of the Halidom. If she commanded something, he was duty bound to obey. But he would make sure she was not unprotected.
"Lon'qu!" Frederick barked as war horns sounded. He caught sight of the swordsman cautiously approaching, "Get on with her!"
"Eh?" Lissa said.
Lon'qu gulped. Frederick clenched his jaw and gripped Lon'qu by the front of his shirt.
"One hair on her head gets hurt, and you answer to both me and Chrom. Get over your fear and make sure she stays safe."
Lon'qu's swallowed then gave Frederick a slow nod. With some hesitation, the swordsman hopped up on the Pegasus. He sat in the saddle behind Lissa. The Princess snickered as she felt Lon'qu tense up behind her.
"Oh relax, I can fly this thing." She grinned.
"I'm… not worried about the flying part."
"Oh?" Lissa gave him a mischievous grin, "Worried about this being romantic then?"
"Just-just fly already." Lon'qu stammered.
Lissa let out a loud laugh then snapped the reins. With two powerful flaps of its wings, Cordelia's pegasus launched into the air and raced after Cherche and Sumia. All the while, the spectral skull grew larger in the air. A third shriek reverberated through the sky. Lissa swallowed hard. The cold air shot through her blond hair. Wind froze her face as Cordelia's pegasus soared over the city.
She needed to find the others, and fast. As she flew, she noticed the sound of hundreds of feet marching. Lissa blinked and stared down at the city beneath her.
"That is… a lot of bad guys." Lissa gulped as she watched the Valmese cross the three bridges.
"Tharja's signal came from that square!" Lon'qu shouted over the wind and wingbeats. He pointed towards a town square.
The main road into the square from the river had been barricaded off. As Lissa looked down, she saw Tharja, Ricken, and Virion gearing up for a fight atop one of the buildings.
The first wave of Valmese soldiers touched the eastern half of the city. In only a few moments, they would be on top of Tharja, Virion, and Ricken.
"You ready to fight?" Lissa asked Lon'qu.
She heard the sound of metal scraping against a hard scabbard. A thrilled smirk crossed Lissa's face.
"I'll take that as a yes!"
Tharja grit her teeth as she blasted a Flux down from the rooftop she, Virion, and Ricken defended. It did not take very long for the Valmese to find their defensive position. They advanced swiftly upon seeing Tharja's signal in the dark sky. However, they advanced with caution. The three, hair raising shrieks generated by the hex put enough fear in the enemy in order to give them pause. They still did not understand who they faced. Tharja was determined not to go down without taking as many of the enemy with her as she could.
Another blast of dark magic left her hand. Her spell book glowed with pent up energy as she summoned all of her power forth in order to combat the swell of soldiers surrounding the building. Virion rained as many arrows as he could down upon the enemy. The archer aimed his shots carefully. Targeting enemies that would have been able to counter Tharja, Ricken, and his attacks. Most of his arrows hit enemy archers. Reducing the chances that the enemy would respond with a volley of their own.
Tharja had to smile with pride as Ricken blasted a perfect Flux down on a group of heavily armored infantrymen. A small explosion of dark magic burst from the where the spell impacted. Scattering a group of Valmese soldiers. Ricken grinned then ducked back behind the wall as a couple arrows raced towards him.
Tharja gathered fire in her hand and sent a stream of it rushing down at the enemy. An arc-fire spell. One of the more devastating fire spells a mage could learn. Both for the victim, and the caster. Such a spell caused great strain on a mage due to how much power it possessed. Tharja exhaled as the spell ended. Her dark eyes briefly looked at her handiwork. Another small group of Valmese soldiers had fallen as they tried to enter the building.
A boom sounded through the air. Ricken broke away from the wall and rushed towards the locked trap door that led to the roof from the shop below. The trap door shuddered as he approached.
"Uh, Tharja, Virion!"
Tharja spun around and muttered a quick hex. The weight on the trap door increased. Ricken heard muffled curses from the soldiers below it.
He also heard Tharja exhale loudly again. The mage glanced back at his teacher and saw her sway a moment before dropping to a knee.
"Tharja!" He rushed towards her.
Tharja shoved him back, "Focus on the enemy, not me." She took a deep breath, "Virion, how many arrows to do you have left?"
"Five!" Virion barked back before firing another, "Make that four."
Tharja cursed under her breath. Unfortunately, Virion did not know any magic. Once he ran out of arrows, he would be unable to help much. Tharja grit her teeth and sent another spell down at the enemy swarming around them.
At this rate, I will run out of energy. Then we will really be in trouble.
Ricken uttered a cry before gathering a massive gust of wind in his palm. Tharja's eyes widened as an arc-wind spell launched from his palm. Several arrows that crossed the spell's path ricocheted away while the rest of the spell slammed into a group of Valmese archers below.
Ricken let out a loud gasp. He sagged against the wall for a moment then slumped behind it once again.
"Don't expend so much energy! You'll hurt yourself." Tharja shouted at him.
"Says the pot to the kettle!" Ricken shot back.
Tharja glared at the young mage. Sometimes, she just wanted to hex the brat. She ducked behind the wall as more arrows flew over. Virion cursed and pressed his back to the wall.
"Empty." He nodded at Tharja, "I'll try to scavenge some they fired."
"Do it." Tharja replied. She peeked over the wall and ducked again. Another volley narrowly missed all three of them.
Ricken uttered a loud gulp as the trap door shuddered once again. Tharja swallowed hard. She could hex the door again, but that would almost completely drain her. At that point, Ricken would be on his own defending the rooftop. And he could only do so much now as well. The arc-wind spell wiped out a lot of his own power. Both mages would be overcome with magical exhaustion soon. At that point, they would be overwhelmed. Virion had a dagger on his belt. But a dagger could not defend all three of them against armored, professional soldiers.
"Tharja." Ricken whimpered as more arrows peppered the rooftop, "Is this it?"
Tharja stared hard at her student. The fact that Ricken had been able to keep up with her magically in this battle showed how much he had grown over the past year. Truly a prodigy. Both with regular and dark magic. Only the greatest of mages could master both. And Ricken was well on his way to doing that. He would not be her student for much longer. Tharja looked forward to the day she would see him named a full fledged mage. Worthy of becoming an instructor at the Academy as well.
That day would only come if they lived through this night.
Tharja grit her teeth and jumped to her feet. Dark Magic blasted from her fingertips. Desperate spells filled with raw power rained down upon the enemy. She could feel her limbs starting to tremble as she tapped into the last of her reserves. Beside her, Ricken followed her lead. He jumped to his feet and rained fire and wind spells down on the enemy.
Flames licked the cobblestone road below them. Charred and blasted bodies were hastily pulled back by Valmese soldiers as they tried to keep the combat area clear. More arrows skipped against the walls in front of Tharja and Ricken. Ricken uttered a terrified yelp as an arrow scraped past his cheek. A small gash opened up on his pale face.
"Down Ricken!" Tharja barked, shoving the boy to the ground as more arrows arced towards them.
Tharja shot a blast of wind at the arrows. Throwing them off course just enough in order to miss the two mages. Virion scavenged what arrows he could and shot at the enemy whenever he had the chance.
She felt lightheaded. Tharja wavered where she stood. She stooped towards the wall and braced her suddenly weak body against it.
Her eyes widened as she saw two, red robed figures slowly marching towards the building.
"Mages." She breathed.
Damnation! They saved their deadliest for when she and Ricken were weak. Tharja sank behind the wall. She saw the fear in Ricken's eyes in that moment. Before he could speak to her, two thunder spells slammed into their wall. Stone exploded around them. Tharja felt several sharp shards cut into the skin on her arms and hands. Virion let out a howl as one shard buried itself in his shoulder.
Curses! Tharja thought wearily. She pressed her body closer to the wall as two more thunder spells slammed into it. She could feel the static wash over her body as one passed too close for comfort.
Ricken slid over to Virion and tried his best to help the wounded archer. He dragged Virion into their meager shelter just as more arrows hammered the rooftop. The trap door shuddered. Tharja saw the wooden hatch jostle and pop up for a brief second. The Valmese would be upon the roof in mere moments.
An el-thunder spell hammered the wall. Blasting away what little shelter was left on the rooftop. Ricken let out a terrified cry as he dropped his spell book and pressed his hands against his ears.
Tharja grit her teeth. She had just enough magic left to maybe take those two mages out. But would she get an opening. The Valmese archers had them pinned now. If she moved out into the open to cast her magic, she would be riddled with arrows in seconds. That, or those two Valmese mages would target her and blast her off the roof immediately.
Ricken gave Tharja a teary look. The boy shook with fear. He did not want to die. Not here. Not now. Neither did Tharja. But Ricken had reached his limit. She had not.
In the Grimleal, she had been taught not to fear death. The priests and priestesses taught her to embrace death when it came for her. For Grima is change.
What is death but the greatest of changes?
Tharja closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Ricken," She said, her voice level and calm, "I'm going to create an opening. I want you to take Virion through it."
Ricken blinked, "Wh-what? But Tharja-"
"You do not have the power to do this. I do." Tharja continued, keeping her voice extremely calm in order to soothe the terrified boy, "Take the opening and get help. Signal the army to come in and retake the city."
"But you'll-"
"Ricken, if they take this city. We won't be able to stop the invasion." Tharja continued.
Ricken swallowed hard.
"I'm going to get up and make an opening. Take it."
"W-wait, Tharja!"
Before Ricken could protest any more, Tharja rushed to her feet. Gathering what magic she had left, she sprinted to the other side of the roof. A few Valmese soldiers had surrounded the building. But there was not nearly as much behind them as there were in front. Ricken would be able to use what remained of his own magic to fight his way out. He just needed a chance.
Pain shot through Tharja's hip as an arrow sank into her. She grit her teeth and forced herself over the other side of the roof. Ignoring any pain that filled her body. Her pain did not matter. Ricken's life did.
Her power exploded. A massive dark magic spell rocketed through her tome and out of her palm. A fiery explosion erupted from the ground and into the air.
"Now, Ricken!"
The mage rushed by her. Virion rested against his shoulder as Ricken jumped from the rooftop. The mage landed. Tharja watched as he fired a wind spell, created more room, then raced off into the city with Virion.
Her shoulders sagged. Exhaustion hit her. Tharja took a few staggering steps back. Another arrow bit into her right arm. Her tome fell to the floor with a dull thud.
The trap door shattered behind her. The arrows stopped falling as a group of Valmese swordsmen swarmed onto the rooftop.
She had no energy left. Blood trickled from the wound in her arm and hip. Her heart hammered in her chest.
Do not fear change. She thought to herself. Do not fear death.
Her hands trembled by her sides as one of the Valmese soldiers marched around her. A look of disdain and hate on his face. She felt the cold kiss of steel touch her neck as he aimed his strike.
A quick death at least. She gulped as she stared back at the enemy. Doing everything in her power to remain standing.
She would not close her eyes. She would not back down and admit defeat. Even as her body shook from the strain, she would not fall until the killing stroke hit her.
The Valmese soldiers swung back. Tharja did not flinch as the metal hissed through the air. She watched as it came rushing towards her neck.
A gasp shot out of her lungs as she felt her body jerked violently to the side. She slammed into one of the intact walls on the roof. Pain rushed through her as bruises formed where she impacted. Stars danced in her eyes.
Loud cries filled the night air. A deadly buzz hummed around her. Screams replaced the alarmed cries. Tharja blinked the haze from her vision.
She saw a blue lightsaber cut deadly arcs of light through the air. Each slash cut down one of the Valmese soldiers on the rooftop. Her eyes widened. Ben stood on the rooftop. Lightsaber ignited. Fury filled his eyes as he savaged the enemy.
One of the swordsmen tried to escape his wrath by going back down the trap door. Ben caught him first. The lightsaber thundered through the retreating soldiers back and out his chest. Killing him in an instant.
She propped her weak body up against the wall as Ben deactivated his blade. He rushed over to her.
A weak, terrified gasp left Tharja's lips as she finally let the mask of fearlessness fall. She raised a trembling hand as Ben knelt down beside her. Her fingers brushed against his cheek.
"Had a feeling you'd show up." She whispered with a weak smile.
Ben placed a hand on her forehead. The pain her body evaporated as she felt the force rush through her. His eyes darted to the arrows jutting from her hip and arm.
"They got lucky." She breathed as she noticed his concern.
She heard Ben utter a worried breath. He tore a piece of cloth from one of his sleeves and wrapped. He broke the arrow in her arm then wrapped the cloth tight around the bloody wound. Tharja hissed in pain as the bandage tightened around what was left of the arrow.
"I'm getting you out of here." Ben said, his voice quiet.
More Valmese soldiers rushed onto the rooftop. In that instance, Tharja saw Ben's face darken.
Rage. Pure, unfettered anger washed over his normally kind face. Ben closed his eyes. The knuckles on his hand turned white as he gripped his lightsaber.
The Valmese soldiers charged at him and Tharja. Tharja gasped as Ben wheeled around.
One minute. That was how long it took for Ben to annihilate the second wave of attacks. Flawless bladework mixed with anger and desperation. For Tharja, Ben was both awe inspiring and terrifying. She had never seen Ben fight like this before. Not in Plegia, where she first encountered him. Not against the bandits in Donnel's village or against the Risen in the desert. Not even when they were chased through Charlet. For the first time, Tharja saw the power of a force adept unleashed.
Power radiated in waves from Ben. The force raged like a furious wind from him. With small flicks of his wrist, Ben launched Valmese soldiers from the rooftop as they rushed up the trap door to face him. His lightsaber cut blue arcs of light through the air. Severed limbs littered the floor. Bodies began to pile up.
Tharja felt static build up in the air. Her eyes widened.
The mages!
Two blasts of lightning shot through the air towards Ben. He did not see them coming. Just as Tharja called out a warning, Ben spun around.
He blocked the lighting. The two spells slammed into his lightsaber. The bolts arced around the blue blade then faded into nothing as the blade absorbed the energy.
Ben grit his teeth and marched toward the edge. Just as he was going to jump down and attack the mages, warn horns blasted. Ben paused. The Valmese around the building uttered alarmed cries. Any soldiers attacking them started sprinting back towards the bridges.
A dull roar reverberated through the sky. Tharja looked up. Cherche sat atop her Wyvern. The pair streaked through the sky. The lizard's deep roar sent shock waves of fear through the Valmese army. Combined with the war cries and horns of the Feroxi army, and the Valmese forces broke.
Tharja exhaled as all of the anxiety and tension in her body evaporated away. Pain replaced the adrenaline. She hissed as she brought a hand to the arrow wound in her hip.
"Ben! Tharja!"
Tharja looked up. Cordelia's pegasus descended from the sky. As it landed, Ben deactivated his lightsaber and rushed back over to Tharja's side.
Lissa and Lon'qu hopped off of the pegasus. Lon'qu immediately took up a defensive posture as Lissa sprinted over to Tharja.
All around the building, Feroxi soldiers swarmed forward. All of them crying out for blood as they charged towards the bridges.
Tharja smiled a little bit as Lissa's healing magic rushed into her body.
"About time you saw the signal." She said, voice tired and weak.
Ben gently held her hand.
Panic suddenly hit Tharja, "Ricken, Virion-" She tried to stand up.
"Saw them as we flew over." Lissa said as she pushed Tharja back down to her seat, "They're fine. You on the other hand are not. So you are not doing anything else today." The princess glanced at Ben, "I've got it from here, Ben."
"I'm not going anywhere." Ben argued back.
"You're a General, Ben." Tharja muttered, "Your soldiers need you." She gave him a small smile, "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Just need…" She blinked and uttered a small yawn, "I'll just need a small nap."
Lissa rolled her eyes, "And healing. Stitches too. What is it with the Shepherds and trying to act tough? Seriously!" She shook her head, "Some of you are as bad as Chrom."
Ben snorted. He squeezed Tharja's hand.
"Get going, General Kenobi." Tharja smirked.
Ben hesitated. Tharja gave him another small nod. Ben sighed.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." He said before placing a small kiss on Tharja's forehead.
"I'll hold you to that." Tharja snickered weakly.
Ben rose to his feet and let go of her hand. Tharja smiled a little as Ben turned and jumped down from the building.
He saved her life, again. Somehow, this time felt even closer than any other. Then again, she had been only mere seconds away from losing her head this time.
Lissa chuckled as she continued to work on Tharja's wounds.
"You're lucky." Lissa smiled.
Tharja glanced over at Lissa then back to where she saw Ben join the army. She exhaled and allowed a smile to remain on her lips.
"I know."
Flavia swallowed hard as she stood behind the barricade that blocked the street. She could hear the marching feet. Hear the armor clanking louder and louder. The enemy drew closer. She could not see them yet. But she knew, within a few moments, they would see her. And they would charge.
She gripped her sword tightly in both hands. A bead of sweat dripped down from her forehead. Anticipation and adrenaline rushed through her veins. She felt excited. Excited and nervous. Flavia always loved a good fight. It was what made her Feroxi. The thrill of battle made her feel alive. The act of steel clashing against steel gave her purpose. There was nothing more enjoyable in life to her than battle.
Captain Bo held his cutlass in one hand as he peered over the barricade. His round face glistened with sweat. Flavia could tell he was nervous. His sword hand flexed then relaxed. An endless, nervous tick as the enemy drew closer. His heavy, dark eyes glanced back at her. The large captain gave her a small nod.
The enemy had arrived.
"Let's give them hell." Flavia said with an excited grin on her face.
She glanced to her right. Dooku stood still, hands folded in front of him. Gaius held his shortsword at the ready. Panne had already transformed into her beast form. The claws on her paws were razor sharp. Ready to rip into armor and flesh. Venator stood in front of Dooku. The red haired girl had an irritated expression on her face as she lazily held her sword in one hand. Her companion, Odin, did not possess his previous bravado. Instead, he appeared just as serious as the sailors around him.
Flavia glanced at Dooku again. The old man did not have a weapon. What was he doing here? Did he intend on fighting with his bare hands? She appreciated his intellect. The man clearly had a lot of experience with wars. The sound of hundreds of enemies marching towards their location did not disturb him in the slightest. But she also did not think he would be very helpful in this situation. No weapon meant no way of defending himself. And unless he had a tome hidden up his sleeve, he was not a mage.
"Dooku, maybe you should fall back." Flavia suggested.
He took a step forward. Then another. The old man hopped up on top of the barricade. Flavia felt puzzled. What was the old guy doing?
"My elderly comrade," Odin called to him, "The front lines should not be of a concern to you. We can-"
"Did anyone ever tell you brats not to underestimate your elders?" Dooku took a deep breath as the Valmese army appeared at the end of the road.
Flavia grit her teeth. Heavy armor marched in the front of the Valmese column. The heavily armored men carried lances and spears that could tear her comrades to shreds. Behind that line, were regular swordsmen. The clean up crew. Lastly, came the archers in the third line. The most dangerous line. Flavia had no archers to counter them. No mages to break the lines apart. They would take the full brunt of the Valmese assault. And the arrows could render them all dead before they even had a chance to defend themselves.
The column of Valmese soldiers stopped marching as Dooku stared across at them.
"Listen, geezer!" Venator hissed, "Get down before you get yourself hurt."
Flavia's eyes widened as Dooku chuckled at her suggestion.
"I once heard a saying from someone. I believe Lon'qu said it. What was it again?" Dooku hummed to himself as a line of archers stepped to the front of the Valmese column and drew back their arrows, "Ah yes, I remember now."
Flavia cried out as a volley of arrows soared at the barricade. The sailors took cover behind it. Odin rushed to grab Dooku before he could become a pincushion. Flavia, Venator, Gaius, and Panne slammed into the barricade as well. Praying that the roughly constructed barrier would shelter them from any arrows.
Dooku smirked at the arrows rushing towards him.
"Fear the old man in a young man's profession."
A hum filled the air. A red bar of light erupted in Dooku's right hand. He raised his left hand just as the arrows were about to hit the barricade.
None of them hit. Flavia's jaw fell open. Odin stopped his mad dash towards Dooku. He stared awe struck at the sight before him.
The arrows stopped moving mid-air. They floated still as Dooku held out an open palm. His eyes were closed. Expression calm, yet focused. The arrows slowly rotated around so that they pointed at the Valmese army.
"Respect your elders, children." Dooku smirked.
The arrows raced back at the Valmese at an incredible speed. Within seconds, the archers that fired the arrows all fell to the ground, dead. Their own arrows buried in their bodies.
Silence hung heavy in the air. Both the Feroxi and Valmese stared at the confident old man in shock. Gaius glanced over at Flavia as the Khan struggled to pick her jaw up from the ground.
"The old fart's pretty awesome, isn't he?" Gaius chuckled.
A loud war cry erupted from the Valmese lines. The first wave charged. The swordsmen raced out ahead of the heavy armor. Dooku brought his strange glowing blade in front of his face, then flicked it to the side. A salute to his opponents.
The Valmese swordsmen slammed in the barricade. Dooku's blade slashed down at them. The blade cut through flesh and bone. Leaving nothing but severed limbs and bodies in its wake.
One of the swordsmen managed to get on top of the barricade. Dooku flicked his wrist and sent the enemy soldier flying into a nearby building. Flavia blinked in shock.
Dooku fought like Ben Kenobi. He possessed the same, strange powers as her newly appointed general. And his strange weapon could not be blocked by any armor or blade. The Khan grinned. They could win this fight.
Flavia bellowed out a war cry. She hopped up on top of the barricade and hacked down one of the heavily armored infantrymen. As the man collapsed into a limp pile of flesh and metal, a swordsman rushed at her. Dooku's blade lashed out and took the man's head from his shoulders. Flavia flinched as she expected blood to splash against her. But none came.
"Your blade is on fire!?" Flavia cried.
"It is not fire. It is plasma." Dooku replied.
"Plasma! Indeed! The ultimate metal!" Odin cried.
"I don't think that glowing stick is metal." Venator grumbled with a roll of her eyes.
Dooku cut down another enemy. A warning rang out through the force. Another wave of archers took aim and loosed their arrows. Dooku did not have time to concentrate and catch the arrows with the force. He scowled and shoved Flavia back down behind the barricade.
The arrows rocketed towards him. Dooku slashed through several. His blade missed one. The arrow dug into his right shoulder. Dooku uttered a snarl.
"Dooks!" Gaius exclaimed as he pulled Dooku down from the barricade.
Dooku shrugged the thief's hands off of him.
"More enemy soldiers approach us! They are a quarter nautical mile from our position!" Odin declared as a smile crossed his face.
"What does that even mean!? We're on land!" Venator cried angrily.
A Valmese swordsman hopped over the barricade. Venator unleashed her frustration on him. Her sword cut through his stomach. Another swordsman followed his fallen comrade over the barricade. The tide pushed over the barrier.
Captain Bo uttered a loud cry as he and his sailors surged forward. Clubs, cutlasses, and hand axes brandished. Panne mauled any enemy that came near her and Gaius. The thief kept a defensive posture as he blocked any attacks on the taguel. Occasionally, he lunged out and dug his blade into the gap in the armor of a Valmese soldier.
Dooku was a whirlwind of death. His red blade devastated any enemy soldier that dared to scale the barricade. Flavia found herself grinning like a madman as she fought back to back with the old man.
"You're a touch slow." Dooku grumbled at the Khan as he swept his blade over her head and cut down an enemy that escaped Flavia's notice.
"Ha! If I did not witness your abilities myself, I would have taken that as a challenge." Flavia beamed, "Perhaps you and I could go a round after this?"
"You would lose." Dooku replied.
"Oh really? I accept that challenge!"
"I never challenged-" Dooku huffed, "Focus on the enemy, Khan Flavia. Not on me."
"A duel between the great sword master, Dooku, and Khan Flavia." Odin raised a hand to the sky, "The battle will be legendary!"
"Gawds dammit Odin, get out of your own world and help me fight these guys off." Venator growled as she took down another soldier.
"Of course! I could never let you take all of the glory." Odin smirked while Venator rolled her eyes.
Flavia spun and took the arm from one Valmese soldier. As that man reeled back, another took his place. No matter how many she cut down, it never seemed to be enough. One man would fall, two more would take his place. Flavia glanced around at the brave sailors. They were starting to be overwhelmed. The true fighters like herself, Odin, Venator, and the Shepherds were able to hold their own. But the sailors and their clubs were hardly a match for the brutal combat prowess of the Valmese army. A wood club could not do much against hardened armor.
"We may need to retreat." Flavia grunted as she parried a lance.
"That would be a wise course of action." Dooku agreed, "We can regroup elsewhere."
"The Swords of Justice never retreat!" Odin declared.
"Yes we do. Because we don't want to die." Venator barked.
The group began to back up. Dooku, Flavia, Venator, and Panne held the tide back while Gaius and Odin guided the sailors into a retreat.
Flavia cursed as more arrows soared over their heads and into the crowd of sailors. Several of Captain Bo's men cried out and fell as arrows slammed into them.
"Don't suppose you can do that neat little trick again?" Flavia asked Dooku.
"I would need time to focus." Dooku remarked as he chopped a sword in half with his blade, "Time we do not currently possess."
His eyes flashed and he raised a hand. Blue lightning jumped from his fingertips. The lightning slammed into an enemy soldier. The man cried out then crumpled to the ground. Static jumped from his fallen form as his comrades pushed past him.
Dooku sensed more arrows whistling through the air. He raised a hand and tried to catch as many as he could with the force. While he was distracted, a lance dug into his side. Dooku snarled and lashed out angrily with his lightsaber. He sliced through the lance with one stroke. Then he took his attacker's arms.
Flavia noticed his wound.
"Odin! Pull Dooku back!" Flavia ordered.
"I'll be fine." Dooku rasped.
"Like hell you will be." Flavia snapped, "Full retreat everyone! Let's get back to the army!"
Horns blasted through the night. The hairs on the back of Flavia's neck stood on end. A surge of excitement filled her. The ground beneath her feet shuddered.
"Get out of the way!" Gaius called from the rear.
They all pressed themselves against the sides of the street. Frederick and the Feroxi cavalry came charging down the road. Lances leveled. Horses snorting and stomping as they charged down the cobblestone road. The Valmese stopped in their advance and tried to reform their ranks.
Frederick and the Feroxi cavalry slammed into the enemy before they could mount a defense. Stahl rode beside him. The other Ylissean knight hacked and slashed with his sword as they slammed into the enemy ranks. Above, Flavia noticed Queen Sumia soaring over the battlefield. Cherche flew alongside her. The pair circled the river as they waited for their comrades to catch up.
In one devastating counter attack, the Valmese ranks broke. Frederick rode down several enemies as they turned and ran from the vicious Feroxi charge. He broke off from the charge and allowed the Feroxi cavalry to continue riding down the enemy.
Flavia peeled herself away from a building and walked out to meet Frederick. The Ylissean knight trotted up to her.
"Damn good timing, Sir Frederick." Flavia grinned.
"We saw the signal." Frederick nodded back, "Basilio is moving in on the north end of the city with the others."
"That is where Chrom and Robin are."
Frederick furrowed his brow, "And the others?"
"Tharja, Ricken, and Virion were on overwatch at the center square." Flavia explained, "Ben rushed to them when he saw Tharja's signal. We have a feeling the Valmese are doing a three pronged attack at the moment."
Frederick shifted in his saddle and nodded, "Khan Basilio thought the same thing. We will push them back to the harbor. Maybe we'll meet up with everyone else there."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Flavia laughed.
She glanced back at Dooku. The old man looked a touch weary. But otherwise, he acted as if his wounds did not affect him.
He's probably just trying to act tough. That or 'Old Man Strength' is a real thing.
"You got a healer with you?"
"I do not need a healer." Dooku grunted.
"Maribelle, Donnel, and Marth are bringing up the rear." Frederick said, "They will be here any moment."
"Good." Flavia nodded, "Go drive them back. I'll catch up once I see to these men."
Frederick nodded, spun his horse around, and raced to catch up to Stahl and the rest of the Feroxi cavalry. Flavia's grin widened as she watched her soldiers charge after the retreating Valmese. Seeing her men charge so recklessly after the enemy made her damn proud.
She exhaled and let her sword to fall to her side. Gaius let out a happy cry as he saw Marth and Maribelle approaching with a small group of foot soldiers.
Maribelle grabbed her staff and rushed to start working on the wounded. She went towards Dooku first, but the stubborn old man brushed her aside. In a not so nice way, he told her to work on the sailors first. He would be fine.
Donnel fretted over Dooku's injuries. Meanwhile, Marth eyed the old man with some concern and hint of suspicion before turning to Flavia.
"Chrom?"
Flavia smirked, "Everyone's always so worried about him." She chuckled, "Rightfully so. He's nowhere near as good as me in a fight." She grinned, "He's to the north. Frederick said Basilio was already on his way there."
Marth gave her a stiff nod and turned towards that direction. Before Flavia could say anything, Marth took off.
"Strange." Flavia shrugged.
She rolled her shoulders. Dooku grumbled again as Odin tried to get him over to Maribelle. Flavia felt a twinge of frustration hit her.
"Dooku! I swear to Naga, if you do not get yourself some healing I will drag you by your ear over to a healer!"
I think I hate running!
Robin gasped as he sprinted around a corner. He lagged behind the other Shepherds as they rushed ahead of him. The tactician took a quick glance behind him. His heart hammered in his chest. It pounded in his ears. He struggled to catch his breath as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
He did not expect the Valmese army to attack full force. He thought maybe they would send a group or two of soldiers to counter the Shepherds if they were spotted. He did not expect several hundred Valmese soldiers to cross the northern bridge just as he, Chrom, Sully, Gregor, Cordelia reached it.
Shockingly, out of all of them, Gregor ran the fastest. He also knew the city better than any of them. He traveled through here many times before during his younger days. The old mercenary sprinted out ahead of them. Guiding the group down back alleys and across streets in an erratic route that kept them just out ahead of the charging Valmese.
Chrom cursed loudly as he followed Cordelia (who was just a smidge slower than Gregor).
"Do you think they saw the signal!?" He shouted back at Robin.
Robin gasped for breath, "I think… it'd be pretty hard…," He sucked in a breath. His lungs felt like they were fire, "To not see… a screaming skull."
Tharja just had to use a signal that scared everyone.
"Robin, you need to work out more." Gregor chuckled back at him.
"I'm aware!" Robin snapped as he sucked in another shallow breath.
He could hear the Valmese gaining on them. Several of their soldiers broke off from the main column in order to give chase. The Shepherds already clashed blades with them once. But since then, they managed to stay ahead of their pursuers.
This reminds me way too much of Charlet. Robin thought as his eyes glanced up at the rooftops around him, Except I don't have Ben and his ridiculous powers to help out this time!
He did not have any tactics for this situation. They did not have time to set up a barricade in the street. So slowing the advancing Valmese down was not an option. They could not turn and fight. There were too many enemies. Robin was sure they could put up solid resistance for a few moments. Chrom had to be one of the best swordsmen Robin knew. And Robin considered himself to be pretty good at magic. Cordelia was an excellent warrior. But she was out of her element on foot. If she had her pegasus, then she would be nearly unstoppable. And Robin knew Sully could not fight as well on foot as she did on horseback. Her situation was the same as Cordelia's. Only Gregor and Chrom could really put up an effective defense. And that defense would not last long. They would be overwhelmed if they stood and fought.
Five against several hundred are not winning odds. Robin thought.
They raced around another corner. A curse left Gregor's lips as he skidded to a stop. The Valmese sent a group of soldiers out ahead of them. They were cut off. Robin turned to start running the other way. But their pursuers blocked the other end of the road.
"We're trapped." Chrom growled as he held Falchion in both hands.
Cordelia gripped her lance and swung it to face the enemy behind them. Sully took a position beside Gregor. Chrom stood alongside Robin. Robin gulped and opened his spellbook.
"Well, here we go Chrom."
"We've faced worse." Chrom grit his teeth and readied for the enemy to charge.
Robin cringed, "I'm not so sure about that."
Just as the enemy rushed at them, horns blasted through the air. Robin jumped at the sound. Savage war cries roared through the night. Robin saw the Valmese ahead of them on the road spin around. As they turned and they met Basilio's ax.
The Valmese behind Robin and Chrom stopped their charge. As they hesitated, more Feroxi soldiers followed a screaming Basilio. Kellam and Libra charged after him. Nowi skipped along for a moment, noticed the Valmese soldiers, then promptly engulfed herself in a ball of bright light. The light shattered and a green dragon erupted into the sky.
Robin grinned as Basilio rushed past him. Kellam paused, nodded at Chrom and Robin, then continued charging. Libra waited a bit longer. The priest's first priority was to treat the wounded. When he realized none of them were injured, he charged after Basilio. Steel ax in one hand, healing staff in the other.
Gregor uttered a cheerful whoop as Nowi soared overhead. Robin watched with both awe and relief as the Feroxi army swarmed past him. He glanced over at Chrom. Both men started laughing.
"Another close call." Robin chuckled.
"How many does that make now?" Chrom laughed.
"Too many." Robin laughed. He took a breath and laughed a little more, "I think I can make a strategy now."
"The Valmese are retreating and we have an army helping us out. If you can't win the day now, I think I might need to find a new tactician." Chrom teased.
Robin gulped, "Please don't. I rather enjoy my job."
Chrom laughed and smacked a hand on Robin's back.
"Come on, Robin. Let's retake this city."
Robin grinned and drew his sword. The surge of Feroxi soldiers would push the unsuspecting Valmese back towards the harbor. If they kept that momentum, they might even push the enemy all the way back to their ships. Force the Valmese to sail away and admit defeat. The first defeat for the Valmese Empire. And it would come at the hands of Regna Ferox and Ylisse.
Robin raced after Chrom as the Prince joined the counter attack. The harbor was just across the river. Once there, the fighting would intensify. It would be Robin's first true battle since the war with Plegia.
Robin closed his eyes for a moment. He steadied his breathing and calmed his mind. He felt the force's gentle touch. Quiet and small. Not very powerful. But comforting in that moment.
The army pushed across the northern bridge over into the western half of the city. Several groups of Valmese tried to resist them. But Basilio's fury was immense. No one could stand before him as he hacked his way through the enemy.
The group followed Basilio all the way to the harbor. Once there, their advance ground to a halt. Robin let a curse slip from his lips.
The Valmese dug in. They were not fleeing the city. They were standing their ground.
This is about to get ugly.
Dalton considered himself to be a very good military commander. And he liked to think the Conqueror felt the same way. After all, the Conqueror hand selected him to lead the vanguard force in the invasion of Archanea. Him and his men were given the honor of striking the first blow in the Empire's latest conquest. An honor that filled Dalton with pride. This was a chance for him and his men to remembered for all time. The soldiers who sparked the downfall of Archanea. The history books would forever tell of their courage and strength in battle.
He expected little resistance. The Conqueror's tactician, Excellus, assured him that the invasion would catch the Feroxi by complete surprise. He would be able to take the city of Port Ferox and some of the surrounding countryside swiftly.
I need to stop listening to that worm.
The Feroxi soldiers did not put up much of a fight. Their meager garrison fell within the first few days of combat. But the pesky Feroxi sailors managed to slow his progress by several days as well. That and those damn barricades on the bridges did not help. The narrow streets also made advancing through the city a slow process. They could not cross the bridges without meeting stiff resistance. After several frustrating days, Dalton finally gave the go ahead for a full advance. The enemy would be overwhelmed by their superior numbers.
The Valmese commander furrowed his brow and scowled as he watched his soldiers retreat away from the eastern half of the city.
How dare these barbarians stand against the Conqueror and his will!? Did they not understand that there was no resisting the might of the Valm Empire? Did they not understand Emperor Walhart was unstoppable? His will was absolute. He took what he desired. Destroyed anyone who resisted him. United once poor nations under the banner of his mighty empire. His liege lord was not just an Emperor. He was a force of nature. Nearly a god in the eyes of his men. Under his leadership, no one could defeat the Valmese military..
And yet, there were his men, running like frightened children. The Feroxi were nothing more than lawless barbarians in Dalton's eyes. A group of tribes barely united under someone known as a Khan. Nothing more than savages who lived solely for warfare. And their style of warfare; aggressive and reckless, should have been easy for his men to stand against. They were amateurs. His men were professionals.
So why are we retreating!?
Dalton slammed a fist down on the railing of his flagship. He could feel his anger rising as he saw his men rushing for the ships.
"Are you men cowards!?" He roared, "You are soldiers of the Empire! Turn and face your enemy!" He marched down the gangplank of his ship, "Form ranks! Shields and spears in front! Archers in the rear! I want those barbarians shredded as soon as they try to charge into us!"
His commanding voice stilled his retreating men. His lieutenants relayed his orders. The chaos abated as discipline took hold once again. Dalton's orders were followed to his exact specifications.
The shields of his men interlocked. Spears jutted out from the gaps. Forming a wall of iron teeth, armor, and muscle that would slash any barbarian to ribbons. The archers knocked their arrows and held them at the ready. Dalton eyed the entrances to the harbor. He could already hear the howling horde of Feroxi as they rushed through the city streets.
"Let them come!" Dalton barked, "They shall shatter upon our shields!"
Two roars pierced the air. Dalton flicked his gaze up. A wyvern rider swooped down from above along with a Pegasus rider. Several archers looked up and took aim.
"Hold!" Dalton cried, "Focus arrows on the main mass!"
Another roar hit the air. This one louder than any wyvern Dalton ever heard before. Dalton frowned. What could be making that noise.
"DRAGON!" One of his soldiers screamed
Dalton's eyes widened as a great, green, winged beast dipped out from the dark clouds. It's jaw opened and flames erupted from its mouth.
Order shattered. Chaos returned. Dalton grit his teeth and drew his own sword.
"Stay in ranks!" He bellowed, "Stay in-"
The barbarians entered the harbor. Horns blasting. War cries rushed from their lips. Dalton gripped his blade and marched to meet them.
Fear gripped his heart when he saw a pair of strange blades appear near the center of his first line. Blue and red in color. The blades slashed through his soldiers' armor and weapons. They ripped a wide gap in his defenses. A gap that the enemy took full advantage of.
The dragon, wyvern, and pegasus swooped down and started picking off his men. The archers, scared and confused, did not fire controlled volleys. Their shots were scattered between the charging horde and the beasts above them. Dalton stopped marching forward as his men were pushed further back towards his ship.
Blasts of magic slammed into his archers. Dalton flicked his gaze towards his northern flank. His eyes widened.
"Ylisseans." He breathed.
No wonder the barbarians were able to overwhelm his men. They were bolstered by Ylissean brains. He had heard of that nation's stunning victory against a superior foe in Plegia. They were led by Prince Chrom, whom he saw leading the charge against his northern flank. Their strategy came from a young tactician. One with brown hair and a distinct coat.
Panic seized Dalton when he saw that tactician alongside Prince Chrom and a large Feroxi warrior he assumed to be one of the Feroxi Khans.
"We've awoken a sleeping giant." He breathed as he realized a sickening truth.
He had lost. His men were broken. First the shrieking skull unnerved them. Then the howling Feroxi scared them. Finally, the dragon and the two glowing blades ripping through their lines, shattered them. He could not bring order back to his men. They needed to retreat.
But if he retreated, he would die. Failure did not sit well with Emperor Walhart. Failure was met with the most severe of punishments. Dalton gulped. No matter what he did, he would die. Either at the hands of the Feroxi and Ylisseans, or by the hand of his Emperor, his life was now over.
He brandished his sword and charged at the overwhelming horde of Feroxi soldiers. If he was going to die, he would take one of them with him. His gaze focused on Prince Chrom. If he could kill the Ylissean leader, he could demoralize them enough to sit out a war. He could strike a blow against an enemy that would resonate throughout the world. His name would be remembered for generations. He would be revered back in Valm.
Confidence surged through Dalton as he rushed past his dying men and took aim at Prince Chrom. The Ylissean Prince did not see him. He was too busy cutting down two of his swordsmen. Dalton grinned. The Prince would die today.
He raised his blade over his head. Ready to swing the killing blow.
Pain erupted through Dalton's back. He felt something hard and sharp pierce his armor. Dalton gasped. Blood sputtered from his lips. The Valmese Commander looked down and saw a strange blade jutting out of his chest.
His sword clattered from his hands. He glanced behind him. A young woman with blue hair and one arm stood behind him. A bloody sword rested in her hand.
Dalton coughed and dropped to his knees. All around him, his soldiers died. Each one refused to surrender. At least, he could have pride in his men's determination to fight. They fought to the last man. And they would be remembered for their courage. He hoped.
As the last of his soldiers fell, Prince Chrom and two Feroxi he assumed to be the Khans approached him. A wet cough left his lips. His vision started to grow hazy. But he managed to raise his gaze to meet the three leaders of his enemy.
"Not a very bright idea attacking us." The woman Khan said.
"I agree, Flavia." Basilio glowered down at Dalton, "Are there more coming?"
Prince Chrom did not say anything. Dalton glared at all three then laughed.
"More are coming." He nodded, "You think you have fought the might of the Conqueror now?" He laughed then coughed hard. He felt some blood dribble down from his mouth. His body felt weak, "You have fought nothing. You are nothing! Nothing but a speck of sand on the boot of the empire! There is no resisting him. You shall fall. As have all others before you." He raised his shaky gaze as Flavia scowled at him, "I'll laugh when I greet you in hell."
Flavia raised her blade and cut him down. Dalton slumped to the ground, dead.
Chrom gave Flavia a surprised look. The Khan spat on Dalton's still body.
"That's what I think of your empire." She snarled.
Basilio nodded, "We beat them today. But this isn't the end."
"Not even close." Chrom nodded. He glanced around. Both horror and sorrow filled him as he realized not a single Valmese soldier surrendered. They all died fighting. All of them looking to kill as many of the Feroxi as they could before falling as well, "We are fighting a determined enemy."
"Aye. And we're more determined than they are." Flavia said, "Come. Let's see to our wounded and dead. Then we can figure out what to do next."
Chrom took a deep breath and nodded. He glanced over at Robin as the tactician moved towards him. His expression equally sad and horrified.
More Valmese were coming. And if this battle was any indication of the war to come, then they would need to be prepared. Chrom did not know how this war would go. But he did know one thing.
It will be fierce. And it will be bloody.
And chapter! The Battle for Port Ferox is over! The Valm war has officially kicked off! We had a few badass moments for several characters in this. Tharja showed off just how powerful she had become. Dooku flexed his own powers. And Ben unleashed when he realized Tharja was in danger. That should make for an interesting conversation between him and Dooku. I can't wait to keep this thing going! I'm so excited!
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!