Chapter XI: Ragnarok

Enderi 5

Quinn laid in his bedroll, unable to sleep. The scent of strong ale wafted into his tent, and he could hear the lower-ranked soldiers singing loudly. The celebrations had begun not long after their victory over Merdraut and his forces- they'd continued all through the night, into the next day, all the way up to the present. He understood why the army would be in such high spirits- for most, their hatred of the Burgundians was no secret, so any victory over their most ancient rival, no matter how insignificant, was an achievement worth celebrating. That their most recent victory had been against Burgundy's own crown prince, of all people, served only to inflame their passions further. Even the otherwise stoic Uther wasn't immune- Quinn had seen the captain sharing more than a few mugs of ale with the other soldiers.

But Quinn couldn't join the revelry. Not with Merdraut's final words hanging over him. He had planned to simply sleep through the night, but found himself unable to, simply staring up at the ceiling of his tent in the dark.

So, Quinn left his tent, and wandered the camp as if in a fog. There were still plenty of soldiers, and even a few other members of the vanguard about, but most didn't pay him any mind. One soldier did stop him, cheerfully handing him a mug full of ale, but Quinn quietly dumped it once he was out of sight. He'd never had money to spend at the tavern in Grimhold, so unlike the other miners, he'd never picked up a taste for alcohol.

Quinn's wandering eventually took him to the edge of the camp. Out here, away from the others, the sky was clear, and the air was cold, a lingering effect from Fimbulvinter's power. But much to his surprise, someone was already here, looking out over the dark fields. He approached, and said, "Miss Ingrid…"

The inquisitor glanced over to him. "Good evening, Quinn. Or perhaps, 'Good morning' would be more appropriate."

The two fell silent, standing side-by-side. Quinn was unsure of what to say. But then, he remembered what Ingrid had said, before they'd left for Fort Guyenne- that there was no evidence Burgundy had been preparing for war. He recalled the missing pieces of the narrative thus far. Perhaps, the inquisitor might be able to fill in those gaps.

And so, he said out loud, "…you were right."

Ingrid looked over, confused. "About what?"

"This whole situation." Quinn lowered his gaze. "I've been thinking about something… Prince Merdraut said. It made me realize that things… aren't adding up. There's something missing- something that we aren't seeing, and I didn't realize it until now." He looked over, to the inquisitor. "All this time, I was wondering why you were so against the war. Is that why? Did you see something all the way back then?"

Ingrid took a step forward, looking out over the field. "I'll admit, I have my suspicions about how conveniently everything fell into place. It has all the earmarks of a set-up."

"Huh?" Quinn understood each of Ingrid's words on their own. But put in that sequence, they somehow seemed to lose all meaning.

Ingrid brought a hand up to her chin. "If my suspicions about this war are correct…" she continued. "Whoever killed Oswald deliberately engineered events around the assassination to make it appear that Burgundy was the culprit."

If Quinn had been asked to describe Ingrid's statement at that moment, the only word that would have come to mind would have been… bold.

Bold, but not completely unreasonable.

In fact, looking back on the events of that day, it made a startling amount of sense. It seemed oddly convenient that they received word of a large movement of troops at the Hessian border mere hours after Oswald's death- without means to communicate instantly over long distances, like Coronis, the Burgundians wouldn't… couldn't have known if the assassination was a success for at least a few days. Not to mention, Juno had been completely unaware that war had been declared. The more he thought about it, the less incredible it seemed.

"You think so?" Quinn asked. "But why? And who would want something like that?"

Ingrid continued to stand, her back turned. "Most likely, they used the war to distract others from their own actions. Or, it's possible they wished to weaken Bannon, Burgundy, Hessen, or even all three at once. But, without knowing who the real culprit is, we can only guess at their motives."

Quinn circled around Ingrid, so they were face-to-face. "What should we do then? Should we tell Captain Uther? Mother Agnes?"

To Quinn' surprise, Ingrid shook her head. "No. For now… we stay the course, and see this war through. To the end."

"What!?" Quinn asked in shock. If what Ingrid said was true, then the war, everything they had done thus far, had been based on a lie. All the people they had killed… had died for nothing. And if they kept going…

Ingrid looked him sternly. "I know what you're going to say," she said. "But all of this is just speculation. We don't have any hard evidence. And even if we had evidence that this war was caused by deliberately falsified information, Prince Merdraut, along with countless Burgundians, Bannishmen, and Hessians, are dead. Nobody is simply going to let that go."

Quinn opened his mouth to reply… before shutting it. Something Lindow had said before they set out from Tristan echoed in his mind: People are slow to forget, and even slower to forgive.

Ingrid reached out, putting a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "I know this situation is far from ideal. I know that by going forward, more people will die. But, that's what it means to be a soldier. To uphold your duty, regardless of your own feelings."

Quinn didn't say anything in reply. He couldn't. He knew what he'd agreed to when he joined the Order. He and Ingrid had already had this discussion. But before, he could at least comfort himself with the thought that all his actions had been done for the sake of a noble cause. But now…

Ingrid continued, "When we return to the Abbey, I'm going to put in a request to Mother Agnes to investigate this situation further. Whatever the truth might be, I promise you that I will find it." She squeezed his shoulder. "But until then, I need you to be strong for me. Can you do that, Quinn?"

Quinn nodded, finally finding his voice again. "…yeah."

Ingrid gave a small smile, which quickly faded. "You should try to get some rest. We should be moving on soon."

Quinn obliged, returning to his tent. But as he stared up into the darkness, sleep again would not come to him. Ingrid's words had set a fire in him, and his mind burned with questions. Was the war really a set-up? And who was responsible? Could it be Kherson, the nation that everyone seemed to dread? Or, were rouge elements within Bannon itself to blame? Or, had Hessen been responsible, and framed Burgundy for the deed? And, what, if anything, would these nations gain from this war?

But although Quinn's mind raced with questions, he could provide no answers.

By morning, the casks of ale had finally run dry. So, the army continued their march to Agravain, albeit slowly, both because of the wounded, and the not-insignificant hangovers the majority of the soldiers were nursing.

With the celebrations out of the way, Isaac was finally able to report the events that took place on the battlefield. Both sides had started on roughly equal footing, with around three thousand men to each side- but, being in a defensive position and equipped to counter Fimbulvinter's powers, the Burgundians quickly took the upper hand. Isaac's force made little progress in breaking the Burgundian defenses, but as soon as the walls of the ice palace began to crumble and the weather cleared, the Burgundians broke ranks and fled in all directions, seemingly understanding what it meant. Bannon had won the day, but not before suffering considerable losses- one quarter of the army was dead, injured, or simply unaccounted for.

But according to Isaac, Merdraut's force was simply the beginning. He predicted that a twenty thousand strong force would be garrisoned at Agravain, at minimum, and they would need reinforcements before besieging the city. So the army's slower pace served another purpose, giving additional time for the reinforcements to catch up with them.

On the morning of the the third day after resuming their march- the fifth after the battle against Merdraut, Uther's forces heard a loud brassy tone ring out over the plains. They looked to its source- up ahead, from the southeast, a large column was approaching them. The approaching column was easily three times the size of their own. "To arms!" Uther shouted. "

"Wait!" Isaac called. "Look at their banners."

Isaac was right- the approaching column wasn't flying Burgundian flags, but flags of blue, and green-and-white- the colors of Bannon and Hessen.

Ingrid looked out, a hand on her chin. "Reinforcements?" she asked. "But how did they get ahead of us?"

Gail bounded up to Quinn's side, and leaned forward, squinting as she tried to get a better look at the approaching column. "Quinn, look at those people in front," she said. "Weren't they at your initiation ceremony?"

Quinn looked, and saw a number of very familiar faces at the head of the column. One was a towering, dark-skinned man, with curly red hair that covered his eyes, holding an axe in each hand. The second was a young woman with blonde hair and a white dress, seated on a dark grey horse. At her side walked a blue-haired man wearing a mask, a curved sword hanging from his back. And marching at the very front…

"Heeeey!" Evangelyne called. She broke away from her group and raced toward Quinn. "I heard about the good news!" The blonde woman wasted no time sliding up to Quinn, and draping an arm over his shoulder. "Congratulations on your victory! I wish I could've seen the fight for myself." She pulled herself closer. "Oh, and good job keeping my darling retainers alive."

"Uh…" Quinn looked away, but not out of embarrassment. Normally, Evangelyne's interactions made him uncomfortable on their own. But to be reminded of that day, of Merdraut's last words…

Evangelyne slipped back as the rest of her group came to a halt, placing both hands on Quinn's shoulders. "Come on, you should be happier, you know. Fimbulvinter is one of the most powerful Rings we know about. And you managed to bring down its wielder." She glanced around, to the other members of the vanguard. "I mean, you had help, but even so. It's impressive for someone whose Ring isn't specialized for battle."

Ingrid stepped forward, conspicuously clearing her throat. "Master Evangelyne…" she began. "May I ask what you and the others are doing here?"

But before Evangelyne could answer, a new voice replied, "I asked for her to accompany me." It was a woman's voice, gentle, yet somehow able to reach all of them, as though the world itself quieted to hear her words.

Both Ingrid and Quinn flinced, recognizing the voice. And sure enough, stepping out from between Orion and Yonah was a woman with ghostly pale skin and faint silver hair, wearing robes of pure white. Her eyes were seemingly shut as always, but it was clear her gaze was focused on Ingrid.

Ingrid removed her cap, pale. "M-Mother Agnes…" she said. "You should have sent word. We could have prepared for your arrival."

"It's alright," Mother Agnes replied, the calm smile on her face never faltering. "Our campaign won't last long enough for me to need any special accommodations."

"This is quite a surprise, Mother Agnes," Uther said. "Why have you come here? And… how did you arrive ahead of us?"

"Let's just say that I called on a few favors owed to me by the Vanderijck Trade Guild. But that aside…" Her smile then vanished, as she turned to the road ahead. "The upcoming battle in Agravain will be our final battle, and our most difficult yet," she said somberly. "If we are to win the day, then all of us- both in the army and the Order- must do our part. And as leader of the Archonite Order, I have my own role to fulfill." She turned her gaze to Uther's troops. "Now, I would like to see you wounded, if I may."

"Mother Agnes," Ingrid began, hesitant. "You don't need to trouble yourself with such matters. Our own medics-"

Agnes opened her eyes ever so slightly. "I insist," she said firmly. "We must ensure that our soldiers are in their absolute best condition for the trials ahead."

For a few moments, silence fell among the group. Then, Uther cleared his throat. "Very well," he said. "Miss Lecarde, please guide Mother Agnes to the wounded."

Elizabeth saluted and replied, "As yew wish, Yer Majesty," before turning to Mother Agnes. "Follow me, please."

Mother Agnes nodded. "Excellent. Come, Evangelyne, we have work to do."

Evangelyne, who was being a bit too… familiar with Rune, scoffed, but quickly came to Mother Agnes's side. "Oh, alright then. Inspections can wait until later anyway."

Once the two had departed, Uther approached Orion and Yonah. "Are you two in charge of this unit?"

"That's right," Orion replied.

The captain nodded approvingly. "Good. If our units are going to integrate, we'll need to establish a new chain of command."

"Excellent thinking, Captain," Isaac said, stepping forward as well and adjusting his glasses. "We'll also need to adjust our formation due to the larger number of troops. We should gather the officers for a meeting…" Isaac began to walk toward the camp, with Uther, Orion, and Yonah quickly following them.

"Hey, w-wait up, Professor!" Gail called, and chased after the group.

Ingrid turned to Quinn. "I'm sorry, Quinn. But I should be going as well. I'm sure Mother Agnes will need assistance in tending our wounded." And like the others, she too hurried away, leaving Quinn alone, and unsure what to do.

Enderi 13

It would take another five days of travel before Uther and Mother Agnes's combined force finally reached Agravain. And upon laying eyes on the city, the vanguard was greeted by a sea of red.

A mass of soldiers in wine-red waited outside the walls. The mass of men seemed to stretch on and on, both to the east and west, with no end in sight. Quinn paled. Even with their own reinforcements, the Burgundians must have had twice… no, three times as many men as their own force, at the very least. This was not a fight that they could win, at least not at the moment.

"Gods…" Gwin gasped. "I've never seen so many soldiers."

"I was expecting significant Burgundian numbers," Isaac began. "But this is far beyond what I predicted."

"What should we do, Professor?" Malcolm asked his teacher. "Should we wait for another group of reinforcements?"

But as the rest of the vanguard discussed what to do, something happened that nobody was expecting: Mother Agnes stepped forward.

"Please," she said. "Allow me to speak to them."

Ingrid turned to Mother Agnes in surprise. "Mother Agnes, are you sure that's wise?"

It was not Agnes who replied, but Isaac: "The Order is meant to be a neutral party. And, she once had strong ties to the Burgundian royal family. If she speaks to them directly, we may be able to pass through without a fight."

"We'll prepare an escort for you," Uther added. "Just allow us a few moments to-"

"An escort won't be necessary," Agnes replied, firmly.

"Mother Agnes, please," Ingrid said, insistent. "At least allow me to accompany you. As an inquisitor, I cannot in good-"

She turned, opening her eyes ever so slightly, to reveal nothing but black. "It's quite alright. I'm more than capable of protecting myself." And without another word, she began to walk toward the Burgundian camp.

It didn't take long for the Burgundians to notice the woman in white approaching. At once, about a half-dozen set upon her, surrounding her, their spears aimed directly at her, forcing her to come to a halt. The rest formed a long line, their weapons raised to stop any enemy from breaking through. Mother Agnes looked to the soldiers surrounding her. "Please, lower your weapons. I haven't come to fight."

None of the soldiers moved.

Agnes rested a hand on her chest. "I am Mother Anges, founder and leader of the Archonite Order. I wish to speak with your king, Martel."

"We have nothing to say to you!" one of the soldiers surrounding her shouted.

Agnes's smile shrank slightly, but held. "My Order was once headquartered in Burgundy, you know. I worked alongside your ancient kings to bring peace to the land. And that is what I have come here to do today."

The soldier in front of Agnes looked over her shoulder, to the Bannish-Hessian army. "It's easy to talk about peace with an army at your back, isn't it?"

Agnes's smile vanished, and small creases began to form in her forehead. "I will have words with Martel. Let me pass; I asked for the cooperation of your kings. I demand it from you."

The soldier approached Agnes, bringing the point of his spear right into her face. "You have a lot of nerve to think you can make demands in your position."

Any trace of calmness vanished as Agnes brushed the spear aside, setting her face into a hard glare. "Raise your weapon against me again, and you will not live long enough to regret it."

The soldier let out a low chuckle. "I'm going to assume that was a hostile response." Then without warning, he pulled his arm back, and thrust his spear into Agnes's side.

A few of the watching members of the vanguard gasped. Ingrid's hand flew to her sword and she crouched in preparation to race forward, but Evangelyne put a hand on her shoulder. "Just wait." They looked again. Agnes was still standing. It wasn't like the time Quinn had attacked her, though. She didn't gasp in pain, she didn't recoil. She… didn't react at all, save to look down at the spear now impaled in her stomach. She turned her gaze back to the guard, opening her eyes fully. Her words echoed across the field:

"I see that we're done being civil."

Agnes inhaled sharply, a orange glow shining in her chest, before breathing out a long stream of fire with a deafening screech. The flames swallowed the soldier and his weapon, leaving behind only the head, still embedded in Agnes's side. But the older woman wasn't finished. She turned, still breathing a long stream of flame at the other soldiers surrounding her. They had already turned and tried to run away. But there was no escape- the flames swallowed them whole, leaving nothing behind, as if the soldiers had never existed at all.

Agnes reached down, tearing out the spearhead impaled in her side before tossing it away. Then snapped her attention toward the rest of the soldiers. A good number had fled, but there were still plenty with greater fortitude, who wasted no time surrounding the older woman again. Her eyes were wide, burning a bright red, but her face seemed… wrong somehow. It seemed… longer, like the snout of a beast, and filled with sharp teeth. She snarled at the remaining soldiers, her chest glowing in preparation for another flaming breath. But then, a great burst of flame completely swallowed Agnes, before a massive creature burst forth from the flames. It was an enormous scaled creatures, standing on four slim, clawed legs, a horned head perched atop a long neck, and two great white wings sprouting from its back. It was massive, easily bigger than a house, and certainly the biggest living creature Quinn had ever laid eyes on. The creature's scales were white on top, but silver underneath, just like the walls and roof tiles of the Abbey, and Fort Felhold. But as shocking as the transformation was, Quinn recognized the creature- he'd seen it depicted on every banner that hung in the Abbey.

The soldiers recognized the beast as well. "Dragon!" Spears and arrows rained down on the dragon from the crowd of soldiers, striking the dragon, but the blows simply bounced off its scales, not even leaving a mark.

The dragon reared back, and with a screech, breathed out another stream of fire. It was bigger than the first- and even at their current distance, Quinn and the rest of the vanguard could feel the intense heat from the flames. Plume after plume shot from the beasts mouth, swallowing dozens of men without a moment of hesitation. The crowd soon began to retreat from the dragon, many simply dropping their weapons and running away as fast as they could. But she chased after them without mercy, her flames burning away the helpless men.

A number of the Burgundians turned and ran toward the column. "Ready!" Uther shouted, and the men around him drew their weapons.

But Evangelyne said, "No. Let them pass."

Uther looked to the blonde. "What?"

"Don't worry. I don't think they'll be coming back." Sure enough, most of the soldiers that came their way ran right past, not even giving the column a second look.

Soon, the vanguard realized the screeching let out by the dragon had finally stopped. They looked, to see it standing alone in a great charred circle, with even the grass having been burned away. The Burgundians' army, the massive sea of red that had been waiting for them… was gone. Quinn couldn't say how many had fled… and how many that dragon had burned alive, leaving nothing behind, not even ashes.

A powerful gust then swept across the plains as the dragon flapped its wings, rising up into the air, and turned its gaze toward the city. "Hear me, insects!" the dragon bellowed. "And look upon my fury! All who would dare to stand before the might of Ragnarok will die this day!" The dragon inhaled one last time, and let out a long stream of fire aimed at the city gate. The enormous structure of wood and metal quickly burned to ashes, leaving the city wide open. And with another roar, the dragon darted ahead, breathing long streams of flame over the city below.

Evangelyne laughed, clapping her hands together as though she'd been watching a play. "Good show, Agnes," she said, before adding in a darker tone, "Looks like I won't have to hold back, either." She looked to her side. "Quinn, be a dear and keep my retainers out of trouble." She began to walk toward the city, placing a hand under her chin, and forcing her head to the side with several loud cracks. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this…"

For several moments, the vanguard could only watch Evangelyne depart in a stunned silence. Then, as if suddenly coming to her senses, Ingrid turned to the others. "We need to move in to support Evangelyne and Mother Agnes," she stated.

"Agreed…" Isaac replied, looking over the city. "There should be a castle at the south end of the city. We'll regroup there."

"Understood," Uther said, and turned to the rest of the men. "We'll be entering through that breach. Standard procedure- fan out and engage the enemy at your discretion. Our rendezvous point will the castle at the south end of the city."

"What if we encounter surrendering enemy soldiers, Captain?" Fiona asked.

For several moments, Uther didn't answer. Then finally, with his face set in a grim glare, he replied, "…give no quarter to the enemy. They've had more than their fair number of chances to surrender before now. Now move out."

"Understood, sir," Fiona replied, before pulling out a brass horn. She blew into it twice, the signal for the column to advance.

The column moved quickly, the soldiers eager for a fight. They moved cautiously through the gates- the stones of the wall around it were still glowing red where the dragon's flames had passed over them. But once they were inside, the soldiers quickly fanned out and moved through the streets, searching for any Burgundian soldiers in hiding. Quinn was separated from the others, pushed this way and that by the surging crowd, until suddenly, he was pushed into a narrow gap between two stone buildings. The sound of footsteps soon faded, leaving only the distant roar of great fires, and the occasional screech from the dragon overhead.

He stepped out into the now deserted street. The dragon's fires were spreading quickly, and sweat was already beginning to build on his brow from the heat. He walked the streets, slowly, axe ready. Then, he heard footsteps, and voices in the next street. Quietly, he slipped into an alley between buildings. He tightened his grip on his axe, expecting to find more Burgundians. But rather, he found Raquel, and Gideon, mounted on his strange skeletal horse. As they approached, he heard the young man say, "Shouldn't we hurry, Miss Raquel."

"Relax, Gideon, the witch replied. "That castle won't get up and walk away before it can get to us."

Quinn breathed a sigh of relief, before stepping out into the open. "Hey, Gideon! Raquel! I'm glad-"

The witch jolted and spun around, throwing a fireball in Quinn's direction. He flinched, but it flew wide to his right, and struck a building, shattering its facade and sending burning splinters raining down the narrow street. Raquel blinked in surprise once she had a good look of who she just attacked. "Wait, you! Whatsyourname… Quinn! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking… we could team up, and work our way to the rendezvous point," he replied, looking over at the blasted out building.

Gideon rode up to the witch. "I think that's a good idea, Miss Raquel. It's safer for us if we travel in a bigger group."

Raquel crossed her arms and huffed. "Sure. Whatever."

"Now," Quinn began, looking around. They needed to move south. He wasn't much of a navigator, but he learned a person could orient themselves using the sun. Only, there was so much smoke in the air that the sun was completely blotted out. "Which way is south?"

Gideon looked around. Apparently, Quinn missed something, as after only a few moments, he pointed to the buildings to his left. "That way. Let's go."

The three pressed on, searching for a cross-street to head south. Not five minutes of walking later, they could hear some kind of commotion ahead. Shouting, and some kind of roar. It must have been Mother Agnes fighting against the Burgundians.

But before they could take even a single step forward, the ground shook, and something rounded the street corner up ahead.

It was… a monster. That was the only word Quinn could use to describe it. At first, he didn't notice the monster's skin, or rather its lack thereof, leaving bones, sinews, and muscles twitching in full, horrific detail. He didn't notice its head, stripped of all flesh, giving the appearance of a macabre grin. He didn't even notice that the thing was over twice his height. What he did notice, at first, were what he thought were wings, sprouting from its shoulders. But with a second look, he realized they were nothing of the sort. They were a second set of arms, as wide as a tree trunk, ending with talons as long and as sharp as swords.

Then, he saw the eyes.

The thing was covered in them- there was one on its thigh, its forearm, its bicep… and an enormous cluster, seemingly growing out from one another, in the middle of its chest. They were all the same shade of yellow-green, and the way they blinked and moved, it was clear that every single eye worked… and that several were looking right at Quinn.

The thing turned, flashing its hideous grin, and stepped toward him. It must have been well over fifty peds away, but even at that distance, he could still feel the ground shake from its footfalls, the cobbled streets cracking and buckling beneath the monster's every step. At first, Quinn simply stood frozen. Nothing in his life could have prepared him to encounter a… being like this. But he held up his axe, and shouted, "Stay back!" But his warning rang hollow. His arms were trembling, and he had already begun backing away before the creature had even begun its approach. Even with his Ring's power, how could he- a normal human- stand to face such a monstrosity?

But Raquel didn't hesitate. Fire formed in her hands, and she threw a ball of flames at the thing with all her might. It made no attempt to avoid it, and the fireball struck its mark. But the thing simply stepped through the flames, seemingly unharmed, its flesh not even slightly charred. Raquel readied another fireball…

But then… the thing spoke. In a woman's voice that was very familiar: "Put that down before you hurt yourself."

Quinn blinked, unsure if he could trust his own ears. He stared up as the thing finally came to a stop in front of him, looking down at him in turn. Several moments passed, before Quinn finally worked up the nerve to ask, "…Miss… Evangelyne?"

There was a spray of blood as the thing's chest ripped open, and the air was filled with the sound of flesh tearing and bones cracking as the thing's massive body twisted and folded in on itself, reshaping itself into a much smaller form. In mere moments, it was over, and a blood soaked woman with long blonde hair, just slightly shorter than he was, stood in the thing's place.

Evangelyne wiped away the blood covering her face with her hand. "Sorry to scare you like that. But it's just been so long since I've been able to cut loose like this, you know?"

Raquel and Gideon could only stare, mouth agape, at the sight. Eventually, the witch stammered, "What… what the hell was that?"

Evangelyne smiled at the witch. "Like I said, my Ring can do so much more than just heal people."

Just then, a handful of soldiers rounded the corner Evangelyne emerged from. "It went this way!" one of them shouted. These soldiers weren't dressed in the normal red tunics of the other Burgundians, though- rather, their tunics were black. They must have been some type of city guard, specifically for Agravain. The guards, about ten in all, quickly spotted the group. "Forget the monster! Get those dastards!"

Evangelyne grinned an inhumanly wide smile that seemed much too large for her face, and showed far too many teeth. "Sorry. Break time's over." She turned, her arm exploding in a spray of gore, revealing a long, blade made of bone. At the same time, her shoulder tore open, and a a thin, skeletal arm tipped with another bony blade sprouted from the wound. She reared back, and let out a monstrous screech before charging at the soldiers on all fours. The guards turned and ran away… but not before the monster Evangelyne transformed into caught up to one. She rammed into him with her shoulder, knocking him down, before savagely slashing him with her blades, shredding through his armor and flesh alike as though they were little more than paper. She looked down at her work, before rearing back and letting out a wild howl, and bounded away.

For a moment, the three could only stare in shock. But eventually Raquel looked to Quinn, and demanded, "Are all of you Order people able to turn into some kind of monsters?"

"Believe me," Quinn answered, equally incredulous, "this is just as much of a surprise to me."

And so it was. Quinn and the others continued to advance south as planned. He never had to raise his axe against anyone- most of the soldiers were already dead by the time he reached them, leaving Quinn to step over either eviscerated bodies left in fresh pools of blood, or over black, still warm scorch marks in the stone where soldiers had doubtlessly stood. The few that survived fled for their lives without even attempting to stop him, Raquel, or Gideon. All the while, the air was filled with deafening screeches and flashes of heat as the dragon rained fire down on the city, and wild howls as whatever monster Evangelyne had turned into stalked the streets, cutting down soldiers without mercy.

Eventually- Quinn couldn't say how long- Gideon spotted something, and directed his mount down an alley. Raquel noticed, and chased after him. "Hey, Gideon! Where are you going?" Quinn followed the two through the alley, and emerged on a long stone walkway at the edge of the ocean. Many ships were anchored here, or had been- now they were nothing but still-smoking shells partially poking out of the water.

"A harbor," Quinn said.

Gideon looked around, before pointing to their right. "Look over there," he said. About a half-milla away, standing behind another set of walls built along the water's edge, was a castle keep, square-shaped, its grey stone tinged a slight green by the salt of the ocean.

Raquel breathed a sigh of relief. "Hah, finally. I was getting sick of all this walking."

"The others are probably waiting for us over there," Quinn said. "Let's get going."

The three hurried toward the castle. There, in a square in front of a great stone staircase leading up to the castle gates, the others had gathered. Many, though far from all, the members of the vanguard and the soldiers that had accompanied them were already waiting. "Hey, there you are!" Gwin said, dismounting. "We were thinking of sending people out to go looking for you."

"Is Captain Uther here?" Quinn asked.

Gwin shook his head. "Not yet."

Julius approached. "I have every confidence the Captain will be here before long."

The priest's confidence was well placed, as only a few minutes later, Uther arrived, accompanied by a large contingent of soldiers. Still, they continued to wait, as soldiers continued to make their way to the square.

Then, the ground shook with rhythmic pulses, and there was a sudden uproar among the soldiers, followed by Evangelyne shoutly harshly, "You'll get out of my way if you know what's good for you!" The crowd quickly parted, allowing Evangelyne to pass. She'd taken on another monstrous form, her arm twisted and massive, nearly as big as her whole body on its own, with a bony spike jutting from her shoulder. An unfortunate Burgundian soldier was impaled on the spike, his limbs swaying limply with Evangeline's every movement. There was a spray of blood as her body folded in on itself, and the Evangelyne Quinn recognized soon emerged. "Hah," she breathed. "Uther, I made a sweep through the city. All the soldiers who can make it are already here."

"I… see," the captain replied, clearly unsettled by the blonde's transformation. "Now, how will we get… Mother Agnes's attention?" He looked to the sky- the dragon was still flying over the city, burning everything in sight.

"I'll get her attention." Evangelyne's arms twisted, morphing into black claws, and she climbed a nearby building, stabbing her talons into the wood with ease. When she reached the roof, she reared back, and let out a long, deafening howl that no creature on the earth should, or even could, ever make.

But, it worked. The dragon banked, and began circling in the sky above the castle, before swooping down toward the steps, the soldiers quickly scrambling back to give her space. The ground shook when the dragon landed, and everyone save for Evangelyne stumbled from the impact. The dragon roared again, and flames erupted from its body, consuming it entirely. After a moment, the fire dispersed, leaving behind a very angry looking Mother Agnes. She looked up at the castle, and shouted, "Martel! Your armies are broken and your city lies in ruins! There is nothing protecting you from me! Now come out! I was merciful before, but if I have to come looking for you, I will not be in such a forgiving mood!"

There was no answer from the castle. Agnes glared, and small flames began to ignite in the air around her…

But then, the doors at the top of the steps opened, and two figures emerged. One was an old man, with long, thinning white hair and an equally thin beard, dressed in a loose red robe. The other was a burly man with blonde hair cut extremely short, wearing a battered, dull grey set of armor. "No!" the old man called weakly, slowly descending the steps. After reaching the bottom, he took a long breath. "No," he said again. "That is enough. I will not have anymore blood spilled today."

"At least one of you is sensible," Agnes said stiffly. "Though you must forgive me, Martel. I had forgotten your health was in decline."

The blonde man stepped forward, a hand on his sword, but Martel held out his arm, and the blonde man stayed his hand. "What do you want from us?" the king asked.

Agnes crossed her arms over her chest. "Our first demand is your immediate, complete, and unconditional surrender."

The old man let out a pained breath. He hunched over, and brought himself down on one knee.

The blonde man looked to the old man in shock. "Father?" he asked, incredulous.

"Gadolt," Martel hissed. "Kneel."

"You would kneel?" the young man asked, incredulous, pointing to the vanguard. "To them?"

"If it will save the people of this city… then yes."

"Well I won't!" The blonde man drew his sword. "I will not kneel to my brother's killers. Not now. Not ever!"

The old man looked to Gadolt again, his face set in a hard glare. "If your pride will not let you kneel for the sake of your people, then take that signet ring off your finger and leave this city. I have already lost one son, but I won't hesitate to lose another if it keeps our kingdom out of the hands of one so selfish."

Gadolt tammered for a moment, before shooting Agnes an angry glare. But in the end, he threw his sword aside, and knelt. The few Burgundian soldiers that were still alive followed suit, and kneeled as well.

Agnes looked down at the two. Her expression was strange- she was smiling, but it wasn't her usual calm smile. She looked… satisfied. As if enjoying the sight of a king and prince kneeling before her. "Now… there are further arrangement that we will need to discuss," she eventually said. "I trust that you will prepare a place where we can hold negotiations?"

Martel nodded. "Of course." He glanced over. "Gadolt, ready the map room."

Gadolt growled audibly as he looked at Mother Agnes, but answered, "As you command, Father," before standing, and climbing the steps.

Agnes looked back over her shoulder. "Ingrid, Evangelyne, Isaac, Captain, with me please. Your input during the negotiations would be most appreciated."

Uther nodded, saluting the woman in white. "Of course, Mother Agnes. Bannon owes you a great debt for what you've done today." And with that, Agnes and her chosen entourage began to ascend the steps of the castle.

"…and… here we are," Zara said. She set her needle and thread aside, and held up a long strip of fabric for inspection. When she was satisfied, she handed it to Prim.

"Thank you, Zara," the dancer replied, inspecting the length of fabric in turn. Although Quinn had been lucky to avoid Agravain's city guard, the others hadn't been so fortunate. A panicked guard had run into Prim, swinging blindly- she'd evaded his blows, but her sash hadn't been so fortunate. Thankfully, it seemed their forces had suffered no serious injuries.

Prim turned the sash over in her hands several times as she inspected it. "Wow, you can't even see the stitch. You're very good at sewing, Zara." A pause. "Were you… married? B-Before Evangelyne found you?"

Zara shook her head. "Oh no, not at all. Sewing, cooking, cleaning… I learned how to do all that after I joined the Order."

"Why, though?" Prim asked. "The Abbey has plenty of attendants to take care of all that."

Zara scratched her neck, secretly glad for her veil. "Well… I wanted to be helpful. I know I have my magic, but I wanted to be helpful outside the battlefield, too."

Silence settled between the two retainers for a few moments. "You know…" Zara began. "I just realized something."

"What's that?"

"For all the time we've spent as Evangelyne's retainers… I think this is the first time we've ever really talked to each other," Zara replied.

Prim blinked, as if surprised. "I… suppose it is."

"Could we do this again sometime?"

"What? Talk?" Prim asked.

Zara nodded eagerly. "Yes. If you wouldn't mind, that is."

Prim tilted her head slightly. "Well, I don't see why not…"

Nearby, Gideon was tending to his… mount. The others gave him a wide berth. But not Quinn. It was something that had burned in his mind since they met at Fort Felhold; he held his tongue before, but now his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

"Gideon?" Quinn began. "There's been something I've been wanting to ask you."

"Sure," Gideon replied, turning on his crutch. "What is it?"

"It's about… well, that." He pointed at the skeleton.

Gideon looked. "Oh, this is Aire. She's a familiar Miss Raquel made for me."

"A familiar…" Quinn knew what they were. Animal spirits that were bound to a mage's service. They could do all kinds of things. "Why, though?"

"Well, horses are important for my people. But I never got to ride because of my leg. Plus, she helps out when I need to gather materials."

Gideon's last sentence stuck out to Quinn. "Wait. Raquel made you go out and collect stuff? With your leg like that?"

Aire snorted. "It's the least I can do," Gideon replied. "She took me in. I would've died if not for her."

That was something had heard more than once in Grimhold. But in the end, Quinn but his tongue, and said, "Alright. Thanks for answering my question." Has

Hours had passed since Mother Agnes and her hand-picked entourage had entered the castle along with King Martel and Prince Gadolt, but there had been no word of the proceedings within. Quinn wasn't worried about the others' safety- Agnes had shown she was more than capable of protecting herself. But he couldn't help but be apprehensive with no new information.

All of a sudden, something hit Quinn's shoulder, hard. He turned, to find himself facing Raquel. "We need to talk," she said bluntly. It was clear by her expression that she was upset.

Quinn opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Raquel continued: "I know I probably just look like some helpless maiden to you, but I'm not. I don't need you to protect me."

Quinn had been confused about why the witch had been so upset, but on that last sentence, everything became clear. "I never thought that. I've seen what you can do. I was with you because… that's what comrades are supposed to do for each other."

She crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. "Well, don't. I've made it this far on my own. I don't need you or anyone else holding my hand."

Quinn didn't say anything in reply. He wasn't sure what he could say in reply. Anything would likely serve only to anger Raquel further, so he held his tongue.

But Raquel wasn't quite finished: "And one last thing: my eyes aren't down there."

"Wh-What?" Quinn stammered. He had absolutely no idea what that meant.

Raquel huffed, crossing her arms over her… chest with a glare. "…you were staring."

Quinn could only give a flustered stammer in response.

Then, the doors at the top of the steps opened. The Bannish entourage emerged, and descended the steps, lead by Mother Agnes. Near the bottom, the woman in white stopped. The square fell quiet, and all all eyes turned to her.

"Citizens of Burgundy," Agnes began. "Soldiers of Bannon and Hessen alike, the negotiations have ended. This war is over. We… have won."

Cheers erupted from the crowd of soldiers. But they were silenced when Mother Agnes held up her hand. "In addition to reparations to Hessen, King Martel has agreed to allow Bannon to establish a special inquiry to investigate King Oswald's assassination, and pledges his full cooperation in aiding us in rooting out the conspirators. Rest assured, justice will be done for Bannon's king."

"But, th hardest part has passed. Eat, drink, be merry, but most of all… rest. You have more than earned it."

Another wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.

Raquel gripped Quinn's shoulder. "Don't think this is over." She then turned and left.

But before he could go anywhere, a hand was laid on Quinn's shoulder. It was Ingrid, with a very disquieted expression on her face. "Come with me," she ordered.

Quinn allowed the inquisitor to pull him away from the square, into an alley far from the noise, and any prying eyes and ears. He quickly understood what this conversation would be about, but still asked, "Is it about that announcement Mother Agnes made?"

"That's right," she replied. "I won't be returning to Bannon. But I won't be staying in Burgundy as part of the official inquiry, either.."

Quinn blinked in surprise. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he and Ingrid wouldn't be going home together, but this was not at all what he had anticipated. "Wait, you're not?"

"No. I brought my suspicions to Mother Agnes's attention, and she agreed with me. So, she's authorized me to conduct my own independent investigation into Oswald's death."

It was good news. Quinn knew that. He should have been happy. But, knowing that Ingrid would be far away. "…How long will you be gone?" Quinn asked.

"I can't say. Just sifting through all the potential suspects will take a lot of time."

Quinn was quiet. Then, Ingrid laid a hand on his shoulder. "I told you that whatever the truth is, I'll find it. You trust me, don't you."

Quinn nodded, without hesitation. "I do."

She laid another hand on his shoulder, gripping him firmly. "But this has to stay between us. The investigation is strictly between me and Mother Agnes; technically, I'm not allowed to even tell you about it. As far as you and everyone else is concerned, I'm staying in Burgundy to try and reestablish the Order stronghold here in Agravain." Ingrid took away her hands. "I have to go, tonight. But I didn't want to leave without saying anything. Put on a brave face for me."

Quinn nodded with a hard swallow. "Stay safe, Miss Ingrid."

Without another word, Ingrid pulled Quinn into a tight embrace. But soon, too soon, she let him go. She looked at him, jaw tightening, before she turned, and left the alley.

By the time Quinn left the ally as well, Ingrid was nowhere in sight. He went back to the square. It wasn't that Ingrid being out of his life was a rare occurrence. He was an adult. He couldn't lean on her forever. But she gave him something no one else could. Peace of mind. Her mere presence comforted him in a way no one else could. And although he could operate without her, it didn't mean he had to like it.

"Hey, there you are, kid."

Quinn looked. Leaning against the wall of a narrow alley, Lindow was waiting. "Hey," Quinn replied. "What is it, Lindow?"

"Blondie and Mr. Bland were looking for you. I think they wanted to invite you to celebrate with them."

Blondie and Mr. Bland? He must have been talking about Gail and Malcolm. Ingrid's words echoed in his head- Put on a brave face for me. So Quinn smiled. He hoped it was convincing. "Sure. I've been wanting to catch up with them," he replied in what he hoped was a cheerful tone.

Lindow started walking, Quinn falling in step at his side. "You're pretty lucky, you know. Blondie seems to like you a whole lot."

"Gail's like that with everyone," Quinn replied. Indeed, Gail had never been shy about openly displaying affection for people.

"I'll give you that she's friendly, but she doesn't cling to other people the way she does with you. Or, did you never notice…?"

"Heeyaah!" Fiona thrust her spear. But Uther deftly parried, knocking her blow to the side. She swiftly followed with a wide swing, but Uther blocked swiftly. Fiona stepped back, readying a thrust- Uther braced himself, but then Fiona darted forward, sweeping Uther's legs from beneath him. He fell, and before he could rise, she pointed the tip of her spear at his chest. "That's another win for me, Captain," she said, pulling back her spear.

Uther rose, dusting himself off. "Hah… as sharp as always, Lieutenant."

Two days had passed since Mother Agnes's declaration of the war's end. The ships that would carry their men home were still a few days out, but even with the war over, their training continued. Even with hostilities at an end, they could never be too careful in enemy territory. The two were out of town, near a beach looking over the vast sparkling sea.

"So Captain," Fiona asked, "why did you really call me out here? You don't usually single me out like this."

"Am I that easy to read?" the captain pondered, before replying. "You're right. There is another reason I called you here, Fiona."

"What is it, Captain?"

Uther looked out over the water. "With my coronation, I'll no longer be able to hold the title of Captain of the Guard. So, I need to name a successor."

"I'll be looking forward to the announcement, Captain."

Uther looked at Fiona in silence.

"Um, Captain?" Fiona asked. "Did I say something out of line?" She had a realization. "W-Wait. You can't mean-"

"I do," he replied firmly. "In all my years, I have never found a more capable soldier. You were meant for this- in fact, there may never be another soldier more fitting."

Fiona continued to stammer. "But, a woman has never held the position of Captain of the Guard! I don't-"

Uther laid a firm hand on the knight's shoulder. "I won't deny that you will be expected to take on a great deal of responsibility. But, I wouldn't called on you if I didn't think you could handle it," he said. "And I won't leave you to fend for yourself. When I was selected for the position, my predecessor taught me everything he knew. And I will pass on all his knowledge to you."

The captain pulled his hand back. "But although you may be the most eligible for the title, the decision is ultimately yours to make. If you choose to accept, I won't dishonor your or the position by holding back."

Fiona was quiet for several moments. Then, she raised up her hand, and saluted. "I am honored to accept your offer, Captain."

Uther grinned. "Good answer. Now, let's see if we can find a spare scacchi board."

Fiona blinked. "What? Why?"

"Your responsibilities as Captain of the Guard go far beyond simply fighting. And before we begin your training in earnest, I'd like to test your skills. First, will be your tactical prowess."

Notes:

Evangelyne II: Evangelyne's transformation into a twisted fleshy monster was planned from the very beginning, as Amrita's power isn't healing, but control over the way cells divide and mutate. The power was initially inspired by Dead Space's Necromorphs, but fairly late, I took inspiration from William Birkin from Resident Evil 2 as well.

Ragnarok: As the eponymous Fire Emblem, Ragnarok enables its wearer to transform into a dragon. In fact, as a fire-breathing dragon, Agnes is technically the only proper Manakete of the story. Compared to the rest of the series, I wanted the Fire Emblem to play a much smaller role in the story than it has in more recent games, being in the hands of a secondary character.