Chapter 10 – Macedonian Prowess
The ship rocked as the last of the supplies were brought on board. The opening sails bathed in the morning sunlight as they caught the wind, pushing the ship out into the open ocean once again. The light bounced off of my armor as I stood at the edge of the ship, watching the land disappear from view as we sailed into the ocean towards the land of the kingdom of Macedon. The tall mountains slowly disappeared from view.
"And so we're off to Macedon." Gordin said as he joined me to enjoy the calming sights of the ocean.
"Indeed. Have you been to Macedon before?"
"I have." He leaned over the ship's railing to get a good look at the crashing waves below, "I remember fighting on their land during the War of Shadows. Their main force consisted of pegasus knights and dracoknights."
"Dracoknights?"
"Powerful knights astride wyverns. They're a terror to fight."
"I could imagine."
"There was a group of pegasus knights in particular, the Whitewings. They fought with us as our allies during the last war. Few can match their terrifying speeds."
"I wonder if they will be our opponents today."
"I hope that won't be the case. However, if it is, be sure to employ my bow as well as Ryan's. Arrows will do well against pegasus knights as well as dracoknights."
"I'll keep that in mind. How are you and Ryan, by the way? He's been spending a lot of time with you lately."
"We've been having a great time together, though I wish he'd focus more on his training. I mean, there's nothing wrong with having fun, but there's a time and place for everything."
"Well, he's always had that childlike frame of mind." I said with a soft chuckle.
"He does. I guess that's why we get along so well." Gordin smiled. We gently swayed with the water as our conversation trailed off, our gazes transfixed on the glimmering waves. As the sunlight intensified, we parted ways and I retreated deeper into the ship. The hallways were filled with the noise of chattering knights and the clanging of metal on metal. After a few turns, I came to a door with a sign that read "Training Room". I suppose this could be a good use of my time, I thought, I should have a few more hours before we arrive on land. The door creaked open to reveal a well-lit room. Training dummies lined the walls. Near the wall opposite of me, Jagen stood facing the wall with a large wooden pole in his hands. His typical armor was nowhere to be seen, replaced with a more casual outfit consisting of a deep red shirt and black pants.
"Ah, Glacia." He said turning towards me, "Here to pass the time?"
"I am." Before I could get myself acquainted with the room, Jagen passed his wooden pole to me, grabbing another one from a crate.
"Care for a friendly spar?" He asked, gripping the pole in his hands as if it were a lance.
"It'd be an honor." I said. To make it a fair fight, I removed my armor and put it by the door. I got comfortable with the pole in my hands before stepping towards him. With a quick nod, we swung our poles and the sound echoed as they made contact. Jagen slipped away from my reach before swiftly returning for a powerful strike on my wrist. My grip slipped and my pole fell to the floor. Without a second thought, I picked it up once again.
"Out already?" Jagen remarked as we stepped away from each other.
"I'm just getting started." I familiarized myself with the pole once again, giving it a few spins before lunging towards Jagen. Again and again, our poles collided with each other and the sound resonated throughout the room. We both searched for an opening as we continually clashed. The stalemate was broken when we managed to push ourselves past each other. As if by instinct, I spun on my heel and faced Jagen's back. Once we regained our balance, I took the opportunity to strike, landing a solid hit on his side. In response, he turned towards me for a counterattack. Our poles clunked together once again, but I was able to have more freedom of movement. I moved my pole in a spiral and, with a flick of the wrist, I disarmed him.
"Your speed is notable." He said, retrieving his pole, "But even with your skills, you must remain wary of your upcoming opponents." He took a defensive stance as I approached him once again.
"Of course. I'll never let my guard down similar to how I'll never neglect my training." I gave my pole a few spins before bringing it down on Jagen once again. We continued to spar for the remainder of the trip, stopping occasionally to catch our breath and cool off. The ship sailed into calmer waters as it approached Macedon's shores. After returning our wooden poles to their crates, we walked out onto the sunbathed deck. Soldiers busied themselves with setting up the campsite while the ship's crew assisted them by transporting crates of supplies. The war council tent was the first to be completed.
"Our scout should already be out in the field by now. You should go ahead. I'll be joining you shortly with Prince Marth." Jagen shortly left after finishing his sentence. I took my time to familiarize myself with the surrounding environment. There was an abundance of trees that covered the landscape, creating an ocean of leaves. The roof of a tall fort peeked out of the ocean. When I had set foot on the grass, I heard a loud flapping noise from above. I looked up to see the shadowy figure of a wyvern pass over. Its massive wings disturbed the calmness of the forest, violently rustling leaves and startling birds.
I was hit with a sudden realization and almost ran to the war council tent. As I arrived, the scout had returned and handed me a map that was rolled up and tied with a thin string. I quickly thanked him before disappearing into the tent. I moved the many writing supplies off of the table before rolling the map out. While I waited for Jagen to arrive, I studied the map. There was an exceptional amount of tree cover, but there was an open plain in front of a large fort. Many smaller forts were scattered around the area. The messy scrawls on the map detailed the types of opponents I would have to face. Several cavaliers, spearmen, and a few archers littered the future battlefield. A thief had also been spotted en route to a nearby village as well. We should get to the village before the thief does, I thought as I scanned the remainder of the map, who knows what he'll do to the villagers. I grabbed a small piece of charcoal and began to plan an attack.
I had finished half of the plan when the tent flaps were pushed aside. I looked up, expecting Jagen, but was met with Arran's solemn face.
"Glacia? In charge of strategy once again, are you?" He slowly approached the table and took a good look at the rough lines and circles I had made.
"Partially. I'm still waiting for Jagen and Prince Marth to arrive, but I couldn't waste any time." I resumed sketching my plan, "There was a dracoknight that had flown over our campsite. I have reason to believe it was an enemy scout. I fear they will launch an attack soon."
"Are you certain? It is possible that it could have just been a wild wyvern."
"That is true, but I don't want to take any risks."
"Yet you take the risk of a rushed plan?"
"I'd prefer that risk over risking the well-being of my friends."
"Your friends..? My, you sound just like him." Arran said, cracking a smile and shaking his head. Before I could ask him what he meant, Jagen burst into the tent with Marth right behind him.
"We have a dire situation. The campsite is under attack. We must mount an attack at once." Jagen blurted.
"I'll stay with the camp and help them defend." Arran said before quickly departing.
"I apologize for depending on you for our battle plans once again, Glacia, but we have no time to waste." Marth said as he joined me by the table.
"I was afraid this would happen…" I thought out loud as the tent opened once again, allowing the remainder of the team from the last battle to enter, "Everyone gather around. Since Arran will be staying behind to assist the camp, everyone here will be able to attack the rebels' leader directly, effectively ending their attack and allowing us to rescue Prince Minerva of Macedon."
"Macedon… To think that I'd have to fight here again." Marth murmured as he slowly scanned the map.
"Are you acquainted with Princess Minerva, perchance?"
"I am. Princess Minerva fought as our ally in the previous war. All for the peace of Macedon, she took it upon herself to fight her own brother, Prince Michalis. She had the three pegasus knight sisters, Palla, Catria, and Est, as subordinates. Each of them powerful in their own right, but together their power is unmatched."
"I see. They sound like wonderful allies to have."
"Indeed. Although, Est, the youngest of the three, has retired from knighthood and now lives happily in Altea, Catria and Palla should still be here in Macedon. I hope they're safe…" Before I was able to shift the focus to the battle plan, the sound of flapping wings filled the tent, stopping with a loud thud as hooves made contact with the ground. I moved towards the entrance, keeping myself between the opening and Marth. My fingers slowly wrapped around my sword's handle as our sudden visitor revealed themselves.
She stepped out of the sunlight and into the flickering light of the lanterns with her snow white pegasus behind her, its reins in her hand along with a long lance. Her short hair was a deep ocean blue and hovered a couple inches above her shoulders. Bright white armor covered her chest and shoulders with a short, light blue dress underneath. A short white cape flowed from her back, slightly concealing the sword at her side. Long, dark blue boots covered her legs and elbow-length fingerless gloves covered her arms. Her eyes immediately locked onto Marth and her face seemed to suddenly fill with hope.
"Prince Marth! Thank goodness you've come to Macedon!" She exclaimed as she quickly walked towards him. Marth momentarily put his hand on my shoulder before stepping towards our visitor. My hand eased off of my sword.
"Catria! I had received word of a rebellion in Macedon. Are you unharmed?" Marth quickly asked in a concerned tone.
"Yes, I'm fine. My older sister Palla and I managed to escape, but Princess Minerva was captured. Please, you have to rescue her. At this rate, her life will be in danger!"
"Of course. We'll do our best to ensure she returns to us unharmed." Marth paused to turn towards me, "Catria, this is Glacia, my Royal Guard and our tactician for the upcoming battle."
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." I said, stepping forward.
"Likewise." Catria said as she shook my hand, "I hope your strategies will help save Princess Minerva."
"I will do my best." I returned to the table and picked up the charcoal once again, quickly scribbling new lines onto the map.
"We will have to break through these woods," Catria said as she walked over to the table and observed my markings, "However, General Rumel's dracoknights are lurking in this area. We should plan around it." She pointed towards several forts on the map.
"Dracoknights… we'll need a different strategy for them." I thought out loud as I made more scribbles on the map. I spent a few minutes before taking my eyes off of the map. "Alright everyone, here's the plan. We'll split into four groups. I'll be with Prince Marth and Gordin as we head towards the nearby village. After ensuring their safety, we will head north into these woods." I pointed towards the mass of trees that populated the right side of the map. "Here, we'll work together to bring down the dracoknights as well as anyone else that may get in our way. Draug and Ryan will travel together and occupy the forest to the left. Draug can act as Ryan's shield as he fires at anything that moves."
"Is-is that enough to protect me?" Ryan asked, visibly shaking.
"You'll be fine. Not much can penetrate this armor." Draug reassured him with a pat on the back.
"Luke, Rody, Cecille. You'll be riding together as you charge straight through this forest and catch the thief before he reaches the village. Once he's out of the picture, proceed to attack anything in your way as you go straight for these forts here." I pointed to a group of forts that stood between our campsite and the general's fort. "These will keep you protected enough until it becomes safe to advance. Give yourselves a few minutes to rest in the clearing in between the forests to allow us to eliminate the dracoknights before proceeding."
"We have to wait? I just want to get in there!" Luke protested.
"Patience is a virtue, Luke, that'll keep you from the maws of a dragon." Rody remarked.
"Don't worry about him. I'll keep him in check." Cecille added.
"Thank you. I'll be- we'll all be depending on you three to do well out there. Catria will accompany Malicia and act as a mobile healer. Will that be possible?" I looked up from the map, expecting a response. Catria turned to take a look at Malicia before replying.
"Of course."
"Your path of action will involve flying in towards the clearing between the two forests that separates us from the main fort. However, you must take care not to enter the firing range of the archers. Your assistance will help keep injuries to a minimum. Once the enemies have been cleared out and the forts in front of the main fort have been captured, launch an all-out attack on the rebel general. Remember to remain wary of dracoknights." I reminded the group as I concluded the war council session. A loud rumble of a fireball hitting the ground reminded us of the ongoing battle for the campsite. "Let's go, everyone." At the very moment my sentence came to a close, the team rushed out of the tent to grab their mounts and head towards the battlefield. As I made my way to the opening with Marth, Jagen's voice stopped me in my tracks.
"I am sure you have things on your mind about what happened in Grust, but you must not allow them to distract you from this battle. Rest assured, we will rescue the royal children." He said as I pushed the tent flaps aside.
"I understand. I'll do my best." I faced him for a moment before turning around once again and leaving the tent. The sound of chaos in the distance was intense as the sound of clashing metal and neighing horses rippled through the air. The sound of approaching hooves caught my attention and I saw Blazemane sprinting towards me. She dove into my arms as she sniffed me. I stroked her neck in an attempt to calm her down.
"What could've happened that spooked her so much?" Marth asked as he watched my hand move up and down my horse's neck.
"I have a feeling the battle reached the stables. She's fearless on the battlefield, but she's terrified of conflict when she's on her own." Blazemane raised her head as she began to take control of her fear. "Let's get moving. Every second we spend here gives the rebels more time to prepare for us."
"Right. Will it be alright if I..?"
"Of course." I answered him before he could finish the question. I helped him climb onto Blazemane after I had situated myself on the saddle. Blazemane broke into a gallop and we quickly made our way to the battlefield. With swift reactions, Blazemane weaved in and out of the trees before entering the bright plain. I spotted a village with wooden fences around the border to my right. Scattered houses populated the plain to my left. I rode up to the gathering team and allowed Marth to dismount. "Everyone, attack!" I shouted into the still air and the battle commenced. Gordin walked up to me as the rest of the team split into their groups. Malicia got comfortable behind Catria and they launched into the skies. Luke led the group of cavaliers into the forest and Ryan followed close behind Draug.
"Let's hurry to the village before the battle gets too close." Marth ordered as he ran to the village gates. Gordin and I followed close behind with our weapons at the ready. A small clink rang out as he prepared an arrow for firing. My right hand hovered near my blade, ready to unsheathe it at any time. The grass underneath our feet turned into dusty dirt as we approached the gates. The gatekeepers kept their eyes on us as we got closer, gripping their weapons tightly. Marth spoke to the guard closest to him. "We're not here to fight. We want to help keep your people out of danger."
"We appreciate you coming, Prince, but we've already gotten everyone out to a safe place." The guard said, "We're here to defend the village itself." Marth nodded in understanding and turned towards us. Suddenly, a muscular man emerged from the village gates. A white headband held his dark brown hair upright. His tunic was sleeveless and he wore a small pouch on his belt. His axe was resting on his shoulder.
"That should be the last of 'em." He told the guard, who nodded in response. "Prince Marth! O'er here!" He shouted after noticing us. Marth ran over to him almost instantly with me close behind.
"You're… Cord! What are you doing so far from Talys?" Marth asked as he stopped in front of the warrior.
"I couldn't sit still when I heard you's fighting again, so I came to join in. I'm one of Talys's mercenaries! If ya died, Princess Caeda'd cry. Prince Marth, lemme fight on your side once again."
"Of course. We'd love to have you fighting for us." Marth said with a smile, "Gordin's here with me and this is Glacia, my Royal Guard."
"Name's Cord. Pleasure meetin' ya!" Cord said as he firmly shook my hand, "Gordin! It's been a while, eh?"
"It has, but we have a fight to fight. We should catch up later." Gordin stated as he scanned our surroundings.
"Ha, right! Well, lead the way Prince Marth." Cord removed his axe from its resting position, holding its thick handle tightly in his hand.
"Let's head towards the first clearing and help everyone else out. I hope they're doing alright." Marth spoke as he walked in the direction of the rendezvous point. Cord and I followed alongside him while Gordin kept behind us. As we came closer, the sound of clashing weapons grew louder. Marth picked up his pace until we were in a sprint, running towards the battle.
"Stay behind Cord, I'm running ahead!" I shouted to Gordin who nodded in response. Blazemane let out an intimidating neigh before sprinting past Marth and into the center of the battle. We were greeted by a small group of archers attempting to execute a pincer attack on Luke. He was slashing through their ranks in record time, slashing his sword in every direction possible.
The archers aimed their loaded bows towards me and fired. I ducked behind Blazemane's head as she jumped over the arrows, landing right in front of the terrified archers. I unsheathed my blade in an instant and ran it through one of the archers, penetrating his breastplate. His lifeless body slid off of my blade and I turned to find my next target. Before I could start an attack, Rody rode by and took out the remaining archers.
"Glacia! Glad you could make it." He said with a hint of sarcasm, "I got something for you." He came closer and handed me a strange blade. The sword was generally slim with a small crossbar that was barely twice the width of the blade. The hilt was wrapped in a soft, pink fabric. "We got it off of the thief we caught sneaking towards the village. Maybe you can make good use of it. Luke and I can't seem to wield it correctly. It's a bit too flimsy for our hands." Shortly after finishing his sentence, he bolted off. I held the blade in my hands and it felt strangely comfortable. I heard footsteps to my right and instinctively looked in its direction. Marth had finally caught up to me with Cord and Gordin close behind. I let him run past me before following him. We cut down more archers before reaching an unoccupied fort. We took the opportunity to catch our breath.
From the large archway that made up the fort's front entrance, we could see the chaos was dying down as the battle moved towards the main fort. I spotted Catria taking off from the forest and let out a sigh of relief. I had feared that the archers got to her when I wasn't able to see her in the sky.
"Hey, uh, I don't mean to be rude, but I think I should go help out the main force. My axe 'ere ain't that great at staying quiet." Cord suggested as he looked in the direction of the fight.
"That's not a bad idea, but not everyone knows who you are." Marth pointed out.
"Ah, no worries, eh? Already made friends with the red headed lass. She's a harsh one, she is." Cord said as he raised his axe once again, "If you'd allow me, I'll be off." Marth nodded in confirmation and he ran out of the fort and disappeared into the trees.
"We should get going towards our next position as well." I said, readying my sword. Blazemane sighed as she warmed up for more battles.
"Be careful. We're going up against dracoknights now." Marth said as he looked me in the eyes.
"I will. I don't plan on losing to an overgrown lizard rider." I said with a smile.
"Let's go, then." Gordin picked up his bow and walked up to us. Marth and I nodded in agreement and we made our way into the forest behind the fort. It was not long before a loud rustling caught our attention. We raised our weapons as a figure stepped into view. He had a long bow slung over his shoulder. His green tunic was sleeveless, similar to Cord's. A green headband held up his blonde hair. His pants were a darker shade of green compared to his tunic, causing him to blend in with the surrounding foliage.
"Lower your weapons, I've been sent here by Catria. I mean no harm." He said with his hand outstretched, ready to block any incoming attacks. Our weapons lowered when we were certain that he meant what he said. My blade was in a resting position, but my body remained ready to strike at any moment. "Name's Warren. I'm looking to join your cause."
"You know Catria?" Marth asked. Warren nodded.
"I do. I'd explain, but there's a battle to be won. We don't have time for idle chat." He said as he readied his bow. "My bow is yours to command."
"Right. Follow us and fight alongside Gordin." Marth said and pointed to Gordin who looked slightly nervous about the slight shift in plans. We continued on our way through the forest until we spotted our next target. On top of the empty fort sat a crimson red wyvern. Its head swiveled on a scaly neck as it scanned the area. Its rider sat comfortably in a saddle on the creature's back. He wore thick steel armor on his body and a helmet covered his head.
"Remember the plan." I whispered to my team.
"Right." Gordin said and we split up, moving to the appropriate positions. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Blazemane shook her head as leaves fell on her.
"Ready, Blazey?" I whispered in her ear and she raised her head in response. I rubbed her neck gently to calm myself. "Let's go, then." I grabbed her reins and whipped her into a blazing sprint. Her thunderous steps kicked up dust clouds and the dracoknight immediately noticed our presence. Its vast wings unfurled and it took off into the skies. We ran around the fort to allow the wyvern enough time to follow right behind us. I turned around to check and saw its gaping maw open. I kept close to Blazemane's mane as I heard the beast breathe its flame breath onto us. I concentrated on the path ahead of us in an attempt to ignore the burning flames. I felt the cold presence of my necklace on my chest as the flames completely enveloped us.
Before I realized it, we escaped the wyvern's inferno and approached the edge of the forest we were hiding in. The dracoknight was getting closer to me and started to approach me on my right side. I kept my head close to Blazemane and a flurry of arrows flew over my head. The wyvern roared in pain as the arrows ripped through its wings, inhibiting its ability to remain aloft. An arrow pierced its scales and lodged itself in its chest. The wyvern fell to the ground as it was no longer able to take the pain. Blazemane screeched to a stop as the wyvern slid across the grassy plain. As the wyvern came to a stop, a blue flash came from the forest as Marth ran in to quickly finish it off along with its rider. Blazemane galloped towards the defeated beast.
"Wow… the plan actually worked." Gordin said as he emerged from the forest with Warren.
"It was a risky move putting yourself out there." Warren commented, "At least it worked out in the end."
"There's one final battle to have…" Marth said, his voice trailing off as he gazed at the ongoing battle at Rumel's fortress.
"Let's get going." Warren said. We silently agreed and quickly headed towards the ongoing battle.
When we got to the scene of the battle, Cecille was engaged in a fierce battle with Rumel. His black dragon roared as its claws clashed with Cecille's blade. Rumel was equipped with red armor and an axe was gripped in his hand. His black hair highlighted his cruel expression. In one motion, the axe was launched from his hand, hitting Cecille's side before returning to him. The hit knocked her off balance and she tumbled to the ground as her horse ran to safety from the giant dragon. Before he could finish her off, I made a mad dash towards him with my blade outstretched.
"Oh, so it would seem Altea's crown prince has come to save the day. What a pity his little adventure ends here!" Rumel shouted as he noticed Marth. Before I could get close enough for an attack, his dragon stomped the ground in front of me, forcing Blazemane to stop in her tracks to avoid being squished. We took several steps back to avoid any more similar attacks. I noticed that a majority of my friends were gathered around the dragon with varying amounts of injuries, many treating the wounds of their comrades. "I was about to end this little crusade, but it seems I've been rudely interrupted. You there." He pointed a long finger straight at me, prompting his dragon to take notice. "Let's have some fun!" Almost in an instant, his dragon jumped into the air and charged at me. My blade was already in my hand and I heard Marth shout my name, but I was too late.
He thrust his hand at my neck and grabbed onto the top of my breastplate. His dragon flew upwards at a fierce speed, making it impossible for me to raise my blade. Once we were out of the range of bows, his dragon stopped ascending and the sudden stop forced my sword to fly out of my hand. The flaps of his dragon's wings echoed in my ears as I looked down. At that height, I was able to see the camp and the forest's trees were nothing but green specks. I have to think fast, I thought as panic began to fill my mind. My eyes darted from side to side, looking for a way out. A crazed look swept over Rumel's face as he laughed to himself. "Well, princeling, let's see if your friend here can fly!" My hand immediately grabbed onto his as I felt his grip weakening. "You don't really think that can save you, do you?" He said with a smile before giving his hand a violent shake, releasing my grip.
I clenched my left hand as I felt myself freefall. It didn't last long as I was soon kept in the air by hanging onto one of his dragon's dangling reins. "Oh, what a bother." Rumel said and commanded his dragon to fly. I swung my right hand over to the other half of the reins and held on tight as the dragon began to fly again. Rumel flew erratically, randomly ascending and descending in an attempt to shake me off. I grabbed onto the dragon's harness and attempted to climb on top. Rumel was ready for me and sunk his axe into my left shoulder. I fought through the pain and managed to grab a dagger from his saddle. I retreated to my original position with dagger in hand.
A different kind of flapping came from underneath. I looked down and noticed Catria attempting to save me. Her pegasus looked at me as I struggled to stay attached to the dragon. I waited for her to fly ahead of my position before I stabbed the dragon's neck with as much force as I could muster. It roared as I dragged the dagger downward, leaving a large gash in its neck. The dragon picked up speed as it panicked. I stabbed the dragon once more before I let go of the harness. Air rushed past me as I fell, filling my ears with the sound of powerful wind. I fought to keep my eyes open. Soon, I felt the solid rump of a pegasus underneath me.
"Oh, Glacia! Thank the heavens!" Catria exclaimed as I repositioned myself on her pegasus. I looked up to see Rumel's dragon preparing for an emergency landing. I looked down to see Blazemane following right below me.
"Catria, can you bring her down?" I asked and held onto her saddle.
"Of course." Catria's pegasus folded her wings and descended quickly before stopping her descent several feet above the ground. I took one look underneath myself and jumped off. Blazemane's comforting body stopped my fall as she jumped up to meet me. Our combined weight hit the ground with a loud thud. I directed her in the direction of Rumel and grabbed the pink-hilted blade Rody had given me. A roar echoed through the forest as I entered the clearing made by the dragon's bulky body. Rumel was on the ground, recovering from a fall. His dragon wreaked havoc in the area as its pain became unbearable.
"You!" Rumel shouted with an angry tone, "Gah, you'll pay for this!" His axe flew through the air and struck Blazemane in the ribs. She neighed in pain as the axe drew blood. I took my sword and dismounted, refusing to allow Blazemane to continue to get hurt. Rumel took out another axe and threw it towards me. I narrowly avoided it and continued to run towards him. He kept throwing axes in my direction and each one flew past me by an inch. Frustrated by his failure to hit me, he grasped his big steel axe and charged at me. I raised my blade and responded with a charge of my own. Our weapons clashed and sparks flew. Utilizing my blade's light weight, I slipped away from his axe and landed a solid blow on his side, causing him to fall to the ground. In one swift motion, I finished the battle, his now lifeless body lying in a clearing of his own making. His dragon had flown away during our duel, occasionally releasing an ear-piercing screech as it flew higher into the clouds. I grabbed the key that fell out of Rumel's pocket and returned to Blazemane who was wincing at her wound.
Ignoring the intensifying pain in my shoulder, I took out my vulnerary and applied the last of the medicine directly onto her wound. She protested at first, but she soon calmed down as her pain subsided. As the last of my adrenaline faded, the pain from the large gash in my shoulder radiated throughout my arm. I was so focused on fighting for my life, I didn't realize that the left side of my tunic was soaked in blood. I nuzzled Blazemane's face as I rubbed her neck to calm her as well as to calm myself. She noticed my injury and gently nuzzled my arm.
"I know… I'll be okay…" I whispered in her ear. "Come on. We need to meet up with the rest of the team." I gently led her back to Rumel's fort as I fought through the throbbing pain. After a few minutes of walking, I heard the thunderous sound of hooves rushing towards me. I released Blazemane's reins and gripped my blade instead. As Luke crashed through the trees and stopped in front of me, I released my grip and returned it to Blazemane's reins.
"Glacia, you're alright! You had us all worried sick." He said as he positioned himself beside me, "Climb on, I'll get you back to the fort in no time!" He extended his hand towards me. I looked at Blazemane and we made eye contact for a few seconds. I grabbed onto his hand as tightly as possible as he pulled me up. I felt strange sitting behind Luke, but it was for my own good. Luke's horse began to gallop and Blazemane galloped right behind him. As we rode through the forest, I noticed Luke had a few slashes on his side that hadn't been healed yet. I began to worry that my friends were hurt because my plan was rushed. Maybe Arran was right, I thought as the fort came into view. Luke allowed me to dismount when we reached the fort's fortified doors. Blazemane continued to follow close behind me.
"Glacia!" Marth exclaimed as he ran to me. "I'm so glad you're alright. Are you hurt?" He asked before promptly noticing my shoulder. He motioned for Malicia to come over. She finished healing Luke's injuries before rushing over to me. Her staff glowed and my arm was bathed in a warm light. As the light dissipated, the wound disappeared, but the hole in my armor remained.
"Malicia hopes she got to everyone." Malicia announced as she looked around.
"We still don't have a way to get into his fort." Draug admitted as he walked up to us, "Door's practically impervious."
"I think I have the key." I said before unhooking the looted keys from my belt. "This was in General Rumel's pocket."
"Right. Let's prepare ourselves. He may have more soldiers awaiting us inside." Marth said as he led me towards the doors. Everyone readied their weapons as I inserted the key and gave it a twist, unlocking it. With one strong push, the doors creaked open to reveal a young lady in a pink dress. Her long brown hair was draped around her chest as she clutched a strange book in her arms. A couple tassels were attached to the thin belt she wore around her waist. She had a strong grip on a large sack that was in her hand. She took a step back as she adapted to the sudden light change.
"Prince Marth!" She exclaimed and ran to us, "Thank heavens. What a pleasant surprise meeting you here."
"Likewise, Linde, but how did you wind up in a dangerous place like this?" Marth asked as he put away his rapier.
"Well, I desperately needed to see you, so I set out to find you. Unfortunately, the Macedonian soldiers found me suspicious so they dragged me to this fortress." Linde explained before setting the sack and her book on the ground. "There was a lot of chaos and I used the opportunity to sneak out of the fort. I was just about to leave when you opened the doors."
"Is that so? I'm glad you're safe, but-" Marth stopped midsentence when he noticed Linde's interest in me.
"And who might you be?" She asked me, curiously.
"I'm Glacia, Marth's Royal Guard." I responded, "Pleasure meeting you."
"I'm Linde. Pleasure meeting you as well. I apologize for staring for so long. You looked like someone I knew a long time ago."
"You knew someone who looked like me?" I asked, curious of who was the other person who had a hair color similar to mine.
"I did. I remember my father had a girl come over one day. I could never forget her hair, but I must be mistaken. She went by a different name."
"Do you remember it?"
"Sadly, I do not. I was very young and we didn't really meet. I just saw her."
"Ah, that's a shame."
"Oh! I mustn't forget. Princess Nyna requested that I delivered this to you." Linde suddenly exclaimed as she turned to Marth. She reached down and opened the large sack and produced a large, golden shield.
"Huh? This… This is the Fire Emblem!" Marth said as she handed it to him. The shield was just as it was in the pictures I was shown when I was a junior knight. It was a brilliant gold with intricate details. Five sockets allowed for the placement of five spherical gems. As I looked upon its glistening details, I felt an intense urge to protect it with my life, but also an intense feeling of fear. "But… why? Why give this to me now? Especially at a time when Archanea has so much influence under Emperor Hardin's reign? In this peaceful age, why is Princess Nyna giving me the Champion's Proof...?" Marth asked with increasing worry.
"I don't understand either. Princess Nyna didn't explain why... I remember her eyes seemed so sad... I think she may have been crying..." Linde slowly answered as she thought about it.
"Princess Nyna crying? What on earth has been happening...? Linde, after we achieve our mission here, I will go see Princess Nyna. Until then, I want you to remain with us."
"Of course." Linde said with a smile.
Marth turned to me. "Let's hurry back to camp. Hopefully, without a general leading them, the Macedonian rebels stopped their attack."
"Right." I agreed and began to lead Blazemane out of the fort's entryway. Before I could get on her back, Linde ran up to me.
"Hey, can I ask you something, Royal Guard Glacia?" She asked as she matched my walking pace.
"Of course and, please, just call me Glacia." I told her and we started our walk back to the campsite together.
"What made you want to become Prince Marth's Royal Guard?"
"Well, that part was a bit unplanned. I initially just wanted to join the Altean Army, but I guess Prince Marth deemed me able enough to guard him."
"He must've seen something special in you." Linde said with a smile, "He seems to have a knack for that."
"Me? Special? Your words are too kind."
"I mean it. He seems to care a lot about you. There's something with the way he looks at you…" A long moment of silence between us followed her comment as I took time to think about Marth's actions towards me. He's definitely been treating me like a good friend, I thought, but doesn't he treat all of his soldiers that way? "Anyway, enough about your job, tell me a little more about yourself. Do you use magic?"
"Not at all," I said as I broke myself out of my trance, "I fight with swords and lances on Blazemane's back." I gave Blazemane's shoulder a light pat when I mentioned her name.
"Aren't you afraid of getting hurt?"
"I used to be, but I've gotten used to it. How did you meet Prince Marth, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I fought alongside him during the last war with my magic. As the daughter of Pontifex Miloah, I'm able to use the powerful Aura tome." She promptly opened the book she had been holding in her arms and a small ball of light appeared in her hand. The energy radiating from the orb was powerful, despite its size. As quickly as it was formed, it disappeared as her book slammed shut.
"Pontifex Miloah… I've heard he was an extremely powerful mage."
"You've heard correctly. He was deemed worthy of wielding Aura by the White Sage himself." She brushed off a leaf that had fallen onto the book's leather cover, "Unfortunately, his colleague, Gharnef, became jealous of this. He stole the Darksphere from Gotoh, created the Imhullu tome, and…" Her voice trailed off as she stared at the tome. She sighed deeply and hugged the tome tightly. "I'm just glad Gharnef no longer exists in the realm of the living. He won't be able to hurt anyone else. I just miss my father sometimes."
"I… I'm sorry for your loss." I slowly said, "I know how it feels to lose a loved one." Her gaze slowly moved up until it met my eyes.
"…You've been through this, too?"
"Yeah. It was about a year and a half ago, but I remember that day like it was yesterday." Blazemane sighed loudly as if to agree. "I was just returning from a fun day playing outside my grandfather's cabin. I had been living with him in the forest for as long as I could remember. My parents had been mysteriously killed, leaving my grandfather to be the last member of my immediate family that I could turn to. I remember the door was wide open, which was very odd as the door was usually closed to keep wild critters out. Just as I walked through the door, two strange men jumped out of a window. The cabin was a mess." I paused to take a deep breath, "I ran through all the rooms looking for him before… before I reached his workshop. His hammer was still in his hand as he laid on the wooden floor in a pool of blood."
"Oh my… that's awful." Linde commented with a look of extreme worry. I responded with a weak nod.
"After I got over my feelings, I fought through the horrible scene to give my grandfather a proper burial. I left for Altea Castle several days afterward to seek solace within its walls, bringing only what I needed. Grandfather told me to never trust anyone but Prince Marth in dire times..."
"So you're…"
"Alone. I'm alone now. I don't have a family anymore." I felt several tears fall from my eyes.
"No, you're wrong." Linde said, stopping me in my tracks. "We're your family. Me, Prince Marth, Jagen, Gordin… everyone. I know that sometimes you can't help but to feel isolated from the world. I've been there. Trust me, we'll always be here for you." She gently smiled and softly hugged me. We embraced each other underneath the tree tops for about a minute before continuing our walk back to the campsite. We walked in silence, but having each other's presence was enough. As we got close to the campsite, I turned towards her.
"Linde, I'm sorry if that was a bit much."
"No, it's quite alright. I like being able to relate, despite how dark the subject may be. I hope we get to know each other better in the future."
"As do I." I said with a small smile as we stepped into the camp. Linde turned in the direction of Marth's tent.
"I'm going to get myself situated here. I'll see you around." She said before taking off. I pulled out my necklace and held it in my palm. Its stone was as pristine as the day it was given to me. I let it hang outside of my armor and I started my walk back to my tent. On the way, I dropped Blazemane off at the stables and stopped by the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat, eating it while I walked through the busy camp. I looked around and noticed the tents weren't damaged in the attack. Not a single tent was torn. The ground, however, was littered with bent weapons, large sticks, and stones. Occasionally, deep claw marks are seen in the dirt. Soldiers rushed around the campsite cleaning the pathways as I walked past them. As I finished my meal and turned the corner, I spotted Jagen walking towards me. He gave me a short wave as I walked up to him.
"Glacia. Back already?" He asked in a joking manner.
"Just returned, actually. How was the defense?"
"It was easily won, but very odd. They did not seem to want to attack. They fought defensively as if to draw the battle out."
"Perhaps they wanted to prompt an early battle…"
"It is definitely a possibility… I was meaning to ask you, since you seem to be doing quite well in the position. Would you like to officially accept the role of being our primary tactician for the remainder of our quest?"
"I… I'd be honored to." I replied, slightly shocked by the sudden offer.
"Good." Jagen smiled at my response, "Your stratagems are impressive and will certainly benefit us in the future."
"Thank you. I've only learned from the best." I said, thinking about the many books that had been abandoned by Katarina. Jagen excused himself with a nod and walked past me. I resumed my walk back to my tent, reaching its leather walls within a few minutes. I removed my armor and set it down on my desk before placing my sword beside it. I changed out of my ripped shirt and got comfortable on my desk chair. I leaned back and relaxed for a few minutes. I was interrupted when my tent was opened by a cautious Catria.
"Hey, Glacia… Mind if I come in?" She asked from the tent's opening.
"Not at all. Come in." I said as I got comfortable in the chair again. Slowly, she entered the tent.
"I just wanted to check on you after that stunt you pulled on the battlefield." She took a seat on the edge of my bed after I motioned for her to.
"I appreciate your concern. It was definitely something I wouldn't have been able to train for, but I'm alright now."
"That's a relief." Catria said as she released a sigh of relief, "I've noticed your synergy with your horse. You've had her for a long time, haven't you?"
"I have. How can you tell?"
"Just the way you two look at each other. There's clearly a lot of trust between you." As she ended her sentence, her gaze slowly gravitated towards my necklace. "Your necklace's stone… where'd you get such a beauty?"
"It was passed down to me from my parents. I've always kept it with me as a good luck charm."
"It's clearly been working." She said with a gentle giggle, "Well, I should get out of your hair. We'll be marching to General Rucke's fortress to continue our search for Princess Minerva tomorrow morning. I'm lending a hand to prepare for the trip. See you tomorrow, Glacia." Catria quickly walked over to the entryway, waving to me before disappearing from view.
For the remainder of the day, I worked with the campsite's blacksmith to repair my armor as well as to learn how to do it on my own. Before the day was over, I sat at my desk and read over Katarina's tactic books. There were so many things to consider: speed, defense, strength, skill. We're bound to meet more dangerous foes in the future, I thought to myself as I turned the page, and then these aspects can mean life or death. I continued to read deep into the night. I fell asleep before I could make it into my bed.