A Hero of Ice and Shadow

by Lynerx

A deep retelling of my experience playing through FE12. Though not completely canon, it follows the FE12 plot. Glacia leaves her grandfather's cabin to become an Altean knight. Little does she know, fate is about to guide her on a grand adventure to save the world and discover her past. (First 2 chapters were when the fic was a joke, 3 onwards gets more serious)

13. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Quelling the Chaos

A rough hand softly shook my shoulder, slowly pulling me out of my slumber.

"Glacia, wake up. We're just about to leave." Jagen's voice filled my ears. I slowly lifted my head from the open book that had served as my pillow for the night. I brushed my hair out of my face to look at him. "Grab what you need quickly and meet us at the War Council tent." I nodded in agreement and he quickly left me to myself. I spent several minutes waking myself up before I began to gather what I needed. I put my armor on, secured my sword on my waist, and neatly stored Katarina's books in the crate near my desk. As I stepped outside, I was approached by a soldier. I nodded at him and he began to deconstruct my tent. I briskly walked towards the council tent in the cold morning. The sun had only began to rise, its radiant rays barely touching the treetops. I hugged myself in an attempt to conserve heat as my necklace rubbed against my chest, the stone's coldness penetrating my shirt.

As I arrived at the tent, I realized that a majority of my friends were already there. Everyone was in a cheery mood as they chatted with each other. I searched the small crowd, but Marth was nowhere to be seen.

"Looking for Prince Marth?" Rody asked as I almost unknowingly bumped into him.

"I am. Do you know where he is?"

"He's still busy with preparations. He'll be here soon." Rody said as he looked around with his arms crossed. We spent several minutes scanning the area for a sign of Marth's golden circlet, but came up with nothing.

"How are you feeling about this march?" I asked after I gave up looking for Marth.

"I'm feeling confident." He answered and stopped scanning the area, "I can tell you're pretty nervous about the whole thing."

"What isn't there to worry about? Especially since I'm officially in charge of strategy."

"Hah, you're going to have to be more confident than that." Rody smiled as he looked at me.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're going to need to be more confident if you want to be able to guide us to victory like… you know…" He stopped himself short of saying an exact name, fearing that I may react negatively.

"Yeah. You're right. Katarina wouldn't falter."

"It's a heavy responsibility that you've accepted. Will you be okay?"

"I will. I won't fail." I confidently said with a smile, acting on Rody's advice. He softly laughed as he noticed my sudden shift in confidence. Ahead of us, the crowd began to part as Marth was allowed to walk into the center. Everyone gathered around him as he made his announcement.

"Everyone here will spearhead the convoy as we make our way to Rucke's position. The trip should only take us a few hours, after which we will only have about half an hour to prepare and launch an attack before he can acquire too many reinforcements for us to handle. We'll be heading eastward from here. Let's get going." As Marth ended his sentence, the crowd dissolved as the riders ran to get their mounts. Before I could turn around, I felt a familiar nudge on my arm. I lifted my arm to rub her chin.

"Hey, Blazey." I whispered to her. She softly sighed and looked at me with her deep, brown eyes. I held onto her reins and walked to Marth.

"Ah, Glacia, I was meaning to talk to you." Marth paused as he looked around, "Since we won't have much time to prepare for battle, our scouts will only be able to provide basic information. I'm hoping the limited information won't impact your planning abilities."

"I'll make use of what I can." I said with a nod. The sound of multiple horses' hooves on the dirt caught our attention as the remainder of our group rejoined us. Jagen and his white horse galloped ahead and we followed him with the rest of the convoy behind us. The bulk of our troops remained at the back with several soldiers alongside the convoy. Several minutes into the march, I heard the screech of a dragon as the large beast flew over us. Its crimson red scales sparkled in the sun before it flew out of sight.

"Such a scary creature." Malicia said as she caught up to me, "I wonders if there are such things as friendly dragons."

"We may never know." I replied as I thought about the possibility.

"Anyway, you're like Prince Marth's personal knight, right?"

"I am. Why do you ask?"

"Well… there's something I want to know. About my dear prince… Prince Marth."

"Your dear prince?" I asked, slightly taken aback.

"You see, men are such disgusting creatures, but Prince Marth is totally different. He reached out to me, gently, with his comforting eyes. He even promised to marry me, right in front of Granny!"

"Oh..? I find that difficult to believe."

"It's true! I can never forget that memory. I was being pursued by bandits and cried for help. Then, out of nowhere, Prince Marth came gallantly galloping to my rescue riding a white horse."

"My liege… doesn't ride a white horse." I said, glancing at Marth as he walked ahead of us.

"Ah, let's not fuss over the details. Oh right, where should we hold our wedding? Prince Marth might want it in Altea, but I want Granny to see me in a wedding dress… And then after the wedding…"

"I, um… I don't mean to interrupt such an important part, but Prince Marth recently got engaged…"

"Ah! Please stop, Prince Marth. I'm so embarrassed!" Malicia continued her fantasy, ignoring me. I continued the march in silence as Malicia walked beside me, fantasizing about various things. When she had finally finished her rambling, the sun had risen high above the horizon and a large fort started to come into view. A towering mountain sat beside the fort, casting its long shadow in our direction. Blazemane slightly increased her pace, allowing us to catch up with Marth and Jagen.

"Our scouts have already departed." Jagen informed me as I arrived beside him, "We'll need to move quickly if we want to stay undetected for long enough to eliminate General Rucke's soldiers."

"Right. I think I have some ideas that can win this battle and be stealthy about it, too." I said while lost in my thoughts.

"Indulge us when the time comes. For now, we need to set up camp quickly and discreetly." Jagen promptly ran into the woods after finishing his sentence and we followed a few paces behind. After weaving in and out of the trees, we arrived at an area that was relatively lightly forested. There were enough empty areas for tents to be erected. Soon, the entire convoy reached the area and several tents were set up, including the council tent. I dismounted and tied Blazemane's reins to a tree next to the council tent. I walked through its flaps and the table had been set up where it always was. My team entered the tent alongside the returning scout. He handed me a rolled up piece of parchment and quickly departed without a word. I unraveled it and pinned it down onto the table. I quickly looked over the frantic notes before writing in my own, taking note of the large amount of dracoknights present. General Rucke's fort sat on a mountainous piece of land that was surrounded by large rivers and a lake. Several bridges littered the area and trees were scarce. Forts were scattered around the rivers. Three villages were in close vicinity of the main fort, posing as a cause for concern. The presence of a ballistician worried me. As I drew out the battle plans, the only sound present in the tent was the sound of charcoal on parchment.

Fifteen minutes had passed before my eyes left the map. "Ready?" Marth asked. I nodded in response before turning towards the rest of the team.

"I split our group into two groups: one to launch the attack and one to remain here to protect the convoy. The bulk of our troops should remain in the nearby fort until we are ready to launch an all-out attack." I moved to the side of that table that was opposite of the crowd before reading off names. "Catria, Linde, Gordin, Warren, Luke, Rody, and Ryan. You'll follow us into battle today. Everyone else is to remain here and guard the convoy.

"Guard duty? I'm stuck with guard duty while the pipsqueak gets to go into battle?" Cecille protested, referring to Ryan.

"Dracoknights are common in these parts. We should get as many archers on board as we can." I retorted, "Besides, we need strong warriors to guard the convoy as well."

"I can't believe the child was chosen above me, but I don't suppose I'm in any position to protest." There was a strong hint of aggressiveness in her voice.

"Those of you who are to remain here, the rest of the plan doesn't affect your post. You are free to leave." Cecille left the tent almost instantly. Slowly, the rest of those assigned with guard duty followed suit. Before Jagen could step out, I stopped him with a soft hold on his shoulder. "Keep an eye on Cecille for me." I whispered once he turned towards me. He nodded in agreement before I let go of his shoulder. As he disappeared through the tent flaps, I shifted my focus back onto the battle plan. "Anyway, Catria, you'll be traveling with Marth and me. We'll be running from village to village to ensure their safety before we can launch an all-out attack. Once we get to the rightmost fort, we can give the signal to lower the drawbridge and attack Rucke's fort." I pointed to the fort that was in question before moving it to the drawbridge that led to Rucke's front door. "We'll have to take care not to attract the attention of the dracoknights that are positioned in the mountains. As for Linde, Luke, and Rody, you'll want to attract the dracoknights' attention." I pointed to the dracoknights that were situated above the lake. "From what I've read, dragons are very easy to aggravate. Therefore, Linde can use small bolts of magic to get the dragon's attention, but not its rider. Once the dragon decides to go investigate what's been bothering it, Luke and Rody will ride out of the forest and attack. Linde can attack with the help of her magic as well."

"Small bolts, huh? I'm used to casting large spells, but I'll give it my best shot." Linde said cheerfully.

"You can always depend on me to knock those riders off their saddles!" Luke said with a big smile.

"That is if you don't get knocked off first." Rody sarcastically joked.

"Moving on," I said after stifling a laugh, "Gordin, Ryan, and Warren, you're in charge of eliminating this ballistician from afar." I pointed to the large red marking on the opposing side of the drawbridge. "If General Rucke notices your attacks, he will most likely assume it's from resisting civilians, so there isn't much worry about us being detected. Just keep your allegiance markers hidden from them. After the ballista is out of the picture, focus on eliminating any dracoknights in your range and wait for the signal to open the drawbridge."

"M-more dracoknights?" Ryan stuttered, "They're so big and scary…"

"As long as I'm here, you have nothing to be scared of." Gordin confidently assured his younger brother, "If we work together, we'll be fine." Warren stood by silently, giving no attempts to join Gordin in comforting the terrified Ryan.

"Catria will fly over the lake and act as the signal. Be careful when fighting General Rucke. The scouts spotted him in heavy armor. If there are no questions, let's get moving." I said, concluding the battle briefing. Ryan raised his hand before he spoke.

"Are you sure you want me? I mean… I could stay behind instead…" Ryan shyly said, almost trying to hide himself.

"Of course. Is this about what Cecille said?" I asked. He slowly nodded. "Don't worry about her. I'll make it right with her after the battle." Ryan seemed to become less worried as a result of my response. "We're running out of time. Let's go." I rolled the map up and left it on the table before heading for the exit. I quickly walked over to Blazemane, untied her from the tree, and jumped onto her saddle. I followed Marth as he walked ahead of me, heading towards the nearest unoccupied fort. Soon, Catria joined us atop her pegasus. Our mounts greeted each other with soft nuzzles and sighs. As we neared the fort, there was already a long line of soldiers marching into its gates. I spotted Luke and Rody galloping to their positions with Linde slowly following behind them. Once we passed by the fort, we entered a vast plain with a deep blue lake in the distance. The sparse amount of trees was highlighted as small groups of trees were scattered in the sea of green grass. We turned to our left and spotted a small village.

"We should move quickly between sources of cover if we don't want to attract any attention." Catria advised as she observed our surroundings, "These trees can help, but not by much."

"Perhaps speed will be the key." Marth suggested, "Glacia, what do you think?"

"I think speeding across the grass will attract as much, if not more, attention than slowly making our way through it. Let's use the forest to the left to use. It's a longer route, but it's stealthier."

"That is true. My pegasus should be alright with more forest travel. Let's do it." Catria agreed and we changed our course, using the trees of the nearby forest as cover, despite the longer travel time. As we ran through the foliage, I could hear the angry roar of a dragon in the distance. Looks like Linde's already gotten to work, I thought to myself. Thick tree trunks often impeded our progress, but we quickly made our way to the village's gates. We were greeted by armored guards who were armed with sharp lances. One of the guards recognized Catria as she approached him.

"You there, are you not Dame Catria of the Whitewings?" The guard asked.

"I… Yes, I am." Catria hesitated, "What business do you have with me?"

"Oh thank goodness, so she was correct after all!" The other guard exclaimed in excitement, "Your sister, Palla, was just here. She's been trying to save Princess Minerva for the past few days with no avail. She shouldn't be too far from here."

"Palla… Do you know which direction she went?"

"If my memory serves me right, she should be over in that direction." The guard pointed in the direction of the mountainous fort, "I wish we could spare some equipment to aid you, but we're tight on supplies as it is. However, we did find this key a while back. Perhaps you can make better use of it than we can." He detached a small silver key from his belt and handed it over to Catria. "Don't worry about us. We have guards ready to fight for the village at any moment." The guard assured Marth, "We all appreciate you coming to our aid, Prince. Please, help our Princess."

"I will. I'll personally see her safely out of General Rucke's hands." Marth replied. The guard's face lit up with hope and waved us goodbye as we began our trek to the next village. We had no choice but to travel in the open. A path of packed dirt led up to the bridge that stretched across the wavy surface of the river. The sound of rushing water became clearer as we neared it. Soon, our mounts' hooves clopped on smooth stones. In an instant, a large arrow whizzed by my leg and planted itself vertically in the dirt beside me. Blazemane reared, startled by the sudden noise.

"The ballista's onto us! Prince Marth, climb on!" I shouted without a second thought. Marth climbed on as I had instructed and Blazemane broke into a sprint. Catria had taken to the skies and flew to the left of the bridge, gliding above the water. As we sprinted across the bridge, large arrows continued to rain on us, each one planting itself into the rocks. The ballista showed no signs of slowing down when we reached the other side of the bridge. I motioned for Catria to follow me before I made a mad dash for the nearby woods. There were barely enough trees to be able to hide a total of five fully grown horses. We dove into the thickest part of the woods before stopping. Catria shortly joined us as we waited for the ballista to cease firing at us. A good amount of ballistic arrows struck the trees around us before the assault was over. Blazemane was clearly afraid of being hit, but she kept her calm with the help of my gentle strokes of her mane. Catria's pegasus was equally terrified, but was kept under control by Catria's gentle hand.

We slowly stepped out of the woods a few seconds after the attack stopped. A quick observation of the environment revealed the fact that we were closer to the village than we had believed. The open gates were mere feet away from where we emerged from the forest. Marth jumped off of Blazemane's back and ran to the gatekeepers to warn them about the incoming battle. Catria and I hurriedly galloped to catch up with him. As I reached his side, a familiar axe warrior walked out of its gates. A headband held his dark brown hair upright and a large axe was resting on his shoulder. A pouch was tied to his large belt. This tunic was sleeveless with fur covering the border between the main body of the tunic and where the sleeves should have been. He almost instantly recognized Marth and walked over to us the moment he did.

"Long time no see, Prince." He said as he slowly walked up to Marth.

"Bord? You've come to Macedon as well?" Marth asked as Bord stopped to rest his axe on the soft ground.

"Yup. We Talysian mercenaries wanted to join you's army, so we came all the way here. Princess Caeda's our lady, and the guy who's gonna be her man is important to us too."

"I appreciate you coming to help. You can start by making sure this village is aware of-"

"Don't worry about it, I got 'em handled. Lil' ones and old ones are in a safe place an' guards are ready to fight."

"That's wonderful news." Marth said with a smile, "Bord, this is Glacia, my Royal Guard."

"Ah, nice meetin' ya!" Bord exclaimed, shaking my hand.

"A pleasure making your acquaintance as well." I said, hiding my slight confusion. I could've sworn this exact thing happened yesterday with Cord, I thought. "Catria, doing well, I hope?"

"Yeah, never been better." Catria replied.

"We should continue to the last village. We run the risk of General Rucke discovering our campsite every minute." I said, reminding everyone of the time limit.

"Right. Let's get moving." Marth agreed and we started heading towards another bridge. As we travelled, we kept an eye on the perched dragons to our east as they kept watch over the land from their mountain watchtower. Soon, we arrived at a small river with a bridge that led towards the dragons' perch. "There's another bridge after that bridge that will get us to the other side of this river." Marth stated as he observed the situation.

"We'd take the risk of attracting the dragons' attention, however." Catria noted.

"Eh, I could take 'em on." Bord confidently said as his axe left its resting place on his shoulder.

"It's probably not the best idea. We will most certainly be reported to General Rucke if we engage them now." I added, "Why don't we go through the river? It doesn't look too dangerous." I cautiously made my way to the side of the river. The water gently lapped the river bank as the gentle waves rolled on the river's surface. Blazemane tested the water with a hoof before slowly creeping towards the middle of the river. She stopped once all four of her legs were in the water.

"I can just fly over the water, but are you sure your horse can make it?" Catria asked as she stopped short of the river's edge. Marth and Bord shortly joined her on the edge of the water.

"I'm certain of it." I said, looking at Blazemane for confirmation.

"Either option has its risks… If you're truly sure, then I'll agree with your plan." Marth thought out loud, "I hope this won't end in disaster."

"I promise, my liege, it won't." I guaranteed, "Climb on." I extended my hand, grabbing Marth's tightly and pulling him up. Blazemane looked back as she felt Marth's weight on her back before returning her focus to the river. Feathered wings flapped overhead as Catria flew to the other side with Bord on board. Slowly, Blazemane stepped deeper into the river. Her descent stopped when the water level was around her knees. The river's waves gently nudged her as she walked across the river's stone-covered floor.

We had made it halfway across the river when the river suddenly began to get deeper, stopping when the water level was almost touching Blazemane's chest. Progress slowed as she fought to move through the water. Occasionally, I gave her neck a few gentle strokes to keep her morale high. By the time we had reached the other side, Blazemane was exhausted and dripping wet. I allowed Marth to dismount before dismounting myself to allow Blazemane to recover. I led her by the reins towards Catria's position.

"Let's continue." I said as I caught up with them, "The final village should lie across this bridge and that large plain." I pointed to the bridge and plain in question.

"Right, but what of ya horse? She looks mighty tired." Bord asked, looking at Blazemane.

"She just needs some time to rest. She'll be alright."

"Well, if ya say so. Let's get movin'!" Bord shouted and we continued our journey. I slightly lagged behind the group as I gave Blazemane enough time to rest her aching muscles. By the time we had crossed the bridge, I was able to match the speed of the rest of the group. Although Blazemane had recovered from her exhaustion, I gave her extra time to relax before I mounted her once again.

We soon approached a small house in the middle of the vast plain with a few scattered trees nearby. A small fort stood closely behind it. As we got closer, we noticed a shady figure had entered the house through a window. Almost immediately, Marth and I changed direction and headed towards the house with Bord and Catria lagging behind. A scream from inside the building confirmed our suspicions and we hurried to the door.

"Wait here for me." I said to Blazemane as I let go of her reins. She sighed in response and I quickly ran to Marth. The moment I arrived at the porch, the door flew open and a hooded man sprinted out of it. In an instant, I grabbed onto the thief's jacket, yanking him backwards. He fell onto his back and lost his grip on the sword in his hand. It momentarily flew into the air before digging itself into the soft dirt. My sword was already pointed at his neck by the time he had regained his composure. "I'll take care of him. Check on the homeowners." I told Marth. He nodded in agreement and quickly ran into the house.

"I-I was just admiring their home… from the inside, with my hands. I swear." The thief stumbled on his words as he made excuses, "I didn't mean any harm." I glared at him for a few seconds before slowly moving my sword away from him. He frantically got back on his feet before sprinting into the trees, instantly disappearing behind the thick trees. Bord and Catria gently led Blazemane to me as Marth reemerged from the doorway and quickly walked to me.

"Everyone's safe. What of the thief?" Marth asked, stopping in front of me.

"I did as you would have, milord." I said with a smile.

"Good." He said, gratefully, "Let's keep going, we're almost there and we don't want to be too late to launch an effective attack."

"Right." I agreed, pulling Blazemane's reins slightly closer to me. I pulled the dropped steel sword from the ground and put it into one of the sheaths on the saddle. I pat her head before climbing onto her saddle, "I reckon clearing out the fort between us and the village should be our first priority."

"Ah, you can always trust me to clear a room with one swing o' me ol' axe here." Bord commented, removing his axe from its resting spot.

"If I may…" Catria softly interjected, "I believe it will be best if we tackle both the fort and the village at once."

"I second that notion." I agreed, "We'll be able to go after General Rucke faster. Bord and Catria should clear the fort. Prince Marth and I will rush to the village."

"Right. We'll meet in the fort close to the river." Marth added.

"Hah! It's a plan then!" Bord exclaimed before running to the fort. Catria reluctantly followed after him. Marth motioned for me to follow him and quickly began to make his way to the village. I followed him closely, keeping an eye out for any scouts or ambush parties. The village was not far from the fort. The sounds of clashing metal as Bord and Catria fought through their ranks could still be heard as we neared the village gates. The gatekeepers almost instantly loosened their grips on their weapons as we approached them.

"Prince! We were expecting you." A guard gave a short bow as we stopped in front of him, "I wish I knew where Dame Palla had flown to, but I do not."

"If I was expected, are you aware of the incoming chaos of battle?" Marth asked, glancing at the bustling crowds past the open gates.

"We're just about ready."

"Wonderful. If you don't mind, we'd like to see to the preparations ourselves."

"Right this way." The guard gestured to the open gates as he moved out of our way. Blazemane's hooves clopped on the smooth stone pathway leading through the village gates. Inside, several guards were rushing from house to house, swiftly running out as soon as they confirmed that the building was secured. An unidentified person was also frantically running from home to home. A dusty brown shroud covered their head and shoulders, effectively masking their identity. The pouch at their hips and the sheathed knife were both telltale signs of a thief.

"You, stop right there!" I shouted at the thief with my blade drawn. They froze in their tracks and slowly turned towards me. The wind suddenly picked up, blowing through the village and removing the shroud's hood. His red hair flew along with the wind as he grasped at his shroud. His eyes darted around, looking for an escape route before stopping his gaze on Marth. His worried expression quickly changed to relief.

"Prince Marth! It's been a while, hasn't it?" He ran towards Marth as I lowered my weapon.

"Julian? I'd heard that you'd gone to Macedon with Lena, but to think we'd cross paths here." Marth paused midsentence as a scurrying guard almost hit him, "How is Lena? She is with you, right?" Julian hesitated for a moment.

"Well, that's the thing… Lena's suddenly vanished and I-I just don't know what to do."

"Wait, slow down." Marth interrupted his panicked friend with a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Tell me what happened."

Julian took a deep breath before responding, "Lena's been missing since last night. I've been hearing about some strange priest prowling around the village lately. I-I have all the reasons to believe he took her."

"I have a terrible feeling about this…" Marth's voice trailed off as he silently thought about the situation, "Anyhow, standing around won't do any good. Come with us. We'll help your search for Lena. I worry for her safety as well."

"I'd gladly follow you, once again." Julian said with a smile before walking to Blazemane's side, "You must be Prince Marth's Royal Guard. Name's Julian, pleased to meet you."

"I'm Glacia, pleasure meeting you as well," I said, shaking his extended hand, "How did you know I was a Royal Guard?"

"Just how you've been staring so intently at us. Either you're stricken with admiration or you're just waiting for me to slip up." Julian softly chuckled, "And I doubt it's the former." I couldn't resist the urge to crack a small smile at the comment. The chaos of scattered guard quieted down around us until there was barely any movement at all. Many guards stood guard in front of homes with their weapons firmly grasped in their hands.

"Looks like they've just finished up. We should get going before Bord and Catria get too far ahead of us." Marth suggested as he headed out of the village gates. I quickly followed after him with Julian close behind me. We made quick strides across the greenery as we headed towards the fort in the distance. It wasn't long before we could hear the sound of approaching feathers to our right. Catria landed her pegasus beside me and continued to walk with us. Bord quickly joined up with Julian and cheerily began to make conversation with him.

As we neared the fort, we learned that it was unoccupied. Before we could enter it, the haunting sound of flapping leathery wings began to grow louder. Upon looking up at the sky, we spotted three dracoknights quickly flying towards us.

"Looks like we got some company to deal with…" Julian said as he stopped near me to look at the approaching dragons.

"We'll have to fight them, there's no escaping their gaze." Catria stated before her pegasus began to take to the skies.

"Bord, stick with Julian. I'll keep close to Prince Marth." I commanded. They agreed without question and I repositioned myself at Marth's side. Catria soared through the sky at sonic speeds, attempting to direct the dragons' attention towards herself. The dragons began flapping their huge wings as powerfully as they could in an attempt to gain more speed to overtake the pegasus. Catria made a sharp turn and glided past them. Two dragons decided to turn around and chase after her. The third narrowed its focus on Marth as it folded its wings, diving straight into our position. Marth and I retreated to the protective wall of the nearby fort. The dragon slammed its legs into the ground, digging up the grass as it came to an eventual stop. It turned its long neck to face us as it released a deafening roar. Its head lowered and revealed its rider taking aim with his javelin. Before he could throw it, his mount roared in pain, causing him to lose his concentration. Bord had sunk his axe into the beast's back leg. Claws flashed as it tried to eliminate the source of its pain. As it was distracted, Julian launched himself onto the beast's side, using his knife as an anchor. A few more strong thrusts later, Julian had made it up to the dragon's saddle. The rider put up little resistance as he was knocked off and fell to the ground with a dull thud.

I sprinted into action as the dragon writhed in pain, attempting to fend Bord off as well as get Julian off of its back. I drew my blade and took aim as the dragon lowered its head. I ran underneath its lifting neck, running the tip of my blade across it. A grating screech was followed by a large thud, confirming the dragon had been slain. Julian jumped off of the dragon's back, landing next to Bord. Loud roars echoed from the sky before we were able to regroup. Catria was doing her best to dodge the incoming fireballs as she led the dragons on a fiery chase. We gazed upon the battle helplessly as our weapons could never reach them.

Catria's lance continuously clashed with those of the dracoknights, occasionally blocking the claws of their mounts from knocking her out of the sky. Her pegasus was losing strength and its flight path fluctuated as it was no longer able to keep a steady elevation. The dragons' attacks were relentless, preventing her from landing and getting assistance. She made a risky decision and dived in between the riders. She was several feet above the ground when a fireball hit her from behind. Her pegasus lost its balance, stumbling as its hooves reached the ground, and ultimately fell onto her side. Catria was not flung far from her mount as she laid a couple feet away from her saddle. Blazemane sprinted to them the moment the dust had settled, but a second fireball lit the grass around them and a dracoknight landed on top of the flames, blocking us from getting through. Blazemane neighed in protest of the inconvenience and the dragon responded with a fireball. It exploded in front of us, but we were relatively unaffected.

The dracoknight had disappeared once the flames dissipated. Both dracoknights had gathered around our fallen pegasus knight as she tried to stand. The wall of fire in between us had broadened, making it impossible to jump over without burning to a crisp. The dragons opened their maws, preparing to strike with their vicious fangs. They didn't get far before a white flash and a steel lance through their jaws stopped them. A white blur dashed from dragon to dragon, causing more and more slashes to appear on the dragons' hides. They growled in confusion and whipped their necks around in an attempt to open their mouths before they were swiftly felled with a slash to their necks. A pegasus elegantly landed near Catria and its rider quickly dismounted.

The rider's long, green hair flew as she kneeled beside a wounded Catria. A white breastplate and white pauldrons were worn over a green dress. The dress had long, dark-green sleeves that extended past her wrists and her dark green boots extended halfway up her thigh. Her lance was flung to the ground in her rush to Catria's side. After a short exchange of words, they had a short hug before slowly standing up. The blaze had finally died down as it burnt through all of the surrounding grass, allowing Blazemane to step on the crumbling ashes with ease. Catria was helping her pegasus get up when everyone else had caught up to me.

"Prince Marth!" She exclaimed as she ran up to us, "It's so wonderful seeing you all again. Unhurt, hopefully?"

"Yes. A little shaken up, but unhurt overall." Marth responded with a smile, "You're just as formidable on the battlefield as you were a few years ago, Palla."

"I need to keep myself prepared for anything, I suppose," Palla slightly blushed at the comment, "As far as I know, the battle is still on-going, is it not?"

"Indeed it is." Marth nodded, "However, we need to get your sister to safety first…"

"No, I'll be fine." Catria said as she joined us with her pegasus at her side, "I can still fight."

"I'm not letting you out on the battlefield with those burns and bruises!"

Catria winced as the wind irritated her injuries. "I don't just want to sit back and watch, Sister."

"You can't just risk your life like this. I won't allow it." Palla looked around before locking her gaze on the nearby fort, "Stay in that fort until its safe. There's no shame in avoiding unnecessary risks." Catria prepared to protest against her command, but stopped herself midway.

"You won't have it any other way, will you?" Catria said with a sigh before slowly walking her pegasus towards the fort. Palla watched her sister walk away for a moment before turning towards me.

"How rude of me to not introduce myself. I'm Palla, the eldest of the Whitewings." Palla took a short bow.

"I'm Glacia, Prince Marth's Royal Guard. Pleasure to meet you." I responded, ending my sentence with a short bow of my own.

"Now that we're properly acquainted, let's finish this battle." Palla stated as she jumped onto her pegasus's back, "That bridge over there will lead us right to their backdoor. I'm assuming a battle plan has already been established?" The loud crash of heavy lumber in the distance interrupted our conversation. The sound of shouting soldiers quickly followed.

"The battle's started. If we hurry, we can catch them unawares." I stated my observations.

"Right," Marth agreed, "Let's get moving." Bord, Julian, and Palla rushed ahead while I stayed by Marth's side. "They started without our signal. I wonder…" Marth murmured as we started to quickly walk to the bridge.

"Something bothering you, milord?" I asked as I slowed down Blazemane's pace to a pleasant walk.

"It's nothing to worry about." Marth replied as he shook the thought from his mind, "You should ride ahead. I'll join up with you soon."

"But, sire…"

"I'll be fine, trust me." He unsheathed his rapier and its steel blade shone brightly in the radiant sunlight, "That's an order." His gentle smile and tone contrasted with the serious impact of his statement. I was mildly shocked, but I didn't protest his command, whipping Blazemane into a powerful sprint. It wasn't long before the clanging of rocks against hooves filled the air around me. As I reached the end of the bridge, Julian and Bord were engaged in combat with several cavaliers while Palla was swooping down from the skies to occasionally knock a knight off their saddles. In the dark corners of the fortress, I noticed a cavalier was biding his time, watching from the shadows. Blazemane became agitated by their presence and ran towards them without my input. Instead of adjusting her trajectory, I let her take the wheel and unsheathed my blade, preparing for a clash.

The cavalier took a few steps back as if in hesitation before walking out of the shadows. I caught a glimpse of his short, red-orange hair as he entered the sunlight with his lance in his hands. Our weapons clashed and splinters of wood were shaved from his lance's shaft. Our mounts walked in circles as our weapons continuously clashed with neither side gaining the upper hand. I decided to change my strategy and took Blazemane out of the circle she created with the opposing horse. The cavalier followed close behind me as I rode back to the bridge. Thundering hooves quickly neared me and I barely caught his lance coming down near my neck as I turned to meet him. My blade caught the steel tip, but it was dangerously close to me. As he began to get the upper hand, he was hit by a strong force from behind, causing his lance to slip away from my sword. Blazemane jumped out of his range before turning towards him once again.

Julian was standing close to the cavalier, but there does not seem to be any attempt to engage in battle. Instead, I heard Julian's voice as I walked closer.

"Would you cut it out?" Julian said, almost shouting, "Why must you always insist on pointing your lance at us? I pity Lena for having to put up your stupidity." The cavalier was rubbing the back of his head as if he had been hit by a blunt force.

"Oh, Julian. It's you." The cavalier seemed almost disappointed, "Still trying to worm your way into Lena's good side? No way. I won't hand my cute lil' sister to a thieving rat like you."

"Relax, Lena and I would never work out. I just wanted to help her out in any way I could."

"So you finally realized where you stand!" The cavalier's face suddenly lit up.

"That's, uh, not the kind of thing I'd want to hear from you." Julian stopped to glance over at me, "Well, whatever. If you're worried about Lena, then come with us."

"Come with you?" He hesitated as he looked towards the fort he was meant to protect, "Sure, I-I suppose. You know how much I hate fighting, but they forced me out here."

"Right, makes sense." Julian motioned for me to come closer, "For now, you'll be under Glacia's command."

"Name's Matthis. I apologize for my behavior earlier." He turned towards me as I stopped beside Julian.

"It's quite alright. There's no need to apologize." I said before shifting my attention to the battle unfolding several feet away from us, "Let's save introductions for after the battle. Fight alongside us."

"Of course." Matthis nodded before taking off with Julian quickly following after him. Instead of approaching the battle, I decided to take a detour around the fortress, using the shadows to hide my position. As I rounded the final corner, I immediately noticed Linde was engaged in battle with a heavily armored general. His enormous shield deflected many of Linde's attacks, rendering them useless. His lance was slowly edging closer to her as the general continued his attack. I sprinted towards the general to land a surprise attack, but a cavalier suddenly appeared in front of me, knocking me off course. With a few swift slashes, I took out the cavalier and continued to charge at the general.

As I got close, I noticed a strange white circle at the general's feet. Linde's tome was open and she had a piercing gaze as she focused on her magic. In the blink of an eye, a bright pillar of light erupted from the circle, completely bathing the general in the blinding light. Once the light had dissipated, the general fell onto his knees, weakly using his lance and shield to support himself.

"The Altean knights... Just as I expected..." The general muttered moments before another pillar of light surrounded him and he collapsed onto the ground. A strange orb rolled out from one of the general's sacks. I stopped and dismounted to get a better look.

The orb had a strange aura as I picked it up. Inside the mostly clear orb, a constellation was engraved in the opaque center. It barely filled half of my palm as I held it. I put it into one of the sacks on Blazemane's saddle and jumped onto her back again. Just as I had gotten comfortable in the saddle, Linde had run over to me with an expression of relief.

"Glacia! Thank goodness, I feared for the worst." She stopped at Blazemane's side, placing a hand on Blazemane's shoulder.

"Was that General Rucke?" I asked, referring to the fallen general.

"It was, indeed." She said with a smile, "The rest of the rebels have fled after hearing word of their leader's demise."

"Thank goodness."

"Is Prince Marth not with you?" Linde asked with a hint of panic as she looked around. Before I could answer her question, Marth appeared at the fortress gates with Jagen beside him and the rest of our army behind him. Linde and I left the conversation as we went to join the group. After I dismounted and stood beside Marth, a small group of soldiers emerged from the fortress.

"The fortress is clear, sire, but there is no sign of Princess Minerva." One of the soldiers reported.

"Strange… she was supposed to be held inside…" Marth thought out loud. Loud shuffling came from behind me as General Lang approached us. He gave a hearty laugh as he surveyed the surroundings.

"I knew this task was unworthy." A grin crept across his face, "Excellent work. We'll take care of Macedon from here. Now, for your next mission…"

"Another task? What is it this time?" Marth asked with a sigh.

"Well, you see, Prince, my castle was attacked and the Grustian children were kidnapped and the kidnapper seems to have fled to Macedon." Lang's gaze momentarily shifted towards me before snapping back to Marth, "Prince Marth, you are to capture him and return the children to me."

"What? You're asking me to send them to their doom!"

"You're in no position to defy me. You'd do wise to continue slaving for my benefit, Prince Marth."

"That's enough! Your rudeness towards my liege has gone too far!" I shouted, releasing much of my anger, "Shut up! Prince Marth is not your… your slave!" Blazemane took a few steps back, shocked by my sudden outburst.

"You." Lang stared straight into my eyes with his piercing gaze, "Know your place, Altean soldier, or I'll gladly show you!" His smug grin sparked anger inside me as I slowly reached for my sword, stopping myself short of grabbing its handle as I considered the consequences. "It seems that your countrymen are devoid of manners." He said, turning back towards Marth.

"I apologize on Glacia's behalf, but it is as she says. General Lang, I will no longer follow your orders from here."

"So you mean to defy my orders? Just as I suspected, it truly was your doing. It was the mercenary Ogma that kidnapped them and on your orders, so less!" Lang's tone was not that of anger, but of confirmation, as if he had expected this outcome. I turned to Jagen who was still standing by with an emotionless expression.

"I didn't know of this, but if I had the choice, I would have done just as you suggested. I should have helped those children." Marth stated, standing unfazed by Lang's stare.

"You clearly speak words of treason! Perhaps I should report this to the Emperor."

"Do as you will. You won't be the only person who intends to visit the palace. I will inform Emperor Hardin and Princess Nyna of your crimes." Marth paused to turn towards Jagen, "Forgive me, Jagen, but I cannot stand for this any longer."

"I understand." Jagen said, breaking his long silence, "You have endured well until now. My liege may forgive your frequent rudeness to him, but I will not." With a silver sword in hand, Jagen stepped in between Marth and Lang. "Draw your sword. Even though I, Jagen, am old and senile, I will not lose to the likes of you."

"Gah, damn you." Lang took several steps back, "You'll get your punishment in due time." He threw a quick glance at me before leaving us, pushing his way through the gathered crowd until he was out of sight. We stood in silence as we took the time to understand what had just taken place.

"My liege, what should be our next course of action?" I asked, disrupting the peace.

"Well, according to Lang, Ogma is on his way to Macedon. He probably intends to visit the village where Lord Wendell resides." Marth slowly responded.

"How can you be so sure?"

"It happens that he raised the Grustian children, so I'm sure it would be the perfect time for Ogma to pay him a visit."

"We will make preparations for departure later tonight." Jagen said as he stared in the direction that General Lang had stormed off in, "But, I worry about Lang. I pray that nothing bad shall happen."

"Likewise." I responded, "Let's focus on getting everyone back to camp for now." Jagen nodded in agreement and mounted his horse to lead the army. Slowly, the group followed him until only a few of us remained. The sound of soft feathers and landing hooves moved through the still air as Catria landed next to me.

"Catria! How are you faring?" I asked as I noticed the new bandages around her shoulders.

"Just as well as one would expect after a dragon attack." She paused and unhooked a shiny lance from her saddle, "I found this in the fort. I thought you might be able to put it to better use than I can." I caught its metal shaft as she tossed it to me. Leather bands was wrapped around the middle and end of the lance, acting as grips. "I'll see you back at camp. I need to get these burns taken care of." Her pegasus gently flapped its wings before jumping into the air and soaring over the river. I attached the silver lance to my saddle and began my trip back to camp as well.

I was halfway across the drawbridge when a set of hooves approached me from behind.

"Miss Glacia, I believe our introductions were cut short." Matthis said as his horse trotted alongside mine. His light-blue armor glimmered along with the river. "As you may already know, I-"

"Matthis, there's really no need for the formalities. And please, just call me Glacia."

"I, uh, my mistake." He stumbled, taking a moment to regain his composure, "I'm just really worried about my lil' sister."

"Don't worry, I'll do my best to aid in your search."

"Do you have any siblings?" Matthis asked, taking me by surprise.

"No, I don't. Why do you ask?"

"I just thought that maybe you could relate and that's why you're so willing to help."

"I'm just doing my part, helping those in need." I replied as our mounts' hooves left the wooden drawbridge and met the hard dirt.

"Good to know there's still some good people out here." He said with a smile.

"If you're ever overwhelmed with worry, you're always welcome to talk to me."

"Truly? It's such an honor to be able to consult one of such high stature as yourself."

"High stature?" I clarified with a small chuckle, "I'm no higher than yourself."

"But, that banner. Are you not Marth's Royal Guard?" He asked, referring to the banner draped over Blazemane's thighs.

"I am, but I don't place myself above anyone in the Altean army." I replied as I thought about the responsibilities that came with the post, "I fight for Prince Marth, just like everyone else."

"I don't mean to doubt you, but perhaps there's more to your position than that."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't just fight for him, you fight with him. You're his personal knight, the one he knows he can depend on." He turned to look me in the eyes, "It's true, isn't it?" I was taken aback by his reply, but I did my best not to show it.

"It is, but that doesn't change the fact that we have a common goal." We stopped right at the edge of camp, "The offer still stands." I said with a smile.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to take you up on it." Matthis quickly left me, entering the campsite and disappearing into the sea of tents. I reached down, removed the strange orb from its container, and slipped it into a pocket in my pants. I dismounted and walked Blazemane through the tents. It seemed that the camp was properly established during my absence. Occasionally, a strange soldier would walk past me, donning black armor. Halfway through the camp, I found unfamiliar tents that seemed to distance themselves from those that were familiar. This must be the start of General Lang's camp, I thought as I stopped at the border. Without a second thought, I walked away from the connecting pathway and towards the temporary stables.

Just as I had finished dropping Blazemane off, I noticed Cecille wandering to the outskirts of the camp. I followed her with a swift pace while dodging the occasional soldier. After walking through a short stretch of grassland, she stopped at a small pond and sat down on a rock beside the water. I sat beside her, joining her in silence. We spent several minutes transfixed on the water's reflective surface as it gently rolled with the breeze.

"I just wanted to ap-" I started.

"Don't. I should be the one apologizing." She looked up from the water and watched the scattered clouds in the sky, "I suppose my emotions got the best of me. I said things I shouldn't have. So, I'm sorry, Commander." Her sudden use of my old title surprised me as my focus instantly shifted from the water to her face. The bright sunlight illuminated a dark bruise.

"Don't worry about it," I responded with a small grin, "Did something happen while we were away?"

"I… don't want to talk about it." She gently felt the side of her face in a weak attempt to cover it up, "I stood up for my commander, that's all that matters."

"I knew you were right for the job." I said with a soft laugh. Cecille smiled silently in response.

"I really am sorry. I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship."

"No, I understand your reasons." I replied as I shifted my gaze to the clouds as well, "Sometimes the battle calls out to you."

"Yeah…" Her voice trailed off, "You're not angry at me, are you?"

"Not at all."

"I'm glad." We spent the rest of the time in silence until it was broken by a soldier inquiring Cecille to follow him. "I'll see you around… Glacia." She said before following the soldier back into camp. I spent a few more minutes on my own before leaving for my tent. Once inside, I removed my armor and my sword's sheath, leaving them by my desk. I took out the strange orb along with my necklace and put them together in the small, black bag. For the remainder of the day, I spent time exploring the wildlife around camp, occasionally taking a break for a quick meal. As the sun began to set, I returned to my tent. Before I could enter, Jagen called out to me and led me into Marth's tent. Several large pieces of parchment and paper were spread on a table. Marth was standing over them, reading through the texts carefully.

"We've been searching for the assassins that besieged Altea a year ago." Jagen rifled through the papers until he found a map, "We've just received information that may lead us to them. A suspicious group is heading towards Macedon's northern mountains."

"There have been rumors they're pursuing our former allies." Marth stated, worriedly, "We cannot ignore this lead, especially because lives are at stake."

"We have not informed the general army about this yet, but they shouldn't be. We will take some of our best soldiers with us and march to the mountains before sunrise tomorrow morning. The rest will remain here."

"Should I get to planning?" I asked as my eyes scanned the map.

"It's unfortunately not possible. We do not have eyes in the area to confirm their positions, if they are there at all." Jagen rolled up the map and tied it with a string, "You should especially get some rest. Your direction will be integral to our victory tomorrow. I will be remaining here to ensure the safety of the camp."

"Of course." I said. I read some of the documents before I excused myself from the impromptu meeting and returned to the safety of my tent. I sat at my desk and thought about what had happened during that day. My mind filled with determination as I thought about finding Katarina once again. I'll save her, I thought, I just know I can.

My peaceful journey through my memories was interrupted when one of General Lang's soldiers opened my tent's opening. "Come with me. Our general would like a word." The soldier stated in a gruff voice.

"What about?" I asked. He shrugged in response.

"He'd just like to speak with you." He motioned for me to follow him. As I stood up, I glanced at the sword that was resting against the desk. I thought about taking it with me, but decided against it as it may look like a sign of aggression and it wasn't worth the risk. I left the lantern lit as I left the tent, closely following the soldier. The atmosphere immediately changed as I left the Altean half of the camp and entered Lang's half. Dim lanterns were left outside the tents, casting an ominous shadow on the ground. It wasn't long before we reached a large tent. The size was twice the size of a small cabin and had just about the same height. The soldier pushed the tent flaps aside and the bright light spilled out into the darkening night. As soon as I entered, the soldier closed the opening behind me, leaving me on my own. General Lang emerged from a side room with more casual clothes on. This armor was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a silky black and gold robe that covered his dark red shirt and black pants.

"So, you've decided to come." He stated, somewhat smugly. He gestured to the chair near me as he took a seat at the desk in the middle of the room, "Take a seat."

"Thank you, but I prefer to stand."

"That's an order." He commanded, his deep voice resonated through my body. Not wanting to irritate him further, I did as he ordered. "Now, let's get to business." His eyes were fixed onto mine as he spoke, "We had a little altercation on the battlefield today. A traitorous altercation. But, I'm willing to forget the whole thing even happened."

"Gener-"

"But!" He interrupted, "You have to give me something in return, hm?" A crooked grin crawled across his face.

"A deal?"

"Yes!" He shouted, punctuating the exclamation with a loud laugh, "A deal. I won't report this… unfortunate event and we can go about as if it never happened. All I'm asking for is to… spend some time with you." His grin never left his face as he laid out the deal.

"As if it never happened?" I thought out loud, "So you'd still force my liege to slave for you?"

"Of course." His response sparked anger inside me, "It's a simple favor… unless you want your precious prince labelled a traitor."

"No, of-"

"So, what do you say? Is it a deal?"

"You'll still force your commands upon my liege if I accept." I stared back into his dark brown eyes, "No, I refuse your offer." In response, Lang stood up from his desk, his face was oddly calm.

"So you'd rather that your Prince Marth be marked as a traitor, is that it?"

"I'd prefer it over what you're suggesting." As I replied to his question, he slowly stepped towards me.

"What a shame. And here I thought you'd do anything to protect him." He planted his hands on the far ends of the chair's arms and his body hovered over me, "Or do you have something against me?" I edged deeper into the chair to avoid him, but he edged closer in response. He raised a hand and ran his fingers under my chin. My body froze up as they made contact. I lifted a hand and attempted to push him away, but he held it down with his other hand. I was about to use my other hand when his hand suddenly went from a gentle touch to a powerful grip as he held onto my neck, pushing me onto the chair. "You'll quickly learn this, child. I always get my way." My hands wrapped around his wrist, but despite my efforts, his grip didn't loosen. "Listen closely. I'm making an early exit soon. You're to come with me. And don't worry about your little prince. He won't even notice you're gone." As the last word left his lips, I was reminded of what Matthis had told me earlier that day. As I struggled against Lang's strength, I realized how close I truly was to Marth. He would notice, I thought, he'd notice in an instant. "Now is that clear?" Lang asked as his face hovered inches away from mine. I weakly nodded and he released his grip and backed away. He watched me for a moment before he turned to get something from his desk drawer. I took the opportunity to slowly get up from the chair. He fumbled around for a while before he found what he was looking for. He instantly dropped it back into the drawer when he spotted me a few steps from the tent's opening. He quickly stepped away and ran to me as I tried to bust through the flaps. They had been tied together from the outside so they wouldn't move. Just as Lang got near me, I managed to slide underneath the leather flaps and run out into the campsite. I could faintly hear his thunderous footsteps behind me, but I kept running. As I ran, I focused not on my fear, but on how Marth needed me by his side. I was chosen for a reason, I thought as I ran by the many identical tents.

I had almost reached my tent when I stopped to catch my breath. The footsteps were no longer behind me. The only sound I could hear was the quiet chirping of crickets and my racing heart. I quickly went into my tent and emerged with my sword by my side, taking a seat on a nearby pile of crates. As the night went on, my heart did not stop racing and my hand never left my sword's handle. I sat in waiting for General Lang to suddenly appear at my doorstep. An hour had passed before Jagen emerged from his tent.

"Glacia, you're not sleeping. Is something the matter?" He asked as he took a seat next to me. I took a moment to calm my heart. "Was it that soldier that came to you?" I shook my head. My hand gently held my sword's pommel.

"It was a nightmare." I said, staring at the dusty ground, "Just a nightmare."