A Summoner's Journey

Grand Hero Battle: Camus

Team for this chapter: Ryoma, Nino, Olivia and Priscilla

Shortly after the brawl with the brides, I used the orbs I earned and attempted a round with the Bridal Blessings banner. I ended up getting Bride Charlotte, who was a welcome addition to our barracks seeing as we were lacking strong infantry lancers. As I was returning to Askr Castle with my newly summoned heroes in tow, I saw Anna rush by with a team of builders behind her.

"Anna! Where are you going?!" I called.

Anna only glanced at me with a smile and waved, before disappearing over the hillside, along with her twenty workers. I shrugged, knowing Anna could take care of herself and headed into the lobby. While all my new heroes went to the library to find Alfonse, Marth and Caeda approached me. Marth had a notice in his hand.

"A notice flew in while you were gone. You might want to look into it" Marth handed me the letter and I opened it up. It was a postcard for a new Grand Hero Battle, featuring a noble and strong-looking knight in black and gold. He was the legendary leader of the Sable Order of Grust, known as the most powerful warrior in Archanea and the wielder of the Gradivus. His name was Camus.

"So we're up against Camus huh? He looks like a dangerous and formidable foe" I remarked as I turned over the postcard to view his battlefield's layout.

Marth winced "Lucian, that's not how you pronounce his name"

"What? It's not CAM-US?" I asked, baffled.

"Camus's name is Grustian, so it's pronounced differently than what it looks" Caeda explained "The way it's actually pronounced is CA-MOO"

"Camoo? What's the s at the end for then?" I asked.

"I don't know. The name is Grustian in origin, so it must have certain accents we're not aware of" Caeda replied "Anyways, Camus is absolutely a strong foe to take notice of. See that lance in his hand?"

"That's the Gradivus from Archanean legend, right? One of the three regalia?"

"The one and only. Originally, the Gradivus, along with the other regalia weapons, Mercurius and Parthia were stolen by the founder of Archanea, Adrah and used to conquer the land" Marth explained "It's a mighty lance, capable of healing someone near death's door and can sunder boulders in one hit"

"Combine that power with Camus's prowess as a paladin of Grust and you have an exceptional ally or foe depending on what side you're on. Take caution when you fight him Lucian" Caeda warned, then stared at her gloved hands sadly "I wish I had my Wing Spear on hand when you summoned me. It would of really helped against Camus"

"Don't worry about it Caeda. I'll find a way to beat him" I smiled reassuringly, then glanced again at the postcard "I'll be in the war room if you need me. Can you find Robin, Robinne and Jeorge and tell them to meet me there?"

"Will do. Good luck fighting Camus Lucian!" Caeda and Marth both waved me goodbye before heading down to the mess hall, hand in hand to find my three heroes. I headed into the war room, where a giant parchment map was laid on a maple wood table. The table and paper were imbued with magic, so when I slid in a postcard like Camus's Grand Hero Battle, a large version of his battlefield layout would be printed on the map, letting us strategize easier. I wondered if Anna imbued the magic herself or ordered a specially-made paper and table for it. That woman was always full of mystery.

"Is hasn't even been a week and another Grand Hero Battle comes in" Robin said as he, his sister and Jeorge entered the war room "Busy week, isn't it?"

"Nevertheless, I like doing my Grand Hero Battles the moment they arrive. Just in case Embla decides to fill up our schedules" I said as I gestured to Camus's map layout with my hand "Anyways, let's strategize. There appears to be two axe cavaliers, a troubadour and a red mage knight accompanying Camus in this battle"

"Hmm… clearly Camus and his Sable Order live up to their reputation. Their formation and location make it hard for us to lure them out one by one" Robin pointed to the axe cavalier beside the troubadour on the left "I was thinking of baiting the axe cavaliers with a swordsman like Ryoma, Zephiel or Xander, but they heavily risk being attacked and destroyed by Camus"

"So if the usual bait strategy doesn't work, we have to use hit and run" Robinne pointed to Camus "I can strike Camus with my Gronnwolf tome from behind these trees, then have someone like Ryoma pull me back before the cavalry reach me. That way, we can take out the boss of the battle early and lower their morale"

"That won't work Robinne" I pointed to the top right corner of the map layout, where some notes were written "According to the notes on the postcard, Camus possesses the skills Growing Thunder, Grani's Shield and Goad Cavalry. Grani's Shield protects him from anti-cavalry weapons like your Gronnwolf"

"Curses" Robinne slumped "I still think the hit and run strategy is a good idea though. Who do you think can take on Camus from a distance?"

"A strong green mage that can dodge a Gradivus counterattack" I glanced at Robinne "No offense Robinne, but we need a stronger and faster green mage to take down Camus quickly"

"I understand. What about Nino?" Robinne suggested "If she can withstand one Gradivus counterattack, she can nail Camus down and have someone pull her back before the axe cavaliers catch up"

"With her triangle advantage, it's feasible to believe she can survive" I nodded "Alright, so Nino is the Camus killer. We can use Ryoma to reposition Nino and also deal with the axe cavaliers. His Raijinto will allow him to strike down the troubadour and red mage knight as well"

"Wouldn't Xander be a better choice for this role? He can pick up Nino with his horse and engage the axe cavaliers quicker" Jeorge pointed out "While Nino's on Xander's horse, she can fire off Gronnblade attacks with more precision than if she was standing behind Ryoma"

"The mage knight and troubadour are troublesome for Xander due to his shoddy magical resistance" I replied "And contrary to what most people think, Xander is actually slower than Ryoma despite being on a horse. The two had a race not too long ago to prove it"

"A samurai wielding an electric katana is faster than an armored paladin with a greatsword imbued with darkness" Robin repeated "And the paladin's on a horse"

"Either that armor's weighing down Xander's horse or Ryoma's just REALLY fast" I shrugged "But my point stands. Ryoma has slightly better magical resistance than Xander and is twice as fast. He can dodge incoming magic and staff fire as opposed to tanking it"

"And Nino can still shoot off Gronnblades on the ground to support Ryoma" Robinne added.

"Alright, so all in favor for Ryoma?" I asked.

Everyone nodded.

"I think Ryoma and Nino can handle everyone on the map, so we should take two support units in case things get dicey" I said "I'm thinking of bringing Olivia and Priscilla to help support Nino and Ryoma. Olivia can even dance for Nino to get her safely out of the axe cavalier's range once she's done killing Camus"

"And Priscilla can heal up Ryoma if he starts to get overwhelmed by the remaining enemies" Robin finished "Okay, looks like we got our team. Let's give ourselves… an hour to prepare and round up everyone. Sound good?"

"Yep. Relay that message to Ryoma, Nino, Olivia and Priscilla and tell them to meet me in the lobby"

"Gotcha"

An hour later, my four heroes were rounded up and ready to take on Camus. I grabbed the postcard from the war room's table and headed towards the World of Mystery portal, with my heroes behind me.

"Ready everyone? This might be one of our hardest battles so far" I said before entering the swirling portal, which shown clouds partially covering a parchment map of Archanea.

"We've been through much worse. Don't worry about us Lucian!" Nino smiled enthusiastically and Priscilla nodded in agreement.

"Whatever battle you require me in, I will fight to my absolute fullest. Have faith in me and all of us" Ryoma put his hand on my shoulder in a supportive manner and I nodded.

"Alright then, let's do this. Stick to the strategy as planned!" And we stepped into the glowing gateway, reappearing on a damp, windy battlefield, as if a rainstorm had recently passed. Two rivers ran beside the land where a tall, imposing fortress stood and at the gates were five cavaliers, the leader being Camus himself.

The mage knight gasped "General Camus, did you see that?"

"Indeed. This isn't the Archanean League at all" Camus stared stoically at us while gripping his Gradivus tightly, feeling its limitless power flowing through his body "Our duty is to defend the gate until General Lorenz returns with his reinforcements. Interdimensional soldiers or not, they are still human"

"And therefore, still able to be slain" The axe cavalier holding a Killer Axe+ nodded "Shall we charge them General Camus? There's only four of them and five of us. All of them are infantry units, so we should be able to trample them-"

"No. We will hold our positions" Camus ordered "General Lorenz ordered us to guard the gate of the Grusthold and we shall not waver. If we charge, we risk having the fort seized by an enemy flier. No, we stay and remain on the defensive"

"Yes sir!" The other four soldiers saluted and formed a tight wall in front of the fort's gate, almost touching shoulder to shoulder. Camus stayed in the front and watched us position ourselves with steel-cold eyes.

"Alright everyone, time to begin" I nodded to Nino "You first"

"Gronnblade!" Nino called and a volley of spectral green swords fell from the sky like hailstones, raining down on Camus hard. Two layers of blue shields, currency of the axe cavalier's Ward Cavalry skills, formed over Camus's body and briefly shielded him from Nino's onslaught of blades.

"They have a dangerous mage among their ranks who can wreak havoc in a cramped space like this…" Camus mused as the blade storm ended, with smoking craters on the bridge "All units, charge and trample the enemy! Axe cavaliers, forward! Mage knight and troubadour, stay behind and support! CHARGE!"

"Nino, hurry up and take down Camus!" I shouted and Nino fired another ring of blades in front of her, peppering Camus and the troubadour with explosive wind magic. Camus retaliated by throwing his Gradivus straight at Nino's head, but Ryoma grabbed the mage's shoulder and pulled her back, saving her.

"Olivia! Distract the axe cavaliers coming in on the left!" I called and the dancer dashed over, Silver Sword in hand to intercept the riders. Priscilla rode behind her, spreading waves of panic with her Panic staff to divert the foe's attention. Meanwhile, Camus thrust out his hand and retrieved his Gradivus just as Ryoma rushed forward with Nino prepping another Gronnblade shot. The troubadour's Slow staff glowed in an attempt to strike Ryoma, but the samurai shot her off her horse with a swift lightning bolt.

"Your armor and fighting style is unlike anything I've ever seen before" Camus commented as he dodged Nino's Gronnblade and clashed Gradivus to Raijinto with Ryoma "Let's see how well you hold up"

"I've faced paladins like you before. This is natural to me!" Ryoma batted away Camus's spear and glowed with purple light "May your blood crust my blade!"

Before Ryoma's Astra could connect however, Camus rose the Gradivus in defense and deflected Ryoma's furious slashes. However, that left him open to Nino, who called down a gigantic broadsword like a meteorite onto Camus. Without even realizing it, the blade collided with the lance cavalier and erupted in a tornado of wind magic, shredding Camus to dust. There wasn't any time to celebrate their victory however. Olivia and Priscilla were still dealing with the remaining cavalry on the left.

"Ryoma! Nino! Assist Olivia and Priscilla!" I commanded "Take out the enemy from behind!"

Relief washed over both girls's faces when they heard my command. Priscilla's healing staff was nearly smoking from healing Olivia for so long and the dancer was tiring. She took down one axe cavalier with a stab to the stomach and Ryoma's lightning bolt struck down the second. Nino dodged the mage knight's lava eruption via Bolganone+ and countered, weakening him for Ryoma to finish. The swordsman swung upwards, tearing the mage knight's horse in half and sending the mage flying into the riverside. He broke apart into feathers instantly upon impact. I watched the blood that was spilled on the bridge fade as the World of Mystery returned to normal, signifying that our battle with Camus was over.

"Phew, that was close. Took some improvising since our original plan didn't work as I thought" I glanced at the fortress gate, where light gathered to form Camus, with a Silver Lance in his hand.

"My name is Camus of Grust. I am the captain of the Sable Order of Knights" Camus introduced himself "I have many questions, but I can tell now is not a good time for an explanation"

"Go find the man with blue hair and wearing beige armor in the left wing of the castle. He'll explain everything" I promised, then gestured to the swirling portal back to Askr "Now we return. Follow me everyone"

Unshaken Loyalty: Marth and Camus's Conversation

"General Camus, do you have a moment to talk?" Marth approached Camus, who was gazing at the sky forlornly in the castle gardens.

"Ah, Prince Marth. A pleasure to meet you without the hostilities like before" Camus bowed at the prince, as any knight would to a lord "What do you need of me?"

"I'd like to ask about your… situation in the World of Mystery" Marth replied, sitting down on the bench beside the paladin "General Lorenz told us that himself, you and most of the Sable Order disagreed with allying with Dolhr yet none of you objected besides the general himself. Why is that?"

"Grust is my homeland and speaking bluntly, the one thing I cannot do is betray my motherland" Camus replied, crossing his arms "Thinking back on it now however, my loyalty to Grust was my fatal weakness"

"You knew allying with Dolhr was wrong and yet you stayed because of your loyalty to King Ludwik and the country?"

"Mostly the country. My king is weak willed and easy to terrify, unlike his ancestor, General Ordwin, the founder of Grust" The paladin's stone hard expression faltered slightly "Had I not spent my entire life in Grust, I might have not chosen to go against you and the League. King Ludwik is not a worthy king to fight for"

"Surely you must know that joining our side would of meant the liberation of Grust from Dolhr's influence and therefore, the freedom of its citizens and common folk, right?" Marth pressed "There has to be more you're fighting for besides Grust alone"

Camus studied Marth briefly "You're a clever one, aren't you? Yes, you're right. Though I wasn't fully fighting for King Ludwik's sake, his two children, Jubelo and Yuliya are very promising heirs to the kingdom. Dolhr took advantage of that and imprisoned the two children, forcing us to fight on their behalf, lest they slay Grust's only able heirs"

"So that's the reason" Marth nodded "I wager that King Ludwik wasn't well liked among the populace?"

"I often hear the Grustian citizens openly insult the king for his cowardness and selfishness, as he authorized Jubelo and Yuliya to be sent to Khadein as hostages for his own safety" Camus replied, shrugging "So yes, he was generally hated by the common folk. Same goes for the Sable Order"

"So summing it up: the reason why Grust continued fighting for Dolhr, despite the general public and military disagreeing is because they're being blackmailed with Prince Jubelo and Princess Yuliya's lives?"

"Yes. Personally, I'm glad to be free of those clutches here in this world. If Prince Alfonse's information was correct, our timeline isn't affected by me being here" Camus rolled back his shoulders "I can fight for a cause I fully believe in and enjoy myself when I couldn't before. Joining this "Order of Heroes" was a good idea"

"It certainly is a wonderful place" Marth agreed "After hearing your story, I know Caeda was right about her remark about you. You really are an exceptional ally, not just because of your strength, leadership and skill. It's also your unshakeable loyalty to the cause"

"Loyalty can be a weakness, but I'm glad it's being used for the right purpose now" Camus agreed "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to train at the training yard. Coming here has weakened me significantly and I've somehow lost the Gradivus"

"I'm sure Lucian would be willing to strengthen you, given the fight you gave him in the World of Mystery" Marth promised. He heard how the battle went from Ryoma and it sounded more fierce and intense than his own experience with the Grustian general.

"I dearly hope he does. Well Prince Marth, it was an honor to speak with you. May our battles in the future be successful ones"

"You as well, General"

I think I caught a bit of writer's block on the conversation scene between Marth and Camus because I couldn't think of anyone else for Camus to have a convo with and the only topic I could think of for Camus/Marth is explanation for why Camus's loyalty to Grust is so absolute. As such, forgive me for writing a bland final conversation scene and I'll try to flesh out Camus more in the future chapters, as I DO use him quite often. Coming up next is the first Tempest Trials followed by Echoes of Mystery and The War of the Clerics voting gauntlet. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow and if you want to give constructive criticism or praise, leave a review. Until next time!