Unmei Force: Inherited Wills
Chapter 5: Two Fates Clash, Shepherd vs. Redeemer (Fredrick)
With Corrin...
Corrin strode through the doors, as it took her to the middle of a large plain, with the skies above her covered entirely by grey clouds, as she was a little bit tense, as she felt like that she stumbled back onto a battlefield, where her opponent could be anywhere, as she looked around slowly, expecting to find her opponent quickly.
She then gave the area around her another look, before she could see a figure approaching her, causing her to turn towards them swiftly, with her blade held firmly in her hands. She looked closely, as she noticed that the figure before her, was a man with short dark-blue hair, and blue eyes, wearing a large dark-brown leather cape that seemed to like like a parted trench-coat, a soot-grey robe that had salmon-pink pattering near the collar, metallic gauntlets with elbow-guards, a dark metal abdominal guard, with a golden bucket on the centre of its front, with a dagger placed in a blue sheath on one side. He also wore metal knee-guards, and he wore smooth leather boots on his feet.
When Corrin saw the expression on his face, which was filled with evident indifference, she was a little bit unnerved, as it looked like that he was someone quite formidable, or dangerous, even both if she was unfortunate. However, she decided to speak with her future opponent for a moment, expecting to see if she could get to know him a little bit.
"Hello...? Are you..." Corrin asked back with a slightly meek tone, as his eyes met with hers, as they were lacking in emotion.
"Tell me who you are first." He responded back firmly. "You don't seem like that you are from these lands, with that attire of yours."
"I... I am Corrin de Nohr." Corrin answered back. "I am of royalty from the kingdom of Nohr. I also bear the title of being the heiress to the throne of a nation that I am not sure it would be safe to speak the name of yet."
"Hm." The blue-haired stranger hummed in response, before he then responded back. "I see. My name is Byleth Eisner. I am one of the instructors of the Garreg Mach Monastery. I currently am doing duties of teaching students of each of the three houses there, although it would be more clearer to say that I am serving directly under Lady Rhea."
"An instructor...? How amazing." Corrin answered back, as she smiled a little. "I myself am a student myself. I was taught most of the things I have known, by a young person who looks almost the same age as you do right now. He actually shares a few qualities like you, like the quiet and calm disposition, so I think that the two of you might get along well."
Byleth nodded back, before he then spoke again. "Right then, Corrin...? May I ask you a question?" Byleth asked her gently.
"Please do, I'm sure that I won't mind answering a few questions." Corrin answered back with a welcoming smile.
"I would like to ask you who you exactly are. Not that I am accusing you of lying on what you said previously, but I feel like that there is more to you than meets the eye." Byleth answered back. "Tell me, are you a Saint? Because I seem to be able to sense the energy of a dragon within you."
"You do...!? I don't know exactly what you mean by a Saint, but I do have the blood of dragons within me." Corrin exclaimed, before she then placed a hand over her heart. "Although I only tend to use the power of that blood when I most need it. Usually, I only use partial transformations, to ensure that I don't end up being consumed by the instincts of my transformed state, and to help ensure that I have versatility in my own attacks."
"That does not seem like a Saint at all." Byleth stated. "Regardless... It is quite amazing to meet someone foreign to these lands, who has the power of dragons. I heard that Seiros was a dragon before, so I assumed that you would be like that as well. Still, you are quite interesting."
"I am grateful for your compliments." Corrin answered back sheepishly, embarrassed from the praise.
"Now then... There is one thing that I ask of you." Byleth stated, before he then drew his weapon, which seemed to look like a blade made of bone, with a toothed hilt, and a large hole in the centre of the hilt. "May I ask, if I could have a spar with you? A friendly one, if it wouldn't trouble you much."
"Why exactly?" Corrin asked, as she was curious for the reason why Byleth would want to have a fight with her.
"As an instructor, it is my duty to teach my students well, and to do that, I must grow stronger myself, to be able to continue their education and growth." Byleth answered back. "Judging from the uniqueness of your own blade, the dragon's blood that flows in your veins, and your posture when you prepared for a fight earlier, before I came... It tells me that you are quite strong. So I want to see if I can learn some things from fighting you."
"A desire to improve... Perhaps you share more in common with that friend then." Corrin smiled, before she then drew her weapon. "Very well then, we will spar until one of us cries forfeit, or we draw blood from each other. Hopefully, we will not have to resort to the latter. I wouldn't want to fight to the point that we would be dealing potentially lethal blows."
"Do not worry, I'm sure that we both have enough restraint to keep this spar relatively bloodless." Byleth assured Corrin. "Now then, are you prepared?"
"Only if you are." Corrin responded back, determined.
"I like your spirit." Byleth smiled slightly, before the two of them stepped forward and clashed against each other, as their blades were evenly matched. "Strong... Exactly as predicted."
The two of them separated, before Corrin then moved forward, as she tried to attack Byleth with his blade, going for a few high and low slashes. With his blade, Byleth managed to block most of the attacks. He then smashed his sword down, hoping to strike Corrin with a counter-blow. However, Corrin dodged out the path of his attack.
Byleth then moved towards Corrin, his turn to take the offensive, as he slashes rapidly to leave Corrin with little chance to avoid the quick blows, although they didn't do much against her guard, before she then tried for a low kick to trip up the instructor, only to fail when Byleth retreated back away from her.
The two of them then exchanged blows, although it was at a stalemate for them, as neither of them were able to land a solid hit from each other, due to them easily blocking any soft and quick attacks, and evading the more heavier ones. They don't seem to be exhausted, although they would be, if this deadlock were to drag out.
"Looks like I'm going to have to step it up." Byleth answered back, before his hair then glowed luminescent green, shocking Corrin, as his blade began to glow as well in a orange hue. Suddenly, the parts of the blade itself began to separate, as it transformed into a bladed whip, with blades segments tied by some sort of durable string. "Take this!"
He then swung the whip-blade around, striking from different directions, as Corrin was unable to try any counters, with how far Byleth was attacking, far enough for her to be unable to attack back. She tried to evade the whip-blade, although it managed to catch her off guard a few times, as it dented and scratched through her personal armour.
"Damnit... I'm not holding back either!" Corrin cursed, before she then transformed her arm and head. "Take this!"
She then fired a charged Dragon Pulse at Byleth, who did not expect the sudden attack, as the attack managed to hit him, stunning him in place, as Corrin then slashed on him a few times, before the stunning effect wore off, and Corrin dodged backwards, to avoid being smashed by the whip-blade's downward strike. Byleth then reverted his sword back to its proper form, although the glow didn't fade, as he arched back, with the tip of the blade glowing.
"Allow me to demonstrate! Astra!" Byleth declared, before he then darted towards Corrin.
"Astra...!?" Corrin exclaimed, shocked that Byleth could use Astra as well, before she growled and repeated the same stance, as she returned Byleth's skill with her own version of Astra.
As the two different forms of Astra clashes, blows were rained upon in quick succession, as their blades clanged against each so many times that it was a wonder that their blades would still be in good shape after they have stopped each other. Yet, their blades looked no worse than they were before, no matter how many times the blades were brutally smashed against each other. After their stamina waned, they then separated, looking quite exhausted.
"How did you..." Byleth remarked.
"Like I told you, my teacher taught me many things... Astra was something hard to do, but we managed to learn it together..." Corrin huffed back. "Still, I'm surprised that there's still the Astra technique around here."
"Well, it's truly hard to perform... Only means that you are quite skilled." Byleth admitted, before he then shifted his weapon back into whip-blade form. "Now then, we'll settle this with one final strike. Are you prepared to stake it all?"
"...Of course." Corrin answered back, as she then concentrated her power, as she felt her own power and spirit grow yet stronger, before she then prepared herself. "Let's settle this, Byleth!"
The two of them let out a war-cry, as Corrin ran towards Byleth, with her blade poised for a downwards strike. Byleth, held the blade in his hands firmly, as it glowed even brighter, before he then slashed through the air with it.
"Raptured Heaven!" Byleth declared, as the blade cut streaks of energy into the air, as Corrin managed to avoid most of the attack, although one of it did land on her, hurting her, but not stopping her advance. She then jumped into the air, as she made sure the blade is raised to the skies above. Much to Byleth's surprise, the grey clouds parted slightly, creating a ray of sunlight that reached her dark-coloured blade, causing it to glow white.
"Take this! Sol!" Corrin cried, before she then brought the glowing blade down on Byleth, as he didn't manage to guard it in time, as the strike was enough to floor Byleth on the ground, as he was crumpled from the great blow that he received.
"...Sol... Now that's a skill I have never heard of... Borrowing power from the sun itself... It is quite powerful indeed." Byleth commented, before he then saw the white light wash over Corrin's body, healing some of her wounds. "...What?"
"The power of the skill known as Sol, is to reignite one's life-force." Corrin explained. "It turns the sunlight's power, after it has been used, into healing energy for yourself. People envy this skill, for it makes it hard for one to kill someone who can perform it easily."
"Indeed, a terrifying thought... I suppose that this is my defeat then." Byleth nodded, before he then chuckled lightly. "But indeed, I have learnt many things fighting you. Perhaps I might find a way to learn this Sol technique for myself then...?"
"I hope for your success then." Corrin answered back with a warm smile, before she then saw the door form behind her. "Oh... It seems that I am needed back where I came from.
"Wait... A magic door... Who are you exactly, Corrin de Nohr?" Byleth asked Corrin hastily.
"Like I said, I'm a noble heiress to two kingdoms..." Corrin answered back, walking towards the door, before then turning back with a prideful smile on her lips. "And I'm also a great hero, who ventures to the beyond."
With that, Corrin passed through the door, while closed and faded behind her, leaving a bewildered Byleth on the ground.
With Gunter...
Gunter proceeded through the corridors, as his trusty lance was mounted on his back, and in his hands was a refined short-sword, which he would use in battles on foot. He did not seem to be trusting of the strange appearance of the entire facility, and he was quite worried for the one that he serves, Corrin, about the fact that Corrin might be in great trouble without him. However, he doesn't let his loyalty to her waver, as he believes that she is more than powerful enough to handle fights on her own.
He then proceeded through the doors, as he found himself in a large grassy plain, with tall stalks of grass as far the eye can see, although the grass was more of a golden wheaty colour, which piqued his interest slightly, but not as much as the fact, when he found his own personal steed nearby, as it snorted gently, and swayed lightly from where it stood.
"My own personal mount... here...?" Gunter asked himself, before he then approached it, examining it closely. "Hm... If this is a replica or illusion of some sort, then I must admit that this is well-done. From what I can see, it doesn't seem any different to the real one. Perhaps..."
He then mounted the horse slowly, as it acknowledged the knight with a brief look, before it then snorted back. Gunter smiled a little, recognising the expression, as it reinforced his belief that this was his horse. He then guided it slowly through the plains, as it trotted without any sway in its steps.
"..But why would I require my horse to proceed to my trial...? The man known as DW would be well aware of my expertise as a master knight... So perhaps, he will pit another one against me?" Gunter wondered.
His question was answered, when he heard another set of horse hooves clopping over, as another knight entered the area, as the rider was a man with short brown hair, clad in cyan-and white segmented armour, that seemed to look fairly symbolic, with the elk-like shoulder-plates, and the diamond guard between his breasts, and blue latches on the front of his knees. His brown eyes locked with Gunter, with a serious expression them, as he already had his lance drawn out for battle.
"Just as I thought..." Gunter muttered to himself.
"You are a stranger to these lands." The man spoke clearly in response, before raising his weapon slightly. "I know not what reason you have come here, but I do know that you are very much suspect, with that suspicious appearance of yours."
"You mean the dark black armour that my mount and I wear?" Gunter asked back, before he then shook his head gently. "You misunderstand. Although my appearance proves otherwise, I am no longer a knight of darkness. This armour is merely forged as a symbol of my own kingdom."
"Even so, this is not the place for you to be." The man answered back. "Leave at once, or I will drive you away with force, if needed be. And I will show no mercy."
"I'm afraid that I cannot leave." Gunter firmly answered back, pulling his lance out. "Although I do not wish for us to come to blows for this matter... I have no way to return, until I have proven myself worthy. And to do that, I am brought here to fight what would be my opponent. Since you stand here before me... I must apologise for what I must do, but I ask that you do not hate me for what I will do, as it is what is necessary for me."
"Hmph. Upfront with your intentions then?" The man scoffed back, with narrowed eyes. "I'll tell you that you will not win this fight. Even if you speak the truth, I will not hesitate to strike you down, in this land, where there are many threats in and out of one's eyes."
"You'll find that I am no simple opponent, stranger." Gunter retorted back. "I have spent decades serving my own kingdom, and protecting the heirs of the kingdom countless times. Although age may leave me weakened, it cannot sap away much of my own skill. So I implore that you take this fight seriously."
"Fine then. Your wish will be respectfully granted." The knight responded back, raising his lance fully up for battle.
"Before we begin... May I ask of your name, honoured opponent?" Gunter asked.
"The name is Frederick, member of the Shepherds." Frederick introduced himself.
"Very well, Frederick. You face Gunter Blackmire, lead knight of Nohr's knight brigades." Gunter responded back boldly, before then raising his lance for battle. "Let us fight until victory smiles upon one of us."
With a cry from both of them, their horses rushed forth, as they pointed their lances towards each other, scoring grazing hits from each other in the exchange, passing by each other. They turned their horses around, as Frederick was taken aback by the strength that Gunter had, in that elderly appearance of his, as it made the Shepherd respect Gunter a little bit, for that fact.
They then charged against each other several times in successions, as their clashes managed to deal equal amounts of damage from each other, as the lances were strong enough to damage each other's armour. A few more rounds of jousting each other at fast speeds, and their armour began to show signs of damage, as holes began to appear, and pieces of armour that were dangling by the thread, were jostled off, exposing more and more of their unprotected body.
"It seems that we're at a stalemate from each other." Gunter noted, before he then raised his lance. "I believe that we should determine a victor quick. With the force behind our lances, if we were to pierce through an unprotected area, it would be enough to penetrate and skewer organs at this rate."
"And yet you are no less determined to end this, rather than forfeit this fight." Frederick noted. "You said that you served your kingdom."
"With utmost loyalty." Gunter responded back. "I once have tried to betray it, and failed. I awaited death for my own crimes, so that I could die repaying everything I have done to my own kingdom. However, I was spared, on the grounds that I must redeem myself, by keeping on the true way and fighting for it. That is, I would never stray from my path again, and protect the heir until the end of my life. Even now, the duty remains."
"I see..." Frederick murmured in response. "You were once disloyal, but you were enlightened when you were spared, making you fiercely loyal. As much as I would disdain betrayal and disloyalty, from your eyes alone, and your tone in speaking of your past crimes... You are genuine in your quest for redemption. I can only say that I have no reason to judge you as someone undeserving of a second chance, if you have retained your honour and respect."
"I merely re-learnt them, after I have briefly turned my back on them." Gunter answered back, before he then raised his lance. "But I believe that I have babbled long enough. Shall we?"
"With pleasure." Frederick responded back, preparing himself for another charge.
Both horses faced each other, as they stamped at the ground, preparing for a mighty charge, before they then shot off at great speeds. The riders' lances were being coated with a serene purple energy, which spread through their lances, as they were concentrated on landing their blow on their opponent. At range of each other, they simultaneously thrust their lance forward.
"LUNA!" Gunter and Frederick cried at the same time, their blows finding their target, as Frederick's lance smashed into Gunter's chest, and Gunter's lance did the same towards Frederick's abdomen. Both blows managed to smash through the armour like nothing, barely inches away from creating a large stab-hole where the blows landed.
They were hit so strongly, that they could barely remain seated on their mount, as they scrambled to get themselves re-balanced immediately. When their mounts came to a halt, they examined each other, as the enhanced blows tore holes in their armour, and the lances left some prickles of blood where the tip had jabbed into their skin.
"Luna... How coincidental... That we would use the same skill on each other, right on this exchange." Gunter sighed, before he then un-clipped his broken chest-plate. "I suppose that this is where we shall end it then?"
"Strong you may be, your bones would be frail by the ravages of time, and the battles wearing your strained body down further." Frederick stated, also ditching his broken chest-plate. "I suppose that we should agree to call this battle a draw, as we have both managed to force each other into surrender."
"I would agree." Gunter answered back, before he then dismounted from the horse. "Seeing you clash with me... It reminds me of times when I was far younger and far more bold than I am right now. You seem to remind me of myself quite a lot."
"And you expect that to surprise me?" Frederick asked back. "I do not truly care much, if this fight has made you recall some of your past memories, but since our fight ended with a satisfactory conclusion, will you be leaving?"
"I hope so..." Gunter trailed off, before he then noticed the door reappeared. "Hm. Strange, but still welcome. It is indeed my time to leave."
"And I suppose that you will never return to this land again...?" Frederick asked back.
"...No." Gunter sighed back, taking his broken chest-plate, and his lance with him to the door. "I suppose that this brief exchange will be all that will happen to us for now, unless destiny and fate itself calls for us to meet each other again. In that case, I would be truly glad to fight by your side, Frederick of the Shepherds."
"...Perhaps we will." Frederick nodded, before Gunter then entered the door, which vanished. "I sincerely hope that this does not result in complicated events developing, just from this single encounter."