Chapter 8: The Second King Cometh
Arriving at the town of Treehaven are Dizzy and Ky somewhat early in the morning.
As they look around, the town seems to be going about business normally, but for people like Dizzy and Ky, they could see the place had problems deep down.
Some people look to be struggling to keep money in their wallets while others are only buying the bare minimum of food. And there's constant rebuilding everywhere.
"Wow, this place HAS fallen on hard times." says Ky.
"I hope we can offer the people here some comfort." says Dizzy.
Just then, some people notice Dizzy and Ky arriving, responding with both fascination and worry.
"Who in the world are those people?" asks a man.
"And what's with that woman?" asks a woman. "Is she some type of demon?"
Just then, some men and women resembling soldiers approach Dizzy and Ky with weapons drawn.
"Halt!" says the lead soldier. "State your business!"
"It's alright." says Dizzy. "My name is Dizzy, and I represent the Shepherds."
"Ha, as if we're going to believe you!" says the lead soldier. "Do you expect the Shepherds to take in someone as... suspcious as you? You must be a demon a brigand mage summoned to attack us!"
"How dare you say such a thing about Dizzy!" shouts Ky. "Duty bound or not, you will not talk that way to my wife and the High Queen of Illyria!"
"Ky, calm down." says Dizzy grabbing his shoulder. "Look, sir, I have a note from Lady Robin. This will tell you everything you need to know."
Dizzy hands a parchment to the soldier.
As he takes it, he reads it:
Attention People of Treehaven:
This woman here is Lady Dizzy of Illyria, and her husband, the High King of Illyria, Ky Kiske. She comes from another world, but we have made her a member of the Shepherds. She is to act as our envoy to you all until we can do something about the people that are harrassing your town. Give her your full respect, and she will help you in any way she can until we can track those down responsible for your problems. She may seem strange, but she will come in handy, both in battle and in running any errands you have for her. For your protection, we are camped out 7 miles from your village. If you need me or any of us to help you, have Dizzy get in contact with us. Again, we will help out in any way possible, and we hope to get the town of Treehaven back on track.
Tactician of the Shepherds,
Robin
"So, what do you think?" asks Dizzy. "Is that proof enough?"
"I will see what Mayor Nathaniel Collinsgrad says about it." says the lead soldier.
"Speak of the devil." says Nathaniel as he shows up. "I believe you have a message for me?"
"Yes, Mr. Mayor." says the lead soldier. "This woman here claims to be a member of the Shepherds and says Lady Robin worte this message as proof. What do you make of it?"
"Well, let me see." says Nathaniel
As Nathaniel skims over the message, he smiles calmly.
"There's no mistake about it." says Nathaniel. "This is definitely Lady Robin's handwriting."
"Are you positive, Mr. Mayor?" asks the soldier.
"Absolutely, Captain." says Nathaniel. "This handwriting and signature are hard to reproduce. This is the genuine article."
"I see." says the captain. He then turns to Dizzy and Ky, then says, "My deepest and humblest apologies, you two. I sincerely mistook you for scoundrels."
"Don't worry about it." says Dizzy. "I'm sure my wings and tail would definitely not sit right with you."
"Yes, I'm sorry." says the captain. "We really thought you could be a demon."
"That still offends me deeply, but I suppose I'll let it slide." says Ky. "But do anything to harm her, and you will be feeling both the wrath of my Magnolia Eclair, and the power of my lightning."
"Ky, let's not start a fight like Sol would." says Dizzy.
"Sorry, but you know how I get when people try to hurt you or involve you in dilemmas that you don't rightfully deserve to be in." says Ky.
"Even so, let's calm down." says Dizzy. She then says, "So, you're the mayor of this town? How can we help you?"
"Well, if you're part of the Shepherds, then I suppose we should expect any work from you." says Nathaniel. "What work do you do, young lady?"
"Oh, anything! Farming, construction, laundry, cooking, defending and taking care of animals and children." says Dizzy. "If you have a job for me, I'll do it."
"That's very gracious of you." says Nathaniel. "However, I do worry about what that group following Brutus the Fellblade will do."
"Who is this Brutus?" asks Dizzy.
"Not many in the higher ups know of his 'deeds'." says Nathaniel. "I have, but only because that kind of word tends to only reach these small towns and villages. I've heard none of this reaches the ears of the higher-ups. And if anyone tries to inform them, they disappear. Permanently."
"Is he that dangerous?" asks Ky.
"I just go by what I've heard from word of mouth." says Nathaniel. "They say he gets his name from the sword he carries. Legends speak of a Plegian sword created with the distilled, yet still foul energy of Grima. In fact, because the energy is distilled, it's even more terrifying to the point it becomes absolutely necrotic. Basically, it's energy that eats away at anything living. It literally consumes life and leaves only decay behind."
"Sounds like a weapon no one should have." says Ky. "Not even those that are noble and just."
"Have his people threatened you about trying to look to us for help?" asks Dizzy.
"They have." says Nathaniel. "I know you two came of your own free will and using any information that I'm not sure how got to you all, but I don't think Brutus will see it that way. I don't know if they'll retaliate or what. But all I know is to expect the worst."
"Actually, if I may, Nathaniel." says a man with rather long, light purple hair that comes to his upper back with matching mustache and goatee while wearing basic villager clothes. "I don't think it will be all that bad. And even then, if they do try to retaliate, it will be where they don't draw attention to themselves."
"How do you figure, Ben?" asks Nathaniel.
"Well, you said Brutus and his men like to avoid authorities like the Shepherds." says Ben. "Sounds like they're obviously scared of them. In many cases, they sound like the people that want to be in the limelight, but want to do it without the people in power knowing. Kind of a case of them wanting to have their cake and eat it, too."
"And you're sure about this?" asks Nathaniel.
"I was a warrior for many years, as well as an Ylissean military captain." says Ben. "You learn how to gauge people's strengths and weaknesses the longer you fight such battles. And besides..."
"What?" asks Nathaniel.
"Looking at these two, I can tell they're warriors unlike we've ever seen." says Ben as he looks at Dizzy and Ky. "Especially that girl. She may seem delicate, but I can sense she's got powers beyond our imagination."
"Wow, I'm impressed you can sense that about me." says Dizzy.
"Believe me, milady, I've been a fighter for a long time, so I know when I see someone strong." says Ben.
"In any case." says Nathaniel. "Since you've agreed to help us with anything we wish, might I start you on your first task, milady?"
"I'm here to serve." says Dizzy.
In another part of Ylisse, a blue portal opens up and through it walks Leo and his fellow knights.
Looking around, Leo says, "Must have got separated from the others, just like what Naga said. Pah, like it matters! My power is more than enough for anyone foolish enough to fight me!"
"No one will dare scratch you, sir!" says a knight.
"No one will COME CLOSE to scratching me is what you mean, right?" asks Leo boldly.
"Right, sir! Thank you for correcting us!" says the same knight.
"Do not worry yourself. That is merely my job for all of you." says Leo. "Well, one of them. My other is to lead you all to glory. Now then, we need to find the way to meet with this Exalt, and see if Lady Dizzy is okay."
"Right, sir!" says another knight. "Shall we send a scouting party to find any signs that could lead us to them?"
"No need." says Leo. "My intution tells me one isn't too far from here."
Looking around, Leo notices a wooden sign in the distance.
"See? What did I tell you? My intution never fails!" says Leo.
As they approach the sign, Leo reads, "Ylisstol is directly south. Sounds like we're close, and if I'm right, which I've yet to be wrong, Ylisstol is where we will find the Exalt. Come, my men! We march!"
As they do, Leo notices some figures moving in the woods.
"Halt!" says Leo stopping his men. "Foul beings lurk here. Be prepared!"
"Right, sir!" say the knights in unison.
Just then, large group of brigands appear and one of them says, "I have ta' say, ever since tha' Shepherds started becomin' more lax, more rich people show up for us ta' plunder."
"Too true." says the brigand leader. "Oy! This 'ere's our domain, and if you want ta' leave with your lives, you'll disarm yerselves and give up yer valuables!"
"And don' fink yer knights'll save ya'!" says a brigand. "We've got ya's surrounded! So you've no choice but ta' do what we say!"
Leo just stands there quiet as a mouse.
"Oh, I fink we scared'em!" says the brigand leader. "This makes our job so much easier!"
"Are you blowhards quite finished?" asks Leo.
"Whadjya say about us?" asks a furious brigand.
"If you're done..." says Leo. "...THEN WE GET TO THE PART WHERE I KILL YOU ALL!"
Taking his crosses in his hands, he maxes the top parts extend to turn them into greatswords.
"Men! Take no prisoners!" says Leo. "Wipe the floor with them!"
"As you command, sir!" say the knights in unison again.
"Kill'em all!" says the brigand leader.
The brigands charge first.
"Only a fool would stand up to me without any knowledge of my power!" shouts Leo.
Gracefully and powerfully, Leo uses swift sword movements to slash each brigand that comes his way as they fall one by one.
"And even then, a fool would also challenge me even when he or she has knowledge of my power!" says Leo.
"For King Leo!" shouts the lead knight.
"For King Leo!" the other knights respond.
The knights charge in and begin to fight the brigands, one of them clashing with a brigand to the point he breaks his axe, cutting the brigand down.
Another does a slash so powerful, it sends the brigand bouncing across the ground.
Leo continues to fight with all of his strength as he shoots a giant, metal cross at one brigand charging for him.
One tries to attack him from behind, but in an instant, Leo flips his swords around and counters the brigand with a powerful slash.
"Beware of my Brynhildr stance!" says Leo. "I can even see you coming from behind!"
Some archers try to hit Leo in the back, but he puts his swords together to form a magic shield that blocks the arrows in an instant.
Just then, some mages try to fire magic blasts at the fierce warrior.
However, he's still prepared as he spins around while spinning his swords in his hands and shouts, "Stahl Wirbel!"
Suddenly, Leo shoots a giant, spinning, metal projectile at the brigands, blowing them away.
"Who in tha' hell is this maniac?" asks a terrified brigand.
Before he can respond, the same brigand gets cut down by a knight.
Just then, as the brigand leader finds himself alone, he begins to wimper. Leo looks at him without any sympathy.
"Please, 'ave mercy!" says the leader.
"By choosing to attack me with an ambush and threaten my men, do you think you DESERVE MERCY!?" shouts Leo.
"I never knew what I was gettin' myself into." says the brigand leader. "You win! I give up!"
Not listening to the brigand, Leo crosses his arms in front of him with his swords until they each transform into a sword resmebling half a lion head as he says, "A lion always hunts with 100% of its strength!"
He jumps ludicrously high into the air as he brings his swords together to form a full lion head while saying, "Your very genes remember that terror!"
Leo then holds his lion-head sword in front of him as it somehow roars while doing a spinning dive towards the brigand leader as he says, "Every human knows in their soul to run in fear when the LION BEARS HIS FANGS!"
Leo clashes with the brigand leader, almost like he's drilling into him before slashing past him, the brigand being hit by a massive explosion.
"AAAAAIIIIIIEEEE!" screams the brigand.
As the brigand lies defeated and unconscious, Leo transforms his lion-head sword back into the two metal crosses and puts them back by his side while saying, "Gute Reise!"
The knights approach Leo and the lead knights asks him, "Are you okay, sir?"
"Never better!" says Leo with a confident smile. "At least this wasn't a complete waste of time! In fact, I think I found a new definition for the term, 'Weakling'."
"Excellent, sir!" says the lead knight.
"At any rate, let us be on our way to Ylisstol!" says Leo. "We need to get to meeting with the Exalt as soon as possible!"
After a while, Leo and his men approach Ylisstol and he says, "Ah, this must be it! It's no Illyria, but with a world this primative, I wouldn't expect otherwise! Even then, it is magnificent in its own way!"
"So, you made it as well, huh?" asks the voice of Sol.
Leo and his men look to see Sol and Aria have arrived.
"Ah, so you're here, too!" says Leo. "Well, at least we can meet with this Exalt at the same time."
"I guess we can." says Sol. "I wonder if Ky made it here already."
"Who knows?" asks Leo. "When did you all arrive?"
"Well, we exited the portal about four hours ago." says Aria. "When did you arrive?"
"Not too long ago." says Leo. "In fact, it wasn't that long when we got out of the portal."
"Oh great." says Sol. "That Naga bitch's power was too unpredictable. Not only did we all end up in different areas, but even different points in time."
"And we have no idea where Sin, Dr. Paradigm or the Valentine sisters are, either." says Aria.
"In any case, I suggest we meet with the Exalt if we want to know more about the situation." says Leo. "Let us go."
"May as well as get this horrible ordeal over with." says Sol.
And with that, the whole group begins their way to the castle.
Meanwhile, in a small encampment, a young axe-fighter approaches Meredith, and says, "Lady Meredith. We've got a development occuring in the town of Treehaven."
"Say it." says Meredith.
"It seems a couple of odd people appeared and are helping the village out." says the fighter. "And they seem to be doing it free of charge."
"I see." says Meredith. "Are they members of the Shepherds?"
"We couldn't tell." says the fighter. "They don't look like any people I've ever seen before. One was a man with blonde hair, white outfit and sword by his side. However, the real odd one was the girl. She had really long blue hair, skimpy outfit, one black wing, one white wing and a long, black tail."
"Interesting." says Meredith. "I suppose we should go meet these people."
"To tell them we own dominion over the village, right?" asks the fighter.
"Who do you take us for? The mafia?" asks Meredith. "We're only trying to take advantage of it, not rule it. You know that's how Captain Brutus does business. I just want to meet them, and see if we can play the odds in our favor."
"Oh, right." says the fighter. "Please, forgive me."
"Anyway, let's go meet our two friends." says Meredith.
As Meredith and her men begin to walk back in the direction of Treehaven, Gaius watches them from afar and says, "Looks like they're going back to the town. I wonder what they're planning."
To Be Continued in Chapter 9