Chapter 1: Invasion! Fight off the Sohanthian Menace!
Sohanthian Subjugation Arc
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.
Featured Music: "Glorious Grandbell" - Fire Emblem IV: Genealogy of the Holy War OST. Chapter Briefing.
"Yellow Storm" - Dynasty Warriors 2 OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).
"Let End Vicious Impediment" - Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).
"Battle 1 ~ Final Fantasy 9" - Dissidia: Final Fantasy OST. Scene 4 (Second Half).
The continent Dracolius; year 709. The land has seen much conflict and strife throughout its time in its seven hundred years existence. The well-known empire in the south-east, Sohantha, overtakes Dracolius with its long-reaching arms, casting a wide glare on the rest of its neighbours. Typically a nation of politics and ideals, the military and nobles of Sohantha take comfort in their overwhelming advantage of numbers and territory over the rest of the continent.
The ebony and crimson armoured soldiers of Naerith lie to the north-west; former members of the empire in the very early years of Dracolius' lifetime. In recent years Naerith now recover their fallen forces from their attempted subjugation of their long-hated enemy Aselia, having been put down three years ago in the Burning War. Rumours begin to spread like wild-fire around the country of a surviving daughter of the missing king Alpheus, bolstering their fragile spirit and morale.
Lying fairly comfortably in the north-east is the kingdom of Aselia, the afore-mentioned winner of the Burning War three years past. Their former leader, said to be the world's greatest soldier, Sathryon Vikeruce had passed on during this conflict. Their ruler now is his only surviving son, Selthris Vikeruce. Since emerging victorious in their attempt to win back Aselia, they have remained fairly quiet, opting to spend their days in rebuilding.
Sitting in the south-western quadrant of Dracolius is the nomadic country of Coremond and the wild men and women that reside there. Keeping themselves in isolation from most of the rest of the world they have little to nothing to do with the politics of other civilisations. In spite of this however, their own leader; the elder Salnarra had already assisted Aselia in its earlier resistance with Naerith. In keeping to their typically neutral ways however they opt to return to their own devices during this peaceful time.
And finally, nestled in the deep mountains of the north-east is the frozen fiefdom of Etherthien. Situated just over Naerith's chilly hills and mountains, king Alaric himself has ruled over his country for at least twenty years. Wise and experienced his assistance from his close companion's son, Selthris, has helped in closing the biggest trial they have faced since; the Etherthien Civil War. Thankfully, for his country and his people, the snowy nation was spared any atrocity from within; indeed, while the area is generally safe from any invaders thanks to its natured defences, it is just as liable as any other nation from implosion. Etherthien now enjoys a similar relative harmony as its ally Aselia.
However, it is this very short-lived and fragile peace that is about to be threatened by the very oldest nation on the continent...
Scene 1
"Ack!" Leo called out suddenly in a veritable wince of concern, bringing his armoured arms upward in a defensive yet silly gesture. Sabine couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head up at the younger man before bending down to pick up the object of his apprehension.
"I'll never understand you Leo," the Archer said in his dismissive chuckle as he examined the flailing spider in his fingers. "You're by far the strongest one out of all of us but you still let yourself be scared by dumb stuff like this." He claimed in a new grin as he turned his head 'round to stare back at the wincing Mercenary in question. Leo issued him an immediate glare of annoyance as he recognised his tone before responding appropriately.
"Just... get it away!" Leo dismissed as he waved his hand at the older youth, clearly annoyed. Sabine couldn't help but uttering another chuckle as he shook his head, walking off to dispose of the unwanted creature. Merely tossing it out the window intact, he smiled in its direction. "Those damn things creep me out man." The Mercenary further admitted as he shuddered lightly before re-grabbing the broom he was using earlier. Joining the frowning Edgar next to him, the village-bound Axe Fighter raised his head up before leaning his body to the side; he rested his right elbow on the broom he similarly carried, his other arm resting comfortably on his waist.
"Man's got a point," Edgar admitted alongside his Archer companion, nodding in his afore-mentioned direction. Sabine let out a satisfied smirk as he listened further, eliciting an annoyed roll of Leo's eyes in response. "I've never seen a guy that scared by those little things."
"Some of them are poisonous y'know," Leo shot back in an annoyed tone as he swept the ground dutifully though not without a seemingly amused grin of his own. "I wouldn't wanna be caught in the middle of one of those."
Sabine snorted from the Mercenary's side as he listened, finally offering his two cents. "Yeah, in Coremond,maybe; they get huge over there. They're just little babies in Aselia."
"Weren't you the one whining about big spiders and insects when we were over there three years ago?" Edgar offered in himself, this time with a curious raise of his straw-brown eyebrow. Sabine turned his annoyed frown back on his Axe Fighter comrade, evoking a listening laugh from the low-grinning Leo. The Mercenary in question couldn't help but reach over and issue his close companion a high five, wringing a rare smile from the Axe Fighter. Sabine merely rolled his eyes as he turned his head away from the pair, his grin still on his face as he dove his eyes into his work.
"Oh yeah like I was ever scared of insects," the Archer joked, a corner of his mouth upturning in an amused grin. Leo let out a dismissive chuckle as he shook his head, similarly returning to his sweeping. Edgar joined him in his low smile, allowing a comfortable silence to descend upon the close trio. "So when's the boss gettin' back? Place has been kinda quiet without 'im." He asked over his shoulder this time, his smile dropping but only lightly.
"Didn't they leave a few days ago to quell that bandit uprising?" Edgar answered, this time in his ever objective frown. He turned his head back down to his work, frowning as always. "I imagine he'll be back any day now."
"Yeah what Ed said," Leo smiled over his own shoulder before turning back similarly. "Sel never really liked being out on his own for too long; they'll all be back pretty soon," he continued on before re-raising a curious eyebrow upward at the older youth. "Why so curious in big boss man anyhow?"
"I'm not," the Archer shot back in his own grin before regaining his light sociable smile. "I still haven't been paid yet from Kay."
"Pft!" Leo couldn't help but exhale out in a mixture of surprise and hilarity, eliciting a listening sigh from the disapproving Edgar.
"That girl'll be the death of herself one day." The Axe Fighter managed out in his disapproving frown, his broom gripped with both arms.
"I know, right?" Leo laughed in jolly yet contrasting agreement. "You'd think she'd stop playing when she's on the worst losing streak anyone's ever seen." He stated out in his head-shaking laugh. Sabine and Edgar shared a similarly smiling grin before they all returned to their chore. The comfortable silence that they all shared however was swiftly broken, even if by one of their own.
A similarly concerned expression floated around his countenance as he stood just next to the staircase and doorway; the Armour Knight, Gerard.
"Gerard?" Leo called out as he caught sight of the older warrior, encased in his battle-wear sky-blue armour. "What's-?"
The expression on his face counted disaster for the small growing group of four; a clearly worried furrowed brow was laid on his short-bearded face. He shook his long-haired head back at the Mercenary in dissenting, almost as if reading his mind.
"We can't be; we're being attacked?" Sabine called out suddenly, his own brow furrowing in conjunction with his narrowing eyes, leaning forward when he did so. This time the silent Armour Knight nodded in silent agreement, a grave frown adorned to his expression. Sabine exchanged a similarly concerned frown with the listening Edgar and Leo before they all dropped their brooms and ran forward for their ally.
"How many?" Leo exclaimed out above the din of the soldiers' hustle and bustle; they ran through as quickly and as effortlessly as they could, urgency nipping at their heels.
"Can't be sure!" Gerard finally spoke up as they made the final approach to the battlements, casting their eyes outward to Aselia Field. As Leo managed to get a full look at the intimidating sight before him a shudder ran up his spine that he had not remembered since the Burning War.
As far as his eye could see were firm, dark yellow, stretching across the fields, a single flag held up in the centre. A fire-breathing amber shaded dragon was depicted across its cloth; clearly the national symbol of the oldest nation on the continent.
"Sohantha?!" Sabine suddenly exclaimed, eyes widening next to his comrades. "W-Why are they-?"
"We're still not sure," Gerard interrupted softly and with a similarly gentle shake of his head, his own eyes glaring at the untold amount of soldiers slowly marching for them. "As far as I know we've done nothing to provoke them, but..."
"Victory in battle..."
The group of three men turned on their heels to find the hard-frowning Edgar joining them, ever in his slow fashion. His hard glower was focused on the far-off approaching Sohanthian soldiers.
"Is not won through superior numbers," he finally answered his own question before turning on the surprised-expressed group of young men. He twirled the iron axe he now carried so well, pointing it at the approaching soldiers, glaring as he did so. "Battle of Highwood and Fort Chiribald, boys," he claimed, this time with a growing but very low grin on his face, pulling his iron axe back to rest on his shoulders. The small group of Aselian generals couldn't help but put on little grins of their own as they listened. "Remember 'em well."
"Still but, even so," Sabine suddenly interjected with as he turned a disapproving frown on the huge number of Sohanthian soldiers far-off from them. "All we have is each other and our own panicking forces; what are we gonna do without the boss and his unit?"
"Well I guess it's down to me until he gets back," Leo answered him gently, his voice whispering on the wind as he turned his hard-eyed frown on the approaching and intimidating force ahead of him. "But I don't like this either."
"For all we know,it could just be a message," Gerard finally spoke up after initially speaking earlier, turning to gauge the reactions of the disbelieving three around him. "W-What? It could be!" He tried to reason with them uneasily.
"Not a force of that size," Sabine answered to him with a dissenting shake of his head, a small bead of worried sweat dripping down his forehead as he spoke. "That's an assault force that is."
Edgar leant in to his companion's side, his eyes still on the approaching Sohanthian forces. "Commander... we're gonna need some kind of a plan here..."
"All right then, here's our orders," Leo interrupted the pair's words with his own, also glaring forward at the marching soldiers. "The king has specified that if any attacks come our way we've to use the terrain of Aselia's wall to funnel them in and take them a few at a time," the Mercenary claimed as he stared forward, as if speaking from memory. "I'll lead the entire Aselian unit; you guys back me up." He ordered as he turned to the nodding trio of companions and comrades.
This time however, as the three soldiers turned to head back down the steps, presumably for the battlefield, Leo remained a few seconds more to stare ahead, eyes narrowed as he spoke.
"You better not be too late Sel..."
–
2
"Commander Guskov, sir!"
The large bodied General merely blinked in response as he turned his head to his right to find his ever reliable sub-commander, the frowning Halberdier Ruchkin. He raised an eyebrow at the younger man, a mildly irritated frown adorned on his face as he shook it in a tilt at him.
"Yes?"
"We are making the final approach to Aselia, commander!"
Guskov rolled his eyes in light annoyance before turning his eyes back on the close approaching walls of Aselia.
"I can see that, you dolt," the General admonished in mild irritation before narrowing his eyes. "Is our intelligence still accurate, Ruchkin?"
"Yes, sir, General sir!" The Halberdier exclaimed above the loud sound of their boots marching across the field, dotting his words with a dutiful salute. "King Selthris is Vikeruce has been reported as temporarily absent, sir!"
Ruchkin's words put a low grin on the listening General's face; he turned his eyes back on the approaching castle and its town ahead of him before re-opening his mouth to respond.
"Then Aselia is as good as dead," he hissed out as he glared at the kingdom they approached, his grin slowly growing as he did so. "It's just... not your day... is it Aselia...?"
"Hold!" Leo called out, his voice echoing across the Aselian plains and barely audible above the rocketing din of the roaring Sohanthian soldiers. The unit at the front carried at least eight men all wielding a huge piece of lumber, obviously dedicated in use to open their gates. The Mercenary narrowed his eyes down at the approaching forces and grit his teeth in growing discomfort; as if to add to his unease, the eight-man unit smashed their lumber into their gate and Leo had to stop from gasping, gripping the battlements he stood on to stop from losing his footing.
A kind of uneasy silence descended upon the huge army of two as they watched and waited for their inevitable face-off; Leo couldn't help but look up to exchange his worried frown with the smirking moustached man standing in the center of the Sohanthian forces. Not a single word uttered between them but his body language was all Leo had to know from him; the yellow-shaded General's armour was creased in a folded armed glare to match his superior smirk.
Finally however, knocking him out of his trance, the gate was abruptly smashed open and the Sohanthian men let out a morale raising battle cry. As they approached, the sky-blue military unit that was the Aselian defence crew, all Armour Knights, raised up their huge shields to block the incoming soldiers. Even as they smashed their steel lances into the Armour Knights' huge and sturdy shields, no side seemed to give in to the other. The sky-blue armoured men were sent slowly but surely skidding backwards from the sheer force of their numbers.
"Hold!" Leo exclaimed out once more as he gripped the sides of the battlements, glaring down at the enemy soldiers, looking for some kind of weakness. Eventually however, after what felt like ages, the pushing stopped; the Sohanthian assault force's energy run out. "Now!" The Mercenary called downward this time, eyes narrowing at their weak spots in their formation.
The sky-blue Armour Knights all pushed forward to send the gasping yellow soldiers reeling before slamming their own steel lances into their exposed skin, easily drawing blood. They swiftly all gave the amber armoured men the literal boot, sending them sprawling and rolling painfully across the ground before deftly raising back up their shields to block the next assault force's attack. Leo's chestnut brown eyes narrowed firmly down at the second attack unit stationed just ahead of their commander; all Archers and Snipers, readying their bow. The Mercenary swiftly turned his heel and his head around to face his companions waiting just below and next to him.
"Now!" He shouted as loud as his lungs would allow before suddenly snapping his body and his head forward, twirling the iron blade he carried in the sheath on his hip. The young athletic Mercenary grunted as he used the battlements' to forward-flip off of high into the air, soon descending down on his enemy however, before he could, the rock-like Edgar plummeted before he even could.
SMASH
Closer to the center he landed, his Earth Style Aegir causing a humongous earthquake; the Sohanthian soldiers let out a pain filled yell and cry, easily killing tens of hundreds of them in one blow. Leo followed up his close companion's attack with a Wind technique of his own; pulling his sword back his brown eyes widened before he swiftly and suddenly spun into a swirling spin attack, easily killing whatever his Axe Fighter friend missed. The young Mercenary landed in a similar spiral into the ground; a number of enemy soldiers leapt at him, presumably to attack him in his recovery period. The surprisingly swift Edgar managed to deny their desperate attempts by smashing his iron axe into the ground, glaring forward.
As if on reaction, the ground opened up to swallow the frowning Leo, encasing him in a protective rock coating; the Sohanthian soldiers all yelled and grunted as they were sent batting back the way they came. Though they levitated harmlessly in the air, as the rock shield Leo was encased in shattered prematurely, the Mercenary deftly leap neutrally upward in the air before grunting as he spun around in another twisting slash attack, his Wind Style Aegir intensifying the strength. The Sohanthian soldiers all let out a similarly agonised roar of pain together as they were sent sailing through the air, crashing further into yet more men of their unit.
As Leo landed he let out a single effort-filled grunt before swiftly spinning his iron blade around his right hand, gripping it with both; his compatriot and fighting partner also landed just behind him. Back to one another, Edgar and Leo both stood eyes narrowed at the watching and edgy Sohanthian soldiers, surrounded similarly together.
"There's far too many...," Leo began lowly as he shook his head dismissively at the slow approaching, shield-risen men. "Where's Sel when you need him?!" He hissed out quietly in his hard-frown.
"Don't tell me you're chickening out of this?" The seemingly confident Axe Fighter questioned, a brown eyebrow of his own raised up curiously.
"I'm just saying; we could use his help," the Mercenary whispered out as his chestnut eyes darted across each hungry-faced soldier, baying for blood. "Of all days to be out dealing with bandits..."
"He won't leave us like this," Edgar shot back suddenly but as quietly and objectively as he always did, shaking his head as he did so. He twirled the iron axe around his right arm as he glared back at the Sohanthian soldiers. "The boss has never let us down yet."
"Not where it counts I guess...," the Mercenary couldn't help but chuckling lowly, shaking his head similarly. Edgar couldn't help but letting out a silent smirk of his own in listening. "All right then... let's see if these yella bellies can handle the routine." Leo finished out, this time with a confident smirk of his own. Edgar's eyebrows rose up, definitively surprised.
"The routine? Isn't that just a little bit unfair?"
The corner of Leo's mouth rose up in further amusement. "Not when they're throwing everything and the kitchen sink at us."
"Fair point." Edgar couldn't help but let out with a low grin of his own; the pair, grown closer over the years, couldn't help but slap the back sides of their fists together before suddenly leaping forward at the yelling Sohanthian soldiers.
–
3
"Come on Sel, I'm sure it's nothing," Kay called out for what felt like the millionth time, her horse clopping along after her commander's. "You worry too much!" She admonished well-naturedly, ever grinning as she did so.
"For once I'm in agreement with Kay," George spoke up in a light sighing frown, facing his smirking Cavalier sister before re-turning to face the silver-haired Lord ahead of him. "It's not the first time you've expressed this concern Lord Selthris."
"Still!" Ulric called out from the front of the pair he mentored, turning his brown moustached and goatee on the young Cavalier behind him. "We should always respect our lord's wishes!"
"No...," their commander finally spoke in response, disagreeing politely with his captain's retort. His silver-haired head shook lightly in emphasis before he continued on, turning his silver eyes back on the trio behind him. "Kay's probably right," Selthris smiled very wanly in response as he faced the three. He merely turned his head back slowly to face the Aselian fields before him, his tired eyed expression and the light silver stubble dotted around his face gave credence to his fatigued state. Though he raised his eyes back up to watch before him he continued on. "I wish I could say I was-" He began again before stopping his words mid-stream, his eyes widening as he did so.
Though their horses all clopped together in slow rhythm, the listening trio all exchanged looks together before turning back to their superior and questioning him.
"What's... wrong, Lord Selthris?" Ulric called forward quietly and concernedly, raising a brown eyebrow upwards as he did. However when the three all shot their heads up to trace his staring they found what he was proverbially shocked at; not far from their position was a veritable army of yellow-shaded soldiers.
Sohanthian colours...? They thought to themselves as they watched the sheer intimidating number. Clearly they were engaged in a competition or duel to the death with their own defence unit at the castle gates.
"No...," Selthris mouthed out a second time (and this time in a different sense entirely), his eyebrows lifting upward alongside the widening of his eyes. "Not again!" The young Lord exclaimed suddenly exclaimed as he slammed his white boots into the sides of his horse; the creature let out a single whinny before acquiescing to his request, rushing forward in a sudden bound forward. Without a word of their own, Ulric shot his own horse forward along with his two sub-ordinates, easily following behind him.
Using his deft footwork and speed, Selthris easily leapt high into the air using his horse's saddle, allowing it to gallop away to safety. Pulling back the sword he once used in his fated confrontation, he narrowed his eyes down at the group of amber armoured soldiers before widening them and shooting down toward them at top speed, encased in a blue lightning aura. The soldiers, finally taking notice of the young rogue Lord, all turned and began to yell above even the din of their own at the frontlines; their own war cry.
"There's another intruder!"
"It's the king! The king's not missing; the intel is wrong!"
"Everyone; the king's attacking!"
The soldiers' fallen words were lost to the side-flipping Lord; as he passed and slashed at the throats of a few of them, he landed in a swift skid, putting on a firm frown. Selthris caught the sight of his captain rushing the group that he had just previously attacked with his silver lance, joined by his two sub-ordinates and their horses. Merely giving the trio ahead a final look he abruptly bent his body backward to athletically evade the Soldier's steel lance stab; in his counter-attack he grasped at the man's wooden side of his lance, pulling him in. Utilising his sword he stabbed him as soon as he had pulled the poor man in, causing a gurgle of pain before he swiftly dropped to his knees in response.
Selthris used the man's fallen steel lance to vault off of; he pulled down at it and dropped it to the ground as he side-flipped over the group of roaring Sohanthian soldiers. As he very briefly levitated in the air, his silver eyes caught the surprised-expressed Leo staring back at him in the centre of the army. Edgar stood next to him, fighting with an enemy Soldier.
"Leo!" He thought to himself urgently before narrowing his silver eyes down where he stood; he swiftly began to turn his body 'round and 'round, almost like a screw. Covered in a lightning aura of Aegir his very body and face were lost to the common eye, instead in their place a hunk of chirping thunder and lightning. Finally the human-screw of electricity dove toward the group of soldiers just a few steps away from the Axe Fighter and Mercenary in question. The Sohanthians let out an exclamation of pain and terror as they were engulfed in an unnatural electrical soup.
As Selthris finally landed, his Aegir shroud dissipated and with it, he slid across the ground in a 180 angle, body bent back down as he frowned hard at the soldiers ahead of him. Landing just between his two companions he swiftly stood back up and twirled his sword around his arm, smacking his back-fist with the grinning Leo.
"What took you so long?" The Mercenary asked as he casually walked along beside the young man, twirling his own iron blade around his right arm, grinning. Selthris couldn't help but grow a very small grin of his own in response to his closest companion.
"Highwood were in need... actually."
"That's... great to hear boss but...," Edgar strained from the the pair's right before he expelled forth a yell of effort, smashing his iron axe into the ground. Breaking his weapon struggle with the gasping Halberdier before him, he sent him tumbling back before letting loose a roar of effort as he smashed the ground once more. This time he brought the very earth itself up to swallow the poor Halberdier, easily killing him. With one final gasp of effort and growing fatigue, the young Axe Fighter turned on his heel to join his pair of comrades and companions, running his free left index finger across his nose as he did so. "We could seriously be doing with some help here." He finally finished his sentence in a tilt of his long-haired head, standing between the pair in a trio formation.
"Why is a Sohanthian force here?" Selthris merely questioned out as he parried an incoming Soldier's running stab before grunting as he tripped him up with a sweep. "Have they...," he began again before grunting with effort as he twirled his sword around and stuck it through the man's exposed neck, drawing crimson fluid. "Has their commander spoken yet?"
"Nope!" Leo exclaimed back in response as he abruptly tilted his body to the side in a skilful evasion; a Soldier's similarly sly stab attack whiffing. Using his increased strength, the Mercenary grunted once more as he hip tossed the Soldier over his crown, rolling backward as he did.
"But we think..." Edgar started from the other side, effortlessly following the sailing and yelling Soldier that his companion threw. He shot his iron axe upward to catch the unfortunate defenceless man before roaring with effort as he coated his weapon in Earth Style Quintessence. The Soldier let out a high-pitched holler of terror as he widened his eyes at the fast approaching ground.
DROOM
The ground swallowed up once more to fit the poor man a coffin and, as he pulled his iron axe back in a skilful twist, Edgar used his free left hand to wipe at the healthy sheen of sweat across his forehead.
"That he's here somewhere." The Axe Fighter finished eloquently as he stuck his iron axe up across his broad shoulders; an old habit.
"And next on 'obvious things to say'...," Selthris murmured back in reply, tilting his head to the side sarcastically before swiftly leaning his body to his right in a deft evasion. The Soldier that attempted to stab him lunged further forward in a gasping show of whiffing, wincing worriedly. Leo couldn't help but chuckle in his direction, clearly amused by his words whereas the listening Edgar merely rolled his eyes in response. "All right...," he began again before spinning his body around to approach the poor, slower Soldier. With a final but hard smack across the man's helmeted head, he sent him sprawling to the ground unconscious. "Then we'll have to search!" He exclaimed as he turned swiftly on his heel to block the next incoming Soldier on his right.
Edgar snapped his narrow-eyed head 'round to glare at the struggling pair before suddenly tossing his iron axe for the pair. As Selthris double-took in its direction he swiftly ducked his head to his left side to avoid the boomerang-style attack; the Soldier unfortunately was not so lucky. The iron axe struck him across the face and though most of the blade missed his flesh, it still sent him spinning backward in place, giving the young Lord room to breathe once more. As Edgar raised up his free left arm he caught his weapon skilfully, shooting the speed Lord a low smirk.
"Appreciate it," Selthris couldn't help but exclaim out in a laughing grin before turning his attention back on his enemy. With little subtlety this time he leapt forward in a sudden double-drop kick, sending the yelling man sailing back the way he came, crashing into the similarly howling soldiers. As Selthris rolled himself backward to recover, he twirled the sword he carried as he spoke next. "Faster we identify the commander-"
"Faster this is done!" Leo answered for his best friend as he swiftly rolled himself across a grunting Soldier's back. With deft athleticism, he spun himself around in an Aegir infused swipe, sending the grunting Soldier sprawling away. Still spinning, Leo ended his twirl with a grin in the Lord's direction before finishing. "Right?" He asked almost rhetorically, eliciting a listening grin from the younger youth. Selthris nodded.
"Right!" He exclaimed back in response before suddenly ducking once more to evade a pair of stabbing Soldiers behind him; he growled as he spun his body around in athletic recovery, his leg coated in lightning Quintessence. It struck the gasping men painfully, sending the two men bowling into separate gaggles of similar soldiers, breaking ranks and all.
"Meet back here in ten?!" Edgar called over his shoulder as he blocked a growling Halberdier's steel lance. Though Leo listened he waited for his commander's words, his authority essentially stripped.
"Yeah, sounds good!" Selthris called over his own shoulder, nodding before turning back to face his portion of the enemy soldiers. Spinning his sword around his arm expertly he allowed the lightning Aegir that usually encased him to spark and chirp very briefly, as if to warn his enemy as he took a few steps forward.
–
4
Even as he leapt around the desperate soldiers' attacks he attempted to keep from killing them, holding back some strength from his reserves. Though Selthris was once filled with hatred and anger three years past, he had tried somewhat to atone for his wrong ways.
He could still remember the words of the fabled one he had once met and how hard they hit to home.
Before he could ruminate any further on his concerns however, a flash of surprising steel yanked him out of them; his silvery eyes snapped over to a sword descending down upon him at top speed. Swivelling his own sword around diagonally upwards to block, he successfully caught his sneak attacking opponent mid-way in their attack. The pair of swordsmen were given gifts with their similarly glaring faces but when he saw his attacker, Selthris couldn't help but to drop his scowl in favour of a surprised frown, his eyebrows lifting to match his widened eyes.
A woman.
Her long ebony hair was tied in a neat ponytail, spilling across her slim back and she wore a very run-down and ratty brown battle tunic. Many scars and other blemishes were dotted across her otherwise homely countenance. Her sky-blue eyes stared directly into his dull silver, similarly curious looks around their faces.
Selthris quickly noted her tunic's colour and when it wasn't yellow he seemed to realise.
Was she with Sohantha? Or against them?
As if to answer his question however, a running Soldier to their right caused the woman to rip her gaze from his before leaping off of him and smashing her boot into his face, sending him sprawling. Selthris watched her go, his silvery eyes still widened.
Well... that answered that, he thought to himself.
With that lasting, final rumination, the youth snapped his narrow-eyed scowl on the approaching Soldier and parried his running stab with his sword. Gasping as he was sent tumbling forwards harmlessly, Selthris spun around his side with a back-fisted smash against his helmet, sailing him unconscious towards the ground. As if to answer his own attack however, the unnamed woman behind him shot into the situation around the Soldier's front before sticking her steel sword into the man's exposed sides. She flipped him 'round in a painful grunt, growling as she yanked her weapon out from his gut, blood spilling as she did. She turned her blemished and scowling face on him, as if annoyed.
"Confirm the kill!" She barked over at him, eliciting a surprised frown in response; Selthris could only stare at her for a brief second, unused to being talked to in such a direct tone. "Why aren't you killing them?!" She shrieked over at him angrily, briefly facing him before turning back to face down multiple Sohanthian soldiers. Selthris couldn't help but shake his head in a self-dismissive low grin.
Whoever she was, she was right.
But he didn't want to just kill these men if he could avoid it.
As if to finally answer the pair however, the ground began to shake and violently with each pressing tremble. Selthris, his uneasy ally and even the Sohanthian soldiers themselves stopped moving entirely to all gauge this new intruder.
Stepping out from a huge group of amber armoured soldiers was a notably differently shaded man. He stood in the sunlight, smirking as he folded his arms down at the standing pair. Selthris and his new, unnamed ally stood side by side, watching the large moustached man carefully. Seemingly a General, he let out a low chuckle as he regarded the hard-frowning Selthris, arms still folded.
"So... you must be King Selthris of Aselia," the unnamed General began in greeting before he dutifully yet mockingly bowed forward at the youth, drawing derisive laughs from listening Sohanthian crowd. The ebony haired woman next to him couldn't help but turn to look at him, as if surprised; Selthris merely glared wordlessly back at the General, raising a curious silver eyebrow up at him. "A pleasure to meet you."
"And you are?"
"General Guskov of the Third Brigade," he introduced himself as he pulled his body up from his bow, resting an amber armoured arm on his waist as he did so. "And I see you-"
"Get the fuck out of my home."
The surprised pair snapped their eyes and their heads 'round to the, thus unnamed woman that chose to abruptly interrupt them. Though Selthris could only raise his silver eyebrow up at her in surprise, the narrow-eyed General Guskov was less than entertained. He regarded the glaring young woman with a haughty, raised headed frown.
"What makes this... woman...," Guskov began in response, curling his lip in obvious disgust at the similarly scowling Swordmaster. "Think that she can speak among men?" He asked as if rhetorically. Though Selthris rolled his eyes in impatience to open his mouth in response, the black-haired Swordmaster opted to reply to him instead.
"Because only Aselian women give birth to real men." She shot back, half angrily and half insulting though not without her firm scowl. General Guskov exchanged his annoyed and growing scowl with hers in a quiet space of a few seconds. Sensing the growing tension in the air, Selthris opted to step in between the two and stood leant to the side as he frowned back at Guskov.
"Why are you here?" The young Lord opened with simply, asking the question that was burning on his lips since he had re-arrived. The General's brown eyebrows shot up in surprise at the new notion being presented forth before swiftly raising up his left hand to crinkle at his brown goatee, a low grin on his lips.
"Empress Sohantha has asked us to wipe Aselia from the map," the older General merely shot back, as if he were asked the simplest question ever. "That is all, dear king Aselia." He ended in a knowing chuckle, eliciting similarly low chuckles from his quiet army around him.
"Empress Sohantha..." Selthris murmured in low-frowning thought, his brow furrowing lightly. His forehead creased as he thought of his year-long odyssey and the people he had encountered, including the woman General Guskov had mentioned. She was certainly a strange woman, he thought, but not one that would order destruction of nations to satisfy for her own ego.
Surely...?
"Yes, our empress," the General spoke softly in his bold claim, his arms still folded at the youth. "Truth be told you weren't even supposed to know."
"Oh no?" Selthris asked in a low growl, his old anger returning to him as he regarded the superiorly smirking Guskov. The older General chuckled as he replied.
"Mm," he merely intoned out through his throat before turning his head around to regard the large group of Sohanthian men that had crowded 'round. "What say we have a go?"
Selthris raised a curious eyebrow, his suspicious silvery eyes darting around the watching and silent Sohanthians, as if to confirm his words.
"I'd love to see that reputation of yours from the Burning War...," Guskov began in his thick Sohanthian accent. "Oh son of Sathryon." He finished out with a low chuckle. Though Selthris tore his eyes away from the watching crowd, he couldn't help but regard them around his surroundings as he leant his body to the side, glaring at his enemy.
"A duel?" The young Lord questioned as he raised a curious eyebrow upwards. The General laughed, eliciting his unit around him to erupt into derisive laughter of their own.
"What else?" He derided in his superior smirk. Selthris exchanged his suspicious frown with the man before finally nodding in response. Guskov raised up his head with a low smirk, as if satisfied. The Sohanthian soldiers all began to roar together in a resounding war cry. Leo emerged from between the roaring Sohanthians, curious faced with his companions lagging behind him and all. As he approached the glaring Selthris, he raised an eyebrow at the scene.
"Sel, what's ha-" Leo began as he turned to face his close companion before double-taking at the long black-haired woman standing just a few steps away from the Lord's position, glaring over similarly at the scene before her. "Who the hell are you?" The Mercenary questioned uncharacteristically rudely, turning his mixed surprised and curious frown on her. The Swordmaster turned her scowl on him before merely shaking her head dismissively at him, swiftly returning her attention to the scheduled conflict before her. Leo could only blink back in response before turning back to exchange his unsure shrug with the approaching and frowning Edgar.
"So... what are your terms?" Selthris spoke up this time, leant to his right, eyes narrowed at his opponent. Guskov's side smirk curled upwards as he listened before opening his mouth to retort.
"If I win in our confrontation...," the General soon began as he took a step forward and bowed for the youth, as if mocking somehow. "Then you will come with me to Sohantha... alive and well."
Selthris re-raised his eyebrow curiously and suspiciously. "And if I win?"
"Name your conditions."
"Your forces leave; every single one of them." Selthris suddenly shot back in reply. A swift silence soon slid down for the watching army and the staring pair before, the wild card in the back interrupted.
"No!" She called over, an annoyed tone to her words; Leo couldn't help but wince in reply as he stood next to her, surprised and all. "You can't trust his word!" She roared over angrily, calling the frowning Selthris to turn back and face her briefly.
"Someone shut that woman up," Guskov warned in an annoyed growl, his smirk gone from his face temporarily. "Now...," he began again, growing his small grin once more as he reached behind him for his weapon; a massive Hero Axe. "Your terms are agreed upon... oh king of Aselia."
Selthris merely stared back at his new opponent wordlessly before unsheathing the longsword he had once received from his sister, three years past. Gripping it with both arms, he bent his body low; an old habit.
"Sel!"
The young Lord turned his head 'round to face the similarly frowning Leo.
"Be careful... all right?" The Mercenary breathed over concernedly, drawing a simple frowning nod from the youth.
"Now... son of Sathryon...," General Guskov breathed out as he twirled his Hero Axe around his left arm expertly, grinning lowly as he did so. "Show me the lost strength of the world's greatest soldier!"
Surprising the usually speedy youth, the large bodied General before him suddenly leapt at him with a deft swing of his Hero Axe; Selthris quickly bent his body to his right to avoid the broad swipe before using his swift footwork to spin his body around to the large man's undefended side. Though Guskov widened his eyes in surprise he could do nothing in time to block or evade his younger opponent's counter; Selthris grunted as he struck the gasping General across the back of his unprotected head. The shock surprised him and, as he stumbled forwards, he barely managed to catch himself on the ground with both arms in time for his opponent's next attack.
The super-fast Lord soon re-appeared from the man's top right, as if from no-where; he shot his Hero Axe diagonally upwards to block the youth's lightning infused strike and found himself grunting with effort as he was sent skidding backward from the impact. Snapping his head around him in a well-educated guess, General Guskov turned his angry scowl around to his undefended rear to find the zipping young Lord chirping into materialisation behind him, easily pursuing him. Swinging his broad axe around, he let out a boisterous and battle-crying laugh as he smashed his weapon with the grunting and hard-faced Selthris.
CRASH
An intense mix of their Aegir auras meshed together, Selthris stuck in mid-air limbo and the contrastingly grinning Guskov, his free left arm clenched at his side as he stood legs far apart. The ground and the air around them grew intensely violent with the screams of the Sohanthian soldiers and the ground shaking similarly fiercely. Those closest to their lightning and wind natured auras were forced to raise up their arms to keep from being blown back, the sheer force of their strength too much for the common soldier to handle.
Finally however, the grinning Guskov got what he desired; the laughing General widened his eyes as he managed to force the narrow-eyed Selthris retreating back; the Lord was sent back-flipping in his opposite direction, landing on one of the many surrounding Sohanthian soldiers' shields. The two glared at one another in contrasting expressions, Selthris' scowl to Guskov's grin, before the young Lord deftly vaulted off the grunting Sohanthian's armour. Seeming utilising his Wind elemental Quintessence, Guskov gave obvious pursuit and as Selthris watched him from his higher position, he seemed to be planning something. Though the General could not be sure, he laughed anyway as he swung his body around in conjunction with his Aegir in a wide and broad razor-wind swipe. His attack seemingly struck true and, yet, no blood or even clothing was drew. The General widened his eyes as he recovered from his attack in his spin before gasping in sudden realisation when he saw the young man's body flicker.
"No!" He called out suddenly, eyes widening once more but this time for a different reason.
SMASH
From behind him, the scowling Selthris re-appeared, easily and surprisingly passing through the older man with an incredibly firm stab attack. Time seemed to slow down for the pair; as Guskov dropped his Hero Axe, he almost seemed to float through the air harmlessly, arms outstretched as if to wring his speedy opponent's throat. Pieces of his amber armour dropped in chunks from his pierced defences alongside the crimson colour of his blood. As Guskov stared directly ahead at the similarly levitating Lord, when he turned his silver-haired head around to glare back at him, the General's eyes widened once more as he realised his intent to follow up his attack.
Suddenly disappearing from the common eye, Selthris very soon re-appeared in multiple different locations, dotted around the gasping and harmlessly falling Guskov. By now, the Sohanthian military surrounding them had stopped calling in support for their leader and had fallen quiet, allowing the rest of the audience to watch in silence. Guskov's eyes darted around his position to find himself surrounded, not by the Aselian military but by his one opponent. Seeming clones of the scowling young Lord levitated in mid-air, waiting for him to fall at a specific height to continue their attack.
Finally, answering his concerns, the speedy silver-eyed swordsman shot off in all directions, lightning Aegir coated in every stab, slice and slash. Guskov couldn't help but grunt and gasp in the blinding pain; the electricity piercing his wind-elemental defences. Seemingly and finally ready to deal the finishing blow, Selthris' copies dissipated and the original himself re-appeared high above the wide-eyed General.
"No..." Guskov barely managed to growl out between the pain and blood, shaking his scowling head as he did so but it was far too late; the similarly grimacing Selthris bulleted earthwards at top speed.
DROOM
The intense strength of his lightning Aegir caused a mixing sound of an explosion and an electrical chirp as he quite literally shot through the yelling General's already exposed chest. Time seemed to slow down once more for the poor Guskov as he stared directly skyward, his tearful eyes widened; he could only cough once in a show of pained effort, blood violently escaping from his mouth.
As Selthris dropped back down to the ground, he gave one single flip before landing, opting to raise up his hand. His sword shot back down straight after him and the hard-scowling youth merely grabbed it by its loyal hilt, turning his gaze overhead as he did so. Time returned to its normal flow when Guskov finally crashed to the Aselian field in a painful show of grass, rock and smoke. A few uneventful seconds passed between the silent audience and the two duellers before, finally, the smoke cleared and when it did, a resounding battle-cry rent the air firmly.
The morale-filled war cry, revealed to be the Aselian military dotted around the area in watching, began to turn their wordless appraisal to a chanting of their scowling king's name. The Sohanthians all exchanged looks, as if unsure on how to react or proceed from this point. Badly wounded and covered in broken pieces of his own armour, Guskov could only cough once more when the dust settled, turning his blurry gaze upward at his firm-frowning opponent.
"I-Impossible...," the man could only manage out in his pained stammer. Selthris merely stared back down at him, his eyes narrowed in his leant position. "I am... one of... the empire's..."
"You remember our deal... don't you?" Selthris interrupted softly with as he frowned down at the older man below him. Guskov's eyes widened in response as he listened intently. "You're badly wounded... but you'll live," he began again as he narrowed his eyes down at the man. His words seemed to interrupt the roaring Aselian military and they stopped calling to listen also. "Leave... before I change my mind." The Lord intoned downward at the man, drawing an angry but assenting scowl from the General.
"You idiot!"
The young Lord snapped his silver-haired head around to his rear to find the woman he was previously engaged with scowling back at him, hands clenched together as if furious. The wide-eyed Leo at her side grunted as he attempted to grab her by the sides of her arms, as if to pull her back from interfering. Uncaring of his attempt, she struggled regardless and scowled over at the listening Lord.
"Don't just leave him!" She advised over angrily in her similar scowl. "Kill him!" She ordered, eliciting a raised eyebrow from him in response.
Who was this woman, he thought.
The bloody and gurgling chuckle of his fallen opponent caused him to turn his head back however and, as he did, he frowned down at him.
"You won't be able... to run... far e-enough...," Guskov began lowly in a satisfied sounding chuckle, his eyes temporarily shut as he smirked. He re-opened his eyes to smirk back at the frowning Selthris. "Leaving me alive like this...," he admonished quietly as he shook his head dismissively up at the youth. "You have no idea the h-horrors our e-empress has... planned for you!" He managed to finish out-with before erupting into gurgling and blood-filled laughter. Selthris stood over the the fallen General, eyes narrowed in his low and thoughtful scowl. He hovered over him for a few more seconds before finally opting to turn on his heel and walk away from him, allowing breathing room for his sub-commander to come and assist him.
Though he had won the engagement, Guskov's words stayed with him for months to come.