Chapter 7: Holy City Antea
You arrive at Antea as the sun begins to set. The light glints off the large structures, giving their white stones a beautiful rosy hue. The main gate stands before you, an imposing, double portcullis of iron. It stands open, but several guards stand before it, armed with halberds. One eyes you suspiciously. Rain lands. "We are Holy Knights of the Trine garrison, with dire news. Carcina has invaded."
The guard steps back in surprise. "W-What?" He turns and points his halberd at Dan as it lands. "T-Then why is he here?"
"He's the one who warned us about the attack. Now, please let us through. We must warn the captain of the guard." The guard moves his eyes back to Rain, but keeps his halberd facing Dan.
"I... I can't let a Carcinan knight into the holy city! He might be a traitor, or a spy, or... or..."
You step decide to step in and convince the guard.
(A) Intimidate
(B) Logic
(C) Empathy
(D) Make Dan wait outside
(E) Screw it. Put an axe in Dan's back.
(F) Screw it. Put an axe in the guard's head.
"Look. This man risked his life to bring us warning of Carcina's attack; in fact, he was very nearly captured and killed. Without him, we would have been slaughtered. Because of his actions, we have a fighting chance, a chance to rally the defenses of Antea. He is a hero, yet you treat him as an enemy. Every second you stall us is another moment the true enemy draws closer! One of my dear friends sacrificed herself to let us bring you this message. Please, you must let us through, we must be heard..."
The guard stands indecisively for a moment, before slowly lowering his halberd. He turns to Rain. "Will you vouch for him?"
"I trust this man with my life."
"Very well. Proceed. But leave your... lizard outside." Shard growls slightly.
"He doesn't like being called a lizard," Bud says, stroking Shard's head as he dismounts. "It's OK boy, he's just nervous. Wait out here for me, alright? Why don't you see if you can find a nice tasty deer or something?" You aren't sure how much of that Shard understood, but he takes flight with a roar, heading for the forest. The rest of your group leads their mounts to the guardhouse stables.
A soldier leads you into a doorway built into the city's wall. Though the wall itself is only a few feet thick, a narrow flight of stairs goes both upward and downward. Glancing up, you see several perches for snipers with small slits for firing at invaders. The soldier leads you downward, into a surprisingly large, underground room. Several tables are set up, and more doors open up from this room, and you realize you are standing in Antea's barracks. Several soldiers have gathered for dinner, and Rain dismisses most of your group to join them, keeping you and Dan as the soldier leads you down a small tunnel.
A short distance from the mess hall, the soldier stops in front of an office. He salutes to Rain, and leaves your group. Rain knocks on the door. A gruff voice calls from inside. "Enter."
As Rain opens the door, you see a room, reinforced with white stone, polished to a blinding sheen. Shelves are lined with carefully arranged books, maps, and models. A simple, tidy desk is in the center of the room. A woman, around Rain's age, sits in the chair. Her long, blonde hair flows behind her back, and her piercing blue eyes quickly scan your group. "Captain Rain," she begins, in a surprisingly deep voice. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" If she's actually getting any pleasure from this meeting, her tight-lipped expression does not reveal it.
"Dire news, Lady Charlotte. Carcina has launched an attack on Trine, and a defector has informed us they make for the capital."
The commander does not react. "And you're sure about this?"
"Ma'am! Trine was under siege when we left. Their cavalry pursued us far up the road to Antea, before we eliminated them. I can only surmise they are indeed targeting the capital."
She closes her eyes for a moment, before turning to Dan. "I assume you are our defector?"
Dan tries his best to emulate the Valerian salute. "Yes, ma'am."
"And why did you try to warn us?"
"My mother is Valerian, and I hoped to avert the war entirely."
"I see. Captain, who is our third friend here?"
Rain places a hand on your shoulder. "A mercenary... well, she was a farmer until just recently... Anyway, she's the one who rescued Sir Dan when his defection... turned south, shall we say."
"So, why have you brought her to my office?"
"Because, she is willing to fight, fiercely loyal to her friends, and a clever strategist.
For several minutes, you discuss numbers, time, and strength with Rain, Charlotte, and Dan. You approximate 200 soldiers are currently stationed in the capital, while a force of just over 1,000 Carcinans march from the south. It is estimated they will arrive within two days. Rain suggests calling on other towns for aid, but Charlotte points out how thinly the Holy Knights are spread. It would take several riders around two days to rally a sizable force, perhaps 600 more fighters, from the nearest towns.
Regarding the town's defenses, 2 catapults are positioned over the main gate, but are vulnerable to air attack. Murder holes are installed around the entirety of the city wall. The northern side is surrounded by impassable mountains. The main gate defends the southern side. The west wall has a small gate and drawbridge, with a small river flowing just outside the wall. The east wall has nothing but forest, which approaches right up to the wall. The city's stockpile of food is sufficient to outlast a siege lasting up to 3 weeks. If no call for help is dispatched, help will still likely come eventually.
After what feels like days of discussing weak points and strategy, Charlotte places her elbows on the table, folds her fingers together, and rests her chin on them. A slight smile of amusement crosses her face. "Well, the optimal course of action is clear to me. Out of curiosity, I'd like to know what our friend here would do..." She gives you a curious look.
(A) Begin stationing additional troops on patrols, and have everyone on high alert
(B) Send a small team to harass the enemy's main force and decrease their numbers
(C) Send for help immediately
(D) Some combination of the above
"Well... I would definitely step up patrols, but we've got to send a call for help. Even if we can only get a few extra men, we'd be in a much better position... I mean, a wall's only as good as its defenders, and it would be difficult for 200 men to watch the entirety of this wall. Even Holy Knights need sleep..."
Charlotte gives you a genuine smile. "Just so. Heh... Captain Rain's always been good about surrounding herself with good people... At any rate, you're dismissed. You three should go get some food and head to bed. It seems you've had a rough day, and tomorrow's not looking too much better. I have preparations to make..."
By the time you return to the mess hall, dinner is over. Your friends have already finished their meals and retired to the bunks. A lone knight sits at a table, 3 bowls of soup around him. "Hah, there y'ar! I was startin' to think ol' Commander Charlotte had taken her axe to ya or something! Now get over here and eat yer soup before it gets any colder!" He wears a bright blue suit, which you recognize as the underarmor several of the knights in Trine wore. His short hair is a mixture of black and grey, and he sports a magnificent silver beardstatche.
"Holland?" Rain runs up and throws her arms around him. "You old coot, don't tell me they haven't kicked you out yet!"
"HAR! You're no spring chicken yourself! And these guys finally realize what a treasure I am, they've got me training new recruits!"
"You're kidding! That's fantastic! Oh... June, Dan, meet Holland. I trained with him, years and years ago. Oh, it's been much too long..."
The meal is interesting, to say the least. Rain's more animated than you've ever seen her, retelling stories from her days as a rookie Holy Knight. Holland's jovial laughter brightens your mood, and you even notice Dan smiling a bit. As you finish your soup, Charlotte walks in.
"Party's over, you four. Lights out in ten, I need you at your best tomorrow. We need to prepare to receive our guests."
How are you planning to spend the day tomorrow?
1: Work with the archer teams to stockpile ammo for the catapults and archers
2: Work with the axe teams to trim the trees on the west side
3: Scout for the enemy with the flying teams
4: Familiarize yourself with the town in case things go south
5: Reinforce the eastern gate with the others
Also, pick... Ho boy. 13 supports.
(A) June/Bud B
(B) June/Syrene C
(C) June/Agni C
(D) June/Walt C
(E) June/Javce C
(F) Rain/Alyssa C
(G) Rain/Dan C
(H) Rain/Walt C
(I) Rain/Holland B
(J) Bud/Alyssa C
(K) Haley/Wendy B
(L) Haley/Agni C
(M) Haley/Dan C
(N) Wendy/Agni C
(O) Wendy/Dan C
(P) Ferris/Alyssa C
(Q) Jessup/Syrene C
(R) Jessup/Agni C
(S) Agni/Jayce C
(T) Dan/Holland C
(U) Walt/Jace C
(V) June/Haley B
The next morning, you are assembled in the mess hall. A tall man in long, dark-green robes similar to Doran's enters. His short, dark hair accentuates his narrow, dark eyes and pale skin. His glare sweeps across the room. He pauses on you for half a second, and a chill runs up your spine. He stares into the center of the room, and begins speaking in an emotionless monotone.
"Commander Charlotte has filled me in on the situation. Cavalry has already been dispatched to rally our forces. Fliers, I want you scouting south for the enemy host. Archers, I want you preparing the main gate's defenses. Mages, axe wielders, trim back the trees to the west. I am... disappointed they were allowed so out of control. Everyone else, reinforce the east gate. The enemy will be here before tomorrow night, but we will be prepared to fight them before sunset. You have your orders. Dismissed."
He turns and leaves, arms locked behind his back. "Er... Who was that?" you ask Haley.
"You don't know Horatio? Oh, right, you're only a mercenary - I mean, not that there's anything wrong with being a mercenary. He's the archbishop's right-hand man. He handles logistics, strategy, troop movement and training... He pretty much runs Valeria. Archbishop Saul trusts him completely, so he's given a lot of leeway. He may seem a bit scary, but he's actually really concerned about everyone's well-being. I think he's just so uptight because he's got so much to worry about, it's got to be hard having an entire country's economy and defense and all that depending on you." Well, that was a surprisingly thorough explanation.
Rain comes up to you after the meeting. "So, June, you aren't really a Holy Knight, so you don't have to go trim the hedges if you, say, wanted to join me on the scouting team..."
"Hm..." You consider your options. "I've always been good at chopping trees, but I think I should acquaint myself with this town first. I've only been here one, as a really little girl, so I don't exactly know the layout. If I'm going to be fighting here, I need to know how to get from A to B, right?"
"Oh..." You can tell Rain's disappointed. "Yes, I suppose that's true. Well, if you change your mind..." She gives a slight wave as she turns to walk away.
"I bet you could get a really good look at the town from the air," Haley says. "And it wouldn't be a problem for me to make a quick sweep before I head south... Want to take a little ride?" You smile and accept.
After a quick breakfast, you meet Haley outside at the stables. You join her on Fare, and he quickly leaps into the air. Haley takes you low and fast over the town, pointing to buildings and spouting random information. She almost crashes into a steeple while she tells you about how delicious the cake at a certain shop is. You start to feel sick by the time you come in for a landing near the central temple. "I... guess you know this town pretty well..." you stutter. "I noticed you weren't even watching where you were flying half the time..."
"Well, yeah, I've flown through this town so often I know it like the back of my hand. Huh, when did I get that scar... Anyway. I was trained in Antea. All Holy Knights are. It's where I met Fare! And Wendy and Rain!" You realize the town's defenders are likely largely trainees. "Anyway, I've got to get back to the scouting mission. Have fun exploring! And tell everyone that Haley says hi!" With that, she takes to the sky.
Haley strikes out over the south wall, and arrive just as several of the other knights are taking off. Wendy pulls up next to her. "Where were you, Haley?"
"June wanted to explore the town for a bit, so I gave her a tour. Do you think we'll have time to stop by that bakery later? You know the one, the one with those little honey cakes..."
"Ah, yes... They also sold oat cakes, if I recall. I remember Caed really... loved them..."
"Oh... Wendy, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to... Er..."
Wendy pauses for a moment, then shakes her head. "I was careless. I made a mistake, and my mount paid for it. I lost a close friend that day... But I learned that I have to be stronger. Faster. Smarter. I've grown a lot since then." She manages a smile. "You've grown, too. I noticed you've been taking better care of Fare lately."
"Yeah, but it's thanks to your tutoring. I've always loved flying, but I guess I haven't always been considerate of the reason I'm able to fly. But you, you taught me that Fare's my partner, not just some tool, not some pair of wings or something like that. He's a living, breathing creature. And a total sweetheart, besides!"
Wendy gives a slight chuckle. "Well, you're certainly learning. Come on, we better hurry up, the others are getting ahead of us." She spurs her mount on, flapping south against the slight breeze. Beneath them, the archers scurry along the south wall.
Jessup helps Syrene roll a large barrel up a ramp. "What's... in this thing, anyway?" he manages to grunt out.
"It's... What do you call it? Pitch..." she replies. "For the catapults... You set this barrel on fire... ugh... then you... um... fling it. Fling it at the enemy. And it kind of... splatters. Splatters them with pitch... And since it was on fire, and pitch... hurk... burns so well... it makes them burn, too... So, you get a bunch of... burning enemy soldiers... Around wherever the barrel... er... lands..."
Jessup stops rolling, a horrified look on his face. "That's... horrible! Who would make something like this!?"
Syrene braces against the barrel, barely able to stop it from rolling back down. "It's war... I mean... How is it different from when Agni... you know... throws his fireballs at people? It's just... slower, I guess."
Jessup recovers, and rejoins in pushing the barrel. "I... guess. It just seems... scary, you know? Burning to death seems like a pretty awful way to go..."
"That's... true, I suppose. It wouldn't be my first choice... Hm... What would be the... ideal... way to die?"
Alyssa pipes up from the ledge above them. "Well, isn't this a cheery conversation? You better not be putting any ideas into his head about dying. I won't let him."
Bud grabs her shoulder and tugs her back. "Don't lean over the edge like that. It makes me nervous."
"I'm not going to fall," she says with annoyance, throwing his hand off. "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights? Ha... so that's why they're rolling the barrel up instead of our big guy."
Bud nervously glances over the edge. "I'm... weary. Careful. No point in falling to my death when plenty of Carcinans are coming to help me with that."
"Heh. You make it sound like you think we'll lose."
"Nah, of course not... But I doubt we'll all make it through, y'know? Everyone's luck runs out eventually."
"That's defeatist talk! Luck's a skill, like strength or speed. You just have to train it."
"That's... crazy talk."
"Want to bet? Tell you what. Tonight, we'll play some cards, I'll show you what I mean." With a mischievousness grin, she jumps over the edge.
Alyssa casually walks away from the bottom of the wall, glancing up to see a panicked Bud peering over the edge. She sticks her tongue out with a wink, and strolls off.
"That was a pretty impressive jump you did there," a voice calls out to her. She turns to see Ferris lying against a tree. He jumps to his feet. "You're agile. Really agile. I'm always looking for new training partners, I'd love to see if you can match my speed..."
Alyssa raises her palms. "Whoa, no thanks, Ferris. I'm not much for fighting... Fighting fair, at least."
"Hm..." Ferris scratches his chin. "That's true..." He cocks his head, eyeing Alyssa carefully.
"Er... I don't like the way you're looking at me..."
"Tell you what. You don't have to fight me fairly. I can't expect all opponents to fight fairly... So I need to train for... unforeseen circumstances. Tell you what. I'll carry a blunted sword for the rest of the day, and you can try to catch me off guard. Heh... This could be pretty fun..."
Alyssa slowly backs away. "Er... Right. I'll definitely be coming for you... later... Heh... Heh..." She laughs nervously as she moves away. Ferris grins back, laying back down, and pulling his headband down.
"Looking forward to it..."
Walt and Jayce are in the stables. Walt is clearly in a sour mood. "I can't believe they didn't send us with the rest of the cavaliers... We need all the men available at our disposal to gather reinforcements if we want any hope of victory tomorrow..."
Jayce leans against a beam, slipping a biscuit from his pocket. "Well... They must have figured we'd be exhausted from the trip up from Trine. And we are. I am, at least. Just be grateful for the break."
"But if my actions could save even one life... I need to make it up to Lane, make sure her sacrifice-"
"Walt. Cool it. Let me spell it out for you: if you're exhausted, you're not going to be any good to anyone. The best way you can help right now is to rest up, and make sure you're at your best when it really counts. And I swear to Naga herself, if you start blaming yourself for that girl's death, I'm going to beat you senseless."
"But, it was my-"
"Of course there's more you could have done to save her, now that you have time to think about it. In the heat of the moment, there was nothing you could have done. No one thinks that fast."
"...I still feel responsible. But, thanks for trying to cheer me up."
"You'll feel better, with time. Just... promise you won't do anything rash."
Rain gently touches down, and Dan thuds into the ground behind her. "Anything?" he asks.
"Nothing yet... If my estimates are right, we'll come up on the enemy host about half an hour south of here. But I figured this would be a good place to take a quick break for lunch." She slides a pair of sandwiches from her bag, and hands one to Dan.
"Thanks..." he mutters.
"Hm? Something wrong?"
"No, it's just... You've been so nice to me. All of you. And you've barely known me a full day."
"Well, of course. I mean, you risked your life to warn us and all..."
"Yes, but you were so... quick to trust me."
"You seem like a pretty nice guy. A bit... grumpy, perhaps. But a good guy. Now, hurry up and finish your sandwich. We need to get back in the air. Better to find the enemy than have them find us, you know?"
"...Yeah."
You wander the streets for several hours, making a rough map of the city. The street layout is relatively simple, with all major roads stemming from the central temple and smaller streets connecting the major roads, like a spider web. You observe the fortification of the east wall. They are lining the base of the river with wooden spikes and creating wooden palisades just inside the wall.
You cross the town along the northern perimeter, inspecting the wall. You are unable to find any obvious weaknesses, and a quick trip to the top of the wall reveals what appears to be an impenetrable mountain pass, though you think that if any enemy fliers survived, this would be the ideal place to cross, while your archers were busy to the south. As you approach the west wall, you look down to see several men hacking at trees. You spot a familiar face. Agni happens to glance up, and he gives you a wave. You see a rope ladder hanging down from the wall, and you decide to climb down to say hello.
"Hello, Agni. Hard at work, I see."
"Yes, I am working very hard. These axe men are felling the trees, then I am burning off the leaves and the unnecessary things, and then we are loading them onto the carts. They are being taken off to being used at the east gate, I am believing." So that's where they were getting their wood.
"Smart. Not only do they deny the enemy a potential resource, they gain one... Heh. I used to chop wood for a living, you know."
"No, I am not knowing this. You have not been telling me much about yourself at all." You realize you haven't really had a conversation with Agni before.
"Well. I can't say I'm all too interesting. I grew up on a farm, taking care of animals when I was little. I used to watch Pa chopping firewood, and I'd always try to help him... I guess I eventually got strong enough to actually use his axe, and... huh. I don't really remember why I decided I'd rather chop wood than take care of the animals. Maybe because it was... harder. More demanding. I figured I should handle the hard work and let Pa take it easy in the fields. Smells better, too."
Agni gives a slight laugh. "Yes, I am agreeing that the woods are smelling much nicer than the stables."
"Oh, listen to me ramble on about myself. I'd like to know a bit more about you, Agni. I mean, you're a traveler, right?"
"Yes, I-"
Charlotte appears, holding an imposing axe. "Cut the chatter. These trees aren't going to cut themselves. And you. Rain's little protege. Where've you been this morning? We need all the help we can get."
Agni gives you an apologetic smile. "I did not mean to get you in trouble. I will be saving my story for another time, yes?"
You spend the rest of the day hacking down trees under Charlotte's watchful eyes. You are surprised to see her tearing into trees with the best of them, perhaps better than the best of them.
You return to the barracks as the sun is fading. There are still a handful of trees near the west wall, but all are too short to reach the top of the wall, or too flimsy to support a human's weight. As you enter the mess hall, Bud greets you.
"Hey, June. I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now, I just couldn't... I just wanted to say I'm real sorry about your pa..."
"Oh... Bud... Um... Thanks..." You feel incredibly awkward. "It seems like we haven't had any time to talk lately..."
"Yeah... Not like back on the farm. We were always hanging around together when we weren't busy working..."
"Yeah. Heh... Remember the time you were practicing with your bow, and you hit the ol' bull with an arrow?"
"Ugh... Don't remind me. That monster nearly gored me. I swear, til the day it died, it was always giving me the evil eye. And it ain't like you never got in trouble. Remember the time you chopped down that tree, and a beehive fell out? And then you get home, and your clothes are all soppin' wet?"
"H-Hey!" You can feel a slight flush in your cheeks. "If a bunch of bees were chasing you, you'd dive in a river, too." The two of you share a laugh. "...I miss those days..."
"Yeah..." Bud adds sadly. He pats you on the shoulder, and you pull him into a hug, before realizing everyone's staring.
"Er... I'll... Talk with you later Bud." You don't even want to know how badly you're blushing.
You grab your dinner, and head to find Agni, hoping to finish your chat from earlier. However, you find him chatting with Wendy. "You are... very good with the animals, yes?"
Wendy gives him a questioning look. "I suppose... Though there's always more to learn. But maybe I can help you. What do you want to know?"
"What can you be telling about pegasi? We are having almost none in my country. But they would be very useful in crossing the sands."
"Ah, so you're from the eastern desert, then? Well, it's possible to breed pegasi anywhere, or just about, but they do much better in cooler climates. I think it may have something to do with how they fly, something like the heat interfering with their feathers or something... But that's just a guess."
"Yes, we are having very many heat updrafts and dust tornadoes. I can seeing how that may make flying difficult... I am having one more question."
"Yes?"
"Why are pegasi so... preferring women over men? I am hearing they will not be letting men ride them alone, and I was noticing your pegasus was very unhappy to be carrying me, even with you around..."
"To be frank, I'm not sure. It's well known that pegasi prefer women, but I've never been able to find a satisfying answer as to why..."
You decide to leave them to their chat and find somewhere else to eat. You spot Haley, and go to thank her for giving you the tour earlier. She spots you first. "Oh! June, over here! Come sit here! I was just talking with Dan about his wyvern."
"Yes, she was... barraging me with questions."
"Well, I haven't seen a wyvern before Shard! He's really cool. And his scales feel really neat. He looks like he'd be cold and kind of gross, but he's really smooth."
"I found her hugging Shard earlier... I'm kind of surprised he didn't eat her."
"No way, Shard's a giant sweety! He's like a great, scaly puppy. Can I ride him sometime?"
"Er... I suppose I could take you up for a quick flight sometime..."
"That's awesome! I love flying, but I've never ridden anything besides a pegasus. Oh, this is so exciting, isn't it June!?"
You give her a weak smile, and pat Dan apologetically on the back. "Oh, Haley. Thanks for earlier."
"Oh, that? No problem. Hey, once we're done fighting, Wendy and I are going to go celebrate at that bakery I showed you. You should come, too!"
During dinner, Rain and Holland are constantly surrounded by soldiers pestering them for stories.. You manage to catch a few snippets.
"And then Rain runs to grab the commander..."
"And Holland's just stuck hanging onto his lance. I don't even know how he managed to get it stuck in a tree, or why he thought using his lance like a ladder would be a good idea..."
"Hey! There was a cat up there, and that little girl was really upset. I had to do something!"
"Yeah, and he didn't even realize... I just jumped on my pegasus and grabbed the thing. And before I could even get it back on the ground, his lance starts snapping..."
"Alright, I'll admit it, I shouldn't have been wearing my armor to climb a tree, but the lance was a good idea. It's not my fault if I'd already weakened it when I smashed our commander over the head during training!"
Everyone seems in good spirits, considering what tomorrow will bring. Charlotte appears, and you expect her to send everyone to bed early, but instead she stands in the corner, trying to hide a slight smile on her face as she listens in with the rest of the group.
Slowly, everyone begins trickling to their beds. When Holland announces that men his age need their rest and takes his leave, the dam breaks, and most everyone leaves. You notice Alyssa playing cards with Bud, and Rain gets stuck speaking with several soldiers. As they leave, Alyssa excuses herself and walks up to Rain.
"Rain."
"Alyssa? How can I help you?"
"Do we have any hope? Are we going to lose tomorrow?"
"Of course! There's always hope, Ali. Why would you even ask that?"
"Because. I've seen people die for narrow hopes before. Miners digging into risky veins and causing cave-ins..."
"Oh, I see... Don't worry, Ali. We have a huge advantage inside these walls. And these are Holy Knights, not some simple town militia. They're well-trained and well-armed. I saw the enemy's force earlier today, and they seemed to be mostly raw recruits and soldiers."
"Yeah, but are your knights good enough to win 5-on-1?"
"We won't be outnumbered that badly. Reinforcements should be arriving tomorrow evening. 700 Holy Knights in a heavily fortified city? Carcina will need way more than 1000 soldiers."
"...All right. But if I think things are going south, I'm grabbing Jessup, and I'm running."
"I understand. Family means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"...Everything."
"Well, just remember, we're your family, too." Alyssa opens her mouth to respond, but closes it just as quickly. She pulls her hood over her head and stalks up the stairs.
Choose who will be deploying where when the enemy attacks. There are 6 places that you can deploy your forces. The Holy Knights will be deploying at the south gate and east gate, with a token force in the central temple.
North: NONE
West: Dan (split)
South (top): Dan(split), Jessup (w/physic), Syrene, Agni
South (ground): Walt, Jayce, Holland (currently NPC)
East: June, Ferris
Center: Alyssa, Charlotte (NPC)
Council Chambers: Saul (NPC), Horatio (NPC), Council (bishops/priests/monks, NPC generics)
Patrol: Haley (all), Wendy+Bud (North/East/South)
Fall back to center if gates are breached
Charlotte steps up patrols around the town. She also sends the fliers back out to track the enemy host; they return mid-day and report the enemy will likely arrive just after sundown. Charlotte orders all but a skeleton crew to rest until an early dinner, then prepare to fight all night if necessary. During the day, the gates of Antea remain sealed, only opening to allow in a few refugees, villagers and traveling merchants who were lucky enough to flee the advancing Carcinan host.
The mood at dinner is somber. Everyone knows this could be the last meal they eat, and even Holland's jovial laugh is not enough to brighten everyone's spirits. As the sun sets, you take your positions. You go with Ferris to the east gate, along with a small force of 50 knights, soldiers, and archers. Somehow, Rain has convinced Charlotte to give you command.
Charlotte takes a force of 10 of her best troops to the central temple. Alyssa joins them, though she glares when she's forced to split from Jessup and Syrene. The council and Archbishop Saul, as well as his confidant Horatio, wait in the temple's upper chambers.
Walt and Jayce stick with Holland at the south gate. Jessup, borrowing Rain's physic staff, Syrene, and Agni man the battlements above them. Dan is instructed to fly over the south, but occasionally check the west wall. Rain and Haley are chosen to fly messages among the various groups and assist where needed. Wendy, with Bud uneasily seated behind her, is tasked with searching out the enemy fliers, especially keeping an eye on the north wall.
You stand on the battlements as the sun sets. A half-moon hangs low in the sky as you catch your first glimpse of the midnight-black armor of Carcina's vanguard. Haley flies low towards you. "The enemy has begun their attack on the south gate. Well, they're actually just standing outside of the catapult's range chopping at some trees. Probably making a battering ram or something. Anyway, a small force, probably about 100 of them, split off earlier, it looked like they were heading this way." You nod in appreciation, and Haley spurs Fare back toward the central temple to continue her rounds. A cool wind blows from the northern mountains.
(A) Keep the drawbridge up, your archers on the battlements, and your knights and soldiers on standby behind the palisades. Defend.
(B) Lower the drawbridge and draw them in. Put you knights in front. Have the archers attack from the palisades and battlements.
(C) Same as B, but take the frontline with Ferris.
You decide to let the enemy make the first move, and order you troops into defensive positions. You just have to last until morning...
You grab a handaxe as you peer over the battlements. The enemy force approaches, and you a quick count tells you there are a few more than Haley thought, probably around 150. They do not approach the gate, but rather go to work felling some large trees. In the gloom, it is difficult to tell exactly what they're building. You see they are working on two different structures, but both are hidden behind a wall of troops.
After several minutes, the enemy force turns. One of the two items is very obviously a bridge, but even if they manage to place it, your drawbridge will block their path. The other is some sort of shell. An archer standing beside you mutters something about turtles under his breath. Most of the enemy's force stays back out of range, while a handful form up inside the turtle. Dragging the bridge behind them, they slowly approach the wall. You hesitate for a moment, before calling for fire arrows.
The archers around you reach for specially prepared arrows, dipping them into torches and setting them ablaze. "FIRE!" you call. A stream of 20 flaming arrows whizzes by, most connecting solidly with the enemy's turtle; however, they bounce off harmlessly. After a moment, you realize why: it's been covered in animal pelts.
A glow underneath the turtle catches your attention. Suddenly, a fire arrow streaks out, impacting the drawbridge. It gutters out without the bridge catching fire, but another arrow flies out, then another. At this rate, even the damp bridge will catch fire eventually.
(A) Signal for reinforcements
(B) Lower the bridge, lead a team to take out the turtle
(C) Lower the bridge, defensive positions
(D) Defensive positions, wait for the enemy to breach and launch a counterattack
(June's route delayed until deciding what to do with the reinforcements; POV shift)
Shard flaps lazily over the battlefield. The south gate seems to be holding. Earlier, the enemy had attempted to send a battering ram at the gate. Fire arrows didn't work, but a flaming barrel of pitch sent by the catapult set the thing ablaze. Now, they've fallen back and seem to be coming up with a new plan. The immediate threat past, Dan turns his mount to check on the west wall.
A figure moves along it. Dan wonders what a Holy Knight would be doing on the west wall when the south and east are under attack... Was he assigned a special patrol or something? No, Rain, Haley, Wendy, and I are assigned for patrols, why would someone else be sent? Dan notices the man is carrying something, something rolled up...
(1) Attempt to sneak in closer for a better look
(2) Call out to him
(3) Leave him be, he seems legit
(4) Attack!
(5) Report the man to Rain first
Dan decides to get a better look before making any decisions. He sends Shard into a glide, slowly descending on the man. Dan is right on top of him by the time he looks up, and he's already seen the man's cargo. A rope ladder. The man drops his bundle and reaches for a dagger, but Shard already has him in his claws. There is no fight, no struggle. Dan jumps down to investigate the man, only to realize he was one of the refugees that was allowed into the city earlier. He jumps back on Shard, grabbing the corpse, and hastens to find Rain.
653... 654... No, this still isn't adding up... Alyssa stands and thinks for a moment. "Cha- Commander Charlotte. Does this temple have any secret passages or something?"
"None so far as I know. Of course, that would be highly confidential information, and I doubt many besides the archbishop himself would know of them. And not something you should be poking your nose into."
Alyssa stands with her hands on her hips. "This isn't right... Now, if I were an entrance..." As Charlotte is distracted by Haley coming in to deliver the latest reports, she slips behind the organ. "Let's see... If my counts are right, it should be right... around... here... Ah!" She slides open a false wall, revealing a small passage. A ladder ascends upward - that'll go to the council chambers - and a narrow, dark path descends slightly downward towards the north.
(1) Close the wall, don't mention it. Don't want to be accused of treason or something.
(2) Better check this out. Slip in real quiet-like.
(3) Leave the wall open, suggest posting a guard to watch the path.
(4) Borrow a knight or two and go see where this leads.
"Hey, Charlo- Commander. You mind lending me a knight or two? I want to check out this tunnel." Charlotte turns around to face Alyssa, then her jaw drops in surprise. "Yeah, I found the secret passage. We need to make sure there aren't any enemies lurking about in there."
Charlotte pauses, collecting herself. "I told you not to poke around..." She sighs. "Well, any other time, I'd have your head for insubordination. But we just received word that spies have infiltrated the city. So... Grab two knights and check it out. It's probably pointless saying this, but I'd prefer if you didn't find out where the other entrance is." Alyssa smiles, throwing a cheeky salute, before grabbing a soldier and a knight by the shoulder and shoving them into the tunnel.
You stand over the east gate. More and more arrows are thudding into the drawbridge. The knights under your command are growing impatient, and you can hear them murmuring dissent.
"Why is she in charge?" "Just some farm girl..." "No idea what she's doing." "We're going to die..."
You know you need to at least make it look like you know what you're doing. "Er... Lower the drawbridge halfway! We can at least make it a harder target, maybe that'll buy us some time..."
The drawbridge is lowered partway, and the enemy stops firing for a moment, confused. Once they see the bridge stop partway, they continue their fire arrow barrage. However, fewer arrows are sticking into the bridge, most bouncing harmlessly off into the river below. You've bought some time, but you still need to make a decision.
(A) Signal for reinforcements (add B, C, or D to decide how to use them)
(B) Lower the bridge, lead a team to take out the turtle
(C) Lower the bridge, defensive positions
(D) Defensive positions, wait for the enemy to breach and launch a counterattack
Wendy and Bud glide over the north wall. A pair of dark figures is just barely visible on the horizon. Before she has time to thing, the two lunge at her with a roar. A wyvern rider and a wyvern lord, both carrying a passenger. Wendy avoids their initial lunge, but the lord's lance passes uncomfortably close to Bud.
Bud nocks an arrow, grips tight with his legs, and leans back to fire. His arrow strikes the wyvern rider in the head as he passes. He slumps over, and his wyvern comes back around with a roar. With no rider to keep it in check, the beast's rage throws the other passenger - a knight, from the looks of it - who crashes through a roof below. Wendy easily dodges the beast, jamming her lance right below its wing. It falls to the ground with a roar, but does not rise again.
Wendy comes around on the lord, now following behind it. She takes out a tome, and casts a fireball toward the wyvern. It catches the passenger in the back, and he screams in pain before slipping off. Unlike the first general, he finds no soft roof to break his fall, instead smashing into the stone path with a metallic thud. The wyvern lord pulls a quick turn, throwing an axe that Bud shoots out of the air. Instead of attacking, it flies past Wendy quickly, retreating over the north wall.
(1) Pursue the wyvern lord
(2) Investigate the fallen general
(3) Split up
"Signal for reinforcements," you tell an archer. You turn to address the troops under your command. "Defensive positions! We lower the bridge and fight on our terms! I want some palisades shoved out onto the bridge as cover from those archers. Knights in front, soldiers backing them up! Archers, prepare to volley on my command!" Your words aren't met with any cheers of adulation, but the knights seem ready to fight. A single arrow, wreathed in green flame, flies up behind you.
"Heh... Finally, some action. I was getting sick of just sitting here getting attacked." Ferris, seemingly asleep a minute ago, jumps down the stairs three at a time. You follow as the bridge begins to clank into position. As the bridge touches down, you see the enemy already moving into formation to attack.
"Let's get some palisades on the bridge, now!" You begin shoving the wall alongside a pair of knights, while Ferris advances to the front of the bridge, slowly drawing his blade. You manage to get one of the wooden barriers out onto the bridge, and take up places behind it. Ferris nimbly sidesteps a pair of arrows before casually strolling to join you. "Here they come..." As you watch through a slit in the palisade, the enemy forms into a narrow line and begins to march.
Wendy flies down, gently landing on the roof. Bud dismounts and peers into the hole. A spear flies out, barely missing his head as he jerks back. He readies his bow, and Wendy dismounts as well, tome and sword in hand. Wendy glances into the room quickly. The general has barely managed to reclaim his feet, and seems to stagger under the weight of his armor. "Distract him," she whispers to Bud, circling to the other side of the hole.
Bud looses an arrow, which embeds itself in the general's shoulderplate. The general responds by whirling towards Bud, throwing a spear. It misses, stuck in the ceiling, and Wendy takes the chance to hurl a fireball at the general's back. He stumbles forward, clutching at the red-hot steel. Wendy seizes the opportunity to leap down, sword thrust beneath herself, driving it through the weakened steel, firmly into the man inside's back.
The threat dispatched, she notices a whimpering sound from the corner. A little girl is huddled in the corner, a look of horror on her face. "It's alright, little girl..." Wendy begins. "The bad man's gone now. Now, go, find your mommy. I have to go make the other bad men go away with the rest of the Holy Knights, all right?" The little girl nods, and runs out of the room.
Commander Charlotte curses under her breath. What was that fool of a farmer thinking, lowering the bridge and inviting the enemy in? A pegasus knight enters the chapel. Red hair, gold armor. Haley. "What news?"
"The east wall team's suffered some casualties, but they're giving much better than they're taking, Commander!"
"Hm... Well. If it's working. Tell her that reinforcements will be arriving shortly, and to close the gate as soon as she forces the enemy to retreat, or she manages to smash that damned turtle." Haley salutes and dashes out. That thief's been gone too long. Charlotte considers sending more troops after her, but decides the tunnel must just be longer than she thought. Maybe all the way to the northern mountains. She posts a few of her troops to watch the tunnel, gives them a torch to help them see. Well, nothing to do but wait for the next bit of news. If we can just hold another hour or two...
Rain bursts into the temple. "Commander! Oh, gods, it's... You've got to come to the south gate, now!" For Rain to be losing her cool, this has to be bad. Charlotte barks some quick orders to her troops and dashes out.
You bring your axe down onto the head of a soldier who was foolish enough to stab you with his lance. You chop through the shaft, leaving the head in; there'll be time to patch it up later, when there's not a line of Carcinans waiting to put another in you. The next soldier to step up, you side-step his thrust, countering by shoving him off the bridge into the spike-lined river. Without breaking your stride, you spin forward, driving your axe into the sage behind him. Looks like the enemy finally sent some troops in to deal with your palisade.
When the enemy approached, they began by trying to pick off the bridge defenders with arrows. When your forces ducked behind the palisade, they sent in the soldiers. Your archers have been picking them off as quick as they can, the enemy archers unable to fire through the wall of enemy soldiers. Yours, however, would have to try to miss the mass of enemies. You're worried you may not be able to re-raise the bridge due to the sheer volume of dead soldiers, but at least they're slowing the enemy's advance.
Ferris cuts into a mercenary who tried to flank you, rejoining your side. Twice you've sent him to the rear with wounds, and twice he's returned. Apparently a few healers were sent your way, including one council member who decided he couldn't simply sit to the side while others died in his place. "Don't tell me you're getting tired already? You've only killed, what, 20 or so?" You smile as you block an enemy's axe with your own, before Ferris stabs under your arm, catching him in the gut and ripping his blade free. "Don't forget, I owe you a decent meal before this is all said and done."
The tide of enemies suddenly halts as a horn sounds. The enemy forces hesitantly begin to fall back, and you order your archers to hold fire. You set your ground troops to clear and lift the bridge, with a few to dismantle the enemy's turtle and bridge. The enemy host continues retreating towards the south. You hesitate for a moment, unsure of what to do. Haley flies in with an answer.
"June! Oh, this is really, really bad! We need you at the south gate, now!"
"What's going on?"
"The enemy's taken hostages and they're threatening to kill them if we don't surrender!"
(A) Go through the fort, inside - join up with the others and ask about the situation
(B) Go around the fort, outside - see if you can sneak in to rescue the hostages
You order a handful of troops to hold the gate, leaving the archers with several signal flares in case of emergency. Just as you're about to jump on Marth to ride ahead of the others, but a hand grabs you. "Ahem." Ferris points to the spearhead still stuck in your chest. He reaches over and rips it out, and a healer he'd brought with him patches you up. "I'll meet you at the gate," he concludes as you take off.
As you come up to the gate, several somber faces greet you. Charlotte, usually measured and calm, is scarlet-faced; you can practically see the steam coming from her. "What's going on?" you ask.
"Hostages..." Charlotte speaks through gritted teeth. "They've got a couple of villagers, maybe 3, and merchants, plus 2 of our knights, and your thief friend..."
Rain pats her on the shoulder. "They're threatening to kill them if we don't open the gates and throw down our weapons. Or bring them... the Archbishop's head... Ugh..."
"Time's running out!" a voice booms. "I know all about your reinforcements, and I know they'll be here before too long! You have 5 minutes to let us in before they start dying, starting with this girl here!" You look out the gate, and see the wyvern lord, the same one who you encountered when you found Dan. Wendy recognizes him as the one she let escape. But you aren't concerned with that, you're too busy staring at Alyssa, perched precariously in front of the dastard. She doesn't seem scared so much as angry, occasionally lashing out at the knight with bound hands.
Charlotte paces back and forth, releasing a particularly choice stream of obscenities. Rain looks completely panicked, an expression of horror frozen on her face as she attempts to calm her commander. Holland stands to the side, a downcast look on his face, waiting for someone to make a decision. You spy Syrene on the battlements, shaking with rage, while Jessup clings to her, his body rocking with sobs.
Reinforcements could be here any minute, or they may be hours away. The enemy still has around 500 troops, while you have just about 120 left.
(A) Surrender
(B) Attack, prioritize rescuing the hostages
(C) Attack, prioritize creating confusion
(D) Create your own strategy
D: The healers Fortify spam the hostages while any mages we have blast anything around them with magic. The first burst that goes off is the cue for everybody to rush the enemy.
"We're getting them back..." you say. "Rain, do we have any of those... those staves, the ones that you can use to teleport someone to you?"
Rain snaps out of her daze. "Rescue staves... Yes, of course, rescue staves! We've got a few down in the armory ...But, they won't work while the enemy's holding onto the hostages; if they let go for a minute, we can-"
"All we have to do is create a few feet of space, right? All right then. We're going out there, and we're going to bring them back."
Charlotte seems to have calmed down a bit. "Heh... Risk all our lives and the entire town for 3 villagers and a thief? Well... It is the duty of a Holy Knight to protect all those who are unable to protect themselves. Archers! Mages! Prepare to volley! Load catapults! Priests, standby with physic, fortify, and rescue! The hostages get first priority, but don't hesitate to grab a knight if they're in trouble!"
Holland smiles and slams his spear across his shield. "There's the Charlotte I know! Let's take the fight to those dastards... Hiding behind defenseless villagers! PAH!"
"Rain, coordinate the air unit. I'm heading to the battlements. Holland, lead the foot soldiers, protect the cavalry's line of retreat..." She looks at you apprehensively for a moment, before sighing. "June... Lead the cavalry."
"Yes, commander! Walt, Jayce, on me! All other cavalry, follow us in! We make for the villagers!" Charlotte nods approvingly before climbing to the battlements. The wyvern lord flies low before the gate.
"Blond hair, white robes... I take it you're the captain of the guard I've heard so much about? So, ready to surrender, or do I need to drop this girl fi-" His speech is cut off as an arrow strikes him in the throat. A fireball strikes his mount a second later, and it goes crashing to the ground. You watch Alyssa falling...
Just as she's about to hit the ground, golden rings begin to appear around her. You resist the urge to look away, and she disappears in a white flash. You glimpse up the battlements, and see her land on her back. Jessup lowers a staff you've not seen before, before running to grab Alyssa. Before you have any time to celebrate, Charlotte begins barking order.
A few arrows fly toward the enemy, who were foolish enough to come into range, thinking themselves safe behind their hostages. A pair of flaming barrels crash down far from the hostages, setting several enemies ablaze. The gate opens, and you spur Marth forward. Two dozen other riders follow behind you, forming three small arrowheads. A host of foot soldiers follows you out in a column, mostly soldiers with a handful of mercenaries and fighters.
You head straight for one of the villagers, cleaving straight through two soldiers who try to get in your way, and trampling a third. When you reach the villager, you strike out with your axe, killing a soldier who tries to hide behind him. You grab him and yank him onto your horse as the other knights in your group create a gap around you. You turn hard and ride for the gate. A few soldiers attempt to stop you, but Holland's team smashes into their rear. You feel your load lighten and realize your villager has been rescued. You see Walt and Jayce's teams returning as well, two more flashes of light signaling their success.
Rain's team dives from on high. They land, spear some soldiers, and take off again. A pair of knights are struck with arrows and fall from their pegasi, but Dan swoops in and yanks one onto Shard. The other is pulled to safety with a rescue staff, an axe barely missing her head. Wendy and Haley stay hard on Rain's tail as she makes a dash for the two captured Holy Knights. She slashes the enemies guarding one, while Haley and Wendy help the other. The knight is successfully rescued, but a lance bursts through the soldier's back just as he disappears.
The foot soldiers are losing troops as the enemy presses their attack, but the cavalry is already safely behind their lines. Archers whittle away at the throng of Carcinans, but their numbers are just too great. You dismount underneath the gate as Charlotte orders your ground troops to fall back to the gate. Several soldiers rush by you as you hurl axes into the mass of enemies. As the last few knights make it to your lines, you form up, shoulder to shoulder, making a fearsome wall of armor and lance.
With the gate at your back and your friends at your side, including a rather annoyed-looking Alyssa, you feel a surge of strength as the enemies rush to meet you. Enemy after enemy rises to face you, but you strike each down. The others retreat every time they're wounded, another soldier stepping forward to take their place until they can patch their armor and wounds. Scores of enemies remain, but they seem to becoming increasingly desperate, throwing themselves at you with reckless abandon. It doesn't take you long to realize why, as a cheer erupts from the battlements. A strong gust howls as a dozen Valerian paladins charge through the enemy lines to join with you, while at least 300 foot soldiers encircle the enemy, slowly tightening a noose around them. As the Carcinan numbers dwindle, several throw down their weapons and drop to the ground in surrender; the few foolish enough to fight meet their ends on Valerian lances, or your axe.
You sit in a bakery with Wendy, Bud, Haley and Ferris. A red-haired woman brings you a cup of steaming hot tea and a slice of warm pie. Wendy slips out to giver her mount an oat cake while the rest of you chat. This is your unofficial celebration after the siege was broken. It's been a full day, a day of burning and burying corpses; you thought you'd have a chance to rest right after all that fighting. But today you have the day off, and you intend to make Ferris pay up on that meal he promised you. Rain has told you she has a surprise for you tonight, but that can wait. Now is the first time you've felt at peace since your trip to Trine.
You still stand in shock. When Rain said she had a surprise for you, you were expecting some kind of fancy-looking axe, a set of armor at best. Instead, she leads you up into the council chambers, to meet the Archbishop himself. Commander Charlotte and the tactician, Horatio, stand by his side. Saul is both shorter and younger than you imagined, with flaming red hair barely poking out of a fancy hat. He greets you with a warm smile, standing with his arms outstretched. Not know what else to do, you kneel. "Rise, my child. It seems we owe you a great debt. Not only did you lead the defense of the eastern gate - quite well, I've been told - but you dove into the heart of an enemy force to rescue a complete stranger. He's quite grateful, by the way, asked me to give you this..." Saul fumbles through his robe for a minute, before tossing you a small necklace.
Received Talisman!
"Anyway. I've heard that's not the extent of your valor, but it does exemplify what we look for in a knight. So, I've decided to make you a Holy Knight."
You stand in utter shock. "You... But... I... Can you even do that? Er, milord?"
"Ha ha, of course I can. I'm the archbishop! I mean, the council could have countermanded me, but it seems you've made some friends on the council as well." You notice one of the bishops from the east gate smiling at a table behind him. "Unless you don't want to be a knight?"
"No, milord... I'll gladly fight to protect my country!"
"Excellent. Well, I do need you to kneel this time." You take a knee. "Now, June of Heathside, daughter of Rowan... What do you fight for?"
(A) "I will be a sword, to smite Valeria's enemies!"
(B) "I will be a shield, to defend Valeria's citizenry!"
(C) "I will be a beacon, to guide Valeria to victory!"
"I will be a beacon, to guide Valeria to victory!"
Saul places a hand on your shoulder. "Well said. Now rise, Lady June, as a Holy Knight of Valeria." You stand, unable to hide the smile on your face. You feel a power surging from within...
June's Hidden Potential has been unlocked!
Hidden Potential is replaced with Tactician.
Tactician: Chance to temporarily increase an ally's stats, unlocks additional options
June has been promoted!
June
Class: Holy Knight
Weapons: Axe, Bow
Skills: Tactician, Prevail
HP: ****
Str: *****
Mag: ***
Skill: ****
Speed: *****
Def: *****
Res: ***
Luck: ****
"Congratulations, young lady," Horatio begins. "I wish we had time to celebrate with a big party and everything, but we've got a job for you."
Saul sighs. "You could have at least given her a chance to breath, Horatio. But he is correct, June. We need to counterattack quickly."
Horatio walks over to a map spread out on the council table. "I've been speaking with our Carcinan captives. Their attack was an all-out rush, hoping to catch us off guard and sack the capital. That's why they only fielded such a small force."
"That was a small force?" You can't imagine what Horatio would call a large force.
"The enemy could field about 10,000 troops if necessary." He points to a location on the map. "Anyway. The force was gathered here, in Fort Gagar... Having sent all its available troops, and most of the forces in nearby towns, the fort is now severely undefended. We're going to capture this fort, and use it as a foothold as we deploy into Carcina. That's where you come in. We'll need you to take a small strike team in to capture the fort before the Carcinans even realize their blitz failed, while we marshal our army."
Saul steps forward. "Since you've worked so well together, you'll be leading alongside Captain Rain. Any of your friends willing to fight with you should go as well, though we've few knights to spare. I'll also be sending Holland and one of our young acolytes with you."
Horatio points to a green region on the map close to fort Gagar. "I recommend sneaking across the border here, through Sefa Forest. There may be enemy patrols, and if they warn the fort of your approach, things will become that much harder. Even if there's only a few of them, entrenched enemies are a significant threat." He rolls up the map and hands it to you. "Again, my congratulations. We've prepared a set of new armor for you and your mount. Unfortunately, time is short, so it's not... perfect. It's nothing catastrophic, the armor on the joints is just a bit thin. We may have time to improve it, but perhaps you'd prefer if our smiths worked on that axe of yours instead?"
"We've also got new armor and weapons for all of your friends, should they desire it." Saul places a hand on your shoulder. "I expect great things from you, June. May Naga smile upon you in your mission."
New Character!
Holland
Class: Knight
HP: ******
Str: ****
Mag: *
Skill: ****
Speed: ****
Def: ******
Res: **
Luck: ***
Skills: Counter, charm
(1) Upgrade Axe
(2) Upgrade Armor
It's also time for unit upgrades! No characters need to be changed. Choose as many of as few as you want.
You bow to the archbishop and council, before excusing yourself to make preparations. Horatio calls out as you leave. "Have a good night's rest, young June, for your first official mission starts at dawn!"
As you climb down the spiral stair to the temple floor, you notice your friends and several of the soldiers you fought alongside waiting for you. Most of them are smiling; even Dan and Walt have the faint shadows of grins on their faces. Bud runs up and lifts you into the air, spinning you around into a bear hug. "Dagnabit, June, we all heard the news and came runnin'. Wish we could have seen it proper, but they wouldn't let us up... Still, this is so great!"
Several others take their turns to congratulate you. Your shoulders are getting sore from all the pats on the back and hugs. Haley practically tackles you as she shoves her way through the crowd. "We're like sisters now, June! No, we are sisters! Sisters-in-arms! Oh, this is so great!" You start tapping her shoulder to signal that she's cutting off your air supply. Eventually, you manage to make your way to the door, stating you need to get some rest for your first mission tomorrow.
Ferris, leaning against the door, raises an eyebrow. "Oh? They're sending you out so soon? Heh... Are we invited?"
You give a slight smile. "Heh... You can come, if you think you can keep up." Ferris laughs and waves you off.
Promotions:
Bud sniper
Haley falcoknight
Ferris swordmaster
Alyssa rouge
Jessup priest
Syrene ranger
Agni sage
Dan wyvern lord
Walt soldier
Jayce great knight
Holland general
We're going to knock out next chapter's supports now, because plot. This is going to be the end of Part 1, so choose 5. Eh... you did really well with that hostage situation, take 7.
(A) June/Bud A
(B) June/Syrene C
(C) June/Agni C
(D) June/Walt C
(E) June/Jayce C
(F) June/Holland C
(G) Rain/Haley B
(H) Rain/Wendy B
(I) Rain/Agni C
(J) Rain/Walt C
(K) Bud/Jessup C
(L) Bud/Syrene B
(M) Haley/Agni C
(N) Haley/Dan C
(O) Haley/Walt C
(P) Wendy/Agni C
(Q) Wendy/Dan C
(R) Wendy/Jayce C
(S) Alyssa/Jessup B
(T) Alyssa/Syrene B
(U) Alyssa/Holland C
(V) Jessup/Agni C
(W) Agni/Dan C
(X) Agni/Jayce C
(Y) Dan/Holland C
Bud and Jessup step out of the armory. Bud stretches in his new, thicker leather armor. "This is gonna take some gettin' used to..." He glances at Jessup jealously. "All they did to you was slap you in some fancier lookin' robes..."
"It's still quite a bit heavier than I'm used to. I think there's some kind of metal reinforcement hidden in it..."
"Really? Well, now that you mention it, it doesn't seem to be flappin' in the wind... I bet that'll keep you real safe."
"Y-Yeah! It's as good as the armor those big knights are wearing, I'm sure. And they gave me a crash course in tome-wielding... Now I can fight back! Ha... I'm going to be a one-man army!"
"Heh... I'll let you take point, then."
"Er... Maybe... I'd still like to... Uh..."
Bud slaps him on the back. "I'm just foolin'' with ya, Jessup. Don't worry, I'll make sure you stay real safe." He stops, seeing you approaching. "I'll see ya later, Jessup. Gotta say hey to June." He runs up to you.
"June? What're you still doin' up?"
"I was told I have to go to the armory to get my new armor fitted. Reinforcing the joints or something. And then I'm supposed to get some training with bows before they let me sleep."
"You're gonna be learning to shoot? Well, why didn't you just ask me to teach you?"
"To be honest, I'd rather learn from an old friend than some drill sergeant..."
"An old friend, huh..." He chuckles. "All right. I'll head over to the drill yard, you just stop by after you're done getting your armor all set. Gotta admit, it's a real pretty night for some... private practice with an old friend." For some reason, you feel a slight blush appearing in your face.
"Uh... Yeah. I'll meet you there, Bud." You step past him quickly, before he can see your cheeks. You see Jessup has been intercepted by Alyssa. You can't help but overhear part of their conversation.
"Jessup... Are you sure you're still set on going with them tomorrow?"
"Yes... I can't just stand by while our friends get killed. I've... I've got the strength to fight, and my stepping up could save someone."
"Heh... I've got to admit, you really saved me the other day. Another second or two, and I'd have been a splatter on the ground... I just want to make sure you understand: if we screw up, we can die. You've already seen two of our allies..."
"Yes, I know. And if I'd been stronger, if I weren't so..." He pauses. "How... How did they catch you, anyway? You were in the temple"
"Tsk. I found some secret passage, and went to make sure the enemy didn't know about it. I found the exit, and some wyvern lord just happened to be passing by. Swooped down from behind and grabbed me before I heard him. I saw his shadow, but by that point, it was too late..."
"Ha... Never thought someone would get the drop on you, Ali. You're getting sloppy."
"Yeah... I've got to step it up if I want to protect my little brother, don't I..." You continue on your way.
You enter the armory and find it bustling with activity despite the late hour. Armorers scurry back and forth with hunks of metal, and there's a constant clangor of steel on steel as the smiths pound red-hot iron into shape and patch up your old equipment. You notice Holland slipping into a massive suit of armor. You wonder how he'll be able to move, but as soon as the armorer gives him the go-ahead, he jumps a foot into the air, then does a pirouette.
"I love it!" he booms. "Though I wish it had a bit more room for the ol' mustache..."
Dan stands behind him, arms stretched as several men dart around him, taking a battery of measurements. "Ha... Never heard a man as worried about his beard as his neck!"
"M'boy, whiskers like THESE deserve protection!" He somehow causes the beard to bristle and wave.
"Uh... Well, that's actually quite impressive. But if you spent as long practicing with the lance as you did practicing that little trick, you'd be unstoppable."
"HAR! A man can't live on battle alone, even men like us. I was a lot like you when I was younger, but I've gotten a bit wiser with age. You've got to stop and take time to appreciate the little things, young Dan. You'll understand by the time you're an old coot like me."
Dan opens his mouth to reply, but a smith grabs him, and shoves his head into a helmet.
You're surprised to find Walt in the armory being fitted for a new set of armor. "Walt? You're getting new armor, too?"
"Yeah... I've decided to try fighting on the ground for a bit, get off the horse and see how it feels."
"This... This isn't because of what happened with Lane, is it?" Walt grows silent and looks down. "Look, Walt... Your horse panicked and threw her. It was all you could do to hold on yourself."
"That's... not exactly comforting."
"Er... Sorry. But think about those villagers you saved. Think you could have done that without your horse?"
"...You're right, I know, but still... I want to see how much I can do on my own power, I suppose. If that makes any sense..."
"Er... Sure, Walt. Just... promise me you'll be careful? I heard tale of a pair of knights that decided to try fighting without their mounts, and one ended up getting cut down the next day by a swarm of pegasi..." Walt gives you a confused look, but thankfully an armorer steps forward to start work on your armor, cutting the conversation short.
Rain, Wendy, and Haley fly over the city. "All right, ladies, let's run it again!" Rain leads a charge on a dummy planted atop a tower. As she strikes, Haley's pegasus vaults over hers, and she strikes in passing. Wendy releases a large fireball as the pair shoot out of the way at the last second, their wings barely clearing the blast.
"HA!" Wendy yells triumphantly.
"That's very good, you two. We'll call it a night, we've got a long road ahead of us. Dismissed!" Haley salutes and flies off, but Wendy delays for a moment. "Wendy! You've come along magnificently. It usually takes a knight a few days to adjust to a new mount, but you and yours have warmed up to each other rather quickly."
"He's a great pegasus," Wendy says. "Though I had some trouble figuring out how to use these tomes."
"It hardly shows."
"Thanks, Captain."
Rain giggles. "Well, now that you're back in the saddle, we're almost ready to unveil our fancy new technique on the battlefield. I'm sure it'll turn quite a few heads..." Wendy grins. "Now, come on. Off to bed, the both of you." Wendy's mount snorts in agreement.
Haley takes one last lap around Antea, just in case there's no time before she leaves tomorrow. She spots a lone figure sitting on the eastern wall, his red cape contrasting the white stone, and flies in for a closer look. "Ah, which of our pegasus friends is this?" a familiar voice calls.
"It's Fare and Haley!" she calls in response, landing near him.
"What are you doing flying at this time of the night? Is it not dangerous?"
"Aw, I know this city like the back of my hand! Besides, it's pretty bright out tonight. And Fare needs to get used to his new armor!" She indicates the spike he now wears on his head, and Fare flips his head, as if to show it off. "So, what are you doing out here, Agni?"
"I am watching the moon and thinking. In my country, it is painful hot during the day, and very much cooler at night, so we often do our travels in the moonlight. Yet here you long for the sun, and your crops die in the cold." For once, Haley doesn't seem to have a long, rambling reply, and merely tilts her head to the side. "It is... a balance, yes? Both sun and moon are necessary. And different places are needing them in different ways, and liking and disliking different weather. We are loving rain where I am from, but here it is often cold and unpleasant."
"Hm... That's... I never thought about that. So, you think the weather's going to be really different in Carcina?"
"Maybe a bit, but not too significantly. Certainly not as different as my home country."
"Huh... You know, Agni, you're really smart. You must get that from traveling so much."
"Yes, well, it is a rite of passage in my country. In order to becoming a sage, I am needing to travel, and learn. And... a voice speaks to me. Tells me I have learned enough, that I am ready."
"That's... good?" Agni nods. "Well, congratulations, then! So, you're a sage now? That's really cool! OH! We should celebrate!"
"I would be enjoying that very much, but unfortunately we have not the time. Besides, there will be an official ceremony when I return home, all of the wondering mages coming together to be receiving their sun or moon cloaks..."
Your force assembles at the south gate, a pair of wagons for provisions and unmounted troops in tow. Several knights and even a few important nobles and merchants come to see you off, cheering as you set out south. You notice most of your army is wearing new armor, and many carrying new weapons as well. Ferris has a second sword strapped to his hip, while Jessup juggles rescue, physic, and mend staves along with his new tome. Agni is using a heal staff as a walking stick, while Haley uses hers to wave goodbye to the crowd. Dan makes the most impressive entrance of all, leaping into the air, Shard roaring in his new armor. Dan himself wears a custom set of white, black-trimmed plate mail, bearing the insignia of Valeria on one shoulder, and the insignia of Carcina on the other.
Marth gives a shake, his new raiment clinking. You pat his head, noting your armor makes almost no noise as it moves. With a slight smile, you raise your axe, Rain raising her lance beside you. "Holy Knights..." she begins.
"Let's march!" you finish. A cool wind blows at your back as you begin the trek to Carcina.
End of chapter 7
End of Book 1: Northern Wind