Hello people and welcome to chapter 4 (5 if you count the epilogue)
This chapter starts near the end of the northern campaign and will involve lots of bloodshed, killing and Esdeath being Esdeath.
It should also be our last non-canonical time skip, so bear with me please.
As for the chapters lengths they should start to get longer as I enter canon storyline though I doubt any will ever get past 6000 words.
I do not own, in any way, shape, or form Akame Ga Kill or Harry Potter.
-T.G.O-
Chapter 4: When the Blizzard Strikes...
...A Kingdom Falls.
Harry's eyes snapped open at exactly ten minutes past five, just as they had almost every day for the last few months.
Esdeath would normally awake at five and she would be be out of their tent by the he woke up on the other side of the tent, leaving no chance of him seeing her before she was dressed.
It wasn't like Esdeath really cared if Harry saw her body, she wasn't that kind of woman from what he had seen, and she would have put in another tent anyway if she did, and Harry himself was rather immune to any form of embarrassment or self-consciousness.
That did not change the fact that Harry was still a twelve, almost thirteen, year old who had recently entered puberty. His own lack of understanding with emotions may have prevented him from actually understanding what he was feeling, but didn't stop him from feeling the effects of puberty none the less.
So he found it easier to just ignore all the odd feelings and strange bodily reactions.
Thus he woke himself up ten minutes after his roommate.
Shrugging away his thoughts, Harry climbed out of his rather drab bed and reached for his clothing, throwing them on with precision born from doing it many, many times before.
Stepping towards the entrance to the tent he stopped and cast an eye over himself.
A white, formfitting shirt covered by an equally form fitting white overcoat with its black collar folded down and the end reaching down to his knees.
A black belt around his waist and another black strap across his chest from shoulder to hip, holding his twin blades across his back.
Simple, slightly baggy white pants peeking out from under the overcoat before being tucked into the form fitting black boots that reached almost to the top of his shins.
It had been designed for him based off the ordinary military uniform of Esdeath's army, with a few of her own adjustments and tailored specifically for him.
Satisfied that there was nothing out of place Harry turned his eyes back towards the entrance of the tent and walked out with a confident step. Looking around the snow covered camp he noted the soldiers preparing themselves for the coming battle, before he turned his attention back towards locating Esdeath.
Not seeing her in the vicinity, he instead began the short walk towards the tent that was acting as their command centre and war room, the ends of his overcoat swirling around his legs as he moved through the camp.
Entering the command tent he noted several lieutenants standing around a table set up in the centre of the tent, before turning his attention to a group at the end of the tent where Esdeath was standing talking with the Three Beasts.
Nodding at the lieutenants as he passed he continued his brisk pace over to the small group.
Esdeath looked towards him as he approached, smiling as she saw him, her grin somehow completely lacking the sadism and bloodlust it normally held, a sight that was quickly becoming more and more common for him.
He never bothered to wonder why.
"Good timing Harry, I was just giving the Three Beasts their objectives."
At his name the Three Beasts turned their heads towards him, Liver giving him a nod of greeting while Nyau sent a little wave and Daidara shot a massive grin in his direction.
He nodded and gave a little grin in return to their silent greetings as he made his way to Esdeath side, turning his attention to her.
"Where will I be positioned? Has there been any changes in the enemy forces over night?"
Esdeath grinned.
"You'll be with me up at the point. As for the northerners, other than minor changes to their formations there hasn't been any noticeable changes."
Harry nodded his head in understanding. He had been expecting her answer as it was rare for him to be positioned anywhere except with Esdeath, though it still paid to made sure.
Esdeath was more than willing to punish him for anything he might do wrong.
She was very good at punishing people.
Of course for him in normally involved extra brutal training. Others weren't so lucky.
His thoughts were interrupted by Esdeath
"Come, we need to be ready"
She swept out of the tent, Harry following a step behind as they trudged through, or in Harry's case over, the snow towards the edge of the camp, nodding in greeting to the soldiers as they passed.
Leaving the camp behind, the two strolled to the top of the hill that overlooked the snow filled plains beyond, turning their gaze towards the massive citadel city wedged between the two mountains at the other end of the valley.
"The stronghold of the Northern tribes. You know, most people would go for a siege against such a fortified place rather than a frontal attack."
Esdeath glanced down at him with a smirk.
"Sieges are for two forces of remotely equal power."
She turned her gaze back towards the citadel, watching the distance soldiers preparing for the coming storm unware that they were already doomed.
"We are not on even remotely equal grounds. They will be crushed, their citadel broken before sunset. In the mean time they will act as entertainment until we return to the capital."
Had Harry had a better understanding of emotions and morals he would have been disturbed by the conviction and bloodthirsty sadism in her voice.
Unfortunately Harry did not have a very good understanding of emotions nor morals and Esdeath was the person he spent the most time around when he had a chance to learn such things. So instead he simple grinned up at her before turning his attention back towards the citadel.
"When will we begin? It looks like they may have something interesting planned. Are you going to wait till they finish preparing or…"
The sentence was left unfinished, it meaning obvious to the one person who was listening.
Her smirk grew a little larger as she gazed at the city. Harry knew her well.
"For now we will wait. Our own forces need time to mobilize as well, and a slow march will give them enough time to prepare something interesting."
It was left unsaid that having a large, well known and feared army march slowly towards you would be nerve racking for the cities defenders and would leave their own forces with more energy than if they had simple charged forth through the snow.
The things Esdeath would do to sate her bloodlust were endless.
Harry continued to watch the distant city as Esdeath turned back to the camp, looking her eyes gliding over row after row of grey tents containing her army, equally grey soldiers checking themselves over and preparing for the coming battle.
"We'll start marching soon enough. Come, I need to get the lieutenants to marshal the troops."
Harry turned around, following her gaze across the grey camp before falling in step behind her as they walked back the way they had come, snagging a chunk of bread as he passed by a small fire.
Following Esdeath back into the command tent for final orders Harry let his mind wander as he stood to her right, a single step behind her.
He had no need for orders or tactics, and would simple follow Esdeath's orders on the battlefield. It was doubtful he would do much more support her anyway as, though he had improved, he would still have trouble against groups of four or more soldiers in close combat, with his normal position in combat being simple staying near Esdeath and using his powers to keep people away from himself.
And poking people with pointy bits of ice.
He was good at that.
Nibbling on the bread in his hand until it was gone Harry reached up and pulled out the two blades on his back, an action that was completely ignored by those around him, and started checking the weapons over one last time, examining them for chips and imperfections that could affect their use in combat.
Meticulously checking the two swords over as the lieutenants began to file out to marshal their soldiers, he found nothing new and, satisfied with his examination, slide them back into their sheaths on his back and looking up towards his taller companion.
"Is it time to move out?"
She nodded and turned to leave, Harry once more following a step behind as they walked to where their horses were waiting, cutting a path through the soldiers swarming all around them.
In silence the two mounted their steeds and directed them in a slow trot up the hill they had been standing on previously, before turning back towards the camp.
Turning her gaze across her army Esdeath watched from above as her soldiers warmed around, masks and helmets in place as they began to put themselves into orderly lines and columns under the direction of the various lieutenants ordering them.
The whole thing was done in a kind whispered roar, the sound of hundreds of men moving around with barely a word between them, as the army organized itself into the unified force that was feared across the known world.
Esdeath rode forward a few steps as the Three Beasts brought their horses over, lining up to his left.
Harry gazed over the massive fighting force, ignoring the Three Beasts and zoning out the noise as Esdeath spoke to the soldiers, deeming it unnecessary to listen to when it help no real information or purpose beyond rallying the troops. He was already prepared for his task in the slaughter to come.
Hearing the roar of the soldiers down the hill below him he snapped back to attention, turning his horse alongside the Three Beasts and following after Esdeath, taking his place just behind her right side as they began the march, or in their case the ride, towards the enemy Citadel.
Behind them an army of grey, faceless soldiers began to move forward, steps synchronized as they marched forth after their General.
The army of Esdeath had begun to move.
They would leave only ash and ruin in their wake.
-T.G.O-
Numa Seika was many things.
A charismatic prince.
A brilliant leader.
The Hero of the North to many.
A skilled warrior with more than just a little bit of combat experience.
One thing he was not however, was a coward.
So when he saw the feared army of Esdeath marching into the valley from where he knew her camp was set up, led by the icy bitch herself, he crushed any semblance of fear he had for the coming battle, throwing on the face of the confident and charismatic man he normally was and looking at the men down before the Citadel.
It would not do to show his doubts and fears to the already strained and nervous soldiers.
Turning his eyes away from the approaching forces, Numa turned his gaze down at the rows of soldiers standing before the Citadel, far below him.
They had put just enough men on the wall to look like a legitimate defence, and it was, while the rest of his forces lay behind the walls, manning the hidden siege engines that they had managed to smuggle, piece by piece into the city and assemble within the city walls several weeks ago after the empire first moved against them.
With any luck they would hit the ice bitch and her dogs with one of the catapults.
He could dream, pretend they had a hope.
Making sure he had crushed any fears or doubt that may seep into his voice he open his mouth to speak.
"The Empires army approaches, led by the ice demon herself. They wish to steal our home from us, to enslave our people and crush our culture under their corrupt and twisted ways. We will not let this happen! We will crush the Empires forces and send them their general's head back in a bag, as a warning that we will not bow to them, now or ever!"
Numa shouted the lasted words and the soldiers all around him roared their approval.
They were hollow words.
"We will force the Empire from the lands that were rightfully ours. Then we will march onwards to the Capital itself and bring the hammer of justice down on them!"
The soldiers roared in approval once more.
Lies. All lies. That's all his words were. He knew it. His men knew it. Worse, the enemy knew it.
Because they had very little chance of surviving this battle and even if, by some miracle, they did, they would be in no condition to regain their lands, let alone march on the Capital.
Numa spoke the words anyway and his men roared their approval.
False bravado.
"Let us show these Imperial dogs that we will never bow to the Empire! We will forever stand against their tyranny and madness!"
And they would.
Because the dead bowed to no one and even in death they would oppose the Empires twisted ways.
Numa shook the thoughts from his mind. They had a small chance, however thin, and he would take it. Even if he had to give his life for his people.
He would do anything the innocent men, women and children of his lands from the horrors of the corrupted Empire.
But deep in his heart Numa Seika was afraid. Not for himself, but for those people he would give up his very soul for.
Because deep inside himself he knew that they would not, could not, win this fight.
And he could only pray for the Empires mercy on his people.
A mercy he knew the Empire did not have.
So Numa Seika, the Hero of the North, faced the approaching storm knowing, in his heart, that he had lead his people to their deaths in search of a naïve fools dream.
And part of him wept.
-T.G.O-
The army, lead by Esdeath, came to a halt just over two hundred metres from the makeshift walls of the city, Esdeath sitting on her horse several meters in front of the rows grey uniformed soldiers, Harry and the Three Beasts sitting on their own horse behind her.
There was a moment of silence, of peace and tranquillity.
As though the world wasn't about to go to hell.
Then Silence committed suicide and Peace ran for the hills, leaving Tranquillity to bleed were it lay, shattered in the snow.
Esdeath's army surged forth as she sent her horse bolting forth, followed closely by Harry and the Three Beasts as she thundered across the snow covered field kicking up a trail of snow as the army behind them bursting forward as one, a kind of organized chaos.
The first to reach the walls was Esdeath, rather predictable, as she forced her mount up a ramp of ice she materialized, avoiding or deflecting projectiles that came her way.
Harry was moments behind her, following her up as he used his own blade to deflect arrows coming his way, tucking slightly at his core as he reflected bullets back at their shooters.
Liver was third, leaping off his horse and pulling the water out of the snow around him, carrying himself and Daidara to the top of the wall in a whirlpool.
Nyau followed after Esdeath and Harry, flute at his lips as he began to play, muscles bulging outwards.
Behind them the army surged onwards.
The defenders, momentarily stunned by the sudden charge of the enemies key figures, reacted.
Hidden siege machines fired, the thump of catapults sending balls of burning pitch over the wall and into the enemy army, creating massive explosions of steam where they landed and knocking soldiers in every direction.
It wasn't enough.
Not even close.
Harry reached the top of the wall were Esdeath was already mowing through enemy forces on her horse with horrifying ease, a sadistic grin on her face, not even bothering to use her Teigu as she cut down all before her.
Drawing his blades off his back and, with a flick of his wrist, sending a concussive wave to knock nearby soldiers flying off the wall, he leapt, flipping off his horse.
Landing lightly on one foot Harry sent a pulse of energy downwards, ignoring the miniscule pull on his core as a sheet of ice erupted from where his foot touched the top of the wall, thin spires rising up into the chests and stomachs of the soldiers around him his concussive blast hadn't hit.
The Battle for the North had begun.
Despite the defenders best efforts they were quickly forced from the walls, pushed back to the hastily thrown up defences across the city, those too slow to fall back cut down at the hands of the grey clad soldiers that continue to pour into the city.
Harry, having already given up the horse, flew above Esdeath, using pieces of ice around his ankles and wrists to float above the enemy, raining down thin, metre long spears of ice on anyone Esdeath missed or ignored as she thundered on, massive boulders of ice smashing through any buildings or walls in her way.
A bullet whizzed past Harry's ear and he fire an ice spear in return, barely taking the time to note the splatter of blood that proclaimed his latest successful hit.
He began to descend downwards, more ice spears materializing around him and launching forth in droves as he landed a few metres behind Esdeath, not willing to waste too much energy on sustaining his flight.
A bullet slammed into Esdeath's mount, sending it tumbling to the ground as she leaped off, her bloodthirsty, sadistic grin never leaving her face.
Harry knew she was far faster and much more dangerous without the horse anyway, a fact proven as she slashed the nearest soldiers into bloody chunks and sent a boulder the size of a house to crush those fleeing back towards the Citadel.
She turned to speak to him before charging back into the bloodbath.
"Come, the prince should be at the Citadel. I want him alive."
Harry simple nodded and speed after her, trying not to think about why she wanted the man alive.
He was many things, one being severely emotionally inept, another being a boy who had taken several hundred lives, but he was not, and never will be, a sadist, or a cruel person.
He never understood Esdeath's fascination with torturing people.
He just tried to ignore it most of the time.
Materializing several spears of ice and sending them flying through the chests of several enemy soldiers fleeing from Esdeath's forces, Harry speed towards the Citadel as fast as he could go.
Gasping slightly for breath as he ran, fatigue started to set in and he slowed.
While Harry's reserves had grown massively since he was ten, the repeated materialization and precision shooting of large numbers of ice spears, as well as the several concussive wave sent to blast enemies backwards and the energy expended to flash freeze several groups of soldiers was leaving his energy reserves rather low.
Physically he was also in extraordinary condition for a thirteen year old, but travelling a high speeds through a war torn city, on top of having to fight off larger, stronger and more experienced soldiers with his two swords had left him rather exhausted.
He was understandable drained.
Shaking off his fatigue as much as he could, and surging forth, Harry reach the area in front of the Citadel just in time to see Esdeath and the Three Beasts tearing their way through the enemy defences with horrific ease.
Preparing to charge into the bloodbath after them Harry noticed a group of injured soldiers being charged down by another group of defenders.
Reaching into his core and feeling a sudden jerk and a flash of exhaustion, he threw the last of the energy he could safely risk using into a single attack, flicking his wrist towards the charging defenders.
Nothing happened for a single millisecond.
A crack-boom shock the sky, startling everyone, enemies and allies alike, bar only Esdeath, the Three Beasts and Harry himself.
Then came the flash.
Harry tended to use his powers for ice and concussive type attacks, with his second most preferred element being, rather simply, lightning. It was flashy and often loud, as well as being energy consuming and very difficult for him to control. It was also nigh instantaneous and monstrously destructive, satisfying the boyish love for explosions he never knew he had.
So when lightning flashed down from the heavens in an arc of pure destruction, slamming into the ground in the centre of the mass of charging enemies in a devastating flash of obliterating energy, the true nature of lightning was revealed to all present.
Pure, untameable, unstoppable, destruction.
The ground beneath the point of impact shattered and burnt, pieces of red hot tiles and rock from the size of a finger to the size of a man's torso flying in every direction, the earth shaking slightly at the force of the impact. Those several metres away from the impact point were lifted up and blasted backwards by a wave of searing energy, the ones closer charcoaled and dead before they hit the ground.
Of those closest to the impact point nothing but ash remained, six fully grown men incinerated, reduced to dust in a flash of wild, devastating, energy.
A stunned silence reigned for a moment, broken only by the sound of Esdeath and the Three Beasts continuing their massacre. Then, even as Harry stagger slightly in exhaustion, the Empire finest surged forward with an earth shattering roar, charging after their leaders.
Sliding his dual blades off his back Harry followed tiredly after them, hacking away at the defenders as they were distracted by nearby soldiers, fighting his way towards Esdeath's side once more.
The battle was quick after that, the defenders already cracking resolve smashed by the massive flash of devastating lightning before being reduced to dust when Esdeath, in an impressive, and absolutely terrifying, show of power froze the entire Citadel inside a massive chunk of ice, burying the thousands within inside the ice.
Harry felt a little ill after that, and it wasn't just his exhaustion.
But that signified the complete destruction of the defenders spirit, ending the battle in one, decisive move at the same time as proving that, really, they never had a chance with Esdeath there.
The Battle for the North had come to an end, a blood bathe with an enemy death toll that would end at over four hundred thousand.
It was a bad day for any enemy of the Empire.
-T.G.O-
It had been less than a day since the absolute crushing of the Northern tribes and Harry was currently sitting on the armrest of a stone throne that Esdeath was reclining in, his legs swinging over the edge.
He was looking down at the man once called the Hero of the North with undisguised disgust as the man licked Esdeath shoe with a sickening enthusiasm, listening only partially to what was being said around him.
"The Northerners, completely crushed so quickly"
"Their army, people, and pride were all so easily crushed"
"This is their so-called hero…? Completely worthless."
Harry turned his eyes from the broken former hero in disgust, instead gazing over the muttering soldiers before them. He didn't know what Esdeath had done to the man to turn him from a proud leader and hero into a begging mutt.
He didn't want to know, considering what he had seen done to many of the surviving soldiers.
Swallowing softly to crush the bile building up in his throat, Harry pushed away the memories and turned his attention back to the present.
Turning his gaze to Esdeath beside him he watched as her face morphed into a scowl of disgust. She opened her mouth to speak, tone filled with the same disgust her face showed seconds before her foot lashed out.
"Die, dog"
Her foot slammed into the naked man's skull with a sickening crunch, caving in the part it came into contact with and splattering nearby soldiers with the man's blood and cranium fluid, and causing Harry to flinch ever so slightly at the reminder of exactly what kind of woman Esdeath was.
Esdeath stood from her recently acquired throne, reaching back and pulling Harry to his feet beside her.
"Come, Harry, let us see if there is anything more that can satisfy me."
-T.G.O-
And that is the 5th chapter of The Glacial Ones, which is now entering the canon timeline.
I am aware that in canon Esdeath pretty much just froze everything in the city into ice cubes, but that wouldn't have been and interesting chapter.
Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please so tell me what you liked about it, what you didn't like and what you think could be improved.
Once again all advice, constructive criticism and ideas are welcome and appreciated so please do review or send me an PM
Thanks and see you next time people!