Shout Outs...
RandomTopic: Glad you like it. Sides, I once heard Wrex from Mass Effect say 'my father's father.' Well, whatever.
Aquatic-Idealist: I think L'Arachel is loopier than Serra. Scary.
Maxmagnus20019: -Singing- I fell into a burning ring of fire! I went down, down, down as the flames went higher! -Stops- What?
Improv: Thank you my good man, I tip my hat to you. Once I put a hat on.
Kalisona: Maybe I'll ask someone someday. Glad ya like it.
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Chapter VII: Waterside Renvall
Lowen was a great cook, a good knight, and wonderful companion. He was, even by the end of the war, a tad wet behind the ears but none could doubt his talent at the lance and sword. Even his skill with an axe is above par and he uses each weapon against the proper foe. He is not a knight of world renown. But he is getting there. All good things come in due time.
Tyr: The Fall of Nergal
Florina is a great pegasus knight. You'd never think that; she is shy, fearful of men, timid and too gentle seeming. How she overcame all that to become the best of my airborne warriors is beyond me.
Tyr: The Fall of Nergal
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"I still can't believe you told him..." Seth muttered as he, Tyr and Eirika gathered inside the Tactician's wagon, the man in question seated on his bed and Eirika the chair. "A secret of such importance-"
"He needs to know." Eirika replied firmly. "How else are we to stop Grado if he doesn't know all he can know?"
"I appreciate the concern Seth." Tyr added. "Only doing your job, but she's right. I won't speak of this unless needed. However defending the bracelet is now our top priority." He said, crossing his arms. "If we lose here Renais may never rise again, but if the stones are broken then a new dark age may spread. Elibe, Magvel, who knows. If we fail at winning against Grado then we must at least deny them victory."
"You're right, of course." Seth replied with a nod. "But Prince Ephraim's bracelet is needed as well, and according to the shaman he is held in Renvall."
"According to him, yes." Tyr replied. "If it is fact is what I doubt."
"What do you mean?" Eirika asked, leaning forwards slightly.
"I mean news of Ephraim's capture may be mere misinformation." Tyr replied. "Whether a lie by him to make you lose heart or given to him for morale I cannot say. Or perhaps, worse yet, it is a trap. A trap, I fear, we may need to walk into."
"We don't know if he's being held or not, so we need to confirm it ourselves." Seth added. "If he is there, we rescue him. If not we find him."
"He cannot be too far either way." Tyr sighed. "Here's hoping fortune favours us this day..."
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Rumours say that Ephraim has been defeated and taken prisoner. Now Eirika must find a way to rescue her brother from beneath enemy eyes. Eirika's company rushes toward Castle Renvall, where Ephraim's supposedly being held.
Surrounded by lakes, Renvall is a natural fortress, all but unassailable. A lone bridge, held by the enemy, is its only entrance.
Eirika has only one choice. Eirika decides to confront Grado's soldiers head on...
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"Is my brother somewhere inside that castle?" Eirika asked, looking across to the castle atop a hill.
"Renvall is surrounded by lakes." Tyr noted. "One heavily guarded entrance." He muttered, turning to face Garcia. "Tell Merlinus to hide the wagons, we can spare no guards for him just yet." He called out, the man nodding as he went to relay the orders. "They couldn't find a better spot to put a castle." Tyr continued. "This form of natural stronghold favours the defender and punishes the assailer. This attack shall not be easy, not at all."
"Agreed." Seth said with a nod, seated in his saddle.
"Princess Erika! Sir Tyrland!" Franz called out, his horse carrying him near to the trio. "Please allow me to fight with you. My elder brother, Forde, is in there with Prince Ephraim, Sir Kyle, Sir Orson... Let me help you set them free!"
"There is nothing to discuss." Gilliam added as he pondered over. "We will fight."
"The hour of your reunion is not far off now." Moulder added as he joined as well.
"I am yours to command, Your Highness, Sir Tyrland." Vanessa added, lance in hand as she sat in the saddle, her steed bringing her over.
"We're with you all the way!" Ross added, the remainder of the troop walking over. "Right, Dad?"
"Don't work yourself into a lather, Ross." Garcia chuckled. "In the heat of battle, a good warrior remains calm where lesser men do not."
"You need anything stolen, I'm your man." Colm added, patting his chest. "'Course, my blade's no joke either."
"I'm sure I can help if you'll let me..." Neimi added. "I'll keep myself safe."
"You can't possibly consider fighting without my genius at your side!" Lute said with a smirk on her face.
"I have yet to repay you for helping me fight those abominations." Artur said as well, bowing slightly. "Please, let me stand by your side a while longer."
"This has trouble written all over it." Joshua added with a frown. "Bet you all it's a trap. Ah, well... My luck's gotta turn around sometime, right?"
"May the sacred light surround us and protect us all." Natasha added, hands clasped in prayer.
"Tyr, Your Highness." Seth said, hefting his lance into his hand. "Shall we plan for battle?"
"We shall." Tyr said with a grin as he took out his telescope.
"...Brother, I'm on my way." Eirika added as she drew her sword.
"Oh dear..." Tyr muttered, looking at the field through his tool. "Ballistae. Two of them. Only one manned though, thank Sky."
"Ballistae?' Eirika muttered. "Aren't they siege weaponry?"
"Modified for defence and attacking people most likely." Tyr replied. "Massive power and range, possibly launching several bolts in one salvo, we need to be careful, but their inattention may help us."
"What are we to do then?" Eirika said, looking out onto the field.
"The good news is they've only so much ammunition and I see no supply wagons." Tyr replied. "We can make them run through it, although it is risky."
"I... Um, excuse me." Neimi said, holding up a hand.
"Yes, I know." Tyr said with a nod. "It's just a really big bow, you can use one. And that's what I plan." He said, collapsing his telescope. "Ross, Colm. I want you to protect Neimi and get her to the unmanned one just north of here. She can pepper foes at range, starting with the drawbridge and moving from there. Once you're out of bolts or we've entered the castle return to the wagons."
"Right." Ross said himself and the thief heading out with archer in tow.
"Everyone else, we move forward nice and slow, but we don't enter firing range for the apposing ballistae. Vanessa, I've a plan to deal with it, and you're it."
"Sir!" Vanessa barked in acknowledgement.
"Gilliam, point. Seth, Franz, flank him. Garcia, Joshua, flank them. Lute, Artur, Natasha, Moulder, behind them. Eirika, stay with me. I may need you to relieve someone."
"Right." Eirika said, nodding as the group moved to it's formation, Tyr moving to stand ahead of the group, the princess beside him.
"Listen to me." Tyr began. "This battle may become a milestone. Prince Ephriam, I believe is here. Maybe not in the castle, but he is in the area. We will find him, return to Frelia and regroup. And then we march towards victory and freedom! Everyone! Move out!"
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A rain of bolts was sent down upon enemy lines upon the drawbridge as Gilliam met lance with shield, dispatching soldiers alongside the mounted knights as the formation inched its way to the goal. Garcia slammed his axe past armour and Joshua's sword flowed past defences, cutting wounds open, foes fleeing the drawbridge in the distance, Eirika's allies still about the bend of the mountain with the second siege weapon looming over the hill.
"How is Vanessa going to deal with it?" Eirika asked idly as she watched the forces under Tyr's command, and by extension her command, send axe fighter, lance wielder and sword bearer alike to a quick death. "The ballistae I mean."
"Watch." Tyr said, pointing out. The weapon pointed towards them, archer ready in the weapon as a white being flew behind it. "Normally any aerial unit fares badly against bowmen, ballistae being even worse. The death of a flyer isn't in the arrow itself, but the fall it causes. But our friend out there is focused only on us now, allowing her to come from behind."
"She flew about to take him off guard." Eirika breathed. "He can't turn the weapon about soon enough if he spots her." She added as the flying knight in the distance dove down. "And once she gets too close..."
"Then an archer's range matters not." Tyr finished as the woman impaled the archer. "We'll be there soon enough..."
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"Blast it all, they got past the ballistae?" Murray let out on his steed, watching from the castle gate. "Tirado undermanned us, we didn't have the men to man both." He was safely out of the range of the weapon, one of the considerations when the weapon was placed, but with his men dispatched there was the problem of the opposing force that was crossing the bridge. "My name is Murray!" The man bellowed out. "Knight of Grado! Who shall accept a duel? I challenge any man you please!"
"Seems he wishes a fair fight." Seth said, looking across to the man.
"I've no issue giving him one, especially when our man will win." Tyr replied. "Franz. I think you can handle him by yourself."
"Are you sure Sir?" Franz asked, trotting his horse up next to him.
"I am." Tyr said simply. "Answer him."
"As you wish." Franz added, gripping his lance as he guided his horse ahead of his allies. "My name is Franz! Knight of Renais! I hereby accept your challenge!"
"Well met Franz!" Murray replied, lowering his helm's visor, Franz doing the same. "May the man who dies do so with glory!"
Both men stared across each other a moment more before spurring their horses forward at full gallop, lances aimed at opposing shield. Closer the two came, their steeds picking up speed before the final impact. Franz's shield deflected the blow, his own lance shattering, the shaft lifting up to slam into his opponent's helm, piercing it and the man inside.
"Draw your sword." Tyr said as he walked forwards, the army following him with Eirika at his side, Vanessa landing on the bridge. "We've no time to waste."
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"Is my brother somewhere in this castle?" Eirika asked as she, Tyr and Seth walked just ahead of the rest of the group, no foes in immediate sight. "Seth! Tyr! We must look inside!"
"Agreed, but we need to be slow about it." Tyr said.
"Hold, both of you!" Seth said, moving ahead of the pair. "There is a figure! In the shadows..."
"Ah! Who is it?" Eirika said, drawing her blade as boots stamped over the floor, a man in armour approaching.
"Princess Eirika..." The man, a knight with the crest of Renais on his shoulder let out. "And... is that you Seth? And who is this?"
"I am Tyr, a tactician in service to Princess Eirika." Tyr said with a nod.
"Sir Orson..." Seth gasped. "Why are you here? You should be with Prince Ephriam."
"Indeed." Tyr added, tilting his head forwards to hide his frown under his hood.
"Are you all right, Orson?" Eirika asked herself and Tyr moving to stand next to Seth. "If you're here, my brother must be here as well, right?
"Yes..." The man said with a nod. "Prince Ephraim and I were both captured by Grado forces and held here as prisoners. I just managed to escape my cell... A Chance to escape-It's what I had prayed for..."
"Orson... are you well?" Eirika said soothingly. "Your face is so pale. Grado's men, don't tell me they've-"
"No..." Orson sighed. "It's nothing. But Lord Ephriam... I cannot say whether he's still unharmed."
"What!" Eirika shrieked out. "Where is he? Where is my brother?"
"If he lives still, he will be one of the deeper cells, where I was held." Orson said, pointing down a hall. "Head down this corridor to the dungeons. Quickly, before reinforcements arrive."
"Thank you..." Erika breathed as Seth and Tyr exchanged a look, Tyr nodding slightly as Orson led them down the castle hall, the army following.
"Call me paranoid, but something is amiss." Tyr said softly to Seth.
"Agreed." Seth replied, just as quiet.
"I know I don't need to give this order, but here it is." Tyr replied. "She does not leave your sight, not for an eyeblink. Guard her and the... trinket, at all cost."
"As I've always sworn to do." Seth added. "As I always shall do, until I no longer draw breath."