Guy - Sainted Sword
A gentle breeze blew across the field, carrying with it the scent of fresh grass and running water. It wasn't the grass of the plains, but the smell was nostalgic all the same, and Guy breathed it in deeply. Before long he would have to return to the camp, where things were not so peaceful, and not nearly so clean.
When the first Sacaen made the first Sword, he shaped it from the metals taken from Mother Earth and the fire granted by Father Sky. Once more he repeated the story of the origin of the blade in his mind as he prepared to test himself again. Three days and three nights he toiled, without food, without drink and without rest.
Guy took three more of the leaves he had gathered that morning into his hand, and turned his back to the wind. When he was finished, he took the thing of metal and fire he had made, and held it towards the sun. With his eyes closed, he held the leaves out before him, letting the wind brush across his hand and he felt how the leaves moved with it. "Father Sky!" he called, "What is this thing that I have made?"
The wind blew fiercely while the sun shown hot, and he knew he had his answer. It was Death. It was Life. It was Order and Chaos at once. It was Purpose. The leaves rustled in his hand, and Guy almost smiled at how much they wished to be free to blow on the wind. With his left hand, he took up his blade and held it by the sheath, ready to be drawn. It was all these things and more. It was a divine gift wrought by man's own hand. It was the doom and salvation of his people.
He took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and let go of the leaves. The breeze snatched them up in an instant, carrying them off across the field. The Sword is death. In the hands of a Master, there is nothing it cannot slay. Men, beasts, plants, stone, even the very wind. The least of Swords can kill the greatest of things, if only the wielder has the skill.
Now freed, Guy's right hand went to the hilt of his blade, but he did not draw just yet. His eyes tracked the movements of the leaves, unpredictable and chaotic on the wind. He gave chase. The Sword is Life. It creates order where there was chaos. It creates chaos where there was order. It fosters strength where there was weakness, and courage where there was fear. In the hands of a Master, one sword could create peace for a hundred people.
The wind was fast, but Guy was faster. Quickly he came upon the leaves, dancing and spinning in the wind. He chose his moment...and drew his sword. The Sword is Purpose. In and of itself, it was a reason to exist. To test oneself against the blade, to struggle with every breath to become greater then that which he held, to attain a state of perfect harmony with everything the Sword could represent. To become a Master. This was the goal, battle was only the means.
Where there were three leaves, there were now five. One sliced perfectly in half, another cut but roughly. And the last was untouched. Guy smiled as he sheathed his sword and bid the leaves a silent farewell on their journey to wherever the wind would take them. Two leaves was the same as he managed before, but this time one was a perfect cut. He still wasn't there, but he was getting better. Maybe next time he would at least touch all three.
Aerie watched as the nomad had another go at the leaves. He'd been doing that every few days, whenever there was a good breeze and he had the time. She didn't quite understand what the point of slashing at leaves was, but he seemed pretty intent on it so she could only assume it was a Sacaen thing.
Before he could get started on another handful, or start some other kind of bizarre training, she whistled to get his attention, "Guy! It's almost our shift, let's get moving."
The swordsman didn't react for a moment, but she didn't bother yelling again. He heard her, he was just taking his time. Probably getting a few more breaths of fresh air before heading back to the camp, which was something she most certainly did understand. If I never have to deal with another horse in my life...
Guy's expression when he did make his way over told Aerie that they were thinking the same thing there. She half smiled and shrugged, feeling a bit better knowing she wasn't the only one who really didn't want to go back there, and offered the mercenary's mantra, "It's coin."
He didn't seem entirely impressed with that, but he fell in beside her as they started the walk back anyway, "How did we get stuck with this assignment again?"
"You'd have to ask Branta," she replied...then couldn't resist having a bit of fun, "Though it's probably your fault."
"My fault?" Guy blinked and gave her one of those horribly confused looks she found so amusing, "What?"
"Well," Aerie smiled, "everyone knows how you nomads are with horses. We probably only got this assignment since you're in the company now."
The confused look turned to a flat stare, "Please tell me that's one of your jokes. If that's actually true, I'm going to have to stab somebody."
"If it is true, I'll help you." Aerie offered, then laughed, "I need to carry a mirror around just to show you the looks on your face sometimes."
"Tch." Guy rolled his eyes at her and just went off ahead without saying anything else.
She felt a bit bad once he left. She certainly didn't mean to actually make him mad, just tease him a bit, since frankly Guy was the closest thing she'd managed to get to a friend in a long time. Branta was her boss, Piet was a priest, the twins...she tried to be friendly to the two of them, but they were bound and determined to treat Aerie like their rival instead of an ally, so she'd just given up by now. And Roan had always scared her a bit, though she'd never admit it in public.
With a sigh, Aerie tried to push those thoughts out of her head and follow along back to the camp. Thinking about the big berserker always depressed her a bit. Better to think about the job. Even if the job was boring, tedious and didn't even pay well.
And smelly. Can't forget smelly.
Camp, such as it was, consisted of far more then just the Badgers for this job, so Guy had steeled himself against both the noise and the smell before he got there. It helped...somewhat.
The job right now was one he didn't think he would mind when they took it. Another town had declared for the Prince, and the Badgers, along with another company called the Quickblades, had been assigned to protect it for the time being. The problem was that the town was insistent on holding their annual Horse Fair, heedless of the fact that a war was going on. Both Branta and the Quickblade captain had made it very clear to the two companies that this made the town a target.
Not that Guy needed to be told that. A unit of cavalry at the right time can make all the difference in a battle. And you can't field cavalry without horses.The captains' decision to have the companies camp in the fairground to protect the horses was a sound one. And Guy wouldn't even have minded it if these were Sacaen horses and horse tenders...since his people would have had more sense then to hold a horse fair when they were so shorthanded that they couldn't keep all the pens clean. Thankfully they were allowed to draw a line when the mayor's cronies tried to get the mercenaries to help with THAT chore.
He wrinkled his nose again as he passed a particularly nasty section with one of the overworked stable hands, a boy who couldn't have been older then thirteen at the most, just beginning the long task of mucking it out. Just looking at the boy, Guy had to stop his hand from going to the hilt of his sword. He'd seen the merchants, nobles and others who owned these horses walking around and doing business. They were all nice and clean, of course. They never took a shovel and pitched in with the work. And these people are for the prince. Is this what Grant is fighting for? Is this what I'm fighting for?
Guy forced himself to move on before he lost his temper and caused a scene. He wished Kent or Lyn were here, since he just knew either one of them would have had these 'privileged' jerks ankle deep in the muck and doing their own dirty work...at swordpoint if necessary. Which they would have the rank to do. Not me.
Rank, or at least Lycian and Berneese rank, was one of those things he thought he had finally gotten his head around. Like so many other things, it was different in Sacae. Any member of a clan could speak in disagreement with a chief, if they thought they were right and could back it up. So long as they did so politely of course, but in his experience the chiefs rarely gave any reason for rudeness. But here, it could be practically suicide for a commoner, or even worse a foreigner, to so much a stand up to a noble who was abusing their station. It really made him respect lords Eliwood and Hector a bit more, since he never would have even guessed the extents to which they could have used their positions if they'd wanted.
"Wool-gathering?"
Guy looked over at the voice to see Piet, then shrugged in response to the company's priest. "Just thinking. So it's my shift now, right? Which area?"
The priest half smiled, but got down to business as Guy effectively requested, "South road, between here and the Old Wood. Branta's orders are that you don't go in the wood, even if you suspect something, without pulling back to let someone know you're going to investigate first."
"Right." Guy nodded and turned to go, "Aerie shouldn't be too far behind me."
Piet let out a quiet sigh as the young swordsman left for his assignment. Sometimes he wondered whether keeping him on was the right idea. Not that he disliked the boy, quite the opposite actually. He didn't blame him at all for Roan's death, the berserker's own burden of hatred was responsible for that. But perhaps the others still did? Or perhaps Guy himself couldn't forget that he killed the friend of the company's captain, even if it was in self defense? Whatever his reasons, he hadn't seemed to open up in the slightest to the rest of them at all, despite having spent over a month in the company now.
The approach of Aerie caught the bishop's attention, and he gave the young woman a friendly smile, "Ah, here you are."
The heroine nodded, "Sorry if I'm a bit late. Where am I today? South road again?"
"No, Guy's covering that today. You're on the western watch, along with Cauld from the Quickblades."
She didn't look particularly pleased at that, and he couldn't blame her. The boy was a showboat and a womanizer, but they couldn't exactly control who the other company placed where. Still, Aerie nodded her understanding and left for her post without complaint.
Piet felt a bit bad for her as well. She had been with the company quite a bit longer then Guy had. and while she was generally more friendly then the young Sacaen, Piet had noticed that she hadn't quite gotten into the feeling of camaraderie that made good companies work so well. A problem, he had to admit, that was partly the fault of everyone. The twins had their own dynamic that must be quite hard to fit into, while Piet and Branta were quite a bit older then her.
Of course thinking of their leader didn't improve the priest's mood much at all. Branta was their captain and his friend, but the man had been drawing further inside himself as time went by...and as more of his old comrades fell. Now he was the last member of the original Badgers, even Piet himself hadn't been part of the founding crew. All that death would take it's toll on even the strongest of men.
Our captain is losing his spirit, Teal and Noah are off in their own little world half the time, Aerie is still struggling to find a place, and our newest recruit goes out of his way to keep everyone at a distance. And what is it that I'm doing beyond worry? What kind of priest can't manage to keep more then their bodies healthy? Of course, he sadly gave a thought to the situation they were in, the company isn't doing any worse then the whole country right now. Civil wars are the worst, countrymen should never fight like this.
"E-excuse me? Um, father?"
Piet broke out of his spiral of worry to see one of the working lads trying to get his attention. Giving the boy what he hoped was a comforting smile, he took his staff and stood up, "Another injury? Don't worry child, I'll do what I can. Tell me what happened and lead the way."
The south road that ran between the town and the old wood had been fairly quiet and devoid of any real traffic the entire time they'd been here, a fact for which Guy was quite thankful whenever he got a shift there. Of course, the old wood itself made a great place to hide, and since the road was ill traveled it also made an ideal direction for an attack to come from, so he didn't take the quiet as an excuse to slack off.
Not that Guy ever did much slacking off. When he wasn't on duty, he was either working on camp chores, sleeping or training. He had done alot of that latter over the past month, far more then usual even for him, but he was pleased to say it was paying off. He felt in better shape, quicker, sharper, more aware of his surroundings. He liked to think he wasn't the same idiot who almost killed himself eating horseberries back in Lycia.
Having nobody but yourself to rely on will do that, he mused as he reached the edge of the wood. Putting that enhanced awareness he felt he had to good use, the swordsman carefully scanned through the trees without quite stepping into them. Every spot that looked like a likely place for an enemy soldier to hide, or to spring an ambush from got looked over from a distance until he was satisfied there wasn't anything.
Once he was sure it was clear, he started the trip back. Sheer paranoia causing him to walk backwards back up the road until he had put a few more yards between himself and the wood before turning his back on it. He'd learned quite a bit during the war against Nergal, but he hadn't realized just how much hadn't quite sunk in until he didn't have Grant, Rath or Matthew around to do his thinking for him. Never expect an enemy to fight fair, especially when they start losing. Always expect a surprise attack, even if you think the area is clear. Find two escape routes from any situation, chances are the first one you see is already blocked. And always keep your distance from the people you fight with.
They were a cynic's rules to be sure, especially the last. But that was the best way he could think of to be, to give him the space and the lack of distractions needed to focus on his mastery of the sword.
Not that his fellows in the company were making it easy on him. Aside from the captain, anyway. Branta was easy to stay more then an arms length from, since the man didn't really bother hiding the fact that he still hated Guy for killing his friend. Which Guy honestly couldn't be too surprised about. What was surprising was that he found himself not really caring about the resentment after awhile. Branta still treated him like a professional, and that was enough.
The others, though...he let out a half irritated sigh at what seemed like a concerted effort to get close to him on their behalf. Bishop Piet he expected it of at least. He was a priest, and one of the good hearted ones, like a much older Lucius. Of course he was concerned about any member of the company, caring is what men like him did. And he didn't even seem to mind that Guy wasn't a worshipper of St. Elimine, or at least he hadn't said anything about it if he did.
And then there were the girls. With his greater self control, Guy really hoped he had stopped himself from blushing as he remembered the twins flirting with him a few days ago. Shamelessly. And both at once. He...was fairly certain they were just messing with him. He hoped they were at least. They did seem the sort to enjoy teasing people, but he would be the first to admit he knew next to nothing about women. What he could tell at least was that even if it was just teasing, there wasn't any malice in it, so he could find it pretty funny after the fact. Well after. And they were competitive, which was a trait he always had a tendency to rise to. It was getting harder to keep himself apart every time they had any real downtime together.
But as difficult as that was becoming, Aerie was the worst. It was like the woman was actively trying to be his friend, which when combined with the fact that she had been nothing but very blunt and honest since they met made it quite hard not to like her. He hadn't forgotten how she seemed ready to turn her blade on her own captain after she discovered he'd been deceiving her, even if only through omission. And if the twins tried sparking Guy's competitive nature, Aerie did it effortlessly. She was almost his equal, and frankly better then him against certain foes. Every time they worked together he wanted to start counting wins...and he didn't dare spar with her.
Sparring was something he'd avoided as a rule, lately. It only reminded him of Matthew.
Reaching the camp's end of the south road, Guy nodded at the boy standing watch there and took a moment to look around before heading back. There was nothing of note, of course. But he still had to make sure nothing had snuck past him, that was his job after all.
Taking a deep breath to clear his mind, the Sacaen resumed his patrol. He didn't want to dwell on the others. Even thinking about them was getting closer then he wanted. He wanted to focus on his training, and on the task at hand. A Master must always be Aware. Nothing moves around him that a Master does not see. No sound that he does not hear. No presence that he does not feel. Repeating the training mantras in his mind, he set aside all thoughts but complete immersion in the world around him.
As he reached the wood again, such focus is surely what let him spy a small bit of red where there should only be green and brown. Narrowing his attention on that spot, Guy tried not to betray that he saw it. It was only a small bit of color, but it could be an enemy. A bit of cloak or uniform ill disguised, or a few drops of blood from a hastily bandaged wound. He made a show of looking around as he did before...then retreated from the wood, walking backwards.
When he reached the point where he could see the boy standing watch again, Guy picked up his pace very slightly. "I saw something in the woods," Guy flat stated the moment he got close enough, "Go tell Father Piet that I'm going in to look. You know where he is?"
The boy nodded, and hastily vanished back into the camp.
Now the swordsman turned back towards the woods and quickly jogged down the road. He'd reported in, they knew something was amiss. Now it didn't matter if they figured out that he saw them. He liked to think that was another mark of how much he'd matured. Before, he would have gone in to investigate before reporting, since he'd want something real before raising an alarm, not just suspicions.
Still not mature enough to wait for backup though, the thought came and made him smile as he drew his sword and entered the wood. He made no attempt to hide or disguise his approach and intent at all. If there was someone there, he wanted them to see him. He wanted them to get scared, to cut and run, or just get nervous and make a sound to betray their position.
But as he drew closer to where he saw the red, it was clear there wasn't anyone in the wood but himself. It was just a scrap of cloth...a scrap of dark red cloth, the exact color worn by the king's mages. And a fair amount of trampled vegetation to boot.
Someone was here scouting us out. Guy grinned as he put the evidence together to come to a conclusion. It was time to go get the others.
Branta grunted and cracked his knuckles yet again, an old nervous habit he'd never been able to get rid of. "Progress?" he asked, though he honestly wasn't expecting a different answer then last time.
Aerie shook her head, "Still looking. I've got a few more cloth scraps, someone in the group wasn't very wood wise, leaving bits all over."
"All from the same cloth?" Guy wondered, without looking back at the others. While Aerie tracked, his job was to keep lookout.
"Yeah, I think so." Aerie speculated a bit as she continued her search, "Smart money says dumb brass insisted on putting a mage in the scouting team, and there was only so much that the real scouts could clean up after him."
"The king's officers aren't that stupid," Branta shook his head, "Not unless they're so desperate they're promoting from the green. I'm betting the mage is in charge and insisted on going along himself."
"Really?" Guy wasn't really convinced by that logic, "You're saying an officer wouldn't be that dumb but a mage would? Most mages I've met were really smart."
"Smart, sure. Also arrogant enough not to consider skills beyond magic mattering."
That...didn't quite sound right to Guy either, but for all he knew the mages he'd fought with before were just as unique as the nobles. So he shrugged and didn't bother arguing further.
Eventually Aerie stood up from where she had been moving low across the ground, "Got it. Tracks going back this way, four or five people, means probably twice that at their camp. At least."
Piet sighed, "That outnumbers us. Should we ask for a couple of the Quickblades to come with us then?"
"No." Branta's response was firm, "Can't risk leaving the fair unprotected. We can handle this on our own. Aerie, lead the way. Badgers, get a move on."
The Badgers never seemed to change up their approach tactics, but Guy supposed they didn't really need to. As Aerie tracked the enemies back to their camp, Guy was right with her on point to either defend against an ambush, or launch a surprise attack depending on who saw who first. Branta followed a good ten yards behind, ready to provide supporting fire or charge in as needed, while Piet was only a bit behind him and the twins in the back. Guy didn't think Grant would have like it too much, it left them too open to an attack from behind, but it worked well for Branta so they went with it.
Just ahead of him, Aerie suddenly dropped to the ground, and by pure instinctive reaction Guy followed suit instantly. Crouched as low as he could get without actively lying down, he scanned around looking to find whatever she had spotted. It didn't take him long to find. A man on horseback was ahead in the distance...and he was wearing red.
As stealthily as he could, Guy slid back to Branta's position. Their captain had also hit the ground on seeing his advance pair dropping, so Guy moved right beside him and reported in a low whisper, "One rider, looks like King's army. Bring him down or wait for him to pass?"
The old warrior thought a moment, then gave his orders, "Let him pass...I'll have the girls keep an eye out for him coming back once we hit the camp."
Guy nodded and moved back up to relay the order to Aerie. And then they waited. It felt like forever, but those moments between bursts of action always did. But eventually the rider moved along, apparently not noticing the mercenaries at all.
The advance continued like that, slipping past a second sentry...and eventually catching sight of a single large tent in the king's colors, giving away the position of the camp.
And that is when everything broke into chaos.
Surprise attacks, shock tactics that broke formations apart and caused even disciplined soldiers to panic, these were the preferred weapons of Branta's Badgers. The twins and Branta fired a hail of arrows in a high arc to herald their entrance. It made the enemy look up, look for the archers...so some of them missed the two melee specialists dashing in as fast as they could while keeping low. That's all Guy and Aerie needed, for some of the enemy to overlook them. That way some reacted in time while others didn't it made holes in the line.
Holes that gave someone fast enough a brief window to get behind the defensive line and attack the mages and commanders. Someone like Guy.
Aerie tried her best to keep her focus on the fight, but sometimes it was hard not to just stare at her fellow front-liner going to work. By the time she was starting to deal with her first opponent, Guy had already cut down two, and was moving towards the tent...though at times she swore she could barely see him move. One moment he was in one place, the next he was ten feet ahead and attacking a new foe.
No time for that now. Getting her head back in the game, the heroine smashed her large shield right into the form of an approaching swordsman, rattling him long enough to finish the job with her own blade.
In the moment between that enemy falling and engaging the next, Aerie caught a glimpse of a man in a mage's uniform come rushing out of the tent...not even ten feet from where Guy had moved to. Well, he's dead.
Indeed, only seconds later, as she was locked in battle with an unhorsed paladin, she heard what sounded like the beginning of a chanted spell turning into a gruesome gurgle. The paladin, against all sense, took a moment to look back...and that was all the time Aerie needed to push in past his spear's reach and take the upper hand.
By this point Branta had joined the melee as well, and the twins were focusing their efforts on picking off the outriders as they came in to reinforce the camp. The Badgers may have been a small force, but they were all good at their job and their teamwork was solid. The surprise attack had worked, Guy had taken out his targets, and now lacking their command and magical support, the enemy was breaking.
Aerie grinned as she charged full on into an enemy archer, slamming into him with her shield. From here, it's just cleanup...
"Get anything useful out of him?" Aerie asked their captain as they made their way back to camp after the battle. As was usual for them, the Badgers managed to get their hands on a survivor and Branta shook some information out of him while the others looted and cleaned up.
Branta snorted, "Not much. They were supposed to seize the fair long enough to take all the horses, then clear out. Not enough to hold the town, so they weren't even going to try. So basically what any idiot could have figured out by looking at them."
Piet sighed, "Not expecting any reinforcements I hope? With any luck the ones that got away will warn the king's men away from here now."
Guy was quiet as the others spoke. He took point on the way back and let the conversation behind him turn into background noise as he tried to clear his mind...while keeping an eye out for any surprises, of course.
Though even as he tried to largely tune it out, he still caught pieces of it that intruded into his thoughts. The ones that got away...the thought almost made him smile. That was perhaps the biggest reason he knew he made the right choice to stay on with this company rather then looking for another one. The situation didn't matter, if an enemy was trying to escape, Branta would let them. So what if they went back for reinforcements, or to report they had been attacked. The Badgers didn't kill anyone who decided to stop fighting. Morality of any kind was hard to find in a war without a clear villain like Nergal...and Guy was glad for it where he could find it. Something that let him know he was still one of the good guys.
It was a good thought, and one he kept in mind during the long walk back.
By the time they made it back to the south road leading up to the town Guy was in a fairly good mood. Which came crashing to a halt as he could hear some kind of commotion coming from the camp. Ignoring his instincts to dash ahead, he fell back to the others to report, quickly calling for their leader's attention, "Captain!"
Branta broke off from the conversation he was having with the bishop, "Something wrong?"
Guy nodded, "Yeah, I hear noise from the camp. More then usual, sounds like something's going on."
Looking up, Branta narrowed his eyes at the road and put his finger on the other thing that was out of place, "Nobody patrolling the road. Quickblades should have someone out here with us gone...alright Badgers, weapons out. Move in like we're expecting trouble."
As one, the company responded, falling into the usual position as they made their way up to the camp. But as they approached, they did not see any enemies, nor any signs of a larger battle. Even as the sounds of fighting became more clear, they saw no bodies, no weapons on the ground, no indication that a fight had taken place outside of the fairground at all.
Not liking what that suggested at all, the Badgers picked up their pace. Nobody tried to stop them as they barged into their camp, the only people they saw at all were cowering civilians...until they reached the center.
The sight there made Guy freeze in his tracks.
One man with long dark hair in a blue swordsman's garb stood, untouched, with four of the Quickblades fallen around him. Four of the others were still alive, but wounded...far too wounded to continue fighting. Only their newest recruit, a young archer who was as yet untested in real battle, was left unharmed.
The boy had an arrow drawn on the swordsman, but wasn't firing. A quick glance told Guy why. The intruder was standing in front of three stable hands who had been bound and tied to a post. Hostages...and a bloody backdrop for the archer's arrows if he should miss.
The swordsman seemed completely unconcerned about the archer as he noticed the Badgers arrival...though there was only one of them he was looking at.
"Guy of the Kutolah." Karel smiled...the same vicious smile he had when he attacked Guy before, "You've made me come a very long way to finish our fight. And I see your swords is already drawn. Good."
Behind him, Guy could hear Branta saying something...and could see Aerie looking at him from the corner of his eye. But it was like the words and the glance were coming from a distant place. He struggled to control his breathing as the fear began to grip him. Ha hadn't gotten away, Karel had tracked him even here. He was going to die.
He took a step back. He was faster then Karel...he knew that. All he had to do was turn and run. He would make the woods long before Karel could...and Guy could lose him in there without problem. He could get away.
Karel's smile quirked a bit almost as if he was reading Guy's mind, "Thinking to flee?" The demon's sword slowly moved back to rest near one of the captives he had tied up. "I will not let such a strong opponent escape me again. I know your kind. You cannot just leave them here."
Guy froze, opposed instincts warring inside of him. Those hostages had done nothing wrong. They were only in this situation because of him. But...he felt more fear facing Karel then he had against the dragon. Could he fight? If he did...did he have any hope of living?
Eyes locked on the sword demon...Guy saw something moving behind Karel and to the right. Something large...with an axe. As he realized what was about to happen, Guy tried to shout a warning but it caught in his throat.
The axe came down, with enough force to split a man in two. Right where Karel had been standing less then a second previous. Taking his attention from Guy, the sword demon turned to face the Badger's captain who had managed to sneak up behind him. "I am not here for you. Begone if you wish to live."
Branta spat at the smaller man, as he pulled his axe from the ground and readied for another swing, "I don't know what your problem with Guy is, but I'm protecting these people. You come in here and start killing and making threats, you've got the Badgers to deal with. All of us."
Karel's only response was the flash of his blade. Branta staggered backwards, his gut sliced wide open, stunned by the pain and the speed of his opponent. A half step in, a second swing, and the demon brought his sword down for a vertical cut down the old warror's chest.
Piet cried out as Branta fell, sprinting towards his captain with a healing staff in hand, heedless of the danger he may have been in.
Guy saw Karel glance at the bishop...and did the only thing he could do. Stepped forward.
That was all it took. The sword demon's attention was fully fixed on his target, and Piet made it to Branta's side. Stepping forward as well, the smile left Karel's face as he focused, "You've found your courage."
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Guy ignored Karel's barb, and gestured to the west. "I'll fight you. But not here, too many people. Someone could get hurt. There's a field...you probably saw it coming in. I'll meet you there."
Karel made no response for a long moment...then sheathed his sword and left for the field.
No sooner was he out of sight then Aerie rushed towards Guy, "What's going on? Who is that?"
Guy didn't meet her eyes. "His name's Karel...they call him the sword demon. He hunts down and kills the strongest opponents. And now he's after me."
"And you have to fight him or he'll kill the people here?"
No longer staring death in the face, Guy realized how wrong the scene before him had been...and shook his head, "He was bluffing...he doesn't kill noncombatants."
Aerie blinked at him, "...then why are you going to fight him? If he's really that good then he'll kill you. Don't fight a stupid battle, Guy."
"The rest of you aren't noncombatants." Guy's answer was simple...and punctuated by Branta lying on the ground along with nearly half the Quickblades, Piet doing everything he could to stop them from dying.
The point got across, but she wasn't ready to give up just yet, "Then all four of us should go. The twins can keep him pinned with arrow fire and we can flank him."
"That...might give me the opening to kill, yeah. But the three of you would die first." It was a good tactic, but Guy had seen things like that tried on Karel before. They didn't work. It didn't matter how large the group attacking him was, if you weren't skilled enough to hit him, then you may as well not be there. And Guy wasn't even sure if HE had the skill for it...so he knew the others didn't. "If...he wins. Don't go after him. He's only here for me."
Aerie's voice hardened, "You expect us to just let someone come in here, kill one of us, and let him walk?"
Guy stared at her for a moment, unable to believe what he just heard...before, despite the gravity of the situation, having to laugh.
She was not quite so amused, "What are you laughing about?"
"You've done it before."
Aerie blinked at him for a second before turning red in embarrassment. And before she could try to raise any more protests, turned his back on her, and the others, and left for the western field.
If I couldn't even beat Matthew, what chance do I have against Karel?Guy walked slowly, taking the time to mentally prepare himself for the fight. He had to fight. The Quickblades...maybe even Branta, were dead or dying because Karel came for him. Because he ran away before.
I had to. I didn't stand a chance then. He almost cringed at the memory. Then? Do I even have one now?
He shook off that thought. Now that he had decided to fight...he couldn't let Karel intimidate him. If he went in expecting to die, then death was the only outcome.
So how do I beat him then? He's not invincible...he wasn't even the best in the army. But who could beat him? Guy thought along that line, wondering if he could pick up some tactic from an ally who could stand against the sword demon. Jaffar could...but I can't fight like him. Maybe Lord Hector...but I don't have that kind of power. He sighed, thinking of someone else who might be able to manage it, Matthew...could. But not with any methods I could use. Or would, even against Karel.
This isn't getting me anywhere. Putting thoughts of his old allies aside as he approached the field, Guy ran his thumb along the hilt of his blade and instantly felt the calmness he touched on in his training wash over him. I'll never win like someone else could. I can only fight him like myself.
With a new determination, Guy let his hand rest easily on the hilt as he silently repeated the mantra of Vita-Katti, When the first Sacean made the first sword...
It was like a scene from a minstrel's tale. Two swordsman in an empty field, face to face, blades yet undrawn. Too bad this isn't just a story, Guy thought with a bit of dark humor, at least there's no question who the good guy is here.
The man before him was someone he once respected, and more recently feared. Guy would be lying if he pretended he wasn't still afraid. But he had made the decision to fight, so now fear was pointless. He had to fight. If not for his own sake, then for that of others. The Badgers, the Quickblades...whoever else Karel might hunt down and kill in the future for no other reason then hearing of their skill.
Guy drew his blade first. "In the hands of a Master, one sword can create peace for a hundred people."
Karel raised an eyebrow, and drew his own weapon, "Vita-Katti. So...are you a master, Guy of the Kutolah?"
"I don't know. Probably not." Guy answered honestly, "But I do know that you aren't."
The sword demon narrowed his eyes, and began to slowly circle to the left, not responding to his opponent's assertion.
"Your sword does not protect." Guy continued, moving with Karel, keeping the older swordsman at his front, "it can't create. It has no purpose beyond killing. You fight with only half of a sword...so you aren't invincible."
"Are you talking to me, or yourself?" Karel seemed unimpressed by the younger man's words, "you are not the first who walked the path to lecture me...and you will not be the last."
Guy had nothing else to say, the time for words was past...if there even was a time for them with this opponent. Not daring to approach and let Karel punish any misstep he might make, Guy waited, blade at the ready, for his enemy to make the first move.
The demon didn't wait long. Continuing to circle a moment or two longer, Karel suddenly changed his momentum and came sweeping in, closing the distance in the blink of an eye, bringing his sword across in a deadly slash aimed right for Guy's throat.
*CLANG*
The sound of steel on steel rang through the air as Guy parried the strike with the flat of his blade, then instantly surged into a counterattack, bringing his down in a powerful diagonal slice...but managing only to cut a bit out of Karel's shirt, the demon had moved away too quickly for any blood to have been drawn.
As Karel backed away, creating space before he attempted another strike, Guy fell back into his defensive stance. I've already fought today...more then he has, anyway. I need to make him do the work, conserve energy until he gets tired.
Again the sword demon approached, slowly this time, though Guy knew once he began to attack his blade would move like lightning. Closer he came...and Guy realized that in two more steps Karel would be close enough to strike...or be struck.
Karel took another step. Guy's hands tightened on the hilt of his sword.
Karel took one more step, sword at the ready...then quickly pulled back away from the younger man as if anticipating an attack.
Guy's sword had not yet moved.
Not going to fall for that one, the thought ran through Guy's mind as he kept his mind and his stance focused on defense. If he had taken that bait...Karel would have sliced him wide open with his follow up.
"So cautious." Karel's observation sounded amused as he again stepped backwards, "I had known you to be more aggressive."
"I've gotten smarter since then."
The malicious smile returned to the demon's face, "Yes, you are more skilled. That is why I cannot resist the urge to take your life!" Even before he had finished his sentence, Karel had moved back in, this time with the speed he was famed for, getting as close as he could before striking with full force to overwhelm Guy's defense.
*CLANG*
Steel on steel filled the air again, as Guy somehow managed to predict the angle of attack and interpose his blade at the last second. Without hesitation he countered with an attack he prayed his opponent wouldn't see coming, stomping down on Karel's foot hard before pushing his blade back with a power slash of his own.
The stomp connected, and for just a moment Guy saw a flash of shock in Karel's eyes, and dared to hope he might win this. But with strength greater then his slender frame should have, the demon jerked his foot out from under Guy's in time to retreat from the coming blade. But even as Karel leapt back to create distance, Guy noticed his shirt was cut again...and this time there was just a touch of blood on Guy's blade. It wasn't a clean hit, but he still scored something.
That something, that small cut, was all it took to turn Guy's faint hope into a new level of raw determination. It proved what he had been telling himself, the dreaded Sword Demon was not invincible. He could be surprised. He could be cut. He did bleed.
After stopping his retreat, Karel ran his free hand along that very cut. "You...cut me," he spoke, his voice sounding distant and distracted even as his words were clear, "and you are still untouched." Karel sheathed the Wo Dao, but made no move to back away further "I am glad you escaped me that day. That you would improve...that you were even capable of improving this much, I never could have expected. It seems I must face you as an equal. If I do not...I will be the one to die."
An...equal? The words hit the young nomad like a shock of cold water, carrying with them a strange mixture of pride and dread. To be considered of equal skill by the infamous Sword Demon was a strange sort of honor...but it also meant that Karel had been holding back.
As Karel began to lean backwards, falling into a very distinctive stance, Guy's feeling of dread intensified. He recognized that position, he knew those movements. Only two people ever stood that way, Karel and his sister, and it heralded the end for whoever or whatever stood against them. Karla had once called their technique the Astra Slash, a lethal skill that...well, as ridiculous as it sounded, made the wielder seem to split into five and attack from every angle at once. Guy had only seen them use it a few times during the war against Nergal, but he had never seen it miss...nor fail to kill.
And there, before his very eyes, he saw Karel begin to step backwards, seeming to step out of his own body and leave a copy of himself where he stood a moment before. Then again, again and again, until there were five sword demons before him. And they all rushed forward at once.
It was a second that seemed like an eternity, Guy simply watching the five Karels approach in their deadly formation. But as they came, his eyes, trained to see such chaotic motion like leaves on the wind, began to see them more clearly. Four of the Karels were...blurry, indistinct and hard to see, only one was solid. But which one that was...changed. Constantly. It was the third one, then the first, then the fourth, then the third again. He's...moving. There's only one of him...he's just moving so fast it looks like there's five. How is that even possible! But...I can see it. Guy tracked the motions, keeping up with which Karel was the real one at every move, and prepared to attempt what should have been impossible...blocking the Astra Slash.
As Karel closed the final distance, his images seemed to line up in order, each moving to strike from a different angle. But...the one in front was blurry, and Guy realized his chance. That's the trick! The third attack is first...I can do this. With all the speed he could muster, the young nomad brought his sword into position to parry.
The Karel in the third position was the first real strike, coming in with a low sweep at his opponent's legs. Guy snapped his sword down to meet it.
*CLANG*
What looked like the first Karel was second, using an overhead chop that moving to block first would have left his legs horribly exposed. Guy brought his blade up to push the attack to the side
*CLANG*
The fourth Karel came third, bringing a diagonal upward slice from the left. It was hard to meet it in time, but with a quarter-step back and a twist, Guy managed to block.
*CLANG*
Second was fourth, this time with a quick slash across the midsection. As each one of Karel's slashes had enough power behind it to kill on it's own, Guy's hands were numb from the impacts by now. But forcing his body to respond despite it's protests, he took another step back and met Karel's attack with a wild slash of his own.
*CLANG*
Finally the fifth Karel came, with the last trick of the Astra Slash. After four slashes, this time the sword demon moved into a low crouch, Wo Dao pulled back to be thrust right through Guy's gut. It was all the younger man could do to swing his killing edge down and hope it was in time.
*CLANG*
Guy's arms were aching in protest at what he just did...but the pain told him that he was, miraculously, still alive.
Karel, for now there was only one of him, staggered back from his quarry. He looked exhausted, breathing heavily and dripping sweat from his face. "You...how?" He gasped out, staring at Guy with an expression of complete disbelief.
Straightening up, Guy looked at his opponent and realized that he now had the upper hand. "I saw you moving. Before, I thought it was some magic trick. But...it's not. You just move faster then most people can see."
Collapsing to one knee for a moment, Karel then forced himself back to his feet, "Even...if you saw it. To move that fast..." Trying to force himself to act through the fatigue, the sword demon lunged forward again, intent on finishing the fight.
It was a clumsy attack, at least by Karel's standards, and one Guy easily evaded. This time Guy moved away, creating space and forcing Karel to move more if he wanted to attack again, "That really takes it out of you, doesn't it? You pay a price to move that fast."
Karel scowled, which wasn't nearly as frightening as his earlier smile, "Even now...all you do is dodge. Why don't you attack?"
"I..." Guy had been acting on instinct, but once he thought about it the answer was clear as day. "I don't need to. You're already beaten. You can't hit me. Even if you use the Astra Slash again, you're tired and I know the trick. I'll just block it again, and you'll be in even worse shape. I...win."
The scowl twisted into an expression of rage, "Not...yet..." Karel hissed out, and fell back into the stance that led into the Astra Slash, desiring to test Guy's confidence.
Here we go. Guy took a deep breath...and watched. This time he felt no fear. He knew what to do, he just had to do it.
Again, Karel seemed to split into five. Again he rushed in, attacking with inhuman speed.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
Again Guy parried the attacks in order, fourth, third, fifth, first, second this time. His arms felt like lead by now, but Karel's strikes weren't quite as fast or powerful as before.
But this time as Karel staggered away, Guy stepped in. Using what strength he had left, he deliberately struck at the Wo Dao...and Karel didn't have enough left to hold onto it. The blade went flying from his hand.
Karel didn't even look up. "I...lost. Finish it."
Staring down at the man he once respected, then feared and hated...Guy now felt nothing. Not pity, not disgust. Nothing. Sheathing the killing edge, Guy shook his head, "I have to ask something. Why does there have to be death with you? Why isn't just winning enough?"
"A sword...is death, is it not? Even your sword that protects can only do so by killing those who would harm others. There is no point to a battle that does not end in death."
"Really?" Guy shrugged, then picked the Wo Dao up off the ground where it had fallen, "I don't agree. I've fought alot of battles where I didn't kill anyone, and I've gotten stronger from each one, win or lose. I was ready to kill you when this started...but I don't feel right killing someone I used to fight beside. So," he gestured with Karel's blade, "if I give you this back and let you go, are you going to come after me again? Or my friends? Because if you are, I'll do things your way. But I'd rather not if I don't have to."
Now Karel looked up, confusion and a strange indefinable emotion writ across his face, "...why?"
Why? Guy knew it was probably the wrong thing to do. Surely even if he didn't come after Guy and the Badgers again...he'd go after someone. But he just didn't want to do it, and he had to admit the reason was selfish. But selfish or not, it was the only one he had, "Because I'm not you."
Karel was quiet a long moment...then began to laugh, "I see. You are my opposite...and the sword saint is stronger then the sword demon."
Guy blinked, now it was his turn to be confused, "What...what are you talking about? I'm not a saint!"
"What else can you call one who does not need to attack to win? Who would have a demon at his mercy and refuse to strike the final blow?" Unsteadily, Karel rose to his feet, though it took him a few tries to make it.
...I think he's gone crazy from losing. Well, Guy mentally amended, crazier then he was already. "Look," he held the Wo Dao out towards Karel...though keeping one hand on his own sword's hilt just in case, "just promise to leave us alone from now on, take your sword, and get lost."
Karel nodded, "You...have nothing to fear from me." But as he reached for the blade, his hand froze. And he pulled his hand away.
Guy gave him a questioning look.
"Keep it...for now. Perhaps I will return for it, perhaps it will be my sister instead." With one last look at the sword he killed his own parents to attain...Karel turned his back on it, slowly and shakily limping away.
Guy looked down at the Wo Dao...looked at the retreating Karel...looked back at the Wo Dao...and perhaps it was his own exhaustion or fading adrenaline causing him to bea bit slaphappy, but the only thing he could think was, number of famous swords entrusted to me: 2.
He had lay down in the field to rest for awhile and let the fresh breeze relax him after the fight. Looking back over what had happened, Guy still wasn't entirely sure how he won. Karel was moving impossibly fast...and though he wasn't thinking about it at the time, he had to have been going nearly that same speed himself to avoid it. I guess I'm better then I think I am...
The sound of someone approaching drew his attention...and he pushed himself to a sitting position as Aerie walked over and sat down near him.
"Uh...sorry," Guy apologized, it just now occurring to him that the others might have been waiting for him to get back, "I should have come back first. I was just...tired, you know?"
The heroine smiled and brushed it off, "Don't worry about it, I already told everyone you were okay. I...followed you out to see the fight. That was amazing. I think we're underpaying you."
"You what?" Guy blinked, "I didn't even notice you."
"You were just a little distracted," she pointed out.
He chuckled, "Yeah...I guess I was. So..." he half didn't want to ask since the answer could well kill the calm he was feeling, but he had to know, "how are things in the camp? How is everyone?"
"That depends," Aerie answered with a sigh, "do you want the good news or the bad news first?"
Guy winced, "Bad."
"The 'blades are basically done for. Captain Zaki is dead, and so is Vance, who was basically his right hand man. They've got no leadership, a bunch of injuries, and the ones in the best shape are also the greenest." She shrugged, "So you can guess where this leaves us."
"Finishing this assignment without any backup." Guy finished for her, then slammed his fist into the ground, "...dammit, this wouldn't have happened if I weren't here."
"...they're mercenaries." Aerie tried to console her partner as best she could, "death happens. They knew that signing up. And...from what I gathered, he didn't attack anyone who didn't come for him first. On that subject though," she tried to cheer him up with the good news, "we still have our leadership. Branta made it. He's injured pretty bad, and Piet isn't making any predictions on when he'll be able to fight again yet, but...he's alive."
Guy breathed a sigh of relief. He felt guilty enough about the damage Karel had done already, he really didn't need Branta's death added to that. He and the captain didn't exactly like eachother...but he hardly wanted the man to die.
"So," Aerie led off, getting Guy's attention again before cocking her head to the side with a tired smile, "Did you mean what you said there? That we're your friends?"
When did I say tha...wait...I know I was distracted, but seriously? Guy blinked, then raised an eyebrow, "You got close enough to hear us without me noticing?"
She grinned, "Hey, you may be the best fighter in the company, but I'm the tracking and stealth expert."
"I..." Guy sighed, laying back flat and staring at the evening sky. Had he really said that? He hadn't meant to. Friends were something he didn't want to have to worry about. But he knew himself well enough to know that when something like that slipped out while he wasn't paying attention...it was generally the truth. "I guess, yeah."
"Glad to hear it. You've...been pretty standoffish. Not that I can blame you too much, considering how you joined the company. But..." Aerie attempted to pry a bit, "this goes past that, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Guy admitted, then pried himself up off the ground to stand up, "but can we just leave it there? I don't want to get into it."
"Yeah...sorry." Aerie nodded and got up as well, "Um, besides, despite Piet trying to get him to rest, Branta wants a company meeting as soon as we get back in."
Guy nodded as well, "Right. Let's go then." I can guess what this is about. And...I'll just beat him to it then.
Gathered in the small, but clear, space between their tents, the Badgers all met to figure out what they were going to do from here.
Guy winced a bit when he first saw Branta, heavily bandaged and only able to sit up straight with Piet's help. He would have died if not for the bishop's healing staff, but there was only so much even magic could do for a wound like that. This wouldn't have happened if I weren't here.
Determined to do this himself, the Sacaen spoke up before their wounded captain even got started, "Look...Karel only came here because he was after me. This was my fault, and...I'm ready to leave. I won't even ask for my pay first...just use it to hire someone else."
Aerie looked shocked, while Noah and Teal exchanged one of their loaded looks. Branta, on the other hand, sighed heavily then cringed from the pain in his chest before shaking it off and openly glaring at the young man, "Is this one of those nomad honor things or are you just stupid?"
Guy was struck speechless by the old warrior's response, "I...uh..."
"Light above, you don't throw out your best fighter when you're already shorthanded, even if he did do something stupid," Branta ranted, "and believe me we're going to have some words about you not telling me that the damn Sword Demon was after you, but that can wait. Though while I'm on the subject, you have anyone else after your head that I should know about?"
Guy shook his head, "Um...not that I know of at least."
"Good." Branta shifted his position a bit and continued, "Alright then Badgers, here's the situation. I'm going to be out of commission awhile with this wound. Normally I'd leave Piet in charge, but there are alot of things that need his attention around here and fighters don't like taking orders from mages anyway. Not that you lot would mind, but we'll be taking on some of the 'blades. They'll at least be reporting to us for the rest of this job. So...Aerie, you're acting captain until I can swing an axe again."
"Hey!" Noah and Teal immediately interjected at once. "Why her?" Noah demanded. "Yeah, we've been with the company longer," Teal nodded, "we should be acting captain."
"Fine by me," Aerie noted, "which one of you?"
Noah looked at her like she was stupid, "Uh, she said 'we' Aerie, that's both of us."
"Which is exactly why it's not you," Branta raised his voice to regain control of the conversation, "only room for one leader on a battlefield. One person to make a decision that everyone else follows, no time to consult with your sister when there's an emergency."
"But..." Teal started to protest.
"This is not up for discussion." The captain shut her down. Then looking over to Aerie he gave her more specific instructions, "You'll be taking over duty rosters, that sort of thing. Make sure everyone's doing their job, and if we get attacked it's on you to lead the defense. I'll still be working though..."
"Over my protests, I would like it noted," Piet interrupted.
Branta ignored the priest, "I'll be interviewing the remaining 'blades, seeing if any of them want to sign on with us permanently. Guy, it was made pretty clear that he was here for you, so you'll have to deal with some resentment I'm sure. Deal with it, and don't accept any challenges if any of their hotheads call you out. That's an order, I don't give a shit about whatever reasons you might have to disobey. That clear?"
Guy nodded, actually quite glad to be able to say he had orders to refuse if it came up.
Aerie nodded as well, "I understand. And...taking in some of the 'blades, huh? Oh I hope that wannabe ladies man Cauld isn't one of them."
"He's, ah, already volunteered actually," Piet offered her an understanding and apologetic smile.
"Elimine save me." She slumped over in defeat while the twins broke out into giggles.
Having to laugh as well, Guy considered and pointed out, "Well...you do get to make the duty rosters now."
Aerie brightened up instantly, "...I do! I get to decide who gets stuck with him!" Then she turned and smiled at the twins who suddenly found the prospect of his inclusion in the group a lot less funny.
Branta cleared his throat to restore order...again...and the meeting went on until Piet called a stop to it and flat ordered the warrior to get some sleep. As Guy went to go catch a couple hours of sleep himself before his turn of night watch, he considered his place in the company...and in the world...and decided that the philosophy he had adapted wasn't entirely right.
Friends. It's hard to keep people you're with all the time from turning into them, I guess. And...maybe that's not a bad thing. If...if it happens again...well, then I'll get over it again. I can't go back to pretending I don't care about them. And...I don't really want to.
Author's note: So, I missed an update last month but considering this is my largest chapter to date(and my wife had the last week of January off from work~) I think it's pardonable. A couple of general notes about the chapter as well.
1-On the subject of Karel. If you thought his "Astra Slash"(and yes that is a shout out to FE9/10 Swordmaster occult ability) sounded like the Swordmaster critical animation...then I got it right! Yeah, I know gameplay wise any swordmaster can do that(including Guy!) but I felt like making it his signature thing. And while I'm talking about gameplay/plot split, Karel's Wo Dao plotwise is a one of a kind sword that he killed his family to obtain. Which is the version I'm going with in the story, despite gameplaywise there being more then just the one.
2- As this went on, I really got the impression that this should have been two chapters. I needed to do alot of characterization/character growth for Guy and the Badgers before the big scene with Karel, and it probably should have gotten a chapter or so dedicated just to that. But...I'm trying to stick to an outline(which I've already screwed up with Masterless Sword I know), and wasn't really willing to give Guy another gaiden chapter while Matt hadn't had any. So I hope I made the right decision to shove all this into one chapter, but I still wanted to say that yeah I'm not entirely happy with it. I seem to be saying that about my recent chapters alot actually.
Anyway, enough emo and second guessing myself. Hope you enjoyed and look forward to Matthew's next chapter...which gets us back to some plot that was foreshadowed alllllll the way back at the beginning~