A Grim Reunion
Alysia and Lyn sat nervously in a table in the corner of the inn, waiting anxiously for Eliwood's return. He had left that morning to intercept the courier that he had sent out yesterday. Every second that they waited was another second lost on the road.
Finally, the door opened, and Eliwood walked through. He moved towards the table Lyn and Alysia were at and sat down across from them, ignoring the stares cast in their direction.
"I've received word from Caelin's neighbors." He said softly, as the patrons went back to their own business. "The marquesses of Laus, Tuscana, Kathelet, Tania, and Santaruz have all promised that they will not interfere with the affairs of Caelin."
Alysia and Lyn shared a sigh of relief. The crisis had passed.
"Eliwood, I don't know how to thank you." Lyn said.
Eliwood held up his hand for silence. "All I've done is ensured their neutrality," He explained, "at the cost of my own, I'm afraid."
Lyn frowned. "Then you won't be able to assist us?" She asked.
Eliwood shook his head. "Pherae's military will have to stand back as well. Will you be alright?" He asked.
Alysia nodded. "We made it this far." She said. "I think we can make it the rest of the way."
"We will win." Lyn affirmed. "We have to. I have to. It's the only way that I can help my grandfather."
Eliwood nodded. "I understand. Although I cannot help you directly," He said, "I pray for your success in this matter." Eliwood rose from the seat, and offered his hand, which Lyn took.
"Thank you, Eliwood." She said. "We won't waste this opportunity."
They left the inn together, but before he left, Eliwood handed Alysia a bundle. She gave him a questioning look.
"Torches." Eliwood explained. "This area is prone to rather bad weather, and I'm not going to watch as a group of travelers goes out without what I think to be proper equipment." Alysia smiled and nodded, and they parted ways. However, as she unwrapped the torches, she noticed that the cloths that had been used to bundle the torches were, in fact, maps of the area nearby, and of the area around Castle Caelin. Or an idea of where they're going. She imagined Eliwood saying.
They assembled the rest of their group on an open plain south of the village. Alysia looked around. To the east and south were a pair of massive mountain ranges, a small grove of trees connecting the two. To the west, vast, open plains. To the north, the village, and a small cliff beyond that. Alysia checked the map. Beyond the mountains, a rather large forest, resulting from the rain shadow that these mountains cast. The small thicket concealed a river that snow-melt from the mountains fed.
"All right, Everyone!" Lyn called. "We need to move! Let's get going!"
"Quickly!" Alysia called out. "The weather feels like it's going to turn sour soon. The air feels really humid. We might be in for a nasty fog."
"That won't help." Kent said. "If a fog rolls in, we'll be blind. We can't fight what we can't see."
Alysia nodded. "It's something we'll have to deal with." She said. "I won't accept any more delays. We press on!"
Sain nodded. "There's one final obstacle between us and Castle Caelin." His face fell. "General Eagler's estate."
Alysia decided not to press the reaction. Instead, she decided to figure out her best force composition. A thought crossed his mind. "Matthew?" Alysia called.
"Yes?" A voice said directly into her ear.
Alysia whirled. Matthew stood there with an ear-to-ear grin. "Scare ya?"
"No." Alysia said sarcastically. "I just like to spin in circles." Alysia returned to a serious tone. "You've got good eyes, right?"
"Of course. All..." He sighed. "All thieves, if you must call us that, have excellent eyesight."
Alysia nodded. "Then you'll be our guide should the fog fall. We're counting on you!"
Matthew nodded, and took the map from Alysia. Alysia then looked for Kent and Sain. She found the two standing with each other, not arguing as per usual, but whispering sadly. Most distressing was Sain's marked lack of energy.
"Kent? Sain?" Alysia said. The cavaliers quickly stopped whispering, and turned to face the tactician.
"What is it, Alysia?" Kent asked.
"How... How do you two know Eagler?" Alysia asked.
"He was our knight commander when we were just recruits." Kent explained. "This was where we trained. There are... many memories here."
Sain nodded. "Eagler was like a second father to us. He taught us what it meant to be knights, what it meant to serve Caelin."
"Kent, Sain..." Alysia sighed. "I would like you two to stay out of this battle with Ninian."
"WHAT!?" They both exclaimed.
"Please, allow me to explain." Alysia said quickly. "This is not because I have called your loyalties into question. If you two wanted to turn on us, you'd have done it already. I ask you two to remain back because..." Alysia sighed. "Because if we are to pass through here, Eagler..."
"Say no more." Sain said sadly. "We understand your concern. And someone must remain back, anyways."
Alysia nodded. "If it makes you two feel any better, I trust you two more than anyone else with Ninian."
Kent nodded. "We will keep an eye on her for you." He said. "Go lead the troops."
Alysia nodded. "Be safe."
There was a thundering sound of heavy armor, and the three quickly ran over to see what was happening. The sight was of a bald man with a big nose and hard face hefting a spear, standing tall in his heavy armor.
"So you've come." He boomed. Alysia couldn't help but wince. His voice was bass, but impossibly loud.
Sain yelped. "Y-you're Lord Wallace!" He exclaimed.
"Who is this?" Lyn asked Kent.
"He used to be the commander-in-chief of Caelin's knights." Kent explained. He turned to Wallace. "Aren't you supposed to be retired? I heard you were a farmer now."
"I am, and I was." He boomed again. "Then Lord Lundgren sent orders to capture an imposter and a pair of rogue knights."
"Surely you don't believe us to be oath-breakers, Lord Wallace?" Kent objected.
"Bring me the girl who claims to be the child of Lady Madelyn." He ordered.
"What are your intentions?" Sain asked.
"If I don't like what I see, I will take her." He boomed.
"And we will prevent you!" Kent said.
"You, prevent me? You must be joking!" Wallace boomed.
"Enough!" Lyn said, moving in front of Kent and Sain. "I'm right here! I'm Lyndis."
Wallace looked to her, and scrutinized her.
"I will understand if you don't believe me." Lyn said. "But I've had enough of this foolish posturing! I refuse to be-"
"Such beautiful eyes..." Wallace whispered. The sudden contrast shocked Alysia. Wallace had just gone from louder than a wyvern's roar to as quiet as a field mouse.
"Pardon?" Lyn asked, taken slightly aback.
"I've been a knight for thirty years." Wallace said. "If there's one thing I've learned in those thirty years, it's that a person with bright and true eyes is never a deceiver, and Lyndis, your eyes are the brightest and truest I've ever seen."
Then he threw back his head, and let out a long, booming series of laughs. "Ah yes, I like you girl!" He roared. "Why, I'll even join your little band of mercenaries!"
"Wait, really?" Sain said.
Wallace nodded. "This old bull pledged his loyalty to Caelin. I would never allow a usurper on its throne. Let's march!" He thundered off to the south.
"Lord Wallace!" Alysia cried.
The massive man stopped and turned. "What is it, girl?" He thundered.
"We're actually taking the long way!" She called. "The bridge will just prove to be a bottleneck that I'd like to avoid!"
The giant lumbered back. "He hasn't changed a bit." Kent said.
"I like him." Lyn said. "He's honest."
"Honest, and worthy of our respect." Kent confirmed.
The group started north, but were between the mountains east of the village and the cliffs north of it when Alysia first noticed the forts. In the mountain, and atop the cliff, were military installations that held soldiers. Soldiers that were now approaching from the north and south. A small force of spearmen was moving down from the cliff, and some mountaineers were coming from the mountain fort. Alysia pointed out the troops to the force.
"Wil, Rath!" He called. "Keep the pressure on those men on the mountain! Everyone else, watch your front and rear!"
Wil and Rath quickly moved to the base of the mountain, and began firing arrows up the side of it. It was hard, Alysia noticed, for them to hit their foes, as the side of the mountain was rocky, and there was plenty of cover for them to hide behind. Alysia did her best to remove that cover as she could, but Sylvanas could only do so much. This would take them too long if they just sat here. At worst, the reinforcements could actually overwhelm them if they got pinned down.
"Wil, Rath! Just pressure them!" Alysia called out. "We can handle them if they make it down!"
"Got it!" They called, and slowly pulled back from the mountain. Alysia turned, and squinted as a ball of flames erupted from Erk's outstretched hands, and flew towards a group of soldiers. The explosion was spectacular, and terrifying.
They were north of the mountains when the fog finally rolled in. "Everyone! Keep on your guard! We can't fight what we can't see. Move slowly!" Affirmative replies came in, and Alysia grabbed Matthew's shoulder. He jumped, and spun around. Alysia couldn't hide the smile fast enough, and caught a glare from Matthew.
"Sorry." She said. "I need you to stick close. Your eyes are going to keep us alive."
Matthew nodded. "There's a fresh group of soldiers coming from the cliff fort, and more men coming from the mountain. Also, there's a few horsemen coming from the east, near that gap between this mountain and that hill." Alysia looked to where he was pointing, and saw the outline of three or four horsemen.
There was a boom like thunder, and Alysia turned to see a very unlucky soldier impaled on Wallace's giant lance. Wallace swung the lance at another soldier, and the two bodies went flying. Dorcas covered him with his axe, cleanly cutting a soldier's lance. The man turned and ran.
Alysia looked towards the cavalry force. Florina and Lyn were handling themselves expertly. She looked into the fog, and her blood ran cold. "Florina, get back! Archers!" Her pegasus took flight, no archers in range to shoot it down. She sighed.
A shaft of light shot past her to Alysia's right. She turned to see Lucius' outstretched hand pointing to the mountain as a body tumbled down. Erk joined in, lobbing balls of fire up the mountain, scorching the men as they tried to move down the slope.
The group had managed to pass through the gap between the mountain and hill when Matthew tapped Alysia's shoulder. She turned to face him.
"There's another base inside of that forest, and up on that plateau." He directed Alysia's gaze east, towards the plateau. Sure enough, a small group of archers was descending the face of the cliff. She called for Wil and Rath, and they came up to her.
"There's a couple of archers on that cliff. Take them out before they can do the same to us." They nodded, and moved quickly over to get in range.
There was a grunt, and Alysia turned to see Dorcas holding his right side with a bloody hand. "A lucky strike from an axe." He explained.
Alysia nodded. "Get Serra to help you with that." She ordered. "We promised Natalie that you'd make it home, and if I can't keep that promise, I'd hate to see what she'd do to me." Dorcas smiled, nodded, and went to find the cleric.
They skirted the forest, moving along its eastern edge, fighting the soldiers that came out of it. To the south, a castle loomed, a small group of lance-wielding soldiers in formation in front. In the rear, a man sat in armor atop a horse.
"Eagler!" Wallace boomed.
"General Wallace?" The mounted man called back, somewhat surprised. "So you've sided with the girl too?"
"I fight for the honor of Caelin, not Lundgren's lies!" Wallace retorted.
"Then I name you all traitors!" Eagler shouted.
"Then my blow shall be the one that finishes you!" Wallace roared.
The force of spearmen moved forwards, and was immediately faced with a shower of arrows, javelins, and magic. Those that weren't felled by the barrage faced Wallace's charge as he forced his way up to Eagler. Eagler hurled a throwing axe at Wallace, but it bounced off of his armor.
Alysia watched as Wallace, in one fluid motion, used his spear to club a soldier, then used the momentum of the swing to throw his spear. The weapon rammed into Eagler, and pinned him to the ground through his chest. Eagler's horse joined the soldiers as they scattered, and Wallace pulled his lance from the man.
Eagler coughed blood. "Go. Go quickly." He rasped. "The marquess... He knows nothing of this... His life is... there's no illness. Only..." Another cough, then Eagler's voice returned, weaker. "Poison... for the marquess... for all of Caelin... Please..." His head slumped, and he was silent.
"What kind of man was Eagler?" Lucius asked Kent and Sain. They'd conducted a funeral service for the general at Kent and Sain's request.
"When Sain and I first became knights, Eagler was our captain. He taught us..." A tear rolled down his cheek.
"He knew that we were telling the truth." Lyn said. "Why force the fight?"
"Something must have..." Sain sniffed. "Lord Lundgren must have been forcing him somehow."
"Do you think he was protecting family? A friend, maybe?" Alysia asked.
Kent's eyes widened. "Before we left... Eagler told me that his wife was pregnant."
"Lundgren was holding his wife and unborn child hostage?" Lyn cried. "May that black-hearted monster never know the peaceful embrace of Mother Earth! I don't care what others will do, I will stop that man!"
"Sain, over there." Kent said. "Isn't that-"
Alysia looked, and smiled sadly. "Isn't that Eagler's horse?" She asked.
Sain nodded. "The horse of our teacher and friend..." The two cavaliers walked over to the horse, stroking its mane and calming it down.
Kent looked to Alysia, who nodded. Kent smiled, tears in his eyes, and looked back to the horse. "She's all yours, Sain." Kent said. Sain looked to his partner, the tears in his eyes obvious.
"Kent, I..." Sain shook his head. "Thank you."
"Now then." Alysia said, gathering the attention of the group. "We've stayed here long enough. If we are to avenge Eagler's death, and help Lyn's grandfather, then there isn't a moment to lose!" She mounted her own horse, and looked off in the direction of Castle Caelin. "We ride!"