A/N:
Posted: April 13th, 2017
Last Updated: March 22nd, 2019
Views as of Posting: 8 671
I had a difficult time writing last chapter because there have been many things happening in my personal life. Rest assured, they're mostly settled now. A new poll is up! See the A/N at this chapter's end for details.
Fun fact: Ingrid / Oskar / Fritz are all real, randomly-generated names for captured Nohrian units in FE:Fates. Worry not – they will only be minor characters.
Chapter 8 Updates:
- Grammatical corrections
All changes are purely stylistic and do not impact the story. Efforts will be made to minimize these types of changes in the future.
Now, onto the story…
"Advance and attack, withdraw in a flash – weakness begets strength."
- Qi Jiguang, New Treatise on Military Efficiency
Chapter 9: Fort Gunter (Lancer, Corrin, Hinoka)
[Some days prior]
News of invasion spread fast throughout the Nohrian countryside. Prince Xander's surprise attack brought a mix of surprise and conflicted feelings. In some regions of Nohr, citizens enlisted by the hundreds, excited by the prospect of treasures and adventure. Others were not as enthusiastic.
Those tidbits of information were all the Expeditionary Force gathered. Six hours after the last Hoshidan retreated from the river, a messenger raven carried the message to the nearby 17th Construction Regiment. The ragtag group of engineers and soldiers were assigned their wagons. They reached their destination within the week.
Some more days after that, two of the royal family's retainers arrived in the morning, relieving the previous captain of her duties. Every weekday consisted of logging and importing lumber in the morning, building and digging at night. One afternoon, about two dozen Nohrians found themselves working in a large pit. They dug towards the bottom while the hot sun made them perspire.
"Kuh." One of the recruits grumbled, throwing his iron shovel onto the ground. "These splinters are killing me."
"Oh, calm down Fritz." A young brunette beside him grunted as she dropped her own, "It's almost break time. I'll examine it then, alright?"
"All Nohr won from that fight was this large yard of nothing! Why are we breaking our backs over it?"
"Hey, careful…"
"Those brigands can take this filthy land back for all I care!"
The girl sealed her lips and stared to the side awkwardly. Fritz brush back his curly brown hair while detecting the condemning stare of his superior. The bulky, blonde man walked towards him. His stance was far more formidable up close.
"Soldier! Name and rank!"
(Crap! The new commander!)
The soldier stood at attention and saluted, looking from above the pit. "Sir! Lancer Fritz of the 17th Construction Regiment!"
"And you there!" The commander turned his attention to the girl. "Name, rank!"
"Sir, Lancer Ingrid… 17th Construction Regiment…"
The two friends tried remaining still as the blonde man inspected both of them. His mostly-red battle armor was a unique deviation from the usual Nohrian Purple. The commander boomed his voice again at the recruits.
The other Nohrians watched the situation curiously. One of Fritz's friends gave somebody a silent high five, having won a bet on who got reprimanded first.
"Ingrid! Did you hear Lancer Fritz complain about the hard work of his colleagues?"
"No sir. I did not hear anything." Her legs was getting shaky.
Fritz's face lowered from guilt. Punishment in the Nohrian army was infamously severe. Just yesterday, the old captain forced Oskar to run laps the entire night for complaining about his sprained ankle.
"Aha, dishonesty!" The blonde man accused. "Most inappropriate for a member of the Expeditionary Force!"
"… Sir?"
"Call me Lord Arthur, Destroyer of Evil, Champion of the Weak! Fear not, lancer! I will help you change your ways!"
Fritz could not comprehend what the commander was saying. Arthur signaled both of them to follow him into one of the temporary dormitories. Fritz and Ingrid looked at each other with deep unease. Taking deep breaths, they both walked after Arthur into the semi-complete dwelling.
[…]
The recruits stumbled out of Arthur's office in a daze, unsure what had happened. They somehow survived a two hour lecture on morality, justice, and some other topics - Fritz tuned out somewhere in the middle.
"Oh gosh." Ingrid held herself. "That was terrible. Inhumane!"
Fritz nodded. "I… I'll never speak ill of working again!"
"And I'll never cover for your mistakes again!"
"Well, hey, I don't think that was the point of Lord Arthur's lecture!"
"Really? Don't you remember when he talked about living the 'Nohrian Way'?"
The two looked at each other for a short while before bursting out in laughter. Ingrid dusted off her breastplate and suddenly grabbed Fritz's hand. The lancer swallowed at her touch. The scent of her lush hair always made him calm.
"Wow there's a few deep ones." Ingrid commented, "I'll need a needle for this."
"Y-yeah. I think there's a few at the supply wagons…"
She pulled away, looking at the structure site. Their other comrades were already on break – washing their tools in the river. A wooden wall protruded from the ground, partitioning land for the remaining buildings.
"Hey guys!" A tall man with short auburn hair ran towards him. He was carrying two tins under his arm. "Where were you this entire time?"
Fritz folded his arms, "Sorry Oskar. We had to face the 'wrath' of our newest commander."
"Couldn't have been worse than yesterday." Oskar shrugged, "Break's almost over. I convinced the cooks to leave you guys some beans for dinner."
"Convinced? Or stolen from?" Fritz asked.
"What am I, a diplomat?"
(There we go…)
Ingrid sighed heavily. "Oskar! That's not right."
"But… beans."
Hunger seized Fritz's stomach. Oskar was always known as the trio's troublemaker. Poaching and thieving were his favorite pastimes. Before they met Ingrid, the two loved tagging along with Oskar's father as they hunted in the Forlorn Woods.
"We'll work harder if we aren't starving, Ingrid!" Fritz reasoned.
"Fine." The girl said. "I'll have to look at your splinters afterwards then."
"That's the spirit!" Oskar smiled, handing them the tins. "Dig in, you two. They'll have us diggin' the pit again in no time."
Ingrid and Fritz gratefully accepted their meals. The lancers found a small hill to sit on, looking upon the walls and the river. When they first arrived to the scene, broken weapons littered the ground. The Nohrian soldiers on guard there were ecstatic to see familiar faces.
A Pegasus corpse used to lay where they erected the lavatory, half decapitated off by an axe blow. On the other side of the river, a hungry fox prodded two unidentified corpses. The previous captain told them not to pay too much attention.
The three had never been in a real fight outside of training. Most of the lancers and engineers had not even seen a Hoshidan before that day. It was at that moment Oskar, being the self-declared leader of the trio, vowed to keep them all safe. Fritz scoffed at the boldness when he first heard it – He was not going to let his sly friend snatch all the fame for himself.
The young Prince was on his way back to his room for nighttime when a familiar face interrupted him. Father had introduced Corrin to his new retainer just yesterday, but the retainer bumped into him at every pass.
Xander gave him a broad profile of Silas beforehand. The cavalier had about as mundane of an upbringing as he imagined. He came from a noble family, who used their wealth to find talented trainers for their son. Silas passed all of his military tests with excellence, attracting Castle Krakenburg's attention.
"Lord Corrin!" He greeted, walking up to him, "Excuse me!"
"Hello again, Silas."
"Milord! So, did you finally think about when we first met?"
Corrin bit his lower lip in exasperation. His retainer kept pushing the narrative they knew each other some long time ago. It reminded him of a merchant trying to scam unknowing travelers.
"When we first met…" The Prince said as Silas came up close. "Unless you mean yesterday, I have no clue."
"Are you sure? I'm certain I saw you at the Northern Fortress!"
Corrin's pointed ear twitched at the words. He looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. The other servants were checking their equipment, all too busy to listen in. The young Prince leaned in to his supposed "friend".
"Shush. How did you know I lived up there? That's meant to be a secret!"
"Like I said, we met before! I tried taking you out of the fortress, but the guards caught us… After they threw me out, I thought I would never see you again."
(… What is he talking about? Better say something to shut him up.)
"Ah. It's possible my memory slipped somewhere." Corrin said sheepishly. "If that was actually you, then I'm sorry I have forgotten…"
"Well if you remember now, then it's no problem old friend." Silas declared. "We are now brothers-in-arms - here to defend Nohr with our hearts and soul!"
Corrin was mildly impressed with his retainer's enthusiasm. Never before has he met a soldier so enamored with defending Nohr. Yet, Silas's eyes did not possess the lust for conquest like others in the army. He took it as a welcoming sign.
"Well, we obviously have a lot of catching up to do. It should not be too long before our first expedition. Get some sleep for tomorrow, alright?"
"Of course, Lord Corrin! Farewell!"
"Farewell…"
As Silas took off, the Prince shook his head. Perhaps Silas was too enthusiastic for his own good - even Xander did not pretend to be as inspired by his Father as the retainer did. Corrin sighed, looking forward to his long-awaited rest.
[…]
Corrin let his two former servants straighten his collar. Iago's explanation of his fabricated backstory was nebulous at best. Regardless, he invited Corrin to his first War Council meeting. Leo spent the entire morning explaining the structure.
As his brother rambled on, the Prince still worried about how Silas could remember their childhood so well. The way Silas treated him like old friends – the way he talk so fondly of serving Nohr – Corrin thought it was all too suspicious.
"You're looking good, milord! Good luck in there!" Felicia said happily. Jakob simply gave the Prince an esteemed thumbs-up.
"Thanks…" Corrin muttered.
It was the first time he spoke to his servants since they suddenly resigned from the army. Brother Xander was complaining about their decision earlier – saying something about having his time wasted again.
"You're passable." Leo said, "Everyone else is waiting. It's a meeting, not a ball."
(Says the brother with the inside-out collar.)
Corrin nodded. "Let's go."
His brother opened the door to the large room. In the middle of the room was a long table; on one end was Iago and the rest of the royal family. Xander and the senior tactician had the two largest chairs in the room, the third reserved for Leo.
On the other side were ten unfamiliar faces. They were the famous generals of the Nohrian army. They looked about the same as Corrin imagined – Mostly older men, each one with at least a few noticeable scars. The only two female veterans were clearly the youngest in the group - though that was not a high threshold to clear.
"So, this is the 'Prince' we suddenly found?" A rotund woman jeered, "I swear, the new ones get younger every year!"
"About time we get some fresh blood in here." A bald man with a large scar on his left cheek said.
The Prince took the comments respectfully and looked for a seat. Iago had put the only extra chair in the room next to the generals. Each one had several parchments in front of them. Corrin realized he would not be sitting next to his Nohrian siblings.
"Hey." A grey-haired man grunted as Corrin sat down, "Who the hell said you could sit at the veterans' table, kid?"
The Prince sat up immediately. "Err, no one, sir."
"Easy son." Another one grinned, "Have a seat. We always treat the new batches like this. You'll fit in no time."
Corrin laughed it off with the other generals and sat down. He thought the people seated next to him must have possessed great fame to speak so casually to royalty. No one appeared too doubtful about his sudden promotion. At the very least, Silas was not spreading news of his childhood everywhere.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a lot on the agenda today." Iago folded his fingers, "I assume everyone knows who our guest is… Before we begin, does anyone have concerns with our briefing for the last battle?"
Xander was the first to speak. He held parchments in his hand, undoubtedly the report he wrote for the rest of the War Council. Leo sagged in his seat, knowing what his older brother was going to say.
"Yes, Iago." The Crown Prince raised his voice, "I want to understand what you were thinking. I was given only five hundred soldiers to capture the Hoshidan plains. I read our official army records - that's barely a hundredth of our forces!"
"A twentieth." Iago replied.
"Excuse me?"
"Twentieth. Milord, you invaded Hoshido with five percent of our entire army. Given how extended our borders are, that was far more than enough."
The Crown Prince's eyes widened. He could not believe what Iago had just told him. The other generals also noticed something was horribly wrong and fumbled through their documents. Corrin held the papers in his hand, flipping through the pages.
"Are you saying only a fifth of our army are on-duty?" Camilla asked.
"Precisely." Iago looked down to Leo. "After learning of our initial battle, not everyone in Nohr found it favorable. It's taking longer than expected to mobilize our entire army. Resistance groups are popping up all over the south… Most of our garrisons are trying to quell unrest there."
The Nohrians in the room started a commotion.
"You speak as if that wasn't a massive problem." A general exclaimed, "Ten thousand soldiers? Hoshido can roll over us anytime if they please!"
(I thought Nohr had the upper hand the whole time!)
Leo licked his lips. "Correct, which is why our victory was so vital. Hoshido will take our bluff, and will be on the defensive. We have created the illusion we are ready to strike at any moment."
"Give us a few weeks and we will pacify the dissenters." The senior tactician added. "Leo and I predicted this would happen, so consider it a minor delay."
"What's the plan while we wait?" Camilla demanded.
Iago dropped his report and looked to the other side of the table. One by one, the royal family and the generals followed his eyes. Soon everyone had their eyes on the young prince. Xander shot him a concerned glance.
"We'll need to reinforce the borders." He said, grinning. "Sounds like the perfect first mission for our newest member."
[…]
Corrin and Elise were tasked to guard the recently conquered plains. They set off in the morning, excited for their new adventure. Iago told them a construction regiment would be greeting them there. Before he left, Xander and Camilla wished him the best of luck. They knew they would not see each other for a long time.
Fortunately, Iago also requisitioned the First Royal Lances to Corrin - the Nohrians who fought alongside him at the Bottomless Canyon. Silas marched alongside the cavaliers, trying to fit as much as possible. The regiment's captain was visibly jealous someone younger than him became Corrin's retainer first. In total, the First Royal Lances and the Combat Support Unit numbered two hundred strong.
Four days passed since the War Council meeting. The royals had crossed the Bottomless Canyon and set foot on Hoshidan territory. Nohr paved wide roads alongside new supply stations, making the journey back much easier. For the final stretch, Corrin got the army to travel on-foot to give the horses some rest. He and Elise volunteered to take point.
"Fuuuuu." Elise muttered. "My legs are getting sore."
"I think we're almost there." Corrin reassured, "We'll see your retainers soon."
"Are your legs hurt?" Silas asked worriedly.
Behind him and Elise, a small group of wagons rolled along. The roads leading up to the Bottomless Canyon were still riddled with traps. The Nohrians already spent a quarter of their medical supplies trying to heal small cuts and bruises along the way.
"Nope. I want Corrin to give me a piggyback ride though!"
"Wait, right now?" The Prince reluctantly let her little sister climb onto her shoulders and hoisted her up. "I wish Felicia were here…"
Ignoring the hoots of his cavaliers, Corrin bore his burden without further complaints. The regiments marched on to the tallest hill in the area. On the other side, an unbelievable sight awaited them.
A tall wooden wall, constructed from thick logs surrounded the rectangular complex. In the middle were several wooden cabins and nearly completed storage houses. Workers were still outside, washing their tools and gossiping. Corrin gazed upon Fort Gunter, named after the veteran who allegedly gave his life in service.
"Incredible." He said, "They built all this in under two weeks?"
"Ha-ha, yay!" Elise exclaimed. "Hurry up! Let's go, go!"
She jumped off her brother's shoulders and ran towards the workers below. The sweaty builders working there paid little attention to her, only moving away when necessary. The rest of their army took their time following the little Princess.
Silas jaw extended. "Well, I guess we know they built everything so quickly..."
The retainer stared at two Nohrians in the middle of the fort. The female with white hair had defined muscles throughout her body and fancied a light-pink tunic. She carried logs like mere branches and plopped them onto the ground.
(That must be Effie?)
On the other side was a blond man with bizarre red and blue armor. He was also well-built, chopping logs with an iron axe at amazing speed. His prominent chin stuck out on his face. Despite the hard work, he did not break a sweat.
"Arthur! Effie!" Princess Elise called, "I'm here!"
The man, presumably Arthur, stood up and waved. "Lady Elise! Great to see you again! It is my honor to announce that Fort Gunter is almost constructed."
"Yeah." Effie, replied. "What he said, I guess. Uh. Did you bring some food for us?"
"Uh-huh!"
Hearing her master's response, Effie dropped her massive log immediately. Her partner flexed his arms, finally cooling off. Corrin stared in awe at the two human machines. He thought Elise was exaggerating when she first described them.
"They are truly unique citizens, aren't they?" Silas noted.
"Plenty of time to talk to them later." Elise replied, "Once those two get to work, they can't stop until everything's done!"
(Amazing…)
"Arthur, Effieeeee!" His sister called, "Let's get some food cooking! First regiment to unpack their wagons, get served first!"
"On my way, Lady Elise!" Effie bowed.
When the two retainers took off, the lumber on the ground shook at their sheer momentum. Two workers jumped out of the way before they could be rammed into a pulp. Corrin's own retainer tugged at his collar nervously, feeling completely outclassed.
"Those two…" Corrin stifled a laugh, watching them go. "Hey Silas, follow me. We'll show the Combat Support how fast the cavaliers are!"
"Yes, sir!" Silas pulled the reins on his mare. He narrowed his eyes at Effie and Arthur one last time, issuing a challenge on who was the most devoted retainer.
The Prince stretched his arms in anticipation. He would be stuck at Fort Gunther for a week, with his sister and her fascinating companions. Compared to the abandoned fortress, Iago was overly kind for assigning him such an easy task.
(Only a few days before I can finally return to Krakenburg as a real Prince!)
[Three days after]
Hinoka sighed. As most of her forces have not recovered from last battle, she only brought a small patrol of Pegasus knights for her next mission. The unpredictable General Haitaka had announced a raid on the Nohrians days prior.
As promised, Rinkah brought a large group of warriors from the Flame Tribe to help – the indigenous people had a tough time fitting in with the Hoshidan samurai, but the cultural barrier was shattered quickly. It turned out that the people who mastered fire were also incredible cooks. She and the general led the combined force westwards, stopping on one side of a large hill.
"We'll unpack here." Haitaka ordered. "Get your tents pitched up before sunset."
Within a few hundred paces were the Nohrian forces they were to attack. The army consisted of samurai and the feared "Oni savages". They were only a small band of foot soldiers, but the general was convinced they could pull off a victory.
The memory of defeat still slighted Hinoka, who stared at the clouds above. Rinkah joined her, helping the princess unpack. The Flame Tribe had no use for tents –the warmth of their campfires was simply enough.
"So, Kamui's missing again?" The warrior sighed. "I'm sorry. First your mother, then your brother. That must have felt terrible."
"Don't be." Hinoka responded. "At least we know he's alive."
"Hey, first time we dragged your brother back was for free. Suzukaze and I better get a nice bounty the second time!"
"Didn't the Nohrians capture you two sometime before that?"
"… We'll call it a one-one tie."
Hinoka grinned and shook her head. The ladies barely talked in the past, but the Princess enjoyed her company. Both descended from the leaders of their peoples and were raised very differently, but they somehow found many things in common.
"We owe your father a debt." The Princess gulped. "With the Flame Tribe and Hoshido fighting together, Nohr wouldn't stand a chance."
"They wouldn't stand a chance against us separately, either." Rinkah chirped. "As long as we have our secret weapons, we should be fine."
Hinoka shook her head. "You and Haitaka are always talking about that..."
She felt the five bottles tied together to her waist. Strange liquid sloshed within them. Rinkah bragged those bottles was the most important weapon of the Flame Tribe. The friends quickly assembled the basic tent – a simple set of cloth with various sticks as the frame. Some of the samurai herded the horse-wagons away, leaving a small community of tents and fires on the smooth hillside.
Rinkah narrowed her eyes at the tent. "Gross. I'll never get used to these things. I never settle for anything less than a hut with a nice fire."
"Whatever you please." Hinoka shrugged. She and Rinkah sat down together in the grass and awaited the general's next instructions. Revenge against the Nohrian scum approached with each long, passing minute.
[…]
Usually, royalty would outrank any member of the military, but Yukimura told Hinoka to entrust Haitaka with the entire operation. A peculiar order, considering the two older men did not seem to get along. The three commanders gathered around him, awaiting orders.
"Lady Hinoka, Hana, Rinkah. Here is how we'll deploy." The general said.
He took a small pause, looking at the three of them.
"Heh. If I knew ladies like you three served in the army, Yukimura would have convinced me to return a lot easier."
Rinkah rolled their eyes. Haitaka took out his steel naginata and drew in the ground. He drew crude lines, representing the river, and several crosses and circles to show enemy movements. The females squatted on the ground with him.
"Ahem. Remember this is a small raid. Our ultimate plan is to sneak forces into Fort Dragonfall by diverting enemy regiments from their south. Avoid casualties if possible. Above all else, don't do anything stupid."
Haitaka withdrew his weapon and opted to use a small, pointed stick to draw instead. His finger traced every curve of the river meticulously. The sky princess found his drawing shockingly accurate for someone who missed the first battle.
"Lady Hinoka and her ten Pegasus knights will scout. We need your eyes in the air for this raid to succeed. Find out what nasty surprises they have for us."
(Sounds like a plan.)
"Rinkah. Our soldiers have not yet learned how to fight with your tribe. Your forces will be targeting the northern bridge here. I hope you can prove that the praise for your warriors is not mere hearsay."
"We're more than just talk." She grunted. "Just tell us who to kill."
Finally, it was Lady Hana's turn. The samurai looked at the general, determined to make a difference. Haitaka's voice trailed off gradually, still scrawling away at the ground map.
"Hana. You and your samurai will guard the southern bridge for the raid."
"That's it?" The retainer asked incredulously.
"Yes. Stay there and do not leave your place." The General's tone turned dark.
Hana was still unconvinced. "Sir! With all due respect, I can contribute a lot more by attacking across the bridge."
"That's a possibility." Haitaka said, "But I cannot allow it. After a review of the last battle, we are currently unsure of your… battlefield competence."
The typically feisty swordswoman opened her mouth to speak but no words spilled out. Instead of getting heated like usual, she accepted his words solemnly. The other girls shifted uncomfortably in the long pause.
"Who was the one who said I was incompetent?" Hana asked.
"Why, it was Lady Hinoka herself."
The Princess fumed. "Haitaka!"
She had no choice. Everything was indisputable, from Ryoma's battle report to her army's testimonies to her own sister's injuries. As the samurai at Fort Jinya said, each member of the Hoshidan army should be under equal treatment.
Hana did not see it that way.
"You!" She cursed. "I knew you and my friend had issues, but you're going after Sakura's other retainer too? What kind of royalty are you?"
"That's not what I'm doing." Hinoka affirmed.
"I should have known. When Tsubaki told me about your leadership, I thought he was exaggerating. Big mistake on my part."
The Princess should have guessed the arrogant, perfectionist redhead was speaking ill behind her back. Hinoka's patience started wearing. She had no idea why Sakura was stuck with the two most egotistical soldiers in the entire country.
"Please stop this Hana." Haitaka intervened. "Lady Hinoka was the one who suggested bringing you along in the first place. If you do well, I'm sure the military will reconsider-"
The samurai spat. "Why does it have to be this way?"
"…You better listen to your Princess, milady." The general warned darkly.
"Fine then."
With the retainer pacified, Haitaka stood up and wrapped up the briefing. Hinoka replayed the plan through her mind. She silently wondered who the enemy commander would be, and if they would be more skillful than Xander.
"I will coordinate the entire operation from the very rear. After our raid, you three will retreat. I will meet up with Azura and the sabotage patrol in the south. Everyone understand?"
The three nodded.
"Perfect. Get some sleep then. Tomorrow we strike."
"Lord Corrin! The construction regiment needs your feedback on the armory!"
"Be right there Effie!"
[...]
"Lord Corrin! We require tomorrow's work schedule!"
"Thanks for reminding me Arthur. I'll get back to you.
[…]
"Milord! South Bridge requires inspection."
"Alright. Give me a minute Silas…"
[…]
"Cooorrin!"
"What!?"
Corrin softly banged his head on the table in exasperation. Iago never told him the difficulties of managing a fort. Every day, no matter how uneventful, required a report for the military. He looked beyond the table to a terrified Elise near the door.
"B-big brother?" She said.
"Oh, sorry. I'm just a bit worn out." The Prince coughed. "What do you need?"
"Supper is ready. Come to the mess hall!"
"Really? Thanks sis, I'll be right there."
"… Scary."
Elise whispered to herself as she ran off. Her brother hastily cleaned up his office and stepped outside. Fort Gunter stood proudly in Hoshidan territory. Quasi-circular walls surrounded the complex, with a large armory in the center.
Surrounding it was the soldiers' dwellings - maximum capacity five regiments. On the outer regions of the fortress were the stables and granaries. Writing the reports gave Corrin a fresh mental map of the surroundings. Unlike Fort Jinya, the buildings appeared scattered almost randomly throughout.
"Lord Corrin!" Two workers bowed as he walked by.
"Sirs…" The Prince acknowledged then with a nod.
The Nohrians walked away, discussing something quietly between themselves.
The 17th Construction Regiment questioned his status of royalty more than the War Council did. None dared to challenge him publicly, but it would be a while before he could earn their trust. Princess Elise, on the other hand, was adored by all. Corrin thought it was a bad omen for a younger sibling to become more popular.
"Hey everyone." He grumbled as he opened the door.
Elise and her retainers were already at the table, digging away at a pile of food. Effie had a mountain of meat around her - it made sense for the human machine to possess an appetite. Silas blinked, watching her with judgment from the other side.
"Hello, good friend!" Arthur said, "Come, have some oats!"
Corrin noticed a cast on his leg. "Arthur, what happened?"
The blond man shook his head. "I slipped on a rotten log while coming back from across the river. I fell into the Pit and hurt my leg. Misfortune is a cruel fiend."
"The Pit?"
North Bridge was an area just as important as the entire fortress. Effie gave him and his regiment a tour of it yesterday. She called the area "the Pit" - a hole by the water, around thirty feet in diameter.
Because so few people could detect dragon veins, not much research on them existed. King Garon theorized that the mysterious material could simply be dug out. Like everybody else, Expeditionary Force was in no mood to question their ruler.
The 17th Construction Regiment was ordered to excavate the dragon vein that drained the entire river. Every day, twenty-or-so workers dug to the bottom. While the yellow light still glowed from the Pit's bottom, it was much feebler than before.
"Lady Elise says we are on the edge of a breakthrough." The retainer explained. "I wanted to inspect it myself!"
"Is this true, milady?" Silas cut in.
"Yup!" The troubadour said. "I can feel it!"
(…It's just a hunch, huh?)
"I'll have to check it out later." Corrin said, helping himself to some bread.
Army rations were less fancy than the food in Castle Krakenburg, but it had to do. For a country who was on the edge of famine, the military was remarkably well stocked. Just before he took his first bite, the door slammed open again.
"Lord Corrin!" One of the First Royal Lances burst in. "We need your attention!"
"Can it wait after dinner?" Corrin put the bread down in disdain. The smell of the food made his stomach growl.
The cavalier panted. "No, sir! One of our patrols was attacked!"
"What?" The young Prince stood up immediately. "I'm coming!"
Silas and the rest at the table looked at each other before standing as well. Outside the mess hall, they followed the Nohrian to Fort Gunter's gates. Three Nohrians were on the ground. Others pressed on their wounds, trying to stop blood loss.
"What happened?" Corrin demanded.
A cavalier looked up at him. "Our patrol was scouting on east side of the river. From behind a hill, a small group of Pegasus knights attacked us. We managed to escape but they got us good…"
The royals looked concernedly at the scene. None of the scouts were dead, but they had sharp wounds to their torsos – naginata wounds from inspection. Corrin thought the Pegasus knights must have been scouting for their own side.
(That can only mean …!)
"Elise, call over the healers." He ordered.
[…]
The war room was only partially furnished when the Nohrian royals first entered. Timber was still scattered in the corners of the room, and there were no chairs. Corrin and Elise led their retainers to the center, gathering around the table.
Corrin sniffed. "I had a feeling Hoshido wouldn't just leave Fort Gunter be. They'll launch an attack soon."
"Are you sure those Pegasus knights didn't just get lost?" Silas asked.
"No. Every time we fought the Hoshidans, Pegasus knights accompanied their armies. Even if they weren't attacking, our scouts probably led them right to us."
The Prince cringed at his own defensive positions. Camilla was not present to help them, and they had no archers for defense. If Hinoka brought her same regiment from the last battle, Fort Gunter did not stand a chance. He took out a parchment map of the surrounding area and thought hard.
"Look here."
The First Royal Lances. Elise's Combat Support Regiment. The 17th Construction Regiment. Those were his pieces for the match. Corrin turned to his sister, sweating from his forehead. He had never planned a defensive battle before.
"Hey Elise… any suggestions?"
"Huh, me?" the troubadour exclaimed. "Lord Iago said this was your operation!"
(She's right. What was I thinking?)
"O-of course." He bit his lower lip. "I guess we'll pull back to Fort Gunter and…"
"What about the Pit, milord?" Effie interrupted.
The dragon vein at the Pit was still active. If any of the royals reached it, the whole river would evaporate. Thousands of Hoshidan forces flocking over to the other side - the Nohrian army, not even close to fully mobilized, would be annihilated.
"Fair." He flinched. "Then we must to guard the north with everything we have. If the Pit falls, the entire front falls."
"Then the fortress?" Silas questioned.
"It's impossible to defend the whole structure. We must resort to the same strategy last time – defend the two bridge chokepoints. Some of us will guard the South Bridge. The rest will guard North Bridge and the Pit."
Corrin thought if they used the exact same strategy, the Hoshidans would eventually find countermeasures. No other ideas came to mind sadly. Lancers, healers, and cavaliers were not exactly a flexible army.
"Realistically we cannot hold the Pit forever..." The prince said.
"We resume digging immediately?" Arthur suggested.
"We don't know how much digging is left. We can't risk wasting our time."
(Iago, did you anticipate this possibility?)
"Can't we try filling the Pit with water?" Elise exclaimed.
Silas bit his lower lip. "How is that going to help?"
"Hold on…" Corrin said. "Water. That might actually work!"
"What?" His retainer was unconvinced.
The dragon vein did not need to completely disappear; it only needs to seem as if it disappeared. If the light underneath is dim enough, the water might conceal it entirely. The Hoshidan royals would have no idea where it went.
"That's brilliant! We need to dig a small canal from the river to the pit."
"Oh, I was just throwing out ideas." The female knight shrugged.
Silas became irritated suddenly.
"So let me get this straight. Our goal is to guard the Pit and South Bridge, until the canal is complete?"
"Yes! Magnificent plan." Arthur said. "I'll gladly partake in it."
"Arthur, you're injured! You sure you're up for the task?" Corrin asked.
"I might not be able to fight, but I can still dig!"
Effie looked at the royal siblings. "Me too. I will defend Lady Elise to death, but I could probably be faster at digging…"
Everyone in the room, after witnessing the knight help chopping the logs, nodded vigorously. Effie and Arthur were probably worth at least ten regular workers each. The Prince gave a sigh of relief – they finally had something resembling a plan.
"Perfect. Then the remaining commanders are Silas, Elise, and I." He concluded. He looked at the map, then back at his friends. "Elise will command Combat Support. I will take the First Royal Lances to South Bridge. And Silas will be in charge of the defending the Pit."
"Are you sure milord?" Silas said. "Those lancers are all a bunch of recruits. I don't know if I can command them effectively."
"I'm sure you can handle it." The Prince said. "Your old friend has faith in you."
Upon hearing his last words, the cavalier's face beamed. He curled his right hand into a fist, filled with new confidence. There was something in his eyes that looked vaguely familiar.
(Perhaps we had met before…)
"Understood! I will guard the Pit with my heart and soul!"
"That's more like it." Corrin smiled. "We have a solid plan now. Inform your regiments, and get ready to fight."
After he dismissed his commanders. The Prince was alone in the room, staring at the barren table and his map. There was going to be more bloodshed. There was going to be more people dying for a conflict he did not fully comprehend
"What am I doing here?" He asked himself.
He promised to end a war, yet he was actively fighting in one. What was his own plan? Would he replace Iago and negotiate peace? Would he convince the armies to stop fighting? Would he start a coup to remove King Garon?
The last option made Corrin's stomach convulse. There was little he could do other than build reputation and influence, and then re-evaluate his options afterwards. Until then, he only wished for his hasty tactic to succeed.
[…]
(Only a fifth of our army are on-duty...)
Camilla's words were stuck in Corrin's mind. Despite his anguish, he stood alongside the cavaliers at South Bridge. The 17th Construction Regiment was visibly unhappy their commander was a complete stranger. Princess Elise voiced her support of the decisions, giving Silas sufficient credibility to lead.
In the distance, next to North Bridge, Arthur and Effie were digging the canal alongside twenty Nohrians. The other engineers were preparing the wagons for a swift evacuation of the fortress.
Silas and his lancers waited in the grasslands next to the Pit. Before the battle, the Prince tried convincing the soldiers not to kill their enemies but he doubted anyone listened. Many of them had their own personal grudges against the Hoshidans
Not long afterwards, the first hostile elements appeared. Charging over a hill were several samurai and tribal savages – two hundred at least. A single patrol of Pegasus knights spread out across the sky, scouting the grounds below.
"Looks like the Flame Tribe chose the wrong side." The captain of the First Royal Lances scoffed. "Let's get payback for what they did to Lord Gunter."
"Y-yeah." Corrin swallowed. "Let's hope for the best!"
Princess Elise led her healers to the Pit with worry clouding her face. The cavaliers drew out their lances and formed a semicircle on their side of South Bridge. The battle that decided Fort Gunter's fate was about to begin.
"Get in position! This is it, everyone!" The intrepid cavalier called. "Move!"
Fritz maneuvered through his scrambling fellowmen and found a gap in the formation next to Ingrid. The two squeezed into the phalanx, looking at the incoming savages. The new commander Lord Corrin sent them, Silas, appeared just as nervous as they were. Behind the battle line, workers dug vigorously, trying to connect the river with the deep Pit.
"Our first battle!" Fritz said. "Excited?"
Ingrid turned to her friend. "Yeah. We only need to hold them off until-"
"Hey. Keep your eyes straight!" A larger man beside them hissed.
"Yes, sir!"
After everybody found their spots, the Nohrians pointed their weapons forward, forming a wall of pointed metal. The Flame Tribe warriors on the other side were unfazed by the position. The girl at the front with tanned skin and white war paint yelled something to her troops in some foreign language.
"Wow that's a lot of them." Fritz gulped, "Where's our reinforcements?"
"All down at South Bridge."
"That Corrin son of a- He wants a complete rookie to lead us, and now this?"
The Nohrians beside them grew increasingly uncomfortable at listening to both of them. Ingrid stealthily stepped on her friend's right boot.
"Ouch! What was that for?"
"You promised you'd stop complaining about work." She whispered.
Before they could continue bickering, one of the warriors blew on a Hoshidans war horn. The Flame Tribe charged forward, clubs in their arms and frenzy in their eyes. Fritz's eyes widened at the wild attack.
"Get ready!" A lancer to his left exclaimed, "Here they come!"
Silas raised his sword. "Hold this position! We lose the Pit, we lose everything!"
As the warriors came closer, it became obvious they had augmented their weapons. Their large clubs had orange auras following their heads. In fact, Fritz saw their clubs were on fire, excluding their handles.
(What kind of freaks are we fighting?)
"Charge, now!" Silas ordered. "For King Garon!"
The lancer battle line ran forward. Fritz was forced forwards with the rest of his comrades - lance pointed at the enemy like the rest. The savages ran at them with full speed, unconcerned about formation.
"Hrahh!" Fritz and the other lancers shouted together. The battle had begun.
The line of lances crashes into the group of savages, impaling at least a few dozen bodies. The Flame Tribe warriors behind the human wall easily jumped out of the way, moving to surround the Nohrian line.
"Split up!" Silas demanded, "Happy hunting, everyone!"
Everyone scattered to find their own foes to challenge. Ingrid's lance was stuck inside a savage's chest. She tried tugging her weapon back, but the body stayed attached, wailing in agony. The lance had struck a vital organ.
"G-get off!" Ingrid screeched
Fritz grabbed her lance. He put his foot on the foe's knee and pushed with his soles, eventually separating the two. The enemy collapsed, red oozing from the gash. Ingrid watched in horror at her accomplishment.
"Great Dusk Dragon…" She bristled - her weapon dripping with blood. "What hell did we sign up for?"
The samurai broke off from the Hoshidan army and targeted South Bridge instead. They bunched up at the other side of the crossing, katana blades unsheathed. Corrin walked to the front of his cavaliers, recalling how Leo defended the area.
"Hey, Kamui!" A female voice came from the other side.
The samurai parted to two sides, allowing a young woman to pass between. The woman's face possessed a wide smile as she approached the center of the bridge. Once she was there, she took a quick bow and held out her sheath.
"Hana?" Corrin scoffed. "I really don't want to fight you again."
"Fight me?" Hana laughed. "Please. You were hiding at the back while Prince Leo finished your dirty work. I learned a thing or two from last time, y'know."
"Then you should know this is futile." He replied. "You will not capture this bridge."
The young retainer drew her blade and pointed it at the Nohrians. The captain of the First Royal Lances yawned, unfazed by her threats. Corrin's attention drifted to North Bridge, where heavy fighting was happening. They needed help soon.
"Alas, I'll admit you humiliated me." The samurai flipped back her long hair. "Made me a laughingstock in my own army. Congratulations."
Hana's own troops looked a tad confused after hearing their commander's words.
"Hana, I really don't want to do this." The Prince said. "You can take your soldiers back and wait until this war is resolved."
"Not falling for that, scumbag." Hana frowned. "You're not getting out of this one."
"Very well." Corrin sighed, unsheathing the longsword Ganglari. He knew he would have to shoulder his burdens one day. "Let's make this quick."
[…]
Fifteen minutes passed with no movement from either side. Corrin lowered his sword, wondering what was going on. Hana did the same, staring intently at her white-haired foe. The captain pulled on the reins and rode towards the Prince.
"Milord." He murmured. "The First Royal Lances await your orders."
"Stay put." Corrin answered. "Defending South Bridge is our priority."
(This is strange. Why isn't she attacking?)
"What's wrong?" Hana called from the other side. "Come at us!"
"Why don't you do that?" One of the cavaliers exclaimed.
The samurai smirked. "We, we can play this game for the whole day."
It became obvious to Corrin that the Hoshidans were never meaning to attack South Bridge. They only left a regiment there to distract Nohr's forces from the Pit – and it was working. The moment his regiment retreats to support Silas was the moment the samurai army would charge over.
He whispered to the captain. "They've got us pinned."
The veteran frowned. "We can't just stand here."
"I admire you, good Lord Kamui." Hana lauded mockingly, "How can you keep a straight face when you know that Lady Sakura lays in bed to this day? Lady Hinoka weeps every day, thinking about you… and poor Azura's been thrown in prison! You must have the patience of a monk, and the vice of a demon."
"Wait… is that true?" Corrin gasped.
(Gods, I never knew it turned out like this!)
She continued on. "How can it not be? You think you can hide away in Nohr to escape your responsibilities? Absolutely sad!"
"Sh-shut up!"
"Make me."
"Don't listen to them." The captain grunted.
Hana's words pierced the Prince's mind. He wanted to either flee, or cross the bridge and shut her mouth. From the northward direction, Princess Elise rode towards him with several troubadours behind her.
"Big brother!" She shouted. "The Pit is in trouble! They need your help!"
"I can't just leave here!" He shouted back.
"I'll leave some troubadours here. Please, help Lord Silas!"
Looking far north, Corrin saw that Elise was right. The lancers were slowly being pushed back by the Flame Tribe, and the canal was not yet complete. Pegasus knights still circled the sky, but they were not joining the battle.
"Go, milord." The captain said. "We'll keep the bridge secure."
"Are you sure?" The Prince grimaced.
"Just leave me half the regiment, and not a single samurai will cross."
Elise told her troubadours to mingle with the cavaliers. She beckoned her brother to follow her. Corrin reluctantly split up the Royal Lances and, together with her sister, led them towards the Pit. Orange flames illuminated the distant fields.
Behind them, Hana yawned, gazing at the cavaliers in boredom.
"Fritz!" Ingrid shouted. "Some help here!"
"Gotcha!"
The two lancers teamed up against another savage. The warrior rushed forward, swinging his flaming club at the brunette. Ingrid jumped back while Fritz counterattacked from the side.
He missed, only managing to slap the warrior's back with his lance.
Ingrid coughed. "Get ready!"
The two lancers advanced on the savage again. Fritz lunged first, forcing a move from his opponent. Ingrid tightened her hold on her weapon, watched carefully. The warrior landed his jump left - right where she predicted.
With one stab, the girl caught him in the leg, immobilizing the enemy. Fritz followed up behind her, burying his lance deep into the savage's throat. He never felt the sensation of sinking metal into another person's flesh. It felt oddly exhilarating.
Ingrid recoiled at the scene and pulled her spear back, letting the savage escape. The foe held his neck, running away in a panic.
"That was excessive!" Ingrid said, spinning her weapon. "Lord Corrin said we should only defend, not kill!"
Fritz gulped as he looked around. "Don't think we have a choice."
Despite their small victory, the battle was proceeding poorly. The recruits trained to fight Hoshidans, not tribal hooligans. In solo combat, the savages had the upper hand - dodging every stab as if they were performing a folk dance.
The tanned girl with white war paint swung her blazing club heavily, hitting a Nohrian in the back. The lancer fell forward, hitting his head against the ground. His cape caught fire from the blow, quickly spreading across the fabric.
The lancer fortunately noticed the fire on his back. He jumped up, sprinting towards the river in desperation.
"H-Help!"
A female lancer was on the ground, her leg broken. One of the warrior bashed her head in with a flaming club, silencing her swiftly.
"No!" Fritz raised his hand forward.
He looked around for Silas. The commander was fighting off two savages at once, rhythmically cutting them down with his sword. Fritz and Ingrid tried jumping into the fight again, but every other warrior they fought dodged their attacks with ease. Slowly, the Nohrians were losing the upper hand.
"We need to regroup! Retreat to the Pit!" Silas ordered.
Ingrid jumped over fallen soldiers to keep up with the crowd. 17th Construction Regiment shifted backwards cautiously, still facing the enemy. The Flame Tribe pursued closely until the Nohrians' backs were against the hole.
Princess Elise's healers awaited them - they healed as much as they could. Before the enemies could get too close, they took off across North Bridge for safety. The Princess herself watched cautiously from the other side.
"Cowards. They should have been with us from the start!" Fritz swallowed. "Let those bastards come…"
Ingrid shook her head. "We can't back up anymore."
The workers were behind them, still frantically digging towards the Pit with their shovels. Arthur and Effie led the way, stripping the Earth of its flesh. Their artificial canal was over three-quarters complete.
(Ha! Justice Man might be good for something after all!)
Fritz jumped back into the skirmish. Before he could get a single hit, a savage swung his weapon at the Nohrian. Fritz tried blocking with his brass lance. The sheer force of the swing caught the weapon's, breaking off the tip.
"Er… I'm sorry, sir?" Fritz laughed, clutching his broken stick.
The savage stepped forward, swinging his club at the Nohrian. Though he managed to dodge, the open flame seared Fritz's face. He stopped dead in his tracks, putting his hands over his eyes in pain.
"Fritz, get outta there!"
"Hah… hah…" Fritz seethed. The world was still dark to him.
Pang!
The savage's eyes rolled to the back of his head. He stumbled a few feet forward, before falling over. Fritz slowly opened his still-hurting eyes in confusion. Behind him, his friend was panting, holding a bloodied shovel.
"Oskar!" Ingrid called.
"Annoying pests." He retorted. "I can't dig with these natives swinging their sticks at me. I'm joining the fight."
"You sure? How much digging is left?" Fritz asked, silently cursing himself for not dodging sooner. To him, nothing could have been more embarrassing than being rescued in his first fight. He was supposed to be the cool one in front of Ingrid.
"Not much." Oskar said. "Wouldn't mind knocking looting these tribespeople. I bet some of their costumes sell well back home!"
"I suppose..." Ingrid mumbled.
There they stood, three young recruits – a lance, a shovel, and a broken stick – facing the maelstrom of bodies and flames around the Pit. The smell of smoke and blood made Ingrid feel dangerously nauseous.
Lord Corrin's voices rang from the other side. "Cavaliers, move out!"
Their supposed Prince finally started playing his cards. The First Royal Lances crossed the bridges and weaved past the diggers. The savages expected the counterattack. In small groups, they started backing off from Effie and the diggers.
"Braindead commander's finally making a move!" Fritz exclaimed. "Come on guys! Screw looting them – let's show them not to underestimate us lancers!"
"That's all you care about, eh?" Oskar jeered. "Just remember you owe me for those beans."
Hinoka soared across the battlefield, keeping close eye on the developments. Half of her patrol flew above the large fortress, drawing sketches of its layout. How the Nohrians managed to build that monstrosity so quickly remained a mystery.
The remaining five knights were gliding above the bridges, partially to confuse the enemy commander, but also partially to keep an eye on Hana. Hinoka did not know what she did, but she somehow pushed half of the Nohrians away from her bridge.
Rinkah was attacking aggressively on her side, pushing back the weak foot soldiers. The Sky Princess could not comprehend why the enemy cared so much about defending a large pit. Suddenly, the Pegasus knights scouting changed trajectory back towards their commander.
One of them said. "Scouting is complete. We have all of the schematics."
"Excellent." Hinoka said. "Then it's time to wrap up our operation. Get the rest of the patrol over here."
"Yes, milady!"
The Princess hovered above the northern bridge, watching enemy movements. Lord Arthur and Lady Elise, two renowned soldiers in the Nohrian army, were digging their own river towards the large, empty hole.
"Cavaliers, move out!" A young male boomed out from below.
(That voice! Kamui is here?)
She narrowed her eyes and identified him on the west side of the bridge. Princess Elise was beside him, looking too pleased with herself. Her brother was too well-guarded to be extracted. Not only that, but he was commanding the entire army.
Any sympathy she held for her brother was violently shaken. Kamui was voluntarily commanding the Nohrian army – ordering how they should attack her friends. Hinoka pushed the troubling thought away.
(He's only fighting us because the Nohrians brainwashed him…)
"Lady Hinoka. We're all here!" One of her Pegasus knights exclaimed.
"Excellent. On my mark."
Down below, Rinkah had begun a fight with Effie. Elise's retainer was only in a tunic, and carrying a shovel. The brawny knight was still fast on her feet, dodging a powerful club swing. She swung her tool, nearing hitting Rinkah shin.
The other engineers dug vigorously throughout the bloodshed. They only stopped when they were forced to fight, or when they were clubbed in the face. Lancers were trying to form a defensive perimeter around them, but they lacked cohesion.
Finally, the cavaliers arrived. Rushing over from the other side of the bridge, the Nohrians crashed into the fray. With their iron swords they started cutting down the savages. When the last horse crossed to the eastern side, Hinoka whistled to her patrol. There was never going to be a better opportunity to strike.
"Everyone! Now's the time!"
Imitating how Camilla struck in the last battle, Hinoka and her knights dived downwards at the northern bridge. Wind blew past her short red hair as she accelerated towards the ground.
The young Prince watched his cavaliers support the lancers. Part of him wanted to join them, but the other told him to command them from the rear. Elise and her healers waited on their side of North Bridge, refusing to let him cross over.
"We should be fighting with them." Corrin commented. "Right?"
Elise shook her head. "You're our leader! If you get hurt, we'll lose the battle."
"Then what's the point of me being here?"
To his relief, none of Ryoma's siblings were present in the fighting. To the Flame Tribe, it looked like the Nohrians have gone mad, defending an empty hole. From the south, the captain rode over with two other cavaliers; a remarkably short time after the young Prince first left his side.
Corrin narrowed his eyes. "Did something happen?"
"Milord! Hana and her samurai have backed off!" The Nohrian reported.
"Weird." He said. "Where are they now?"
"A few hundred feet away from the bridge. We're still guarding the area."
It was always Hana's intention to lure the cavaliers over to the other side. Corrin shook his head at the sad attempt. Shouting from the workers intensified as the canal neared completion.
Arthur was just at the edge of the hole when he stuck his shovel into the hard ground one final time. The water from the canal burst forth into the Pit, filling it at a rapid rate. The engineers threw their tools to the ground, exhausted.
"They did it! Yay!" Elise exclaimed with glee
The bottom of the Pit and whatever light emanated from it was covered in no time. Before they could celebrate, the tribal savages beefed up their attack. Arthur slumped on his bad leg, trying to locate his fellow retainer.
"I need to get over there and help them evacuate." Corrin asserted. "Now that the Pit is finished, we only need to defend North Bridge."
Her sister swung her rod downwards. "You can't cross Corrin! It's too unsafe!"
"Why do you say that?"
"It's just… a feeling."
(Another hunch, huh?)
"Sorry Elise, but I need more information than that."
The Princess gritted his teeth, pointing to the other side. Silas was unable to coordinate such a large evacuation in the heat of battle. Savages tried to push the lancers into the water-filled hole.
"Milord, please send me over." The captain of the First Royal Lances suggested. "This is not my first time organizing a retreat."
Corrin looked at the grasslands beyond. "Very well. I leave it to you."
The veteran cavalier dashed across North Bridge, bringing his two secondary commanders. In short time, he sent back the workers. Unarmed Hoshidans sprinted over the crossing, collapsing on the other side.
Arthur limped across the bridge, being supported by Effie. A small bruise appeared on his face, but he was otherwise unharmed. Elise shouted for her healers to line up and tend to the wounded.
"Next should be the construction regiment." Corrin murmured. According to military doctrine, the least mobile units were to be evacuated first.
Before the captain could send over the next wave, however, a terrifying sight approached from above. Pegasus knights dove downwards towards the bridge. They held bundles of bottles in their arms.
"Incoming!" One of the lancers shouted.
The Nohrians on their side of North Bridge ducked, bracing for javelins. Corrin grabbed Ganglari and prepared to counterattack. The aerial patrol bypassed his forces, flying to the bridge instead. They pulled up after delivering their payload.
The next few seconds felt like an eternity. One by one, the Hoshidan fliers threw their bottles, hitting the center of North Bridge. Thick, colorless liquid burst out, covering the platform. At the same time, the first patrol of lancers were crossing.
"Hurry!" Corrin shouted immediately.
It was too late. One of the Flame Tribe warriors threw her club into the air. Like a disk, it flew across the air, and hit the pool of ooze. The liquid immediately caught fire, engulfing the entire crossing. The lancers and cavaliers were stuck.
"Look for another path!" The Prince shouted.
He felt completely helpless as the fires spread. With North Bridge destroyed, and Hana's forces rushing back to defend South Bridge, the lancers of the 17th Construction Regiment were ensnared in the trap.
"No!"
"Cut our way through!" A lancer shouted.
"No..." The captain of the First Holy Lances said. "The battle is over."
The lance he dropped rolled towards the river. Knowing that all avenues of escape were lost, the Nohrians gradually surrendered to the Flame Tribe. Even Silas, who promised to serve his country, saw the futility of the situation and laid down his arms. Corrin and Elise's two retainers watched from the other side in disbelief as the savages formed a perimeter around the straggling force.
(Come on! There has to be a way to escape!)
None came to mind. The Prince lowered Ganglari to his side, conceding the fight. He raised three fingers in the air, signaling to the lost Nohrians to surrender.
"W-we lost?" The Troubadour Princess whimpered.
[…]
Though the combined army accepted Nohr's submission, the Flame Tribe refused to negotiate. The Nohrians stuck on the eastern side were taken prisoners. Among them was Corrin's first retainer.
In total, a hundred and twelve soldiers were lost – half of the First Holy Lances, and most of the soldiers in the 17th Construction Regiment. Enemy casualties remained unknown, but were presumed to be smaller. The Hoshidans did not press their attack. Like phantoms, they withdrew from the battlefield swiftly.
When the army returned to Fort Gunter, the absence of those who disappeared were felt immediately. The evacuated workers shunned the Prince. The First Holy Lances have yet to respond – their captain was missing after all. Corrin sat with Elise, Arthur, and Effie at the war room, trying to piece together what happened.
"Why did Hoshido pull back?" Effie asked.
"They probably want to leave at least one bridge intact." Corrin thought out loud, "So they can easily capture this area next time."
Inside his mind, Corrin felt utterly depressed. The young Prince did not care about how the War Council was going to mock him. He let Xander down, and singlehandedly tore apart countless families back home. They were not going to see their sons and daughters anytime soon. He banged his head against the table.
"Dammit dammit dammit dammit!"
"B-big brother." Elise sniffled, her voice breaking. "Silas and our friends are still alive! We can s-still rescue them!"
"I supoosed…"
Corrin wiped his eyes. The retainers shared his sympathy, but had no words to offer. His first battle as an official Nohrian Prince was disastrous. Already he suffered more losses than Xander's initial invasion, and he lost Silas.
Whoever the Hoshidan general or tactician was, they must have been a genius. The only thing he could do was to draft the report for Iago, so no one else would repeat his mistake.
"We leave for Krakenburg tomorrow."
A/N: Thanks for reading!
I included Fritz and others to visualize how "average" life in the Nohrian army was. I might feature them in other chapters (or not). Please tell me in the latest poll if you want to see them again!
Reviews on how to improve are always welcome. If you like what you read, follow / favorite for updates.