Hey guys what's up and welcome back to another chapter of lost hope. I know I said I'd have this up yesterday but a lot of things happened. One I went on vacation which lasted longer than expected and two I got a switch along with breath of the wild soo yeah. Seriously though that game is addicting and really fun. this coming form a guy who isn't really that big of a zelda fan. Anyway with all that out of the way enjoy the chapter.
"Hyaaa!" Nah cried out breathing out a ball of fire that incinerated another risen.
A sword master risen ran at her from behind.
The risen swung it's steel sword only for it to bounce harmlessly off her tough scales.
Nah turned her head slightly noticing the risen as it reeled back.
She quickly spun around smashing her tail into the undead soldier sending it flying across the plains.
There's just no end to these things! Nah thought panting in exhaustion as she turned her head to see about half a dozen more risen surrounding her.
On top of that I can't hold this form for much longer, she thought looking at her damaged body, But I can't give up now people are counting on me and I won't let them down!
With that, Nah let out a deafening roar that reverberated across the grassy field. She then proceeded to ferociously tear through the risen around her.
(With Lucina, Owain, and Cynthia)
"Gods there are so many of them" Lucina said with a look of fear and concern; as she and her sister looked outward at the risen infested grassland from atop of an airborne Crystal.
"Yeah" Cynthia nodded in agreement. "So what do we do now?"
Lucina pondered for a minute then said, "Let's go back down and inform Owain."
"You got it" Cynthia said as she grasped the reigns and signaled her pegasus to descend.
"So how does it look up there?" Owain asked in an uncharacteristically 'normal' way; as he watched Lucina and Cynthia descend to the forest floor.
"Not good, I'd say there are at least four dozen or so risen out there" She answered getting off the pegasus.
"And they all seem to be zoning in on a small cottage not too far from here" Cynthia added.
"But what could they be up to? And why so many for just one cottage?" Owain asked in a thinking position as he took in the new information.
"I don't know, but yeah you're right for so many to close in on a single cottage. It seems unnecessary" Lucina said entering her thinking position.
"It probably has something to do with the dragon looking thing I saw near the cottage" Cynthia spoke up catching the other two's attention.
"What do you mean 'dragon looking thing'? I didn't see anything like that" Lucina said with a slightly shocked and confused expression as she turned to her sister.
"Really? It was at the back of the cottage being attacked by risen" Cynthia explained.
"Wait are you sure about this?" Lucina worriedly asked her sister.
"Of course I am! A hero never mistakes what she sees" Cynthia answered confidently.
"If that's the case, then what, or rather, who you saw is most likely who we're looking for" Owain said as he got out of his thinking position.
"Oh no and with that many risen…" Cynthia said as her eyes widened in realization.
"Gods we have to hurry!" Lucina said with a fearfully concerned expression; as she started running out of the forest.
"Yeah let's go" Owain said dashing after her.
"Don't worry whoever you are we're coming to help!" Cynthia said as she and Crystal followed suit.
(with Nah)
A very visibly wounded and exhausted Nah stood over the torn up grasslands as she stared out toward the several risen around her. The land around her sparkled from the bits of her scales that had fallen off from the damage she had sustained.
There's just too many! Nah thought panting heavily as more of her scales began to crack. I don't think I can hold out much longer.
A myrmidon risen then leapt at her head on raising a wyvrmslayer in an attempt to slay the pink dragon.
Nah eyes widened in horror as she exited her thoughts and leapt back.
The risen missed as it and the sword slammed into the ground.
Nah, too exhausted to form one full size, breathed a small ball of fire that scorched the risen.
However aside from several burn marks the risen seemed mostly unharmed.
I can't even breathe strong enough fire anymore, Nah thought nervously, It seems as though I'm at my limit.
Nah then began to glow which transformed her back into human form as the risen looked on in awe and bewilderment. Her clothes were torn in several places as she blood seeped through the various open wounds on her body.
The same myrmidon risen leapt at her again but just as Nah began to step back to dodge she tripped over a piece of wood that fell off her even more damaged shed. She looked up at the sword coming down on her; she then tightly shut her eyes and raised her arms in an 'X' as she prepared for the worst.
Time seemed to slow down as Nah thought to herself, So this is the end, I'm sorry Mr and Mrs. Verdy for too much of a burden to you both and failing to protect you now. Mother, Father I guess I'll be seeing you soon.
"Hyaaa!" A female voice cried out followed by the sound of clashing metal.
Nah moved her arm and opened her eyes to see a young blue haired woman standing before her. The woman locked swords with the risen before pushing it away and slashing it down.
"Whew made it in time" the woman breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to look at Nah.
"Are you alright?" The woman asked as she extended her hand out to Nah.
"Uhh yeah I guess" Nah answered grabbing ahold of the woman's hand.
"Good" The woman said as she helped the young manakete to her feet.
As Nah got to her feet, she slowly snapped out of her shocked state and looked a little closer at her savior. She noticed a peculiar mark in the woman's left eye and after a brief pause her eyes widened in realization.
"Wait you're Lucina! you're the current Exalt!" Nah exclaimed taking a step back.
"Indeed I am" Lucina answered.
"But what are you doing here?" Nah asked.
"There will be time for explanations later but for now we have to deal with the risen." Lucina said turning back around to face the risen.
"Y-yeah I'l-" Nah said before wincing in pain as she clutched a wound on the side of her hip.
"No you're too injured to fight; let us handle this" Lucina said entering a combat stance and looking back at Nah.
"Us?" Nah asked in confusion as she recovered.
"TAKE THAT!" A young female voice rang out.
The two girls turned to the side to see a young blue haired girl on a pegasus cut down about three risen.
"Alright all clear over here Lucy" The girl said waving at the two.
"Good work Cynthia, now please come over and bring this girl to safety" Lucina ordered in response.
"You got it!" Cynthia said as she ordered her pegasus to fly towards Lucina and Nah.
"Alright now you go with Cynthia to a safe place and rest; we can handle ourselves" Lucina said to Nah as She watch Cynthia help Nah onto the pegasus.
"Alright but please save my foster family oh and could you please retrieve the painting in that shed?" Nah asked as she boarded the pegasus.
"Don't worry you can always count on Lucy to get the job done!" Cynthia said with a smile while facing Nah.
"I guess" Nah said timidly.
"That's enough chatter you two, now go before more risen show up" Lucina ordered. "Also Cynthia, go help Owain once you're done okay"
"You can count on me Lucy" Cynthia said as she turned to grab the reigns on Her pegasus.
"Alright let's go Crystal!" Cynthia shouted whipping the reigns as her pegasus neighed loudly and flew off.
"Alright now then" Lucina said turning toward the advancing risen and entering a combat stance.
(In an unknown location)
A hooded figure watched the ensuing battle from atop an undead wyvern hidden deep within the shadows of the dark sky.
"He's alone" The figure said maliciously, "now is the time."
"But we wouldn't want any interference so" The figure continued beginning to exert some dark magic.
Dark mist started to rain down on the plains below around where Lucina, Cynthia, and Nah were located.
(With Lucina)
"Alright just a few more to go" Lucina said as she watched another risen disperse into darkness.
She then looked around and noticed the dark mist begin to fall to the ground and spread out. She looked on in slight confusion at the mist before several risen began to emerge from it. Her eyes widened in shock but then quickly narrowed to a glare as she stood her ground.
(With Cynthia and Nah)
"Stay behind me" Cynthia ordered as she readied her weapon.
"Alright" Nah said as she stepped behind Cynthia and Crystal.
The arc of risen that emerged from the dark mist were slowly closing in on them from the front.
(With Owain)
"BINDING BLADE!" Owain shouted as he cut down two more risen
"Haha! You soldiers of dusk can spawn for eternal nights but thou shant take down the great Owain Dark!" Owain shouted as he looked out at the several risen around him.
What's this presence I feel? Owain asked himself as he sensed a familiar presence.
He turned around to see a hooded figure cloaked in darkness and asked "who are you?"
(somewhere close by)
"Ughh we've been walking forever! How much farther could Lucina be anyway?!" Severa whined as she started to slouch while walking along the path.
"Quit complaining" Kjelle said now visibly angered. "Besides I run twice this time and distance every day"
"Well yeah that's because you do nothing but train all the time!" Severa retorted as she straightened her back. "I mean would it kill you to relax once in awhile"
"Training is how I relax and you can stand to do some yourself" Kjelle said angrily as they continued walking.
"Well I wouldn't call that relaxing" Severa said, "It's hard work and afterwards you get all sweaty and ewwugh."
"What's wrong with working up a good sweat?" Kjelle asked in confusion.
"Gawds do I really have to tell you" Severa whined. "Fine well for one thing…"
As Severa began her lecture, Noire who was walking ahead of them looked around and noticed something moving in the surrounding vegetation of the path they were walking on. Not too soon afterward a person came out of the surrounding forest and collapsed on to the pathway. Noire's eyes widened as she quickly ran up to the collapsed person.
Severa stopped her lecture on beauty as she noticed Noire run off. This prompted Kjelle to stop as well and breathe a sigh of relief as Severa stopped talking.
"Hey Noire what's going on over there?" Severa called out to Noire.
"I-I found someone collapsed! She looks like she's in pretty bad shape!" Noire answered as she held the villager in her arms.
"What would a normal person be doing out here?" Kjelle wondered aloud as she began to run to up to where Noire was.
"I don't know but sounds like she could use our help" Severa said as she ran to catch up to Noire.
Severa and Kjelle both caught up with Noire and all three girls looked at the heavily wounded and almost unconscious village woman.
"Are you alright?" Noire asked the woman in her arms.
"S-so many risen" The woman said weekly.
"Damnit where's a healer when you need one?" Kjelle asked in frustration as she looked around.
"Wait how many risen? And where?" Severa asked in frantic concern.
"Husband overwhelmed must escape" The woman continued as the life began fading from her eyes.
Noire then felt the Woman's body go limp as Noire looked at her with a depressed expression while trying to hold back tears. Severa and Kjelle remained silent trying to the same as an ominous wind howled around them. For a brief moment, there was nothing but a loud silence.
"Damnit!" Kjelle cursed breaking the silence and punching a nearby tree in frustration.
Noire began to cry as she closed the woman's lifeless eyes and gently placed her on the floor. Noire then rose to her feet as she tried wipe away the tears with her arm. Severa also cried as her mind was flooded with memories of the day she was told her mother was dead.
After a few minutes of this Severa stopped crying and spoke up, "Well let's go"
"Go where?" Noire sniffed as she looked at Severa.
"Obviously to where this woman came from" Severa answered. "We have to at least try to save that husband she mentioned."
"Yeah and after what we just witnessed we should take any opportunity we can to pound some risen" Kjelle nodded in agreement.
"I guess" Noire said timidly.
"So Noire do you know which direction this lady fell from?" Severa asked turning to the meek archer.
"Yeah it was that way" Noire said pointing to the inner parts of the forest.
"Then that's where we're headed let's go" Kjelle said walking in the direction Noire was pointing.
"Yeah" Severa and Noire said in unison as they followed Kjelle.
Yep another cliff hanger. Whoever follows this story probably hates me right now, cliff hangers are a necessary evil however. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always take care.