Knights from all across Solardie set up camp on the outskirts of Waruvais, the province of Solardie bordering Luneland. Neat rows of strong cloth tents containing soft mattresses adorned the landscape. Mighty campfires roared as many knights' servants worked together to cook hearty meals for the knights; plentiful wagons of food stood near. While some knights wished they were back at their lands, most were in high spirits, engaged in fanciful banter of upcoming riches or practicing their moves with their peers.
Duke Qasimir's procession arrived at the camp last, having traveled the farthest. The Quagsire duke roamed around the base, listening to the talks of fortune and taking in the smells of the fresh meals with a carefree smile until some knights urged him to attend a meeting with the other dukes. King Ludwig, the other six dukes of Solardie, and Herald Eugene were present. "Good evening, my good countrymen!" Duke Qasimir greeted.
"About time you arrived," Duke Percival huffed.
Duke Qasimir waved his confrontational neighbor off. "I see our camp is lively and our warriors eager."
"Indeed," Duchess Madelyn affirmed. "Are you ready to strike and grow our collective fortunes?"
"It has been a long trek from Nuohnais. A day's rest, and my forces shall be ready and eager to strike," said Duke Qasimir.
"A whole day?" King Ludwig growled. "Unacceptable. We march into Luneland tomorrow at dawn!"
"Where will we march to?" Duke Brennan asked.
"Herald Eugene, please give us your scouts' report," Helena requested.
The Exploud bowed and then opened a notebook. "Prince Ludwren suffered a major defeat. He is currently sheltered at Denryu Castle. King Leinwig's army has the castle surrounded-"
"Then we must set off for Denryu Castle at once!" Ludwig demanded. "I will rip my cousin's mane to shreds. Capture him and save him for my wrath!"
"At ease, Your Majesty," Duke Percival commanded with a glare. He turned to Herald Eugene. "Continue."
"One scout heard an account of one attempt by King Leinwig to assault the castle, but the defenders repelled his army. That sums up Prince Ludwren's situation. Now, the Lord of Skarmburg has taken notice of our growing presence. One of the scouts returned with a tersely-worded letter demanding that we cease any attack on Luneland, or he will oppose us and defend Luneland."
Duke Kendrick crossed his arms as he stared at the ground. "I expected as much."
"The Lord of Skarmburg? What does he stand to gain by stepping down his little mountain to oppose us?" Duke Ulysses squawked.
"Skarmburg is a staunch ally of Luneland," Duke Kendrick said. "It was once an isolated town, home to a community of pokémon who lived and breathed the mountains, the most notable being a clan of Skarmory. However, as their population grew, feeding their children became difficult. Skarmburg reached out to the king of Haxony and sold ores from the various mines in the mountain in exchange for food. The Haxon king sponsored Haxon pokémon to move to Skarmburg and do business. But then the Haxons tried to take over Skarmburg's mines. Skarmburg's natives expelled all Haxons from their town. The Haxons returned with an army, but the walls around Skarmburg make the town an unconquerable fortress-"
"What does it matter?" King Ludwig interrupted. "We do not need to go through Skarmburg to reach my father at Denryu Castle!"
The Krookodile glared. "You do not recall your home kingdom's history, Your Majesty? It matters because Luneland came to Skarmburg's rescue, repelling Haxony from Skarmburg's walls. Years later, when a Haxon army invaded Luneland, Skarmburg returned the favor and came to Luneland's defense. The Skarmory descended the mountain and wreaked havoc on Haxony's supply lines, starving out their invading army. They forced the Haxons to clash against Skarmburg's walls once again if they hoped to advance into Luneland, but the Haxons could never get past Skarmburg. Luneland and Skarmburg have remained allies ever since, exchanging ores, food, and mutual defense."
Ludwig slumped to the ground. "...Speak no more. I remember clearly."
"If that letter is true, then the Lord of Skarmburg intends to honor their alliance with Luneland by repelling any outside invaders. It would be foolhardy to repeat Haxony's mistakes and march past Skarmburg. The Skarmory will surely cut off our supplies," Duke Kendrick stipulated. "Even worse, they could stage a raid right here, on Waruvais. I cannot allow that. We must march on Skarmburg first."
"Yes, we must," Helena chimed in. "I will not tolerate any threats to our supply lines while my pokémon are working them."
"I desire a chunk of those Skarmburg mines for myself," Duke Ulysses added. "Metal decorations are getting too expensive!"
The dukes agreed to attack Skarmburg the following day and left to inform their knights. Ludwig lifted his head and stared off towards the horizon facing Luneland. "Stay strong, Father… I will rip Leinwig apart soon," he muttered, kneading dirt in his claws.
Chadwyck relaxed his back against a tree trunk with his eyes closed and his claws resting on his full belly after a fulfilling meal. His pointed ears perked upon hearing a faint melody in the air. Cracking an eye open and swiveling towards the source of the tune, the Charizard spotted a group of pokémon. Curious, he pushed himself upright and walked over.
He wasn't disappointed. At the front of the group was a beautiful Flygon with bright red eyes and radiant green scales. The graceful vibrations of her elegant, rhombus-shaped wings produced the charming melody in the air. Despite the rapid beating of the Flygon's wings, her audience miraculously stayed dust free. After she finished her music, the knights applauded her, and some offered her coins.
"A fine performance, my lady!'
"Bravo!"
"Talent fit for a queen, I say!"
The Flygon blushed at the praise, accepting the offered poké in a small sack. "I am blessed to be in the company of such an arrangement of strong pokémon. I am Lady Florina Waruvial," she introduced with a curtsy. "If I may be so bold, I wish to request a performance from all of you."
"Anything, my lady."
"I would like to watch a battle!"
The knights looked at her and each other, tilting their heads. Someone eventually said, "It would not be proper to engage in a spontaneous duel…"
"Then we mustn't attract attention. Perhaps no moves shall be permitted." Her face lit up with a smile. "A battle of pure strength and wit! I can hardly wait!" she almost squealed, her tail swishing and wings flapping in excitement, kicking up some dust. "Oh… ahem," she blushed, calming herself down.
"Hahah!" a Druddigon knight crossed his arms with a laugh. "A bold request indeed, but I am delighted to oblige! Who wishes to face me in honorable combat for our fair lady's interest?" he asked, stepping forward. Most of the knights inched away, only a few mumbling their apologies.
"I can provide this poké as reward for the victor," Florina offered, holding up the sack of coins she had received for her earlier music.
Chadwyck's eyes lit up. A good ol' brawl for some shiny dough? He smirked and advanced past the departing knights. "Count me in!" he declared, pounding a fist into a palm with a giant grin.
"Excellent!" Florina chimed. "May I have your names and honorifics, dear contestants?"
"Sir Dirard, knight of Lyonnais at your service, my lady!"
"I'm Chadwyck, Princess Helena's bodyguard."
Sir Dirard grinned at Chadwyck. "My apologies in advance for the beatdown, my dear adversary."
Chadwyck smirked back, readying his thin arms and broad wings. "May the best brawler win."
Sir Dirard flexed his scaled arms and leaned forward with his head. "Give us the signal, Lady Florina!"
Florina held her hands together, her wings beating rapidly and stirring up some dust. "Oh yes! And remember, no moves please! And… begin!"
Sir Dirard charged forward, spikey head first. Chadwyck pivoted his body to the right to avoid the headbutt and then threw a punch with his right fist. Sir Dirard jerked to Chadwyck's left to avoid the punch, and Chadwyck followed up with his left wing, delivering a slice to Sir Dirard's cheek. The Druddigon reeled back and slammed his tail into the ground. Chadwyck sent a kick to Sir Dirard's stomach, but Sir Dirard's tail kept him in place, and he swiped Chadwyck's short leg with his claws. Chadwyck hopped back on his other leg and spun around, sweeping his long tail around. He whipped Sir Dirard in the hip and withdrew his tail before the dragon could grab it.
"Keep it up!" Florina cheered at both of them.
With a spirited chuckle, Sir Dirard leaped forward and swung his long arm at Chadwyck, who stepped back. When Sir Dirard landed one foot, he immediately kicked off, did a somersault, flapping his heavy wings for momentum, and dunked his claw down on his opponent. Chadwyck gasped and jerked his neck away but got crushed on the shoulder. He staggered back and smacked Sir Dirard's face with a wing, followed by a punch to the chest and a tail slap to the shin. Sir Dirard lunged forward with both arms; Chadwyck held off one arm with both hands, but the other delivered a punch to Chadwyck's stomach.
Oh, my wonderful dinner! Chadwyck internally groaned, clutching his tan belly. The next moment, Sir Dirard clutched Chadwyck's shoulders and slammed the top of his rough head into Chadwyck's chin.
Chadwyck roared as he fell back but slammed his tail against the ground and gripped Sir Dirard's arms with his claws. He kicked off the ground, using his tail as a spring, and sailed both clawed feet into Sir Dirard's stomach as payback, letting go of Sir Dirard's arms simultaneously. The Druddigon roared and tumbled back, his wings painfully hitting the ground first. At this point, Chadwyck was seeing double, but it was nothing he wasn't used to. He shook his head, gritted his teeth, and charged at Sir Dirard as his opponent got up. Chadwyck started with a wide left wing swing, and Sir Dirard predictably ducked down and to the right. Using his vast past experiences to aim between the two fuzzy Druddigon heads, Chadwyck threw a wild right uppercut and decked Sir Dirard perfectly in the chin. Sir Dirard gasped and stumbled back two steps before tipping, and his jagged wings painfully crashed against the ground again.
"Oi! Cease your scuffle!"
With an arm lifted over his face, Sir Dirard twisted his neck to spot the new arrival, a disgruntled Krookodile. Chadwyck kept his arms in front of him and wings at the ready but took a few steps back, giving the Krookodile space to walk in-between and past the two brawlers.
"Florina, why are you here?" Duke Kendrick asked pointedly, glaring at the Flygon.
"S-seeking potential suitors, as you wished," Florina answered, her voice wavering.
"At court, not at an army camp," Duke Kendrick grumbled, shaking his head. He whirled around at the two brawlers next. "Why would you two engage in a petty fight on the eve of war? There will be plenty of opportunities to fight!"
"I requested it, Father," Florina spoke up.
"I know that," Duke Kendrick breathed. "We march for Skarmburg tomorrow at dawn. Save your vigor until then. Come along Florina, I am escorting you back to the castle." He grabbed Florina's elbow and marched away. Chadwyck felt some pleasant smooth scales grace his tail and then some cloth left behind.
Chadwyck faintly heard Duke Kendrick lecture Florina, "Those two are fools to engage in combat with an ally on the eve of war. Do not even consider a pokémon with such little self control or foresight." Feeling the coins inside the cloth pouch with a big grin, Chadwyck hardly felt like a fool.
The following day, Solardie's army marched up the mountain towards the walls of Skarmburg. Helena's team went ahead of the rest, taking the lead. Chadwyck trudged along, donning Sitrus-infused bandages on his head, shoulder, and stomach. "Ugh, what's the rush?" he huffed.
"I want to get outside the town early to survey the defenses and quickly come up with a plan," Helena said. "Hurry up but don't fly. We need to keep a low profile."
They passed by some small farms and abandoned huts. As the terrain began to incline upwards, the soil got looser, making it harder to farm, although there were still trees. Helena's team strayed from the open path and into the cover of the forest as they climbed towards the town of Skarmburg. Stalking through the trees, they could see imposing stone walls interrupting the slope of the mountain. A large metal gate faced the open mountain path leading to Skarmburg. Some rock-type pokémon stood on the walls, spread across the perimeter. Helena spotted the silver wings of a few Skarmory gliding across the skies above.
"The fortress town of Skarmburg," Max whispered. "Impressive fortifications, but not much of a defense force as of late. Compared to the size of our army, at least."
"They may not be ready for us yet. We should attack as soon as possible," Helena decided. "The gate is probably weaker than the thick walls. It would be the best place for everyone to attack. More importantly, we should gather all of our fliers and take out the pokémon on the walls."
"Taking control of the air will be key," Max said. He unfurled his ears briefly. "I sense the Skarmory carrying other small pokémon on their backs. Observe them closely." The Meowstic turned to his Charizard and smiled. "Chadwyck, you are well-suited to engage the Skarmory in the air. May I take flight on your back during the battle, my friend? I shall lend my protection."
"Oh yeah, I'll never refuse that," Chadwyck grinned. "I'm looking forward to this!"
"I'll activate Drought when we approach for even more of an advantage," Helena promised. "Once I get close enough to the gate, I'll unleash my Fire Blast."
"I want to get close enough to send a Flame Burst rippling across the walls," Terry snickered.
"What should I do?" Lily asked.
"You can defend us while we approach," Helena requested. "With your speed, you can surprise any threat before they know it."
"Can do!" Lily promised, hopping on her paws.
"Alright, let's get back to the army, gather all the fliers, and tell them to hurry up before Skarmburg gathers more defenders. And let's get away before we're spotted," Helena said. With their recon finished, the group scurried through the trees, down the hill, and back to the open path.
Helena and Ludwig led the army of Solardian knights on the approach. Ludwig spoke to his subjects to rile them up as the walls of Skarmburg came into view. "Look at those fools hiding behind those walls! We will crush them for daring to stand in the way of my father and take their riches for ourselves! Down with those walls! Down with Skarmburg!"
The knights cheered and roared, hastening the march. "Take command, Cousin," Ludwig instructed Helena before falling back behind the crowd of knights.
Seems like my cousin's spine has only grown to half-length, Helena smirked to herself. Looking ahead, she saw more rock-types occupying the walls than earlier. "Their numbers have grown. Do not be reckless or fight alone," she warned. "Advance together, repel their attacks, and bring down the gate. Fliers, once their attention is on us, take to the skies and strike the pokémon on the walls." The knights advanced up the slope leading up to the walls of Skarmburg, eager to assault their common enemy. Helena raised her tails to the sky, beams of light shooting off her caramel tail tips and combining into a makeshift sun above, radiating light and warmth.
A horn blared out from the top of the Skarmburg gate. Several knights gasped as all the rock types atop the walls started using Rock Slide. Glowing boulders of various shades of brown and gray descended and tumbled down the slope at the invaders. Helena pressed her ears against her fur to muffle the excruciating sounds of rocks crashing down at the base of the walls and rumbling down the hill.
"Wow!" Lily gasped.
"What a trick!" Terry exclaimed.
"It won't stop us!" Helena declared. She made a bright green ball of energy rise above her, which turned into a Solar Beam that hit the area in front of her and swept forwards, destroying a line of rocks. Lily split apart the ones that got through with her Leaf Blade. Terry helped a little bit with his Flamethrower. The Solardian knights to their sides also focused all their efforts on obliterating the oncoming Rock Slides and struggling forward.
Helena fired Solar Beam after Solar Beam, panting from overexertion. "Terry, can't you do something more than just Flamethrower on rocks?" she complained.
"Roar and Substitute won't do anything to the rocks and I don't want Flame Burst to hit Lily! Or any other allies… but mostly Lily! I need to get close enough to Flame Burst the top of the walls!"
Helena peered at the walls, seeing the defenders unleashing more and more Rock Slides, completely undisturbed. "We need our fliers to slow down the Rock Slides!" She looked up as she raised her next Solar Beam and gasped; the sky was full of Skarmory.
Max gritted his teeth and gripped Chadwyck's scales tighter as he struggled to maintain the Light Screens and Reflects he was holding in front of the Solardian flying types. The Skarmorys' metal armor protected them from most attacks the flying knights mustered, and the pokémon riding on the Skarmorys' backs hurled rocks at the Solardians. They also flew straight towards any invader that showed signs of wavering. The constant Air Slashes, Steel Wings, and rock-type attacks were too much for Max to withstand.
Chadwyck chased after any nearby Skarmory, who understandably retreated from the sinister Solar Powered fire-breather, especially with Helena's Drought emitting an uncomfortable heat on their steel armor. "Chadwyck, we have got to scare the Skarmory away from the others," Max urged. "Our allies are falling left and right."
"I'm trying! These buggers are fast! And I'm not used to being this high up, the air is different!" Chadwyck growled in-between Flamethrowers.
One Skarmory with a Tyrunt on her back dived towards Duke Ulysses Kenhallow. The Unfezant and the Braviary and Pidgeot accompanying him launched gusts of wind at the Skarmory, but the metal bird maneuvered through the attacks. The Tyrunt fired rocks out of her mouth during the dive, which smacked into the Braviary and Pidgeot. The Skarmory's wings glowed a brighter silver and sharpened as she sliced into Duke Ulysses with Steel Wing. The three Solardians plummeted to the ground with squawks of pain.
Chadwyck swooped forward and unleashed a mighty Flamethrower at the aggressive Skarmory/Tyrunt duo before they could get away. The Skarmory cried out in agony, plunging through the air erratically as the flames burned. The Tyrunt held on tight with her large toe claws and fired rocks out of her maw, but Chadwyck evaded them.
"Behind and below!" Max suddenly exclaimed.
Chadwyck swiveled around and flapped to the side to narrowly avoid another rock whizzing up at them. Max unfurled his ears and unleashed a wave of Psychic at another boulder to destroy it. Below them, two Skarmory dived to catch the falling Skarmory. On the Skarmorys' backs, a Geodude and Machop continued to hurl rocks at Chadwyck and Max.
Air Slashes descended on the duo's position from another direction. Chadwyck repelled the sharp waves of air with swift Flamethrowers while Max kept destroying oncoming rocks with Psychic. The Meowstic realized he wasn't feeling much battering against his Light Screens and Reflects anymore; most of their allies were already knocked down! "We may have to retreat-"
"Gah!" Chadwyck yelled as a glowing rock smacked into his left wing. The impact sent them spinning. Chadwyck flailed in the air, unleashing Flamethrower all around him in a circle as he tried to get control, but the rock was stuck to his wing!
"They are using Smack Down!" Max gasped. He destroyed the rock with a purple burst of Psychic, freeing up Chadwyck's wing. However, in that moment of distraction, Air Slashes rained down on Max and Chadwyck's back. Max's Light Screen shattered into a mist of teal blue from the assault and the Meowstic's injuries.
Chadwyck flapped his wings fervently to stabilize his flight and breathed flames at the nearest Skarmory. The Skarmory flew past the dangerous flames, and the Machop on the Skarmory's back chucked a glowing rock Chadwyck's way. Chadwyck swerved out of the rock's path, only to get hit by two other Smack Downs from different directions. Chadwyck roared from the rocks stuck to his wings, sending him and Max into a free fall.
Desperately hanging onto Chadwyck, Max was about to break off the Smack Downs when he saw bright blue out of the corner of his eye. A Skarmory with a Geodude was diving straight at them, engulfed with the power of Brave Bird. The Geodude used his fists to push off the Skarmory's back as the Skarmory crashed into Max and Chadwyck in an explosion; Max's Reflect disintegrated into white dust. The Geodude dunked several rocks into the smoke before the Skarmory maneuvered back and caught his rocky companion.
Chadwyck and Max crashed into the ground behind their land army. With hazy eyes, Max made out silvery blobs headed back towards the walls of Skarmburg. Even this far away from the walls, Max could hear the rumbling and feel the vibrations of the Rock Slide avalanche. "The defenders of Skarmburg… are brilliant," Max breathed out before closing his eyes and fainting.
Lily gasped and panted, furiously smashing the rocks with two Leaf Blades, one extending from her left paw and the other from her tail. Helena and Terry were finally close enough to unleash their attacks. Terry leaped up and fired a smoky Flame Burst at the top of the wall. However, a Light Screen appeared in front of the defenders, and part of the Flame Burst exploded against it on the side facing the attackers. The other half made it through and hit a target, although it did not do much to the rock type. Smaller Flame Bursts shot out from the impact, but more Light Screens appeared between the defenders, weakening the Flame Burst even further.
Helena gathered huge flames in a star shape in front of her and sent her Fire Blast into the metal gate. It, too, was hindered by a Light Screen. The fire battered the gate, but not by much. Helena glared and began another Fire Blast, but she was exhausted after all the Solar Beams it took just to get here. Other Solardians launched attacks on the metal gate, struggling past the Light Screen. Helena spotted a few Lunatone and Solrock through the bars of the gate, which must have been responsible for the Light Screen.
Lily's ears were numb to the rumbling of rocks by this point, but she suddenly picked up on whooshing from above. She craned her neck upwards and squeaked upon seeing Air Slashes headed straight for her! She dashed away from her position with green streaks trailing her paws' movements. The Air Slashes pounded the ground, kicking up dust. She swerved away from more Air Slashes, but the Rock Slides from the wall kept coming, and she couldn't keep them at bay anymore. After a leap away from an Air Slash, Lily landed right in front of a rock. The rock pummeled her in the side, knocking her to the ground with a yelp. As she bit her lip and scrambled to her paws, she felt an Air Slash descending on her, the harsh wind in front of the attack rippling across her fur. But just as she turned her head, a Torracat leaped above her.
"Terry!" Lily gasped. The Torracat faced her with a smirk as the Air Slash collided with its back. As the Substitute faded away, it winked at her.
Despite the circumstances, Lily let out a light giggle. She got her paws under her and made a beeline for Terry and Helena as Rock Slides and Air Slashes followed her trail.
Helena's latest Fire Blast seared through the Light Screen and exploded, blasting most of the gate apart from the left stone wall. Almost! she thought, prepping more flames.
"Helena, move!" Terry cried.
Helena snapped her head in Terry's direction and hopped away, several rocks crashing down on her previous position a moment later. She saw Terry fire a Flamethrower above her to intercept an Air Slash. She saw Air Slashes coming down on Terry and blasted them away with her own Flamethrower. Two large rocks were dropping towards them, but suddenly Lily leaped above Terry and Helena, extended two Leaf Blades from her forepaws, and slashed with both, destroying the rocks.
She dissipated her Leaf Blades as her paws hit the ground. "I think we should run!" Lily cried.
Within a second, Helena swept her eyes above and around her. Not a single friendly flier remained in the air. The Skarmory and their companions swooped above the slope leading to the walls, bombarding the Solardian knights with Air Slashes and raining rocks directly atop the attackers. The Skarmory forced the knights keeping the Rock Slides back to retreat just like Lily, so the rocky torrent was approaching fast. Helena's instincts ripped her paws in the direction opposite of the gate. "Let's go!" she agreed.
Helena fired Flamethrowers up at the Skarmory to deter them as the army retreated. Terry kept a Substitute close by her to intercept any attacks that Helena wasn't aware enough to dodge. On the edges of the attack force, the Skarmory were divebombing lone knights with Brave Bird. The Solardian army carried their injured or fainted allies to a place far enough down the hill where the Rock Slides from the walls ran out of energy and fizzled out. Without the constant threat of the defenders' Rock Slides, the knights could fight back against the Skarmory, so the Skarmory returned to the safety of their mountain fortress. Helena let her sun fade away with an exhausted sigh.
Chadwyck jammed his spoon into his steaming bowl of rice with every scoop. "I can't believe I lost to those flying buckets!" he seethed, bits of rice flying out.
"Dude, we get it already," Terry complained.
Max held his chopsticks over his rice bowl in deep thought. "An incredible strategy," he mumbled. "What can we do to overcome it?"
"What happened to you two in the air?" Lily asked.
"The Skarmory carried pokémon on their back who could use Smack Down," Max said. "Smack Down sticks to a pokémon's wings, sending them plummeting to the ground if they don't do anything about it. Couple it with Skarmory's steel-typing to resist flying attacks, and they are the masters of the sky."
"Also, the air up here feels different, making it harder to fly," Chadwyck added. "I'm not used to it. I bet no one is used to it except those damn Skarmory."
"With all those factors in play, our flying knights fell fast," Max said. "We never had a chance to disrupt the pokémon on the walls as was requested. What happened on the ground after our defeat?"
"We got close enough to attack the pokémon on the walls and the gate, but they were protected by Light Screen," Terry said.
"Then the Skarmory and their rock buddies attacked us from above," said Lily. "We couldn't hold back all the rocks rolling down on us while we were under attack, so we had to run for it!"
"I have never imagined any defense as marvelous as those coordinated Rock Slides," Max remarked. "Taking absolute advantage of the hill, how safe and secure the pokémon are at the top of their sturdy walls, behind Light Screens and Reflects, and with the Skarmory and their partners commanding total control of the sky… I wonder what percentage of pokémon in Skarmburg are capable and also willing to participate in a defense. Fifty-percent? Eighty?"
The four of them suddenly noticed the sky got a little brighter, and a gentle wave of heat pricked their fur/scales. Their eyes widened when they noticed the makeshift sun in the evening sky a little bit away. They dropped their rice bowls and charged into action.
(A few minutes ago…)
"Today was a pitiful showing of Solardian might," Duchess Madelyn sighed.
"We now know why the Lord of Skarmburg's letter was so bold," Duke Brennan remarked. "He believed we did not stand a chance. He was right."
"Perhaps we should have invested in their friendship," Duke Qasimir lamented.
"Hardly an option," Duke Kendrick said. "Even though my lands lie adjacent to here, they never expressed interest in me, for I lacked what they seek the most - food. I have sold some wheat here and there for some iron on occasion, but my contributions are but a fraction of what the Dukes of Luneland supply. We simply do not produce enough surplus food to make a friendship worthwhile to them."
"Enough prattle of Skarmburg," Ludwig barked with a stomp of his paw. "Let us charge down this wretched mountain and rescue my father at Denryushire, no matter the cost!"
"Is your stomach feeling nice and full, Ludwig?" Helena snapped. "It will not be if you step foot past this mountain while Skarmburg is hostile. I will not allow my citizens to come under attack from those Skarmory."
"We fought a pointless battle this day. Skarmburg is unassailable!" Ludwig cried.
"Today's battle was not fought in vain," Duke Percival said. "Pokémon cannot fight forever. They require a good meal to keep going." The Pyroar waved his paw across the army camp around them, where their knights took care of their injuries and feasted on the food delivered by Helena's crew. "Case in point."
"We do not know the status of Skarmburg's food supplies, but I would wager they are on the low end on account of Luneland's civil war forcing the Dukes of Luneland to preserve their food for their armies instead of selling to Skarmburg," Duke Kendrick assessed.
"My thoughts exactly," Duke Percival concurred. "Our next move must be to surround Skarmburg with our army camps. Prevent any sustenance from entering while continuing to pressure the defenses."
"Let us not permit any unruly mountain dwellers from departing their fortress either," Duke Ulysses squawked. "Then, once they starve and capitulate, we shall storm their bothersome town and take their riches for ourselves!"
"After what transpired today, I am of similar mind," Duchess Madelyn growled, cracking her arm fur like a whip. "Those peasants will pay for dropping rocks on us from atop their cowardly walls."
"Here is a map of the area around Skarmburg," Duke Percival said, unfurling and laying out a scroll. "Let us determine our camp locations." The dukes hunched over the map and began discussion.
Ludwig dragged his paws away, slumping down alone. Please, stay strong, Father. And Leinwig… do not move an inch. I am coming for you. He imagined slashing his claws across Leinwig's mane. He could almost hear the swooshing sound…
*Clonk!*
"AGH!" Ludwig cried as a rock collided with the back of his head. His legs gave way, and his cheek smushed into the dirt.
The Dukes jolted from their positions. "King Ludwig!" Duke Qasimir cried, rushing over to aid the injured Luxray.
Helena shot her eyes upward and saw a lone Skarmory and Tyrunt pair above them. Two Air Slashes and two boulders were headed their way. Helena canceled the Air Slashes with a Flamethrower while Duke Madelyn and Duke Brennan each smashed apart a boulder. Helena sprang towards their attackers while activating Drought. She dodged several more Rock Slides and Air Slashes while launching Flamethrowers into the sky. The Skarmory twirled out of the way of the Flamethrowers and glided over a forest.
"You're not beating me this time!" Chadwyck roared. As he got within range of Helena's Drought, his wings and tail glowed red, and embers began to wick off in multiple directions. He unleashed a Solar Powered Flamethrower in a wide, menacing arc across the sky.
The Tyrunt launched a glowing brown Smack Down out of her giant maw, headed straight towards Chadwyck. The Charizard quickly flew out of the way.
"I'm not falling for your stupid Smack Down!" he hollered, unleashing more flames.
The Skarmory flew around the flames towards Chadwyck while the Tyrunt hung on tight with her toe claws and launched more Smack Downs. Chadwyck retreated to keep his distance to enough time to dodge the battle-ending Smack Downs. Glaring daggers, the Skarmory tucked her wings and dived towards Chadwyck. "Come here, you coward!" she hollered, her body turning blue with Brave Bird.
As tempting as it was to try and Fire Blast the Skarmory in the face, Chadwyck stayed wary of the Tyrunt and continued to keep his distance.
Max, perched atop a tall tree, stared up at the sky, analyzing the two fliers' flight patterns. He unfurled his ears. His eyes and the eye patterns on his ears glowed silver. His view of the sky turned black and white. His mind filled in his prediction of where Chadwyck and the Skarmory would be in the future as a trail of smoky silhouettes. He fired a smoky silver beam at the Skarmory's predicted future position. When he stopped using Future Sight, the color returned to his vision, and both the prediction silhouettes and the silver beam disappeared; only he could ever see his attack.
Chadwyck stopped his Flamethrowers and just focused on flying since the Brave Birded Skarmory was gaining on him. He felt pathetic, but he brushed it off. He performed a mighty flap, pushing his wings up higher so that a Smack Down sailed beneath his right wing without clipping it. Finally, he heard a mighty bang! A silvery explosion suddenly blasted right in front of the Skarmory, stopping her glide and knocking her back. Chadwyck swiveled around and released a massive, searing Flamethrower at the stunned bird. The Skarmory wailed and plummeted into the forest with a streak of fire in her wake while the Tyrunt tried to stomp out the intense flames.
Terry had three Substitutes spread out across the forest in waiting. When the Skarmory and Tyrunt crashed near one of them, he had it use Roar to alert the rest of the team. The Tyrunt scrunched her eyes and spat a Smack Down at the Torracat, only for the Substitute to fade. The next moment, a Chlorophyll-speeded Lily zipped behind the Tyrunt and slashed her with Leaf Blade. The Tyrunt collapsed next to the Skarmory with a yelp.
Terry and Helena dashed through the trees to the location signified by the Substitute's Roar. Chadwyck eased his way beneath the trees with light flaps, and Max hopped down from a tree branch.
"You're a feisty duo, flying out here to attack us alone," Helena remarked. "Are all Skarmory and their teammates this reckless?"
"You bet we are!" the Skarmory hollered, lifting her beak off the ground and glaring. "You won't have a moment of peace until you leave our mountain!"
"I doubt that," Max said. "If my memory serves me well, these two were the only ones to overextend during this morning's air battle. All the other Skarmory duos were calculated and defensive. Consequently, they were the only ones Chadwyck could hit this morning."
"Hey!" both Chadwyck and the Skarmory yelled.
"Your strategy is fascinating," Max praised. "I hope to learn from the Skarmory and their partners in the future, should we become friends."
"We'll never be friends," the Tyrunt snapped. "Those who assault our town will be rejected forever!"
"We don't have to be enemies," Helena said. "Our king only wants to rescue his father in Denryushire. Perhaps if we paid and fed your town, you would let us pass unharmed?"
"Our lord will never agree to that. The king of Luneland is our ally. Besides, I thought you knights were all about loyalty and honor," the Skarmory spat.
"I would put practicality first," Helena said.
"Well, you Solardians don't have any food for us anyway," the Tyrunt added. "That's practically all we need."
"I can make arrangements-"
"Don't kid yourself!" the Skarmory snapped.
Helena rolled her eyes. "Whatever. We'll leave you be. Why don't you fly back to Skarmburg now?"
"What?!" Chadwyck exclaimed. "You're just gonna let them go after all that?"
Helena shrugged. "What would you rather do? Actually, don't answer that. We don't want to scare our friends," she said.
The Skarmory and Tyrunt scoffed and limped away. Once out of the forest, they flew back to their fortress town.
"To answer your question," Helena said, "our strategy moving forward is to surround the town and wait until they starve and surrender. It's better to let those two go back and attack us again to waste energy. This is going to be a long siege."
"That's kind of horrible," Lily suddenly spoke up. "I don't want to make anyone starve…"
"I'm sure they'll surrender before that point," Helena said.
"This is gonna be so boring!" Chadwyck groaned. "I don't want to sit and wait for them to give up!"
"It's the only option we have at the moment," Helena sighed. "We clearly can't charge into the town at the defenders' current strength, although I suppose we can attempt some more assaults just to tire them out and lower their morale."
"If only we do not capitulate first," Max said. "Quite frankly, my morale is already beginning to dip. I hold nothing against the pokémon of Skarmburg whereas they are defending their home from us."
"Yeah, why are we even here?" Lily asked.
Helena looked down. "I have to go along with the rest of the dukes or risk making new enemies."
"Don't worry, I bet the other dukes will give up before you do," said Terry.
"I don't think they'll give up easily," said Helena. "After Skarmburg's defiance, they want to loot the town. I bet a lot of the knights want vengeance after our defeat too. Knights are a petty group."
"Oh, and what about your cousin's dad? Your uncle? Um, Uncle-in-law?" Lily asked. "Isn't that why we're here?"
Helena shook her head. "He's not a good pokémon. I don't think the other dukes care about him. They only agreed to go to war with the promise of spoils. Ludwig may care, but he's powerless without us, according to the agreement he made to become king. And, as sad as it may seem, it's possible Ludwig cares more about destroying his cousin than saving his father. Such dysfunction is typical in rich and powerful families…" Helena trailed off.
"Geez, never thought I'd feel good about being an orphan," Chadwyck remarked.
"Now I feel bad about getting mad at my parents for not letting me leave the farm for fun," Lily sighed.
"Don't be," Helena said with a smile, patting Lily on the back. "Enough sad talk. Let's rest up."
Late at night, Lily creeped out of her tent. She quietly padded over to Terry's tent and eased through the flap. Feeling her presence, Terry cracked open one soft yellow eye with a smile. "What's up?" he whispered.
"Can I cuddle with you?" Lily asked, warmth rushing across her cheeks.
Terry grinned widely and held up his blanket as an invitation. "Of course!"
Lily smiled and slid in next to him, snuggling into his side. She rested her tail on his back and her head next to his, enjoying the softness of his whiskers on her cheek. Lily closed her eyes and went to sleep pleasantly, feeling nice and warm and comfy.
Some time in the middle of the night, Lily jolted awake, her eyes shooting open. "Ugh…" she groaned as her head started throbbing.
"What the heck…?" Terry mumbled, rubbing his own head. He ignited his flame bell, giving them light inside their tent.
Terry and Lily spotted bits of rock scattered around them and a hole in their tent. They looked at each other. "Uh oh-"
A blade of air came crashing down on them, ripping the tent apart. Terry and Lily held onto each other tight, bracing from the Air Slash. They heard Chadwyck roar, "You bastards!"
Chadwyck launched out of his damaged tent and ignited the night sky with fire, but since he had just been woken up by force, his flight was sluggish, and his aim was erratic. One Smack Down sent him careening to the ground with a loud crash.
Max tumbled out of his tent with his paws on his head. Helena crawled out of a pile of rocks and issued a feeble snarl. She gathered light at her tail tips, but Max held up his paw. "Stop… they are already gone."
"How many?" Helena groaned.
"I sensed three Skarmory and their partners flying away at high speed. Seems like all the knights are in for a rude awakening…"
"Let's move into the forest," Terry suggested. "They can't bombard us from above if there's trees in the way."
"Alright," said Helena. She started a small fire on one tail tip to look at her tent full of rocks. "Ugh, are your tents as ruined as mine?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Max sighed, his tent and covers ripped to shreds from Air Slashes.
"Heh, my father's extra supplies may come in handy after all," Terry mumbled. He gingerly padded towards the covered wagon and brightened his flame bell. His ears and whiskers sagged as he laid eyes on four broken wheels and a pile of rubble. "Oh come on…"
Helena glanced towards the forest and across the night sky. "Yep, this is going to be a long siege."
A/N 6/27/22: Castles, walled towns, and cities were prominent in the medieval era because we pathetic humans had trouble knocking them down or climbing them. As a result, castles were usually conquered through starvation. But in a pokémon world with lots of flying pokémon soaring around, things are different! Repelling fliers could be manageable for a small castle, but for a wide-open town, I had to get a little creative. I hope you enjoyed reading about Skarmburg's ultimate defenses!
I ended up splitting my plans for this chapter into two since the failed assault and consequences got pretty detailed. We'll see how the siege of Skarmburg proceeds and check back in on Windie at his siege in Denryushire in the next chapter: "The Noble Truth."