I don't own fire emblem.
Chapter 17 New Allies
A frigid night burned away as the morning sun peeked through the clouds, casting hot rays to the surface of the ground. The Greil mercanaries, once greatful to flee under the cover of trees, now found themselves trapped in an oven. The branches that at first hid them from the pursuing Daein army, now held in the heat and created a miserable maze of humidity. The thick and moist air made it difficult to breathe and weighed down on the mercenaries shoulders.
At the moment the team managed to evade any prolonged battles as they fled to Gallia, though a few skirmishes with small Daein platoons were unavoidable. By the time afternoon hit, the crew was tired with a long way to travel.
Aeyori trudged a little farther behind the rest of the group, wincing, as each step she took formed blisters at the bottom of her feet.
Gatrie was complaining about the heat and wanted to strip his armor off if they weren't on the run. Aeyori silently thanked the Goddess that the blue-armored knight wouldn't be shedding anything. Titania echoed Aeyori's silent sentiments before scolding Gatrie and telling him to keep moving. She stayed focused on her mare, urging the men forward, though her cheeks were reddening in the hot woods.
The light mage felt overwhelmed by the sticky and humid forest. Mosquitoes tirelessly attacked her. She smacked the back of her neck as she felt the sting of the blood sucking insect. In her mind she groaned at the disgusting film of sweat that splattered under her hand.
Every inch of her body felt achy and wet; her back, her chest, and the back of her neck where her hair was resting were all like puddles. The length of her hair was never such a nuisance when the temperature was cooler; now it was a moist mess of heat holding white threads and she wanted to just cut it all!
She fretfully began messing with her hair, moving it from one side to the other, trying to let her neck breath. Ikyna turned around and walked back until she was standing with Aeyori. With an amused smile she watched as Aeyori's cheeks turned pink in frustration as she spun her hair to the side, sweat dripping down her forehead.
On the other hand, Ikyna fanned herself with her hand, the sweltering summer day taking its toll on her as well. She was relieved, however, to have her own hair in a braid, though it didn't fend off much of the torridness.
"How you holding up Aeyori?"
Red cheeks and tired eyes turned to Ikyna. The silver-haired young woman sighed weerily, still messing with her hair. "I've been better." She admitted.
"This weather is absolute misery." Ikyna agreed.
Aeyori nodded, not feeling energetic enough to give a response. The company suddenly halted and the girls managed to catch up before resting with the rest of the group.
"You alright sprouts?"
Greil was squinting down at his daughter, his usual straight face peering into her blue eyes. She looked up at her father affectionately and leaned her head into his chest while closing her eyes, "Just tired and hot pops."
He gave her back a slight rub; his expression still flat but his eyes softened as he held his daughter. "We still have a way to go. Are you and your friend going to make it?"
Ikyna opened one eye with a wry grin, "If you can I can old man." She teased before giving her father a quick pat to his stomach. He chuckled as he playfully pushed her. Aeyori watched the exchange between father and daughter, the fondness between the two very apparent. She felt prick of pain in her chest and a slight aching in her stomach.
"This heat is indeed dreadful." Gatrie said while irritably wiping the front of his neck and shaking the moisture off his hand with a disgusted face.
Shinon folded his arms, his face showing distaste as he leaned against a tree. "These jungles aren't meant to be traveled by humans. This is sub-human domain." He said the word "sub-human" as if it tasted fowl in his mouth.
"Those beasts love the muggy forests." Shinon continued with the same revolted look in his eyes.
Ike came forward, curiously tilting his head to the side, "What is really so different about the sub-humans?"
The archer sighed as he placed a palm to his head. "Do you really not know? You're truly a poor excuse for a mercenary."
Ike silently continued looking at Shinon, his darks eye locked on as he waited for an answer, not letting the insult get to him.
Shinon shook his head, "They're covered in fur and have claws like animals. Even when they walk around in their so called human forms, they're as hideous as they come with their whiskers and tails. They snarl and claw at things like the savage dirty beasts that they are." He was very animated in his description, he showed his teeth when he described the fangs and held his hands in a claw shape as he spoke. Aeyori cringed as he described them, he spoke as if the sub-humans personally offended him.
"I doubt it's that bad." Ikyna said casually as placed her hands behind her head.
"You're no more educated than your brother." Shinon said with a scoff.
She rolled her eyes and faced Ikyna, "Don't you think the sub-humans sound interesting?"
Aeyori laced her fingers together, "I don't know. Mr. Shinon makes them sound rather terrifying."
Shinon snorted, "If you saw one, you'd probably faint." He jeered at the mage who blushed then looked away.
"I wouldn't go that far." She began to protest.
Shinon smirked as he smugly slinked over to her. His walk screamed his self-declared superiority; especially as he towered over the silver-haired girl. "Really? You think you'll be able to handle it when you're face to face with those claws and snarling mouths." He edged closer to her face with his as he spoke causing her to lean back with each inch closer her got.
She looked like she would open her mouth but buttoned it tightly when those emerald eyes met her own; sneering and mockingly dancing as they watched her. Two hands fell upon her shoulders and some ones cool breath blew into her ear.
She craned her neck around and met two twinkling blue eyes; not eyes she was hoping for however. Gatrie rested his heavy head on her shoulder, all the while breathing slowly into her neck. He squeezed her captured shoulders and seductively began, "Don't feel to troubled. If any sub-human comes near you I'll definitely protect you."
His flirtatious smile was obvious even if Aeyori couldn't see his face, "Although seeing you faint might be very cute too."
Aeyori felt her spine tingle from Gatrie's comment. Suddenly another hand grasped hers, a little bit roughly, and pulled her out of the knight's grasp. She felt herself spin out of Gatrie's arms and then she was behind a familiar red cape. Her small voice gasped softly as Ike placed his arm between her and the archer and knight.
Ike didn't look at her; he kept staring at the two other mercenaries, firmness and even a hint of anger was visible on his face. Shinon returned the glare with while Gatrie slumped in disappointment at his lost prize. "Are there different kinds of sub-human?" Ike asked, not lowering his arm in front of Aeyori in the least.
Soren joined the conversation and began explaining the varieties of the beasts. The beasts of Gallia, Bird types, and the dragons of Goldoa. He explained the branches of beast from cat to tiger to lions and where the sub-humans all lived and how they had a second name, laguz.
"You should know at least this much." Shinon said with a cold scowl.
"I guess." Ike agreed without enthusiasm.
Soren pointed north, "Once we get beyond those trees, we'll be in Gallia."
"Finally!" Shinon said with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Compared to this jungle, even facing those beasts would be an improvement."
He quickened his walking towards the direction Soren pointed. Gatrie looked happy to comply, giving one last tired swipe to his sweaty face, then followed after his archer friend. The rest of the company moved ahead but Ike stayed back to walk with Ikyna and Aeyori.
"You're friend Soren sure knows a lot." Aeyori observed finally able to relax without the expectant eyes of the knight following her.
"Well he always has his head stuck in a book." Ikyna said with a laugh, "It would be a waste if he didn't know that much."
Ike nodded, "True but there are a lot of things to know about the sub-humans."
Aeyori cringed, not liking how the word sounded. Sub-humans, wasn't that a bit harsh? She kept her thoughts to herself however. "I hope they aren't as scary as Shinon described."
"Probably not. I don't see how we can make snap judgements when we've never met them." Ike started before glancing at Aeyori, he gave her a friendly curl of his lips, "I think we should just wait and see."
It was a small smile but the mage felt her face warm around her cheeks. It was indeed hot in the jungle she justified before averting her eyes from his gentle gaze. Yet his eyes lingered on her, she could feel it, for a few seconds more. He then turned and lightly chuckled before pulling ahead of her and Ikyna.
"Yeah, try not pay much attention to that sour head." Ikyna said.
"Sour head?"
"Yeah, it's like his head is full of your hinko berries."
Aeyori looked thoughtfully for a second, her lips pushed out and she tilted her head before a sweet smile appeared on her face, "That's sounds delicious." She said with a gentle laugh.
"But." She began as frowned slightly, "I think if they were from Shinon, they would probably be bitter." She said with a decisive nod of her head.
Ike and Ikyna both laughed at their friend's blunt but true statement.
The three finally reached the rest of the company; they were awkwardly huddled just before the dense pack of trees turned into an open valley.
"What's everyone staring at?" Ikyna said loudly before immediately being shushed by Titania. The female archer cringed and then bowed her head sheepishly.
Titania motioned with her finger into the clearing where a group of around 20 Daein soldiers waited, not doubt for the Greil mercenaries, in ambush. From the front of the group Greil motioned for everyone to gather around him.
"These soldiers aren't going to make are escape easy." Titania mused dryly to Greil.
He nodded with a grave expression then turned to Soren, "What do you think is the best course of action?"
Soren paused and held a finger to his chin as he strategized. It wasn't very long before he began telling his plan. It involved dividing the group in two, one group would be a fighting diversion and the second would escort the princess to Gallia.
Oscar's eyes slanted in worry as he began to interject, "But is it really a good idea to divide our group?"
The tactician nodded affirmatively. He reasoned that subjecting the few members that couldn't fight to a battle would be a hindrance to the group; they wouldn't be able to guard their more vulnerable party members effectively.
With an inclination of his head, signaling approval, Greil pointed to Shinon and Gatrie, "You two will be with me. We will be the diversion team."
Ike and Ikyna began to protest at the same time, "Will you be okay with such a small group?" Ike began.
"Yeah pops!"
Shinon clicked his tongue and tilted his head in irritation, "Listen pup, worry about yourselves. We can handle our own group."
Ike looked to his father for reassurance. Greil simply nodded, his face still stern as always. Ikyna poked her father's stomach again, her eyebrows creasing as she began to pout. The father and daughter exchanged stares silently, reading each other's thoughts without words. Finally Greil sighed, ruffled his daughter's hair and said, "I'll be fine, keep the princess and each other safe."
He motioned between the twins and both nodded, Ikyna smiling contently at her father's assurance. He was, after all, the captain, whatever the Daein's threw at him, he could handle.
The mercenaries each looked at one another, making silent petitions to the goddess for safety, then headed their separate ways.
)(
Reyson groaned, yawned, then stretched as he slowly woke up, fighting against his desire to continue sleeping. His outstretched arms rubbed against rough bark and he retracted his extremities quickly in surprise. He opened one eye and took in the surrounding lush green forest, for a second, not knowing where he was.
A soreness crept over his neck reminding him that he slept in the forest that night. He and his fellow hawk companions rested in the mass of trees at the end of their first day of travel to Begnion. The heron began to rub his face up and down, distorting the sounds of his tired moans as his hands passed over his mouth again and again.
There was a time when he always slept in or by trees in the Serenes forest, so why was he feeling so tired this morning? He moved his hands from his face and tended to his aching back while cracking his neck from side to side. It creaked painfully loud and only drowned out by the heron's weary sigh.
"You sound like you slept…awful."
The sight of Tibarn's face came into view as Reyson finally opened both eyes; the hawk was perched on a low branch, smiling, almost feline like, at the heron.
Reyson agreed, still rubbing his back as he stood and leaned over into another stretch. Tibarn was snacking on a pear as he sat, in between bites he said, "You were frowning in your sleep, was it a nightmare or…"
"The wretched human girl again." Reyson cut in with one last yawn as he felt himself finally waking up.
"You know what that means?"
Reyson held up his palm, "Don't say it." He demanded, "I don't want to hear it."
Though he knew his friend was only teasing him, even the suggestion of running into the human was awful enough.
"Where did you get that?" Reyson asked as he pointed to the pear Tibarn was happily eating.
"There's a village a mile north, we "borrowed" some supplies."
The suggestive tone made Reyson roll his eyes and Tibarn laughed, "Hey, just because we aren't ravens doesn't mean we can't relieve a few humans of unwanted goods.
"The ravens are pirates."
"That's true, but I doubt they keep their work to strictly the sea."
"I suppose." Reyson said more to the sky than to Tibarn as he looked up at the clear blue ocean above him.
"My lord, White prince." The fluttering of wings came from overhead as Ulki and Janaff decended. They weren't in their hawk forms as they landed.
Tibarn hopped down from the tree, "Did you get what I asked for."
Janaff gave a quick nod then produced four brown hooded cloaks. He handed three out, one to Tibarn, one to Reyson, and one to Ulki, before dawning the cloak himself. Reyson watched as his hawk friends dressed themselves in the brown cloth curiously.
"What are these for?"
Tibarn raised one eyebrow, then cleared his throat, "You're not going to like what I have to say."
"Go on."
Tibarn seemed reluctant as he anticipated the volatile heron's response. "We'll be hitting Begnion eventually and the only way to go unnoticed by the inhabitants is to keep a low profile."
Reyon's face darkened as he digested to explanation. Clearly the cloaks were to cover the wings of the bird laguz, but he didn't understand why they'd have to go near the humans. Tibarn, laughed nervously as he read Reyson's ever souring expression, "From this point on it is too dangerous to fly over the populated cities of Begnion, we'll have to travel on foot."
The prince grabbed his jaw to stop it from falling off as it dropped in surprise. He searched his friends face for a smile, a smirk, any sign that meant he was playing a joke, a cruel and sadistic joke. Was he actually suggesting that they travel that close to the vermin on foot?"
"Please Tibarn tell me you are not serious." Reyson said, not liking the fact that his voice sounded so pathetic as he begged.
"If only my friend, if only."
)(
Ike's division of the mercenaries spread out as each rested from the battle they nearly escaped. Just outside the clearing of the forest 100, not 20, Daein soldiers were waiting for them. Soren's eyes had widened in surprise at the number of the force and his own miscalculation.
By the time they reached the clearing, however, Greil and his group were long gone down a different road. The risk of fighting with the princess, Rolf and Mist was too great to have a prolonged battle. In the end, Soren strategized to have the main force engage the enemy while the non-fighters escaped.
Ikyna sighed audibly as she plopped down on the ground, legs wide open and mouth as well. "Let's not do that anymore." She suggested through her own panting.
"You mean our job as mercenaries." Soren said, "If you'll recall you did take on the job of escorting the princess, so I'm sure we'll be doing this plenty more.
Ikyna shot Soren a glare, why did he always have to be such a smartass. He returned her stare, without flinching, silently enjoying being right. Ikyna sighed in exasperation before deciding to lay on her back instead of continuing the conversation with Soren.
"Are you alright Princess?" Ike addressed as he placed his sword back in its hilt now that they were safely out of danger.
Elincia nodded, not seeming shaken at all by the previous battle. "I am; thank you Sir Ike. But I'm worried, Sir Greil hasn't arrived yet."
Ike's face hardened as processed the princess's statement. Half of him felt there was no need to worry about his father and his skilled companions, but it had been some time since the groups had seen each other. It was impossible to completely chase away the uneasy sensation eating away at him.
"That's true, shouldn't we go look for them." Ikyna said popping up and staring intently at her brother.
"We need to ensure the princess's safety first." Ike turned to Mist, "I want you and Rolf to take the princess to the king of Gallia. The rest of us are going to search for dad and the others."
Mist's eyes widened in panic. She grabbed the hem of her brother's shirt, looking as if she was fighting off tears. "I don't want us to be separated." She said in a pleading voice.
The male twin gave her a comforting pat on the head, his face ever serious, then said, "We'll be back. Dad, sis and I will definitely not leave you okay?"
At his calming words Mist released his shirt, though reluctantly, and slowly back away. The tears still hung at the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment, but she inhaled deeply and smiled as wide as she could.
"You better." She warned.
Mist grabbed Rolf's hand and began pulling him along. He complained but she continued without heeding her friend's griping. Elincia bowed deeply with a smile that masked how anxious she was feeling then turned and followed the children; the words she whispered being carried off by the gentle wind in the valley.
"May the goddess be with you."
…..
An hour passed, then two, then three long hours passed of searching for Greil and his two men. As evening was creeping in, the second mercenary group found themselves discouraged and more bothered by their missing companions.
Their search led them finally to an abandoned fort. "Fort Meritenne." Soren declared as they cautiously entered the delapidated stone building.
They readied their weapons and strained their eyes as they searched for possible enemy soldiers. It was only on an inclination from Titania that the group decided to investigate the lonely looking structure. However, their move to the fort was turning out to be a waste of time it seemed.
The seemingly endless cobblestone hallways echoed with only the mercenary's footsteps, but there was no sign of Greil or anyone for that matter. "It looks like this fort has been abandoned for some time." Soren observed as he traced his hand along a stone wall.
Ike nodded, allowing himself to scan the area once more. He snapped his neck to a darkened corner, squinting suspiciously at what he thought was movement. It couldn't be though, he reasoned, no one was in the building.
"Is something the matter bro?" Ikyna asked as she started to feel uneasy as her brother's face tightened along with his grasp on his sword.
"I thought I…" Ike's sentence was cut short as a group of black and red armored soldiers stormed in from all sides and surrounded the mercenaries. The cry of metal rang as swords were unsheathed and the men yelled between each other.
"So it was an ambush." Titania hissed in irritation as she lifted her ax.
The soldiers began shouting that they found the mercenaries, hurrying to block all forms of escape and quickly advancing on the crew's positions. All too quickly, Ike and his team found themselves shoved in a corner and badly outnumbered. It was a flurry of dark armor and weapons clashing into each other.
For each mercenary there were at least fifteen men from Daien, brutally attacking like a relentless wave of army ants. Their clanking footsteps traveling the halls as reinforcements kept coming. Ike and Ikyna found themselves cut off from the rest of the group. The twins alternated sides, guarding each other seamlessly.
Back to back they fell foe after foe. Three men lay at their feet, already dead, one man was kneeling, with a bleeding chest wound, and yet still, five more soldiers took their places in the mêlée. Ike felt his sister lean into his back with her own. He looked over his shoulder and saw her focused face, slightly red where a soldier struck her. For a moment he found himself thinking back to Mist; she was still waiting for him and the rest of the family to return; and as he cut down another soldier he only hoped they would.
"Yah!" a foreign female voice burst out behind the twins followed by the groans of felled Daien soldiers. As Ike spun around to see a soldier drop to the ground a violet haired young woman stood, energetically smiling, with a sword in one hand and the other hand placed on her hip.
"You wouldn't happen to be Ike?" she questioned.
Ike pointed to himself, startled that this unfamiliar woman knew him by name. She nodded brightly "Yeah you, are you Ike?"
Ike straightened, "Yes that's me, who are you?'
She slung the sword over her shoulder, "Good to know. My name is Mia. I was sent by Greil to assist you and your group."
Ikyna nearly pushed her brother over, "You've seen our dad?"
"Sure did." Mia said, her purple eyes sparkling.
The female twin sighed in relief, even if she didn't know where her father was, there was proof he was still alive. She glanced at her brother who was wearing a similar relieved expression.
"So, what can I do for you boss?" Mia asked.
"You can help us finish off the Daien forces."
Mia flipped her purple locks to the side and gave Ike an eager thumbs up. In a flash she was barreling into the fray, sword held high in both hands, paying no attention to how badly out number she was. She weaved expertly between enemy swings like a blur of violet, laughing the entire time. As one soldier swung his axe down she jumped and landed on top of the weapon where it was lodged deeply into the cracked stone ground.
The Daein grunted as he tried to lift it, but Mia held it securely with her foot. She smiled wide and deviously at the soldier as he struggled to free his ax. Finally he dislodged the ax, lifting rock and Mia alike. The purple haired mercenary used the enemies ax as a catapult and vaulted over the mans shoulder with one hand. He watched her sail over him, her tongue hanging out mockingly. She landed almost silently then plunged her sword into the fighters back.
"Dad sure meets some interesting people." Ike nodded feeling stunned and amazed at this new fighter's skill. With a silent nod he readied his own sword, knowing that the fight was far from over.
The battle continued, the mercenaries slowly and painstakingly gained the upper hand. Metal sang as it crashed against metal and armor creaked as the result was becoming apparent.
"Just a little more." Ike grunted as he slayed an armored knight by slitting the man's throat. The man fell before him like a felled tree. Ike felt both disgusted and surprised at how accurate his fighting was becoming.
He looked around as his men pushed the Daein soldiers back into the dark halls they came from. He had to step over bodies of fallen men, finding solace in the fact that none of the dead were of his crew. Wind consumed the room as a green tornado formed in the center followed by the screech of a light tome.
Suddenly the battle calmed, the cries of swords and spears quieted, and Ike felt his body grow cold as he stood, finally cooling down from fighting. "Ike?"
The question was posed by his sister, she was panting slightly, "What happened? The fighting stopped."
"I…I don't know." He replied, equally confused by the stillness.
"Prepare yourselves mercenary dogs."
The twins snapped their heads to the northern end of the fort. From a thick wooden door, around fifteen feet high, an opposing woman sat on her a horse, five more Daein soldiers surrounded her. Coal black hair adorned her pale face that was flashing a wicked smile. Her black armor, only lightened by green edges, dawned her tall figure. She glared down at the group. Her eyes, dark like bottomless holes, met the mercenary's stares. "Lament your torture dear children, all hope is lost. You will not leave this place alive."
Her words were pointed and venomous. Ike questioned who she was and Soren answered him. "She is one of the four riders of Daein."
Ike stared blankly still needing more information. "The four riders are knights of unparalleled strength under direct command of the king of Daein. She is said to use a fire lance of terrible power."
Petrine sneered, "You seem to know enough." She commented, seemingly pleased to be known by the wind mage. Her pleasure did not stop her from making her next demand, "Hand the Princess over to me."
Ike's face hardened, "She's safely in Gallia already."
The darkly clad knight clicked her teeth, "You scum! Am I to believe your lowly group escaped my men?"
"They say blind arrogance sows the field of its own destruction." The familiar deep voice turned Ikyna's head. Her heart leapt as three men emerged from the left of Petrine and her men. It was Greil, Shinon and Gatrie, charging through the few men posted at the far western entrance with ease. Greil swung his monstrous ax down on a soldier then shoved the sliced man roughly to the side.
"Dad!"
"Pops." Ikyna and Ike called to their father.
"Sprouts? What are you doing here? And what about you, you dumb pup?" Greil said in a scolding tone to his children.
"We were looking for you when we didn't see you after we got the princess to Gallia." Ike defended.
The commander sighed in defeat, a mixture of disappointment and pride spinning inside of him. "Well done kids." Though he shook his head, wondering what he would do with those reckless children of his.
Petrine suddenly interrupted, quite upset that she was being ignored, "You must be very confident to ignore me pigs." She bit with her words.
"And are you the actual commander of this group?" she asked while looking at Greil, that maleficent smile obvious across her features.
Greil nodded. "You seem like something more than the sell sword I thought you'd be." Her complement was riddled with malignant intent.
"Perhaps I should keep you. You may please my King."
The commander's features hardened as he realized what this wicked knight was talking about. The games held by the mad king of Daein where he pitted men against one another to fight to the death. Greil was not one to be made a toy in a sick man's game.
"I'll have to refuse." He stated plainly.
Petrine growled, "You think you can just refuse me and that I'll let you live. Fight me now and I'll end that untamed tongue of yours."
"It would be a battle worthy of two strong fighters such as ourselves."
Greil casually slung his ax over his shoulder, "But I think we'll need a little more room for a battle like this."
He began to lazily make his way through the doors Petrine and her men came from. She snorted haughtily, annoyed and also intrigued by the man who so blatantly defied her. It wouldn't matter for long though she mused as she turned her steed around to follow. She'd have this smug filthy mercenary begging on his knees soon enough she thought with a smile.
As Greil disappeared Petrine glared venoumously at her men, "Don't let a single one of the mercenaries live." With that she disappeared beyond the wooden door.
The soldiers held their weapons up, ready to kill the rest of the mercenaries off as their commander told them. Ike and Ikyna exchanged looks, they were worried about their father, but also the rest of the team.
"Go on ahead!" Titania commanded.
She was already engaged in a fight, slashing through soldier after soldier as they flooded the stone room, cutting off all forms of escape. "I doubt that wench will have a fair fight. We need to get the commander and get out of here."
Titania grunted through her fight. The twins gave one last look to their friends; the flash of tomes and Rhys's staff lighting up the cold fort.
"We'll get him together!" Ike shouted back as he and his sisters rejoined the fray, hoping that his father would be fine on his own.
Titania watched as Greil's children fought alongside the crew, completely disregarding her orders. They really were his kids she mused.
The fight was quickly over as the Greil mercenaries fought will skill and vigor. Their overwhelming speed and force pushed the Daein forces quickly into escape. As the last stray soldiers fled, Ike heaved but pushed his body to keep moving despite his fatigue.
"My father is just through here." With a wide waving motion he gestured for his crew to come after him. The mercenaries burst through the looming doors, weapons ready and eyes searching frantically for their commander.
Greil and Pertrine were fighting at the end, Greil clearly at an advantage. He easily brushed aside the strangely glowing fire lance. Her face was riddled with sweat and irritation as she kicked her horse into a slow gallop back.
"Dad!" Ike called as the battle slowed. The two great fighters standing with fixed stares at one another in the large room. It was completely empty besides a lit torch on each wall and the three other exits on each wall.
Ike saw his father, locked in a cold war with the knight. She breathed harshly through her nose, "Are you some kind of demon." She snarled out, "How do you fight with such ferocity."
Greil chuckled, "Are you giving up?"
Now it was Petrine's turn to smile, "As if I'd surrender!"
Suddenly a soldier appeared form the exit behind Petrine, "They are over here men!" He turned as he yelled into the black hallway he entered from.
At his call all the exits were suddenly filled with Daein soldiers. The mercenaries huddled together, backs to each other, ready for another battle for their lives.
Petrine snickered, "The tides have turned haven't they." She said as she laughed wickedly.
"Kill them, Kill them all!" At her order the soldiers advanced on the tired group. Ike heard his father groan beside him and then looked at the worn faces of his friends. Even Titania's face was red from exertion. The situation was turning bleaker by the second the soldiers circled the mercenaries.
"I won't lose you in a place like this you."
Greil said to his children. Ikyna nodded, while trying to calm her racing heart and Ike agreed, "Yes sir!"
Though it didn't look like there would be much of a choice for the group. With no way to escape and the foes out numbering them so greatly, the odds were greatly out of their favor.
Then out of almost stone halls a low roar shook the room. All standing stopped as the beast like cry shook them. Another roar traveled to the ears of the mercenaries. "What was that?"
Ike asked as he searched the room.
A Daein soldier answered him with a panicked cry. "It's the sub-humans! Flee!" the soldier dropped his weapon and fled the room. His fellow soldiers began to yell in fear, running around as the panic took over. Petrine cried in disgust, demanding her cowardly men stay and fight the beasts. They payed her no mind and all abandoned their commander.
"Pops, What is it?" Ikyna asked, her blues eyes widening as the sound of hurried feet bounced of the walls.
First to come out were fleeing soldiers, crying that they were being pursued, that they'd be eaten as the sought refuge behind their commander. Petrine's horse whinnied restlessly, sensing the coming threat.
Finally the sounds of roaring were accompanied by the beasts themselves. A group of ten cat-like creatures came in with two or three tigers in between. Most were a tangerine color while one tiger and one cat were an aqua blue.
Ike heard his sister gasp beside him and soon he mimicked her action when the blue cat transformed in a swirling magenta light. No longer was the feline there, instead a young man with short spiked blue hair stood in the cat's place. Blue animal ears stood between his sky blue hair and a thin furry tail curled behind his teal pants. "Attention Daein soldiers, leave this place at once!" he demanded forcefully.
Petrine shook her head indignantly, claming that she'd suffer the wrath of beasts rather than retreat to her king. She prepared to fight the army of beasts of but soon stopped as another new member joined.
A heavily armored man confidently strode in; black was the color of his thick armor plates, black like midnight. His face was covered by a helmet and he carried a beautifully crafted sword as he walked. Without acknowledging the mercenaries he turned to Petrine, "You are ordered to retreat." His voice was muffled by the helmet but still held great authority.
Petrine bit her lip, eyes flickering with fear as she eyed the black knight. Finally she submitted with a groan and turned her horse to leave.
The room went quiet as the mercenaries and beasts stared down the strange imposing knight. His head turned to Greil.
"He's looking at you dad." Ike said.
Greil nodded silently.
Finally the blue cat ran up, his fists out, "Are you going to fight all of us?"
The knight didn't reply as he lingered for a little while longer. Then, without a word he left. The battle was finally over and the mercenaries gathered happily around their commander, all saying praises to the goddess that he was unharmed. All except Ike and Ikyna who watched their father's fixed and dark stare towards where the knight left.
Ikyna put a hand to her chest, not knowing what the anxious aching could possibly foreshadow.
There won't be much Reyson in the next few chapters just a heads up okay? Please send me a message. Thanks for the support.
PG