Chapter 6: Siblings and New Allies
As the group moved through the mountainous south of the kingdom of Araphen, the tactician and the swordswoman have been talking more and more about trivial things and becoming closer with one another, but as they enter the kingdom of Kathelet, it seems that more trouble stirs. But as for our group….
"Lucas! I'm hungry!" A voice said, annoying the tactician in question as the group trekked to the bottom of the mountain.
"Serra, for the last time, we cannot eat." Lucas says exhausted, using his spear as a walking staff.
"Why is that? You said we could eat when we found a safe place to settle down." Serra argues trying to move in front of the said tactician, which he anticipates and moves a half step back to make her trip over herself.
"Serra, for the last time, we are not in a safe place yet."
"Hehehe, looks like you got your hands full Lucas. Does he not Lyn?" Ren teases, making Lyn and Florina giggle at Lucas' misery taking his role as the legion's tactician.
"Oh really, I'd appreciate to see you do better at it than me," Lucas retorts with an annoyed expression and battered eardrums from Serra's excessive chatter.
"Oh please, spare me the misery brother, I can do other better things," Ren answered gleefully, carelessly bumping a running child and blocking his way.
"Woah sorry little man, you alright?" Ren apologizes as he lends a hand to the turquoise-haired boy.
"Please, sir! You got to help me! There are people chasing me! They took my sister! Please help me save her!" The boy pleads fervently as tugs of Ren's sleeve in desperation.
"Um, who is chasing you anyway?" Lyn asks, making Lucas listen on as the group prepares themselves for battle.
Suddenly, a lone man, donning an eerie robe with strange symbols on its sashes and a cowl to conceal his face, appears before Ren and Lyn exuding a malicious aura, making Lucas feel on edge.
"Hand over the boy! If you know what is good for you, or else," The hooded man orders the swordsman..
"And what if we choose "or else"," Ren replies with his hand prepared to unsheathe an iron sword.
"Then, you have chosen death!" the man roars as he summons and gathers a dark force from the ground.
"A shaman! Ren get back!" Lyn yells, alerting Ren.
The shaman aims dark missiles towards Ren, but misses by a hair due to his reaction time.
"Crud, I hate magic when it's aiming at my face, especially dark magic," Ren pants, knowing his weak resistance to magic power. "No offense, Erk."
Erk, who was nearby, just rolls his eyes and remains alert, just in case for any more attackers.
"Agreed, I have heard that dark magic is more ruthless than anima magic. Time for another long battle guys ," Lucas comments while cautiously preparing a javelin in his hand and with the group preparing their weapons. "Especially with a shaman on their side."
"O Saint Elimine, smite your foes with your righteous power!" chanted a young blond-haired man, coming out of the inn from which the boy resided, swiftly summoning rays of radiant arrows of light hitting the shaman's body, stunning the shaman and making him stumble back a few steps.
"Why you–, " the shaman grunted before being silenced by Lyn's fatal slash to his midsection, making him bleed to death on the grass.
"Greetings, I do believe you require assistance, yes?" the man replied, wearing religious robes with symbols of the Elimine church. "My name is Lucius, I am a travelling monk."
"A bishop then." Lucas mutters as he lays down his javelin in relief.
"Oh no no, I have yet to be worthy of that status and I am here for small missions, but I'm afraid I can't disclose further about them. However, seeing you all here in this place and this time of danger, I believe St. Elimine has brought me here to aid you as long as I am able," Lucius replies as he explains his reasons.
"Hmmm, a bishop..." Lucas mutters, confusing Lucius.
"Don't mind him," Ren deadpans.
"He is sometimes like this, I think," Lyn nervously points out.
"So brother Lucius, would you care to accompany our merry band with your presence?" Ren courteously asks Lucius.
"I would gladly lend my ability if I can," Lucius answered with his serene and calm voice.
"In that case, hey kid, we can get your sister back, just stay out of the battlefield," Ren strictly replied as he turned toward the boy .
"Hey, I have a name, it's Nils! And I can help! I may not be able to fight, but I can assist in morale!" the kid replies as he reveals a wooden flute-like instrument from his pocket.
Nils then starts playing a light and bouncy melody that resounded in the legion's side, refreshing the minds that are able to hear the playful music.
"Whoa! What lively music! It feels rejuvenating to my mind, even in the midst of battle," Lyn remarked with astonishment.
"Hehe, once more, mind if I assist?" Nils retorted with confidence.
"Color me impressed, you can join us, kid," Lucas replied. "Another useful pawn…".
"I'm telling you, my name is Nils! And I am no pawn!" Nils barked in anger, making the entire group, except for Erk and an irritated Serra, burst in laughter whereas Lucas lightly chuckled at his response.
"Lucas…," Lyn softly muttered to herself from a flustering firsthand sight of Lucas' smile, from which she averted her eyes to hide her embarrassment, confused as to why she is feeling this way.
"Anyways, now that we got that out of the way, we can't dispatch our entire legion into the fray with the unknown number of those shamans or soldiers they've sent," Ren strictly says. "Worst of all is that these are no ordinary bandits or soldiers we're dealing with, trust me, brother," he adds with sternness and a crossed face.
"Ren…," Florina notices as she shivers with fear from his scowl and murderous intent.
"Hmmmm, okay. What do you have in mind?" Lucas asks with his arms crossed while thinking to himself about a few things.
"Other than Lucius, we need to choose those that are resistant to magic, like Florina and her pegasus Huey," Ren suggests.
"I see, hmmm, alright," Lucas responds as he turns to the legion and picks several of its members to join the battle. He thinks for a little before motioning to Florina. "Florina, may I ask you to look into the sky and see what is in the battlefield? I wish to see the full extent of this chessboard. You can bring Ren, and meet us by that mountain."
Lucas points to a mountain that is nearby to the group, "There I will tell you the plan. Now go, Hurry before they regroup!"
Florina nods and follows Ren at a steady pace towards the nearest mountain as Ren travels over the hills before swimming through the river.
"As for the rest of us, our priority is to get to that mountain before she thinks we abandoned her." He instructs the group. "Now, spread out, get information on these guys. I need to sharpen my spear."
As the group moves out, Lucas squats and starts sharpening his spear in silence thinking of the possibilities to turn the tides.
"Wait, Lucas, forgive for interrupting, but I spot a village miles away from here, " Rath points out from surveying the terrain.
"Rath, patience. We will go to the village after we finish here alright? One step at a time." Lucas says not looking up from his spear.
"We may take our time, but the enemies' fighters won't, " Rath replies as he points to the mercenary and brigand closing in on the village.
"Maybe not, come with me Rath! We can hold them off while waiting for everyone else, " Kent replies as he readies his iron sword.
"Take me with you!" Wil replies with his new bow ready.
"I wish to accompany you as well. These miscreants must be disciplined for their wrongdoings, " Lucius replies.
"Alright, saddle up then, " Kent replies to Wil and Lucius as he and Rath bring them up to ride on their horses before trotting away.
"I hate horses… " Lucas mutters while the others ride away. He sits down and continues to sharpen his spear not noticing that there was another presence about to ambush him.
"Have you thought of a plan yet Lucas?" Lyn curiously watches while carrying an unknown sac.
Lucas nods while thinking about the information that he was given. "Lynn, we need to regroup to the mountain-"
He was cut off with a missile of fire hitting his back making him fall down and crash in the dirt.
"Lucas!" Lyn screams out.
"Fang Justice!" The lone cloaked mage rallied as he summons waves of fire and compresses them into fireballs.
"Haaagh, this is a waste of time," Erk sighs as he chants a swift advanced fire spell. "Begone," he ends as he flings the powerful missile to the enemy, instantly reducing him to ashes.
"Now I shall save you!" Serra arrogantly replies as she applies her healing magic to slowly restore Lucas' burnt clothes and flesh.
"Uggh, much as I hate to say it, but I owe you one. You too Erk," Lucas hesitantly replies, regretfully feeding the shrilled cleric's ego.
"But of course! It is a noble's duty to assist her own people!" Serra praised herself with her head held high, further infuriating Lucas.
"Wait, if there were more magic users on the enemy's side, why did you require Ren and Florina to go alone in the open field," Lyn asks nervously with great anxiety.
"Now that you mention it, aw crap," Lucas disappointedly holds his face from his careless blunder.
Meanwhile, on the other side over the mountains from Lucas and Lyn's position, Ren and Florina are struggling to hold their ground from a pincer attack by a group of three shamans that are aided by a brigand and a swordsman.
Ren barely lost his footing while fighting the brigand and trying his best to evade most of the shamans bombardment of dark bullets as some of them have struck and mortally bruised Ren's body.
On Florina's side, she successfully ended the swordsman's life with a swift thrust to his chest where his beating heart was located, making him choke and taint the green grass with his blood.
She then turns with great anxiety upon Ren panting and propping himself from his bruises and scratches inflicted by the dead brigand and the three shamans led by the elder shaman standing by the gate of a huge fortress.
"Now, young man, surrender yourself and we shall make your death swift and painless," the elder shaman bade in a taunting tone.
"Haaah, haah, you guys say the same thing as always, but never the same," Ren grunts as he prepares his sword while hiding his fatally bruised and fatigued right arm.
"Hmph, imbecile. Silence him," the elder shaman commands to his followers of darkness.
"Yes, Lord Heintz!" The three shamans affirm as they start to summon dark energy into the environment.
"Ren!" Florina yells. "Hurry Huey! Hyaah!" She glides swiftly towards Ren's location with a javelin, prepared to be thrown, in her hand. In a flash, she threw it at one of the shamans, startling the two other shamans as their impaled comrade died from a fatal wound to his liver on the green grass. She then floats in front of Ren to protect him from any more magical blows while managing herself and killing both shamans with a flying javelin and a fatal thrust from her slim iron lance.
"You really took your time there," Ren grunts while struggling to hold his sword.
"I-I'm sorry, I, I–"
"Forget about it, I'm still breathing, so I am still alive, thanks to you," Ren smiles in gratitude to Florina until the moment vanishes because of a furious elder shaman.
"Another imbecile," Heintz sighed. "Why must I do things myself," he arrogantly retorts as he summons the dark forces into four dark bullets over his head. "Death has come for you two now, " Heintz arrogantly replies.
"Over my dead body!" Ren roars as he vanishes from his position and deals consecutive lethal slashes on the shaman's body before he could even use his powers.
"Guurrgh, those techniques...that speed, familiar, ugrhrhugh. No matter, the girl is finally hours, we...have...won," Heintz coughs till his last breath as he stains the gate with his blood.
"Urgh," Ren grunts as he falls to his knees and relies on his sword to be stable.
"Ren!" Florida anxiously flew fast towards the injured Ren and frantically pulls out one of her vulneraries and starts to slightly hurt Ren from her nervous hands as she tries her best to apply the ointment.
"Urgh, ah, wait, " Ren replies as he halts Florina for a moment, worrying the anxious Florina until he forcefully claps her hands hard together with a little bit of mustered strength.
"Agh!" Florina yelped and surprised out of her frantic anxiety before getting grabbed on the arms by the injured Ren.
"Florina, are you calm now?" Ren asks with a weak smile as he sits on grass.
"Y-yes…," Florina answered as she kneels with Huey resting next to her.
"Florina," Ren reaches out as Florina slaps his hand away out of reflex from her fear of men. "...Sorry," Ren apologizes as he pulls back with his face downcast.
"N-no wait! I should be sorry!" Florina replied with a worried and apologizing tone. "I-I, wasn't able to h-help you fast enough, *hick*, a-and now you got really hurt, because of me!" Floina cried with many tears flowing down her face. "I just, *hick*, I just, *hick*, " she sobs while trying to wipe off her tears with her linen sleeves.
In that moment, Ren hugs her tightly before she could even react. Surprisingly, the crying Florina didn't push him away as he caressed her head to comfort her and calm her down.
"Florina, you have done great today. I wouldn't have survived if you and Huey weren't around. No need to worry anymore, " Ren replies as he looks at the teary-eyed Florina straight in the eyes with a weak smirk and bloodied face.
Florina then calms down and wipes the last of her tears away before expressing her relief and gratitude.
"Th-thank you, Ren, thank you."
"Now um, would you mind if I ask you for assistance to patch me up? I trust you enough to do that, " Ren flirts with a smirk before feeling a hard slap to his bruised back.
"H-hooligan!" Florina yelled as she roughly applied the last of her vulnerary on Ren's bruises and wounds while making Ren scream in agony from her rough hands.
"Ren!" Lucas calls from afar while riding Rath on his steed, while leaning more on Rath's back much to the tactician's embarrassment.
"Florina! Are you–, " Lyn astounded and awed at the sight of Florina voluntarily touching a man for the first time. "U-um, Florina, " Lyn blurted in astonishment.
"Hm, " Florina responded confused by Lyn before slowly realizing what she is doing to Ren, who is a man. "Huah huagh!" Florina pushes Ren from his sitting position to throwing his face to the grass and covering her blushing face. "L-Lyn! Pay no mind to that please! I-I was only helping him t-tend to his injuries while waiting for you and the rest! P-Please forget what you saw!" she begs with a bow.
"Oh no, it is fine Florina, it's a nice move actually. It was my blunder in the first place sending you and Ren alone without thinking what the enemy has in their ranks. You two fought well, " Lucas replies while lightly scratching his cheek out of little embarrassment.
"My sister!" Nils yelled as he jumped off of Dorcas' shoulders.
"Oh right, we forgot about that. Move out! Check the base!" Lucas commands with Lyn and the others following except for Ren, whose injuries have to be tended by Serra's healing magic.
Soon after Serra had healed all of Ren's wounds, the legion enters the castle and helps Nils search for his sister while Lyn, Lucas and Ren decide to meet at the castle lobby and sit down for another matter.
"Ren, Is there anything that you are hiding from me?" Lucas asks looking at the wandering swordsman.
"Why? What is the matter Luc?" Ren responds using a nickname that the two shared in their youth much to the annoyance of the tactician.
"First, don't call me that. Second, as happy as I am that you are with me, I cannot seem to fathom a reason as to why nor how. First, you disappear for a few years. Not bothering to write back any of the letters I nor the orphanage has sent you nor visiting town. Then all of a sudden you show up in a town I least expect." Lucas accuses Ren, making Lyn anxious about what might happen between the two.
"I'm afraid I cannot explain that yet, " Ren responds ominously, making the tactician raise an eyebrow in suspicion.
"And why is that?" Lucas presses, trying to find answers but before Ren could answer…
"Lyn! My sister! We found my sister!" Nils rejoices at the door with a troubled Florina, who appears anxious and fearful. Lucas gives Ren a look saying that they will talk about this when everyone is asleep.
"Florina, " Ren tries to reach out, only to see Florina run out of the doorway. "Haaargh, " he sighs in self-disappointment.
"Anyways, we have to go now, " Lucas says as he stands and leaves the lobby.
"Yes, " Lyn responds as she follows Lucas.
"Haagh, " Ren composes himself before calmly leaving the lobby to a large enclosure with the rest of the legion.
In the room were two men, both seeming to be from nobility with the appearance of their garments and armour. One of them was a buff blue-haired fellow wearing heavy dark blue armor plating with a ridiculously huge axe over his shoulder. The other was a redhead with noble vestments in different shades of blue with a gold headband and a rapier at his side.
"Great, um, let's start this over now that your leaders are here. My name is Eliwood, son of the marquess of Pherae, and my friend here is Hector, the younger brother of the marquess of Ostia, " the redhead noble introduced. "We are not here to bring trouble, and no need to worry for the girl, we just happened to be in the area and suspected that something was wrong, so it was imperative that I had to intervene, " Eliwood adds.
"But thanks to that, our outing has been postponed because you just had to go altruistically for that girl, " Hector reprimands as he nudges Eliwood from behind.
"Sirs, " Lyn responds as she walks to the two lords.
"No need for formalities, just Eliwood and Hector is fine, " Eliwood replies.
"Okay, Eliwood, we thank you for your assistance. We are grateful for your kindness, on behalf of my friends, " Lyn smiles in gratitude.
"It was nothing really, " Eliwood replied with a smile, making Lucas uneasy and jealous.
"Well, we have to go now, sorry to take much of your time, " Hector bids as he leaves the castle.
"Mm, farewell and take care of that girl, " Eliwood bids and follows Hector out of the castle.
"Strange fellows aren't they? But they are very kind at the very least for noblemen. Unlike the others we encountered and met. Right?" Lyn remarks, making Lucas very uneasy.
"Ah uhm! T-they seem, k-kind, " Florina nervously replies, making Ren's eyebrow twitch from her remark.
"Well, my new nickname for the smaller of the two is now pretty boy." Lucas remarks out loud, making the group laugh a little at his joke.
As the conversation slowly ends in silence, the unconscious girl, with an appearance similar to Nils, slowly awakens and opens her eyes.
"Mmm, hmmm?" the girl responded as she tried to sit straight on the bench.
"Ninian! You're awake! You're okay!" Nils cries in joy after reuniting with his stolen sister.
"N-Nils? Brother?...Where are we? Who are these people?" the eerie serene girl asks calmly as she looks at her surroundings and the legion behind Nils.
"Oh no worries here sister, these people have come to help us. We are safe now!" Nils rejoices.
"Hmm? Oh dear, " Ninian responds after checking her hands.
"Why, what's the problem?" Lyn asks with worry.
"My ring, I seem to have lost it somewhere, oh no," Ninian laments.
"Drats, those curs must've taken it. I think they knew that we will chase after them for it, luring us and these kids into possibly a trap," Ren replies sternly.
"Oh no! No need to worry, it is just a ring. Do not worry about that small thing," Ninian replies, hiding her sadness.
"That's terrible! Lucas, we have to help her get her ring back! I know this would be a huge risk for something small, but would you stand with me and administer upon our foes the judgement that they deserve?" Lyn asks with worry.
"Hmmm, well, it wouldn't hurt to take a small detour," Lucas mutters while rubbing his chin, thinking a little bit into the future, as well as calculating on what this could lead to. After thinking for a while he turns to the legion, and says:
"Alright, everyone, get ready for a little side trip"
"Ready!" The legion rallied with their weapons held high, except for Serra, who was still grumbling.
"Thank you Lucas! I am glad to have never doubted you, and for listening to my request. Now we march on!" Lyn rallies along with her sword held high, only to be cut off by a loud rumbling sound from a hungry cleric.
"Mmmm, graaaagh! I can't help it! I'm so hungry!" Serra barks out of sheer embarrassment, making the entire legion laugh loudly whereas Lucas and the two serene magic-wielders chuckle lightly from her silly response.
"Well, it cannot be helped, we are near a village after all. We could rest at the inn there before we charge in after those bandits." Lucas says, sighing in defeat. "Well, tomorrow we will go after those ruffians." While some of them grumbled about the decision, others just decided to go on with it anyway.
Soon the legion along with the siblings, Nils and Ninian, have a hearty feast in the inn they are renting whereas the tactician along with Lyn start to continue their session with Ren concerning his current behaviour toward those assailants.
"Alright Ren, enough. Come clean this instant, " Lucas grunts with annoyance in his tone.
"I'm sorry brother, but I can't say just yet because I too am bewildered as to why those guys are here for some reason, " Ren answers with honest confusion in his tone.
"So you really have no idea as to why?" Lyn asks with anxiety and worry.
"Yes Lyn. I am confused just as everyone is, with everything that's currently happening. However, that does not mean I am not abandoning you guys, much less betray you all after everything you guys done for me, " Ren answered heavily.
"...mm, I hope it stays that way, 'cause you're the least I've expected to be a traitor. This discussion is over, get some rest, " Lucas replies as he stands up and heads to the men's quarters.
"Man, " Ren sighs in self-disappointment before feeling a hold on his shoulder.
"Ren, pay no mind to him. He's just uneasy as much as we are. I trust that you know the right thing to do at this point onward, right?" Lyn assures as she leaves the room and enters the women's quarters.
Left alone in the lobby, Ren feels a gaze from the dark and turns to only see Matthew, who has listened to the entire conversation.
"I knew my suspicions were very much accurate. You were a dangerous man, my friend, " Matthew slyly replies.
"Need something from me? I don't think I have what you needed. Just...something you'd want to hear, " Ren smirks, surprising Matthew.
"Oh? And what would that be?" Matthew questions eagerly.
"Crimson Talon is doing well, she hoped someone else was doing fine, " Ren answers with a smile as he returns to the men's quarters with the intrigued Matthew following after him, ending the night with a day's rest.
But meanwhile as Lucas enters the men's quarters, arms crossed and thinking to himself. He walks towards a couple of knights who were almost about to sleep and taps their shoulders.
"Kent, Sain, Tell me everything you can about Lundgren."
Chapter END