I think I overdid it with the villains of this chapter.
Chapter 27 – The Eagle's Prey (Pegasus Moon)
Three soldiers in Count Varley's army grumbled as they marched through their camp, barely able to see more than a few meters in the dense fog that had swept over the area. They should have been getting some rest, but their commander, one of the count's officers, had ordered them to continue their patrol. The pompous man, dressed in extravagant polished armor, clearly had never been in a battle before, but he still held command over the troops loyal to the count, men who would have no qualms killing conscripts if they fell out of line.
The soldiers wished they weren't there, but they had no choice. Count Varley wasn't simply resorting to bribery or promises of power, but to coercion as well. Their families and friends, people who couldn't defend themselves, were being threatened by the count's enforcers. They had already seen a few families butchered to set an example to the rest of the men, while the rest of their families had been corralled into a nearby village. While those men were in charge, all these conscripts could do was obey their orders.
One of the conscripts stopped and said, "Give me a second, would you?" as he sat on a barrel. "My feet are killing me."
"Come on, we need to finish," said the second conscript. "You can rest after we're done."
"That's what you said the last two times," said the third conscript. "Besides, why are we even doing this? You can't see shit in this fog."
"What is going on here?!" shouted an officer as he and his two subordinates marched angrily toward the conscripts. Pointing at the conscript on the barrel, he said, "No one gave you permission to rest, peasant!"
"I just need a minute, sir," the conscript said wearily. "That's all I ask."
"You will not rest for an instant! Now get up before I have you and your family drawn and quartered!"
"Y-Yes, sir!" The conscript hastily got to his feet, stumbling from pain as he did.
"Now march, swine! Move it!"
The conscripts resumed their march, but now had to deal with the officer and his lackeys following them to ensure they kept moving. The second conscript was gritting his teeth, wishing he could teach the officer and his goons a lesson. But he had two children to think about, and so all he could do was bottle up his frustration.
"Faster, you scum!" said the officer. "I said–"
The officer, his flunkies, and the conscripts all stopped at the sound of wingbeats overhead. The soldiers all looked for the source, but they were effectively blind in the mist.
The form of a ruby-scaled Wyvern dove down out of the mist before anyone could react. Ladislava leapt off Fenix and dove at the officer, running her lance through his throat before he could shout in alarm. Fenix, meanwhile, crushed the first subordinate's head in his fangs while smashing his tail into the second one, breaking his neck.
The officer gazed back at Ladislava, petrified in fear as he felt his life slipping away. The Crimson Warrior deftly ripped her lance out of his neck, leaving him to die as she leapt back to Fenix's saddle. The Wyvern took skyward as she did, catching her in midair as the conscripts looked on in astonishment.
"W-Who was that?!" said the third conscript.
The three heard another yowl of pain coming from the mist and turned to see the silhouette of another Wyvern darting skyward. They ran to see what had happened and found two more of Count Varley's loyal men dead. Then, hearing another scream, they saw a flash of orange light through the mist. Seconds later, a Pegasus soared out of the camp as another of Varley's officers ran toward the conscripts, having been set on fire. The officer screamed as he fell to the ground and tried to roll in a hopeless attempt at survival.
Then, a loud shout rang through the camp. "We're under attack!"
…
Trauare watched from above the carnage as she and several other mages worked together to cover the valley below in a dense fog. The Strike Force had done this trick at least a dozen times by now, and more than three times that amount if they counted training. While they couldn't see completely through the mist, the Strike Force had enough experience with it to be able to pick out targets within and strike them down, quickly and decisively.
The blue-haired water mage smiled as she saw Ladislava pull up out of the fog, quickly locate another target, then dive back in. Seconds later, another set of screams came from the area where their commander had descended. Fenix and Ladislava soared out of the mist, with Fenix releasing another Varley enforcer, sending him plummeting to his death. Other riders continued to dive in and out of the fog, scoring more kills on the Varley officers and enforcers.
For a moment, Trauare wished she could join in on the fun. But she had her job to do. If she left her spot to indulge herself, she knew Ladislava would never let her hear the end of it.
Ladislava made another dive, but this time an arrow flew up at her as she did, missing her and Fenix. The pair didn't land this time, with Ladislava slashing through another officer with her lance as Fenix pulled up.
Trauare wondered how much longer it would be until the rest of Varley's rank and file began to panic.
…
Even with the fog obscuring her targets, Setiawati could see the Varley officer as he shouted, "Find them, you idiots! A sack of gold to anyone who kills an Eagle!"
This one seemed to know who they were up against. But as Setiawati notched an arrow to her bow Sharanga, she knew that knowledge would not avail him.
"Panah sejati," said the Brigid huntress, and then she released her arrow.
The officer's shouting was silenced as Setiawati's arrow pierced through his neck. In a panic, the officer tried to grasp at the arrow before collapsing to the ground.
"There! Over there!" shouted one of Varley's enforcers.
Setiawati immediately spurred her horse forward, galloping away long before a crossbow bolt flew at where she had been. She drew another arrow and fired at the source of the shot. The sound of another scream of pain confirmed she had struck true. She then took three arrows, notched them to her bow, and fired them into the camp as her horse continued its gallop. One arrow missed, but the other two buried themselves into another enforcer and one of the conscripts, respectively.
The Brigid huntress felt no regret at having killed one of the conscripts. Regardless of their reasons, they had thrown their lot in with Count Varley's evil. They deserved this punishment. But she had her orders to focus on the officers and enforcers.
It was ironic, she thought. Here she was, having given her fealty to the Empire in order to protect Brigid from their wrath. Some of the conscripts were only there to keep their families safe. They weren't so different when one thought about it.
That didn't stop her from loosing another arrow and hitting another conscript in the head, the unlucky soldier picked off because he had spotted her briefly in the mist. She could not afford to slow down, or to let the enemy realize she was mostly alone. Her other archers were hitting the south side of the camp, while she and only a couple of others harassed the northwest side. They had to make the enemy think the attacks were coming from all directions.
"Serang dan bergerak."
She fired another arrow, scoring another kill as the soldiers in the Varley camp scrambled in vain to find her in the mist.
…
Zola had to scowl as she and thirty other members of the Black Eagles entered the small village of Lindow. No one was there. No villagers, no soldiers, nothing.
It was much too quiet for her liking. Zola might not have been book-smart, but she wasn't stupid. She could see clear signs that people were supposed to be there, including lit torches and fresh tracks.
"Where is everyone?" asked Yosen.
Zola ignored the recruit. Ladislava had put him with her in the hopes that he'd learn a thing or two from the blonde murderess. But Zola didn't have time to babysit a rookie.
"Mouth shut, eyes peeled, kid," said one of the veteran Eagles.
Yosen opened his mouth to say something, but then decided against it and followed the other Eagles as they advanced slowly into the town, watching every corner for movement or for a glint of steel.
As they passed by a small house, Yosen stopped as he heard a faint sob. He moved to the house, prompting one of the others to walk after him as he opened the door. Looking inside, Yosen turned to his right and saw a pair of children huddled in terror with their mother.
Yosen stopped as he looked at the mother in the eye… and then realized a second too late that she was looking at someone else.
The young Eagle gasped in shock as an enemy blade ran him through from behind.
"CONTACT!" shouted one of the other Eagles.
Yosen's killer yanked his sword out of the rookie's back and tried to spin around, only for another Eagle's axe to cleave through him in revenge. As this happened, the window of another home burst open as a Varley soldier armed with a crossbow took aim and fired at Zola. The blonde butcher dodged the shot and quickly threw a hand axe at her attacker, hitting him in the head.
"IT'S AN AMBUSH!" shouted another Eagle.
The shout was followed by several Varley soldiers bursting out of hiding, and within seconds the Eagles under Zola's command were engaged in battle.
Zola, for her part, couldn't have been more pleased to see the enemy.
"It's killin' time!" said Zola as she readied her axe.
The blonde then roared as she rushed at a Varley swordsman and cleaved him in half with a single swing. Without missing a step, Kill'em-All Zola then dashed toward her next victim, who yelped in terror just before her axe ended his life.
…
Salia watched from her position at the southern road as a crowd of panicking soldiers ran toward her and her blocking force. The conscripts were being followed closely by a few Varley officers, who were attempting to order the soldiers back into the fray.
"Get back here, you cowards!" shouted one officer, his pristine armor betraying his lack of combat experience. "Stand your ground and fight!"
One of the conscripts then looked up and shouted, "More of them! They've cut off the road!"
"We're surrounded!" yelped another panicked conscript.
"Raise your weapons, you filth!" shouted the officer. "Fight and die for Count Varley!"
"Are you crazy?! They'll slaughter us!" shouted another conscript.
"If you don't raise your weapon, I'll kill you myself! Archers!"
The officer signaled his more loyal troops to raise their crossbows and aim at the conscripts. Seeing this, Salia made a hand signal to two other Eagles with her, gesturing at the officer. Her two wingmen readied their short bows and fired at two of the Varley henchmen, surprising the rest while Salia rose high above them on her Wyvern Alektra. The second-in-command of the Black Eagles readied a fire spell and sent it hurtling at the officer, who screamed just before the ball of flames engulfed him.
"W-Wait, what's going on?" said one of the conscripts as two more of the Varley henchmen were shot down.
Seconds later, Ladislava and Fenix came flying out of the fog with six other Black Eagles. Within moments, six more of House Varley's henchmen and one more officer lay dead or dying.
"T-That's the Crimson Warrior!" said another conscript.
"We're doomed!" wailed another one.
Ladislava and Fenix hovered before the conscripts for a moment. She had originally planned to get them to surrender and throw down their arms. However, after hearing the threats the officers had been making to them regarding their families, she saw a chance to turn these coerced soldiers against their masters.
She raised her lance and shouted, "Soldiers of the Adrestian Empire! You have turned your backs on Her Majesty and your Empire by allying yourselves with Wystan von Varley. Yet I am not without mercy. The former count has promised you wealth and power, but all promises he has ever made are hollow lies. He hoards his wealth and consolidates his power for only his own benefit, all while he cowers away from battle. Why follow someone so undeserving of your loyalty?"
Flying onto the scene as the fog began clearing, Trauare had to smirk a bit as the conscripts looked at Ladislava in awe. She always felt the commander could be a bit over-theatrical, though not as much as Her Majesty. Yet Ladislava made it work.
"Don't listen to these lapdogs!" shouted one of Varley's surviving officers. "Raise your weapons against them, at once!"
"You need not follow these liars and traitors, soldiers of the Empire," shouted Ladislava. "Forswear yourselves from Wystan von Varley's service!"
After a moment, one of the conscripts said, "We have no choice. They have our families. They'll kill my daughter if I don't fight for them!"
"They already butchered Raluf's wife and child!" said another conscript. "They'll do it to all our families!"
"All the more reason to turn against him," said Ladislava. "Who are you fighting this war for, if not for your loved ones back home? What better way to protect them than to fight against the man who threatens their lives?"
"ENOUGH!" shouted the Varley officer. "KILL HER! KILL HER NOW!"
Ladislava whipped around as the officer's lackeys took aim at her, readying herself to avoid their attack. But before any of them could fire, a crossbow bolt soared out from the conscripts' ranks and hit one of the henchmen in the eye.
"That's for my wife, you bastards!" shouted one of the conscripts.
The rest of the conscripts, inspired by their comrade's defiance, roared as they charged at the Varley henchmen. Horrified, the henchmen tried to take aim at the conscript mob, only to be quickly overrun by their sheer numbers.
"Unhand me!" shouted the officer as four conscripts grabbed him. "You won't get away with – A-A-AAAAAGH!"
Ladislava watched with a smile as the conscripts began beating the officer to death with their bare hands. She then turned back to the conscript who had fired the first shot, a scraggly yet muscular man with a brown beard.
"Forgive us, Crimson Warrior," said the conscript. "I know this does not excuse our desertion, but–"
Smiling, Ladislava said, "I'll put in a good word for you and your comrades with Her Majesty."
"Thank you. You'll find the count at the old abandoned Highwind Aerie. They're holding our families in a village to the northwest of it."
"I know where it is. And I already have people securing that town. Salia, reorganize these men. Let's take the fight to the count's personal guard."
"Yes, ma'am!" Salia said curtly.
"Nice job, Ladi," said Trauare as she flew down next to the Crimson Warrior. "Thought we were gonna have to cart them all back to Fort Merceus."
"Plans change," said Ladislava. "And this fight isn't over yet. We still have a count to kill. Trauare, go reinforce Zola's position. We can't let Varley's lackeys massacre those people."
"On it."
Trauare flew off on her Pegasus as Ladislava looked down at Fenix and stroked his head briefly.
"Soon, Fenix. Soon, we'll have our revenge."
Yeah, you're gonna have to wait until next chapter for Count Varley to get his just desserts.
I think I might've been influenced too much by Company of Heroes 2 when I was writing this chapter. The way that game portrays the Soviets has been called controversial for a good reason. I hope I didn't go too over-the-top with Count Varley's goons.
And yeah, Yosen was a redshirt. Have to show that the Black Eagles aren't invincible, after all.