The Battle of the Blackiron Docks
Author: TUCfan.
Pairing: Korinia/OC friendship/partnership.
Rating: T, because the game is likely meant for older teens.
Description: The soldiers rallied behind him. He, Ares the Dervish, led the charge to free Malmouth from the curse the Aetherials were.
Disclaimer: I do not own Grim Dawn (I have bought the game and all available DLC, though) or Crate Entertainment. I am simply writitng this for my own sake, not for gain.
Author's Note: Hello everybody. This is the next part of my story. For the full list of which things happen when, see my profile.
Song: Written while listening to Lonely Moon, by Steve Pardo.
The resistance base was a fresh, welcome sight compared to the cramped place in the sewers. The stench of rot was far away there, and he felt like he could take a normal breath again, if only for a moment. He had to get back to work soon. He had only a small amount of time to rest.
He was given the opportunity to lead a group of fighters to take back the Blackiron Docks. He would be on the frontlines, finally having more than just his guardians of Empyrion to back him up. It also meant that he would have to ensure that none of his men died, or if they did, their loss was worth it.
It was also a nice break for Korinia. She had been leading the resistance fighters for quite some time, but in handing over the reins to him, she gave herself a respite. She would still fight, of course, but she left all the directing and orders to him.
He was glad she did. He could tell she needed it. Almost single-handedly leading a group of fighters through the nightmare that Malmouth was could certainly be seen as a task greater in comparison to anything anyone else had done except for him. He was the exception, since he had carved a path right through the Aetherials and their defenses. It was him, after all, who lowered the drawbridge and took back the base in the Steelcap District.
But that was unimportant. What truly mattered was that he was ready to take on the task of leading a group of fighters safely through a battle. It would be one thing if it was a normal battle, such as one with Darius Cronley and his gang. But the Aetherials were so much stronger than them. They posed a threat to even Ares, and he had slain the Loghorrean.
Perhaps he could make enough Spiritbane ointment to protect all of them. That should help, at least. He hoped their armor suited them well enough, too.
"I have been in charge of these men for less than ten minutes, and already I worry for them. What does that say about me?" he asked himself. Shaking his head, he stood and made his way down the stairs and over to where Korinia stood.
"All ready?" he asked her. She nodded solemnly, and he gazed all around at the rest of the base. "Fighters, to me!"
They all gathered around him, and he was finally able to see the full count of who would be going. Not counting himself, there were fourteen total. That meant that he could most certainly make the concoction for them.
"Alright, look sharp. I want all of you to do a routine check on your armor and weapons. In the meantime, I will be making a batch of Spiritbane Ointment. As bad as it smells, it is imperative that you wear it alongside me. It will greatly aid in the fight that looms before us," he said. They nodded together and set about on their tast.
When each was finished, he gathered them all around again and doled out the vials. "Do not apply it yet. Carry it with you until we reach our destination. The affects will not last the whole way through unless you wear it when we arrive," he said. Turning to Korinia, he said to her, "I want you to be my second-in-command, should I fall to the monsters we face. I know you can lead these men."
She nodded. "I am certain I will not have to, but you have my word," she said. "Before we leave, it is customary that the one in charge of the battle gives a speech to rally his troops."
He nodded to her and turned to face the group. He had nothing prepared, but thankfully, on-the-spot improvisation was his specialty.
"Men, hear these words I have to say to you, so that you may be inspired to fight for our cause," he began. Immediately, they fell silent and stood at attention.
"A wise man once told me that loyalty is a man's greatest strength, and that, by it, he could conquer the world. He was right. It is by sheer loyalty to those close to me that I managed to get all this way. I have slain countless beings of cosmic proportions. It is only through the fact that I had something to fight for that I was able to do so. I encourage each of you, find something to have that loyalty to. It matters not who or what it is. So long as you can have that cause to put above yourself, you can conquer anything before you," he said. "A loyalty to each other is also important. To lay down your life for your brothers and sisters is not only important, but necessary. If each of you put each other before yourself, there will be no man left behind. A force such as that could end the reign of the Aetherials for good."
A ripple of nods went through the group. He was glad they understood.
"I ask then, do you have a loyalty to me, as I do to you? For if I know I can lead you into this battle, I promise you that I can lead you out, victorious over all," he said. "Are you with me?"
"To the death!" they cried, raising their swords.
"To the death," echoed Ares. "Let us go now, and we shall conquer all that moves."
The battle was tough. Upon arriving, they each applied their Spiritbane Ointment and leaped into the fray. The Aetherials were strong, and Ares knew that alone he could not have won, but the resistance was prepared. Not only in gear, but in spirit. The words he had spoken resonated with each of them, and he could see that they fought their hardest.
It seemed all was going well, until a Watcher burst out of one of the ruined buildings. Immediately, Ares summoned his guardians and charged for it, hoping to draw its attention away from his troops. Both luckily and unluckily, it worked. The Watcher roared and raced after him, leaving the others alone.
Korinia kept the rest of the fight going against the normal Aetherials, calling out formations and patterns to best take down their enemies.
All of a sudden, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ares fall. Turning, she could see the Watcher loom over him, nearly defeated, but still alive and fighting. The Dervish was too busy trying to heal one of the large wounds he bore to notice the Aetherial about to strike.
A stab of fear went through her. Was she about to witness the death of the man who had helped them so much? No, not if she could help it. "Move, Ares!" she shouted. Then, summoning her strength, she cast an Arcanist spell, raining fire down on the beast. The attack itself wasn't as strong as she would have liked, but it served its purpose well. The Watcher was distracted long enough for Ares to get out of the way, then land one last blow, ending its miserable life with a disgusting roar.
The effect was instantaneous. All the remaining Aetherials began to try and escape. Shaking his head, Ares turned and cut off their path, spinning in circles as he held out his sword and shield.
Cut off from escape, the Aetherials charged back into battle. Korinia knew it would not end until either side was wiped out completely.
Thankfully, their side had the Dervish who had single-handedly slain one of the most vile and abhorrent creatures to ever disgrace the world of Cairn. She wasn't worried at all.
The other thirteen fighters were gathered together, sharing a warm meal and drink and celebrating their victory. Ares sat away from them, up on one of the walls.
It wasn't that he didn't like them, or wished them ill. He just needed time to figure himself out. For one, he had never led men into battle before. It was a completely new experience. Often, he fought for the good of his friends, but they were never actively in danger. There was only ever the threat of it. With a group of fighters behind him, he had to not only worry about protecting himself, but also defending them from the greater of the Aetherial threats.
Another thing bothering him was that he had almost died, and was only saved by Korinia's quick thinking. What would have happened if she wasn't there?
The thought filled him with dread. He would have to find her and ask for her forgiveness for almost failing her.
When he spotted her walking up the steps to him, his heart began beating rapidly. Internally, he berated himself. "How is it that I am able to fearlessly face the worst of what this world can throw at me, but become nervous at speaking to a woman?"
She sat down next to him, two plates in her hands. She offered one to him, and began to eat when he accepted.
"Are you alright?" she asked after a little while. "It is awfully cold up here, and you are all alone."
He shook his head. "I do not feel the cold, usually. Even in Asterkarn, it is of very little issue. As for being alone, well, now it is resolved," he said, giving her a small smile.
The two ate in silence for a few minutes more, before he finally mustered up the courage to speak. "To be honest, I wanted to be alone to figure myself out. I needed a moment to come to terms with leading a group now, rather than simply fighting on my own. It is a new experience, and I need to be able to put away my worry for the others before we enter battle again," he said slowly.
"It is a little unusual. When I first was fighting, I had no leadership whatsoever. All I simply had to do was follow orders and fight my hardest. Now, as there is no one else to lead, I worry over them almost all of the time. But I have learned that it is easier when I have faith in them. I trust that they can fight just as well as I," she said. "I know it will be different for you, what with you being the strongest Dervish we have seen in a very, very long time, but still, I believe you will do just fine."
"Thank you. Your faith in me is much appreciated. Very often, I have to earn the trust of others, for they somehow always figure out what I am," he said.
"Well, if it means anything to you, we do not care here. We need all the help we can get, and if it comes from a man who suffered at the hands of an Aetherial, then we can manage," she said.
"Well, I sincerely hope your faith in me was not swayed by the battle with the Watcher, earlier," said Ares. "That was the other reason I was up here. I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I almost died, and would have left the resistance to suffer if I had."
She laid a hand on his arm and gave him a reassuring smile. "It is of no issue. We all make mistakes in battle," she said. Then her smile turned mischievous. "Besides, now I at least know you aren't the perfect soldier they think you are."
He rolled his eyes fondly. "Yes, I am no perfect soldier. If they could see the things I do when there is no one to witness, they would certainly change their mind," he said. "Especially in Ugdenbog. That entire place was horrendous."
"Well, now I know exactly what type of flower you love," she said, smile now positively evil. She then stood and took his plate, making her way back down the stairs. At the bottom, she turned and looked back up at him. "If you happen to receive a bouqet of Ugdenblooms, I had absolutely nothing to do with it."
He only shook his head as she walked away. There was something about her, something wonderful, that always lifted him up. She gave him a funny feeling in his gut, one he had not felt since long before his possession.
"Perhaps this coming fight will not be so terrible, so long as Korinia is there to jest the whole way through," he thought to himself. He then stood up, made his way down the stairs, and joined the festivities with his band, warm thoughts with him all the way.
Finis. This isn't exactly how I pictured this going, but oh well. It's done now, and I don't want to try and mess with it.
Something I've noticed that I do with Korinia when she's speaking is that her normal speech is very formal, like everyone else, but when she's unserious, or teasing, she uses contractions and things similar, almost as if she's more comfortable or relaxed when speaking in such a way.
Reviews are appreciated, as always. Happy reading!