Here we are at Chapter 50. The war continues to decide the fate of the land. I do not own Code Vein or Skeleton Knight. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 50. Enjoy.
Chapter 50: Something Wicked Comes
The war continues to rage on as all involved parties fight, kill, and die. Thanks to Fuyumi and Hikaru's efforts, the battle at Calipso City was an Anatolia victory. However, there were other battles that took place during this time. North of Calipso, a fortress of the kingdom had fallen to the empire's forces, who had sent an army of 35,000 against the fortress' mere 15,000. Most of the kingdom's soldiers died defending the fortress to the last man, leaving only a few to flee the fortress with supplies that would've gone to the empire. The empire lost only around 8,000 men thanks to aid from the conclave's mages while the kingdom lost around 10,000. Meanwhile, south of Calipso, the battle pretty much ended in a stalemate. The empire sent an army of 50,000 while the kingdom, with aid from the Republic, had 45,000. The empire didn't have as many mages in that battle and lost over 30,000 soldiers while the kingdom lost 25,000. Thanks to careful planning on the kingdom's part, they avoided losing more troops and the battle. The empire pulled back, not willing to risk more losses in that fight. For now, the Liniark Kingdom and the Matriox Republic haven't been attacked directly yet, but that could change any day.
For now, Fuyumi's side is playing on the defensive. The enemy still has the numbers advantage. And the next battle would begin soon.
...
Meanwhile, in the empire's forces, Lady Hawke meets with the imperial army's commander, Commander Ruth Hawke, her father.
"So, you encountered Fuyumi Kusanagi in battle, and lived to tell the tale," Ruth notes, going over her report.
"Yes, Commander. Unfortunately, their arrival prevented us from taking Calipso City. I'm afraid to say that I failed in the mission," Lady Hawke replies.
"Even the mightiest of armies must face defeat every now and then. You made the right decision to pull back when you did. Had you stayed longer, we would've suffered even more losses. The war will not end today or tomorrow. We need all the strength we can muster to win. Besides, you survived today. There's no shame in that," Ruth says.
"Your words are wasted on me, Commander," Lady Hawke replies.
"Well, since you've face her in battle, tell me: what do you make of her?" Ruth asks.
"She's strong, just like Lord Creygar described. In terms of sword skills, I may have a slight edge, but she makes up for it with her magic. Her abilities are powerful, and I doubt she's shown us her true strength just yet. Seeing the dragon princess fight by her side makes her even more dangerous," Philine notes.
"All the more reason to deal with her before she becomes an even greater threat. I will speak with Lord Creygar about getting his servant, May Fanchone, to provide us with aid. Thus, I must return to the empire. I shall leave you in charge in the meantime," Ruth says, standing from his table.
"Understood. I will bring us victory, Commander. For the glory of the empire and His Majesty," Lady Hawke gives him a salute.
Ruth walks up to her and salutes back, "One more thing... Just for this moment, I am not your commander," and then he hugs her, surprising Philine. "I'm glad you're alright, Philine,"
Lady Hawke returns the embrace, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, Father. I'll always come back home to you,"
Just for this moment, they are not commander and subordinate, but a father simply worrying about his beloved daughter.
...
In the empire, Chancellor Venak speaks with Lord Gilbert Tachay.
"You want to release them now? Are you sure it's not too soon? Now, personally, I'd love to see them in action, but what if the conclave learns of this? I doubt they'll react well to them," Lord Gilbert asks.
"What they want matters little to us. They're useful pawns, but that is all. And all pawns must eventually be sacrificed. His Majesty wishes for us to win this war at any cost to further his ambition. We mustn't be picky in our methods on how we win battles. This is all to achieve our emperor's ambition for unification," Chancellor Venak says.
"Hmm, very well, if that is what His Majesty desires. I already have several ready to go. I'm sure their exploits on a real battlefield will be helpful for my research. I'll be going now," Lord Gilbert bows his head and then takes his leave.
The chancellor watches him leave before smirking, "The hopeless fool. Soon enough, you will outlive your usefulness too. Soon, very soon. I will complete my ambition,"
...
In Anatolia, Fuyumi meets with her friends as they discuss the next battle.
"So, we'll be heading to another battle on the frontlines?" Anelia asks.
"Yes. The loss we took in the north was bad. If the enemy continues to push inward, it won't be long before they take the capital. They want us there to provide support and turn the tide," Fuyumi explains.
"What about the conclave? What are they up to right now?" Elane asks.
"From what the reports have gathered, they've sent half of their whole army here. They have the other half split in two, one to keep the Republic busy and the other to protect their own country. They've suffered losses in these past few battles, so they'll probably have to divide troops from the other fronts to reinforce the empire. They're supposed to be a neutral country, but they've joined in the empire's war. Even with their faith and followers, they wouldn't survive on their own if the empire lost this war and had to face the consequences of their actions. They're practically betting it all," Hikaru says.
"Their mages are a problem with their barriers and healers, but that alone won't win this war," Iris says.
"For now, we can't worry about them too much. Let's focus on the next battle in front of us. The sooner we end this war, the better," Fuyumi says.
"Right," her lovers reply.
Fuyumi looks outside their tent, "I hope nothing bad happens in this next one," she mutters.
...
North of Calipso City, in a wide open plain, the kingdom's forces prepare to face the empire's army. Their forces amounted to 25,000. They expected to face the remaining 27,000 from the force that took the fortress before them. However, when the enemy forces arrived, they were much large than anticipated.
"What are the enemy's numbers?" the officer in charge of the kingdom's forces.
"Sir. We spotted the enemy forces approaching. They numbered 35,000 strong, with another 5,000 mages from the conclave," the scout reported.
The officer grimaced, "That's larger than we expected. They certainly replenished their numbers quickly enough,"
In this meeting, Fuyumi and her friends had joined in. The king sent a message to all garrisons and armies of the kingdom, informing them that Fuyumi's group, with their speed and power, would act as a small blitzkrieg unit and they were to be shown every courtesy and support when asked.
"Did they have any special weapons or strange formations among their ranks?" Fuyumi asks.
The scout shakes his head, "No, Ser Fuyumi. Their formation was standard. The mages are spread out throughout their ranks to provide barriers. They have a large cavalry unit though, which works well on terrain such as this,"
"They may try to either punch a hole through our forces with the cavalry or attack the flanks and pincer us and cut off our retreat," Elane says.
"Then the cavalry will be our main target. I have a few ideas on how to deal with them. As for the main army, I'll leave that to you guys. Hikaru, I need you to help them this time. They may expect us together for an assault. We'll trip them up. Elane, Iris, you're with me. Anelia, aid the mages on our side," Fuyumi says.
"You sure you don't want me with you? Aren't you going right into the middle of their forces like last time?" Hikaru asks.
"Not this time. They'll expect it. I've got a better idea," Fuyumi smirks.
...
Soon enough, the imperial forces arrive at the plains as expected. Fuyumi watches as the cavalry she's looking for appears behind the infantry and shields. They'll probably wait for the right time to strike.
Hikaru steps up next to her, "Try not to have too much fun out there," she jokes.
"Try not to go too crazy," Fuyumi jokes back.
Hikaru leans in to kiss her before they separate to take care of their own objectives. The battle starts shortly after that. The imperials launch the first attack with arrows and magic shots from the conclave's mages. The kingdom's soldiers block the arrows with shields, but the magic is more difficult to deal with, so they take some hits. The imperials send in the infantry first, shields and spears at the ready. The kingdom's forces stay on the defensive. Luckily, they have one trump card. Fuyumi waits for the imperials to get closer before making her move. She casts Night Fog Veil on herself, Iris, and Elane and then teleports them into the middle of the enemy forces as they're about to teach the allied army. As soon as they're inside, Fuyumi casts Rose Flame, causing fiery explosions to erupt everywhere around them. The sudden explosions cause the imperials to stop their advance as they're taken by surprise. Fuyumi then casts Jupiter's Blade, slicing through several soldiers in front of them with a large, lightning blade. By this point, her cloak dissipates, and they lose their cover. However, the imperials are still out of sync after that ambush.
"It's her! Kill the demon!" one mage calls out.
The mages ready their magic, aimed at her, only to scream as they're consumed by flames. Fuyumi looks to see Hikaru as the culprit before going on the attack with the kingdom's forces. Fuyumi glances back as an enemy soldier goes at her rear, only to get cut down by Iris. Eane stands behind her, firing off three arrows that hit three soldiers in their throats. Fuyumi runs through any enemy in her way, cutting down two more soldiers before blasting away two mages with a Flame Roar. Iris parries the strikes of three soldiers, slicing through their necks each time they pass by. She jumps up and swings her blade down, cutting down another soldier before he can even counter. Elane moves to her back, aiming another arrow before firing it off and killing another soldier. From the kingdom's side, Anelia aids the mages in providing healing and long-range support with her magic. Meanwhile, Hikaru destroys everything in her path. The imperial soldiers at the front find themselves on the defensive now, especially with the kingdom's army moving onto the offensive now. They strike the discombobulated imperial forces, further adding to the chaos. As Fuyumi cuts down another soldier, she notices the enemy cavalry moving into position.
"Time for phase two," Fuyumi mutters.
The enemy cavalry moves around to pincer the kingdom's forces on its flanks. However, Fuyumi teleports to the center of the kingdom's forces. She then casts Meteor Crush. Suddenly, burning meteors rain down from the heavens, striking down the cavalry units and throwing their steeds into a panic.
"What's going on?!" one soldier calls out.
"Hear me now, soldiers of the empire and the conclave! I call upon the strength of the heavens. A gift from the goddess herself! She has given me and my allies her blessing. Should you continue these unjust attacks on our home, you will suffer her wrath and only the netherworld will await you!" Fuyumi screams out loud.
This may not rattle the imperials, but it will affect the mages of the conclave. So strong in their belief of the goddess. At least some would wonder how she obtained the power to call down fire from the skies above. Even skilled mages in the kingdom and the empire couldn't pull off such a feat. More meteors rain down on the cavalry and their pincer attack begins falling apart.
"Is it true? Is she not really a demon, but an angel sent down from the goddess?" one mage fearfully wonders.
"But, the church told us she was a demon pretending to be an angel and leading others astray. Would the conclave really lie to us?" another wonders.
"Don't listen to that monster's lies! It's just witchcraft. How could one human wield so much power?" one imperial soldier yells.
"Exactly," a voice rings out and the soldier gets sliced in half by Iris, who turns to the mages. "No ordinary human could wield such power. It's only obvious that she was blessed by the goddess. Tell me, mages of the conclave, do you truly believe she's a demon? Or do you just foolishly believe the words of old men clinging to power in the name of their faith? That you would side with the country that kidnaps and enslaves innocent people and launches unprovoked attacks on a neighboring country? I wonder if the goddess were here now, would she show you mercy for your crimes committed in her name," she strikes them down with a single glare.
Iris knows how powerful faith can be, but she also knows who faith can be corrupted in the name of personal greed. Which is exactly what the people in charge of the church in the conclave are full of. They profess about how the kingdom and Fuyumi are evil, and how their work is all in the name of the goddess, so their followers and believers just listen to them like cattle. But, what if the really start asking themselves 'are we doing the right thing in the name of the goddess?'.
"Do you know that the church sent assassins after Fuyumi in the duke of Crystalglove city's home. They tried to kill her, but they also killed many civilians inside. Civilians who had nothing to do with their conflict. Civilians who worshipped the goddess just like the rest of you. Do you honestly believe the goddess will smile upon you, knowing you shed the innocent blood of her followers in her name?" Iris pours it on strong.
Her words cause some of the conclave's troops to falter and hesitate. But, some of the more fanatical members refuse to listen.
"Don't listen to this witch! She is a follower of the demon. Her words are nothing but poison. We fight in the name of the goddess. Justice is on our side!" one mage yells before readying a spell.
However, Iris gets right up to him before he can even begin the chant, making a slash across his body, and he falls to the ground.
"If you love your goddess so much, then pray she'll forgive you when you meet her in the afterlife," Iris mutters.
She believes in the goddess just like them, but she knows that it's up to her to make her own choices and decide her own path. That's what allowed her to meet Fuyumi and become a knight, fulfilling her dream. She's sure the goddess would smile on her for that. The battle continues, and while the kingdom's forces are takin losses, they're nowhere near as many as the imperials. Any allied soldier that is wounded is tended to by Anelia thanks to her light magic.
"Don't worry. I'll heal you. You won't die here," Anelia mutters.
"Y-You're one of Ser Fuyumi's..." The wounded soldier mutters.
"Yes. Don't worry. I know Fuyumi will win this for us," Anelia replies, much to his relief.
Back with Fuyumi, she had cast Flame Weapon on her blade, cutting and burning through more soldiers around her. She jumps over one soldier who tries to impale her with his spear and gets his head cut off for it. Fuyumi then kicks one soldier away into another with a large shield, knocking them both over. She jumps and stabs her blade through both of them. She looks up and around, seeing the imperial forces falling apart. That attack with the meteors threw their whole plan into disarray. No doubt the empire knew about her abilities, but they don't know all of them. It won't be long now before the battle ends and the imperials retreat. She can smell the blood in the air. Thankfully, she had a drink from Anelia before they came to this battle. Few know her true origins, and she'd like to keep it that way for now at least. The conclave calls her a demon, and perhaps they're right, but being a demon is more than simply not being a human. If that were the case, then wild animals would be demons as well. No time to dwell on it, however. Fuyumi moves low, swiping her sword through the stomach of another enemy soldier. However, something didn't feel right. There was this tension in the air. Her instincts were in high gear, and it wasn't because of the enemy soldiers. She has nothing to fear from them.
"So, then what is this feeling?" Fuyumi mutters.
She's not the only one. Hikaru, who has just swung her tail to send two mages flying, who picks it up.
"Something doesn't smell right," Hikaru mutters.
Even Elane, as an elf, picks up on it, "What is this? It feels... wrong, but... familiar," she wonders before firing an arrow into another soldier.
Fuyumi looks around. She doesn't sense or smell anything in the air. It couldn't be poison. There's no mist around either, so it's nothing airborne. She looks and notices some imperial soldiers beginning to retreat. The losses on their side were getting too high to bear at this point. She watches them run towards the forest they came from on the other side of the plains. However, as soon as they approach, they suddenly stop. One starts to backup before something jumps out and cuts him down. This is followed by more of the same. Seeing something attacking and cutting down the imperial soldiers. It is then that she notices them. The red eyes. Eyes that she knows all too well.
"No... Not here," Fuyumi mutters.
The fighting around her slowly comes to a stop as everyone starts to notice the change in the atmosphere. Then the flood begins. Fuyumi and her friends see dozens of red-eyed monsters race out of the forest, screaming madly. Attacking every living thing in sight, no matter what side they're on.
"They really went that far..." Fuyumi mutters in shock.
She always wondered where they came from. Now she knows for sure. This is the reason the empire launched the invasion. Because they have an army of bloodthirsty berserkers to through at anything in their path. The Lost have returned.
And that's the chapter. Fuyumi and her friends continue their battle against the empire and the conclave. But, now they face an old, yet far more terrifying opponent. Will Fuyumi and her friends defeat the scores of Lost sent by the empire? Until then, please Read and Review.