Life aboard the Marie Gallant was a game of patience. As they were passengers, there wasn't much to do aside from waiting to arrive at their destination. If this had been under any other circumstance, it wouldn't have been so bad, but Tommy could tell that anticipation and dread weighed upon his young charges, even if they tried not to show it. Some tried to pass the time watching the scenery go by, while others chose to nap the time away. One simply found a comfortable corner to occupy and read her book. Tommy wished he had also brought a book but he knew that he couldn't afford distractions.
"And you're certain that they're all safe?" Jean asked over the communicator.
"Yes, I'm sure," Tommy replied, "I made sure to ask them repeatedly and they all feel fine if a bit worn out."
It was sunset when Jean had contacted him for the fifth time, ever since Tommy had reported in with the day's events. Exasperating as it was, Tommy understood his friend's worry, anyone would be after two targeted attacks in as many days. Tommy made a promise to track down whoever was orchestrating this, both to Jean and himself. He planned to throw the perpetrator in prison, but he couldn't guarantee that they wouldn't be roughed up a bit first.
"How are things going on your end?" Tommy asked, trying to take Jean's mind off things.
"Alpha has been making headway on the upgrades, they should be finished in a couple of days," Jean replied, "Also, the academy has finally been making headway in the removal of the giant golem, classes should be resuming shortly."
"Well that's good to hear, I bet the students weren't expecting to get a vacation so early in the school year," Tommy replied.
They bid farewell and Tommy stepped out of the hidden corner he had commandeered to make his call. He was already weird enough on this planet, he didn't need that reputation to increase if people saw him talking to his wrist. He ventured through the hallways below deck, passing closed doorways and sailors going about their duties, which resulted in his shoulders getting bumped a lot as he had never been on a sailing ship before and hadn't realized things would be so narrow. He eventually made his way to a set of stairs and ascended them, stepping out onto the main deck.
The setting sun cast the open sky in deep purples and oranges. It wasn't a sight that many got to see when living in a city, or living in the middle of the woods, as was Tommy's case. Most only got to see fractions of it, broken up by tall buildings, trees, and even the horizon. But here, so far above any possible obstructions? It was a sight to behold. Tommy found himself an unoccupied spot on the railing of the deck, away from any crew doing their jobs, and simply leaned his back against it, enjoying the view while keeping an eye out for signs of trouble.
As he watched from his chosen position, he spotted Louise on the other side of the deck, looking out into the vast sky. And speaking of trouble, he spotted Wardes coming up from below. As he had said the previous day, the knight captain had spent the better part of the day bolstering the ship's windstones with his magic, and now he approached Louise. Tommy watched them carefully, fully intent on stepping in if anything suspicious happened...
"There you are, Sir Thomas!"
Tommy turned and found Guiche approaching him with Montmorency in tow. While the young man appeared to be in good spirits, the young lady seemed anything but, her gaze downcast and filled with inner conflict.
"How can I help the two of you?" Tommy asked, trying to keep his attention on the other 'couple' on the other side of the deck.
"It's more something that Montmorency wishes to speak with you about," Guiche replied before turning to the girl in question, "I promise that he can help."
She briefly looked up to meet Tommy's eyes before turning to stare out into the sky. She then began to pace back and forth, her expression a clear display of the inner argument that no doubt raged in her head.
"...No," She said finally, "No, this is ridiculous."
She turned to march away, but Guiche quickly grasped her hand.
"Please," he said, "For me."
"I promise to help however I can," Tommy added.
Montmorency turned and looked at Guiche, then to Tommy, then back to Guiche. She then returned to her spot at the railing, staring out once more.
"I confess that my reasons for joining this... escapade, were not entirely truthful," she began, avoiding the eyes that were on her.
"So you lied to me," Tommy replied.
"I did not...! What I told you was true, I merely... omitted a detail."
"I'm listening."
She then explained everything, what she felt during the battle against Mathilda's golems. Her desire to watch her love rival's demise and subsequent attempt to save her, how her thoughts have been bound up in confusion, and her belief that answers would reveal themselves if she placed herself in harm's way again. Her explanation finished, Tommy turned to look out over the edge of the railing. He knew it, he knew there was something more going on. He should have pursued it further to possibly prevent this, but too late now. On the other hand, his first instinct about her was right, she did have the potential.
"I think I understand," Tommy began.
"Y-you do?" Montmorency asked, turning to look at him.
"I admit that what I went through wasn't the exact same as what you had, but I do understand. Do you think yourself a bad person because you wanted to see Katie get hurt?"
"I... I don't know..."
"Because I can tell you right now that you're not."
"What do you mean?"
"You were angry, Montmorency, and you had every right to be," Tommy said as he looked at Guiche, who had the decency to hang his head in shame, "Dark thoughts enter peoples' minds all the time when they're angry, it's natural."
"Then why did I try to save her?!" she nearly shouted, "Why did I stupidly put myself in harm's way when I knew that I could do nothing?!"
"Maybe it's because you're a better person than you thought. It's our actions that matter, not our thoughts. You thought that you wanted to see her hurt, but your first instinct was to rush to her aid. Even if you couldn't have done much, it was still enough and you both are still alive."
Montmorency said nothing and simply stared back out into the open sky, her expression pensive.
"Have you learned anything about yourself so far?" Tommy asked.
"Nothing yet," she replied somberly.
"By the time all of this is over, I promise you'll have learned everything that you need to know."
She said nothing and simply walked away, Guiche following after her. Tommy hoped that what he had said was enough to put her mind at ease, at least for the time being. He turned back to his watch, only to find neither Louise nor Wardes anywhere in sight. Cold dread suddenly fell upon his shoulders as he looked this way and that, searching for any sign of them. They were standing by the railing, the ship was several miles in the air, there was no way... But Wardes was a wind mage, wasn't he? It's possible he could have flown off with her. But no, no, that made no sense. They were standing out in the open, someone would have seen something, and Louise would have screamed if she had been taken against her will. Speculation had to wait.
"Excuse me," he said to the nearest sailor walking by, "Have you seen the girl with the long pink hair?"
"I think I saw her a minute ago, she looked in a hurry to get below deck," the man replied.
A wave of relief spread over Tommy, but the dread lingered. Below deck didn't mean safe. He thanked the sailor and headed directly for the stairs, moving through the corridors below to the cabins that had been assigned to them. Wasting no time, he knocked on the door.
Louise was beginning to loathe quiet moments, it was during quiet moments when her recent troubles decided to reenact themselves in her thoughts. The early evening sky filled her vision as she rested her arms on the railing of the deck, and if this were any other time, she would have greatly appreciated such a sight. But now was not such a time. Marching into a foreign country engulfed in civil war, barely escaping two attacks deliberately targeting her life, the revelation of... what she truly was. Quiet moments were supposed to be when one could take their time with such worries, but now that she had such time, it still felt as though there was no time at all.
She thought that she could spend the entire trip in her cabin, sleeping the time away so that she wouldn't have to think, but she gave up on that endeavor after an hour of her thoughts not allowing it. She hoped these thoughts would not impede sleep later in the evening.
"Are you feeling well, Louise?"
Louise was jostled from her thoughts and turned to find Jean-Jacque standing beside her, a look of concern on his face. She mentally shook the thoughts from her mind, grateful for the distraction.
"I am well," she replied, "I was merely ruminating on... everything."
"It is understandable, to be unexpectedly thrust into such turbulent circumstances and forced to contend with dangers of every sort. It is enough to make anyone need a moment to collect themselves."
"Was there anything that I can help you with, Lord Wardes?" Louise asked.
"There is, unfortunately," he replied as he removed his wide-brimmed hat, a look of deep concern spreading across his features, "I confess that I am having doubts regarding our mission's success."
Louise was taken aback by this sudden frankness. He had been the embodiment of absolute confidence throughout this journey, so to suddenly witness Jean-Jacque be so vulnerable...
"O-of course we'll succeed," Louise countered, "Between Thomas and yourself, nothing could possibly stop us!"
"I do agree that we both could fend off many a threat," Jean-Jacque replied with a subdued smile, "But there is so much more that martial skill and magical prowess cannot. Above all, it is an oath that I fear that I might not be able to uphold by this journey's end."
"What oath do you mean, Jean-Jacque?"
"When we find Prince Wales, let us ask him to marry us."
Louise's breath quickened as a chill crept up her back, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest. Surely she misheard. Right?
"I b-b-beg your p-pardon?" Louise asked, her hands trembling.
"The first oath I took before becoming a knight, my promise to you, my darling Louise," Jean-Jacque said as knelt, taking her hand in his, "Should the worst come to pass, I wish to do right by you."
"I... I...!"
Louise turned and ran, her heart about to burst forth from her chest. She paid no heed to those going to and froe as she made her mad dash to her cabin, her only goal to simply get away. Down the stairs, through the narrow corridors, the door to her salvation came into view. She swung it open and the moment it closed, she barred it shut. She scrambled beneath the blanket on her bed and stayed there, doing what she could to calm herself.
Why would he ask that? Now, of all times? Though she had always intended to fulfill their betrothal, she was nowhere near ready! She hadn't graduated from the academy yet, she wasn't even of age to be married! She tried to breathe, to stop her racing mind, she did not need this right now! But what if he was right? What if they failed? What if they were killed, or worse? What was she even doing here?
Was this how she would honor her family, by pointlessly dying because she was told to? And all without ever having properly cast a spell? Maybe it was the right thing to do, it was expected of her after all. It had been arranged so long ago for her to marry Jean-Jacque, that was the purpose she was given. A purpose given to her after she had been deemed a failure, as broken. If this was the only path before her, the only thing she could ever do right, then...
A knock at the door nearly made her jump out of her skin, and a small yelp of surprise escaped her. She hoped no one heard that. She removed the blanket from her head and quickly smoothed out her hair and clothes to make herself as presentable as possible, before sitting as straight as she could.
"Y-yes?" she asked, her heart still pounding in her ears.
"Louise?" Tommy said from the other side of the door, "Is everything okay?"
A brief wave of relief washed over her at the sound of his voice, and she released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"I..." she began, but could not finish.
"Do you not want to talk about it?" he asked.
Part of her wanted to say no, she didn't. This was a matter that she needed to resolve. And yet, another part wished to say something, to not be alone. Her decision made, she stood and unbarred the door and it slowly opened to reveal Tommy, a concern on his face that only deepened as he saw her.
"Did Captain Wardes say something that upset you?" he asked as he sat beside her.
"He... he asked me to marry him."
"He did what?!"
"Thomas, stop. It was arranged many years ago, I knew that it was going to happen. Just not on top of everything else that's happening."
"Did he at least give you a reason why now?"
Louise reiterated what Jean-Jacque had said, and her mind was once more awash with worry. What could possibly make him say such a thing, and now of all times?
"I guarantee that we'll succeed, Louise," Tommy said, "And the only one that can choose your future is you."
She appreciated the words and knew that he meant well, but he just didn't understand. She wished that she could see things with the seeming simplicity that he did, and maybe things were so simple in his homeland. But Louise knew different. The two simply sat in silence for a time, and she was grateful for it.
Night had long fallen upon the Albish capital of Londonium, and while many slept soundly in their beds, under the righteous protection of their liberators, one man stalked the halls of the castle at the city's heart. After all, it was his castle now, no longer stained by the royal filth that once imposed its tyranny upon the common people. At least, that was what Lord Cromwell said in his speeches. Oh how the gullible masses lapped up his masterfully crafted rhetoric, he had them so wrapped around his little finger that he had convinced them that he was a void mage, the second coming of the founder, even.
It didn't matter what they believed, so long as he had what was rightfully his. And once the last dregs of the royal resistance were stamped out, he would have so much more. First, his Reconquista would take the rest of the continent, even those heathens in Germainia, and then the fabled holy land. Eventually, when he felt like it. After all, who could oppose him? Especially with so much that their benefactor provided.
As he walked to the appointed meeting place, he wondered what news his benefactor would bring this time. He entered a small room off to the side of the castle, an empty room save for a lone candle on a table with naught a window to be seen, and he locked the door behind him. Minutes passed and Lord Cromwell paced, where was that damned heathen woman? She was always late, probably deliberately. Who knew what deranged thoughts would lead someone to waste his time, especially from a woman who dressed so lasciviously. But he would bide his time, and once he had amassed enough power, he would have his way. Oh, yes he would.
"I bid you good evening, Lord Cromwell."
The candle on the table sprang to life, its flame casting light and shadow across the room, a gloved hand reached out from one shadow to grasp the candle, soon followed by the source of the voice. She was clearly of a foreign persuasion, of what kind he didn't bother to know, they were all the same to him. Her long, purple hair was nearly black in the flickering firelight, a stark contrast to her eerily pale skin, and contrasted further by the sharp, tear-like markings beneath her eyes. Of particular note was her dress, a heathen style of garment that was black from the chest down and only covered her lower front and behind while her black-stockinged legs were shamefully exposed. From the chest up to her neck and down into a very plunging neckline, the dress was such a pale violet and so form-fitting that one would mistake her for wearing nothing at all at a glance, and it was only by the grace of the black of her dress that her ample bosom was even barely covered.
"Madam Sheffield," Cromwell replied as graciously as propriety would allow, "What news do you bring?"
"Our benefactor has seen fit to present you with a gift," she replied, "A new type of cannon, far superior to any other in Halkeginia."
"This is excellent news, when shall they be ready?"
"Immediately, I have even taken the liberty of seeing the initial batch be deployed."
"Good, good!" Cromwell exclaimed, "My forces are closing in upon the royalist scum. With your new cannons, we will wipe them and their ilk from the face of the continent!"
"Do not let us down," Sheffield replied, setting the candle down and then stepping back into the shadow.
A moment passed and in a fit of curiosity, Cromwell grabbed the candle and held it to the shadow that Sheffield stepped into, revealing naught but an empty corner. He could never figure out how she did that, the bloody foreign heathen.
The third day of the voyage dawned, and if the captain was correct, they would be docking in Albion by midday. The group had gathered on the main deck of the Marie Gallant in preparation to disembark and to watch as Albion appeared as they passed through the cloud cover. Tommy had double-checked that everyone had all of their supplies with them, especially the communicator bracelets that he had given to the younger members. He even noted that, despite her emotional turmoil from the other day, Louise still clutched the now slightly wilted bouquet in her hand.
As the captain barked orders and the crew carried them out, the clouds that they had been flying past soon gave way to their destination. It occurred to Tommy that this would only be the second flying landmass that he had ever seen, and since this one was home to a whole country, it had the Animarium beat in terms of size. A sea of pristine white clouds formed around the base of massive cliffs that rose as if from the sea, gargantuan walls of stone and dirt that had to be hundreds of feet high, if not higher, even as far away as they were. As the ship drew closer and soared higher, more details came into view: a line of trees could be seen sprouting near the edge of the cliff, the masses of green contrasting heavily with the browns and grays of the rockface. A river flowed over the edge into a waterfall, dispersing into mist as it met the clouds below.
"Are those dragons?" Guiche asked, pointing out into the distance.
Tommy followed the young man's direction, and while it took a moment to focus on something so far out, he did spy figures flying around each other in patterns too intricate for any ship to attempt.
"Good eye, lad," the captain replied as he walked over, "Aye, those be wind dragons. Albion plays home to a whole colony of 'em, they live in the caverns on the underside of the isle."
Tommy couldn't help being curious about what a whole dragon colony was like, though he imagined that most who went to check didn't come back. But then, someone must somehow be taming them, he recalled seeing some hauling cargo back in La Rochelle. Time passed and the Marie Gallant sailed closer, circling around the perimeter of the island nation in search of a port. This was where the real danger began, and Tommy knew that he had to be on top of his game to keep everyone safe. A port soon came into view, almost there...
"Captain!"
A worried cry from above caught everyone's attention, the lookout in the crow's nest waving his telescope down to get their attention.
"What's the matter?" the captain called back.
"Ship to starboard!" the sailor replied, "It's running Reconquista colors!"
Everyone turned to look in the direction the lookout was pointing, and though it was indistinct at first, a ship came into view. Tommy stepped closer to the railing to get a better view, ready to strike if it came to it. Right at that moment, they were sitting ducks, and while he assumed that the Marie Gallant had cannons, a transport vessel was no match for a warship. The enemy ship then began to turn, running parallel to them yet still far out.
"Captain!" the lookout called, "They've opened a gun port!"
"What the blazes are they thinking?" the captain wondered aloud, "There's no way they can hit us from that distance, especially with just one cannon."
Tommy reached into his pouch and switched on one of the beacons, he hoped that Jean was right and that Alpha had finished the upgrades if this went very wrong. He was right to worry, as a glow began to emanate from where he presumed the other ship's cannon sat. He knew that magic was pervasive on this planet, but something in his gut told him that this was different. The glow grew brighter and brighter, almost like it was... charging?
"They can't hit us, can they?" Guiche asked, clearly nervous.
"Of course not, you heard the captain," Montmorency replied.
"HIT THE DECK!" Tommy called out to the entire ship, as loud as he could, "BRACE FOR IMPACT!"
A moment passed as everyone processed the command, and quickly dropped as low as they could. The cannon fired, and a great lance of light rushed toward them, hitting and piercing straight through the ship's hull. Everything shook, the Marie Gallant rocked and began to spin off course. One of the sailors raced for the helm, desperately pulling on the wheel to level them out.
After a moment that felt like an eternity, the shaking and spinning stopped. Everyone scrambled to their feet, the rest of the crew rushing to their stations to assess the damage.
"Status report!" the captain called into a metal tube that protruded out of the deck.
"We've suffered major hull damage, captain!" a sailor below deck responded, "All crew appear to have survived but... Oh no..."
"What?! What happened down there?!" the captain demanded.
Tommy was on his feet and rushed toward the railing, prepared for what came next, only for an unnerving sight to greet him: the enemy ship had begun to drop out of the air, smaller figures falling from it as it tumbled end over end, the faint sound of screaming carried across the great distance. What did that cannon do?
"All of our windstones have been depleted!" the sailor below deck cried.
Seven words was all it took to cause a bone-chilling silence to rip through the ship. For a moment, everyone simply stared at each other as realization dawned on them. The ship shuddered and began to list to one side, nothing holding it up now that all power was gone. Everyone moved as their lives depended on it, sailors bracing the helm to keep it from spinning out of control while others wrestled with the rigging, anything to keep them stable. In the chaos, Tommy heard the sound of cracking and splintering wood. He turned to see the central mast straining as gravity began to pull on the ship in ways it wasn't supposed to, various ropes running from the mast to the rest of the ship began to snap under the strain. He raced to grab one of the ropes right as the last fibers gave way, his hands grabbing around it as it finally snapped. For a moment, it felt like his arms would come off under the sudden force, but he rallied his superhuman strength and held firm. He would hold the ship together by himself if he had to.
"Anyone who can, grab onto me!" he called out.
The kids did their best to hurry over to him, struggling to maintain balance amid the turbulence. The ship then lurched, and Louise began to fall as the ship continued to tip over. Panic and dread filled Tommy as the world slowed to a crawl, he could see the terror in Louise's eyes. In a flash, Kirche grabbed a hold of Louise's wrist and pulled her to the rest of the group already hanging onto Tommy, though she lost her grip on the bouquet and it began to tumble over the edge.
A great gust of wind then engulfed the ship, causing them to begin to level out. Tommy looked over his shoulder and saw Wardes with his sword-wand held high, muttering under his breath. Tabitha then broke off from the group and with a wave of her staff, yet more wind came to halt their descent.
"Now that's more like it!" the captain exclaimed as he rushed to the helm and took hold of the wheel, "Put your backs into it, lads! We're bringing this ship to port, no matter what it takes!"
The ship continued its approach, now held aloft by nothing but two spellcasters and the will of its crew. Tommy's hands began to burn from the friction of the ropes in his hands, his muscles straining as he single-handedly kept the mast from falling over. He could see the strain on the faces of both Wardes and Tabitha as they put everything they had into maintaining their spells, and the rest of the kids did their best not to panic as they gripped tightly to his clothes.
Second after second, the ship drew closer to the town, slowly descending so as not to crash. The people on the ground, who no doubt saw everything happen from a distance, scattered as the ship drifted overhead. Wardes and Tabitha then released their spells and the ship fell, the short drop and sudden stop caused everyone to briefly lose balance once more, but they had survived. A brief cheer rang out from the crew before everyone began to climb off of the wrecked vessel.
"You all go ahead," Tommy ordered as he continued to hold tightly to the rope.
"What about you?" Louise asked.
"I need to keep holding onto this until everyone gets out of the way, I don't want to let go and have it fall on someone."
They did as they were told and vacated the ship along with everyone else. As soon as Tommy was sure that no one else was around, he let the rope go, and the mast toppled over with a resounding crash. He lept over the side of the ship and made his way to the rest of the group.
"As promised, the rest of your payment," Wardes said as he handed a bag of coins to the captain.
"Thank you kindly, m'lord," the captain replied, "This will go a fair ways to getting the ol' girl in flying shape again."
"Sorry about what happened to your ship," Tommy said as he approached.
"There's no need to be, we knew the risks of making this voyage long before you joined us. That all said, don't think I didn't notice how you held the ship's mast in place like that. If you get tired of adventuring, you'd make a mighty fine deck hand."
"I appreciate the offer but I have other commitments."
"Fair enough, good luck on your travels."
Tommy looked over to the kids, all shaken but none the worse for wear. Guiche and Montmorency tried their best to look dignified and presentable, but were clearly resisting the urge to hold onto each other and never let go. Kirche was more open in her actions, fussing over Tabitha who remained as stoic as ever. Louise looked to be deep in thought, deep confusion and a bit of anger marred her expression.
"Why did you save me?" she asked Kirche.
"Why wouldn't I?" the taller girl replied.
"I thought you hated me."
"I do, just not enough to let you fall to your death. Besides, we're all here because of you and your mission. It would all be pointless if anything happened to you, so be thankful that you have some worth for once."
"Is everyone ready to go?" Tommy interjected before things got out of hand.
"Oh, I'm always ready to go," Kirche replied with a wink.
"Please don't do that, now is really not the time for your antics," Tommy admonished, "We just survived yet another attempt on our lives and we're about to walk into more, so start taking this seriously."
"If I must," Kirche flippantly replied.
"We are ready to set out, Sir Thomas," Guiche proclaimed.
Tommy gave one last look to Louise, still glaring at her red-headed nemesis. He hated himself for making her have to go through this. None of them should be here, but too much was happening beyond any of their control. With everyone safe and secure, the group of seven made their way out of the port and into greater peril.
"Why couldn't we take some horses?" Montmorency groused as they marched through the wilderness of Albion, "And why aren't we at least taking the roads?"
The group trekked through a forest as they journeyed to their destination of New Castle, frequently taking breaks as most of the group was not used to walking for this long. It had been hours since they had left the port behind and the sun was now in the process of setting. They would need to make camp in another hour or two.
"If whoever's watching the roads saw seven people barreling toward the last known location of a political exile, they might think it's suspicious," Tommy explained as he once more checked his map, "This is supposed to be an infiltration mission, horses could have been viable if the group had remained small like it was supposed to, but that didn't exactly go as planned."
"Oh yes, crashing a ship into a port is the height of subtlety, after all," Kirche said.
"That couldn't be helped," Guiche interjected, "We had been attacked and we had no other alternative."
"I have noticed that this group has the uncanny ability to attract danger," she replied, "Not that I mind, I'm rather enjoying the excitement."
"It's no secret that these attacks against us are coordinated and whoever is behind them has a vested interest in keeping us from our goal," Tommy began as he looked at the group, "But I made a promise to keep the five of you safe, so if our feet have to have a few more blisters and bruises than normal then so be it."
Time passed, sometimes in silence, others with more bickering among the teenagers. As they walked, Tommy's thoughts returned to that Reconquista ship. From everything that he had seen up to this point, there was no way that directed energy weapons could be possible on this planet, and yet they were nearly shot out of the sky by one. Whoever was behind Reconquista had access to technology far beyond what was normal, advanced enough to track the group's movements and intercept them. But what bothered him most of all was how the cannon completely drained the windstones of not only the Marie Gallant, but of their own ship as well. It was then that Tommy's thoughts were interrupted by a scream and he immediately began to move in the direction it came from.
"Where are you going?" Louise asked.
"Someone's in trouble, we need to help them," he replied.
"What about the mission? We can't afford to take detours!"
"I must concur with Louise," Wardes said, "Though it pains me to leave a cry for help unanswered, the fate of nations is at stake. We cannot endanger countless lives just to save one."
"You're right," Tommy replied somberly and turned to face the group, "Too much is at risk right now and time is against us. But to leave a cry for help unanswered would go against everything that I am. If you feel it's necessary then go on ahead, I'll catch up soon enough."
Tommy resumed his march in the direction the scream had come from. In moments, he emerged on the outskirts of a small village, and he saw a gathering in what looked to be the center of town. He moved closer, staying in the shadows of buildings to not draw attention, and what came into view made his blood boil. A soldier, clad partially in plate mail, held a child by the hair as he beat them. The soldier's comrades surrounded him, most there to keep the rest of the villagers away, while some held a woman down and forced her to watch. If Tommy had to guess, she was the mother.
Tommy watched as the soldier's gauntleted fist made contact with the child's face, and the other soldiers simply laughed, all while the mother cried and wailed for them to stop as she struggled against their grip. He would need to plan his attack carefully so that none of the people got hurt, but if he didn't act immediately... A sudden rustling behind him caught his attention, and Tommy turned to see the rest of the group had followed him after all.
"What are you doing here?" Tommy asked, unable to keep the slight grin from his face, "What about the mission?"
"We came to the decision that we simply couldn't allow an injustice to go unanswered," Guiche proclaimed, "That is the entire reason that we're in Albion, to begin with."
"Those bastards!" Montmorency spat as she caught sight of what was happening in the center of town.
"Plan?" Tabitha asked, her expression as neutral as ever.
Tommy turned back to the violence in front of them and began to think. He had initially considered taking the stealthy approach, try to somehow distract the soldiers while he got the mother and child away. But now that he was working with a team...
"Here's what we do," Tommy began as he turned back to the group, "The first plan is I'm going to go out there and try to settle this diplomatically, try to convince them to leave."
"You believe this will work?" Wardes asked skeptically.
"No, but it does work just often enough to still be worth trying. Should diplomacy fail, the second plan will be for Louise to cause an explosion to kick up a dust cloud where I'll be standing. That will cause a big enough distraction to allow me to get the mother and child to safety. While that's happening, the six of you will split into two teams of three. Guiche, Montmorency, and Tabitha will move to one side of the group of soldiers while Louise, Kirche, and Captain Wardes will move to the other side. The objective is to push the soldiers toward me and away from the people. Everyone got that?"
"What will you do?" Louise asked.
"I'll do what I do best," Tommy replied.
He rose from where they hid beside a building and began to walk into the fray. His fists clenched at the sight as he drew closer, he wanted to immediately beat the tar out of the soldiers for this but he knew he had to stick to the plan for the safety of the people.
"Hey!" he called out as he got close enough, "Leave them alone!"
The entire crowd, soldiers and civilians alike, turned to face him. Many were shocked, some began to mutter amongst themselves, while the soldiers simply looked amused. They wouldn't be amused for long.
"Just who do you think you are?" the lead soldier said, his fist still holding tightly to the small boy's hair.
The soldier was unkempt, his unwashed shaved head was only outdone in terms of lack of hygiene by his wild and greasy-looking beard. The man's eyes were the kind of cold and dark that only the truest of monsters had. Tommy then looked down at the boy, his face covered in blood and bruises, with one eye swollen shut. Yet in the other eye, he could see a determined defiance as the boy glared up at his captor.
"I'm the guy who's giving you and your men the chance to walk away while you still can," Tommy replied, "Now let them go."
The soldier paused for a moment, then broke into uproarious laughter, soon followed by his compatriots. It was the kind of laugh that was equal parts sadism as it was amusement.
"Do you have any idea who we are?" the soldier asked, "We are the people's liberation. We are Reconquista, and we own this country."
"Oh yeah?" Tommy asked as he nodded toward the boy, "What are you liberating him from? Besides most of his face, I mean."
"I was just teaching the poor lad a lesson in manners," the soldier said with a chuckle, "See, he was looking funny at me, so I decided he needed to be taught to respect his betters."
"I'm not going to ask again," Tommy nearly growled, "Let them go and leave."
"Well, since you asked so nicely, I'll happily take my men and leave," the soldier said with mock sincerity, "Right as soon as I finish here."
The soldier raised his fist to strike the boy once more, but Tommy was faster. His hand lashed out, fingers gripped around the soldier's wrist before he could blink. Try as he might, the soldier could not free himself as Tommy slowly pulled the fist away from the boy, the metal of the soldier's gauntlet slowly bending under the pressure.
"Hey, let go of me!" the soldier yelled.
He released the boy in order to attack Tommy with his other hand, but that was exactly what Tommy wanted. He struck, faster than any eye could follow, his bare fist cratering the soldier's breastplate as the force of the punch sent him flying. Silence engulfed the area as everyone watched the inhuman display of strength, as they watched the source of the terror that they endured land in a crumpled heap over fifty feet away. The silence was broken as swords were drawn, the realization of what just happened having dawned on the other soldiers. Tommy immediately stepped in front of the boy as they were surrounded, and he felt something grip onto his pant leg. He looked down and saw the boy looking up at him, his one open eye full of fear and wonder.
"Everything is going to be okay," he said to the boy with the most reassuring tone he could muster.
And then the world exploded.
Guiche watched from their hiding spot beside the house, one hand gripping his rose wand while the other gripped the sheathe of the sword that Sir Thomas had given him. This was it, this was the moment he had been training for. So why did his hands tremble? Why did his heart pound in his chest? Would he run and hide like he had done once before? No, no he would not give in to cowardice again. He watched as Sir Thomas spoke with the ghastly ruffian, and how, but a moment later, Sir Thomas had sent the other man flying. Whether he had survived or not was to be determined. The other soldiers enclosed around Sir Thomas, and Guiche prayed that for once Valliere's explosions would prove useful.
"Fireball!" she cried out and brandished her wand in the direction of the crowd.
For a moment, it seemed as if nothing happened, that Valliere had failed once again. But with a cacophonous blast, a massive dust cloud erupted and surrounded the soldiers. It was now or never. Guiche, Montmorency, and Tabitha moved swiftly yet silently to their assigned positions, just as Valliere, Zerbst, and Captain Wardes moved to theirs, each acting as a wall between the villagers and the soldiers. As Guiche was about to summon his bronze valkyries, more soldiers were sent flying from within the dust cloud, each landing with a clattering thud. Whatever was happening in there, Sir Thomas was certainly handling it well.
With practiced ease, six petals flew from his rose wand, and from each petal sprang one of his prized valkyries, each wielding a finely crafted spear and splendid tower shield. The dust cloud then began to die down and many began to look on in confusion as Sir Thomas, as well as the child and his mother, were nowhere to be found. It was then that a gleam from above caught their eyes and they spied a figure of white and gold standing atop a roof. Sir Thomas, clad in his armored form, leaped with the grace of a falcon and landed among the enemy soldiers.
"This is your final warning," he said, "Walk away, or never walk again."
The tension was palpable as the soldiers stared down this warrior clad in tiger-themed armor, each weighed their options, whether to do as commanded or to avenge their comrades. Moments passed, each second feeling like an hour. One of the soldiers cried out and charged at Sir Thomas from the side, sword raised to strike. He swung down and the blade struck true, only to snap cleanly in two against Sir Thomas' helm.
"Wrong answer," Sir Thomas said as he turned to the failed assailant.
Sir Thomas grasped the soldier by the collar and with one hand, hurled him straight up, the man's screams reverberating as he rose and eventually fell. The battle was on as most of the soldiers unwisely tried their hand where their former comrades had failed, each dispatched by Sir Thomas with ease. Most, but not all, as some attempted to flee for their lives, with two heading toward Guiche's group. He steeled himself, doing his best to ignore the sweat on his brow and the pounding in his ears, and commanded his valkyries to stand in their path.
The men paused for a moment but pressed the attack, attempting to overpower or bypass the valkyries, but Guiche would not have it. His valkyries stood firm, shields raised and spears at the ready, while Montmorency and Tabitha began to cast. A moment later, one soldier was pushed back by a stream of water, while the other was skewered by a flurry of icicles, his body hitting the ground and blood began to pool around him. A sudden wave of nausea passed through Guiche as he took in the sight, the pounding in his ears doubling in intensity. Did... did they just kill someone?
The still-living soldier rallied and made a mad dash that Guiche tried to intercept, yet he slipped past and ran straight toward him. No time to divert his valkyries, no time for the others to cast more spells. Only one option left. He steadied his quaking hands and took the stance that he had been taught, one hand on the hilt of the blade, the other to hold the sheath steady. The world slowed as Guiche did battle with his fear, he could not let it win, not with Montmorency by his side. Courage was to act in spite of fear, courage was to act in spite of fear...!
The soldier raised his sword as he closed in for the kill, and Guiche struck. He drew the blade from its sheath, one single motion as he had been taught, and the soldier stopped in his tracks, dropping his sword as he clutched at his neck, streams of blood seeping between his fingers. The nausea redoubled as Guiche watched this soldier, this man, fall to the ground and slowly die, choking and drowning in his own blood, his face contorted in rage and fear as the light left his eyes.
Color faded from the world as it all sank in for Guiche. He looked down at the sword still clutched in his hand, soaked in this man's lifeblood. He had done it. He had successfully performed the technique. He had protected his comrades. He had lived up to his family name. No more thoughts passed through Guiche's mind for the next few minutes as he vomited his guts out.
Louise cast and cast with all her might, she would not allow these fiends to escape. Though her explosions did not cause any actual damage, she could still use them to distract and disorient, allowing her comrades to better strike their foes. Beside her, Jean-Jacque conjured blades and spears of wind with the practiced ease of a master, cutting down the soldiers that either tried to flee or continued to assail Tommy. On her other side, Kirche did the same, great bursts of fire erupting from her wand. For once, Louise was glad to have the Germainian around, though she would never admit it aloud.
The battle ended as Tommy felled the last of the soldiers, his blade having cleaved the enemy's head from their shoulders, a stream of blood eru[pting from where it had once been. It was then that Louise took in the scene, the fog of battle now faded, and saw the bodies that lay before them. This... Tommy warned them of this, he told them that they may witness death and she had said that she was prepared. But... No, this was... it was necessary. They were criminals, traitors. They were harming innocents, they needed to be stopped. This was a noble's duty. Wasn't it?
Louise tried to breathe deeply as she processed what she had seen, what she had done. She looked to Jean-Jacque, his expression grim yet composed. He was a knight, he had witnessed this sort of thing plenty of times, of course he would be calm in such a situation. She then looked to Tommy, and while she could not see his face beneath his helmet, he nevertheless stood unflinching at the epicenter of the carnage. He then sheathed his swords and leaped once more to the roof, revealing that the mother and child had been hidden up there.
He descended with both in his arms and gently set them down on the ground away from the bodies, the boy held tightly in his mother's arms.
"Montmorency!" he called out, "We need a healing potion here!"
Louise turned to see the girl in question had approached, looking as harrowed as she felt, and tending to Guiche who looked even worse. Montmorency looked up as her name was called and immediately moved toward the boy. She knelt beside them and procured from her satchel a bottle containing a pale blue liquid, as well as a book.
"Slowly drink this," she commanded as she unstoppered the bottle.
She brought the rim to the boy's lips and he did as he was told, the contents of the bottle gone a moment later. Montmorency then drew her wand, opened the book, and began to chant. She waved her wand across the boy's body, paying particular attention to his face as that was where most of his wounds were.
"D-did it work?" the mother asked as Montmorency finished, fear evident in her tone.
"It is not an instantaneous remedy, it will take time for the healing draught to have an effect," Montmorency began, "That said, your boy's wounds are shallow enough that he should be fully healed by tomorrow at least."
"Oh, thank you!" the mother replied tearfully, "Thank you, my lady!"
"T-think nothing of it, it was simply my duty," Montmorency said, a slight blush on her face.
The sharp sound of colliding metal then reached Louise's ears. She turned to find one of the villagers had run up to one of the dead soldiers and had begun kicking the body.
"How does it feel, huh?!" the man angrily shouted at the deceased as he continued his assault, "Not so tough now! This is what you get for taking my daughter!"
It was then that Louise once more became aware of the rest of the villagers, a wave of murmurs passing through the gathered onlookers, the looks on their faces ranged from shocked to fearful. Then, one by one, cheers began to ring out. As the celebratory outcry rose, a wave of pride began to overtake her. She had done it, she had finally done something right, something worthy of her name. The wave then subsided as she once more caught sight of the broken dead. This was right, wasn't it?