18th Life Moon, 908 – Border between Echo Bell and the Outlands

With the plan set in motion to free the captured civilians from New Chariot's camp, the head knights of the Western Alliance pulled together their finest knights for what would be a critical stealth mission. However, success would be determined not by their skill, but by their ability to cooperate.

"I can't believe that damn spaceman put me on a stealth mission of all things," the Wick Knight, Lionel, grumbled as he dragged his paws behind the group. "Do I look like I can sneak around?"

Making up their group were Nathaniel and Jakke of Verde, Lionel and Jael of Wick, and Rikmai of Senbo. The odd group of five marched through the land, passing beyond the boundary of fresh greenery into the harsh, desert-like landscape of the Outlands. Nathaniel proudly led the group while Jakke nervously followed alongside Rikmai. Jael, being unfit for traversal in the desert, rode atop the blind Arcanine's back.

"Oh, don't be like that, Sir Lionel!" Nathaniel proudly stated. "We were selected by our superiors because they trust our judgment to take on this grueling task. It's an honor to be entrusted with such responsibility!"

Jael rolled his eyes. "Someone's happy not to be on inventory duty." He folded his tentacles together and rested his head in them. "Princess Evangelina better hope for our sake the information she got wasn't a bunch of malarkey. I can barely stand the heat in the Wick Kingdom as is. This place is a death trap for an Octillery like me."

Jakke gulped. "Is it really a good idea to be sending just the five of us? I feel like we'd do better with a well-equipped army."

Rikmai shook her head. "Sir Gaufroi made it clear that sending an army will just alert the soldiers to our position sooner. The less of us there are, the less likely we'll be spotted."

"S-Still, this is way too terrifying for me. I-I much prefer fighting from the backlines. Much safer."

Jael snorted. "Remind me again how a coward like you got enlisted into the knighthood?"

"Sh-Shut up! I'm the best long-range specialist of my troop!"

"Please, you couldn't snipe a Wailord from ten feet in front of you."

"Why you—"

Nathaniel turned and faced his group while walking backwards. "Friends, let's not antagonize each other. We are proud representatives of our kingdoms, and it is our duty to uphold the values set before us. I, for one, am honored."

Lionel scoffed. "And remind us again who put you in charge?"

Jakke huffed. "I believe that would be your captain's decision seeing as one of you is unfit for flat land traversal and the other is missing both his eyes."

Lionel lowered his head and huffed hot air into the terrified Alolan Golem's face. "Just because I can't see you doesn't mean I can't smell you."

"P-P-Point made…"

Rikmai pouted. "Heeeey, no fighting."

Lionel smiled wolfishly in her direction. "My apologies, Lady Rikmai. Although, I must admit, I am still adjusting to walking blind." He lifted his paw toward her. "Perhaps you could help guide me—" She swiftly smacked his paw away with her tail.

"Hmph! Don't even think about it, mister. I'm already spoken for."

Lionel groaned. "Of course…"

Nathaniel smiled. "Oh, you are engaged, Lady Rikmai?"

She giggled feverishly. "Well, not yet, but I'll find my Scrap Metal Knight eventually~. Our hearts are tied together by the red thread of destiny~!"

"…" He gave her the thumbs up. "Good for you!"

Jael rolled his eyes. "Oh joy, she's as crazy as the rumors spoke of."

Jakke snickered. "Any bets the guy has a restraining order against her?"

Rikmai snapped her glare at them. "Oi, you questioning the power of our love?! Let me tell you something—"

Nathaniel took a deep breath as his four teammates began a long tirade of insults behind him. He slid his hand down his face. "Maybe I should've stuck to doing inventory…"

Rattleplains, The Outlands – Night

The knights reached a hillside overlooking their destination. Sticking low to the ground, they crawled to the top of the hill and peered down at the overrun town of Rattleplains, a modestly sized town compact with homes and neighboring buildings that looked to be abandoned for some time. However, like most towns in the Outlands, they would eventually be overrun by gangs as their new territory.

Banners of New Chariot hung off the erected walls of the town with soldiers standing guard outside the gates and from the watchtowers. Soldiers could be seen marching through the streets, wheeling supplies between buildings. Some were out of uniform and taking a break from their duties, even having late night dinners.

Peering further ahead, the knights could make out the catapults and explosive barrels being maintained and primed for immediate use, likely in the event of an invading army. A small group like theirs wouldn't be in their range of detection, hence the affirmation of their superiors to not bring their full forces.

Jael glared. "I didn't think the Outlands could get any worse."

Jakke glared at him. "Well, it's your king's fault that your own land got so out of control, isn't it?"

"You want to start something, Mr. Quiver Pants?"

Nathaniel hushed them. "Will you two keep it down? If they spot any of us, we're done for." He closed his eyes and held his hand out, projecting his aura over the town. He exhaled slowly, feeling out the multitude of auras taking up residence. "I'm detecting hundreds of auras, several of which inside the buildings."

"Which ones are their prisoners?" Lionel asked.

"I can't tell. Some of these buildings look like they're serving as their soldiers' quarters. Though, I am detecting a larger mass of auras somewhere in the…northwest quadrant of town. That could be where they're being kept, but I can't know for sure."

Rikmai nodded. "Alright, so what's the plan?"

Lionel smirked. "I say we just charge through and burn everything to the ground before they have a chance to fight back."

Rikmai rolled her eyes. "Oh, good idea. While we're at it, we can grab some shovels and bury all the innocent people you burned alive, too."

Jael shrugged. "We could take them out one-by-one over the course of the night. They'll be so busy working that they'll never know their numbers are dwindling."

Jakke frowned. "I'm pretty sure they're eventually going to notice people going missing. And even if they didn't, how are we going to get rid of their bodies?"

Before the group could start bickering, Nathaniel quickly shut them down. "How about we go with my plan?" He pointed at Jakke and Jael. "You two are our long-range experts. Take out the soldiers guarding the perimeter. If you see an opportunity, take out the tower guards without drawing attention."

Jael scoffed. "Wasn't that already what I suggested?"

"Let me continue." He pointed to Rikmai. "You're our stealthiest unit. Slip through their defenses and survey the area I pointed out until you find the prisoners. Once you do, stay there and wait for my signal."

She saluted him. "Aye."

Lionel huffed. "And what am I doing?"

Nathaniel pointed at the town (and immediately remembered the Arcanine was blind) and said, "You and I are going to circle around the town walls and stay within reach of Rikmai. Once she finds the prisoners, we can get to work on setting them free. Can everyone agree to that much?"

He got a chorus of half-hearted murmurs, which he would gladly accept.

"Alright. Let's move out." He grabbed Lionel by the chest plate and guided him along.

"Ugh, I don't need you guiding me like a lost child."

"Weren't you the one who complained earlier about being unsuited for stealth missions?"

"Touche."

As they hobbled down the hillside, Rikmai melted herself into water and jettisoned out of her armor, splashing down the hill and slithering out of sight of the soldiers. All that left was Jakke and Jael to watch from afar and support them under the cover of darkness."

"…"

"…"

"…Sssssooooo—" Jakke mumbled. "Got any favorite books—"

"Don't talk to me."

"Aye."

"Attention!"

Within one of the repurposed buildings, soldiers were taking inventory of their food supply when a boisterous voice rang out across the walls. They turned and saluted to their commander as he marched into the storage building. He was a Perrserker dressed in gold-colored armor with even his natural armor painted gold. He had a wild look in his eyes as he surveyed the crates.

"You lads better not be slacking on me!" the commander grunted. "I don't want to see any lazing around on my watch! We are the proud warriors of New Chariot, and I will not allow a second wasted on the job!"

A soldier responded, "Of course not, Commander Auster! We were just about finished with taking inventory. We have three months' worth of food stored away for the entire camp."

"Good, good—YOU THERE!" he suddenly snapped, pointing out a frazzled Delibird trying to maintain his rigid stance. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"I…beg your pardon, Commander?" the penguin asked worriedly.

"Are you blind, man?! Look at your armor!" He marched over and jabbed his finger into the bird's chest plate, pointing out the smudge of dirt on it. "You disgust me! Is this how you maintain our glorious symbol?!"

"My apologies, Commander. I was repairing the wheels to the wagons. I must've—"

"I don't want your excuses!" Auster pulled out a handkerchief and vigorously rubbed the chest plate clean. "You disgrace the emblem of New Chariot with this dishonorable smudge. I will not allow us to be viewed as weak on the battlefield!"

"But Commander, we were stationed to hold captured prisoners until transport arrives—"

"Is that weakness I hear?!" he snapped.

"Sir! No, sir!" the soldiers exclaimed.

"That's what I thought—WAIT!" The armored cat spun around, his eyes twitching wildly. "I sense mischief! Someone's getting sleepy on the job! DISGRACEFUL!" He darted out the building, wildly shaking his fist. "DISGRACEFUL, I SAY!"

"…" The Delibird turned to his comrades. "So, one of my buddies told me I would have a great time serving in Commander Auster's unit…"

"Yeah, you got bamboozled, buddy."

"Sounds about right. Is he always this wound-up?"

"Actually, he's a lot calmer than usual tonight."

"Oh Nero…"

Under the cover of darkness, as the nighttime soldiers went about their duties and routes, Rikmai slithered her way through the town. Seeping through blind spots as a thin puff of steam, she bounced delicately behind cover and gingerly peeked out before drifting to a new hiding spot.

The entire town is crawling with soldiers. I never thought I'd get caught up in war times, but this was the last thing I expected to do. Still, it's a good thing Sir Gaufroi pushed me to master control over my vapor form. I'm getting much better at keeping myself together.

She bounced up onto the rooftops, scanned the streets, and bounced over the other side. No soldiers spotted her, or at least any that were alarmed by a puff of mist in the air. She landed and continued skipping along between buildings in search of the area Nathaniel pointed out previously. If his instincts were correct, the source of auras meant she would find the prisoners.

Eventually, after about ten minutes of careful drifting through the town, she spotted what looked to be a repurposed schoolhouse with soldiers standing guard outside. The vaporized Vaporeon peered down at the school, analyzing the structure of the building.

It seems big enough to house a large number of people. Now, where's a good entry point—AHA!

She pressurized her tail and blasted herself through the air before drifting down over a chimney pipe. She thinned out her vaporous body and seeped down the pipe, crawling through a meter or two of darkness. As she drew toward a source of light, she heard voices coming from below.

"…hungry. When are these jerks going to feed us?"

"You mean feed us their table scraps?"

"I'd take that over moldy bread like last time. Ugh, I still feel sick."

"I can't believe they're going to take us to the capital in three days. I won't survive in the colosseum! I got to get out of here! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME!"

"Get a hold of yourself!"

"You know what those monsters in the colosseum do to get their freedom! I might actually die!"

"Panicking won't do you or any of us favors. Now, pipe down before you alert the guards."

Rikmai soon found her way through an unlit furnace and permeated out into the repurposed classroom crammed with Pokémon. As soon as she came out of the furnace, the prisoners went silent in shock as a cloud of steam raised above their heads.

"WHAT IN THE—" a Weepinbell shrieked before having his mouth covered by an equally alarmed, but calmer Pidgeot.

Rikmai raised her steam-like paws and shushed them. "Don't freak out. My name is Dame Rikmai Kruger. I'm a knight of the Senbo Kingdom. We're here to rescue you."

The Pidgeot's eyes widened. "Rescue?"

"Is this a trick?" a worried Miltank whimpered.

Rikmai shook her head. "It's no trick. My allies are working to help you escape. You'll be free from New Chariot in no time, I swear. I just ask that you all remain calm. Our team leader is working on a way to get us out of here without being detected."

A Drifblim clasped his feelers together. "Oh Heavenly Arceus, you have brought upon us an angel. We thank you for this generous gift."

Rikmai laughed awkwardly as she descended to the floor. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm an angel, but—" She then noticed some motherly Pokémon immediately covering the eyes of younger prisoners as they stared at her. "What's wro—ooohhhh." She looked at herself as she became partially opaque and immediately reverted back to a complete vapor state. "Uh, yeah. I'll just…stay as a steam cloud for a little while longer."

Moving along the outer walls of the town, Nathaniel and Lionel kept their heads low as they crept under the watchful eyes of the tower guards. Their armor creaked with every step, and every sudden shift of the guards above made the duo stop in hesitation. Steadying their breathing, they trekked on ahead.

"How much further?" Lionel whispered.

"We're not far off. I can sense Rikmai's aura. She appears to have reached the spot I detected. She must've found the prisoners."

Lionel groaned. "This is ridiculous. I can take these soldiers by surprise by just burning everything to the ground. We already know where they're keeping the prisoners, so what's the harm?"

Nathaniel glared over his shoulder. "We are knights of our kingdoms. Our duty isn't to mindlessly slaughter our enemy. It's to serve and protect our people."

"Tch. Do you really think New Chariot deserves mercy?"

"Their culture is vastly different to ours, that much is true. I don't know if peace with them will ever come to pass, but these are still men fighting for their empire. If it comes down to it, both sides understand the risks involved. No one goes to war expecting to come back alive, yet they still fight for something they believe in."

Lionel scoffed. "A bleeding heart for war mongers. Do you even understand New Chariot's views on war? This is literally their culture. It's been that way for well over a hundred years. There's no getting around that."

"…" Nathaniel sighed. "If I must kill, I shall, but I will not do so under these circumstances. The prisoners come first."

"…" The Arcanine grunted. "Very well…"

Soon, the duo stopped as they reached the back of the town. Nathaniel placed his hand to the wall and focused in on Rikmai's aura. He traced the air with his finger before marking an X into the dirt under him.

"Okay, you can use Dig, right?"

"Yeah."

"You're gonna have to follow my instructions exactly. We need to dig a tunnel wide enough to get everyone out." He peered at the numerous auras again. "There doesn't seem to be too many large Pokémon being held captive. Probably prioritized the larger ones for transport. Still, try to make a tunnel around double your size without disturbing the surface. Think you can do that?"

Lionel rolled his shoulder blades and knelt over the spot. "Easy."

Soldiers patrolling the perimeter took notice of two shapes moving along the town walls and opted to investigate, but they wouldn't get far in their search as unseen attacks took them out from afar. The attacks struck silently, not once alerting the tower guards. Some of the tower guards would be knocked out soon after, slumping over and out of sight of soldiers within the camp.

Jakke and Jael kept behind cover, peeking out to slowly whittle down the patrol routes. With any luck, by the time anyone noticed, they'll have all the prisoners safely evacuated from town.

Still, it meant waiting on their comrades, an anxious and trying task for the nervous Jakke.

"They've been captured, I just know it," he mumbled.

Jael rolled his eyes. "Calm down. The town would've went on high alert if they were."

"How can you stay so calm?"

"I'm a sniper. My job is literally about remaining calm before an attack. How the hell did you become a long-range specialist?"

Jakke frowned. "I only joined the knights because it seemed like easy pay. I mean, we weren't at war at the time, so…"

"Hopeless."

"Well, why did you become a knight?"

"Because this region has gone to shit, and I believe the Tetrarchs will be the ones to unify it…even if their methods are unsavory," he grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He shook his head and peered over their cover again. "You're at war now, so I suggest you get a grip on yourself and focus on your job. You are the unseen support of Verde. Your job is to take out the soldiers your allies can't see. That's the role of a sniper."

"…" Jakke took a deep breath and loaded another rock into his launcher. "Be their unseen support. Right…"

The prisoners waited anxiously for something to transpire while Rikmai paced through the air to pass the time. Fears were palpable as the prisoners worried a soldier would come in any minute and catch them in the moment. Some were trembling under the immense weight of uncertainty, hope dwindling at the thought of being captured again.

Soon, however, everyone went silent as the ground trembled beneath them. Sensing this, Rikmai smiled and lowered to the ground. "Finally."

A hole caved in through the center of the schoolhouse, forcing everyone to back away. Climbing out from the hole was Lionel and Nathaniel, both relieved to have connected the tunnel to their destination.

"We're actually being rescued," a prisoner gasped.

"A miracle. A miracle!"

"Hurray!"

Nathaniel quickly shushed everyone before they got too excited. "We're not out of danger yet." He knelt next to the hole and gestured everyone toward it. "One at a time. Once we get you all out of here, we're going to travel a few miles away from the town and wait for a teleportation unit to pick us up."

Slowly, Nathaniel organized the prisoners and funneled them through the hole, explicitly advising them to move along the walls as quietly as they could.

Nathaniel turned toward Rikmai and ordered, "Freeze the door shut just in case someone comes by."

She saluted and compressed her gaseous body into her ice form. She extended her tail and splashed a thick sheet of ice over the entrance. "Door sealed."

"Good. Hopefully Jakke and Jael cleared out all the soldiers up front. We've got a lot of land to cover."

"You disgrace your commander with this disgraceful disgrace!"

"Commander Auster, it's a tiny chip in my spear, that's all—"

"JUST A CHIP?! You won't be calling it a tiny chip when it snaps on you in the middle of combat!"

"But we're just housing prisoners—"

"And that kind of attitude will get you killed in battle! Get yourself a new spear this instant!"

After reprimanding his subordinate, Auster marched off in a huff, his eyes twitching as wildly as ever. Nothing got past his detail for attention. Not the smallest goof or mischief would go unseen without being properly disciplined. That was how he ran a tight shift in his legion.

"Every new batch of soldier gets lazier and lazier. Emperor Nero spoils his people too much. If they wish to keep their luxurious lifestyles, they need to learn to throw down their lives for the good of their empire!" he ranted openly, much to the chagrin of all soldiers within earshot.

Although a respectable and strong commander, no one dared speak ill of the pernickety Perrserker and his preference for peerless perfection.

"I will not sleep until all is in order. The enemy could be around the corner, spying on us from afar. I will act swift like the wind. I will maintain order. I will—" Auster froze, his eyes going wide with a wild, pinprick stare.

Slowly, guided by some unseen sixth sense, he turned his gaze in a particular direction. His attention to detail was so strong, even what was unseen couldn't escape his notice. He was trusted to keep his legion in order and to complete the mission without a single action going unnoticed under his watch.

Something…was very wrong.

"I smell mischief."

"Will you hurry up?!"

"I-I can't! W-What if we get caught?"

"You'll get us all caught if you keep standing around like a wimp!" Lionel bit down on the nervous Clefable's dress and forced her toward the escape tunnel. "Hurry up!"

"Sir Lionel, don't harass her," Nathaniel said calmly. "These people have been traumatized enough—"

"They're going to be even more traumatized if they don't get through the damn tunnel!"

Rikmai grunted. How has this guy not been discharged yet? Oh right, he's one of Darby's.

BANG, BANG, BANG!

The knights and prisoners froze as someone started banging on the schoolhouse's door. "What's going on?!" a loud voice barked from the other side. "Why isn't this door opening?!"

"We're not sure, sir. Something might be jamming it."

"Westerners! What are you doing in there?!" The angry voice punched harder on the door, causing the blockade of ice to chip.

Rikmai backed away. "Uh, Sir Nathaniel? I think the stealth mission has been compromised."

Nathaniel gritted his teeth. "Crap. We still need to get everyone outside town."

Lionel let go of the Clefable and formed a menacing grin. "I was waiting for this. No more sneaking around. It's about time we teach these invaders a lesson."

"…" Nathaniel groaned. "It can't be helped any longer. Lionel and Rikmai, hold off the soldiers. I'll work on getting everyone to safety."

"Right!" they exclaimed.

The ice kept breaking away with every slam until Commander Auster finally tackled the door open. "Aha! Alright, what's going on in here—"

BANG!

As soon as he entered, Rikmai swung her ice-hard tail into the commander's face and threw him back out the door, bowling over his subordinates. Lionel broke through the entrance with his immense size and let loose a mighty howl that traveled over the town, alerting every soldier present.

Auster pulled himself to his feet and growled. "The Western Alliance?!" He unsheathed his blade-like claws. "Men! Arm yourselves! We've got a prison break to destroy!"

Jakke and Jael's eyes widened as soldiers started fleeing their posts and charging toward the northern quadrant of town. "What the hell?!" Jakke gasped. "Were we compromised?!"

Jael glared. "Not yet. Come on, we need to get to another vantage point!" He hurriedly scuttled down the hill while Jakke rolled himself down.

Soldiers charged into the northern part of town armed with spears and shields. As they neared the schoolhouse prison, they braced themselves as the first wave of soldiers went flying over their heads drenched in water and wreathed in flames.

Rikmai, in her water form, shot herself off multiple surfaces by pressurizing her body. She rammed into soldiers like a raging typhoon, knocking them off their feet and scattering them through the air. They shielded against her attacks and struck with their spears, only to find she simply passed through unscathed. She whipped up a vortex in her tail and swept it across the ground, dragging all captured soldiers along the currents.

Lionel, meanwhile, used his superior sense of smell to detect all present soldiers and struck them down with brutal efficiency. With fangs wreathed in flame, he darted around their defenses and delivered brutal bites to their unsuspecting backs. Their armor melted under the intense heat of his flames, burning and fusing into their skin as they fell one by one.

"Burning Hunt!" Lionel moved swiftly, vanishing in and out of sight around the soldiers as he delivered his fiery attack upon them. One soldier managed to anticipate his attack and blocked with his shield, but Lionel merely swept his legs under the soldier and kicked him into his comrades.

Rikmai splashed down and pushed aside a group of soldiers with water. "For an Arcanine with no eyes, you sure know how to fight!"

Lionel smirked. "A skilled knight can fight even without his vision. By the sound of it, you're not half-bad yourself."

Rikmai glared softly. "Thanks…" Creep.

"Don't get cocky, westerners!" Rikmai and Lionel turned toward Auster, scraping his blade-like claws together. "You stand against the banner of New Chariot. Entering our territory with ill intent forfeits one's life."

Rikmai scoffed. "Funny, because we have a similar issue with you entering our territory!"

Lionel smirked. "Oh, I've been dying for this! Burning Hunt!" He kicked forward at blinding speeds.

Auster didn't move from his position as a Bronzong soldier decorated completely in heavy armor moved in front of the attack. Lionel chomped down on the living bell's armor, but was shocked to find that his fangs weren't burning it into molten puddle. The Bronzong didn't seem fazed by his attack either.

"What the—"

Auster huffed. "Dispose of the mutt."

"Gryo Ball." The bronze bell Pokémon spun in place and battered the Arcanine away.

Lionel landed and skidded to a stop beside Rikmai. "My attack did nothing?"

Rikmai glared. "Is his ability Heatproof?"

"That still doesn't explain why his armor is intact! I can tell I barely did anything to it!"

Rikmai studied the soldiers closely, and her eyes widened when she noticed the metallic glimmer coming off them. Their weapons, their armor, and especially Auster glowed in the light. "Oh my Arceus. He has the rare ability of the Perrserker: Steely Spirit."

"Wait, we're fighting a Perrseker?!" Lionel yelled.

"I think you're overlooking the issue at paw here!"

Auster snickered. "Clever little knight. Under normal circumstances, my Steely Spirit empowers the Steel-Type energy of my allies and myself. However, the elementium found in most metals also reacts to my ability. As long as I keep it active, my soldiers' armor and weaponry will be empowered with greater strength!"

Lionel growled before kneeling into an attack stance. "Is that so? Good for me. I can actually start trying now."

Rikmai glared at him. "Remember, we're just stalling for Nathaniel to get the prisoners outside."

"Yeah, yeah! Burning Hunt!" Lionel raced forward at blinding speed and chomped down on the first soldier in his path.

Rikmai groaned. "Why do I bother?" She pressurized her tail and rocketed into the army, bowling through them with little resistance. They continuously bashed her with their shields and stabbed with their spears, but nothing landed would leave lasting damage. "Iron Smashing Current!" Spinning on her front paws, she whipped up a silverly vortex through her tail and slammed it through the horde of soldiers, tossing them through buildings and atop roofs.

"Zap Cannon!" Rikmai immediately whipped her head around as a Vikavolt flew into view with a charged ball of electricity between his mandibles. She blasted herself into the air, narrowly dodging the powerful electric attack. However, with her in the air, the Vikavolt went for another attack. "Thunderbolt!"

The electricity arced through the air and scored a direct hit on the Vaporeon. "AAAAHHHH!" She lost her concentration and plummeted out of the air, reverting back to normal and crashing into the street.

"Seize her before she transforms back!" Auster ordered.

"String Shot!" Vikavolt fired webs from his mouth to incapacitate the downed fish hound.

"Fire Ink Bullet!" A projectile of flaming ink screeched through the air and impacted the electric bug square in the face, torching his webs.

Rikmai pulled herself up and gasped as Jakke and Jael peeked up from atop a roof. "Ha! Thanks for the assist!"

Jael activated his Lock-On through his left eye and scanned the New Chariot soldiers. "It's what I do. Show them what you can do, Sir Jakke!"

The Alolan Golem firmly slapped his cheeks and got into position. "I refuse to be a coward! For the Western Alliance!" A rock loaded into his rock cannon, and he took aim. "Demon Thunder Cannon!" Flaring with electricity, he launched the rock at high speeds, obliterating the ground under the soldiers and sending them flying.

Rikmai shook herself off and reverted back into a liquid state. "Careful! Their armor and weapons are being empowered by the Perrserker! Don't let them get too close!"

"Wasn't planning on it, believe me!" Jakke screamed as he fired shots through the street.

Soldiers burned in the street as Lionel went on the attack, barreling through anything that smelled like the enemy. He stomped his paws down on their heads, kicked them with his powerful hindlegs, and set them ablaze with the mere scratch of his fangs. Their armor kept them mostly protected from his rampage, though their bodies were still affected by the flames.

"For the emperor!" a brave Barbaracle roared, gripping his spear and charged down the Arcanine from behind.

Lionel swung around and chomped down on the living barnacle's arm, bursting it with fire. "You idiot! What kind of surprise attack was—GAH!" The soldier had traded the spear into his left hand and thrusted it through the Arcanine's unguarded side. "Sh-Shit!"

With Lionel briefly stunned, soldiers charged behind their brother-in-arms and thrusted their spears into the mighty hound. Empowered under Auster's aura, their spears shredded across Lionel's armor, some managing to pierce through and land shallow cuts into his body. The rest aimed for his exposed flesh and struck what they could against his flailing.

"RAAAAH! Get! OFF! Burning Beast!" Heat swelled from the Arcanine's fur before expelling into a mighty aura of flame. The pressure of release pushed the soldiers back, giving Lionel the breathing room to launch his counterattack. "RAAAAAH!" Swinging his powerful paws, he batted and crushed all around him, burning into their skin with the raging heat expelling off of him.

"Ancient Silver Spear!"

Lionel felt a stabbing pain through his hindleg and crumpled over. "GAAAAH!"

Enduring the immense aura of heat coming off the Arcanine, Auster grinned wildly as he pulled his metallic claws out from the beast's leg. "Ancient Silver Horns!" He launched himself into Lionel's head, coating his helmet in a sheen of silver, and rammed across his jaw.

"AAAGH!" Lionel skipped across the ground and crashed into one of the buildings. His Burning Beast gave out, and a thick cloud of steam hissed off his dulled fur.

Auster proudly scraped his claws together, leering down at the Arcanine. "You utter fools dare march upon the territory of New Chariot. This is divine punishment." He pointed to his soldiers and yelled, "Kill the mutt!" They raised their spears and charged him down.

Rikmai rushed in and formed a high wall of rising water around Lionel, keeping the soldiers at bay. She landed in front of him, keeping a defensive posture while maintaining the wall through her spinning tail. "Please tell me you can still fight!"

Lionel struggled to his paws, panting heavily. "I…need a minute. I'm burnt out…"

Seeing their allies pinned, Jael and Jakke turned their sights onto Auster and fired upon him. The commander saw the fiery ink shot and electrified rock flying his way and laughed. With a quick flick of his wrist, he sliced the attacks in two, causing them to part around him and exploded across the ground instead.

"Ancient Silver War Cry!" Auster firmly stomped his feet down and let loose an ear-piercing wail that echoed around him. His soldiers covered their ears in preparation.

Jael and Jakke seized up as the soundwaves passed over them. They immediately covered their ears, but the damage was done as they screamed out in pain. Jael remained rooted on the roof, but Jakke stumbled and fell onto the street while flailing in pain.

Auster ceased his attack and yelled, "Get them!" His men uncovered their ears and charged at the fallen Alolan Golem.

Jakke gasped, feeling the rumble of marching footsteps, and rolled onto his feet. Right as the soldiers' spears extended at him, he quickly stomped his foot down and shoved them back with a wave of electrified rock. "Demon Thunder Mountain!"

As the soldiers went flying back, Jael shook his head clear and focused on the second wave of soldiers charging in. "Stone Seed Bullet!" He puffed out his cheeks and fired a stream of seeds with rocky shells. Under the effects of his Lock-On, he scored direct shots onto the soldiers' unarmored points, inflicting stinging pain that caused them to falter out of formation.

Rikmai dropped the water barrier and whipped her tail across the street, scooping up the faltering soldiers and tossing them away like a surging flood. She retracted her tail and nudged Lionel. "Hurry up!"

He picked himself up and panted much softer. "Give me a moment, I'm…still winded."

"Ancient Silver Spear!" Rikmai flinched as Auster rushed her and Lionel down. She immediately hardened into ice to keep him from striking Lionel, but her body shattered the second his claws connected. He smirked. "What a fascinating technique."

Rikmai formed back into water and tried to strike him, but he skipped back on his heels and avoided the worst of it. He whistled, calling upon a Kilowattrel. The storm petrel beat his wings and conjured a mighty Hurricane that blew down the street. It crashed into Rikmai, woefully unprepared for the fierce windstorm.

"Crap, crap, crap, cra—" The winds tore through her body before sending her splattering into droplets across the road.

Lionel raised his head in alarm. "Hey! What happened?!"

Auster chuckled proudly over the intense wind. "I do hope your ally can retain consciousness after having her molecules spread so thin. Even if we don't round up most of our prisoners by tonight, she'll be more than enough to make up for our loss. And the rest of you can rot away in the colosseum barking and fighting for your freedom!" He snapped his fingers once more.

The blind Arcanine suddenly felt heavy chains coiling around his neck. Auster's soldiers ganged up on the downed beast, pulling him to the ground and working to bind his limbs together. He snapped his fangs at his attackers, but they kept him at bay with their spears. "Jael! The other one! Do something!"

Jael and Jakke were standing back-to-back as more and more soldiers ganged up around them. Jakke kept them back with his Demon Thunder Mountain while Jael kept blasting with powerful Fire Ink Bullets, but the soldiers kept on the offensive and adapted around their defensive measures.

Auster approached Lionel and placed his foot down on his snout. "This is the way of the world. Emperor Nero has become the chosen god of New Chariot, and he shall lead its people to salvation while the non-believers serve at our whim. That is the grace of our god. To dare defy ultimate divinity is futile. You wretched westerners paw at the air not knowing you're already enchained by your masters."

Lionel growled quietly. "Screw. You."

"Even in defeat, you remain defiant. Good. That defiance will serve New Chariot well." He extended his claws and pressed the tips to the beast's forehead. "Now, be a good little hound and beg for my forgiveness. Howl your devotion to your new destiny!"

"…You want to hear a howl?" Auster and his soldiers froze as an intense aura suddenly permeated through the sky above them. Soaring over the heads of his allies and enemy, Nathaniel landed in the center of the army with two Bone Rush staves in hand. "I shall oblige. Paladin's Rally!" He raised his head up and let out a proud howl laced in pink energy across the town.

The energy passed over Jakke and Jael, gasping as they fell their strength swelling and injuries receding. Invigorated with newfound determination, the snipers let loose their strongest attacks into the soldiers.

"Demon Thunder Gatling!" Jakke stood his ground, blasting the soldiers away with an endless barrage of electrified rock.

"Thermal Force Bullet!" Mixing the contradictory moves of Incinerate and Ice Beam, Jael unleashed a powerful immense pressure from his snout that blasted the soldiers back even as they tried to anchor themselves down with their shields.

Lionel felt his own energy swelling as well. The injuries he incurred sealed themselves, and the fire in his core burned once more. With an evil grin over his muzzle, he slammed his paws down and took off running with Extreme Speed, dragging the helpless soldiers along by his chains. He stopped halfway up the street and torqued his body, throwing the soldiers off and skipping their bodies off the walls of buildings.

Auster's eyes twitched wildly, then he turned his fury toward Nathaniel. "You dare return here after freeing our prisoners?!"

Nathaniel spun his Bone Rush staves and dropped into an attack stance. "I am a proud knight of Verde! So long as I draw a breath, I shall protect the smiles of its people! I won't let a single one of my comrades fall so long as I can stand!"

Auster growled. "How admirable! Then you can die a martyr! Ancient Silver Spear!" He rushed the Lucario down, his claws bursting in a silvery aura.

Nathaniel intercepted with one of his staves, holding the Perrserker at bay. He pivoted off his heel and swung his second stave into the back of the commander's head. Auster endured the attack with a timely Iron Defense cushioning the impact, thought the Ground-Typing of the attack still performed serious damage that made his head spin.

Auster dragged his claws through the ground to stabilize himself, then bounced back with his claws adopting a dark aura through its silvery glow. "Ancient Silver Saber!"

Nathaniel went on the defensive, backing away and blocking each of Auster's flurry of slash attacks. His eyes remained wide open and focused, keeping track of the wild Perrserker's aggravated movements.

"Men!" Auster shouted over his furious slashing. "Strike him from behind!"

Nathaniel didn't looked over his shoulder as soldiers charged for his unguarded back with empowered spears at the ready. A single hit from them would undoubtably shred through his arm and land lethal blows upon his back. His only response would be to deploy Protect and stave off that pincer maneuver.

Instead, he smirked at the opposition. "You trained your men well. They charge into battle with complete trust into you. Trust in your allies—"

Auster's eyes widened as a geyser of water surged out from the earth and barreled towards his men from behind.

"—is the key to a successful mission."

Having fully reconstituted herself, Rikmai rushed in between the soldiers and enveloped their armor and weapons through his liquid body. The sheer force of her liquid form nearly threw them off balance. She coiled in and out around them, pushing them side to side in ways that could trigger sea sickness.

She finished her assault and burst into the air, laughing with glee. "Thought you could knock me out with a cheap trick like that? Don't underestimate a knight of Senbo!"

Seeing as she didn't even bother disarming them, the soldiers continued their attack and stabbed into Nathaniel's back. However, to their horror, their spearheads shattered on impact with the Lucario's armor.

Auster gasped. "Wha—" His brief moment of confusion allowed Nathaiel to knock him aside with a single strike of his staves.

He spun toward the soldiers and dashed through them, delivering single strikes to their armor as he passed through. A single blow obliterated their armor as if it was made of ancient pottery. Through the pain swelling in their chests, the soldiers were aghast to see their armor and shields shatter with such ease.

Rikmai splashed down onto the street and snickered. All that training under the blacksmiths taught me a thing or two about reshaping metal. And a thing or two about what NOT to do when reshaping metal~.

Jakke and Jael broke through the formation of soldiers, riding atop a wave of rock summoned up by the former. They rocketed over the street, firing down on stray soldiers and landed beside the Vaporeon knight. "Sir Nathaniel, what of the prisoners?!" Jael yelled.

Nathaniel brought down another soldier and shouted, "They are gathering above the hillside! You two, retrieve one of their wagons and meet with the prisoners outside!"

"Aye!" Jakke helped Jael onto his back and took off running.

"None of you will leave here tonight!" Nathaniel immediately blocked Auster's surprise attack, his claws sparking off the knight's armor. "You dare face the might of New Chariot with such hubris?! We have dominated the east for over one hundred years! What makes you think you can change a hundred years of history?!"

Nathaniel growled. "You haven't faced knights quite like us!" He leaned back from Auster's attack, grabbed him by the chest plate, and kicked him overhead. "Dame Rikmai!"

Rikmai surged into the air and coiled Auster within her watery bind. She eroded down his armor and dulled his claws in less than ten seconds before throwing him back onto the street. He tumbled and skipped off the ground before flipping onto his feet and blasting her back with his Ancient Silver War Cry. She preemptively covered her ears and fell out of the air upon being hit.

"I will not fall to the likes of Westerners!" Auster shouted. "Strike us down all you wish, but New Chariot will never cease—"

"Burning Beast—" The Perrserker's eyes widened, feeling the immense presence of Lionel standing behind him cloaked in an aura of heat. "Rage!"

The commander's spine snapped back as the fiery Arcanine unleashed a brutal paw strike into him. Heat erupted out through Auster like beams of light. He gasped out a plume of smoke, feeling his insides burn from the brief exposure. With him knocked into the air, Lionel unleashed a brutal assault of superheated kicks into the commander, juggling him higher and higher into the air before deliver one final rising kick that sent him soaring skyward.

Rikmai slapped her tail down and blasted herself after the rising commander. She raised her tail up, turning it to steely ice with heat coming off of it. "Iron Smashing Geyser!" She struck down across his face, her tail and his skin hissing off each other. Her tail cracked as the heat built up inside. Upon delivering the full brunt of her attack, it shattered, releasing a burst of steam that sent the commander rocketing back into the town.

Nathaniel reared his Bone Rush staff back. "The Western Alliance…will not fall to New Chariot!" He stomped one foot forward and threw his staff like a javelin. "Hero's Light Arrow!"

With mere inches before hitting the ground, his attack struck Auster in the chest at blinding speed and carried him across the street, barreling through his soldiers before slamming off the corner of a building. Blood splattered out from the back of his head as he ricocheted off the corner and rolled across the dirt before landing on his back.

The sharpened Bone Rush had pierced through the commander's chest, a portion of it remaining embedded in him before crumbling away. Auster gasped wearily, trying to sit up as the light faded from his eyes and blood poured out from his chest.

"Ancient…Ancient Sil…Silver…A-Ancient…" Blood dripped out behind his clenched teeth. "All…hail…the emperor…" His arms gave out, and he collapsed back onto the ground with his last fading breath.

Auster's legion stared at their fallen commander in horror. Their weapons and armor, once glowing in the metallic aura bestowed by him, were now nothing more than standard spears and gear.

They set their eyes upon Nathaniel, Lionel, and Rikmai, each standing tall and proudly beside each other as they glared down what remained of their army. Though many soldiers remained standing and in prime fighting condition, both sides could tell pursuing further conflict would lead to disaster. With their objective met, the knights could leave without consequence. Nathaniel could draw in their attacks, Rikmai was practically immune to most lethal damage, and Lionel could take down most of them in one shot if they weren't careful.

"…" The Kilowattrel soldier, realizing all of this, raised his wing and shouted, "Stand down! Let them pass!" The soldiers understood and lowered their spears.

Lionel smirked. "Oh, you think we're just going to show mercy? I've got bad news for—" Right as he stepped forward, Nathaniel stuck his arm out and blocked the Arcanine from advancing. "Don't stop me."

Nathaniel glared. "We came here to save the prisoners, nothing more. These men have us outnumbered, but they know further conflict will wipe out their numbers."

"Are you actually suggesting we spare them?! They'll just go after more civilians and—"

"That won't happen." Nathaniel turned toward the soldiers, forming an Aura Sphere in his hand. "Because once we leave, Sir Matthias will send his unit to flush out every last soldier residing in this town. And if any of you know what's coming, you'll wisely vacate this area before that time comes."

"…" Though the soldiers were raised to show no fear, the expressions they wore spoke volumes of the weight his threat held.

Nathaniel dispelled the Aura Sphere and waved Lionel and Rikmai along. "Let's go."

The soldiers parted a path for the knights, granting them access toward the town's entrance. Neither knight made eye contact with the soldiers (not that Lionel really could) and went on their way without so much as a mocking jeer.

Rikmai chuckled softly and whispered, "For such a heroic spirit, you have a surprisingly cruel side."

Nathaniel glared. "The kindest thing any of us can do right now is walk away. They are willing to fight to the death, but even they know not to fight unnecessary battles. That's what makes New Chariot so dangerous. They've been doing this for over a hundred years."

"…" She frowned a bit. "Of course. Right."

"…" Lionel snarled under his breath, but kept his anger in check.

The knights eventually regrouped with the freed prisoners where Jakke and Jael managed to acquire a wagon for transport. After loading everyone in and strapping the harness over Lionel, the knights marched on into the night, feeling the afterglow of their hard-fought battle. Though it would've been in poor taste to celebrate their victory in front of their enemy…

They were by themselves now.

"We kicked their butts! WOO!" Rikmai cheered, her armor clinking as she shook her tail in excitement.

Jakke laughed, feeling relief he was missing for hours. "I can't believe we actually did it! My first real mission as a knight, and I didn't die!"

Jael chuckled dryly as he lay atop Lionel's back. "Not bad for a coward."

Lionel bellowed with laughter. "That's what happens when you mess with the Wick Kingdom!"

"The Western Alliance, you mean," Nathaniel softly corrected. "This was a team effort, and we couldn't have gotten as far as we did without each other. I sense a bright future for us if our efforts tonight are reflected within the alliance."

Rikmai grinned. "How about a round of drinks once we get back to the rendezvous point? This is a time for celebration, and we deserve it!"

"Here, here!" the knights collectively cheered, laughing and skipping along through the night with the grateful civilians joining in the merriment.

The war may seem bleak now, but they had to enjoy the little victories while they could.

War…never shows mercy.

21st Life Moon, 908 – Border of Wick and the Outlands, Commander Manlius' Camp

"Commander Manlius!"

The Snorlax commander looked up from polishing his war hammer as his Crobat subordinate flew into his tent. He slammed his hammer down and rose to his feet. "Speak."

The Crobat landed on the weapon rack and gulped. "News from Commander Auster's unit. Their camp was breached three days ago, and they freed all of the prisoners in their care."

Manlius narrowed his eyes. "What of Commander Auster himself?"

"He was killed by the intruding party. It was the westerners."

"…" Manlius sighed. "How unfortunate, but it can't be helped now."

"How shall we respond, sir?"

"It seems the Western Alliance is proving more of a thorn in our side than we anticipated. For that, we need to return their efforts in kind." He marched past the Crobat and pushed open the flaps of his tent, letting the sunlight in. "Emperor Nero sent a letter regarding weapon development. We have no cannons of our own, but we'll soon have the firepower to rival the west."

The Crobat landed on his shoulder. "They still outmatch us with their own commanders. How shall we approach them?"

"First we draw their attention to us. We're going to crush their hope by bringing the Black Knight to us, the source of their immense power."

"You wish to bring the Black Knight to us?! Commander, with all due respect, that's a suicide mission. We would never survive an encounter with—"

"Do you recall what they say of me, my fateful soldier?" Manlius asked, proudly rubbing his knuckles against his chest. "I worked hard to earn my status as a high-ranking commander. After tirelessly running the slave trades in my early years, I've earned my name of Single Strike Manlius. There hasn't been a man or knight who could withstand a single blow of my mighty hammer. If this Black Knight is to be equal in combat, then I shall test the legitimacy of his supposed superiority."

"You wish to bring the fight to them?"

"Pen a letter to Chief Centurions Janus and Liber. We're going to bring down the full might of New Chariot and put these resistors back in their places."