Eostia: Harem Quest

by EostianScribe

The Gods have given mortals the power of The Gamer as a pass time. A hobby. A means to compete and relax. One goddess, however, sees it as a means of salvation; starting with one world. As such, she rolls the dice... (Harem, Citrus and Eventual Dark Content Warning)

100. Act IV-Ch V: Pour Une Grand Justice

[ - Author's Note - ]

Whelp... Here we go... Chapter one hundred...

I didn't really think about it until everyone brought it up; I tend to mentally divide the story between Prologue/Act One, Act Two, Act Three and now Act Four... But yeah, totaled together we now have one hundred chapters with around one a three quarters of a million words...

The fic's come far... Thanks to you all for reading and sticking with this story; I've been given a lot of praise and, well, I try and keep earning it... I may fail at that now and then but I try... Thank you for wasting your time on this little project of mine.

At this point I have a good idea of how long this arc will continue for; it should be just one more after this... at worst the chapter after will start in Roxford but not end there... and it's been a hell of a ride so far. A couple of complaints have come about in regards to parts of the arc (Not unreasonable ones) but I will say while this had been much longer then what I had planned... I'd say it's more interesting and I am enjoying writing it.

I just hope you all enjoy it enough to stick with the ride.

So, what happens in this chapter? Juno and Alison finally have a face to face chat that... well, you can guess... and also...

Justice comes...

I mean... if you can work out a little French you can translate the title. And even if you can't the one word at the end is enough to let you know what's up to a point.

As always, come the end of the chapter leave a comment, leave some constructive criticism, tell me what you liked and didn't like about this chapter! The usual! And now...

Let's get it on.

[ - Act IV - Chapter V: Pour Une Grand Justice - ]

Unknown Location
Unknown Ship's Hold

The flat plates of spell glass attached to the ceiling gave the only real light in the odd ship they sailed in. Room within was at a premium given the needs of what their plan called for. The ships, the more standard ones with larger holds, would sail well behind them with the full might of their force. More was the army now marching northwards from their lands as he, in that moment, paced along the front of the ship. Each night they'd use the cover of darkness to allow the men to stretch their legs. Absolute secrecy was required for this and whatever happened would determine the course of their kingdom; of their way of life. He still recalled the speech he gave the men before they boarded this craft and those matching it...

'Soldiers of Justical! Warriors of the Radiant! I, the Shining General Horus Aeternus, address you! Understand this; our aim is bring low the heretical forces of the republic and their so-called 'democracy' and return proper rule and order to the nation and bring it's ideals towards justice! To that aim we will offer our lives upon the alter of order and the field of battle! Although not all of us shall return we will all arrive as heroes! The rebel scum of Roxford will be dealt with, it's people liberated and we will protect our way of life!'

He was tall enough that he needed to keep his helm off lest it scrape the ceiling of the hold as he paced slowly, eager to arrive. He looked to the back of the ship; Twelve men sat on benches on either side of the craft. A small hold for storage was in the room behind them along with a toilet. Small tables were laid out with people on either side of the room playing chess, cards, chatting or otherwise doing something to entertain or distract them until it was time to deploy.

He would look back to the front; a man seated at the front with a ship wheel before him and two pedals at his feet. It was set into a small, desk like structure and he was the only one to properly be able to see outside of their craft; two planks of wood enchanted to be transparent and allowing him a view of their course and direction. This was the same for the likewise craft behind them as they did their best to mind their navigation; each craft was under an Illusion to make spotting them all the harder. There was one man more inside of the craft, seated behind the pilot with his back to Horus, his arms crossed as he scowled. That man needed to survive above all else but he insisted to be in the invasion once he was made aware of it. It would, of course, help his image once good order was restored so it was allowed.

That man had only one thought as he looked forwards. 'Soon... Soon... Soon Juno DeLiberte will die by my hands...'

[-]

To my beloved Daughter

If you are reading this then you must know; I am dead.

It was not my wish to leave you like this, nor was it a desire to abandon you to the embrace of death. Nay, there was much I wanted to do with you, the light of my life. I wished to teach you more of our history and lineage. I wished to see you grow into the beautiful woman I know you could be. I wanted to see you fall in love and walk you down an aisle and not be married by arrangement like I was, as much as I came to love your mother. I wanted to be there with you and Montel as you both grew and just be a family together.

That is no longer possible. I had done much to the people I thought needed to control and pacify them. Much I have done I should not have. I am well aware that much of the rebels calls me evil and, in this quiet moment, I find the claims difficult to refute. I am not evil, I do not think I would qualify as such, but I have committed evil deeds. Some I felt was required; to make examples of others, to ensure the people knew their place, to instill the fear and respect I thought was needed to make Roxford compliant. Fawkes, a man who was better suited to rule then I, was right in his constant counsel. Now I wish he could be brought back from his final rest so I could both apologize and express my shame in not listening to him.

There is no mercy expected for me but if possible I will beg that you be left alone and be allowed to live in peace. It will be my one request to them and I can only hope they have enough honor to listen to one, final request from a doomed king. For you I have another request; learn from my folly. Use your love where my fear failed. Keep the strength of your heart in order to do what is needed but find strength in mercy as well. Find the means to spread warmth and healing in place of the force I tried to use. But above all else do not hate them, my killers. The rage they aim to me was earned well and you should not begrudge them of it; find a means to rise above it. Had I this clarity of thought and wisdom ten years ago then, perhaps, we would be together in the gardens outside of the palace, enjoying a picnic. Alas, I am a fool and I leave to you tragedy and pain.

As my heir you would be the next Queen of Roxford but with the kingdom in such turmoil it will be hard to tell when you can take the throne. There may even be no throne to claim or no means to claim it. That having been said I have faith you will find the crown upon your head so long as you maintain the kindness you always bore and express to the people your love. More then likely you will find yourself suffering trials and tribulations; the history of our house has been filled with hardship and greatness both with the second usually following the first. Ours is the Favorite House of the Heavens but the heavens are not so gentle as to leave us untested.

When that time comes be the ruler I could not. Be the Queen the Kingdom needs. Find the means to rejoin our nation and heal the scars upon it. There is a way and you shall find it. In this I shall have faith and that faith will see me unto my final moments; hopefully with grace and dignity.

Signed with love and hope
Your Father
Lucien Izod DesCieux the XIX

~Spell Paper Letter sent from Lucien DesCieux XIX to Alison DesCieux. Notable that the signature is blotted with tear drops.

[-]

?-?-?-?

Running... That's all she did was run. Her dress was in tatters yet she needed both hands to hike the skirt up to ensure she didn't trip upon the remains of the hem. The forest she ran through was dark and muddy with eyes behind every bush and brush; red orbs glaring to her as she panted and pushed her body to it's limits and, once there, past them as she heard the feet of her pursuers.

"Kill the wench!"

"You possess your father's sins!"

"Kill the fool!"

Something exploded ahead of her, making her to stumble a step and cover her eyes for a moment. Once they opened everything was in flames and it took a moment to realize she was no longer in a forest but was now in a town as a church she now stood before, one she had hid in on her exodus, collapsed in on itself, the kindly priest crushed as he tried to flee out of it's doors. She turned and fled down a street as flames licked at everything around her; embers spitting onto her damaged skirt as well. A door was before her and she reached for it as she closed in; her hand touching it-

-only for a hatchet to pass by and cleave her hand off at the wrist.

She screamed and found herself tackled to the ground as the remains of her dress was torn off with a man sneering over her, his hand moving to her throat. Then he spoke...

"Juno askedme to show youthe suffering yourfather forced on her."

Then the choking kept going and going as she let off a strangled gasp, beating at him with her arm's stump before his fist came down for the first time...

[-]

Morning
Quarters of Alison DesCieux
Palace of the Starlight

"GAHHH!" Alison let off as she shot up to sit up; hands thrust forwards as she panted and looked about. She noted, idly, she once again casted a shield spell around herself as she looked about and, finally, began to calm herself down, swinging her legs overt the edge of the bed. It took several calming breaths to finally calm down and let her end her spell and move to the washroom. Once she was washed she would dress and make sure her bracelet was on her wrist and over her scar.

That scar was one of the worst reminders of what had happened to her; the assassin who posed as a maid was someone she had come to rely on once she started working for House Celestia and she even started to be used as a confidant by the exiled princess. They had even bathed together, washed one another's hair... She never saw it coming and had she not seen the weapon in the reflection of the window she would have died without knowing who was her killer. Her father had once stressed that she needed to learn how to use a weapon of some sort despite not wanting to hurt anyone. Even after all she had been through she had no desire to do so.

That event made her pick up the staff and a scepter once more and learn how to use them. She still wasn't a fighter, she still would rather use magic but if worse came to worse she was more ready now then she had been... and hoped she'd never need it again.

She was unlikely to be that lucky; not with life as it had been these last ten years...

The bracelet was well enchanted and could be used as a magical focus but also bore a holding space for her scepter if the need arose. She didn't expect to need such with Juno... but given what she knew...

She didn't not think Juno was evil; just a very hurt and traumatized woman... in that regard they were similar with the differences being the forms of those hurts and how they handled them... And yet she feared there was a growing darkness in the Prime Minister that she didn't see in herself... At the moment that darkness was aimed at House DesCieux but if the House of the Heavens was ended... then what? Would the darkness be sated or demand more fodder?

Either way she left for the library...

[-]

Sitting Room of the Royals
Palace of the Starlight

One of the most notable sitting rooms was called the Room of the Royals once; several tables within the room that was placed in a third story room. Unlike many of the rooms in the palace this one bore a skylight on the west side of the ceiling; allowing the light to come in with ease. Book shelves lined the walls and in one corner was a small kitchenette to make tea and snacks. Celestine was enjoying her time in Roxford even with the... issues that were cropping up. There were worries about what was going on in Eostia but so far it seemed well based on the spell paper report she received.

Sadly all the rumors she was learning about made her more and more worried about the state of Roxford; she was well aware of what could happen when people opted to destroy their history. Regardless of what happened the ill did not wash away the good, merely tainted it. Likewise the good would never wash away the ill, merely lessen the stain. Both good and ill were to be learned from and by trying to destroy the ill you would lessen or ruin the good...

That being said she was aware Roxford's history and relics were being preserved in a fashion; collectors outside of the Republic bought them up for their own, usually greedy, reasons (It was strange when greed did a good sometimes...) and Roxford's history books, including sketches, were being printed outside of Roxford and even in Eostia. Juno could try and destroy the history all she wanted; all that would happen is the ruination of relics. It was sad, in all honesty. "I do worry about Juno sometimes..." Said the woman across the table from her as she directed a Camafran themed knight to move to threaten Celestine's Eostian themed queen on the chess board between them.

"Indeed... I imagine you have heard more then I, Elizabeth." The Queen of Qulona nodded as Celestine spoke. As it turned out James stored eight of his chess boards on the Enterprise and she had them all brought over; everyone save a few were eager for the novelty of it all which would likely see her friend get some new sales soon. Celestine, of course, took it easy on Elizabeth but she was still playing to win.

"Sadly, yes. We played host to two of House DesCieux; Lave and Zelie. Adorable children..." Elizabeth said as she sighed while Celestine moved to shift her queen away from the knight. Elizabeth would respond by shifting her bishop into play. "They were just seven when they arrived. Then, somehow, their room was bombed two years later... It took us a week until we realized someone managed to fly over the palace high enough to avoid the Anti-Levitation field and threw a twenty pound cask of gunpowder with nails stuffed into it's sides. Lave, the poor lad, lost an eye and nearly his arm and Zelie was on death's door. It took five days to mend her with magic and even then her body is littered with scars... one of the nails nearly punctured her heart."

"By the heavens..." Celestine let off. It was... not something commonly done as such types of bombing were inefficient as it was hard to carry bombs that high up let alone aim them and any palace would boast a defensive field that would try and, not block but rather push spells away with the ability to do so depending on the power of the spell and distance with the effect grater the further the attack started from; although the field boasted a minimum range you could get inside of. It wasn't impossible to overcome (Enough magical power would do it) but it made it harder. A physical bomb would bypass that but be harder to carry... unless you had an airship...

She was glad it was James and no one else who invented it.

On a more serious note; she wished she could have went through her reign without ordering a single assassination but it could be hard to be a ruler with hands clean of blood. Even so; to target children... it was a sign of the hurt within Roxford. "I can only imagine that sooner or later one of these attacks will trigger a war anew."

"Sadly Qulona's position isn't in a position to do such; Justical as a neighbor is a daunting threat at all times." Celestine nodded; she didn't wish to see a new war but that was life.

She would look to the side as John Mandeville glowered across the table to Merlin Noxdecus who maintained a calm, relaxed look with an easy smile. The match, based on the position of the Eostian and Balanarian units on the board, was fairly even but she could tell Merlin had a positional advantage as his wife sat next to him, sipping her tea and glaring over the table at the elderly man; honestly Celestine was worried that Saxon Noxdecus would be tempted to break the chess board over the merchant's head given the history of their houses, doubly so with what happened at the ball. "For now perhaps it's best we not speak of such things and focus more on the game. It is rare I can enjoy speaking with social equals."

"Ahh, forgive me, I... oh dear." Elizabeth let off as Celestine's pawn moved into a position to threaten her rook near the back of her lines.

Okay, maybe Celestine wasn't taking it that easy on her.

[-]

Library
Palace of the Starlight

Alison paced in the library having taken a moment to shift tables and chairs aside. In the event things turned violent she wanted to be able to move and take cover from the Prime Minister. She did not come unready but she hoped that her preparations were unneeded; even then she would ensure she had some mana at the ready to cast a shield. The room would be silenced to avoid unwanted eavesdropping and so the two guards outside the room wouldn't start rushing in if shouting started. She was certain Juno would remain in control of herself for their conversation but wasn't stupid enough to think the risk of an assault from her was impossible. That guards were outside of the room would, she hoped, mitigate the risks to near nothing.

Finally the door knob turned as she stopped in her tracks and turned to face it, hand set over her lap before it opened and saw Juno, in full armor, there in the passage before she stepped in; the L'Autorite du Ciel in it's new, corrupted form in her hand. She resisted the urge to glare at that spear; another piece of lost lineage for her house. Still; twisted into a form or not it didn't change what it was. Juno shut the door behind her as she walked over before stopping twelve feet from her; a stern glare on her face opposite Alison's nervous but forced neutral gaze. Not another soul could be seen in the room for a meeting some might have called historic. "I do hope this will not interrupt your duties too much."

"Do not attempt pleasantries with me, DesCieux." Juno let off firmly, adjusting the grip on her spear and banging it's butt to the ground once. "I'll grant I'm impressed that you'd force this meeting but what makes you think you're safe in this situation?"

"I appeal to your better nature; that you can listen." Alison replied simply. "That we can speak and come to an understanding. I would understand if you find this conversation difficult. So do I. To that end there is one thing I must ask in regards to my father before anything else." Juno sucked in a breath and glared harsher for a moment. "I am told he was surrendered in the end with part of the revolution wishing to kill him then and there and the other part wishing to hold trial."

"...Indeed." Juno hissed out.

"They say you posed as one of those seeking to give him trial and jail him until then as cover to get close only to drive your blade through him. Is that true?" Alison's voice cracked slightly as she spoke but kept her control as Juno's glare harder.

"I did. I will not deny that." The Prime Minister stated simply. Some would say executing a surrendered prisoner in such a manner was dishonorable; her simple counter to that was the Lucien DesCieux deserved no such honors. Moreover the kill was hers and hers alone, vengeance in part completed.

"I see... Then I have only one thing to say to that." Alison let off as Juno's lips offered a small smirk; curious as to what threat or demand the fool of a former princess would off her. "...I forgive you."

"What!?" Both glare and smirk left the Prime Minister as she shifted to a look of shock; reacting physically in a manner as if she was punched.

"I am well aware of what he did to you; even if only rumors reached me." Alison replied calmly. "But given your actions to my line I must assume some if not all is true. I cannot, in good conscious hold that against you."

"...You cannot think that sets things right." Juno let off as she glared back once.

"Of course not. I could forgive everyone who had a hand in the attempts on my life or my family after our exile but that wouldn't repair the damage done." Alison replied simply. "It would not bring back the dead, nor remove the scars nor end the hurt... but I want to rise above this hate and pain. To move forwards. To heal. To come home." That made Juno frown deeper as the former princess kept speaking. "But I am not the only one in need of such healing; many in the nation as well must heal... as does you, clearly."

"You hold no power over me, let alone what I should or should not be doing, girl." Juno replied as she banged her spear to the floor once more; enjoying the small flinch Alison made. "I will heal when you and your cursed line is gone."

"Truly? Then why are you so pained ten years after we were expelled?" Alison replied simply. "I am the first DesCieux to have set foot here in a decade; surely those wounds have mended a bit; non?"

"Expelled. Not gone." Juno let off as Alison shut her eyes for a long moment. "Your mere presence here causes instability and threatens yet another civil war. You were never meant to return and only Celestia's influence have ensured I have neither thrown you into a cell, back over the border or into a guillotine. All because you bare a selfish desire to 'come home' like the ignorant child you are."

Alison took a moment before opening her eyes with more steel in them then Juno had expected. "You speak a truth, a half truth and a lie." She replied, a sterner tone then the girl should have ever given. "It is a bit selfish to come home but as someone once exiled from Roxford you too would understand that pain of being removed from home and nation through choices you had no fault in. But in the grand scheme of things I am not asking for a position of power or even the palace to be returned to my family; just to come home. What is half right is that I was an ignorant child when I was forced to flee but I am returned as a young woman, learning still but wiser then before and listening to the people as best I can. But the lie is my presence has not caused the nation's instability; it merely highlights it." Juno glared and seemed ready to say something "Tell me; have you bothered to listen to those who decry their history being torn down? Have you asked what they wished to have done; or did it take a riot over a cafe before reconsidering?"

"How did you hear-"

"I perhaps get a dozen letters a day from my countrymen; although after the events in question I had nearly a hundred and change." Alison replied as Juno grit her teeth. Among the relics of the past the Prime Minister wanted to tear down was a building; the Cafe Tasses et Livres. Commissioned at the design and direction of Joelle DesCieux she wanted to bring easier reading to the masses. One part library and one part cafe it was an institution for two hundred years... an institution installed by House DesCieux and, as such, needed to be removed; especially the mural of Joelle in the back. She made the decree and told everyone it would be remade into a new structure; perhaps a proper library...

...only for her regulars to find the commoners standing before the cafe. One of the commanders ordered them removed but they wouldn't budge and when the soldiers moved to try and force the matter the peasantry pushed back... and not merely royalist sympathizers but also those loyal to the republic. The regulars would back down, report their failure and she ordered them back the next day.

The commoners were still there in defense of the building and now they were armed with weapons, makeshift weapons and even rocks in baskets. Forty of her men marched to clear the building against sixty commoners... and both sides suffered injuries with four commoners dying. The commander of the regulars would give the two men responsible for the deaths disciplinary punishment; twenty lashes each and placed on latrine duty for four years each. They only got off so light as the deaths were by carelessness then malice. Regardless he would return to her and told her, in no uncertain terms, he and his men would not return to Tasses et Livres and recommended against trying to change the building before saying 'The people of the republic have spoken and I shall listen. Will you?' Her desire to be done with it remained but it was clear she couldn't do it now. It was, to be blunt, a defeat to the ideals of the republic and the building was all but a stronghold for royalist sentiment. "That building is a symbol to be removed."

"Is that so, Queen Juno?"

"Watch your tongue!" Juno let off to the sarcastic reply that came back at her. "I was elected to my post; I didn't gain it through bloodline."

"And yet you act more like a queen then an elected official." Alison replied as she started to straighten her shoulders a hint more. "My understanding is a republic is meant to listen to the people. That you are meant to serve them and not the other way about; or am I mistaken?"

"Perhaps once they know what is best for them-"

"These are-"

"-their opinions would-"

"-not children."

"-mean something!" Juno barked out; the two women talking over one another for a moment as Juno pointed her spear at Alison. She sneered and grit her teeth. "No matter my title I am the ruler; the holder of the Lumiere du Peuple." She let off as she banged the butt of the weapon to the floor.

"It is the L'Autorite du Ciel."

"Once, but no-"

"The stone is named L'Autorite du Ciel." Alison replied cutting her off. "You have changed it shape from what it has been since it was gifted to my house back in the days of the Imperium but that does not change what it is. All you have done is damaged history; as is your wont."

"I find your words empty." Juno let off as Alison sighed.

"And yet such empty words stir you to frustration... Although I apologize; my intent had not been such." Alison said as she shut her eyes for a moment as she took a calming breath. "...Listen to me... You... I... Roxford... We are in a cycle of hurt and pain... and if we do not attempt to counter it I fear what shall happen to our land..."

[-]

That Moment
Sitting Room
Palace of the Starlight

"Let the meeting of Les Sept Lances begin." Corin Rocher let off as he stood at the head of a table. He, his fellow party members on the council as well as various aides, members who didn't earn the votes to rise to the council and other notable supporters were present. While Corrin had to retire from his post as a general his new post gave him a different sort of power and his old post was taken by a friend and supporter in Harold Olodea. As a general he would be key to any offensive actions the republic took once it was time to spread their ideals outwards.

In addition to General Olodea four other notable, Republican Guard Commanders were present for the meeting. "If I may begin..." Commander Tissurouge began. "Shall we begin the meeting with the subject of the chienne princess? After all her presence is causing us issues..."

"Perhaps, but there are benefits..." Corin replied with a small smirk. "After all; the royalists within the nation are becoming more bold by her return, temporary as it may be. It gives us the chance to identify them and, in time, deal with them." Despite having discarded the titles and worst parts of the Bloody Revolution anyone looking it would see that much of what made the Bloody Revolution bloody hadn't left them. "The reality is this: Alison DesCieux must die. The problem is Juno will not allow it from the threat of the backlash."

"To be fair she is, perhaps not by our choice, a guest in Roxford." Commander Jeutermine replied with a huff as he tapped a cigar to the table; resisting the urge to light it up and smoke inside the palace. "Sacred hospitality needs to observed lest we loose standing with our neighbors before we can spread the revolution."

"Tsk." Tissurouge let off as Jeutermine sighed in response.

"I know, I know... But we need to maintain honor and dignity; at least until it's time to finish our foes off." The cigar holding commander sighed. "We need to build strength before we can act."

"That's too true, sadly..." Corin said with a sigh. "And put out that cigar; we're not supposed to smoke in here." He let off as Jeutermine blinked at him as he lifted up his still unlit cigar.

"I haven't lit up at all."

"Then what's that... sm-smell..." Corin let off as a feeling of dizziness overcame him as he stumbled softly. "Wh-what..."

"Huh?" Tissurouge let off as he started to rise and-

-a smokey scent hit his nose; the scent of a light wood that one normally was associated with the smoking of meat and cheese-

"Gas!" One of them let off, starting to cast a spell only to cough and fell to his knees before slumping to the table, groaning as he fought to stay awake, each person in the room falling down, coughing and fighting to not let their visions go dark as a part of the wall shimmered before a man clad in black passed through over a shelf, hopping down as he drew a long knife and tossed a small, metal disk onto the table with a spell stone on it.

"Help! Gu-hack-cough!" One of them let off as the black clad man moved to a downed commander; grabbing his hair and in one efficient motion slit his throat. Corin realized who this person was; a Shadow Eye! He fell to the floor onto his hands and knees, coughing as he felt some air come back; the gas having not yet reached the floor as he crawled to the door. Strangled gurgles came about the room as one by one the members of Les Sept Lances was culled like cattle. The Shadow Eye didn't waste time; any man face up was stabbed in the throat or had it slit and any face down was lifted to have their throat slit or rolled over to be slain.

One died, then the next, then the next. Corin crawled towards the door but as he did the smell grew greater as the gas lowered to the floor, his limbs growing weaker as the smell grew stronger. Still he got closer, ten feet to the door... only for a blazing pain to strike his calf as the blade was run through it before being used as a handle, dragging him back. His scream should have alerted the guards; had them busting in the door... why weren't-

-the disk bore a silencing spell! "M-mercy..." He gasped out as the blade was pulled free before he was kicked over onto his back. Only the eyes of the assassin was seen as a knee was set to his chest as the Shadow Eye knelt down.

"Even if I had the control to disobey my orders I would grant you only a more painful death, Baby Killer." He let off driving his blade into his shoulder before reaching to his face with both hands.

Corin would howl in horror and agony as those thumbs came alight with magical fire as they crushed and burned his eyes out as he kept pressing down to break through his skull via the back of his eye sockets.

As he screamed, agony being his last moments of life he idly wondered what sort of death could be more painful.

Then all was nothingness.

Once the man was dead the Shadow Eye pulled the blade free and huffed over the dead man, glaring to him. There were many parts of his mission he would disobey if the spell bind tattoo wasn't there, if the man using Dawkin's face and voice hadn't found the brooch... But there was some satisfaction that the Flames and Spears were now dead. The Crowns were left alive and unharmed; the gas would leave them in the land of dreams until the morrow.

Sadly his bloody work was not yet done...

[-]

Library
Palace of the Starlight

"I am sure like myself you bear nightmares and find yourself waking up screaming or in fear that you are under attack." Alison began as she looked back to Juno, moving a hand to her chest. "We are wounded; not on the flesh but the soul. And in spite of the attempts on my life I have healed in my time in Camafran; perhaps not fully but to a point. But you have not been allowed that, have you?" Her hands moved to her lap as she kept speaking, looking to Juno still. "You fought in the first revolution and remained as a general while the Bloodies ruled. You then fought them and lost your family." Juno's eyes narrowed but she kept speaking. "And then you were brought into the leadership of a wounded, divided nation. You've not had the chance to rest, to recover and heal. You've just been pushed forwards, regardless of your needs."

"You think that makes you better then me?" Juno let off, pointing to the younger woman with her off hand. "That you would make a better leader then I? You've done nothing to lead and nothing to better yourself."

"You are half right; I have not led others and only been trained in such. In that sense I am untested." Alison said softly. "But I have done more then sit around on my hands; I have applied myself to studies and practice. However in terms of who is a better leader I would not claim superiority."

"And yet you've returned still." Juno replied with a stern look. "We both know power tends to collect around the DesCieux name within Roxford. Leron Jesuisla's rule ended by a DesCieux who didn't seek the throne. As did Pierre Jeuneroi's rule; ended in a matter of months."

"Did power collecting overthrow them alone?" Alison spoke softly. "Jesuisla overthrow the crown and claimed it himself, yes, but he had appointed the loyal over the competent; no matter how cruel those men were to the point the army itself needed little prompt to rally behind Lefou. And Jeuneroi attempted to rewrite the history of the nation before Arthur arose to halt him."

"Tsk." The comment of 'rewrite history' didn't go over her head. "My point stands. The Kingdom is gone. The Republic stands."

"Have I disputed that?" Alison said as she set a hand to her chest. "Have I made a move to refute that? Roxford is my home, regardless."

"No longer, exile."

"Do you intent to stop trying to kill me, then?" Alison shot back almost right away; glaring back softly. "You would deny my place within Roxford while at the same time declaring me subject to it's judgment?"

"So long as-"

"Enough." Alison barked back. "Enough... You have such a wounded soul it frightens me."

"Wounded? Of course it's wounded." Juno let off as she all but slammed her spear to the floor; it's butt echoing in the room. "Your father had me and my family raped by sixty men! Do you understand what that does to a woman!? How broken my sister was afterwards!? Why I demanded before your death you be..." Juno stopped short as she glared, her voice wavering in anger as she took a calming breath. "That you escaped a virgin is a salve to Lucien's soul I'm sure." Alison didn't reply for a long moment before when she spoke it was with a forced calm.

"I always wondered if that man's claim was truth or taunt. I suppose I know now." She began to speak. "And more over it makes me understand more. You desecrate history not for Roxford's sake but your own."

"Silence, wench. The Republic cannot move on until your House is forgotten."

"The Republic or you?" Alison shot back to Juno's chilled tone. "What happened to you and your family was terrible; unforgivable even. But what you do is not for Roxford. What happens pains you, doesn't it? But you are letting it consume you. You say you want to end my line? Are you, then, to send assassins as far as Rycall?" Juno flinched as Alison spoke with cold calm to her. "And even if you slew all barring the name you forget that members of my house married into other in Camafran, Eostia and even Balanar. The name is worn by distant cousins in Eostia as well who serve as minor lords there." That made Juno pale; she was unaware that the name had carried on so far from Roxford. "Indeed. And before the republic they too bore a claim to the crown; if far, far down the line."

Juno's eyes were wide as she felt a cold sweat washed over her. "Th-that far out..."

"Our family was ruined more then once." Alison explained calmly. "It was thought it best to send two members to start a branch far afield from Roxford. They aren't considered family honestly, save in a most distant sense that... really doesn't qualify by such distance, but they remain. The name of DesCieux is not going to die easily. But I needs return to my point; you are confusing what you think is best for you with what truly is best for the nation. You are hurt; we are all hurt but that's no excuse to spread that hurt. You keep erasing history that people wish to hold on to. You place your rage onto those that do not harm you. Tell me; who will be the target of your rage and anger if there's no more DesCieux or history left to remove? Do you honestly think it will be sated or will it be turned onto another line or another piece of Roxford?"

Juno's lips turned to a snarl at the implications as she glared back.

[-]

That Moment
Sitting Room of the Royals
Palace of the Starlight

Bracket two of the tournament was now ongoing as Celestine found herself opposing a new opponent; King Xerander of Balanar. In addition to that she could see Merlin Noxdecus facing his new opponent at the other end of the table; King Victor Celestia. The end of his match against John Mandeville must have been decisive given the elderly man left in a huff. She was enjoying the tournament thus far as Xerander scowled and huffed looking to the board. His forces on the board controlled the center of the board, a usually powerful position, but Celestine's army had him flanked on both sides and any move he made risked something being picked off. "I often forget, thanks to your peaceful manner and demure appearance, how intelligent you can be..."

"I sometimes wonder how often I am underestimated, yes." She replied as she smiled in a serine manner. "Speaking of; I've heard Zerkzes has been learning the game and is challenging some of his tutors." Xerander grunted as he moved a knight; trying to reposition it to pressure the High Queen's bishop.

"Indeed. He is managing to vex a couple of them. He's even won a match or two." He let off with a sigh of his own as they spoke of his son. Celestine would observe the board for a moment before moving a well positioned pawn forwards where it was threatened by the knight... but also threatened his rook... while being covered by Celestine's own rook. He tapped his finger to the table.

"Hmmm, depending on things he could grow into a heart breaker. Hmmm..." She let off as she looked about for a moment before flagging a maid and waving her over. Once the maid came closer she smiled. "Excuse me... what is that incense that's being burned?"

"Hmmm... Indeed, that's an odd... smell... ugh..." Xerander let off as Celestine looked back to him with worry.

"We're not using in... in... incens... ohhh..." The maid let off a moan as she started to crumple to her knees. Celestine started to rise to assist only for a wave of vertigo to come over her followed by a feeling of tiredness... as did the rest of the room as people started to fall over.

"...no..." She let off as a disk with a spell stone was tossed into the room. She quickly under stood what it was; a silence spell set to it to avoid anyone calling for help. She collapsed to the floor, attempts to call upon her magic failing her. Just then her hearing picked it up; a soft, soft scrape of moving stone that was carved and sanded just right to slide with minimal noise as someone left. A part of her was willing to give who ever did this praise; depending on the gas used they might be out for hours... whoever the mastermind was ensured they would be unable to fight or flee under their own power... Whatever the plan to come was she would have no power to effect it as she fell into a forced slumber as she saw Olga slump off her seat to the floor.

[-]

Library
Palace of the Starlight

"What sort of woman do you think I am that I would turn on my own people!?" Juno barked out in offense as she pointed the Lumiere du Peuple towards the ex-princess who calmly looked back at her. "I fought, bled and nearly died for them time and again!"

"I am not unaware of that." Alison let off; a sweat of fear striking her but she didn't step back or back down. "But I am also aware you granted no mercy to those you fought at either Battle of Pierre de Ble, or any battle following. Were they not your countrymen too? Your people?"

"They were royalists; they wouldn't have been able to be reasoned with." She spat back out, still glaring.

"And yet they too fought, bled and actually died in service." Alison replied. "Did they not surrender? Or beg mercy when defeated only to be given none? Like you they fought for they believed in and stood for? Can you look me in the eye and say a man who became a solider to defend his nation deserved to be slaughtered like that? I do not judge you for killing combatants standing in battle but those unable to fight back? Those willing to toss their weapons down in surrender or those who already have?"

"They deserved no honor given to them."

"Or did you have no honor to give?"

"You have no right to judge me!" Juno let off stepping in and moving the point of her spear forwards until it was a foot from Alison's face, sneering at her as Alison moved a finger to the spell stone of the weapon. "You do not know me you entitled, snot nosed-" The stone glowed once Alison's finger neared it as a shock of magic hit her arm; making her stumble back in surprise and shock with only a soft gasp showcasing the minor harm that vanished in a moment.

"Neither do you know me." Alison said firmly as Juno moved the spear to her other hand; shaking her arm out and glaring once more. "You've as much right to judge me as I have you. Look at yourself. Judge yourself." She spoke to Juno. "You order history destroyed when the populace at large wishes to remember. You destroy symbols and relics that cannot be replaced. You claim to represent the people but you refuse to listen to them. You wish to educate the populace but don't understand what they already know. You claim to act in Roxford's interests yet your actions speak of vengeance. But what worries me most is that you know you are wounded but do nothing to heal... When is the last time you took the time to reflect? Relax? Speak of your hurts? Speak of your hopes? Princess Celestia has been a best friend and sister to me for years now and having her ear to listen to my worries and fears has helped lessen them."

For the first time since their conversation began Juno's face turned to a calmer and more thoughtful look as she moved her spear back to her right hand, setting it's butt to the floor once more as Alison kept speaking. "I do not know how close you are to Acadia but surely you are close enough to confide in her? I'd offer to listen myself if not for your clear distaste of the idea. Believe me when I say just... getting it all off your chest can make you feel as if you can take a breath deeper then you've known in years." Alison smiled as she took a two steps forwards; halting four feet from Juno. "I am not your enemy, nor would I wish to be. Your enemy is internal; it is your hurt. And if you do not mend your hurt it will be passed onto others... and perhaps passed back unto you in turn. When was the last time you shared your harms with another?"

Juno stayed silent for a long, long moment as she twisted the butt onto the floor; as if something Alison said had struck a chord with her. When was the last time she shared her fears? Not with Acadia... No, she was her subordinate; surely that was inappropriate. Her former lover who didn't return from his attempt on Alison's life? No; there was much she kept secret... that was a barrier they never breached... Avuka L'Avant of the Flames was one of her closest allies but... no, their ideals didn't match enough for that... The last time she confided anyone was... was...

...

...to her mother, four years ago...

Juno looked down to the side; pangs of emptiness hitting her as she recalled the void left by her missing family. "...too long..." She finally admitted.

Alison stayed as calm as she could and showed no outwards reaction but inside she smiled. For the first time since they started to speak Juno spoke something that wasn't meant to confront or demean her. "It took almost a year for me to open up. I bottled it all up to keep it from leaking but it only thickened and condensed... It is... toxic to not be able express those feelings, to not expel them and allow another to support you. Perhaps you will not trust my judgment on the matter but Queen Lucross would surely share such council were you to ask for it. You are not an island, no one is. You need help. You need support. You need love. I do not blame you if you seek none from me but you must seek it from someone. Someone you can trust..." Juno stayed silent and looked to the side, grinding the spear's butt to the floor with soft, slow twists.

When her face finally rose up and looked to her Alison winced at what was there; a pained face and eyes of sorrow. Her face was no longer twisted in a scowl or a sneer or even a glare. It was a sad frown as Juno finally looked inwards to see what was there. "...I... ...I..."

creek

Combat instincts kicked in as Juno's eyes turned up and to the side, outside of her peripheral vision she saw it; a black clad man dropping down towards her with a long knife in his hands. Clad in mythril as she was a mere bladed and pointed weapon was not a threat but the lightning running over it suggested that Shocking Weapon was placed on it; a weapon bolstering spell that was aimed at increasing the puncturing power of a weapon to the point she couldn't be sure of that in this moment. She started to turn to defend herself but would be too slow to do so...

For the Shadow Eye he had done his duty; the meetings of the three parties of the Council and the gathered lords in the tournament were gassed with the Spears and Flames put to the blade. Mission accomplished he was to return to Balin Claraurora for further orders... only to stumble over a conversation between his princess Alison DesCieux and the leader of the traitors, Juno DeLiberte... and his orders kicked in once more. Assassinating Juno wasn't a priority for him but he was told that she was a target of opportunity; the target of opportunity. If the opportunity came and there was a sizable chance she could be killed then she was to be killed even at the cost of his own life. He had no more knock-out gas to make his attack go smoothly but he still had the element of surprise.

It was a rare thing over the last few years in that he would not fight the spell bind tattoo on this case. She turned too slow even as she noticed him; his blade coated with a double strength Shocking Weapon! She would not survive! His weapon came crashing down-

-only to impact an Arcane Shield with only a small crack to show for the impact. To his (And Juno's) surprise his attack was blocked by Princess Alison; hands out as she held up the spell. He was forced to hop away from a spear swing only to dash back in and with a roar of effort slammed the point of his knife into the shield, breaking through it as he added a Combat Art to his weapon's boost, ready to follow up-

-before something struck his back between the shoulder blades. Juno's eyes widened as he was yanked back via a chain made of arcane mana as a voice cried out 'Get over here!', being grabbed by the back of his outfit by two hands and flipped over a shoulder before being slammed face down into the floor with force and bouncing off it. Dazed he only got to see the fist of James Noxdecus emerge from a blurry image as his fist crashed down into his head.

[-]

"This is a bad sign." I let off, sighing as I moved to pull rope from my armor's Bag of Holding; swiftly moving to bind the assassin.

"Noxdecus!?" Juno let off as Alison sighed in relief. "Where did you...? How did you...?"

"Forgive him; he was here at my bequest and sworn to secrecy." Juno turned to face Alison as I worked. "I did not think you would attack me but I opted to have some insurance in the event something went wrong; as such I had him hide under an Illusion."

"Seriously." Juno let off as Alison moved around her and to the downed man, making sure he would live. I was finally done binding him as I ripped his mask off and looked to the back of his neck.

"Another spell bind." I let off with a frown as Alison applied some light healing. "That's not good."

"We need to let people know; another of these men might be running around... but... how did he sneak in?" Alison asked as she looked to me as Juno walked over, eyes darting about.

"The wall... I had a Ring of Alarm spell up just in case." I let off, grunting as I lifted him up and set the man to my shoulder. "I wasn't in position to intercept but a part of the wall by the top of a bookshelf is an illusion... There must be a panel or something normally there."

"I know of those passages but... I didn't think one was in here..." Alison let off with a sigh. "...But to attack Juno... in the palace?"

"Let's go." I let off as Alison nodded and moved to the door, opening it and speaking to the guards outside as I turned my head to give Juno a heated glare. "For the record..." I told her sternly. "Ordering her raped like that is making me reconsider that oath of secrecy I made." Juno at least had the decency to flinch before I turned and walked out; the Camafran guards outside joining us as we left.

[-]

'Ordering her raped like that is making me reconsider that oath of secrecy I made.' Juno felt a twinge of guilt for the first time in regards to anything she had done to Alison... Maybe that was too far... maybe... But she had to die... because if Alison was alive there was a threat that all she worked and bled for would...

...

...

'But I needs return to my point; you are confusing what you think is best for you with what is best for the nation. You are hurt; we are all hurt but that's no excuse to spread that hurt.'

...

...

Juno finally moved to follow them... and she wondered that if the girl who lived before that day King Lucien came to visit would even like the woman she became...

'It had to be done...' She told herself. 'It had to be...'

[-]

We carried the man to a guard's room and called the L'Argentunes over. We ended up passing Riri, Makoto, Mokria and Miria along the way and they came along. I tried calling Celestine but I got no answer from her. Worried I tried calling Claudia and... nothing. I did get Alicia and reported in and asked her to check on the tournament as we sat the man in a seat as we gathered around him. "So, another Shadow Eye?" Lynette let off with a huff before looking to me. "Are you sure you can't remove it? That tattoo?" The man in question, brown haired and eyed, looked up to us with his stubble laden face glaring.

"I know the theory of removing it but there are different styles of spell binds and each has their own means of removal." I explained. "You need to work on them slowly and over time; they are designed to collapse the mana system if someone tried to remove them. If I tried he'd have, maybe five seconds before dying and that does no one any good."

"There must be a work around, right James-Sama?" Makoto asked as I frowned in thought. "You must have an idea."

"I mean... not off hand..." I admitted as i crossed my arms.

"Perhaps you can walk us through why these cause death like that?" Alison suggested as Acadia gave her a weird look. It wasn't fully unexpected; she and Juno walked in together and weren't at each other's throats. I overheard and watched it all from where I stood; hidden under an Illusion spell and near the end it seemed as if Alison was started to get through to Juno and build a bridge between the gap between them. For a moment it seemed like Juno was starting to see past her anger... this guy interrupted something that could have changed Roxford for the better.

"Well; it's an enchantment inked onto a person using powdered spell stone in the ink." I began. "Mostly placed into the form of runes to further bind those under them. You are placing a spell not unlike a slave collar and binding it directly to their mana system. Any resistance to it would cause the spell to fail until it's completed and you can't apply it on someone asleep or unconscious. The person it's being applied to must be awake and consent to it; or at least be blackmailed into it."

"A moment." Mokria spoke as he looked to the man, moving closer to the Shadow Eye who glared back. "You say it is bound to his mana system, correct?"

"Yeah, that's how it works." Mokria frowned in thought for a moment before he looked to me.

"I have an idea that may work and loosen his tongue." He stated. "It will not be pleasant for him but it could work." I didn't know what he meant but I looked to the Shadow Eye once more and hummed.

...

Something was off and he might be the only source of answers. I looked back to Mokria and nodded. "Do it." He nodded once and moved one hand to the Eye's shoulder and pulled his other back into a fist... as it started to glow a dark, reddish tint and I realized what he intended.

"I will pull the punch, do not fear." The Catalan let off as he hit the man in the chest with a light blow; more of a soft slap, as the Shadow Eye gasped and lurched forwards. He gasped out and glared to Mokria and then-

"You son of a- ... Wa-wait, how am I-?"

I snapped my finger. "Of course, Poisoned Mana!" I barked out as the rest of the room looked to me. "That must be disrupting the connection between the bind and his system!"

"Good thinking Dridra!" Miria let off as she pumped her arm as I used Observe on the man once more; before it listed him as 'Shadow Eye Assassin' but now it named him; Henri Oxlo. He looked about in surprise, shivering in discomfort from the poisoned mana but then he gasped.

"The bind... Yes, I can speak my mind free of it now..." He let off before looking to Alison. "Forgive me, my princess... Through no will of mine I have betrayed all of Roxford..."

"That's no fault of yours but I must asked what has happened?" Alison asked, moving to kneel before him. "What is going on? Who had you target Juno and why?"

"Killing her was not the objective; she's a target of opportunity." He let off; pained but now eager to speak. "I was set to use a knock-out gas to as a means to assassinate the Flames and Spears... They're dead."

"Are the Crowns..?" Lynette began as the man shook his head.

"Non; there's a mole inside the Crowns, Jules Taupe." He told them. "They've been gassed to ensure they can't leave; Justical wants them alive for their holdings."

"Justical!?" Juno let off as she stepped in. "What are they doing?" Henri glared to the Prime Minister but Alison was quick to speak.

"If Roxford is under threat then we must know." The princess let off. "Royalist or Republican; if we are under attack we must respond."

"...Of course... They are launching an attack... They're invading Roxford today." Henri said as my blood went cold. "I was ordered to gas the chess tournament as well; they want to capture all of the leaders here... There's an army marching from the south now, ships sailing up to take Elouan City... but the vanguard is coming here to capture the palace first... Balin wants the leadership of Roxford taken... and he aims to take Enterprise for study." If my blood started cold it was now sub-zero as I whipped out my voxlux, calling Alicia.

"James, I'm not there yet, call back wh-" Alicia's face popped up and started to speak but I cut her off.

"Alicia, do not open the door until you have someone with a wind spell!" I barked out to her shock. "The palace is coming under attack and the tournament was hit with knock-out gas." Her face paled quickly at that. "More over there's a Justical invasion en route; ask later how we know but start raising the alarm, now!" Juno grabbed my wrist and yanked my arm over to look at Alicia next.

"Have Balin detained until further notice as well; as of now we know that capturing the visiting leadership is an aim." Alicia nodded and ended the chat to focus on her new duty.

"But surely there must scouts reporting in if an invasion is coming, right? You can't easily hide an army large enough to invade a nation." Riri let off as Henri shook his head. "There must be a spell paper letter on route to-"

"Paper snipers were smuggled in..." Henri injected as I frowned deeper. 'Paper Snipers' were spell casters trained to bring down spell paper letters; usually using special enchanted items to detect them. Basic tactics were to work out where the letters would come from, where they'd go and spread at least three Paper Snipers between those two points in a fan with a one hundred foot distance between them. Depending on the importance and logistics you could get up to eleven or more in position... "The Royal Guards are still being funded... they're in the city... and the vanguard is using strange new sea craft; I'm told they sail under the water as opposed to on it."

"Submersible craft?" I let off, surprised... and then I recalled something that Balin said on the first meeting about the canal...

'Just know that Eostia isn't the only nation with a man who can innovate'.

Shit. "What do you know about these... submarines?" I asked him; unknowingly giving the vessel type it's classification from here on out in this world.

"There is maybe a dozen or so and carry only so many... ten or twelve maybe?" Henri said. That, if accurate, would mean a hundred and forty odd people. Assuming they bypassed the city and given what I know about the palace's guard there would still be a two to one edge in Justical's favor; likely more. If we could draw on all the guards brought by the visiting leaders we might approach a one and change to one instead... as good as that sounds Justical had a hell of a reputation for combat capacity and if they crammed as many people as they could on those ships we might see up to two hundred men there... More over, I had to consider something...

If the gas attack worked that meant Celestine, Olga, Xerander and Claudia were KOed... as well as anyone else in the room; my parents, Mandeville, Klaus, any and all bodyguards inside of the room keeping an eye on things...

That was nearly all of our heaviest hitters... Putting my personal worries and fears aside (Oooh, did I have a few right now...) that meant we wouldn't have them pitching in once Justical arrived... and worse if I was a Justical general planning this invasion I'd operate under the assumption the gas attack was only partially successful or even failed outright...

If you want to pick a fight with the Goddess Reborn you don't send a snot-nosed brat who's still working out which end of the sword to hold and which to use on the enemy; you send out your combat veterans; your most seasoned and elite men. And oh lord did Justical have some heavy hitters.

The worst thing that could happen is if all three of the Shining Virtues arrived, Justicals top three generals; Horus Aeternus, Alexander Primus and Scorpio Rex the Greater; aka the Generals of Order, Honor and Discipline; aka the Mage Slayer, the War Titan and the Battlefield's Zealot. Hell; any one of them would be trouble if they showed up.

Of the three Primus was the one I matched up with the best; by all accounts he was a huge, seven foot plus tall man in heavy mythril armor (Heavy meaning thrice as thick; quadruple in the helm and breastplate and right pauldron and quintuple over the left arm and extra long left pauldron) with a heavy maul as a main weapon. He was supposed to be wicked fast for his size but would be easier for a caster like me to handle. Note; I said easier, not easy.

Rex the Greater (The Greater being more or less just meaning Rex Senior) was supposedly a heavily armored, light based spell caster with an enchanted shield and warhammer. The man literally prayed to Justical like it was his god and was the head of the Fides Iustitia Church who took the royals of Justical as their savior and acted like they were a divine lineage. Yeah, it was a bit nuts.

Aeternus would be, however, the worst for me to face and not just me; Alicia, Maia, Lulu and the Dawn Templars wouldn't be a good match to him either and it was explained in his other nickname; Horus the Titaniumclad. Yes, Titanium. His armor and weapons were, supposedly, titanium with some mythril alloyed in to let it repel magic, hence his most known moniker of 'The Mage Slayer'; dude was custom built to fight spell casters. It's not like he would be ineffective against normal foes as well; killing a foe in steel armor without the right weapons is a headache and he was wearing armor of a stronger metal. The Dragon's Claw could manage it if I put enough force into it but the usual answer someone might have (Like, say, an elemental weapon spell) wouldn't work. And considering Justical should be planning to fight Celestine... safe bet he was coming for the party.

And those were just the big three of Justical generals; there was the lesser three generals who would be a handful in their own rights, various commanders and rising names on top of all that. Needless to say this wasn't a fight I was looking forwards to. My only hope was with Justical sending three forces to attack the Shining Virtues were split to lead each as well. "Do you know when the invasion is set to arrive?" Lynette asked as Henri shook his head.

"I don't know the exact time; but it's set to be before noon. That much I know." He said as I frowned deeper; we could have anywhere between two minutes to two hours to get ready.

"Once the rooms are cleared of gas we'll move the Crowns and our downed guests to a room and place them under a small guard." Juno let off as she banged her spear to the ground twice to assert herself. "Everyone else will await the coming attack; any man or woman able to hold a weapon or cast a spell must be ready to fight."

"Mokria; find Miika and have her moved to that room as well." I told the elder catalan in the room who nodded but Miria set a hand on his arm.

"I'll do it; you stay here in case we need to keep him speaking." She said, a very serious look to her face before she moved to dash off.

"Everyone... we must do our best to hold the foe outside of the palace." Juno said before looking to Henri once more. "Tell us all you can."

[-]

Ten Minutes Later
Deck of the ETS-MG Enterprise
Moored Outside the Palace of the Starlight

"I'm telling you, something is in the water!"

"I don't see a damn thing!" Valerie Catcher glared to the woman who replied to her; Alexa Gentt. Both stood at five foot six, had C-Cup breasts and bore shoulder blade length hair in a single braid which made their sisters-in-arms call them 'the twins' despite Valerie boasting pink eyes and blue hair with long bangs framing her face and Alexia having flat bangs over her face with green hair and cyan eyes so bright she was mistaken as a dragonborne twice atop of naturally tanned skin compared to Valerie's more pale complexion. More over they had very different combat niches; Alexa was the classic 'brawler' type of fighter who liked to use a single handed axe in one hand and a short sword with a pronged guard in the off hand and get in the face of her foes. By contrast Valerie used an enchanted compound bow with a strong draw weight and served mostly as an archer with a pair of eastern sais as back up weapons.

"How do you not see that!? You can see the swell in the canal!" Valerie pointed out at the canal in question as they stood at the rear of the deck; to most it was faint but she could see an odd wave and swell in the water moving to the palace. More over something about the water under the swell seemed... off; more shimmery then what light refracting caused in the water.

"Looks like a wave to me."

"You don't have waves like that in a river!" Valerie shot back.

"Yeah, but the Connection is being filled; that's likely what's causing it." Alexa let off as the archer groaned and pulled her bow off and quickly notched an arrow. "You're joking..."

"There's something there, I know it..." Valerie said as she took aim and then started to lift her bow up to get the right angle for the still far off target as the arrowhead glowed with a Combat Art.

"You're gonna waste an arrow."

"Well it's my arrow to waste!" Valerie let off as she sent the arrow flying off; the power of her bow's enchantments allowed the arrow to sail the five hundred feet to the target, that odd swell in the water. It would strike the into the water over swell, drove down half a foot and stopped moving forwards at it's odd angle, as if it was the flag pole of something they didn't see. Both women stiffened in realization. "Oh shit..."

"Call the Commander!" Alexa shit off, darting to the controls. Lord Noxdecus brought all of the Templars to the control on the trip over and while they didn't get to pilot the ship he laid out the controls 'just in case' and she had piloted a Cloud Rider in the past. She heard Valerie make the call as she ended the mana chains mooring the ship and quickly reversed it out of the dock before turning it hard and aiming it at the canal.

"No answer!" Valeria let off.

"The Lieutenant!" Alexa let off as she hammered the speed back and powered the Enterprise forwards down the canal; eyeing the stone that warned her about the anti-levitation spell they were still in range of as she steered. She didn't know what was going on and moments before there seemed to be a stir in the palace with a lot of rapid movement but she knew if something was going wrong then the Enterprise couldn't fall into the wrong hands and the safest place for it was in the air. She gritted her teeth as the arrow rose over the water as a void appeared under it before a... strange ship she'd never seen the like of appeared, shimmering into view as an Illusion spell dropped; it looked like a long, wooden box save the front which had the top of it jutting some five feet ahead of the bottom. The slanted front was plated in what seemed like brass and whatever was giving the strange thing it's speed gained more power.

She realized it was attempting to block her take off and she grit her teeth, yanking on a throttle that was already pulled all the way back; she risked damaging the most valuable asset Eostia had built in a game of chicken and knew she couldn't afford to blink or lose. Finally the light went off and she pulled on the control stick, powering the airship into the sky and to safety, turning the ship to look down as more strange ships surfaced and powered towards the palace.

She felt terrible that she wouldn't be on the ground fighting but duty came first...

[-]

By the time we were organized and moving out to the courtyard and readying to do battle I saw Enterprise turn in the air as the first, boxy submarine rushed to the shores of the island; docks ringed the whole thing but the docks were close to the water, maybe a foot off it's surface. Thus when the boats impacted the shore their slanted fronts let them ramp up onto the ground before the top front opened up; flipping forwards and forming a ramp as a dozen men in full plate armor rushed out and these guys came to party. Levels twenty six to thirty five (And that's just those I could see in this batch) and carrying weapons (With some armored and unarmored mages in the mix) and seemingly rushing up an internal ladder or ramp to the deployed ramp then the ground as a second ship made landfall with two mages firing Fireballs to blow the outer wall apart... as a flag pole lifted up from the first ship that landed and unfurled a flag (In fact they all would) while a fire spell was shot straight up into the air...

Said flag bore a dark blue background with yellow corners, cut to match the red diamond who's corners touched all four sides of the flag. Inside the flag was a two-toned, periwinkle knight's helm with the plume waving to the right and a pair of swords crossed under it with the points downwards; the Flag of Justical.

Clearly they wanted to let everyone know who came to fight.

We didn't have much of a chance to assess the situation as we moved to meet the invaders as more submarines surfaced and ended Illusion spells. Our side of things was... I had worries; the Republican Guard wasn't bad but maybe five levels under the opposing grunts. More over there were bigger worries...

Among those KOed by the gas included Chloe, Arnold von Blitzhaus and the Celestias so no help from any of them wasn't present... but someone who left the room was... John Mandeville... Yup... we... we were fighting on the same side now. I... I had no words. Channer was on the field, as was Miria, Mokria, Riri, Makoto, Alicia, Prim, Lulu, Auryon Reid and most of the Dawn Templars, the bulk of the bodyguards who came from Balanar, Rycall, Nyaru, Dominious (With Dax taking the field as well), Camafran, Garan and the territories of Mungale and Elddale were here to fight as well. On top of that despite being told by Juno she had no responsibility to do so Alison was taking the field as well, joining the Prime Minister and the L'Argentunes. People from nations and factions who were normally at each others throats were about to defend a single palace against an oncoming Justical attack...

War does make for odd bedfellows... Right; first things first I had to-

"My life for Justice!"

"You will not end our way of life!"

"For Justical! For FREEEEEDOOOOOOM!"

The fuck!? Why are these idiots screaming? What are these idiots screaming!?

Whatever... Bigger issues.

As ship number two unloaded another pair of submarines made land fall as I took aim at another ship now turning in the moat of the palace to travel along it's ring; likely aiming to flank our sides. I sent off a Fireball to handle that issue; as useful as submarines were the ones from my old world were very sensitive to sinking once cracked. I didn't think these would be any different...

And my Fireball blew up half way there as it was struck by an arcane spell; Shunt Shot I think. More or less a shield spell fired off to intercept spells in mid-air. Okay then, time for Plan B.

What's Plan B?

I drew the Horned Colt into my right hand, took aim and squeezed a round off; the enchantment set to the bullet turning into a Fireball upon impact. I missed slightly; hitting the water in front of the ship but the spell still went off and rocked the ship with bits of debris coming off it. The top door opened right after as men started to scramble out; some pulling off armor as round two found it's mark; sending men into the water as I blew a hold in the waterline of it's side before targeting the next one... and seeing a lance of blazing fire aimed at me...

Shit!

"I will regret this..."

And the spell was blocked by a burning, triple headed Cerberus dog as I looked to the side where John Mandeville stood, spell book open in one hand, cane in the other. "Thanks." I let off plainly. I could have dealt with it, or even tanked it but the risk of failing or being hurt by it was there.

"I'll provide the cover, boy." He spat out. "Just sink those ships." He let off as his flaming dog moved to a defensive position before me and spat a fireball off to the offending mage who attacked me.

...

God this feels awkward.

Even so I fired my next bullets off to the other ships; I blasted two of them and made them come to a stop with one getting a hole in it's side and the other blowing it's front off, wholesale. I damaged another with a blast but it was able to turn and power towards the shore; another blew a chunk off but it was still able to make landfall.

As I reloaded I noted that there was more gunfire that was not mine; who's I didn't know but I didn't see anyone on the opposing side with a gun. I compartmentalized it for the moment; more focused on the ships. Our lines started to clash and I could see ships going around the other side sinking with fireballs going off at the timing of the other shots... another enchanted gun? But who...?

...

Channer... Dude must have had the same idea I had. Great minds thinking alike, I guess.

The rest of the ships got the message; there would be no flanking as they rushed to the shore where they could. In the end I counted maybe fourteen ships; we nailed at least six and sank them while damaging at least three others. That was nearly half their force that wouldn't have an easy time to make it to shore.

(As a side note; you could swim in mythril armor of standard thickness if you were really fit but it was anything but easy and you'd likely be exhausted by the time you reached the shore. If it was a steel/mythril alloy of three quarters quality you could, maybe, possibly manage it with exceptional fitness but once the mix was half and half you were dead if you couldn't get it off, no questions. If anyone with pure mythril armor made it to shore they might not have the stamina to fight so everyone on those ships that didn't drown was out of the battle for the immediate future until they could recover. Terrible fate to drown and be able to do nothing about it but I could feel bad about it later.)

Even so we were being charged so I tossed the Colt to my off hand, drew the Dragon's Claw and readied to fight as I gave the Colt the command to reload once more before extending it's pronged blade. A mental count told me I should have had sixteen bullets left (I wasn't carrying more as it seemed excessive when I was a guest. That's my mistake) so I didn't want to waste them.

The Old Man's summoned beast roared and leapt in first. I moved in second, putting me between the enemy and Mandeville to... to protect him...

I feel dirty.

[-]

A battle cry saw his mace smash into a foe's face; helm caving in with the force of his Combat Art. He would use his shield to deflect a blade, swung the top of his weapon up into a man's gut; the chain mail taking the hit poorly and doubling him over as he clubbed the back of his head, sending him down and left him unmoving as he looked about, seeking his target. She was here, he knew it.

"Focus, Rodrick." The man looked to his side; Horus Aeternus. Standing an impressive six three the man clad in titanium armor had his helm off for the moment; not a hair on his face or head as his stern gazed look off to the field, gray eyes glaring. "We have many enemies here." The armor he wore was polished. The full plate was mostly plain and unadorned save golden colored trim, the helm and blades of Justical painted over his left breast, the armor over his knees and elbows ending in points and the pauldrons he wore was oddly large and curved with the emblems of his nation on the sides. A heavy, three and a half foot long, plain seeming, titanium blade rested on his shoulder as he held his helm in his left hand; a great helm with golden mythril added to the front in a cross with the visor's slit set into it. "Revenge will matter little if the battle is lost; taking your throne will wound her more then your mace."

"I would rather wound her with the mace." Rodrick replied simply. By contrast Rodrick DesCieux stood at six foot even with a mullet of blonde hair matching the beard on his face; semi but not fully groomed and a bit messy. He bore a gold colored circlet of Mana Armor to guard his head while his armor was silvered mythril with gold trim. There was a thick breastplate over segments over the abs with rounded edges. His left pauldron was larger then it's counterpart but the plate was otherwise symmetrical with the crown of the old flag of the Kingdom of Roxford was set to the center of his chest. Blue tassels fell from around his hips and a red sash was tied around his waist. An oval shaped, tower shield was in his left hand; silvered mythril on the front, the Roxford Crown emblem in it's center and trimmed with a golden edge. His right hand bore a mace; a golden mythril shaft but a titanium head. "Fear not, Horus. Any fool between me and her dies and once the chienne is sent to hell the rest of this war will be smoother then your head."

"So long as justice is done!" Horus said as he stepped forward; an Eostian Dawn Templar thinking she could handle him with ease her Mana Armor not giving any resistance as his titanium blade pierced the mana that guarded her. She gurgled and fell to the ground as he marched forwards. "Go. I have my own target." He didn't see Celestine Lucross or Olga Discordia in the courtyard and with two of the most important targets likely removed from play from their earlier sabotage he prioritized the next most important target...

The man in the dragon scale armor...

[-]

Alicia had trained with the Shining Lance once James had fully enchanted it and they had arrived in Roxford. This would be the first time she used it in battle and she was now truly impressed by it as she hurled it through the air with it's stone projecting a pointed head and wings as it acted as a javelin, sailing to it's target who lifted his shield up. Even so the weapon slammed past the barrier and by the scream his arm was caught in the impact.

One command and flex of her mana and it sailed back to her hand as she shifted it into a halberd; bringing it down to the first foe who came into range of her; he would block with his own shield before pushing back and thrusting with a short spear. She deflected the weapon with her off-hand's bracer before spinning and thrusting the butt of her weapon at him, catching his forehead. "Gah! I'll fight on! For Justice!"

"Shut up!" Alicia barked back as she chopped down with her weapon in a heavy, double handed strike. She clipped his head, knocking him to the side for a step but was caught off guard as he thrust his spear at her with enough force to knock her off balance. She wasn't ready for that nor the follow up shield charge as he tried to knock her off her feet; she blocked with the shaft of the Shining Lance and used a Combat Art to shove him back, following with a butt strike then another chop with her foe stepping out of range of the first and to the side of the second before stepping on the shaft of her weapon to trap it as he stabbed.

She cut the Arcane Weapon spell and made his stumble as what he stepped on vanished before she rammed the spiked spell stone into his face, hearing him scream-

-before something clubbed the side of her head with enough force to make her see stars; even through her protection, stumbling her to the side for three steps as the man she stabbed clutched his face and fell to the ground. "You will not! Stop! Liberty!" Another foe appeared and this one with a weapon she rarely saw in combat; a flail. In concept the weapon was simple; a handle that can often be gripped by two hands but usually just one, attached to a length of chain, attached to a weighted head of some form. This flail bore a spiked butt on the handle and a ball on the end of the chain with a wide rim with a blunt but thin edge. The man moved to swing the weapon to his side as he sized her up as he lifted his shield up to guard himself with.

The flail was a powerful weapon in the right hands; it could wrap around physical shields making it devastating to anyone without some form of plated armor and even then a heavy strike to the head in the right manner could leave someone concussed or have their neck broken. Depending on the chain and weight one could wrap it about a limb to control it which was useful for subduing an opponent or opening them up to a flanking attack and if it could go around the neck you could strangle them.

The downsides were that one had to keep swinging the thing to ensure it had the momentum for a strike which took some effort, that one needed to have precise control to strike with accuracy and the recovery time after a miss was longer then a normal weapon. If someone came to a battle with a flail either they mistook it for a cool, powerful weapon but lacked the skill to use it or they knew the risks and benefits and could use it well.

She presumed the second with her opponent.

She reactivated her Lance to it's halberd form as she took a combat stance; eyeing her foe. Likely he'd attack first lest he tire out his arm otherwise if he tried to keep swinging his weapon about. She would turn out to be right; he started to charge her shield first to knock her off balance and apply his weapon as a follow up. Her response was to step in pressing back into his shield with her shaft and swing the butt up; knocking it to the flail's head and knocking his swinging rhythm off. Even so he resumed it in a moment and swung in a horizontal arc as he slid back and caught her on the left shoulder; the weapon staggering her on the impact as it deflected up into the side of her head rocking her further as he swung it faster for a second impact-

-as she shifted her weapon to a short spear as she inverted the grip and slammed it down into the man's face; past the visor of his helm and into his skull. She ended the Arcane Weapon for a second, restoring the halberd form as she turned to face her next foe as she tried to ignore the ache in her head; noting she'd need to guard it...

This could be a long fight...

[-]

The reality was a straight up fight didn't suit Riri; she was trained in the means and arts of stealth and with her smaller size yet comparatively stronger frame meant she could easily sneak about where she wanted and take foes off guard. That said there was little she could do in an open courtyard to hide and they needed to keep the enemy out of the palace.

Of course not wanting a straight up fight didn't mean she was incapable of it as she slid behind a man swinging for her and stabbed behind her; Shadowblaze Weapon over her long knifes coupled with a Combat Art letting her punch into the back of his armor into his side. He screamed out and stumbled forwards; her weapon damaging the man and causing great pain but not enough to kill him. Even so she moved to charge her next target; rushing her with spear and shield in hand. As he thrust she would do a short hop and slide under him, slipping between his legs and slamming her blade into the back of his ankle with another Combat Art; she found a gap bridged by links of chain (Steel chain as opposed to an alloyed metal that the bulk of their plates seemed to be made of) that her weapon broke through and heard him scream as he crumpled to the ground from her strike, rendering his leg to a useless state. The first man she struck turned and was rushing her, if with a slight hobble.

She leapt over the man with cut and burned tendons and rushed at the wounded man with twin swords, blocking his first swing before stabbing at his thigh as she used her Combat Art once more; this time her weapon deflected off the plate but she moved with the momentum and rolled in the direction to dodge his off-handed attack. He was on her as she got to her feet and turned, forcing her defect one blade, block the other and swing as he stepped out of range of her shorter weapons. She noted the man she nailed in the ankle try to rise with his spear to his feet but pushed it to the back of her mind to dodge a double thrust before an idea came to her.

She backed away from her current opponent, ducking one blade, stepping away from the other and waited. Finally he gave a hard swing as she used a lighter Combat Art to hop upwards as she spread her legs while sheathing her weapons, slapping her hands together and forming symbols as she landed on the man's shoulders, locking her legs behind his head before finishing her ninja based spell, taught to her by Sora and fired a wind technique off before her. The result was that as she threw herself back with the might of strength and spell she yanked on the man under her and flipped them over, slinging him at the hobbled solider as she managed to land in a kneel. He screamed as a fully armored man was thrown into him with a hurricarana, slamming them both to the ground.

She would turn, hand signs formed once more, before spitting a burst of fire into the pile of two men and nailed them with a small fireball that engulfed both of them in fire as they screamed and writhed. She didn't enjoy inflicting pain on them like this but she knew that the heat and burns would put both men out of commission, if not kill one or both outright. She took a moment to look about as Makoto ran a man through with her mana blade before opting to move off to support her.

She knew who was supporting her master and as much as she didn't like it she had to trust that John Mandeville valued his own life enough to not attack James...

...otherwise he wouldn't need to fear Justical...

[-]

I was still annoyed to be fighting with Mandeville... worse...

...we were working well together... No... really... His summons three heads was laying down fire spells, mostly Flamethrowers and what I realized was Flareball (Fireball but smaller and faster to cast) that caused the enemy to dodge and maneuver lest they get cooked, managing to cook a couple while 'letting' one slip around it now and then to get to me and letting me deal with them.

At the same time I was able to fire off supportive spells or engage with the bolder or more able foes; those Mandeville let slip around or couldn't halt. Meanwhile he withheld most of his own spells but made those he fired off impactful as he relied on his summoned beast. At that moment I used the prong blade of the Horned Colt to deflect a spear to the side and chopped down onto it with the Dragon's Claw boosted by Silvered Weapon, breaking it's shaft before swinging back at him and forcing him to block with his shield as I left a nick into it. He dropped the shaft to draw a sword but I used a Piercing Strike to punch past his shield, hearing him scream as the blade caught his arm, getting through his armor as well. He moved to swing his sword by I quickly channeled lightning magic through the blade and made him scream and shake as he was electrocuted. Once I was sure he'd drop and stay down I ended the spell and yanked my weapon free.

We reduced their number before they arrived but even so it was a pitched battle; the opposing regulars were dropping but so were the Republican Guard and I could even see a downed Templar. Not good. It didn't help that these idiots were-

"I bring you a cup of liber-tea!"

"You cannot stop justice!"

"In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

-spouting off non-sense the whole time! Honestly I was getting frustrated by... everything...

"Justice be done!" A new voice boomed out as an armored figure dropped down into Mandeville's cerberus and shattered it apart in a second and kneeling with a large sword part way into the ground; both myself and the old man sent fire spells at him, Flare Spread in my case, and he lifted his left arm before his head, his helm held in it, and let the spells impact as they... fizzled... No boom, no leftover flame, just flames turning to weak sparks.

Uh... oh... "That's titanium..." The old man let off as I frowned; a bald headed man standing up and shouldering his blade.

"Horus Aeternus, I presume?" I let off as I glared to him, the man looking back to me in a half passive/half haughty manner as he looked down his nose at me. He seemed very prideful yet I felt he wasn't looking down at me or underestimating; if anything he came here because of my reputation...

"I am he. Lord James Noxdecus of Eostia, I presume?"

(-)

Name: Horus Aeternus
Title: Shining General of Order
Class: Warlord
Level: 49
Alignment: Hostile
Reputation: 76
Status: Healthy, Controlled, Thoughtful

Known Traits
[Steelclad] You wear any metal armor like you were born in it. +15% bonus to all Resistances for Chain Mail, Scale Mail, Splint Mail and Plate Mail. Additionally you can wear any type of metal armor.
[Mighty Legs] Your legs are powerful giving you greater kicking strength, running speed, jumping height and so on +15% Str for all activities with your legs.

[?]
[Unyielding Will] You hold onto your ideals with zealous intensity and nothing will stop you from seeing them realized. Any physical impact that strikes you will stagger you, repel you or move you half as much. Additionally you are 50% more resistant to effects like concussions, blood loss and intense pain.

[?]
[Gorilla's Grip] You can wield a single, two handed weapon in one hand with no penalty. You may also wield a second such weapon in a likewise manner at a 5% damage penalty. If you use a two handed weapon with both hands increase damage of that weapon by 20%

One of Justical's most notable generals, the man known as 'The Mage Slayer' trained to face magical opponents since a young child. Despite having no magical talent he bears a level of knowledge about magic on par with some Grand Maguses and spent heavy amounts of coin on his titanium armor and sword. Experienced and powerful he's the bane of any foe who relies on magic in battle.

(-)

Fuck.

Fuck.

FuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuck!

Of course, it's just my fucking luck; the one guy I don't want to fight comes straight at me... Oh, and he's ten levels higher!

Have I said fuck yet?

Fuck.

"In the name of Justical you will surrender to me." Horus let off as I felt a cold sweat come to me as I was sizing up the situation. "If you do not I cannot ensure you'll have all your limbs as you are taken by force."

"You want to take me alive? I don't feel particularly honored." I shot back at him as he grinned.

"Your airship alone showcases the usefulness of your employ to our services." He let off as I head the old man balk behind me. Of course... that made sense now... I glanced about, sizing up the field quickly. "Justical demands such ser-"

"Justical can kiss my ass." I hissed back; he flinched a hint as I shot back verbally then shot back with my revolver as he brought his left hand up and blocked the bullet with his armor's forearm. Rather then fire a second shot I decided to withhold it until I had a better chance when his guard wasn't up. "I'm not a fan of conquests; let alone from the self-righteous."

"Do not act like you have a choice in the matter, spell caster. You know of me." He let off, glaring a bit as he adjusted his helm in his hand. "You know of my armor and blade. You have no chance."

"Funny; I think I heard that from Olga Discordia." There was Olga's poisoning to consider in there, but he didn't know that. "I've faced more then one person that was supposedly out of my league. You'll find me no easy prey and were you to come for me you'll find out I'm more then a mere spell caster." He let off a 'tsk' while I finished my analysis of the situation. I talked the talk but I was in a familiar position; that of the underdog... just more so then usual...

Any direct spell use on him would fail. Fireball? Just hot air. Lightning Bolt? Not even static. Vortex Tunnel? A mild breeze. Had Olga been here and hit him with the Annihilation Stream he wouldn't give a damn. My Dragon's Breath was useless and I could hit him with Chain Lightning, a spell so powerful that it didn't matter how conductive and grounded your armor was because the amount of electricity hitting you means you would be cooked and I would have done more harm by dragging socked feet over carpet and tapping him for a static shock. Given how much I used spells in my combat style he shut down a lot of my options by just wearing that armor. On top of that my circlet was useless as titanium didn't care about a mana barrier.

That being said while most of my style was shut down it wasn't fully shut down; I still had all of my Combat Arts to draw on and the Dragon's Claw, by virtue of being made of orichalcum, had the strength and sharpness to pierce into his armor if I could put enough force into it. While my head was, effectively, unprotected my Dragon Scale Armor would offer some protection against his weapon. On top of that not all of my spells were useless; Levitation was a means of escape if I needed it, Physical Burst and Tailwind would bolster my strength and speed (Assuming his armor or weapon didn't touch skin, and I couldn't use my armor's if he made contact with that). None of my elemental weapon spells would do anything but I could use spells like Illusion, healing spells, or spells that effected anything else around him.

I was in a bad position but I had a chance. "Do me a favor old man; keep the grunts out of this fight." I told Mandeville as he summoned another beast from his book; an ice elemental based snake being with a cobra hood and pair of blades.

"Tsk... I have no other choice..." Yeah... trusting him to watch my back... then again if he didn't guess who Horus would go after next?

I hate this... I hate this so much...

The boss music spun up as my vision flashed and shifted as Horus lifted his helm up and slammed into onto his head before swinging his blade once, spun it about and inverted it, slamming the point down as he stood proudly with both hands on the swords grip. "Prepare for battle! Prepare for defeat! Prepare for JUSTICE!" He barked out as my view shifted back slightly.

_Shining General of Order_
Horus Aeternus

I started by using Tailwind on myself and following up with a Dual Cast; that might seem weird but I had a plan as I opted to launch a Fireball as he charged. I didn't throw it at him but rather at the ground before him and kicking up dirt, debris and smoke as I followed with a Minor Illusion of myself charging him as I used Heroic Leap to rocket up and flip around him. The blast shot the dirt up and made him turn his head to guard his helm's visor; normally you could put spell stones into the visor to guard the eyes but the titanium would rob them of mana and make them more brittle then glass. As I landed on the ground behind him I readied a Piercing Strike to try and end the fight in one move, rocketing to him-

-only to have him turning and swing for me; forcing me to adjust my off hand to set my revolver's underside to the back of my saber and block. "Do you think I am not aware of such tricks?" He let off as he followed up with a kick to my abs; I stumbled back then let myself stumble more as he swung the flat of his blade to my temple. I fell back and rolled over my shoulder and deflected another strike as I grit my teeth. I so wanted to cast a spell as I stepped back, out of a swing's range and stabbed at his shoulder; popping Adrenaline Rush to put some power into it. He moved back with the thrust so my impact was heavily lessened. Even so I left a dent that was tiny so that suggested I could punch through with a good hit.

He swung once more as I used Physical Burst to enhance my strength to block his weapon with my forearm; he swung the flat at me once more so it was blunt force impact this time as opposed to bladed. I was forced to the side with my feet sliding a half foot as I tried to stab at him once more to his torso-

-and that spell ended as he punched me in the face with his off-hand; I moved with the hit, spun and popped Arc of Steel as I swung with the Combat Art as my sword hit his chest; the mana coating the blade did nothing but the force of my swing was bolstered enough to flinch him as I hopped back. I resized him after our first clash as he did the same with me... Okay then... this was not going well...

Thankfully I had a couple of tricks up my sleeve as I spun my Horned Colt in my off hand.

[-]

Samuel Parddon was a guard and only joined a year prior. He wasn't a fan of the old king and yet not a fan of the Republic either... but he was loyal to Roxford and wished to guard her from those who would conquer it. He feared what could happen if another nation invaded and so signed on. He didn't expect the honor of joining the Palace Guard but accepted it and did his best to help; body clad in steel, heart clad in hope.

Then Justical arrived and started shouting at the top of their lungs as they attacked. He was stuck in a deadlock that he was losing; he broke his foe's polearm with his halberd and kept him at a distance that was out of his handaxe's range. However that polearm's head was broken after it struck his side; he yanked the thing out to keep fighting but the blood loss was catching up to him as the open wound leaked. He thrust his weapon forwards and stumbled as a moment of dizziness came over him... before his foe knocked his weapon's head aside to close in. A heavy swing was coming for his head as he moved his arm to block-

-only for the axe to hit a shield before the Justical solider looked to the side and was slammed by a Hammer of Smite in the chest, denting the armor in and sending him sprawling to the ground where he stopped moving. "I-I have you..."

"What?" Samuel let off before the feeling of a healing spell washed over him; the soft pressure felt by a hand on his shoulder as he turned; the former princess of Roxford healing him before but her pretty face looked oddly pale. "Are... you all right?" He asked dumbly; after all he was the injured one.

"Forgive me..." She let off, forcing a smile. "I have... never seen combat before, not like this..." She said as he felt his dizziness fade as she shifted to a spell that would replenish his lost blood, to a point. "I'll... I'll be fine... Defend the palace." She let off, finishing as she looked to the side; one of his buddies hit the ground and a Justical regular inverted a pike to stab down at him while screaming 'this is for justice' as the weapon came down.

It never made it as another Hammer of Smite found it's mark; the enemy flying away as his head was struck. Alison ignored him as she rushed to the other Roxford solider; ignoring or unaware she broke her target's neck. "I have you... I have you, relax..." She said, applying her healing to him now before helping him up. For Alison she had known her share of danger and death; it chased her to Camafran and it stalked her within. She'd held men as they died for her and felt panic as she saw nothing where her hand once was.

Yet this was... so different... Men with anger and rage fighting, clashing and beating at each other. People baring wounds and trying to ignore them as they pushed on. People hitting the ground and trying to rise or at least crawl away. Some were given mercy. Some were not. It was... horrible... It was just horrible...

And yet she had to do what she could to protect her people, princess or not. Shields and heals were her preferred means... spells to attack were less preferred but clearly needed. That she caused others pain... maybe even death unsettled her but she pressed on... she had to press on...

Too many had given too much to her... too many had died... too many were exiled... too many suffered... if she died here before she could finish her talk with Juno... if she let these people harm those who took her in... if she let people conquer her already hurting nation...

She would fight for Roxford... She had too. "I bring burning-gahhhrh!" A charging Justical man screaming at her was met with a Hammer of Smite to the face. He dropped his weapon before falling back, unmoving save to groan, spit a tooth out and shift his shield over his face to guard it; too injured and dazed to rise and fight further.

She looked around the field and then saw someone rushing towards Juno as she paled...

She quickly moved to rush across the field before that situation exploded...

[-]

Juno was grateful that she opted to confront Alison in her armor; it saved her time to get ready for the battle as in the moment she blocked a hard pike thrust. She minded the position of her arm and shield as her foe used a Combat Art; shoving the point of his weapon into and through her defensive barrier with part of the axe head punching in as well. He drew his side arm, a short sword, in a reverse grip but he didn't get to swing it as she shoved the Lumiere du Peuple into his chest and heart.

She had heard that Justical had, recently, moved an army away from the Balanar border... she realized where they would be going now and, likely, picked up more numbers before being sent out. They needed to win at the Palace to have a hope of countering such an army. She was sure that, under normal circumstances, Qulona, Camafran and Balanar would move to counter Justical's movements; their opinions of the Republic aside they all knew what a disaster the Kingdom of Knights claiming Roxford would be for them.

If they captured the leadership of all three nations and used that fact as leverage then there was a strong chance they might not move to counter Justical; either due to a power struggle within their borders or fear of a beloved leader being harmed. She would drop the shield with a polearm lodged in it and drew La Chanson de Liberte in her off hand via a reverse grip, flipping it to a standard grip as she met the next Justical regular, deflecting the spear thrust aimed for her and thrusting her spear back at him; he would deflect with his shield as she stepped in and thrust with her sword aiming at his face as he leaned to the side, spun and caught her on the side of the head with the butt of his polearm, staggering her, planting his feet and shoved his spear point forwards as she slid to the side, swinging her blade to knock the attack away before swinging the Lumiere du Peuple in an overhead chop; difficult to do with a polearm with one arm. Even so she slammed his head and rocked him, turning the helm on his head before stepping in and with a roar and Combat Art shoved her blade through his chest.

She had fought so much in the last ten years in the name of Roxford, in the name of the Republic... what was one more battle? One more war?

One more nightmare...?

The sound of metal impacting a body clad in metal sounded with a thunderous noise met her as someone slammed into the ground by her and rolled over thrice before coming to a stop; one of the Qulona bodyguards. His armor was dented in the chest; more cratered in as his left arm shook like lightning was going through it as she looked to the direction he flew from...

...and was met by a man with the old, Roxford Crown emblem on the center of his chest and a head guarded only by a Mana Armor circlet that reminded her of a man she had slew a decade ago; Fawkes DesCieux. If his beard had been more neatly groomed the resemblance would have been nearly perfect. He stopped fifteen feet from her; a glare of rage matching her own surprised gaze as she started to glare back at her. Then he finally spoke.

"I am Rodrick DesCieux. You killed my father. Prepare to die." He let off in plain, simple words and cold anger in each one. She was about to retort that his father deserved the death she gave him but he was already charging with his mace pulled back. She channeled a Holy Lance spell through her spear and fired it at him only for it to vanish as his mace batted it from the air.

So the weapon's head was titanium or lined with it... that would be a problem. She blocked the mace swing with her blade and inverted the spear to drive it down to his neck; by a glance she knew his armor was mythril so didn't fear for her spell stone blade. He deflected with his shield before throwing a haymaker with that hand making her turn her head and brace to take the hit on the side of her helm; swinging her blade in an upwards thrust to strike him, scraping the blade along his armor as she readied to block another mace swing only for the shield over her helm's face gap to flash as his weapon's pommel smashed into it. She moved with the impact, stepping back further and dodging the swing that came. "Fawkes would be disappointed.' She shot back as she thrust her spear to his face; he turned his head and staggered back with the impact as he snarled.

"The words of tyrant mean nothing to me." He shot back as he stepped back in, blocking her sword with his mace before bulling into her with his shield. She grit her teeth, dug in her feet and used a Combat Art to push back as she set her right forearm to it; funnily enough she said those words to Fawkes in their fight... She pushed back hard, shoving him back but not unbalancing him as she followed with a stab towards his shoulder; she impacted with the point of her sword but the mace cracked the side of her helm in turn, rocking her. Even so she stabbed with her spear as he stepped back... only form him to be hit in his shielded head with a Magic Missile, deflecting to the side but still knocking him back two steps as Juno opted to size him up as the ringing in her head subsided. She hated to say it, doubly so right now, but Rodrick was a stronger fighter then Fawkes; even catching him and his army off-guard as she had he proved to be the strongest foe she'd ever faced... and now she was the one taken off-guard as she never expected to fight that day...

Rodrick started to charge until a heavy gale knocked him off balance and made him stumble two steps to the side. "Rodrick! Enough!" Juno snorted as she saw Alison, of all people, approach for her left and his right. "What are you doing!? Joining Justical!?"

"Alison... It's been ten years..." He hissed out as he looked to her; making sure to keep Juno in his sight. "Didn't hear you joined the rebels."

"I am here for Roxford... to make peace and heal harms... Harms you have now brought." She let off as he huffed. "Stand down... You know Justical will only use you to-"

"I'm not stupid." He shot back with a bitter tone. "And the piper will be paid or fought when the time comes. But for now it will be a price I pay gladly..." He let off as he lifted his mace, pointing it's head to Juno. "But for the void she made in my life... for the pain she has caused me, caused us and our family... I will have vengeance served unto the name of our family!"

"Rodrick..." Alison let off sadly as she took in a breath before her bracelet glowed... as a white, silvered mythril scepter with a blue spell stone at it's cap came to her hand as she held it in both hands. "I understand your pain, you know this... But you bring no more then more pain and suffering like this; to all of Roxford."

"I will repair Roxford in time." Rodrick let off with a snarl. "But first-"

"Enough with this chatter..." Juno cut in as she adjusted the grip on her spear before aiming it to him as the spell stone blade came alight with mana. "You will not have revenge today Rodrick, but I shall be kind enough to send you to your father in the bowels of hell."

"Juno!" Alison barked off as Rodrick grit his teeth.

"Your life is mine!" Rodrick barked out as he charged, Alison wondering how to end this fight without someone dying...

[-]

Outside of the Former Noble's District
Hero's Row
Elouan City

"Pull! Pull! Pull!" Lance Retour cried out with his men; a rope looped around the neck of a statue as a dozen men and a mule pulled. The mule wasn't theirs but it was nearby and they opted to grab the beast of burden for their efforts. Those efforts? To pull down the statue of Nolan DeLiberte; the only statue the rebels spared as he was the ancestor of their chienne leader. She wanted to tear down and destroy their history? Their culture?

Fine. They'd destroy hers as well.

After the Golden Revolution came out on top of the rebel civil war the Royal Guard was driven back underground; defeated but not destroyed and had spent the last four years rebuilding in thanks to their benefactors. Allying with Justical didn't sit well with them but there was an understanding within their ranks they would need to ensure the Kingdom of Knight's influence was expelled afterwards.

Restoring Roxford would be a struggle.

Their numbers were low; a mere two and a half thousand across the land but they had the element of surprise, the ability to scout and plan well before the war came and identify key targets. Within cities and towns to the south their numbers targeted commanders and leaders of the Rebel Guard while others began to cause trouble within cities; performing attacks on guard buildings, rebel built buildings and institutions and rebel homes. Violence and arson were the tools of choice but leaders like him had to make it clear; they couldn't riot blindly as they would need the people on their side. There was a risk someone would get out of hand, there always was, but if they could limit the damage to the key targets...

The Crown would rise once more...

A fire off in the merchant district could be seen over the divider wall; the museum the rebels planned up in flames with key art and items used in the rebellion on display. They almost canceled the attack until they learned the royal throne wasn't there. As for their job...

A cheer rose up as the damned statue finally toppled over; seven hundred year old, carved stone impacting the ground and breaking at the waist and head. A roar came as a dozen men swarmed the symbol with mauls, maces, hammers and other blunt weapons and tools; smashing the stone to bits. The face and chest were mostly targeted to make the remains unrecognizable and unrepairable; by the time a new king bore a royal heir House DeLiberte would be little more then a bad memory...

Actions like this would have the town guard and local forces scrambling around the city in a half dozen places and where they couldn't be gathered quickly, away from the palace and spread out once the invasion came...

A trio of sharp whistles came up as Lance turned and frowned, lifting an arm. "The guards are coming! Move! Move!' He called out, men giving a last holler as smashed stone was left behind as they rushed off towards a lifted up sewer cover. They would rush into the tunnels under the city; planning long established to what they'd do as they shut the cover behind them with the Imperium age spell stone closing it behind them. They would split into three paths as he grinned.

Their best fighters were split between two groups; one joining Alexander Primus on his march north and one now sailing towards the palace as reinforcements to the force now attacking the palace. His small part was done.

Their job was to now escape, lay low until their allies arrived and await new orders...

'Soon... Soon our nation will be restored...'

[-]

I braced the blunt end of my saber to my forearm as I deflected Horus' next strike backing up as I dodged his follow up strike as I used a Heroic Leap to hop back before stamping my foot to cast Seismic Serpent as he charged me; the ground exploded two feet from me to spray dirt at his face. He flinched and looked away as I darted to one side while casting an Illusion spell to send a copy of myself around his other side, brow furrowed as I focused, ready to strike.

"Another Illusion; foolish!" He let off as he swung to me; I ducked under it and stabbed at his hip with Adrenaline Rush. I couldn't see his face but his head seemed to flinch; I had expected him to see through it and hoped to catch him off guard and prepared to dodge an attack aimed for me. Unlike last time he wasn't able to move with the blow fast enough as I hit his armor. I aimed to try and get it between plates but caught the bottom of the breast plate instead. Even so I punched through and dug into flesh; although I think merely an inch, maybe not even that, drew blood before I had to pull back before he landed a downwards pommel strike to my head. "Gah! A mere flesh wound..." He let off as he glared at me through his helm, taking a ready stance. "Even so; it's been three years since a mage has wounded me. Your title of Champion is well earned."

"I've got more tricks up my sleeve, Horus." I spat back at him; already braced as he swung his blade at me. I blocked it with the Horned Colt, pushing his attack upwards to use a Dragon's Fist to knock at his head with a D-Guard punch but he was a hint too fast and ducked down; using his free hand to grab my hip as I impacted his shoulder before he stood with a grunt and tossed me backwards.

If you knew wrestling I was subjected to a Back Body Drop but I was quick enough to twist and flip, landing on my feet. As I prepped a second Dragon's Fist as he turned to charge me... as I started to glow with a silver hue as I popped an Adrenaline Rush first and bolstered both with Dragon's Boost. He seemed to be surprised as I burst forwards and with a heavy clang punched him in the chest with my D-Guard leaving a nice, hard dent in his breastplate as he came off his feet and sailed backwards, fifteen feet as he landed on his back hard. Even so I had to give the man credit; he rolled on the impact, over his shoulder and landing on all fours while showing more dexterity and agility while in heavy armor. He wasted no time, planting his blade to the ground and pushing himself up with a grunt; I planned to do another attack but was I was sure he was ready to counter if I did. He shook his head once and used his off hand to adjust his helm lightly.

"Gah... A good strike..." He admitted, shouldering his blade. "Justice will be done, but I admire your strength and resistance. Had all my men your fighting spirit we would be unstoppable." He said before taking a new stance; blade raised up high. "But you are still doomed to fail."

"Heard it bef-whoa!" He rushed at me at a stupid speed with a leap; a Combat Art I had to guess (Yes, you could use them with titanium equipment; although not all of them) and I only narrowly dodged with a side step only for him to spin, catch me with a pommel strike to the chest that stumbled me back; I didn't have a chance to recover as his off hand grabbed me by my armor, yanked me to him and headbutted me with his helm. Because of the fact it was titanium my circlet's mana barrier did nothing as he impacted it directly, which did little as my head rang with stars coming to my vision.

I then screamed pain as he stabbed down into my thigh through my armor, punching past Dragon Scales (I'm sure a Combat Art was involved); the edge of his weapon scraping my femur as it drove in (And I'd later learn, pushed out the other side) as his left hand pulled back and slammed my chest with what had to be a Combat Art boosted punch that took the wind out of my lungs as he pulled his sword back. Needless to say now I was sailing back through the air and hitting the ground back first, landing flat but managing to keep hold of both of my weapons. Before I could recover from the searing, lava like pain in my leg and the pounding pain in my torso he walked over and stomped on my chest. "As always..." He let off, flipping his sword with a flick of his wrist and motion of his arm as he gripped it by the blade before lifting it; clearly about to use the guard to bludgeon me. "Justice shall be done..."

[-]

Juno grit her teeth as she blocked another mace strike; Rodrick had maneuvered to try and keep her between himself and Alison to lessen the ex-princess' impact on the battle. Not that she overly minded; whatever accord they nearly came to this was not Alison's fight and the idiot girl would just be in the way as she fought to save her nation. Even so she had made an impact; blocking a strike from Rodrick with a shield by placing it under his forearm. She must have worked out what his mace head was made of and did her best to work around it. She would swipe at him with her blade as he turned his head, wincing as the Liberty's Song glanced off his circlet's shield before punching with his physical shield, rocking her head in turn before thrusting her spear as she applied a Silvered Weapon to boost it's power; she caught his side but his mace head grazed the spear and ended her weapon's spell and robbing the power needed to punch past his plate before she blocked a back swing with her sword.

They were locked in a pushing match for a moment before he side stepped, turning to give a heavy swing of his weapon. She blocked with the shaft of her spear, using the guard of her sword to add her other arm's might to the block only to be kicked with a powerful, Combat Art bolstered kick to the abs as she was knocked off her feet. "Die!" He let off... before a flash of bright light flashed from behind her, blinding the man for a moment as Alison grabbed her shoulders and helped her stand, healing magic washing over her.

"I have you..." She let off as her worried face gazed back at her...

In a second every memory of the House of the Heavens flashed by her... the rape, the fighting, the dishonor, executing the king, chasing down stragglers, adding her input to assassination plans, ordering them...

"I don't need your help, DesCieux!" She let off, shoving Alison away from her roughly with a forearm and her blade's pommel as the young woman landed hard to the ground, groaning deeply and squirming before starting to move; her rise slow and pained as she turned her healing magics to herself as she huffed. Once she turned back she would curse her own anger; that bit of rage made her commit a rookie mistake...

She ignored a dangerous foe for six seconds. That was six too long.

She didn't have the time to react once she looked back; a Combat Art bolstered attack, possibly Breaking Blow or a related one, coming down onto her right shoulder with crippling force. Despite the strong mytrhil of her armor it crumpled under the incredible impact and she felt her scapula and clavicle both break as her arm was dislocated out of the broken bones and making her scream out as searing pain ravaged her nerves. Her spear, the Lumiere du Peuple, the Light of the People, a symbol of the Republic fell from her grasp and clattered to the ground as she stumbled back. Despite that she was no stranger to pain, even if this was far worse then any before.

She could fight on.

She stabbed at his chest with her sword in her left hand; Rodrick would block it with his shield before stepping in and ramming her with that same shield, knocking her back only half a step but letting him use another Combat Art and swing in a harsh, horizontal blow into her left arm with a crushing impact; a force so great her humerus would break under the shoulder joint as the plate bent under the force. Once more a weapon, La Chanson de Liberte, the Liberty's Song, fell to the ground with a clatter; her family blade lost from her grip. She screamed at the pain but not as harsh as before as she stepped in and surprised the DesCieux with a headbutt.

She could fight on.

He stumbled back and she moved to land a front kick with her left leg into his abs only for him to catch her foot by the heel with his shield holding hand as he lifted his weapon upwards. One more Combat Art was used, the man starting to pant from the back-to-back arts as his weapon's pommel crashed down into her knee. It slipped from his grip and once it her foot hit the ground pain seared up from her joint as her knee cap broke into three parts, traveled along her spine and spiked her brain as she squealed in agony. Despite the horrific, numbing, almost blinding pain she managed to stand with most of her weight on her right foot and used her left for mere balance; painful, painful balance...

She could fight on.

Using her right leg alone she sprung at him to shoulder check him with a pained war cry; eyes wide and feral as she fought with all she had, reduced as it was. He met her part way with a shield charge; knocking her back. She had to use her left leg to stop from falling over, pain paralyzing her for a moment before a heavy stomp was slammed into her right knee, putting one more Combat Art and his full weight into it, hyper extending the limb. She fell to the ground onto her back; all four limbs disabled as she tried to call upon her magic to do something before she was kicked in the chin; stars flashing into her eyes as a second kick landed, knocking her helm off and away from her. She looked up at her opponent as his mace lifted up high. "Let this be the beginning of the end for the tyrants!" He let off.

Despite the pain she almost let off a chuckle... she said that to his father before she killed him, word for word... Was he aware of her words and throwing them back at her... or, in some strange way, was history echoing from that time, ten years ago?

The mace head came down with fierce force; no Combat Art this time. Rodrick knew he didn't need it here and it was better to spend the endurance elsewhere. Besides, he wanted to enjoy this...

"Nooo!" Alison let off as he was hit with a wind spell just before his mace impacted something, the magic knocking him off his feet and to the ground before he confirmed what he struck, rolling to the side and back to his feet as Alison moved to Juno's side. She rushed to heal the woman's wounds, bring her back to her feet or at least ease her pain, mana pulled to her hands to cast... and froze as she landed on her knees on the grass beside her with a look of horror coming to her visage.

Despite her efforts, despite her last spell casted as fast as she could manage when she recovered it wasn't enough. The weapon impacted over the right eyebrow, crushing the woman's face inwards with bone and brain matter visible. She gasped, dropping her weapon as she leaned back on her knees, hands covering her mouth as realization hit her.

Juno DeLiberte was dead.

~Eostian Scribe