Fire Emblem : The Holy War

by RyanMk2

Follow Ray, sent into the world of his favorite game and the trials he will have to face in order to survive. However, this is not simply a story about his survival, but also about his desire to help and protect the bonds he made in this new world. Will he be able to save everybody ? Or will he succomb, yet again to forces greater than him ? Rated M just in case.

8. Chapter 7

Hello everybody and welcome to this new chapter of Holy War. I shan't hold you back, since I don't have much to say anyway, so enjoy!

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Friendly reminder :

Ishtar is the best ! = Text from the System

"Ishtar is the best !" = Talking

'Ishtar is the best !' = Thoughts

Ishtar is the best !* = Sound effect

Copyright Disclaimer : I don't own anything about this fanfic, except for its OCs. Everything else belongs to their respective creators and they're the ones that deserve praise.

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Chapter 7 : The beginning of what felt like the end.

In an age beyond living memory.

A Devil's shade cast upon our land.

Plunging it into the deepest darkness.

And condemning us to grief without end.

In vain, we prayed to the bleak heavens.

The twelve gods descended from above…

To lead the charge against the great evil.

Invoking holy light, the gods smote the evil…

And granted us our lost hope once more.

We and our world were thus reborn !

And so…

As time flows endlessly…

Our nightmare has faded into legend…

---

My eyes finally opened themselves, slowly at first, then fully until it was bathed by the morning's sun. As I took in the surrounding area, memories of yesterday and the day before passed through my mind.

"Aahhh…"

I sighed deeply, remembering that fateful moment. The words that kept me going at first sounded once again in my head.

"Go. I'll somehow find a method to escape first. You have to go and help them."

"Don't worry about me. You know how tough I am !"

His cocky grin never once left his face as he pushed me in a really thin back alley before attracting the attention of our pursuers and running in the opposite direction.

I didn't move at first. Just sitting on the ground, still bewildered, I could only watch the soldiers going after the first person to give me his trust when I woke up in this place.

I stayed there for a while, doing nothing but observing and listening. When I was sure that no soldiers remained in the vicinity, I made my move.

Looking for a carriage at this point could only attract undue attention. The same went for even a single horse. Plus, I didn't know how to ride one anyway. So I did the only thing left viable.

I went on foot.

"Heeeuuupp !"

Dusting myself up and removing the leaves and small branches that got stuck on my clothes, I once again canvassed the area before looking to the horizon. To the west of my position is Yngvi castle. After almost two days of constant running, assisted by a near constant use of wind magic to increase my speed, I managed to reach this far. If I had to guess, I could say my movement speed was as fast as that of horses, If I continued at said speed, I'll easily be able to reach Yngvi castle by the end of the day. However…

'This wasn't the solution.'

My head swivelled to the north, a bit further ahead, where lied Castle Chalphy. After two days of running, with no one to talk to, I had more than enough time to think about the current situation. I knew part of the future, and the general outline of what was going to happen. That was why, on the beginning of the second day, I decided to change course.

No matter what I did, or what I said, Castle Yngvi would fall. There was practically no fighting force there at the moment, and even a group of bandits could even take it over if the right conditions were met. Plus, according to my memory, Edain and the others weren't particularly unsurprised by Verdane's troops in their castle, yet they still failed to safeguard it.

It would be foolish to think that my simple presence could change such a disadvantageous situation. So, I did the only thing sensible left.

If Sigurd was warned beforehand of what will happen to Castle Yngvi, he might be able to act faster and help them better. Perhaps even saving princess Edain before she got captured too, even though doing that might affect the future more than I could predict. And yet…

"..."

I remembered the gentle smile of Edain, and the watchful gaze of Midir and let out a single, long sigh. Then, without saying anything, I resumed my running towards Castle Chalphy with renewed determination, even as my reserve of magic power was visibly dwindling.

---

The third day went by without a hitch. No ambush by bandits or wild animals. Similar to how the previous days were free of any trouble, I almost thought that fate itself was at worked. After all, I wasn't particularly silent when I camped out or trying to hide my movements in any way.

Verdane, was at the moment, preparing an assault on Yngvi. Sure, it would mostly be the prince's forces that are involved in that, leaving the other soldiers free to to form a search party for me. After all, I managed to acquire critical information about their plans which was thus at risk of being foiled before it could even properly unfurled itself.

'That dark priest…'

He didn't seem worried at all. It was like he didn't even care about us, showing that whatever we tried would fail in the end. And perhaps he wasn't wrong. I did lose Dave after all.

"..."

He was probably the reason why there was no one chasing me at the moment. Despite the rather brutal means of movements I used during the day, leaving a very obvious trail behind for any predator to follow, and the fact that I made a fire every night where I rested, meant that I did not care about being discovered. Speed was the greatest necessity at the moment, and I was ready to sacrifice stealth and meticulousness in exchange for swiftness and efficiency.

Thinking all that, I was still glad when I managed to reach the vicinity of Castle Chalphy. My objective was finally within grasp, but I painfully restrained myself. For one, going there in the middle of the night would only bring about suspicion and a commotion. We needed to be swift and capitalize on the thought that Verdane still believed in their ambush plan. Plus, they programmed their attack on the day after tomorrow, leaving us a full day to get ready.

I made my way through the village that was nearest to the castle. I could finally sleep on a soft bed instead of the ground under the night sky. I was welcomed by a middle-aged man who happened to be a relative of the village chief. As I told him a more civilian-friendly version of my little escape from Verdane, he simply shook his head, as if he somehow expected this.

He gave me a room, a meal, but more importantly, a bath. I was surprised by the fact that he readily believed my story, but I didn't question him any more. Somewhere, deep within, I felt that tomorrow will be just as simple, and that all this will just be a matter of time until it is solved.

I gracefully accepted the villager's hospitality and went to sleep that day thinking that I was almost at my destination. I could finally start working on ways to save both Edain and Dave.

Sleep found me quickly as thoughts of tomorrow and the battle that will come from it finally settled down. However, things didn't go as I expected them to.

---

"What do you mean I can't enter ?" I asked, indignation still clear in my voice.

"For the third time, we can't just let you pass like that without verifying your identity. We're severely short-staffed at the moment, so it will take some time. Wait till this afternoon."

The guard's tired voice rang out mechanically, as if this was not the first time he got to repeat this speech. And I wasn't just talking about the three times I asked him.

"You can't be serious !" I shot back, my voice getting higher than I wanted it too. "I have an important message to relay to Lord Sigurd."

"Give it to us and we'll pass it on to him as soon as we can." He replied calmly, still not looking at me.

I thought about it for a moment before quickly shaking my head. "No. I need to deliver it to him personally."

"Fine by me. But know that it'll take a longer time to meet him than to simply enter. At best, I'll say tomorrow at noon."

'Tomorrow!?'

I stared at the guard with a look of utter disbelief, multiple thoughts flashing through my mind. Thoughts of Dave still in Verdane. Thoughts of Edain getting captured. Thoughts of Yngvi and its habitants suffering and dying.

'All because these blockheads wouldn't let me in !'

Strictly speaking, I could understand why there was a need for all this. Most of the forces of Chalphy, like the other nobles, had been sent to the war in Isaach. Therefore, this was the best time if one wanted to get rid of his/her enemies swiftly and without fail.

However, the part of my brain in charge of logical reasoning wouldn't work as it should have. Perhaps it was the accumulated fatigue of having run three days to get here, just to get treated like this at the entrance. Or it was the fate of Dave who, unlike Edain, was uncertain in this situation. There were also the citizens of Yngvi to consider, as most of them would get killed during the attack. Perhaps it was because of one of these reasons. Perhaps it was all of them at once.

*Shing*

My body reacted at once as I removed my sword from its sheath. I slowly turned my body towards one of the guards, both of them suddenly more alert at the sight of the weapon I had in my hand.

"Hey ! You !" Shouted one of them, slowly bringing up his spear. "What do you think you're doing ?"

Silence ensued. There was no expression on my face as I looked at the nearest guard. I could practically feel the anxiousness creeping out of him, but he quickly darted his eyes to the side before looking at him with a smirk.

'Good.'

Seizing my opportunity, I lunged at him at full speed. He was definitely taken by surprise by how fast I moved, but still hastily managed to bring down his spear in a clumsy attempt to guard himself from my strike.

Then everything went black for a second.

"Urgh…"

I regained consciousness some time later in a dark room. Looking slowly around me, I could see despite the lack of sufficient lighting the state of the room I was in.

There was nothing. Stone walls on all sides except for one. There was nothing else around. In front of me were bars and I got reminded of my trip to the dungeon in Verdane.

The image made me chuckle despite the pain I was feeling all over.

"I would like to know what you find so amusing." The voice made me look up once again.

Its owner, a big man standing on the other side of the steel bars of my cell, was looking at me with curiosity. At least I guess he was. It was so dark that I couldn't see much of everything, except for his silhouette. Even knowing that he was a man was due to the timbre of his voice that couldn't possibly belong to a woman.

"So ?" He asked again, clearly expecting an answer. He was standing tall in front of my cell room, blocking all the light that came from behind him.

I saw no reason not to indulge him, especially knowing my current situation.

"It's just that this will be my second time being imprisoned in less than five days."

"Second time ?" He asked again, a hint of surprise mixed with his words. "So you're a fugitive?"

"In a way, yes." For Verdane at least I was. "Thankfully this time was voluntary."

"You mean to say you did all that with the aim of getting captured and thrown in this cell?" Frankly speaking, yes.

I thought back about what happened at the gates. The guard smirked because his friends came to help him. Me waiting for that precise moment before attacking. Getting surrounded, then beaten, then captured. All in order to get to this particular situation.

"First of all, what time is it ?" I asked anxiously, thinking back on what little time we had left.

"The sun just passed its apex an hour or so ago." He answered, clearly not knowing what I was getting at.

I let out a sigh of relief, thinking that there was still time to save everyone.

"Good." a small smile crept up my face, but neither I nor the man would have noticed it in this dark place. "To answer your question, I needed to talk with Lord Sigurd urgently, there is a message I need to give him. The guards posted at the gate wouldn't hear any of it and told me to wait." But there was no time for that. Not now.

"He was simply doing his job." He retorted impassively, which somehow angered me even more.

"I know that !" I shouted back, throwing up my hands in a fit. However, they were bought back by the cuffs and the chains linked to the wall behind me. "I know. But if we don't act quickly then many people will get killed. And Edain will most likely be captured." My voice became gradually small as I spoke, but the man's voice suddenly went up an octave.

"Edain ? You mean Edain of House Yngvi ?" His tone suddenly became impatient. It was that, and the casual use of her name, with no title attached to it, that made me pause my thoughts.

"Who are you ?" I asked the man, a frown already on my face as I tried to see his face more clearly. The suspicion I had was slowly building itself in the pits of my being.

He stepped to the side, letting the light shine on part of his body. It was then that I saw the characteristic blue I had been looking for since yesterday.

"You…" I couldn't even finish my phrase, as the words were somehow stuck in my throat.

"Sigurd of house Chalphy. The person you have been looking for."

'I should've activated Observation sooner…'

I could only stare at him silently, finally putting the pieces together. I didn't even question the fact that the person who came to a dungeon alone to talk to a mere "prisoner" would be the lord of the castle itself.

"Now what was this about people getting killed and Edain getting abducted ?" He asked again, worry slowly creasing his features.

I stayed in silence for a bit, organizing my thoughts in order before opening my mouth.

"It's just as I said. I was commissioned by a client to go and take care of some hoodlums near Yngvi. We stayed there for a short time, before figuring out the base of the bandits was close to Verdane. The scum made us chase them all the way into their territory before we finally got them. Since we were already in Verdane, we decided to stay a bit and get whatever information we could. That was when we heard about their intention to invade Grannvale now that it was bereft of most of its fighting power, starting with Yngvi."

I stopped for a second to breathe, looking into his eyes to discern his thoughts on my words. Seeing nothing out of place, I continued my story.

"We tried to hurry back in order to warn Edain of the imminent danger but we were caught by their soldiers and imprisoned. My friend and I managed to break out, and although we were found almost immediately, he decided to act as bait to let me escape our pursuers in order to go and tell Edain. However, I decided to come here first rather than going directly to Yngvi because of the state of their military. I've spent some time there and even a passing visitor like me could tell that even if they were aware of the attack, they wouldn't be able to stop the invading Verdanites. There were just too few of their soldiers left to defend them properly."

Silence descended around us. Perhaps Sigurd was thinking about my story, debating whether to trust me or not. All I could do was look at him and wait.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour, he finally spoke.

"Why didn't you give that message to the guards ? They would've relayed it to me." He asked, looking pensive.

"He didn't seem like the type to do things promptly. And like I said, we lack time." I replied breezily, justifying my actions of this morning.

"Is that why you attacked him ? Just to get in faster ?"

I scoffed. "Please. If I wanted to kill him, all the soldiers present at that gate wouldn't have been able to stop me. I just thought this was the quickest way considering the situation."

"Hmm. It is true that none of them were wounded. Scratches at most, but that's the extent of it." He said carefully, considering my words more than I expected. "But you wouldn't have known that I would be the one to come down here to speak to you. Not this quickly at least."

"I just needed to get in. I thought I would figure the rest once inside." I shrugged, looking aside. Truthfully, I didn't think about what I would be doing once I was brought into this cell. To think he will personally come down here and save me time was a blessing. Or perhaps it was fate rewarding my determination.

He thought about everything a bit more before asking me another question. "The person who commissioned you. Who was it ?"

"Eldigan." My reply made him jump slightly, his eyes twitching for a second.

"You know Eldigan too ?" He asked, disbelief coloring his features for a bit.

"Yes. I've been staying in Nordion for a year now."

He looked at me for a long time, once again. Seeing him thinking so thoroughly reminded me of a statement Eldigan made some time ago:.

"He's an optimistic fool. Naive and foolhardy. But you'll find no better friend than him. His loyalty to those he considers his friends is one of his most redeemable qualities."

Sigurd looked at me once more before doing something unexpected.

"Wha--? What are you doing ?"

"Thank you." He says, voice full of sincerity as he continues bowing towards me. "I will send some of our riders to Yngvi to quickly ascertain the situation." He raised his upper body before looking at me. "I'll need some time to assemble what knights and soldiers I can spare from the castle."

He started walking away, most likely going up to do just that. He sent a last comment my way before disappearing behind the doors.

"I will send someone to free you shortly. Please, wait just a bit." After saying those words, he disappeared behind the doors of the dungeon, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sighed in relief, my whole body feeling a bit lighter. It was as if I had been freed of a weight shackling me down. But now, I could breathe more easily.

Sigurd was a man of his words. He wouldn't lie, especially if the possibility of one of his friends being in danger. I could now slow down a little knowing that I prevented a dangerous situation from coming to pass.

However…

'This might be a bit much.'

Hoping to change the future was nice and all, but if I changed it too much then things could spiral out of control. But I could still be optimistic.

I closed my eyes with that thought, waiting for Sigurd to send someone down here as quickly as possible.

---

"Please, do not move. I will now heal your wounds." Ordered the healer sent by Sigurd to heal my wounds.

As he said, a guard came some minutes after he left to free me from my cell room. I was then led to another room where I could wash up some of the grime I got from my time in the dungeon before being moved to this bedroom where I was told to wait for a healer.

Thankfully, I wasn't injured. Proof being that my HP displayed on the status window was full, and my Condition still mentioned that I was "Healthy". I tried to send the healer away, saying that there was no need to expend her forces on me when she might be needed tomorrow. But she insisted, replying more than once that it was an order from her lord and that she couldn't just disobey.

I finally relented, sensing that it would be easier to just accept it once than to argue ten times. I expected her to leave as soon as she finished her work, but she didn't, staying in the room with me, her head pointed down as she just stood near the door looking at the floor.

"... Do you know where Lord Sigurd is ?" I asked her after mulling it a bit. If she decided to stay by my side then I could at least try to get some useful information from her.

"He should be in the meeting room. He said you should wait here for the scouts to be back from their investigation." It made sense. Seeing that he couldn't confirm my words immediately, keeping me under watch was the logical solution.

Seeing that there was nothing much I could do at this point, I decided that it was better to spend the time I was given doing something productive instead of just lazying around. Like training for example.

However, as soon as that thought crossed my mind, a knock coming from the door stole my attention.

"Lord Sigurd has called for you." Said the voice from behind the door. The healer simply looked at it before replying in her usual monotone voice.

"Understood." She then looked at the door, silently motioning at me to move.

I didn't hesitate. Stepping through the wooden door with more force than intended. My steps were hurried, as if I couldn't afford the delay.

The guard sent to bring me as well as the healer tried to keep up with me as much as possible, but I could see they were having difficulties. Especially the healer.

After going through a few hallways, and turning a couple of times, we finally reach a huge door with a guard on each side. I got reminded of Eldigan's throne room back in Nordion, the only difference been the color of the castle walls and the armor of the guards.

They saw our group coming some time ago and had already reported us to the people inside. By the time we reached them, one of the guards nodded to the one that was with my group, saying that we could enter.

Both soldiers faced one of the doors, before pushing forward simultaneously. It needed a bit of effort, but the door finally opened, showing the room hidden inside.

"You can go in now." One of the guard told me, and I promptly did as he said.

Once inside, I could see five men standing around what looked like a rectangular table. One of them immediately caught my attention. His striking blue hair was hard to not notice, especially with this much light shining inside the room.

Thee first to notice my presence was the blond man with red armor. He immediately told Sigurd about me, who finally looked up from the table they were all seemingly focused on.

He went 'Ah' before turning around to beckon me closer to the table.

"You came quickly. Good." As I approached the table, I could notice several maps sprayed on it as well as other papers with writings and/or numbers on them. "I wanted to show you this."

Rather than telling me, he simply made some space for me at the table, pointing at a piece of paper on it. Picking it up, my words quickly glazed through the words written on it. I knew as soon as I started reading it that this was the report of the riders he sent to Yngvi. However I couldn't believe what I was reading.

"No…this can't be." I unconsciously tightened my grip on the piece of paper, twisting it without even realising that I was doing so.

"It is. We've run into a problem I'm afraid." He replied hurriedly, looking at me with a concern expression.

The report was short, but the message contained within it was of the worst possible scenario I thought of.

Apparently, the town and castle were already being attacked when the riders reached Yngvi's borders. They couldn't risk going closer to get more information, but it was clear that the castle had fallen already, or was very close to it.

"We still had time…" I muttered absent-mindedly, looking once more at Sigurd. "They were supposed to launch their attack tomorrow !" I shouted, incredulity clear in my voice.

Sigurd calmly took in my outburst before nodding. It seems like he expected it somehow. "Then it is as Oifey feared."

"What ?" I raised my head, looking at him with confused eyes.

"He hypothesized that the Verdanites may have decided to advance the day of their invasion, seeing as they failed to capture you and that you were aware of their plans. They probably did that in order to prevent Yngvi from preparing themselves extensively."

I looked at the smallest person in the room, a boy really, who could only be Oifey. He seemed slightly surprised that I immediately knew who he was, but he didn't say anything. Rather, it was the green-haired man with a turban who spoke first.

"My Lord, what will you have us do now ?"

"Isn't that obvious ?" He asked, already moving towards the door purposefully. The two knights immediately went after him, leaving only Oifey and myself behind. The boy didn't say anything, simply watching me silently as I gathered my thoughts.

Breathing in deeply, I slowly pushed out the air from my chest before tossing the paper that I was still holding on the door. "Let's go."

He bowed slightly, following after me as I made to follow Sigurd and the others.

Just by asking directions from any servant or guard lingering in the castle I could quickly pinpoint the location of Sigurd and his retainers.

Oifey diligently followed behind me as I soon reached the stable and found Sigurd's stallion outside, with Naoise and Alec waiting in the area. Curiously, there was another person present. A man with green hair wearing a huge armor in a deep blue color.

"What are you going to do ?" I asked Sigurd before he could climb on his horse, causing him to look at me then at the others beside him.

The question was purely rhetorical, to me anyway. After all, I already knew what he was going to do and how the others will react. But I still needed to ask that question, to keep up appearances at the very least.

To his credit, Sigurd at least tried to look pensive for a second. And there was something else burning inside those eyes of his.

"Munir's army already has Yngvi surrounded. Edain is in grave danger !" He tightened his hold on the reins of hisreins his steed before climbing on swiftly. He looked more imposing atop his horse than down. "Naoise, I'm going to help her. I'm leaving Chalphy in your hands."

The blond-haired he was talking to, Naoise, moved a step forward, placing himself between Sigurd's horse and the way towards the castle gates.

"Hold, milord. Surely you don't intend to go alone ?" The look he was sending his liege was one so heated and hurt you could've sworn Sigurd just asked him to just kill him then and there.

"Nearly all of our forces are already on the march to Isaach with Father. There's hardly anybody left to call upon. They may be simple savages, but Verdane's army is still huge. I can't risk your lives by forcing you to face them." He replied resolutely, looking each of us in the eyes.

I stifled the laughter that was threatening to come out of my mouth. To think that this guy was willing to face an army of who-knows how many enemy troops alone. One could wonder if he wasn't suffering from suicidal thoughts, or just a really nasty saviour complex.

"And yet, you are willingly going to throw yourself in the wolf's maw alone, thinking that you will prevail ?" I asked, not really expecting him to think about it for himself. He just smiled sheepishly at that, but Naoise wasn't nearly over with the issue.

"Perish the thought, milord ! I was born a knight, and I will gladly risk dying a knight's death in your name. To allow our lord to die alone in battle would be an unspeakable disgrace. We shall be by your side, every step of the way. Alec, I trust you're of the same mind ?"

He looked at his friend, the green-haired with a turban, who also stepped forward with a thump on his chest and a smile on his face.

"Yeah, of course! But there's more than just Yngvi at stake. We've got to stop by the nearby villages first. Those thugs will try to beat us to them, and they'll loot, massacre, and burn them all down if they do. We've gotta get there first, and lend the locals a hand in locking the villages down and fortifying their defenses."

Sigurd nodded upon hearing Alec's word, smiling slightly despite himself. "Absolutely. We mustn't neglect our knightly duties to the people, especially not at a time like this. Good point, Alec." The way he spoke reminded me of a parent praising his son after he did his chores without anybody reminding him to do so.

"Actually, that was all Oifey's idea. That kid's every bit the tactician they say he is. Give him a few years and he'll be a match for his old grandpa, Lord Sesar !" I could easily detect the presence of pride on both his face and his voice as he talked about Oifey. It seemed like Alec really liked the kid, which was a bit surprising considering his personality.

Sigurd furrowed his brows at that, as if he was thinking about something. "Oifey's still around the castle, huh…" His eyes were moving around, as if he was looking for something, before slowly widening themselves as he looked in the direction I came from. "Oifey ! I know you're here. You can come out now !"

The young boy, who was hiding behind a pillar, quickly made his way towards our group at Sigurd's call. He bowed as soon as he got within hearing distance.

"My apologies for still being here, sire." He raised himself to look at Sigurd, and I saw for a second the same flicker I saw in Sigurd's eyes some time ago. He looked like there was something he wanted to say but couldn't, so I nudged him a bit forward with my elbow, and it seem like it did the trick. "…Still, if you would allow it, I'd like to join you in battle. I can't just sit back while you risk your lives."

"I don't know… You're still so young. Are you sure you're ready for this ?"

"I'm already fourteen, sire. I may not be battle-ready just yet, but there's still so much I can do to support you. Please, allow me to accompany you. I swear I won't let you down."

It made me wonder each time I thought of it. The difference between both of our worlds were still so striking… How could they let a boy who didn't even go through puberty proper yet go to war ? nevertheless, it wasn't my place to judge. Plus, compared to the others, he's going to live a longer life anyway.

I stepped forward as soon as I noted Sigurd's silence stretching for far longer than it had to.

"If you're still reticent, then why not assign him a chaperone ? If he's even half as smart as I heard he is then his advice might be needed in the coming battle."

It was then that, after what seemed like an hour but was really only one minute, Sigurd finally relented with a sigh.

"...Fair enough, Oifey. After all, you've already spent two years training as my squire. Real battlefield experience would be fantastic for your training, but you're still definitely not up to actual combat duty for now. How about you ride with me as my advisor instead ?"

If he was disappointed by the prospect of having to ride with Sigurd and not fight any battle himself, then he was doing a great job at hiding it. He was beaming, face full of gratitude as he looked toward me, then towards Sigurd.

"Y-yes ! Thank you, sire ! Thank you !" He bowed once more before quickly running towards the castle. If I had to hazard a guess, I'll say he went to change his clothes. Or something to that nature.

While I was thinking about Oifey, Sigurd's attention suddenly drifted towards me.

"Judging by what I've seen so far, is it safe to assume that you will be joining us too ? Ray, was it ?"

"Yes, sire." I bowed too as Oifey did, though not as low.

Sigurd winced at my display, waving his hand towards me. "There's no need for all that right now. We don't have the time, and unlike Oifey, I am not your lord."

"As you wish." I was expecting him to say something like this anyway, so I accepted it handily.

"I have to warn you though, it will be dangerous. I do not want you to risk your life following me." Ha ! As if those savages were a match for the retribution I will bring upon their heads.

"I will do what I must to see my friends freed from their grasp."

He opened his words as if to say something but no words came out of it. It was like he was mulling over what to say. "Are you referring to the friend you said helped you escape Verdane ?"

I nodded once in confirmation, briefly thinking back on the last time I saw him. "Yes, Dave." But another face passed through my mind like his did, a smiling one with blonde hair. "We must also save Edain."

He stiffened at my words, getting the unspoken implications of it. Really, it was obvious what will happen if Verdane invades Yngvi. There was only ever two fates reserved for Edain, although I knew for sure what was going to happen to her. However, that did nothing to allayed my fears. After all, you never know what might change again from the future that I know due to my presence.

'Like how they advance the day of their attack.'

Sensing a lull in the conversation, Naoise came forward once more, addressing Sigurd with another crucial endeavour.

"Milord, what of the defense of Chalphy itself in our absence ? Leaving the castle unattended is risky. Should the enemy slip past us, a castle with so few guards and no competent leader will fall easily and spell us a swift end."

He was right. I already did a thorough scan of the castle when I was moving around and there can't have been more than ten soldiers actually trained for warfare. The guards manning the gates were thankfully not included in the calculations, especially when one knows of their combat force.

I noticed Alec smiling more and more as he made his way towards the man who remained silent since the beginning of the conversation. "Naoise, I'd say there's only one man who we can depend upon for that…" He said jokingly, placing his arm over the shoulder of the person in question with a smirk on his face. "Eh, Arden ?"

Arden immediately scowled, ready to defend himself. "Hold on a moment ! Why me, Alec ?"

"Do you really want me to tell you ?"Alec looked like he could barely contain the laughter he was holding.

Arden simply crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Alec with a frown. "Yes. Tell me." His look was challenging, daring him to say anything even slightly untoward.

"Sturdy as a brick wall ! Strong as an ox ! Slow as a turtle ! Face it, Arden, you were born for guard duty ! Haha !" As if he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore, Alec started cackling as soon as he said his piece, to Arden's apparent displeasure.

"Pah... I'm strong and tough, I know, but you really don't need to call me slow !"

It was only thanks to Sigurd's timely intervention that the situation didn't escalate any further. "He has a point, Arden. Would you? You're the most apt at guard duty."

Arden's expression betrayed his inner feelings. Any on could see his face going from mild annoyance, to consideration and then finally resignation. He sighed loudly, finally dropping his arms to the side.

"Fine, I'll do it. But you have to bring me with you at least once ! I don't want to be left out of the action."

He bowed after that, leaving in the direction of the gates. He met Oifey on the way, the two of them exchanging a few words before Oifey bowed towards him before resuming his march in our direction.

In the mean time, it seems like Naoise went into the stables and brought out two more horses. Seeing that, Sigurd quickly looked at me as if asking whether I needed a horse of my own, to which I quickly shook my head. Nodding at that, the blue-haired lordling turned his own steed once more towards the gates, quickly followed by Alec and Naoise doing the same. Oifey climbed behind Sigurd, and I behind Naoise.

"Right, men, it's time to set out. Let's start by assisting the villages, and then it's onward to Yngvi !"

He then gave the orderother to his horse to move forward. Slowly at first, then in a trot and finally in a gallop. The scenery quickly changed as we made our way out of the castle and into town.

I could faintly hear Oifey talk to Sigurd on the way, so I motion to Naoise to bring us closer. The silent knight simply nodded in silence, bringing us slowly to the side of his lord as I managed to catch the last bit of their conversation.

"Sire, in addition, might I recommend stopping by the castle town before moving out ? To see you unharmed should help to calm and reassure your citizens."

Oifey made a good point. At this time, news of Yngvi falling in the hands of an invading army was bound to be unsettling for the citizens of Chalphy who were more than likely to be the next target.

Sigurd looked thoughtful, but I could sense he was going to turn down Oifey's idea. He was probably thinking something along the lines of 'The citizens won't come to harm if we eliminate the Verdanite soldiers threatening them and Yngvi. We should focus on that'. That. On itself, wasn't a bad sentiment. However, what Oifey said held meaning too. That was why I decided to intervene.

"If I may…" I spoke softly, causing Sigurd to look in my direction for the first time since we departed. "I believe we should do as he says. Not only will it help maintain order in Chalphy, it will also give us additional time for me to collect more information."

"Information you say ? Do you have a way to do that quickly ?" He looked doubtful for a second, but his good side seemed to have quickly taken over as he just closed his eyes for a second. "I guess I can spare a few minutes then. I'll be going with Oifey and Alec. Naoise will be staying with you in case you require assistance. I hope a quarter an hour will be sufficient for you, won't it ?"

I wouldn't know if it will be or not but I couldn't argue that right now without even trying first. So I simply agreed to save us both time.

"More than enough yes." With a dip of my head, Sigurd turned his horse around rather sharply, heading into another direction. Naoise continue galloping forward although at a more reduced pace now.

"Where should we go ?"

"Just outside the gates will be fine." He nodded again before nudging his mount forward one more with a twist of the reins. Sin ce we were on the move for a long time now, it didn't take that long for us to reach the town's gate.

---

"What's he doing ?"

"I don't know. Looks weird to me."

The guards stationed at the gate were murmuring among themselves, each trying to get a good view in our direction from their position at the gate.

Naoise silently stood a safe distance from me as I was crouching with one knee on the ground. My eyes were closed as I tried to focused solely on my other senses in an attempt to expand their range. Lewyn's advice came to mind as I remember the same sensation I generally get whenever I activate this spell.

[The skill, 'Whispers of the Wind', is being activated]

Steadily, the only sound I could hear was that of my slow breathing. It continued to be like that for half a minute…until other sounds gradually entered my ear as I expected them too.

"You curs seriously haven't seized this puny castle yet ?" Cursed a rough voice harshly, "Useless, the lot of you... Outta my way ! I'll do it myself !"

"Kehehe…" The same voice started laughing after a while before abruptly shouting. "You ! Not bad for being here all on your lonesome, but I've had enough of your struggling !"

It was at this moment that I heard an all-too-familiar voice. Or rather two familiar voices..

"Urgh... Milady, I... Forgive me…"

"Ah ! Midir, I…"

I almost lost my concentration as the voice registered in my brain, my mind imagining the worst despite knowing that it wouldn't happen. It couldn't.

"Well, well, looks like we have quite the gem here, and Yngvi's princess to boot ! You're coming home with me, dearie. Listen up, DiMaggio. I'm heading back. You and Gerrard are in charge."

"Er, yes, sir…" A new voice came in, not so different from his interlocutor.

"Hah, relax ! Won't be long, and I'll be bringing Cimbaeth's lot along for the fun. When I do, all Grannvale's our oyster. Even Belhalla ought to be easy pickings, what with nobody around to stop us ! The kingdom's all ours, boys !"

"Leave it to us, sir !" The man replied happily, excitement clear in his voice.

Then silence ensued for a while. For a minute, I thought this was it until something caught my attention. Movements. Plenty of them at that. And in the middle of them the man's coarse voice rang once again.

"Get to work, boys ! Our next stop's Chalphy. Don't forget to milk the villages for all they got !"

Following that, more movements were made in and out of the castle town. It was easy to guess that it was the Verdanite soldiers deploying, and thanks to my skills as well as the memories I have from before, I was quickly able to come up with a partly detailed explanation of their forces.

At the same time as I got up and cancelled the skill, Sigurd, Oifey and Alec were finally back from their stop in town. Fifteen minutes on the dot. I also noticed five other knights following behind him horseback. Although, on closer inspection, they looked more like scouts than actual knights.

"Alright. Now we can move out." Declared Sigurd as soon as his group joined ours. I almost face-palmed at his sudden declaration.

'At least he's motivated.' Thinking that, I quickly moved forward to catch Sigurd's attention. He looked at me quizzically, causing me to groan inwardly.

"You remember how I said I would be getting information, right ?" I asked slowly, looking at him with something akin to hope in my eyes. Thankfully, he nodded his head.

"I do. But I failed to see you could get any thing particularly detailed in fifteen minutes."

'Weren't you the one who only gave me fifteen minutes ?' I almost blurted out, thankfully my mouth stayed fix with it's same unperturbed smile.

"Plenty actually." I then launched into a five minutes, detailed but concise, explanation of the enemy troops, their make-up and position. "In short, we'll be facing a force of forty with just us four. We'll be outnumbered ten to one, so we're really in a disadvantage."

Alec took a glance at the riders they bought with them but I quickly shook my head in refusal.

"They look more like messengers than fighters. We don't need to have an additional source of concern out there. At best, they can ride to the different villages to warn them about the invasion and tell them to barricade themselves. Afterwards, they come back directly to either one of us." I pointed to Sigurd, then Naoise, Alec and finally me. "Since we'll be going our separate ways at first, we'll need a way to keep each other updated. Communication and coordination are key when facing an enemy with overwhelming numbers."

Sigurd calmly took in all that I said, same with Alec and Naoise. I think I saw Oifey look at me with stars in his eyes.

"Excuse me." A hand came up following the voice, and I saw that both belonged to Alec. "You say we'll be going our separate way, but wouldn't it be better to strike swiftly and decisively as one due to their numbers ?"

His question was sound. Certainly, when face with huge numbers, it was safer to stay as a group. In fact, I would have opted for that strategy if our circumstances were slightly different. However, there was no need to that in this situation.

"Normally, that will be true." I replied, looking at him with a smug smile on my face. "But that's only when both sides fighting forces are equal."

He frowned at me as if I just said the most stupid thing he's ever heard.

"Sure, they may have the number. But we're stronger than them. I have complete faith that each of us can deal with three of them simultaneously if need be."

They all looked at me in silence, most likely shocked by my declaration. After all, the situation was dire enough as it is, hearing a stranger trying to split their forces in this situation and saying that he believed in us was indeed strange.

Amidst the silence and confusion, another voice rang out breaking the trance everyone seemed to be stuck in.

"Umm, excuse me. I think we can do as he says."

"Oifey !?" Alec shouted, looking at the boy in shock.

He quickly defended his position with confidence. "If the enemy really are as numerous as he said, a hit-and-run tactic is also advisable. We're mounted, and they're not. We can hit them hard, and retreat if the situation looks perilous." His explanation was short and to the point, convincing most of the still doubtful members of our group.

Everyone finally nodded at the wisdom behind Oifey's words, myself included. To think he was the only one to get the hidden meaning behind my strategy, I started to see why some people called him a gifted tactician.

Sigurd looked at the both of us before making his decision. "If both of us are in agreement then I guess we have a plan. Now, how would you suggest splitting the troops ?" He asked, looking at Oifey then at me inquisitively.

"Simple." I responded quickly, as if the answer was already obvious, and pulled out the map I brought from the meeting room. Naoise scowled at me, perhaps incensed by my little theft. "Lord Sigurd, you'll be heading straight in Yngvi's direction. You can easily deal with any Verdanite you'll encounter." I made a diagonal line, leaving Chalphy to Yngvi, indicating the route Sigurd was to take. "But beware of their Hunters, they may stay hidden near forested areas to launch their sneak attack." He nodded, and I immediately turned my attention to the duo of knight.

"Naoise, Alec, you head to this forest." I said, pointing our current position on the map before tracing a straight line to the left, stopping at a cluster of trees. "Eliminate any enemy soldier on your way before heading south to assist lord Sigurd." They looked at each other for a brief moment before focusing back on me. Naoise nodded his head whereas Alec simply smiled. I then brought up the last point of the split.

"As for myself, I'll be going north. No, don't worry about me." I said immediately as I noticed Oifey's worried expression upon hearing my words.

"But you'll be alone. Will you really be okay ?" He asked and I could feel my eyebrow twitch as I looked briefly into his concerned eyes.

"Don't worry. I'll be alerting the village closest to us and taking care of any enemy soldiers nearby. Plus, if it comes to that, I'm confident in my running abilities." I grinned at him, but his confusion only deepen even more at that.

Sigurd's voice brought the discussion to an end as he maneuveredmanoeuvred his horse once more towards the gate. "Everyone heard the plan then. We'll be moving out immediately."

At his indirect command, Naoise and Alec got back on their horses, Oifey tightened his grip on Sigurd's tunic, and one of the riders came forward to help me get on his mount. I was glad to see that at least one of them was quick-witted.

"Thank you." Nodding his head, the rider also turned in the same direction as the others as Sigurd unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards the sky.

"Knights of Chalphy !" He shouted, capturing the attention of everyone in the vicinity. He then lowered his sword, pointing forward. "LET'S GO !"

As one, all of the soldiers present shouted in unison. Not only the knights and riders, but also the guards stationed at the gates a few meters behind us.

The horses started moving, each of them slowly heading in a specific direction per our plan.

Sigurd's horse headed straight for Yngvi followed by one of the riders. Naoise and Alec headed south, where most of the villages were situated. Two other riders followed behind them. As for me, our direction slightly tilted upward and I got reminded of the road I walked on this very morning to reach Chalphy. It was the same after all, meaning that the same village who accepted me in its midst was also in this direction. I could only hope that the old man ad the other villages were still safe.

A window suddenly appeared in front of me. An alert from the System.

---

A new quest has been created !

Title : A hero is no braver than an ordinary man.

Type : Main Quest

Time-frame : 12 hours

Description : Yngvi castle has been besieged. Joining Sigurd's forces, you decide to launch a counter-attack in order to recover the castle back from enemy forces.

Objectives : Take back the castle, eliminate the enemy and protect the civilians.

Rewards : 2 000 Gold Coins, 500 EXP, Increase standing within Yngvi.

Failure : Verdane would be able to freely attack Chalphy castle and easily conquer what little resistance was left behind.

Status: In progress…

---

We were riding for almost an hour now before the village finally came into view. Thankfully, it seemed to be unscathed. At least on the outside.

"It seems we're not the only one who got here quickly." Exclaimed the rider transporting me. As I turned my head to look in the same direction as him, I almost cursed out aloud in frustration.

"Tsk. How can they be already here ?" It was strange. We rode to this place at full speed whereas they were still walking. It was unthinkable for us to reach the same place at the same time.

'Was there a delay in the sound transmission ?' Thinking along those lines, it made sense for them to have a head-start on us and even for them to reach here at the same time.

The wind, no matter how fast it could get, was not instantaneous. Words still had to travel a certain distance in order to reach their destination and the same could be said of my skill. Meaning, the words I heard a few minutes ago could've been said even twelve hours earlier depending on how far was it's point of origin and how quick was the wind carrying it.

"Slow down gradually so as not to attract their attention then go and hide yourself somewhere. I'll try to launch a sneak attack before they reach the village." I instructed the rider, who quickly did as told.

I quickly got off of his horse a couple of meters away from the village, with the Verdanites getting closer themselves. They were not in any particular haste, perhaps thinking that the village would be an easy target like in Yngvi. Looking at how they were loudly chatting among themselves with smiles, laughters and continuous licking of their lips, they were still clearly drugged on their recent victory.

"I'll take care of this quickly. Stay on the look-out for anything suspicious and be prepared to return to the castle or to Sigurd if need be." I told the rider as I slowly made my way towards the group of soldiers.

They were five of them. Four of them were carrying axes, barbarian most likely. Although one amongst their group held a different axe. The last member member of their group was a Hunter, as evidenced by the bow he was holding.

I quickly formulated a plan to take advantage of their carelessness and launched forward using speed and stealth to stay hidden for as long as possible.

As I moved closer to them, I noticed the Hunter and the Barbarian holding the odd-looking axe were nervous.

[The skill 'Observe' has been activated]

Barbarian x2

- Level 3

- Iron axe

Barbarian

- Level 10

- Hand axe

Brigand

- Level 5

- Iron axe

Hunter

- Level 4

- Iron Bow

'Their senses might be sharper than I thought. It looks like I'll have to act now if I want to preserve the element of surprise.'

---

A new quest has been generated !

Title : What do you do when you face overwhelming odds ? Simple. You win.

Type : Sub Quest

Time-frame : One hour

Description : You have been tasked with securing the northern side of the battlefield. A Piece of cake for for someone like you !

Objective : Eliminate the enemy soldiers and save the village.

Rewards : 500 Gold Coins, 50 EXP.

Failure : The village will be destroyed.

Status: In progress…

---

Holding up both of my hands, I willed the mana inside of me to start moving. Magical energy quickly coursed through me, and I slowly felt the wind picking up from both my left and my right.

[The skill 'Blades of Zephyr' is being activated]

Wind currents immediately coalesced in both of my hands, slowly forming their intended shape. Taking aim, I pointed my palm forward at the most dangerous ones among the enemies I had to face and launched !

*Woooom!*

Moving at incredible speeds, the wind blades made their way towards their respective targets.

The hunter, despite feeling that something was off, couldn't react on time as the blade separated his head from his body in one clean cut. The other barbarian felt the same thing, and instinctively pushed the friend he was talking to in the path of the blade before himself jumping to the side. The result was as gruesome as expected. The blade cleanly passed through the middle of his body, separating it in two.

I inwardly cursed seeing my plan failing so close. I was going to get rid of the long range fighters pre-emptively in order to limit their offensive options. With my plan now a failure, I had to content with two very angry Verdanites running in my direction and the third one looking from afar with a vice-claw on his Hand axe.

Gritting my teeth, I summoned my sword from the inventory, carefully watching the approaching enemy and glancing from time to time at the one who decided to stay back and attack from a relatively safe distance.

As soon as they reached five metersmetes, the foremost one lunged at me with his axe behind him for a horizontal strike. Due to his large stature, I couldn't clearly see the other one still behind me, however the one already within striking distance was more pressing.

*Claaang*

Steel met iron as I calmly blocked his strike with my sword. He was evidently surprised to see me so easily counter his strike, however I didn't end it here. Using his moment against him, I made a complete turn with my leg outstretched and kicked him in the direction he tried to send me to. He was sent flying to the side despite himself, rolling on the ground and coughing loudly.

Before I could capitalize on this situation, the other barbarian was already on me. Unlike his companion, he didn't make any overly strong move, but rather calmly coming at me again and again. Our weapons clashed against each other, once, twice, thrice. He was keeping up with me but it was clear to anyone that he was slowly overwhelmed.

On the side, the one that was sent crashing finally regained his wits and charged at me once more. This time though, he didn't try to lunge again. On the contrary, he tried to emulate as much as possible his friend's fighting style, coming at me from the left as his companion charged at my right.

However…

*Cliing cling*

I easily repelled both of their weapons with a single move of my blade. Both of them lost their balance, one falling back and the other flailing forward. Seeing my chance, the grip on my weapon reflexively tightened itself as I readied myself to deliver the fatal strike to one of them, if not both.

"Watch out !" The rider's loud voice broke me out of my focused state and I could once again concentrate on my surrounding. He was the reason why I managed to dodge, at the last possible second, the axe that was flying towards my neck.

Crouching instinctively, the axe went over my head, missing by a few margin. I was about to release a relieved sigh when I saw the smile of the barbarian that was also on the ground. I didn't see the thing he was holding in his hand. I couldn't see anything.

"Aarrgghh !"

You have been blinded.

Surprisingly, I was still able to see the system window in my mind despite the fact that a lot of sand was sent into my eyes.

I gripped my face with my free hand, kicking forward in the direction I last saw the barbarian. However, he wasn't there anymore, and the lack of purchase made me lose my balance as I stumbled forward and almost fell.

"Damn it…" I cursed loudly. I could hear the mocking laughs of the two barbarian that were somehow circling me. I tried hit once where I heard the sound coming from but the was nothing.

"Hehehehe." Their taunting persisted in the air as I continuously racked my brain to find a solution. Even circulating mana in my eyes couldn't help me get rid of this pain, and I still couldn't see what was in front of me.

"Stop laughing like fools and get rid of him. The village's waiting for us." One voice rang out, coming from so far away that I knew it was the barbarian with the throwing axe. The two barbarians immediately stopped hurling threats and insults at me after being chastised.

Feeling the situation becoming increasingly precarious, I forced my racing heart to calm down. Deep breaths, one time, two times, three times. I started thinking of ways to get the upper hand, and an idea quickly came to my mind.

'As they say. Keep a cool head and a hot heart.'

I smirked as I went into the trance-like state I usually assume when communicating with the Sylphs.

[Skill, 'Whispers of the Wind', is being activated]

As the noises surrounding me became more and more muffled, I could pinpoint each individual string of sound from the other, including movements, breathing and, to a limited extent, even heartbeat. Using this little bit of trick, I could easily tell which respiration belonged to who and react accordingly.

One of the two advanced slowly towards me, axe raised in order to end me with one move. The axe came down, flying with speed and power granted by gravity. However, it abruptly stopped moving a few centimetres over my head.

"What the--" Shouted the barbarian, most likely surprised as his axe was blocked by my sword which was then twisted sideways.

"Huup." In a fluid move, the barbarian's axe came crashing down. However, rather than my head, it was the ground that almost got cracked open.

"Hnggh !" Judging by the sounds he was making, and the whispers I received, his axe seemed to be stuck in the ground. The situation would've made me laugh if I wasn't facing down such a strong opponent.

*Woosh*

An axe flew past my face as I dodged the sneak attack at the last second the sneak attack. Using my backward momentum, I readied my sword for a charge, aligning it with my arm pointed forwards. All of that happened in less than two seconds. Another enemy was dead.

The remaining two didn't waste time to seek revenge. Perhaps sensing that the situation was slowly getting out of hand, but not that much disadvantageous, the two barbarians redoubled their efforts with each of their assault. The first one strikes became stronger, and faster, whereas the frequency of the throw of the other was rapidly increasing.

Despite the advantage I got using 'Whispers of the wind', I was unused to fighting blindlyblinding. I did try it from time to time, but the training practice was wholly unwelcome in a knight's training ground. Plus, I didn't seem to get any better.

One of the attacks forced me to jump back. I didn't notice that my attempt to distance myself would place me in the path of the flying axe.

"To your left ! Quick !" The occasional warnings of the rider were a godsend. And now that the enemy's number had been reduced to two, they both knew that the other would be quickly overwhelmed without the assistance of the other, even with me blinded. However, he was a bit late this time. Or rather, I was ?

"Shit." I cursed again, holding my left arm which was bleeding a bit from the elbow. The other barbarian decided to quickly capitalize on that and I barely held my sword up to parry his attack. Still, he didn't relent. Left. Right. Diagonal. Up. He continued attacking me in a frenzy as if possessed by the spirit of a berserker. I couldn't believe that the man was a simple level three.

The onslaught of attack continued and I was pushed back slowly but surely. With my eyes still blinded and my left arm unusable, it was clear that it was now just a question of time before I lost.

The notion made the interior of my stomach twist.

"Get back !" I growled, hitting the barbarian's axe so strongly that he was forced to retreat a few steps.

Panting, I hurriedly analyze my current situation once more with what little time I managed to buy.

'I am just a little tired, but my left arm is more or less useless for the moment. However the biggest problem is my vision. I can't depend solely on the wind, not in my current state.'

The barbarian hacked once more at my head, causing to jump once more behind. Perhaps because I expected it somehow, I was easily able to dodge the flying axe this time.

'I should be grateful that they're not being more aggressive, but if I can't break the status quo I'm the one who's going to die.'

I parried a strike of an axe heading for my arm with my sword, then pushed the weight of my body to the right as I lifted my left leg in order to dodge the other axe that tried a sweep at me.

'Maybe I should go for the axe thrower first ? But I don't think his friend here is going to let me go unchecked. Plus, there's still the rider to think of.'

If they decided to shift their attention on him first, then I was going to use that occasion to hit them hard. But seeing as they focused solely on me, they knew that getting rid of me first was the safest choice.

'Aarrrgggghhhhh ! This is really frustrating !'

As my thoughts were becoming more and more incensed, I missed a step in my retreat and slipped and who-knows-what on the ground. Moreover, I fell on my injured arm, causing a sharp pain to rapidly move through my body, from my arm to my head and making me unable to concentrate on my surroundings.

I didn't notice the axe falling on top of me, as well as the one coming from the right. The pain was so sudden and so strong that it momentarily numbed all my other senses, including my hearing of which depended my skill.

It was when my situation was beginning to look the most awful…

[A heightened sixth sense courses through your veins as the scent of impending danger reaches you.]

…that something unexpected appeared in my mind.

[A new skill is forged !]

---

Bloodlust Perception

- Rank : B

- Cost : [N/A]

- Type : Passive

The predatory instincts within you awaken, attuning to the subtlest shifts in the atmosphere. The scent of aggression becomes palpable as you sense the bloodlust emanating from potential adversaries. In the face of imminent danger, your instincts serve as an unerring compass, granting you precious moments to prepare for the impending clash.

---

Without me even realising or wanting it, and despite the pain raking my brain, my body moved on its own in a swift manner. First, my body pressed itself to the ground, and I felt the axe flying past my face. My head then roughly tilted itself to the left, the motion quickly followed by a loud noise and a ringing in my ear. All of this spurred only by a tingling sensation prickling specific parts of my body.

But I didn't mind it at all. With renewed energy now moving my tired limbs, I pressed my hand backwards on the ground, coiling like a spring before releasing myself legs first and directly into the stomach of the barbarian. The prickly sensation I was feeling slowly subsided after my strike.

Receiving such a powerful kick when on the verge of finally grasping victory must have been a bigger shock than I expected, because the big burly man held his stomach, mouth agape, before slowly falling on the ground.

"..."

I turned my head towards his prone figure on the ground, slightly wondering how and I was in difficulty against someone so weak.

"Tsk."

My sword appeared in my hand, and I swiftly plunged it's blade downward, piercing the barbarian's head instantly. It was a quick and painless death, more than what scum like him was deserving of.

As I slowly tried to remove my blade from his dead body, my body once again moved on its own as I felt another pickle around the left side of my neck, twisting my torso backward. I could hear the sound of the axe flying past me even without using 'Whispers of the wind'. A devilish grin started spreading itself on my face.

'Two can play this game you know.'

I stretched my hand forward in the general direction of the last remaining enemy, at the area where the prickles where the strongest. I wasn't pointing it directly at his position because I wanted him to think that I didn't know where he was precisely.

Even then, I could hear the sounds made by his movement. It seemed like he was trying to change his hiding point and I could only praised his cautiousness. However, it wasn't enough.

Wind coalesced in the palm of my outstretched hand, quickly taking the shape of a crescent moon. As the wind was reaching it's climax, I suddenly turned my hand to the side and shot the spell forward.

[The skill 'Blades of Zephyr' is being activated]

The blade surged at a speed comparatively higher than the ones I used in the beginning. Although, this difference was normal, seeing as the amount of mana poured differed from one case to the other.

"Keeuuk !"

*THUD*

An agonizing scream was soon heard, sign that the man had been hit, followed by the sound of a large object falling limply to the ground.

After confirming once more that all the enemies have been defeated with the help of the Sylphs, I immediately started walking in the direction of the village. Hurried footsteps got closer to me as I walked, and I could hear the worried voice of the rider that came with me.

"Are you okay ? Should I bring you back to the castle for treatment ?" The panic in his voice was at least genuine, but I didn't have the time for that. Not now at least.

I shook my head before pointing at the village ahead of us. "I'm going to warn the villagers. In the meantime, go to Lord Sigurd and tell him that the northern side had been taken care of and that he can concentrate on taking the castle."

The rider didn't reply, but I couldn't hear him move either. After a few seconds, I heard him climbing on his horse before turning it around. "I'll be back as soon as I'm done with your message."

"Ah. No. Don't do that." I shook my head quickly, and I could clearly picture the scowl he was sporting on his confused face. "I'll be heading to the castle when I'm done with the village. So you can just stay near Lord Sigurd."

"You can't possibly tell me that you'll walk all that distance with these wounds !? Plus, what if the enemy sends more soldiers this way ?" He protested, quite strongly at that.

Of course, I already anticipated everything that could possibly happen. Whether here near this village, or near Chalphy castle.

"Don't worry about that. Just give him my message and stay near him." The finality in my voice must have gotten to him, because he didn't respond for a while.

"...Understood." He then finally left as instructed and I continued on my way to the village.

At its entrance was a group of people, men by the sound of themir, and armed at that. As I walked towards them, I could hear several voices over the distance but none too clearly, except for one who seemed strangely familiar.

Hurried steps came out of the village in my direction, at least five of them. That familiar voice was the first one to speak up.

"Hello friend. It is nice to see you again." It was the man who gave me accommodations yesterday when I stopped by this village on my way to Chalphy.

"Yes. I am glad to find you unharmed." I replied with a smile, content to notice that he really took my word at face value.

"I would like to say the same about you but alas." He must be referring to my injuries. "Do you need help ? We do not have a healer in our small village but we might have some spare medicinal herbs." His proposition was heart-warming, but I couldn't take from them more than what was needed. So I simple shook my head, followed by a smile to reassure him.

"Just some water would be plenty."

"Bring him water please." Steps followed, and quickly came back, with someone handing me the water skin. I swiftly took it from him, drinking a bit of water before pouring most of the rest of my face, and more precisely on my eyes.

A bit of face-rubbing later and I could finally open my eyes, the first thing I saw was the villager's worried looks.

"Are you really okay ? Your eyes are a bit…red."

"Sand got in my eyes. I'll be fine soon enough." I waved my hand in front of my face as if to say it was a mild concern at best, but judging by the look he was giving me it seems like he wouldn't believe it. However, he didn't press the issue either.

"After you left this morning, I walked around to talk to the villagers I am closest to, then the whole of us went to the village chief. I managed to convince him about what you told me and we were about to barricade ourselves for their assault tomorrow."

"Hmm." Good thinking. I really didn't expect him to place his faith in the words of a stranger.

"Imagine how worried I was when one of the guys we sent to bring us wood came back with news that he could see fire coming from Yngvi castle and several people looking like Verdanites."

I was a bit surprised at that. Being able to notice that from this far was impressive. It must've been thanks to that that they could prepare themselves a bit better.

"It seems I just made all your preparations fruitless." I said with a smack of my lips, to which the man just started laughing happily.

"Don't say such nonsense. You came to save us even though you must be worried for your friends in Yngvi. We're safe thanks to you and I don't even know how to repay this debt… But I'll still try my best."

He signalled one of the other men with his chin and the guy quickly came forward with a bag in hand, which he handed to me.

"Here, the whole village did their bit to raise some money for you. It's not much, but we hope it helps out there… I know you've already done enough as is, but try to lend the other villages a hand, too. I bet they'll be happy to help you right back." He smiled at me before presenting me his hand. I gripped it tightly in a handshake, smiling right at him.

The villagers went back, leaving me alone in the open plain. I quickly stored the pouch which was likely full of money in my Inventory before heaving a sigh.

---

Quest Completed !

Type : Sub Quest

Time-frame : One hour

Description : You have been tasked with securing the northern side of the battlefield. A Piece of cake for for someone like you !

Objective : Eliminate the enemy soldiers and save the village.

Rewards : 500 Gold Coins, 50 EXP.

Failure : The village will be destroyed.

Status: Succes…

---

"Now, I believe it should be time for those two to appear."

[The skill 'Gale Stride' is being activated]

Strong gusts of winds started rushing towards me in a familiar manner now. Without so much as a warning, I started sprinting north with a speed even greater than what I was going when I was riding a horse.

Of course, the two couldn't be compared. One was just an animal whereas the other was the wind itself.

The reason why I didn't use this method when coming here was simply because I needed to be conservative of my mana expenditure. This skill was not costly on itself, but when going over long distances, or with added weight, the mana required for it's maintenance rose proportionally. Thus, short distance travels such as this, and alone at that, were preferable.

In less than five minutes, I already crossed a considerable distance, More importantly, I could hear voices growing closer as I flew. I immediately cancelled the skill, the wind surrounding me dissipating peacefully. I continued at foot, finally catching onto the conversation of the two noble newcomers.

"Heh... We both know there's more to it than that. Come on, Azelle. What's the real reason we're here ?"

"Er... I... I have no idea what you mean !"

Red and blue hair finally came into view as I continued walking. They didn't seem to have noticed my presence yet, which could be a concern. After all, an enemy could ambush them just like this.

"It's that Lady Edain of Yngvi, isn't it ? Come on, everybody knows you like her. You just came for her sake, didn't you ?"

"N-no ! Of course not, you dolt !"

"Really ? Then why's your face beet-red? Looks like somebody's got a giiiiiiirlfriend !" I could indeed see Azelle's face getting as red as his red, making me chuckle a little.

"L-Lex, knock it off ! Come on, we've wasted enough time."

"Hahaha, got it. Time to teach these Verdanite thugs a lesson or two !"

'I guess this is my cue.'

"Hum, excuse me." I faked a cough to attract their attention to my presence a few dozens of centimeters away. They turned their heads towards me reflexively, suspicion plain on their look. I could see Lex slowly reaching for his axe bend him and I raised both of my hands as a gesture of peace. "Hold, I wish you no harm."

Lex didn't remove his hand from behind him, nor did he stop looking at me with a frown. But Azelle came forward with a shy smile reminiscent of a small rabbit trying to make friends.

"Hello. Can we help you ?"

"Yes, but allow me to apologize" I clapped my hands in front of me, grasping both of their attention. "I overheard your conversation. It seems you came to help save Edain." I carefully threw her name in the conversation, and inwardly smiled when I noticed the minute twitch of Azelle's eyebrow.

Lex maneuvered his horse closer to me, positioning himself between Azelle and I. "Are you one of Sigurd's knights ?" His tone was less accusatory, but still cautious, and I mentally debated whether it'll just be easier to say yes.

"No, but I am in a similar situation to you. I want to help Edain who is a dear friend to me." Honesty suited me best anyway. Whether they believed me or not was another story altogether now.

Thankfully, it seems like Azelle, at least, did.

"Then we're on the same side. If you don't mind, could you tell us what happened already."

"Of course." I bowed towards them in thanks, before sneaking a glance in the direction of Yngvi. "But I believe now is not the best of time. How about we do that after this battle is over ?"

"Thank you." His smile seemed genuine. He was a good kid, unlike most of his relatives.

Lex, who remained silent until now, finally decided to join the conversation once more.

"If you guys are done, let's get back to thrashing the Verdanites." His smile too seemed genuine, but in a different way to Azelle. His was more carefree and natural, more like a grin actually.

With their help, I could now leave this side of the battlefield without worries and go accommodate the other half of our reinforcement. After all, Sigurd needed only to worry on quickly taking the castle. Midir's life also was on the scale.

"Do you two mind taking care of this area ? I need to go and tell the others about the reinforcement." I sneakily gestured at them so that they would get the hint, which they thankfully did.

"Leave it to us !" His candor briefly reminded me of Eve, and I made a mental note to introduce the two of them when I could.

After briefly explaining to the two about the possible appearance of enemy reinforcements on this side, I immediately headed in the direction of the castle, distancing myself from Azelle and Lex before calling on the wind once more.

With my skill in full use, the travel duration from the village to Chalphy castle was cut by more than half. I stumbled upon them before the castle itself, so that might have helped too. They were three of them, all on horseback, riding at full speed in the direction of Yngvi unbothered by enemy troops.

As I neared their position, the brown-haired male was the first to notice my presence. He readied his lance, staying in front of the other two as he eyed me suspiciously. His voice was calm and suave when he spoke to the others.

"I didn't expect the enemy to reach this far already. Maybe we shouldn't have stopped at the castle for so long…" Hmm, I wonder why they did that. Was it to see if Sigurd was still there? Or perhaps to gauge the state of the civilians. "You two stay behind me. I'll finish this quickly."

Despite saying that, he didn't charged forward immediately, instead eyeing me with apprehension. I couldn't help but wonder if it was the smartest move to give a magic-user so much space but this was neither the place nor the time. I didn't have my weapon out either, so maybe he was giving me the chance to talk first if I wanted.

"I am part of Lord Sigurd forces." I spoke up, clearly and quickly. I could see his body relax slightly at my declaration but he was still wary, as expected of him.

"If that is indeed the truth then shouldn't you be with him on the front-lines ? I believe they should be nearing Yngvi castle by now." So his question was what I was doing in the back when the others where fighting in the front-line huh.

"Your assumption is most certainly correct, however--" Before I could say anything, the girl with pink hair came forward with a frown on her face.

"You're wounded." She pointed out, eyes fixed on the blood covering my arm, sleeve and that half of my body. She dismounted just as quickly, bringing her staff with her.

"Milady be careful." The third one tried to stop her, but the girl was already close to me anyway. She looked at me for a moment, then at my wound, as if asking for permission to check it out. As soon as I gave her a nod, she went to work on my arm.

Quan kept his lance back, look intensely focused at me, but didn't come up. "At least he doesn't look like a Verdanite. And I don't believe they'll be able to hire mercenaries for an invasion." I was a bit surprised that he so quickly noticed that I was a mercenary. Then again, I didn't have the traditional look of a knight, nor was I wearing Chalphy's color.

"Your wound stopped bleeding. And thankfully there doesn't seem to be any signs of infection." Ethlyn whispered beside me as she continued inspecting my arm. I didn't even notice her tearing off part of my sleeve. "Were you coming back to the castle to get this treated ?" Her eyebrow twitched for a second as I nodded, and her features creased in worry. Possibly for her brother.

I couldn't bear to see her worried look, so I quickly reassured her with a bit of bravado and humour. "Don't worry. I did that to myself anyway, I shouldn't have thought that facing five enemy soldiers at once was a good idea." Although I chuckled, the look she was throwing me was accusatory.

"And that is the reason your left arm was rendered useless and you had to retreat." Her patronizing tone was a bit surprising, but at least she didn't look worried anymore so I guess it was a plus.

"Good. It seems we aren't too late." Quan's voice tore my attention away from Ethlyn back to him, even though he was now looking in the direction of Yngvi. "I pray Sigurd is still unhurt."

Unless something went really wrong, the enemy wouldn't be able to bring him down anyway. But I couldn't just tell them not to worry needlessly. Not when Ethlyn was still prodding my aching arm and keeping up with the discussion, all the while maintaining her calm.

"Mm. I'm sure my brother's doing just fine out here, but it won't be easy without a magic user in his ranks. I want to do all I can as a healer to help out and save lives... Quan, I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess as well... I know Chalphy isn't my family anymore, now that we're married, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Thank you so much for coming. Not just from me, but from Sigurd."

Light started shining from my side, sign that Ethlyn finished with her bandaging and was now casting Heal with her staff. The soft lift glowed for a moment before disappearing, along with any lingering pain I had in my arm.

Ethlyn then rose from her crouch position and headed back to her horse. Quan had dismounted during the treatment and was now helping Ethlyn back on her horse with a tender smile. "There's no need for thanks, Ethlyn. Sigurd is every bit as important to me as he is you, remember ? He is my brother-in-law now, after all. ...And I couldn't possibly leave you to fight all alone."

She hugged him him, and although I wasn't certain of it, I think I saw tears gleaming in her eyes. Her muffled voice was barely audible in Quan's embrace. "Thank you, dear... Thank you so much…"

The emotional moment lasted only for a few seconds. After all, as touching as it was, the others might still be in need of help in the frontlines. As I was about to speak up another voice beat me to it, making the eyes of everyone present turn to him as one.

"Milord, milady, we should hurry. Lord Sigurd still awaits us on the battlefield just ahead." His voice was steady and calm, but I could still detect a point of nervousness in his features. I wondered why.

Kuhum*

Quan's awkward cough forced me out of my contemplation, and as I turned my attention away from Finn, I saw Ethlyn back on her horse and Quan on his, covering his mouth with his hand.

His eyes were looking at none other than me. "What will you do now ?" That was a valid question.

Now that the issue of reinforcements was dealt with, the only thing left to do was to eliminate the remaining Verdanites and seize back the castle.

"I will regroup with Lord Sigurd in Yngvi and help secure the castle. I believe that most of the enemy troops should've been dealt with by now, so I just have to run in a straight line to join them."

I could see Quan sagely nodding his head at some points of my speech, as if he was satisfied with what I said even as I finished talking. But he did a double-take a few seconds later.

"Run in a straight line ? You will be running from here to Yngvi ?" He asked back, as though he wasn't sure he heard me correctly the first time.

I couldn't hide the smirk creeping its way to my face. "Don't worry. I can be very fast when I want to."

The trio didn't look convince but each guided their mounts as they resumed their advance towards castle Yngvi. I waited for a bit before following, using 'Gale stride' to race past them in a blur of wind and sand.

---

Yngvi castle soon came into view and with it the sight of what looked like the final fight of this battle. I could see Naoise and Alec in the distance coming this way as fast their already tired mounts could allow them.

Sigurd was facing off against the Verdanite responsible for guarding the castle, but unfortunately for him, there were none of his lackeys left to help him.

But that didn't look like he was scared though.

"C'mon, you Grannvale cowards ! Come at me ! I'll crush the lot of you !" He roared, raising his axe in the air and pointing it at Sigurd.

Sigurd, for his part, looked remarkably calm for someone who just went through an entire battle field. Oifey already got off of his horse and was observing the fight that will soon break out from a safe distance.

The lordling was the first to move.

*Neeiiiggh*

With a tug on his reins and a cry from his horse, he charged at DiMaggio with his sword pointing forward. I didn't know what he had in mind, but I was sure that he must have a plan in mind other than just charging in. Right ?

DiMaggio also surged forward, and I was mildly impressed with him. Not many people will not cower when faced with the charge of a Paladin's steed. Even fewer will be able to meet it head-on rather than attempt to dodge of block.

The two met with the sound of steel clashing against steel. As expected, Sigurd's sword was pushing back against his enemy, slowly but surely. However, DiMaggio didn't stay put as he was gradually dominated.

With a a sudden burst of strength, he managed to push back Sigurd swords, both weapon shaking violently as a result. But neither stopped there. Sigurd came down again, quicker than before, and tried a thrust aimed at DiMaggio's heart. The Axe Fighter moved just as quickly, blocking the tip of the sword with the flat of his axe but was still forced to take a couple of steps back.

DiMaggio looked at Sigurd for the first time with apprehension. It was like he wasn't sure anymore about his victory, and who could blame him ? But he knew he couldn't run away. He knew Prince Munnir will just have his head if he dared to come back after failing his mission. But was surrendering then a more safe option ? Certainly not. Not after all what they did in Yngvi.

So he did the only sensible thing he could do.

"Aaaarrrgghh !" He ran at Sigurd, axe and upper body slightly turned backwards in preparation for a low cut, aiming at Sigurd's mount rather than him.

'Let's try this out.ʼ

It was a smart move. For a knight used to fighting on horseback, being dismounted could be seen by many as a disadvantage. However, that belief was not universal. And was useless in the current situation anyway.

"Nngg !?" As he tried to perform his attack, DiMaggio felt a strong force holding him back. It was like someone just grabbed the axe that was behind him and made it impossible for him to strike.

As he tried to take a look behind to see just what was going on, Sigurd seized his chance and plunged his sword into the chest of his enemy.

'I seem to have figured it out a bit. Now for the timing…'

DiMaggio fell to his knees, letting go of his axe as blood gushed out of the wound on his chest and spraying the rest of his clothes.

"No... This ain't right…" He had just enough strength to take a look behind him. Perhaps, in his last moment, he wanted to know what made him loss so pathetically. However, the only thing he could see was a smiling face and faintly glowing hand a dozen or so meters away.

As I watched DiMaggio breathe his last, I could finally focus back on the four system messages that were in front of me and that I couldn't check due toof the fight.

[In the dance of thoughts and matter, your will shapes the world. The system recognizes your telekinetic mastery.]

[A new skill is unleashed - Mind Over Matter.]

---

Mind Over Matter

- Rank : S

- Cost : Varied

- Type : Active

Mind Over Matter elevates your mental prowess to extraordinary levels, granting you dominion over the physical world through sheer force of will. This skill enables telekinetic manipulation, allowing you to move objects with the sole power of your mind ! …Well, that was what the initial skill was meant for anyway. In your case, it is your ability to manipulate mana out of your body and using it as an extension of yourself that made this possible. From levitating small items to influencing the trajectory of projectiles, Mind Over Matter transforms your thoughts into tangible effects.

- Distance : 50m.

---

'If only swordsmanship was this easy.'

Silently weeping about my own situation, I didn't even hear Oifey coming up towards me until he was just a few meters in front of me.

"Hello." He said, a bit too cheerfully for someone who just went through a battlefield. Though I could detect a bit of fear radiating off him.

"Hey." I replied back, looking at Oifey with a raised eyebrow. "Can I help you with something ?"

"Yes please. Lord Sigurd asked you to come meet him inside." He was fidgeting although I couldn't tell why.

I gave him a nod and he started walking towards the castle. It was a short five minutes walk past the gates and we finally reached the room where Sigurd was located. He was looking a bit restless, even though the fight just ended.

It was easy to guess that he must be worried about Edain by the way he sighed and closed his eyes.

"Sire." Oifey tried to grab his attention without startling him and Sigurd turned around at the sound. "I brought him as you wanted."

"Thank you Oifey." The boy bowed once again before stepping a couple of steps back. I half-expected him to leave the room, but no, he just stayed there looking around. I silently wondered if this was the place where he will find Midir.

'Maybe I should use Detect Presence.'

But before I could decide whether to use the skill or not, Sigurd opened his mouth to finally speak to me. What surprised me the was harshness hidden in his voice.

"I believe you got a glance of the town on your way here. The Verdanite soldiers did a number on the citizens, be it the volunteer who wanted to help defend their home or just simple commoners trying to hide. They didn't discriminate."

Honestly ? I expected as much. It wasn't for nothing that they've been coined as savages or barbarians all this time. What I know from my memories, and the short time I spent in Verdane, also reinforced this notion.

I made an effort to keep my face as devoid of emotion as possible. My voice came out more easily than I expected.

"What of Edain-- Was she found ?"

Sigurd sighed, shaking his head with a dejected expression. It was something else I should've expected. The future didn't change this easily, despite our best efforts.

"I sent Naoise and Alec to look for her in town as well as to make sure the Verdane forces were thoroughly eliminated. She's not in the castle at least. I also sent the riders back to Chalphy with orders to bring back supplies as well as medical personnel. The civilians that were thrown into this madness will need all the help we can spare."

He was correct. The amount of destruction the Verdanites wrecked in Yngvi was way more than I expected it to be. And that was only with respect to material damage.

"Do you mind if I help in securing the castle and it's surroundings ?" I needed to be sure there werewas no enemiesy left skulking around, at least to delay the time it'll take for those over at Evans to notice our presence. Plus, I could also look for Midir.

"Your help is deeply appreciated." He accepted readily and I was more than happy to set out for work then and there when a high-pitched voice rang loudly in the room.

"Sire ! Look ! There's a young knight collapsed over there !"

Ah. I can guess who that is.

"Oh ?" Sigurd walked to the area Oifey was pointing at, he himself running overs as quickly as his legs could carry him. Of course, I followed behind. We found a green-haired knight lying in a puddle of his own blood. "...That's Midir ! Midir, hold on ! What happened here ?"

As soon as Sigurd recognized the young man, he immediately dashed to his side, cradling his head with his hands. He didn't even flinch when the blood started drenching his clothes too.

Midir moved slightly, his eyelids twitching, and he seemed to still be conscious even with the large wound on his abdomen. The blood was covering most of it but I could still see through where flesh was supposed to be.

"Uh... You... ...Lord... Sigurd ?" He was looking at Sigurd with barely opened eyes, his chest rising ever so slightly as he spoke.

"Are you alright, Midir ? Where's Edain ?!"

Midir looked crestfallen, as if he suddenly remembered something and he realised he couldn't do anything about it. "I... don't know. But Munnir…"

"Munnir... That's all I need to hear. Midir, I'll do all I can to rescue her. You stay here and rest up."

"I can't, sir. I've got to help !" He shot up immediately, shouting desperately despite his conditions and I started to wonder if it was as grave as it looked. Seeing him cough blood a second later dashed that thought away though. He tried speaking again, this time more calmly. "I can't stand staying here knowing those thugs still have her. Please, let me come."

His pleading eyes were looking at Sigurd, and his bloodied hand was weakly gripping his shirt. Under those conditions, Sigurd just sighed before taking Midir's hand in his.

"Alright. You can come." Light started to shine in Midir's eyes, Sigurd seemed to have noticed it too because just as he was about to most likely thank him, he raised his index finger in front of his face. "But, I have two conditions. You have to get treated first, and you can only come if the healer says that you're in a condition to do so."

Despite the conditions now placed on him, Midir didn't look downcast at all. Maybe he thought that getting the healer's permission wasn't a problem at all. And, somehow, he will be correct. However…

I couldn't hide the sympathizing smile making it's way to my face as I tried to picture Midir and Ethlyn arguing.

"Ray, do you mind helping me out here ? We need to bring him to a room and I fear I'll handle him a bit too roughly if I do it on my own." Sigurd was already positioning himself towards Midir right side, leaving the left side for me to support. "Oifey, look for the castle staff and try to find us the medical room. Or at least a room where we can place Midir."

"Yes sire !"

The boy bowed before quickly scurrying away towards the hallways. Sigurd and I carried Midir, who lost consciousness somewhere along the way, towards a medical room.

I knew I didn't have to worry about any of them dying for now, but that knowledge didn't apply to everyone.

'Dave…'

I could only hope he was somewhere safe wherever he was.

'Just wait a little bit. I'll be there soon !'

---

{ Preview }

Next time in Fire Emblem : The Holy War… Follow your heart, even if your life is in danger.

Soldier : It hurts. It hurts!

Male civilian : Please someone make it stop!

Female civilian : My daughter… Has anyone seen my daughter?

Healer : Please sir, stay put so that we can treat you.

The noise was, unfortunately, not the most gruesome part of this scene. What was really horrible…was the smell.

{ End Point }

---

Alright!

Here you have the first chapter of the duc featuring the official beginning of the game. There are a couple of things that have been added and others that have been removed, but all in all, I believe this chapter to be quite complete.

Some of you, being very perceptive or inquisitive, may be wondering why Ray always has an easier time learning magic related skills than physical ones. Part of the reason to that has already been explained a bit in a previous chapter actually, and the rest will be revealed as we move forward. Though, good luck trying to guess it well.

Now, see you in the next chapter, and I hope you had a good week.