AN: I am so very sorry for how long that this has taken to write and publish! Writers' Block is a right pain in my ass, and when paired up with the difficulty that is balancing my work life with my writing and my Gunpla and DD models, not to mention my presence on TikTok (TennoFox897 if anyone wishes to follow me on there)... Yeah, sorry. Anyways, here is the long awaited fourth chapter of Twist of the Spear. Next chapter will actually be an interlude of sorts, being a flashback, thus will be labeled as Chapter 4.5 or something. For now, enjoy!
I am sorry to say that I still do not own the rights to Rising of the Shiled Hero, nor Final Fantasy XIV... not that I would want to. I am just playing in their playgrounds.
"Perfection does not rest!"
These words coming from an exhausted looking tailor had Valina pausing in the doorway to look between the three shop owners that had come together in Erhard's storefront, one arm supporting the other as she pinched the bridge of her nose. But at the same time, she could not help the smile that this brought to her face. In the three weeks that had passed since her being summoned to this world as one of the Cardinal Heroes, Valina managed to establish a routine alongside her party that rotated between training and building relationships with the various shops around town. The three before her right now she had formed the closest bond with, each of them helping in their own way.
"Why do you insist on continuing to spout such nonsense?" came the exasperated voice of Mahoya, the Witch who owned the Magic Shop.
"She has a new apprentice to show off for, and teach what not to do, doesn't she?" Erhard countered, earning the blacksmith a glare from Alice.
Valina sighed and shook her head as Alice and Mahoya broke down into a spat of senseless bickering, slowly moving over to stand beside Erhard who was just standing off to the side. The pair would observe the verbal war between the two long time friends while shooting the other the occasional look, each one wondering when the right time to step in would come up and how best it would be to handle it, right up to the point that it was proven unnecessary by the arrival of the rest of the Spear Hero's party. Larissa kept herself behind Rojeel, who had a large smirk across his face, while the newest member of their party made her presence known when she cleared her throat while grabbing Alice by the ear, her own fox ears twitching atop her head while a thick, lucious tail swished behind her angrily.
"Miss Alice, why did you finish all the work without me?" the foxgirl Demi-Human asked with a subtle growl, her voice never rising but holding so much disappointment with the tailor, "I thought that you were going to be using these to teach me how to work on making things of my own?"
"I'm sorry, Yokai, I just… got caught up in making these as perfectly as I could," Alice said softly, stepping back away and towards a set of four mannequins hidden underneath thick cloaks, "But I promise that when you come back after stopping the Wave, I will teach you everything that I know!"
"Speaking of, is it time to unveil your final creations?" Erhard questioned, giving voice to the same question that Valina had been wondering, as well.
This managed to get everyone focused back on the reason that they had all been called together in this particular shop, all the blinds closed as to prevent people from looking inside at what was about to be unveiled for the Spear Hero's party. Because not long after picking up the final member of her party, and taking the time to learn the skills that the little Demi-Human had at her disposal, Valina had commissioned the three shop owners to work together on making a set of custom armor and weapons that would suit each of the four of them. And while Erhard was still hard at work on the final weapons for Yokai, it seemed as though the armor had all been finished well ahead of schedule and was ready for them all to try on and test out.
Valina's face began to almost visibly glow with excitement as she watched Alice approach the first mannequin and carefully remove the cloak, which reminded her a lot of the Lord of the Rings movies for some reason, gasping at what she saw underneath. It was an elegant set of robes that almost resembled a ball gown with how much finery had been put into it, diamonds set as the buttons going along the entire length but hidden on the bottom half by layers of silk and a sheer fabric that Valina could not identify. Most of the robes were a white so pure that it could rival snow, broken up by gold in the corset, shoulders, elbows, and wrists, in addition to half the layers of the skirt being silver. Valina's gaze shifted from the robes to the one that they were meant for, watching as Larissa stared in shock and wonder, though a little bit of doubt mixed in that had her worrying.
"You have earned and deserve this, Larissa," Valina said, moving over to the young woman that had been keeping them all alive while out in the wilds working on raising their levels, "You have done so much these past couple weeks, making sure that all of us have not just survived, but thrived."
Alice stepped forward to guide Larissa to the robes, the sleep deprived tailor seeming to have gained a new life as she was given a chance to delve into every little detail of the robes. It amazed Valina how much that Alice had been able to fit into the fine details, from the numerous small plates of steel woven into the material that gave protection while still remaining light, to the special Magic threads that had the various enchantments woven into them that would enhance Larissa's spells and barriers. Even the diamonds had use beyond just adding to the flair, as each one contained an emergency spell that could be triggered with a command word, creating a powerful burst of healing Magic that could be shaped into a powerful barrier or surge of life-granting energy that could bring someone back from the brink of death.
The second cloak was soon pulled away to reveal a fine set of mail made from the scales of some kind of beast that Valina could not identify, especially with how thin that each individual violet scale was adding onto how light that it would be for the Demi-Human. And when paired with the gambeson of some thick red material, it would provide not just ample protection for Yokai but also had numerous hidden pockets and compartments for the Demi-Human to hide her numerous weapons, tools, and supplies. Then Alice held up the cloak, itself, and draped it across the shoulders of Yokai very carefully before pulling up the hood, which confused everyone still in the shop until the girl vanished from sight as the tailor began explaining about the invisibility enchantment that had been woven into that particular cloak. And right away Valina was having so many thoughts on how she could use that paired with the particular skills that the little Demi-Human had.
When Alice moved along to the third mannequin everyone stared in shock at the suit of armor that was on display there, showing why Erhard was the only blacksmith that Valina and her party would ever go to if they were in need of new armor and weapons. Forged of a very high quality Magic steel, instead of being solid plates of metal that covered large areas at once it was separated into multiple segments that made the entire suit of armor far more flexible to allow more mobility in combat. And when paired with the gambeson of a dark material it was quite sturdy, capable of taking many hits without issue. Then Erhard gave his first explanation of the day as he talked about how easy it was to slip on and off, and of how it had been enchanted with Magics to boost one's strength and endurance.
"Then there is the Berserker's Rage enchantment that I wove into the metal, itself," spoke up Mahoya, leaning upon her gnarled staff as she approached Rojeel, "If you find yourself surrounded and outnumbered, you need just shout the activation phrase and the armor will triple the Magics already woven through the entire ensemble… but at a cost. It will throw you into a blind rage, attacking all enemies around you while ignoring every wound made upon your body. And when that fades, once every last enemy has been defeated, you will collapse into an exhausted slumber for a full day. It is to be used as a last resort, only."
The large axe wielder nodded as he stepped forward to take up this suit of armor, sparing Larissa a smile as she stepped out of one of the small changing areas off to the side, giving a twirl in her new robes that had the many layered skirt twirling and shimmering softly. It fit her perfectly, the way that the robes gracefully hugged her body and allowed her to shine as brightly as the barriers that she could create. But then she took notice of something that had escaped her when it was first revealed, as the four 'tools' that the young woman used for her spells docked themselves into cleverly hidden compartments situated on Larissa's back, but in the process spread out pockets of material that snapped out into the shape of a pair of wings. Everyone stopped and stared at this, Valina blinking away tears at the beautiful sight that was made better when Rojeel boldly stepped up and planted a kiss upon the healer's lips.
"About damned time!" Valina and Yokai claimed at the same time, sharing a small look and giggle that made them seem quite like they were truly mother and daughter.
"Shut up," Rojeel muttered, his face red, as he slipped into the changing room that Larissa had just vacated.
"I suppose that we have saved the best for last, though," Alice said as Erhard joined her at the final mannequin, the pair of them holding onto the cloak that was hiding Valina's armor from view, "This was a difficult one to work on that took the combined experience of the both of us, and even then it was a chore and a half to get this not just looking right but also able to still function properly as armor."
"But, I think that we managed to get this done, and that you will be happy with the final results once you not only see what we made, but also put it on, as well," Erhard finished, and the pair removed the cloak to reveal their work.
The very sight of the armor had Valina in tears, her jaw hanging open in astonishment and surprise at the wonderful suit of armor on display before her. The main component were tiny scales that were ruby in color, almost looking like the actual gemstones to the Spear Hero's eyes, making up the base shape and form of the armor that looked as though it would properly hug every curve that she had regained thanks to the help of Larissa and Naofumi finding an extremely effective form of HRT for her. The next feature to draw her eye was the corset of a leather dyed a gorgeous amber, decorative buttons of actual rubies going up the front while the lacing in the back was a deep black to help it stand out. The full plate greaves were solid sheets of some unusual metal that she could not recognize, and didn't even remember picking up during their ventures outside of Castle Town but would make sure to interrogate everyone about later as at the moment she was marveling at the hinging that would allow the armor to go up to her mid-thigh. And again, all the metal was that same ruby red color that almost looked like the actual gemstones.
"Wait, are those…" Valina started, stepping forward to gently trace over the pair of Draconic skulls that the shoulder pauldrons were in the shape of, almost matching the very specific helmet she had asked be forged as to properly call back to the Dragoon armor she had come to love, "This is absolutely beautiful!"
"And that is not the best part!" Alice exclaimed, slapping the solid sheets of metal that made up the gauntlets that extended up to the elbow, Valina noting the small blades extending from the back of said elbows, "Taking into account the fact that you wanted all of these to be not just armor, but fashion statements, the three of us worked together on something brand new that we never would have thought of, before!"
Mahoya stepped forward now, smiling brightly at the Spear Hero that had helped her in so many ways of late while dipping into a small bow. Then, without a word, the Witch tapped the butt of her staff against the heel of each boot and stepped back to watch Valina's face. And for good reason, as her jaw had dropped open once more as she watched the greaves begin shifting, metal gathering together to form into a pair of five inch heels that terminated in an elegant curve back up, pointing towards the blades that she just noticed on the backs of the greaves. And when a skirt of amber silk extended out from the corset, settling into elegant ruffles that flowed with every movement they made, the Spear Hero's eyes widened and watered once more at just how much this armor was truly meant for her. Especially when the helmet collapsed into an elegant tiara, the Draconic horns glowing softly.
"You all truly outdid yourselves… thank you…" Valina said softly, reaching up to wipe away the tears.
Yokai was the first to step forward and hug Valina, wrapping her teenage arms around the much taller woman and holding tight to her. Then Larissa joined in, then Rojeel after some encouragement from their healer, and then the three shop owners as they all came together to be there for the Spear Hero that had done so much despite all that she had lost in being summoned. It was a heartwarming scene that spoke of just how much that this group of friends had bonded in their time working together, the family that had been built up for the sake of their survival.
But all too soon this moment would be interrupted by the sound of the bell over the door jingling in announcement of someone entering despite the CLOSED sign on the front of the door and the closed curtains. In fact, whoever was stepping inside had clearly ignored the note attached to the door that read, "SHOP CLOSED FOR PRIVATE FITTING", something that very clearly irked Erhard as he was the first to break off the group hug to begin a rant towards whoever it was that had come in. But when his words came to a stuttering stop, Valina turned around to see who it was - and felt her rage beginning to grow.
"Is there something that we can do to help you, Princess?" the Spear Hero asked of the arrogant woman standing there, moving to settle her hands upon her hips and wishing that she had taken the time to put on her new armor.
"Oh, my, is that any way to greet your Princess?" Mallty demanded, standing in the doorway wearing the same elegant gown as she had on the day that Valina had been summoned alongside the other Heroes, a full regiment of guards standing outside, "And here I thought that I would do you the privilege of allowing myself and my men to join you in your adventures as a member of your party."
Valina felt her eye beginning to twitch as the Princess spoke, testing her nerves and making the Spear Hero wonder just what it was that had this woman thinking that she would be a good fit for her party after having already been rejected by all four Cardinal Heroes after they had caught onto her lies on that very first day. But a pair of arms wrapped around her waist had the young woman calming down, a hand going down on instinct to rest between the ears of the girl that she had come to love as her own daughter during their time training up the Demi-Human, and she smiled softly at Yokai in thanks for the support. And with Rojeel and Larisssa flanking her, Valina gathered herself to stare down the arrogant woman that she knew would be their downfall if allowed to infiltrate her way into any of the parties.
"You have already been told this, before, Princess," Valia said, almost a growl that was dripping with venom, "You are not welcome in any of our parties, as you have nothing that you can do to support any of us."
"Nothing, you say?" Malty replied, her tone still holding that air of superiority, as though she was talking down to some kind of lesser being, "Are you perhaps forgetting who it is that is funding you all? Who is it that is responsible for bringing the four Cardinal Heroes here and helping you all with forming your parties?"
"The ones responsible for ripping me away from my home and husband," Valina growled back, eyes flashing with the power that she had been slowly building up.
Malty seemed to recoil at that and almost seemed to be reconsidering her position for a moment, but that lasted for but a moment as she regained that superior stance while taking a scroll from one of the guards that had followed her into the shop. Her wicked grin only got wider as the Princess read from that scroll, talking about a new decree that had been put into place claiming that any equipment purchased for the Cardinal Heroes and their parties with funds granted to them by the crown were in actuality the property of the crown and could thusly only be used while in the presence of a member of royalty. She went on to explain just what that meant for the four Heroes that owed the Kingdom of Melromarc a debt for their being in their lands due to the summoning, that the Cardinal Heroes were in the debt of the Crown. And the final decree stated that any party that lacked a member of one of the royal departments would be disbanded within a week unless corrected. As Malty finished reading she rolled the scroll back up and looked down her nose at the Spear Hero and her party, her arrogant smirk almost rivaling that of the Cheshire Cat, the cat that got the canary. Though it was a grin that would soon find itself slowly fading from her face as she saw that the Spear Hero was doing nothing, saying nothing, not reacting at all in any way that she expected after being told that there would be no choice but to work with her. In fact, Valina was working hard to hold herself back from bursting into laughter at just how absurd that the entire thing was.
But that did not last for too long with Rojeel being the first one to break the stoic reaction as he bent over with a loud burst of laughter, Larissa smiling with her own giggles beside him and Yokai just smirking her own Cheshire grin. And that finally got Valina to start laughing in turn, one hand brought up to hide her mouth as she watched the Princess go from arrogant to angry in a matter of moments that wound up having her slip a couple of silver coins to her party's healer.
"Yeah, fine, you won that one… last time I bet against you when it comes to matters of the nobility," the Spear Hero grumbled with a shake of her head, though the smile that was spread across her face lessened the impact.
"I told you that it was a bad idea, did I not?" Rojeel butted in with a hearty laugh, "But I think we should let her in on the joke, before she blows up on us."
"Oh, if we have to," Valina said with a sigh and shake of her head, hands now resting on her hips as she approached the Princess, her face locked down in a serious, stern look, "Princess Malty, that decree of yours has no effect on us as all the equipment that we are purchasing here, right now, are being paid not with the stipend that was given to us but with funds that we have earned through our own hard work. Though, if you attempt to press this matter then you will find that the Kingdom will lose the support of all four Cardinal Heroes and our parties, as we shall take our leave. We are not your playthings, we are not your underlings here to do your bidding. We were called to this world against our will, called upon to serve as the Cardinal Heroes to protect the innocents of this world and save it from the destruction that is being brought about by these Waves. You have no control over us, you have no say over our methods. You can make all the decrees that you like, but you do not have the power to see them through."
In quick order Malty's face morphed from one of great triumph to one of shock, then rage as the Spear Hero's words began to sink in, understanding dawning in her eyes at how her plans had fallen apart so easily. Valina could even pick up on several veins in the Princess' forehead that were bulging and twitching, making her look like an anime character with how it was sticking out, which just caused the displaced woman to break out into laughter at how much things really felt like one of those isekai anime she enjoyed watching back home, or even the manga and light novels she read. Valina's confidence built up and rose as she looked down upon the Princess, hands upon her hips and a sly smirk full of the power she held that gave her the position of power over even the nobility.
"So, Princess… you are done," Valina said, "None of us will ever allow you or your goons into our parties, none of us will play your game. Now, if you do not mind, we were in the middle of a private fitting, though I am sure that my little girl would not mind a chance to test out what her new gear is capable of."
As an emphasis to her point, Yokai pulled off the hood of her cloak that had her fading back into visibility, the numerous daggers that she used already in place except for the single one that was being twirled between nimble fingers. The smirking Demi-Human snapped her fingers then just in time with the first layer of the Princess' gown starting to fall apart as threads snapped, then another layer, then another. Slowly the great elegant gown was expertly taken apart with the extreme precision that Yokai had proven herself to have with the tiny blades, until Malty was left standing there in just her smallclothes and corset with her hands flying to cover herself, a scream of panic escaping from her lips. Everyone else in the shop was filled with laughter at the sight of the Princess in such a state of disgrace with her gown destroyed, even the guards that had followed her inside were unable to hold in their chuckles as they got to see a lot more of their ward than they had been expecting to when they had set out that day.
"You will regret these decisions! You will regret not having me on your side at the end of the day!" Malty exclaimed as she stormed out of the shop, attempting to regain even a shred of her dignity.
"Sweetheart, I am so proud of you for standing up to that woman," Valina said as she hugged Yokai to her side, bending down to place a small kiss upon the top of her head.
"Thank you, Momma," Yokai replied softly, bringing a smile to the Spear Hero's face as she slowly slipped down memory lane to the day that she had found her adoptive daughter. To the day that the young girl had saved her life and mental stability.
AN: And there we have it, Chapter Four. I do hope that it was worth the wait, and promise taht I will do my best to bring the interlude and then next chapter to you all in a timely manner. The net full chapter will be the Second Wave, and then after that we shallseethe XIVcrossover in more depth. So, until the interlude of a flashback, stay safe, behave, and stay hydrated!