Chapter 5: Shades of Evil Part 1

"As such... that was the state of the battlefield as I anticipated," Haar reported to his men, who appeared worried for their captain. He then pointed to the various places he was stabbed, which currently had medicinal salves rubbed on despite having healed. "Their wyvern rider roughed me up. I'd say she'd hold her own against Petrine... She has the strength, stamina, and experience to do so..."

Haar and the wyvern riders he separated from at the barricade have gathered in a supply depot. They were stationed there as they were not to accompany their superiors into battle. Currently, many of them tended to Haar and his wyvern, as the pair fought bravely on their behalf. They saw the state of his armor, which had numerous holes after being pierced by a spear. Even his axe was not spared, as it had cracks just after that one battle, and it was brand new. For now, Haar appreciated his men helping him after being thoroughly exhausted and effectively used as a training dummy, causing his entire body to be sore. He was struggling to keep his eyes open for a good reason this time compared to the other cases when he'd dozed off.

Haar had also debriefed Petrine and Bryce on the aftermath. They (mainly Petrine) were not pleased, and Haar was one step away from being executed by the female Rider (for losing against some unknown wyvern rider and not succeeding in defending the blockade) until he mentioned that Black Knight retreated. Although the Black Knight was not stated to have lost, Haar reported that he had clashed with two individuals. From there, it was not clear whether it was a loss or victory, but it was odd that Black Knight abandoned his duty to uphold the barricade with the other generals.

The moment they heard the news, their expressions froze and became far more severe. Petrine contemplated the idea of waiting for reinforcements before facing their foes while Bryce's eyes were narrowed. Contrary to expectations, Bryce was the one who had taken the initiative to further engage with this group and not wait for backup. It certainly surprised everyone with Bryce's stance, as it appeared that the veteran Rider had other agendas in store for this group. Whether it was well-intended or reckless, Bryce was willing to fight to the death with this group. Petrine ended up following her senior, leaving Haar to the present moment, tending to his wounds.

The plan to block and capture the princess had failed. The Daein army could no longer pursue Elincia now that Gallian sentries were on the prowl for any hostile soldiers that dared to cross their borders since the start of the war. While they could technically attempt a pursuit within Gallia under justification to capture the princess, there was no room for discussion between Gallia and Daein, especially when no proper sanctions had been made. Any attempt to justify a chase will be met with hostility, not that the relationship between the two countries will change. They could not organize a task force to retrieve her by this point and could only engage with a team of decoys that evaded their forces.

It was odd, as Petrine and Bryce either gave up on the idea of capturing the princess, or they realized that the princess was not as important as they originally thought. What made them think this way was that Haar had found that at least 200 or, at worst, 300 or more Daein troops had died pursuing what was believed to be a diversionary force. And not a single enemy was felled by their forces. Adding to the men at the barricade, it's about another hundred. This group managed to put up a greater resistance effort than the Crimean Army and Prince Renning. By this point, Petrine and Bryce wanted to be the ones to handle this group, and they rushed to Fort Meritenne, where the enemy was last spotted after they raided another one of their battalions.

"Captain Haar, who were these people?" One man asked, to which Haar shrugged.

"Beats me," Haar replied casually. "That woman who put me in this state had the gall to try and recruit me..." The platoon blinked repeatedly at Haar as he trailed off. The latter continued speaking despite their stares, "Yeah, she proceeded to nearly skewer me and thought I was impressive enough to join her and her country's military. Even after I was ready to see the Dark Angel. Would've died had this group not shown mercy..."

Haar shuddered at the mere thought of the woman. Certainly, she was not the type to be considered corrupt. But her demeanor and actions against Haar were enough to traumatize the veteran Dracoknight. He went through all that effort to protect his men for a training session that nearly killed him. To top it off, he was spared by the enemy and even healed. It was something of a disgrace to be given mercy by the enemy in the Daein army, and if the higher-ups knew, death would be the least of his problems.

He was never going to mention that fact to his superiors aside from Shiharam. The others looked at Haar as if he had gained a second head. What exactly happened during that battle? At any rate, it did not matter. At the moment, they were to remain on standby until further notice or leave to regroup with another general.

"Commander Haar, it is far too early for you to meet the Dark Angel! You'll live to be the finest Dracoknight alongside Commander Shiharam!" Haar shrugged to himself despite the underling's praise and reassurance.

"Speaking of angels... any recent reports that included one?" Haar queried his men, who gave an uncomfortable nod.

What he was referring to was the Angel of Death and his other cohorts. The monikers stood out and became somewhat of a feared name in the military. If all the enemies survived the Daein army's encirclement and skirmishes, then it would become a huge morale slump. The Daein army had yet to slay a single one of the Crimean allies.

One way to counteract and motivate the Daein army was to add bounties. However, it was easier said than done. The prominent members of the Greil Mercenaries and Anna Merchant Company who fought in Melior were still shrouded in mystery. Speculation of their origins only muddled the investigation efforts of the intelligence officers. The only thing certain was how powerful and skilled these individuals were.

The epithets of the ones who fought in Melior served as an infamous reminder of the Daein army's failure and casualties. Angel of Death, Mad Dog, and White Wolf. Their real names were supposedly Jaffar, Linus, and Lloyd, respectively, with the latter two being brothers. Then there was a humorous one that was spread that may have been due to pettiness ("Self-proclaimed Marquess of Cornwell")... On that matter, Haar's ears perked up to listen attentively to his subordinate's incoming report.

"Along the way, we did encounter the casualties. It was a field of death..." One soldier spoke up while shaking his head. "Multiple battalions never stood a chance and were sometimes ambushed, as far as we could tell."

As expected, the notoriety of these groups will only increase from here. Bryce and Petrine have also heard the same news, but as witnesses to the strength displayed by these companies, it was an entirely different perspective. While it would increase the eagerness of many to increase their ranks or gain hefty benefits, it would likely end up in early graves. The foolhardy will underestimate this group and die in droves. The Daein army needed to tread carefully if they chose to pursue these groups further.

Just as Haar was about to reply, they heard footsteps and a wyvern's growl. A long red hair tied up in a ponytail with matching armor and a green wyvern in tow made themselves visible to the group. It was their commander's daughter, Jill. Her eyes widened at Haar's state and left her speechless.

"Lady Jill!" One soldier came up to the flabbergasted young lady and took the reins of her wyvern. "We'll take your wyvern. Please, we'll let you speak with the captain."

With that, the men gave a salute to Haar and left the pair while the men were to tend to the wyverns. After they left, Jill quickly came to Haar's side with a worried look. Glancing at Haar's ruined armor, weapons, and wrapped state, she could tell the enemies had done this to him.

"What have they done to you, Captain...?" She muttered as she visibly gritted her teeth.

She heard various reports of what this group had done. Despite supposedly being a common mercenary group and merchant company, they had greatly hindered the Daein Army's efforts to capture Crimea. They had killed countless generals and soldiers from the army. What if her father or her wingmates were next? Although she had reservations against this group, as they had people her age, she didn't think that they would harm her captain after he had let them go in Port Talma. She could tell Haar fought bravely from the state of his equipment, and she was resolved to do battle with this group as retribution.

"Don't get worked up over this incident..." Haar trailed off while Jill didn't want to listen. He then sighed as his words weren't getting through to her. Maybe changing the subject would ease the tension, so he asked, "Jill, why are you here? You were supposed to be stationed with your father at the Crimean-Begnion border."

Jill turned her head to her superior and responded, "Father has allowed me to inform the other Riders. Prime Minister Sephiran of Begnion has been spotted alone at the border. He had spoken briefly with Father as they both recognized each other." Haar raised a brow at his subordinate. To think that man was here by himself... However, she continued, "I have already informed the other Riders. We know not of his intentions. We speculate he is in Crimea to judge the situation after our invasion... especially since we lack proper authority to attack Crimea..."

Now she was learning some nuance. Haar snorted slightly and seemed somewhat proud of Jill. She had grown in such a short time. Putting aside the praise for the noticeable improvement in Jill to think for herself, Haar mulled over the news brought by Jill.

To think that man was in Crimea at this very moment. The number of times Haar's spoken with the man can probably be counted on one hand. He was a pleasant man, as far as he could remember, as opposed to the corrupt senate. Haar was reminded of a similar acolyte who healed him after the battle with the she-devil (Vaida), who also possessed a beautiful countenance like the chancellor. He already mentioned Sephiran a while back to the group in Port Talma. Admittedly, if Prime Minister Sephiran had entered the senate earlier and his reforms had become a reality, the Fizzart Platoon would likely never have left. Haar shook his head, as there was no point in crying over spilled milk. There were no what-ifs as Haar was content where he was. Though he was curious as to how the conversation between Sephiran and his mentor had gone...

At any rate, the Riders have been informed and will be on the lookout for the senator. Begnion will likely remain neutral, but no one knows if he will sway the Apostle's opinion. The worst scenario may include the Crimean Princess seeking out the man for aid to regain her country. This matter must remain a secret, and the prime minister must be found and swiftly return to Begnion. Lest they welcome an international incident, which would be too early to start a conflict with the Begnion Empire. With that in mind, the Daein army may need to switch priorities. Quite frankly, Haar debated on which was the greater threat to Daein. These companies that defied them, or the prime minister giving Princess Elincia aid...

"Well then, let's return to your lord father... Ow, that smarts..." Haar got up, still feeling the aches from his battle.

"But Captain! You've been greatly injured. We should strike back against these people who did this to you!" She shouted in protest. She gritted her teeth at the thought of the people she saw in the fort and port attacking her captain. "Even after we've left them and looked the other way... they repay you by doing this..."

While Haar appreciated Jill's sentiment for him, it was not what she was thinking. Only the she-devil proceeded to use him as a training dummy (not that he was going to mention that). Besides, these companies were not to be trifled with. Jill was way in over her head if she believed that she could take on this group alone or with just a small wyvern platoon. Haar sincerely doubted a legion of Daein troops would be enough to completely wipe out this group unless they were led by all the elites and the king.

Moreover, he could hear her mutter the slur, "Friends of sub-humans..." The group escaped into Gallia to seek aid from the Beast tribe. Haar knew Jill had much to learn on her own rather than rely on the propaganda and teachings from Daein schools. The rest of the Fizzart Platoon did not hold prejudice like many Beorcs. It was a messy state of affairs and something he and Shiharam could not help.

Haar shook his head and sighed. "It's not what you believe. I was kind of forced into battle due to circumstances (and a certain jingoistic female wyvern rider who picked a fight with me) and would have died had this group not recognized me. They spared me, Jill," he explained to her, in which the latter became bewildered by the fact. Nevertheless, Haar continued, "Out of all the men who fought on that battlefield, I was the only one they chose to leave alive."

"Huh!? Captain... but you..." Jill voiced her confusion, to which Haar had much to relay to her.

"I more or less owe them now..." Haar replied with his usual tired tone. "I feel even less inclined to do battle with them unless I'm ordered to. I hold no grudges against this group (except for that woman). That's why you shouldn't try to avenge me or any sort of nonsense."

Jill was very confused by her captain's refusal to allow her to go to battle against this group. Many various thoughts swarmed her head. Gaining glory for her father, avenging her captain, justifying this war, and wiping out the sub-humans. Some part of her wanted to demonize this group for seeking aid in Gallia, the country where the beasts live. The last reason was the only thing that she could grasp as a justification for entering this war. To ultimately eradicate the beasts that she was told were the enemies of humankind...

As Jill appeared troubled, Haar noticed her state and called out, "Jill."

Jill jolted and turned to Haar. What else did her captain need to say? Haar scratched the back of his head right before addressing her. It was going to be very embarrassing for the man to admit this, but he'll do so. He had a brush with death after all...

"I'm honest to the Goddess that I'm glad to be alive for you and your father... I'm grateful for their mercy in the end despite this terrible war..." Jill widened her eyes as her captain confessed to her his honest thoughts. As he walked to the stables, he continued, "Truly, I am. Now let us return to your lord father..."

Leaving the temporary sick bay, Jill was left stunned as she watched Haar walk off. To think such her captain would show his true self before her instead of her father... Jill was truly relieved for Haar to be alive, yet...

She had her doubts... and they intensified at the thought of this group harming Haar once again. Should this war continue, her captain will be forced into battle because of orders. Or worse, her father. Would they show mercy a second time? If they were strong enough to defeat Captain Haar, then the Fizzart Platoon may be extinguished. Her hands clenched at the thought of her family going into a battle they cannot return from.

"Right... at the next opportunity... I will..." She muttered in a low voice that could not be heard.

"Are you OK, Guinevere?" Zephiel asked his sister, who had recovered, with a worried expression. Guinevere gave a sad nod back at her brother, which only made him more worried.

Guinevere had already witnessed many people get slain on the battlefield upon arriving in Tellius. Since then, she tried to get accustomed to the violence to avoid becoming a burden. But she couldn't help but be traumatized by the attempt to capture her as well as the death of the man who attempted to do so. Zephiel knew that Guinevere was scared of the conflict. He had a feeling with this war ongoing, it would only get worse the more they stayed. For Murdock and Zephiel, this journey needed to remain a forgotten memory by the time they returned to Bern.

Unbeknownst to Zephiel and Murdock, Guinevere's eyes wandered at times and focused on the young archer who saved her. The young archer remained silent since the debate and Zephiel's intervention. She never had the chance to personally thank the boy who rescued her. Vaida, however, noticed the gaze of the princess and saw that she was staring at Rolf, who was just wordlessly trailing behind his brothers, not noticing Guinevere's gaze. Was that a slight blush she noticed from the princess...? She would have to inquire about this matter another time... Vaida's eyes then wandered to Ike's sister and the Reed family's youngest walking alongside each other. They had been conversing while Legault watched over Nino. He was taking a step back from scouting to make sure Nino was safe.

"I hope Father and Ike will be OK..." Mist voiced her worries.

"Yeah..." Nino nodded at Mist. She then cheered up at the thought of her family and said, "But I'm sure Jaffar, Lloyd, Linus, and Uncle Canas are doing fine! With my family and Jaffar, there's no way they can lose."

'Yeah. But with that man in the picture, it's hard to imagine their success...' Legault thought to himself. 'Lloyd... Linus... Stay safe...'

"Oh... but what if they get lost trying to catch up to us?" Mist was worried about the diversionary team and reinforcements wandering about in Gallia. She then facepalmed her head, remembering that her father once worked in Gallia. "Oh right, Dad knows his way. My bad. I just hope they'll get out of this mess..."

It's been an hour since they separated at the bridges. Ike had gone out with some of the Elibeans to find the diversionary team. As they ventured deep into the forests of Gallia, everyone else had various topics to speak of on the way. On the way, Legault spotted a bewildered Lucius reading a paper, or rather, a list of bounties that was handed to him by Matthew. Princess Elincia, Titania, and Rhys were near to him as he was in disbelief at what was written and taken from the enemy after the battle.

"The 'self-proclaimed Marquess of Cornwell'... My goodness, when did Lord Raymond reveal his true name and former title?" Rhys and Elincia were visibly surprised to hear the acolyte reveal such a thing. Lucius was visibly worried as he spoke as he thought up reasons why the enemy knew of such a thing. "He didn't get drunk and reveal his true identity, did he...?"

Little did Lucius know that the epithet was because Petrine had a slight grudge. The latter proceeded to use Raven's true identity after he revealed it during the siege at Melior. The intelligence officers scrambled to find any information on Raven but could only scrounge up testimony and existing inquiries done by a certain count and generals of the Crimean army. Luckily, Raven was unaware of such a bounty and title placed upon him. He would never hear the end of it from the others...

"Raven once mentioned he was from a noble house..." Rhys spoke up as he stroked his chin to remember some details. He then turned to Lucius and asked, "So he was to be a marquess?"

Lucius nodded in affirmation. "Yes, Lord Raymond is his true name. I was a retainer at House Cornwell and served him for more than years." He then shook his head and addressed the fellow clergyman. "We haven't quite revealed the full details of our circumstances, have we?" Rhys shook his head at Lucius's question.

Raven did mention he was a former noble along with Priscilla. Which title and house, he did not specify. He was formerly of the same noble status as the rest of the Lycian lords until his house's dissolution roughly three years ago. With that in mind, Priscilla, Raven, and Lucius did not reveal anything else related to their origins until now.

Lucius then replied, "Lord Raymond was meant to be the heir to the title of Marquess, just like Lord Hector and Lord Eliwood. As you know, Lycia is a federation made up of various territories, each ruled by a marquess. House Cornwell was originally one of these territories..." Lucius trailed off for a moment before shaking his head. "Lord Raymond can elaborate further, along with Lady Priscilla."

Rhys nodded in understanding. It was a curious matter to look into regarding the no-longer-active noble house that Priscilla and Raven belonged to. He wondered if the pair of red-haired siblings chose to live the life of a mercenary despite their responsibilities as nobles. Raven was described as having already been working as a mercenary before meeting Ike at an arena. Priscilla eventually followed her brother after news of his whereabouts came to light. Elincia and Titania were stunned by the information about Raven and Priscilla.

'To think the man Geoffrey hoped to recruit was a former lord...' Elincia thought to herself. She then smiled as her thoughts went to the lords who introduced themselves to her. 'So his true title is Sir Raymond of House Cornwell... just like Lord Hector of House Ostia and Lord Eliwood of House Pherae... So there truly may be land that survived the Great Flood...'

"Looks like everyone has their secrets..." Titania muttered with a slightly distraught look. So many revelations came through to her in such a short time. She hoped to help Ike retrieve Commander Greil, but she had other responsibilities to take care of. Legault snorted in response to her statement.

'Don't we all?' Legault replied inwardly to himself. 'Even though this war has been a pain, I feel it's a return to our roots...' He then cupped his chin in deep thought. 'I wonder if my title will reemerge? Oh well, I just hope Anna would come back and take many of the others back with her to Elibe. But I have a bad feeling she will use this war to do business... Is it too late to resign?'

Legault soon shifted his attention to a trio of fliers. Three pegasus riders were next to one another, discussing the aftermath of the battle.

"You did great with the Triangle Attack maneuver, Marcia!" Florina complimented the pegasus knight from Begnion. "If our sister were here, she'd think you'd be a great addition to our team."

"Aww... shucks... I'm just surprised you all know how to do that formation. It's not much different compared to our drills." Marcia replied. Fiora nodded back at Marcia with a smile.

"I suppose so; it saved us the time of you getting accustomed to our flight patterns and formation. You're a very good pegasus knight, Marcia," Marcia sheepishly scratched the back of her head from Fiora's praise. Despite Marcia's bashful state, Fiora continued, "I'm surprised with your skills; you haven't remained in service with the Begnion Knights."

Marcia then gaped her mouth open and was suddenly reminded that she did not share her circumstances that much outside of Lloyd. Oh well, she might as well share her story with her new fellow wingmates. This time, her fellow fliers were sisters, with a third sister supposedly out pirating with a brother named Dart. They were all good siblings... if only her brother was a proper one...

"Yeah... I didn't want to leave the Holy Guard. But then the debt collectors came to the barracks..." Marcia shuddered upon being reminded of the experience. Regardless of her discomfort, she continued, "My stupid brother saddled me with debt through all of his antics... My folks and I worry for him..."

The mention of Marcia's brother causing debt for a sibling made Fiora and Florina blink repeatedly at the fact. It certainly reminded them of Farina, who accidentally caused Fiora to be saddled with a ridiculous debt. The comparison made Fiora nostalgic.

"I'm suddenly reminded of Farina," Fiora muttered, bringing Marcia's attention to her. "I incurred a huge debt involving my sister. It put a strain on my finances for quite a while before meeting Ike and the others."

Marcia widened her eyes at Fiora. Did her sibling put her through debt troubles? Now she needed to hear all about it...

"I thought your other sibling was a good gal. Did she rack up a debt and leave it on you?" Marcia asked, to which Fiora and Florina shook their heads.

"No, Farina is a great sister! Though she can be mischievous at times and teases me a lot..." Florina trailed off as Marcia became more confused. Fiora knew she had to clarify.

"She's not a troublemaker. She would have died in practice had I not abandoned my mission to rescue her." Fiora confessed, which surprised the young woman. Reminiscing, or rather, holding a regretful expression by rubbing her temple, she continued, "The nobles from Bern who found their mission abandoned charged me a hefty termination fee. Farina was so concerned and felt guilty, but she and I fought, and she left our homeland that day several years ago just to help pay off the loan that I borrowed to pay the fee... If only I had chosen my words more carefully that day." Florina also gave a sad smile, as she had many regrets that day and hoped to persuade Farina not to leave.

Unbeknownst to the trio of pegasus riders, they were overheard by the people from Bern. Aside from Heath and Vaida (as they already knew the story), they glanced over and listened to Fiora's recalling of the tale. The wyvern rider duo had yet to find the stingy nobles who charged Fiora (the latter who was least likely to reveal who these people were). It was the least they could do for a comrade. Zephiel wondered who these people were as he was responsible for his people and nation, and it was not fair for this young woman to experience such consequences for a contract breach due to excusable circumstances. When he returned to Bern, he would have to inquire discretely to find the nobles who enlisted Fiora.

"Sheesh, those nobles you mentioned must be stuck up... Reminds me of the aristocrats back home... " Marcia shuddered as she replied. She then curiously asked, "What about Farina? She still came with you here... and became a pirate...?"

Now the conversation went in a strange direction. Zephiel and Murdock wondered how an Ilian pegasus rider became a marauder of the sea. Was she that desperate to repay her sister by becoming a robber? Fiora gave a nervous chuckle as she hoped Farina would remain a mercenary rather than a pirate.

"The Davros are not like most pirates. And Farina did want to give some of the money she earned even after settling the debt." Marcia was slightly envious but gave a look of understanding upon Fiora's explanation. Farina and Makarov were incomparable by many magnitudes. Fiora then shook her head, and her expression turned into a fond smile. "What's done is done. I just hope wherever she goes, she's happy... I hear she had a fun time drinking with the Beast King and his retainers." Rath and Legault's ears perked up at the sudden arrival of guests while Fiora was speaking.

"You got that right! Your sister was riotous to be around, along with Dart!" A voice called out with a sense of amusement. "We're still trying to find out about your sister and the rest of the Davros crew as we speak!"

The voice caused everyone to halt and some to turn their heads to the source. From the trees, they saw a grown blue cat with two different colored eyes. His left eye was mint green, and his right eye was purple. Behind him was an assortment of tigers, cats, and lions with various colors. One blue tiger and an orange cat in particular were right behind the blue cat. Everyone froze with expressions of amazement, slight fear, or discomfort in the case of a raven-haired mage. The blue cat eventually stepped forward while on his hind legs, his figure morphing into a more human-like form with clothing while preserving his tail and ears. With a brown vest and odd headwear that exposed his feline ears, which were flopping slightly. His tail was seen behind him, swaying in the air. Guinevere marveled at the sight of the cat-man while her brother stood speechless along with his retainer, Murdock.

They were informed ahead of time of the various races on this continent, but seeing them in person was an entirely different experience. The Greil Mercenaries spoke the truth regarding the races of Tellius. That also meant other species, which included birds and even dragons, existed on this land, each with respective countries of their own. This land was unlike Elibe and not a matter of an undiscovered continent. Their previous doubts were extinguished by the appearance of the Beast Laguz. One question remained in their minds: why were they brought to this mysterious land filled with various animal people?

The blue cat-man gave a welcoming smile to their visitors, especially to Farina and Florina. "Welcome to Gallia; we've been expecting you all since the news of the invasion." He greeted them all with a friendly smile and tone. "The name's Ranulf. It's a pleasure to meet you all personally. The Davros crew was a delight to be around."

The blue tiger and orange cat behind Ranulf soon morphed into their Beorc forms upon Ranulf's introduction. The orange cat became a short-haired, petite woman with green shorts and amethyst eyes quietly observing the group while the blue tiger had a burly appearance. The stripes on their cheeks stood out as a trait among the feline people along with their tails. Their eyes quietly observed the group before them.

"Huh..." Vaida voiced out her astonishment while cupping her chin, bringing everyone's attention to the wyvern rider. Some of the feline sentries were wary of the Dracoknights present in their territory, as Crimea supposedly had none in their service. "You're all a lot less hairy than I thought..."

"Commander Vaida..." Heath called out to his commander in a scolding tone, who shrugged off her subordinate's concern. Murdock and Zephiel were also bewildered while some Laguz growled or hissed in response to Vaida's thoughtless remark (most especially the orange cat Laguz). They hoped they did not offend this group of feline Laguz sentries enough to become hostile.

Ranulf blinked repeatedly at the Dragon Fang General and frowned. "You're not part of Daein or Begnion, are you?" Vaida scowled at the mention of the wrong countries. Ranulf then shifted his eyes to Heath and paid closer attention to Vaida's scars. He was then reminded of the physical features of the wyvern riders that Dart, Farina, and Geitz worked with. "You're the Dragon Fang General and her faithful trooper, Heath, that Dart and Farina mentioned! What brings you both here to Gallia? I thought you were reinstated by your nation's prince!"

Some of the people from Tellius gave pointed stares at Vaida and Heath. Some of their eyes wandered to Zephiel, who had hoped to keep a low profile. A sentiment that Murdock shared as his liege was very conspicuous. While Heath looked slightly nervous, Vaida shrugged off the stares.

"Call it a bit of an accident or reinforcements," Vaida answered. "By the time we got here, our former companions were in the middle of a war."

A strange accident to end up in Crimea. Based on the gaze of some in the company, he could tell there was more to the story. Ranulf nodded in understanding, as he was satisfied with the answer for the time being. Ranulf's heterochromatic eyes wandered on the nobles and children and soon tilted his head upon seeing a violet-haired girl and dark-haired lad, slightly perplexed. Some of the other Laguz had noticed their presence and were contemplating how to respond.

Sophia wondered if they noticed her and Soren's mixed heritage. It was the first time she met a Laguz. She couldn't sense their presence like those of draconic blood. Meanwhile, Soren was very uncomfortable with the presence of Beast Laguz. He hoped they would quickly receive their arrangements from the Gallian sentries and be done with it.

'Very odd group, heh...' Ranulf thought to himself. 'The girl with long, violet hair must be Sophia.'

While there was an awkward silence, Elincia stepped forward to address Ranulf. Green hair, noble bearing, and eyes of the royal family... Ranulf wondered if the Greil Mercenaries were the ones to escort her. Based on the stories he's heard, they are more than qualified to safely deliver their important guests.

With a humble and earnest expression, she introduced herself: "Lord Ranulf, I come here as Princess Elincia Ridell Crimea at the behest of my fallen father and uncle, King Ramon and Duke Renning..."

"Where did Commander Greil go?" Guy asked while peering at his surroundings.

"Best to save your energy, lest you burn out like Gatrie here," Shinon pointed to Gatrie, who chuckled in response to his remark.

"Hahaha... Burnout—ow ow ow..." Gatrie held his burnt chest in pain. Canas once again readied his staff to treat his injuries once more.

The diversionary team was on the lookout inside the fortress. Erk was busy checking their inventory while Canas was treating Gatrie, who had unluckily encountered a mage. Jaffar was picking at the locks of various chests in the fort. All the while, a new guest was with them.

A dark-blue-haired girl with a white headband, orange attire, and detached sleeves. She had joined this group after they had rescued her from Daein's captivity. She was an army mercenary hired by the Crimean Army to bolster their numbers, but she was captured. Since then, she had stayed with the group and was quite captivated by Lloyd and Guy's sword skills. She wondered if that fortune from the old lady would come true and she would have an archrival... All they need to do is wear white clothing to fulfill the prophecy!

"Didn't your commander mention that he wanted to look around the fort?" Mia replied while tapping her chin.

"We should hurry," Lloyd added as he appeared visibly disheveled. "Going through multiple battalions is tiring after a while."

Multiple battalions was an understatement. Mia had only joined in the last skirmish. She had overheard from Daein soldiers right before she was rescued that three hundred men had been slain by this group's hands. Not a single one of their aggressors has fallen. The Daein forces that held Mia captive were panicking and prayed that their battalion wasn't next, only for their hopes to be dashed. The men either fled in fear or died in the struggle. It was awe-inspiring for Mia to see such swordplay and tremendous skills take down the mighty Daein army. That's why she joined.

"Right..." Linus agreed with his brother, like always. "Wonder if Legault and Nino managed to cross the border by now?" He grumbled with a troubled expression. "I have this bad feeling he slacked off and— Huh!?"

The others were alerted as they heard the galloping of horses from outside Fort Meritenne. This castle was about to be sieged by cavalry. It was then that Jaffar swiftly arrived from an unknown location.

"Horses and infantrymen are closing in! Hundred men! Prepare yourselves!"

"Finally," Petrine announced on her horse, alone with no other soldier beside her. Greil stood ready with his axe prepared. She pointed her scorching lance at the man, with a vicious expression on her face. "You must be the leader of this band of mercenaries. My name is General Petrine. Your group has eluded us thus far, but your fortune has come to an end. None of you will leave this place alive..."

The pair stood in the cross hallway with a big open space. Petrine knew how dangerous this man and his men were. So she ordered a diversion so this man could be cornered. To think he so willingly came into such an obvious trap. While his men were preoccupied, she would close in to attack and subdue the leader. Bryce was to be on standby, and she would not let this opportunity slide.

Greil smirked in response. "They say that blind arrogance sows the field of its own destruction. Something tells me they were talking about you."

Petrine scoffed as her vicious grin grew larger. "His Majesty enjoys strong men. Sadly, I'll burn you to a crisp, given how much of a hindrance you and your mercenary group have caused us. Now, prepare yourself, you—!"

"This man will not be yours to fight, Petrine..." Bryce's voice cut her off mid-sentence. Gawain held a neutral expression as if he anticipated his arrival. "You won't stand a chance against a veteran like him. As your senior, move aside or regroup with the others." Petrine scoffed and was offended by Bryce's request.

"How dare you!? You may be my senior, but that gives you no right to take my prey!" She shouted with a furious expression.

Why was Bryce so insistent on fighting this man alone? Petrine could admit that if she and Bryce were to fight, she would lose due to the latter's experience. She was willing to allow him to assist her should her fight become dicey. But now the man wanted to fight alone with the mercenary commander.

"It is because I am your senior that you should know your place..." Bryce replied to Petrine, who was enraged by his comment. Regardless of Petrine's state, he continued, "After all, the same applies to this man, who is your predecessor."

Petrine widened her eyes in shock. What did Bryce just say? She wondered if her hearing was right... Greil, however, remained calm before the Riders of Daein.

"Isn't that right... Gawain?"

"W-What...?" Petrine stammered as she spoke.

Petrine was speechless. Once again, she wondered if her hearing was intact. She turned her head to Greil, with shock evident on her face. This man was Gawain? The previous generation's former Rider? He was known to be the strongest of all and the greatest swordsman during his time. Even Petrine respected the man and hoped to meet him at one point in her life. They say he either died in battle or left for similar reasons as Lanvega. The majority of Daein remained unaware of his whereabouts. Now he supposedly stood right here alongside his former compatriots.

"Impossible... Bryce... Are you sure you're not mistaken...?" Petrine asked, to which Bryce silently nodded, never turning his gaze away from Greil. She then gritted her teeth at a certain truth. She pointed her lance at Greil with a wrathful expression. "That means... you're a traitor! A deserter and a slayer of your fellow countrymen!"

Greil neither denied nor said anything in response to Petrine's accusation. True, he killed his former countrymen. However, none of them would have believed him if he revealed that Ashnard was the real traitor. The madman was willing to risk his entire country and the rest of the continent for his ambitions.

"Petrine! Regroup with the rest of the men!" Bryce ordered the woman; all the while, he gripped the Wishblade tightly. "I am more than enough to fight a former Rider... So leave!"

"... Tch..." Petrine clicked her tongue and galloped off to lead the other troops. She had to have faith in her fellow Rider to prevail against Gawain. They were in the same generation, after all.

A good moment passed since Petrine left the pair to themselves. Even when there was a fight ongoing outside, they remained focused on one another. Greil smiled at Bryce, who remained emotionless before his former friend.

"Bryce... It's been too long..." Greil trailed off, while Bryce then closed his eyes. "How's Tauroneo? Lanvega? I hear the latter is still managing his territory of Marado."

The former Rider refused to serve under Ashnard. Since then, he has remained neutral, even against the war effort. Ashnard avoided going into conflict with Lanvega. If he attempted to seize the latter's territory, it would lead to a destabilization of the nation with a civil war. It would go against the former's plans, as Greil surmised.

"... Lanvega has a daughter now... But he's been getting on in years, like the rest of us." Bryce replied upon opening his eyes, with his gaze softening. Greil nodded in understanding, as he, too, was far from his prime and aging normally like many Beorcs in the land. Bryce then sighed and continued, "I suppose you know Tauroneo was stripped of his position... He still serves as a general in the capital. But he worries for his family that are here in Crimea somewhere. I've been on the lookout for the civilians that have been apprehended."

Greil remembered Tauroneo had his own family. Tauroneo's wife divorced him and took their children to live in Crimea with relatives. Although Tauroneo and his wife have been divorced, he still cares for his separated family. It was good that Bryce still shared the same sentiment as Greil.

Greil let out a sigh of relief. "That's so; I'm glad..." He responded as he felt nostalgia. He still treasured his time with his fellow Riders.

"You and your company have performed splendidly against our army. Not a single one has fallen before our might..." Bryce snorted at the fact. "I wonder if it is because of your instructions and skills. They all could have done well in the service of our nation, Gawain..."

Greil snorted and shook his head. "Only my son seeks to follow in my footsteps... Half of our members follow him as well. The life of a knight would not suit many of them. I have no doubts that he will lead the company and surpass me one day." Bryce was visibly elated at the reassurance from Greil.

There was no turning back. He felt Bryce would accept no excuses for his desertion at this point. Not that he could say that his reason for leaving was for the good of the rest of Tellius. Bryce narrowed his eyes at Urvan, Greil's axe. It was not his proper weapon.

He once again turned his attention to Greil and said, "You can retrieve a blade. I can wait... If it is not of acceptable standard, I can obtain a lance of equal quality. I can even offer an elixir if you are exhausted..."

Bryce wanted his battle to be at Gawain's strongest. He felt excitement at facing his friend's swordplay once more. The very skills that made Gawain reach the highest rank in the Daein army and become a fellow proud Daein general. The very skills that made Bryce proud of his friend... If he were to die by his friend's swordsmanship, then so be it. He would be satisfied by such a worthy end to the tale of Bryce, of the Four Riders of Daein. Greil, however, shook his head and readied his axe.

"I no longer wield the blade, Bryce..."

His words were, in some way, a confession. He cannot wield it. Not anymore. Even if he were to oblige by his friend's request, it would only be subpar as opposed to wielding his axe. Bryce furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes with hostility. He felt insulted by Gawain's refusal to use a sword and pointed his lance at his former friend.

"Out of the countless battles we fought together and the countless spars we've done, do you seek to insult me by using a weapon that is not of your specialty?" Bryce fiercely glared at Greil as he spoke. "Fight with a sword. I will not repeat myself..." Greil could only give a guilty expression and shake his head at Bryce's request.

"Very well... So be it..." Bryce readied the Wishblade and charged with great speed despite his heavy armor. "En Garde!"

The axe and lance collided, their wielders unbothered by the chaos of the battle outside. Two former allies, comrades, and most of all, friends, would test their mettle in this space.