Gradivus. Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 (edited) C27 2/125 turns Shura got HP + def tonics and Benny pairup so he can survive a Spendthrift Lancer while standing on the pillar. He rescued Xander pocket Charlotte to the stairs and Flora froze the Bow Merchant to ensure Shura's safety. Strategist!Jakob rescued Cornßread pocket Nyx to the highest staircase. Turn 2, Cornßread attacked the goo king with Lightning and Xander finishes off after Draconic Hex. Cornßread needed one Dragon Fang to secure the kill (60% chance). Endgame 2/127 turns Silenced the freeze maid on turn 1 and used my 2 remaining freezes on the Oni Chieftains because even Xander's 60 Atk isn't enough to kill them through armored blow. Turn 2, Cornßread and Xander (pocket Nyx and Charlotte respectively) got danced down to Takumi to kill him. Cornßread did 3*11 with Lightning (one attack got dual guarded) and Xander did 18*2 with Siegfried, so the kill was completely reliable. Xander could also survive a Vengeance from Takumi no matter what. Post-Endgame stats because no one died. UNIT CLASS LEVEL HP STR MAG SKL SPD LCK DEF RES WEXP B/ W Cornßread Sorcerer 17/20.00 39 19 36 26 31 23 29 33 B Mgc 246/183 Xander Paladin xx/16.88 47 33 4 25 25 29 34 14 B Swd D Lnc 49/ 35 Silas Wyvern Lord 19/4.52 32 21 0 24 17 14 23 10 C Lnc E Axe 101/ 59 Kana Wyvern Lord 19/5.02 35 21 14 26 20 18 24 12 E Lnc D Axe 38/ 27 Jakob Strategist xx/21.17 31 12 15 19 21 18 7 20 E Mgc D Stf 63/ 29 Sophie Paladin 17/1.74 33 18 8 22 20 16 15 16 D Swd D Lnc 25/ 12 Elise Malig Knight 13/1.36 25 9 17 7 12 17 13 18 E Axe E Mgc 2/ 0 Flora Strategist xx/7.38 27 14 19 22 15 13 11 30 E Mgc B Stf 1/ 0 Shura Adventurer xx/4.27 31 19 10 21 25 13 13 22 C Bow D Stf 8/ 2 Nyx Dark Knight 16/1.65 23 9 18 11 17 7 9 10 E Swd B Mgc 36/ 29 Benny Knight 15.41 31 15 0 15 6 12 21 10 C Lnc 0/ 0 Charlotte Berserker 10/2.92 39 20 0 13 16 8 10 1 C Axe 1/ 1 Azura Songstress 17.57 22 16 9 23 22 22 8 11 E Lnc 5/ 0 - +Mag/Dragon Corn was all sorts of worth it. Dragonstone was great for earlygame bosskills and frontlining, same for tomes in the mid and lategame because it's stronger at 1-2 ranging things than shurikens for most of the time and the Sorcerer class transfer from Nyx allowed her to make the lategame bosskills more reliable with +Crit, Heartseeker and +5 mAtk from class bases and Malefic Aura. Having Silas and Kana as Wyverns saved a lot of turns throughout the game aswell. - Shura was worth it, only good Kotaro killer and Locktouch user, and he also saved some turns here and there as a staffbot or filler combatant. - Co-MVPs (with Cornßread being MVP) were Silas in the earlygame and Xander in the lategame. - Jakob learned to ride a horse, and it came in handy once near the tail end of the game. Beat my first CQ draft by one turn, yay. Edited October 8, 2016 by Gradivus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 (edited) FINALLY!Chapter 10 - 11/81 Spoiler "What are Hoshido's troops doing here?" Sakura asked Azura, the former's hands gripping Yato's hilt. "Perhaps they want to avenge their fallen comrades. We weren't exactly gentle with the detachment in the fort," Azura replied. "And I'm sure they'd want me as a prisoner. . .or worse." Footsteps snapped both back to reality. "SAKURA! What are you doing with these Nohrians?!" Sakura let out a whimper. She KNEW that voice! "Takumi? Takumi! What are you doing here?" she said, breathless. "I heard reports that you were moving with Nohrian troops. It looks like they were accurate," he said, his voice devoid of warmth. "I'll have to take you back to Hoshido. . .whether you like it or not." "W-wait!" Sakura shouted, but to no avail. Her brother disappeared between the ranks of the soldiers he commanded. "Well, well, that's quite the mess you've created," an unfamiliar voice chimed in. A man with an eyepatch stood with a hand on his hip. Another man, dressed in garb that left little to Sakura's imagination, stood next to the one with the eyepatch. "W-who are you people?" she stammered. "Niles? Odin? Aren't you supposed to be with Prince Leo?" Effie asked, surprise in her voice. "We were here on other business, but then we heard that Hoshidans were here. I couldn't resist the urge to. . .play with them," the man with the eyepatch said, a smile on his face. "The time for small talk has passed, Niles," the questionably-dressed man cut in. "It is time for us to bear our might against these foul invaders! I, Odin shall smite them where they stand!" "A-are they always like this?" Sakura whispered to Effie. "Unfortunately," Effie whispered back. --- Despite their introductions, Leo's retainers were every bit as capable as Effie, Jakob, and Azura. Odin stayed with Sakura, sometimes whispering advice on how to leverage Yato, and sometimes taunting the enemy with flowery language. Niles manned the ballista, shooting down any Sky Knight unfortunate enough to enter his range. "My, my, you've attracted quite the crowd." The owner of the voice rode a scaled beast which was over twice as long as Sakura was tall. Long purple hair cascaded down a suit of armor that accentuated its rider's feminine charms. "Camilla? You too?" Sakura said, her voice shaking due to fatigue and surprise. "Why yes. I received reports of troop movements in the area, so I set out to investigate. I see the Hoshidans are bent upon ruining this little town, so of course I had to help out!" the older woman replied. "I'll explain after this little spat is over. For now, keep the enemies away from the town center!" Sakura nodded, then turned back to the battle before her. --- Sakura's breathing came ragged, as the last of the invaders regrouped outside of the town square. Most of the fallen stayed put. One, however, continued to move. Sakura walked over, replacing her sword with her staff. The healing light flickered for a few moments, before bathing the person on the ground in its soft light. The figure slowly regained his knees. "Aren't you. . .a traitor?" Hinata asked slowly, as the wounds on his midsection closed. He moved his arms, and winced. "I. . .I can't return. . .not right now. . ." Sakura replied, equally slowly. "Don't move," Takumi's voice cut in. Sakura looked up, and was greeted by the point of an arrow. "Are you Hoshidans always so rude," Camilla said, appearing behind Takumi. "And here she went through the trouble of healing one of your soldiers." "What would you know, Nohrian scum?" A woman limped next to Takumi, holding her arm. Blood oozed from between her fingers. "Oboro? You shouldn't be moving! Hold still, I'll heal you--" "I SAID DON'T MOVE!" Takumi yelled. He gasped as a knife appeared next to his throat. "Why don't you stand down like a good little boy, and let Sakura do her magic, hmmm? Or do you want to die in front of your underlings?" "Leave Lord Takumi alone!" Oboro managed to shout, as she fell to her knees. Blood pooled around her. Sakura used the momentary distraction to activate the staff. Oboro's glare didn't falter as the pool of blood slowed, then stopped. "Lord Takumi?" Camilla said, her tone almost teasing. "So, you adorable kids are his retainers?" Two glares answered her question. "Very well. Just how far would you Hoshidan retainers follow your liege?" "To the depths of hell! Not that you Nohrian scum would know anything about loyalty!" Oboro shouted. "What does it matter to you?" Hinata demanded. "So that's how Hoshidan retainers are?" Camilla looked pointedly at Sakura, then back at the two that Sakura had healed. "Who would've thought?" The knife disappeared from Takumi's throat. She looked at him, a small smile on her face. Takumi's gaze flickered between Sakura and Camilla, before fixing the older woman with a glare. "Hinata. Oboro. We're leaving," he said flatly. "But milord--" Hinata started. "That's an order!" He turned back to Sakura, her expression one of pure confusion. "You have a lot of explaining to do once you return to Hoshido," he said flatly, before abruptly turning away a second time. Sakura started after her brother, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Leave them be," Camilla said softly. "I have no idea how I'm supposed to explain that staff work of yours to father," she said sternly. "But you DID keep this territory out of Hoshidan hands, so perhaps I'll forget what happened." "Because," Sakura whispered, low enough so that only Camilla heard her, "he'll repay a life with a life. And I gave him two that he needs to pay me back for." Shock registered on Camilla's face, before settling onto a smile. "You're a lot more clever than you let on," she whispered back. She hopped on the back of her wyvern. "I need to report back to my father. He won't be happy about the news of the incursion." --- "We could've taken her back!" Oboro insisted. "At what cost?" Takumi countered. "What does cost have to do with this?" Hinata interjected. Takumi sighed, glad that no one else was around. "When was the last time you saw Hana and Subaki?" His retainers looked at each other, then back to their liege. "You don't mean. . ." Hinata trailed off. "That's the only reason I can think of. Otherwise, Sakura wouldn't have had a reason to stay and fight. That girl cares far too much about others sometimes," Takumi said, shaking his head. "You mean that purple-haired harlot KNEW?!" Oboro fumed. "I can't tell what her motives are. Perhaps she'll use Sakura's compassion for her own ends. Or perhaps she's trying to help her. Regardless, she was willing to let the two of you live. We might be able to use that to our advantage at a later date, since that's technically aiding the enemy." The trio fell silent. "What do we do now?" Oboro asked. "We report this failure to Ryoma. But at least we know that Azura's with the enemy. I guess we should've imprisoned her ourselves, but it's too late for that." Free units were Niles and Odin. Gave Jakob and Niles Strength tonics, for various OHKOs. Sakura needed three more magic to OHKO the Oni Savages, which an Odin pair-up conveniently provides. Niles was necessary for both ballista duty and the ability to OHKO Sky Knights. On turn 1, Niles shot the spear guys, was danced by Azura, then paired up with Odin, who ferried him towards the western ballista. Jakob got the Master Seal, and Effie poked at the barrier with a Javelin. After that, Odin paired with Sakura, who tore through Oboro's side without aggroing her. Camilla took a Magic Tonic from Azura, and kept the enemies on the left at bay (thanks guys, that was part of what I was missing). Once the water receded, had everyone slowly retreat, but not before Camilla nabbed the Dual Club. Missed the money, but I'll live, since I don't have very many new units coming in. . .yet.Chapter 11 - 22/103 Spoiler "According to the locals, the Rainbow Sage is at the top of this mountain, milady," Jakob said, adjusting his cravat. Sakura nodded wordlessly. "You don't look so good. Are you okay?" Azura asked, worry in her voice. "I-I'll be fine," Sakura said shakily. "Besides, I can't do anything about Notre Sagasse until I meet the Rainbow Sage." "Remember, you're on a pilgrimage," Jakob reminded her. "You're still a Hoshidan priestess, even if your circumstances have changed." The girl nodded wordlessly, as the group headed towards the mountain. --- "This place is known for its trials and illusions. . .or at least, that's what I heard around town," Effie said briskly. "I also heard that both Ryoma and Xander have visited this place before." Sakura's knees shook at the mention of her older brother's name. "Ryoma did? I-I need to be strong. For everyone!" Effie shot her a pained smile. "Don't push yourself too hard. The climb won't be easy." --- "Huh. They didn't follow me down the stairs," Jakob commented, wiping sweat from his brow. "Please, rest," Azura said softly. "The enemies paid me no heed, so I can go up the next set of stairs." Jakob opened his mouth to protest, but Azura had already ascended. "They sure seem fond of each other," Effie commented idly to Sakura. "I'm glad. Jakob's a wonderful servant, and deserves some happiness in his life. Azura could use another friend," Sakura whispered back. "You're almost as bad as Lady Elise." At the mention of the other girl's name, Sakura cocked her head. "I know Elise sneaks out into town to do things, and cares for others, but what else does she do?" Effie's normally stern expression broke into a grin. "She pesters her older siblings constantly, whether it be Lady Camilla's unwillingness to marry, Lord Xander's stern expression, or Lord Leo's. . .wardrobe faults. However, she adores each and every one of them, and they have a hard time saying no to her." Sakura stifled a giggle. "She sounds like a wonderful person." Effie's response was cut short by uneven footsteps. Azura appeared, her clothing marred with blood. She held her arm gingerly. "Four diviners, and one very stubborn retainer," she gasped out. "Azama's as annoying with a staff as ever." "They saw you! Please hold still!" Azura sank to the ground, while Jakob activated a healing staff. The wound on her arm closed, though her dress was still in dire need of cleaning. "Thank you--where are you going?" Jakob turned to the rest, knife in hand. "They'll pay." --- True to his word, the next room was littered with four bodies on the floor, and another slumped in a corner. Sakura made a beeline towards the figure in the corner, Effie hot on her heels. Jakob leaned against a wall, blood turning his normally white shirt into a mottled mess. "You challenged the entire room by yourself," Azura said flatly. "They will no longer trouble Lady Sakura," he replied, just as flatly. "Do you realize how dangerous that was?! You've been hit by a cursed rod, no less!" Azura snapped, uncharacteristic volume and emotion in her voice. "It'll wear off, and my wounds will heal. I can't afford to die now," he replied. "I--ugh. Promise me you won't be so reckless in the future," she said with a heavy sigh. "You're worried about me," he said softly. "Well. . .uh, yeah. We're a small group, so we can't afford to lose anyone." Much to her surprise, he tilted her face upwards, so that his eyes met hers. "Thank you." Jakob gently eased himself to the ground. "I suppose I should conserve what little energy I have, for now." Azura touched her face, where his hands had been a moment earlier. She quickly turned away, her cheeks burning. "What has gotten into me?" --- "Why would this place give me Azama as an illusion? Surely it could've conjured something more realistic?" Sakura mused. "I assure you, I'm no illusion," Azama insisted. "Your healing magic worked on me, no?" "Can't argue with that logic," Effie grumbled. "Oh, you must be one of the Nohrians that's corrupting sweet Sakura. If you leave Sakura with us, we'll let you go home unharmed. Why are you pointing that at my neck?" "If you're not an illusion, then stabbing you would mean that you die for real," Effie replied coldly. "And if I'm a horrible Nohrian, that's what I'm supposed to do, right?" "Effie, p-please stop! That's one of my sister's retainers!" Sakura shrieked. "Your sister has the worst taste in retainers. This one walks around with his foot in his mouth!" Azama chuckled. "You're in the middle of the enemy, and yet you can still crack jokes. You Nohrians never cease to amaze me." Effie shot Sakura a pained look. Sakura shook her head. "Just stay here, and don't try to move too much. You'll live, but you're in no shape to fight," Sakura said. "You broke the only thing I could've used in a fight," Azama said bitterly. Effie put her spear down, and waved sarcastically. The climb wasn't over yet! --- "Don't bother. The Rainbow Sage isn't here," Hinoka said, anger in her voice. "Hinoka? Why are you frowning?" The older girl's face turned as red as her hair. "You injured one of my retainers and several of my soldiers! And yet you refuse to come home! Takumi refuses to say what happened between the two of you, Azura follows you like a lost puppy, and Ryoma's furious! WHY WOULDN'T I BE UPSET?!" Sakura shrank back from her sister's outburst. "If I stay. . .or if I go. . .someone will suffer. . ." Sakura said slowly. Azura put her hand on the younger girl's shoulder, and shook her head. "My apologies, Hinoka, but we have our own business that needs to be attended to for the time being. Please send our deepest apologies to everyone else. Once we've finished everything, we'll gladly return to Hoshido." "Do you think. . .after everything. . .it'll all just be the same?! Gods, Sakura, you've been seen following Nohrians, willingly! Some already call you a traitor!" "But if I leave. . .ahh. . ." The pink-haired girl sank to her knees, and sobbed. "Why did it have to be like this?" Azura's eyes narrowed. "Hinoka, you need to get everyone out of here, now. Someone else is climbing this mountain as we speak. He'll gladly paint the walls with your blood." Hinoka's shoulders slumped. "We'll continue this later. . .Sakura." The younger girl looked up, but only saw the retreating figure of her older sister. "What a sad reunion," another voice rasped. An old man stood where Hinoka had been moments before. "I couldn't dare interrupt such a thing!" "I saw you in town!" Effie blurted out. "A person's true character is revealed when they see me as a stranger, and not as some powerful old man." "But what of the others on the mountain?" Azura asked. The old man closed his eyes. "There. That should keep them busy for a while. Now, what did you need from me, bearer of Yato?" "Y-you knew?" Sakura gasped. The old man nodded. "Why yes, the blade itself has a very unique signature. Would you mind taking it out, for this old man's sake? Ah, good." Blue light flickered up and down the blade's edge. "And. . .done. Yato no longer sleeps. But I. . .I need to rest. . ." Jakob gently lowered the old man, then jumped backwards at the figure that had assisted him. "A Hoshidan?" he yelped, knife at ready. "If I meant you harm, you'd all be in a pool of your own blood," the figure said evenly. "Kaze? Why are you doing this? Aren't you--" Kaze held up a hand. "When I saw Yato fly towards you, I knew that your path would take you outside of Hoshido. With the blessing of the Rainbow Sage, I'm positive that I'll get the answers I want by staying here, with you." The group exchanged looks. "Why should we trust you?" Effie said bluntly. "What choice do I have? I voluntarily stayed behind without the rest of the Hoshidan army, which means I'm alone in enemy territory. If I don't find allies, I'll be captured, tortured, and killed." "Still, this is uncharacteristically bold of you," Azura replied. "That's the kind of recklessness I expect from your brother." "I guess it runs in the family," he said, a wry grin on his face. Jakob's grip on his knife turned his knuckles white. "There's no way King Garon would approve of having a Hoshidan on my side, ever," Sakura said flatly. "He doesn't have to know. We ninja are experts at hiding, after all." With those words, Kaze faded into the shadows. "If you so much as harm a hair on Lady Sakura's hair, I'll make you wish you were captured by King Garon," Jakob growled. Footsteps rang through the room. "Oh, you're already here," Iago said flatly. "And what of the mission?" Sakura looked down at the unmoving body of the old man. "He died before I could get an answer," she said, no emotion in her voice. "Unless there's some sort of succession ritual I don't know about, King Garon should have no problems taking this place in the name of Nohr." Iago snorted at the answer. "And you didn't even bloody your hands," Iago grumbled. "Very well. You are to return to Nohr with due haste. We have arranged for a ship to take you back as soon as possible." In order: Room 1 - Sakura with an Effie pair-up demolished this room, which consisted of Rinkah and a lot of things that didn't do well against Dragonstone. Room 2 - Jakob solo, he took the Hexing Rod like a boss. Room 3 - Effie walked through this room and murdered everything. Room 4 - Effie stabs, Azura sings, Effie stabs again. The End. The enemies won't attack if they do no damage, which seriously hindered my efforts (Jakob had to kill the enemies one by one, and Effie ran into the same problem). Name Class Level HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res Sakura Nohr Princess 14.54 27 12 14 13 12 10 13 4 Jakob Butler 14.87 28 12 10 17 17 19 9 14 Effie Knight 15.72 26 20 0 12 10 17 18 10 Azura Songstress 8.68 16 8 4 13 14 9 5 9 Chapter 12 - 15/118 Spoiler "Here. Drink this." Sakura gingerly accepted the cup that Azura offered. Whatever it was smelled horribly bitter. "Are you sure this is necessary?" the younger girl asked, her face scrunched with displeasure. "This cough has taken half of Iago's troops. We can't afford to be sick. Jakob, Effie, and I have already downed this tea," Azura continued. With a sigh, Sakura held her breath and upended the cup. --- "Your orders. . .are to stay in Macarath. . .until we've resupplied," Iago gasped out, his pale face flushed. Sakura met his bloodshot eyes, and nodded grimly. "Is there anything we can do to help you, sir?" she asked politely. "Just leave me be!" he managed to yell. With a quick bow, Sakura exited the room. Much to her surprise, her other companions were outside of the door. "We're to wait here until further notice," Sakura told them. "We might be here for a while," Jakob noted. "Everyone that isn't us has taken ill." "What did you put in that tea?" Effie asked Azura. "It tasted like death!" "Just some herbs that I had the good fortune to come across," Azura answered, a small smile on her face. "'scuse me, is this where Iago is?" The new arrival leaned against a wall, panting heavily. "Yes, but what business do you have with him?" Sakura asked. "No time! Let me in!" Before anyone could say anything, the girl barged past everyone. "WHAAAT?!" Sakura followed, and gasped. Though she held no love for Iago, she wasn't prepared to see him face-down on the ground. Azura ran to the fallen man, and put a hand on his forehead. "He's burning up," she said, no emotion in his voice. "Can't we move him to a bed or something?" Sakura demanded. "I don't feel right just leaving him like this." "WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!" the girl shrieked. "Hoshido troops have invaded Macarath, and I left Laslow there all by himself!" "This is the best I can do," Effie said, before dropping Iago on a nearby couch. "We'll take care of Hoshido's incursion. Please, get some rest," Sakura told the limp form of Iago. As the five exited the room, Iago's eyes cracked open. "Curse this. . .illness. . .why do I have to trust that whelp. . ." --- "LASLOW!" the girl shouted, causing everyone besides the young man in question to pause. "Hey, nice timing, Peri! I left some for you!" the young man shouted back. With a disturbingly girlish giggle, Peri freed her lance and impaled the nearest enemy Hoshidan. The others backed away. One ran back down the hall, somehow keeping his feet despite the thin coating of blood on the floor. "These are our reinforcements? Iago's sure stingy," Laslow grumbled. "I beg your pardon?" Effie growled. "I, uh, mean, it's good to see you here, Effie!" the mercenary stammered. "Who are the beautiful ladies with you--EEEP!" Effie's lance tip planted itself against Laslow's throat. "M-my name is Sakura. It's nice to meet you." "My name is Azura. Shouldn't we be focusing on the enemy, instead of fighting?" Azura commented. Sure enough, the enemy returned. "B-brother?!" Sakura spat out. "It's good to see you, Sakura," Ryoma said coldly. "You've fought your other siblings, and have Hoshidan blood on your hands. What do you have to say for yourself?" Sakura instinctively shrank back from her older brother's gaze. "I-I can't go home yet, and I don't want to see my friends killed!" she replied, her voice wavering. "Please, just leave us alone!" "It's far too late for that," the older man said. "You know your duty as a princess." "NO! If I can't save those who are dear to me. . ." she trailed off. "It was those same Hoshidans who imprisoned me. . .brother," Azura said, her even voice at odds with the daggers she glared. "I serve Lady Sakura. Those who threaten her will be dealt with," Jakob chimed in sourly. "You Hoshidans would spill my guys just because I'm from Nohr. I refuse to die because of that," Effie replied, her voice betraying no emotion. "That's enough!" Ryoma interjected. "If you side with Nohr, you're my enemy! Do you understand?" "I side with my conscience!" Sakura shouted. "Then there is no more to discuss. I will cut you down, traitor!" --- "Lord Ryoma! They're headed for the supply room!" Kagero shouted. "What is the meaning of this?" Ryoma demanded. Azura turned to him. "As I escaped my imprisonment with my life, so I will allow you to escape with yours. The troops we were with carry a coughing plague with them. If you dally too long, you'll catch it - and even you should know that falling ill while in enemy territory is a tactical blunder." "And how are you unaffected by it?" "Remember that tea we had to drink when the plague hit Shirasagi Castle?" Azura replied. Ryoma's eyes went wide. "Very well. But next time we meet, I WILL bring you to justice. Everyone, fall back!" Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as the Hoshidan troops departed. "Why don't I remember that?" Sakura asked Azura, as the latter riffed through the various herbs. "You were barely old enough to talk back then," she replied. "I'm glad you don't remember it. I'm also glad that Mother taught me how to make it," she continued. She removed several pouches of herbs. "That should do it. I don't have enough to cure the army, but this should help Iago." --- "A Hoshidan invasion? Here?! And you didn't kill them all?!" Iago demanded, from his bed. "My apologies, sir. I wanted to return to you immediately," Sakura said quietly. "A likely story," he wheezed. "We came back, with enough medicine to bring your fever down. A healer doesn't discriminate based on their patient's nationality," she added. Iago replied with a coughing spasm, that shook his already emaciated form. "All of you will be staying here, until we're well enough to march. Is that clear?" "Excuse me, sir, but someone needs to report your whereabouts to King Garon," Peri cut in. "Since I've got a horse, I can get to the capital the fastest." "Very well," Iago said, clearing his throat. "Shall I leave you to rest?" Sakura asked gingerly. "Go, and don't cause any more trouble." Straight up the middle, with Effie the Wall. Baited Kagero with Effie/Sakura, and then finished her off with Jakob on PP. Then, had Azura sing for Jakob, and had him weaken Saizo, with Effie finishing him off. Had Laslow fill in the gap where Kagero/Saizo were, which saved Jakob's life. From there, hit the Dragon Vein, then worked my way up the middle, somewhat slowly. On turn 15, Effie ate a Freeze staff, but she was in range of the escape point. I switched to Sakura, then had Azura sing Sakura to victory. Laslow hits like a relative truck. Edited January 17, 2017 by eclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 (edited) Chapter 13 - 21/118 Spoiler The luxury of Macarth was a comforting sight, but the veneer wore out after the first few days. Laslow had taken to throwing knives at a target, and one that he was surprisingly good at. Effie continued her physical training regimen, while Azura sang during the daylight hours. Jakob busied himself with medicine preparations, under Sakura's direction, though it was never long enough to stave off the boredom. "Keep it steady. . .that's good!" Laslow commented, as Sakura let her arms fall limp. "If you're going to wield some sword of legend, you'll want to do so without your arms shaking after two minutes." "Why does it have to be so heavy?" Sakura complained, as she rubbed her forearms. "It wouldn't be much of a sword if it weighed the same as a sheet of paper!" Laslow joked back. A clang of metal, followed by familiar bellowing cut their conversation short. "WHAT ARE THE TWO OF YOU DOING?!" Effie yelled, her voice loud and clear from across the courtyard. "You can't spar effectively by pulling your strikes!" Laslow and Sakura hurried over, unable to resist the ensuing drama. Azura and Jakob looked up at the larger girl sheepishly. "I do not wish to hurt milady," Jakob said deferentially, rising to one knee and offering a hand to Azura. "DO YOU THINK AN ENEMY FEMALE SOLDIER WILL CARE ABOUT YOUR MISPLACED CHIVALRY? FIGHT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!" Azura took Jakob's hand, and rose with him. "Thank you for volunteering as my sparring partner, Jakob," she said, dusting herself off. "Think nothing of it, milady. This is good practice for me as well," he replied with a bow. Azura responded by brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, and giving him a small smile. "That's enough of a breather, you lovebirds! Put your backs into it!" Laslow and Sakura snickered as Effie's training session resumed. --- Laslow hung his sword up, a small sigh escaping his lips. He froze when he thought he heard someone cough, but his actions (or lack thereof) were greeted with silence. He took out the knives he'd used for target practice, freezing again when the cough came back. Laslow closed his eyes, and threw one of the knives in the general direction of the sound. Two more knives appeared in his hands when his first knife bounced away, a metallic clang ringing through the room. He kicked the pile of clothes in the corner of the room, and was rewarded with a grunt. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded, one of the knives aimed at the figure on the ground. The figure coughed, then looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. "I'm on your side," the man gasped, before another coughing fit seized him. "A likely story. You're dressed as a Hoshidan, and you were hiding in my room. It wouldn't be so far-fetched to hide in here, wait for me, and kill me," Laslow growled. "Your room is the furthest from the main army," the figure wheezed. "I can rest here, and I don't have to worry about being found by them." "Them?" Laslow asked, his eyes narrowing. "What do you think King Garon would do to Lady Sakura's retainers if he found out that she had a Hoshidan following her?" "Her what?" Laslow took a few steps back. The figure on the ground slowly rose to a sitting position. "Lady Sakura listens to King Garon only because her retainers are being held captive by King Garon. Why else would a Hoshidan princess cooperate with him?" The younger man's hands shook. "So what compelled you to follow her?" he asked, his voice unsteady. "She wields Yato. That is all the reason I need." The figure's breathing came in gasps. "Laslow, it's almost time for--what is the meaning of this?" Jakob looked at the two men, one propped up against a wall and the other holding knives. "My gods, I completely forgot you were there!" "Then I did my job," the figure said, a smile on his sweat-stained face. "This will NOT do! Stay put, I'll get something for that cough of yours!" Laslow's eyes followed Jakob's retreating back. "I guess you're telling the truth," he grumbled. "Name's Laslow." "My name is Kaze. While I believe it's customary for Nohrians to shake hands, I don't think this is a good time to do so," the figure gasped out. Footsteps pounded towards Laslow's door. Jakob burst through, a package and a kettle in hand. "You are to drink this, four times a day. And don't even think about complaining about the taste!" Jakob demanded, as he dumped several tea bags on Laslow's desk. Laslow's nose wrinkled as a pungent aroma perfumed the room. "Can't taste any worse than the crap I'm coughing up," Kaze mused, upending the first cup of tea. --- "You've got to stop doing that," Laslow grumbled, as Kaze shook himself awake from a pile of dirty laundry. In the week that had passed, Kaze's fever had broken, and the cough only cropped up if he talked for long periods of time. The Hoshidan had decided to stay in Laslow's room, much to the owner's displeasure. "I must stay hidden as much as possible, lest someone finds out I'm here," the other man grunted. "WHEN was the last time you washed your clothes?" Laslow grumbled. "Excuse me?" came the reply. "Look, I can track you by scent, and that's not gonna help you stay hidden. Go take a bath, and use some of my extra clothes. You might be able to walk around without having to worry about people staring or something." "What about these?" Kaze asked, pointing to his own clothes. Laslow looked at him, then the fireplace. Kaze groaned. "This shirt was just getting comfy, too," he said with a sigh. Once Laslow was certain that he'd emptied every last shuriken out of the other man's clothes, he went over the garb with his hands, wincing at the smell. If the ninja had kept any orders or other slips of paper, Laslow couldn't find it. He tossed the overly fragrant garments into the fire, all too happy to be rid of them. As if on cue, Kaze came out from the bathroom. Laslow's shirt hugged the other man's chest, while his pants looked ready to burst at the seams. "Huh. You could almost pass as a Nohrian," Laslow commented. "Maybe when I get something looser," Kaze gasped out. "That name of yours screams Hoshidan, though." Kaze closed his eyes. "My name is Kain. I met with the army after they left Macarth. I had barely escaped the previous Hoshidan attack, and requested protection. How does that sound?" "Very suspicious," Laslow replied. "But the name should hold, at least." The two walked down to the courtyard, meeting Effie along the way. She gasped when she saw Kaze, then quickly blushed. "Is something the matter?" Kaze asked. "I--well--" she stammered. "My goodness! How could you think about going outside dressed like that?" Jakob glared at the duo. "It was the only thing available," Kaze replied, trying to shift the pants he wore to a more comfortable position. "I think you're better suited for my clothes," Jakob added, shoving Kaze towards his room. Kaze tugged at the collar of his shirt. The butler had been correct about his clothing size, though the shirt was far too formal for his tastes. Sakura and Azura arrived at the courtyard, stopping dead in their tracks at the sight of the ninja-turned-butler. "How do you do, milady," Kaze greeted. "You're so dashing!" Sakura exclaimed. Azura giggled her agreement. "This is Kain," Jakob said stiffly. "He shall assist me in my day-to-day duties," he continued. "Whose idea was this?" Sakura whispered, once everyone had dispersed to their usual practice places. "Laslow thought of the name, and Jakob filled in the cover story," Kaze whispered back. "This, too, is part of a ninja's duties." --- "Another servant?" Garon snapped. Kaze bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Highness. As there are two princesses in this force, it is only fitting that each one have her own butler," he replied. "Bah. Sakura! I heard about your. . .incident in Macarth." Sakura stood straight, her gaze unblinking. "It took guts to fight your brother, and secure medicine for the Nohrian army. Therefore, I will excuse your. . .fault at Notre Sagasse." The girl bowed her head. "Please accept my sincerest apologies for being unable to fulfill your command," she said demurely. Kaze arched an eyebrow. "Notre Sagasse is a holy spot, not a battleground. This time, I want you to fight. The territory of Cheve is currently resisting my rule. As we speak, Nohrian soldiers battle the rebels. Your job is to root out every last person unwilling to bend their knee to Nohr, and kill them. Do I make myself clear?" Sakura swallowed. "Y-yes, Your Highness," she gasped out. --- Laslow hummed merrily as he passed Sakura and Kaze in the halls. Once he was at the double doors in front of the throne room, he cut his merry tune short, straightened his shirt, and went down on one knee before King Garon. "I heard you stayed behind to assist Sakura in Macarth," Garon said flatly. "The Hoshidans attacked while I was on an errand for Prince Xander. After that, I was quarantined with the rest of the soldiers," Laslow explained. "I need someone to keep an eye on Sakura. If she fails to quell the rebellion in Cheve, I want to know immediately." Laslow looked up, his expression grim. "Understood, Your Highness. Though I would rather not go like this." "What do you mean?" the king snapped. "Sakura is from Hoshido, no? So if I look like someone from Hoshido, she's bound to let her guard down around me sooner. I should be able to get more information from her if she's comfortable around me," Laslow explained. "Very well, do what you must." Laslow raised the mask he'd brought with him, bowed, and exited the throne room. --- "YOU!" Takumi yelled. Through the last rays of the sun, Sakura saw her brother, next to another woman. "W-what are you doing here?" Sakura stuttered. "This isn't Hoshidan territory!" "The enemy of my enemy and all," the other woman commented. "Figured you Nohrians would show up, spoiling for a fight." "C-can't we just talk this out?" Sakura whimpered. "'fraid not," the other woman said, hefting an axe. "We'd rather die than bow to the likes of Garon!" Sakura quickly took out Yato, parrying the woman's blow with the divine blade. She winced as the shock of the impact rang through her hands. "This sword. . .it couldn't be. Takumi, you didn't tell me that this was your sister!" the other woman snapped. "She no longer fights for Hoshido," Takumi said flatly. "Follow the divine sword, or fall to its edge," the other woman muttered under her breath. "No matter what, I'll betray Cheve," she said with a sigh. "Very well. I'll surrender myself. For the sake of Cheve," she said dejectedly. "What is the meaning of this?" Takumi yelled. "Once, a long time ago, someone consulted the Rainbow Sage about Cheve's future. 'Follow the divine blade, or fall to its edge' was his answer. The one wielding Yato stands before us now. Do you think I'd sacrifice everyone just to test that prophecy?" Takumi's grip on his bow tightened. "If there's no one in the rebellion, then I don't have to kill anyone!" Sakura said cheerily. "We've got trouble!" Effie barged in. "Someone let a bunch of monsters loose in Cheve!" "Monsters? What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "Just come with me!" Effie snapped, dragging the princess with her. --- "Th-they're targeting the civilians!" Sakura shrieked. "We've got to he--MMPRH!" "We'll do no such thing," Laslow whispered, before removing his hand. "Why? There's people in trouble, and--" "This is Garon's test. To see if you'll directly interfere with his army of monsters. Fail this, and who knows what he'll do to you - or those you care about," he continued. Much to his displeasure, Sakura sank to the ground. "It seems that she's fainted," the woman with the axe said wryly. "Get out of here," Laslow growled. "Excuse me?" the woman said gruffly. "This is my home, and I will defend it!" "Can you say the same about him?" the mercenary-turned-ninja commented, motioning towards Takumi. "All hell WILL break loose should the bodies of Hoshidans be found among the corpses today." The woman cursed under her breath. "If you're worried about Lady Sakura, don't be. We'll protect her," Effie added. "The spirit of Cheve is in its people, not this place. Take the spirit of Cheve, and keep it alive!" "I do NOT believe this," the woman said. "Your Highness, looks like your vacation's been cut short." "Thank you for everything, Scarlet," he replied. He turned his gaze to Laslow and Effie. "I will be the one that brings justice to Sakura. Don't you dare let her die before then." Laslow watched the pair retreat. "Garon will have quite the fit if he finds out," Effie warned. "These monsters are meant for destruction, not information. We may not be able to protect all of Cheve, but we can keep these few houses intact. After all, Sakura's in one of them, recovering after the rebellion leader snuck up behind her and gave her a swift knock to the back of the head." Effie's eyes went wide, before she nodded. "The two of you plan to defend this block by yourselves?" an unfamiliar voice asked. "Why, yes, what does it mean to you?" Laslow shot back. "I couldn't help but overhear what happened. If a princess rests within one of these houses, then it is my duty as a soldier to keep her safe," the menacing addition observed. "Huh. A mercenary. We can't pay you right now," Effie said. "I'm the last of my company. Everyone else fell to those monsters. I've got a score to settle." A crash interrupted the conversation. The monstrosity loomed over the trio, fist headed towards them. Laslow nimbly jumped out of the way, while Effie and the newcomer braced themselves. With a ferocious clang, the monster reeled back. Laslow took the time to pepper the fiend with knives, while Effie readied her lance. After several stabs, the creature fell. "Huh. Welcome to the team, I guess," Laslow said casually. "You're pretty handy with that shield." "Name's Benny," the other man grunted. "Introductions later. We've got a princess to keep alive!" Laslow to Ninja. Went to the left to deal with Orochi's crew, while Effie lagged behind a bit to deal with the knights. Baited the cavaliers/Reina. Sakura did half of Reina's HP on Dragonstone power, and Effie did more than the rest. Killed the Outlaw, then drew Scarlet's group. Had to run some people backwards, to keep Charlotte out of combat. Eventually, cleared out that group, grabbed a couple of villages, then used Effie with the Brass Naginata to draw Takumi. Beat up the armors to finally finish the map. I really like Laslow as a pair-up unit!Chapter 14 - 12/130 Spoiler "So you were hit over the head, and as a result, do not know whether or not the rebel leader was among the fallen." Sakura nodded mutely at Garon's words. "The rebellion has been suppressed, which is what I wanted. The next place you are to go to is Cyrkensia." Sakura looked up, and swallowed hard. "A-are they against your rule, too?" she asked timidly. "Nothing of the sort. You are to meet someone in front of the opera house, in a week's time, then report the results of that meeting." The princess breathed a sigh of relief, before the corners of her mouth twitched. "I'm still a Hoshidan. Wouldn't it be better if one of your own were to go as your representative?" Garon's eyes narrowed, and Sakura shrunk back. "I-I'm sorry! I'll leave right away!" He watched her retreating back, allowing himself a small smile once the girl had left. "Is this such a wise idea?" Iago asked, from the shadows. "Her loyalties seem. . .fleeting." "Her true colors are more likely to show if she doesn't think she's under our watch. A neutral territory is best for such a thing," the king said, drumming his fingers together. --- "Long time no see." Sakura jumped at the sound of the voice behind her. "L-Leo?!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" "A Hoshidan detachment is on their way over here. They are not dressed for merrymaking. What will you do?" he said bluntly. "How long until they arrive?" Her fingers idly ran through her hair. His eyes narrowed. "Two hours." She sighed, and looked at his emotionless face. "See what the enemy leader demands," she replied. "That's an odd course of action," he said, no emotion in his voice. "They travel out in the open, so their mission doesn't involve gathering information. Detachments usually aren't sent to conquer places, so that can't be their objective, either. At worst, they're an advanced scouting party, so they'll happily announce who they serve and what they want. I don't think starting a fight in a neutral nation is a good idea, if it can be avoided," she concluded. Leo nodded. "You Hoshidans are strange. But, if it's customary for them to bellow their objective, instead of taking it, I won't argue. I agree that starting a conflict here would best be avoided. As a prince of Nohr, I will meet them." --- "State your business," Leo said flatly. "My name is Kumegara! Release Princess Sakura at once!" the enemy commander yelled. "She has chosen to aid Nohr of her own will," Leo replied icily. "LIES! You Nohrians can't be trusted! Men, to arms! We take the princess by force!" "I knew it would come to this," Leo grumbled. "Alright everyone, we need to protect Cyrkensia!" --- "MMPH!" Sakura struggled against her wrist bindings, to no avail. "Real sorry, Your Highness, but orders are orders," Niles said. "Even Prince Leo thought it to be too cruel to have you fight against your own kinsmen!" Odin added, running a hand through his hair. "MMRRMHH! MMMMM!" "Surely we are far enough away from the battle that we can loosen her gag?" Odin asked, looking at the red-faced princess. "It's your fault if we get yelled at," Niles said reluctantly, before freeing Sakura's mouth. "Haven't you been paying attention to the shadows?" she snapped. "What kind of dishonorable tactics would--AAH!" Odin's words were cut short by a shuriken to the back. Niles picked up his bow and fired an arrow from the direction of the shuriken. Much to Sakura's surprise, she heard a grunt. "You assholes think you can outsneak me? Try again!" Another arrow was fired, a scream coming from the corner. "Untie my hands!" Sakura demanded. "I'm busy here!" Niles snapped, a third arrow fired into the wall. "I need to heal him!" Sakura screamed, inching towards Odin, a pool of blood rapidly meeting her in the middle. "Fine, but don't run off on me!" he growled, freeing a dagger and cutting her loose. Sakura took out her rod, its healing light absent. "Oh, not now!" she cried, closing her eyes, searching for the familiar warmth of the staff's magic. "Well, that's just peachy. At least they're trying not to kill you," Niles muttered, ducking behind Sakura before firing another arrow. A string of curses came from the one-eyed man. "Great. I'm out." He twisted to the side, as a shuriken flew by him. "Looks like I'm gonna have to get rough with you, milady," he whispered. Before Sakura could object, he cut the ropes around her feet, and grabbed her by the waist. "Time to move you to somewhere safer." "But what about him?!" she whimpered, motioning towards Odin's unmoving form. "He'll be safer if we're not here. Let's move!" Niles took five steps before he crashed down on top of her. "H-hey, that hurt!" Sakura yelled. The other man didn't answer. She rolled him over, and gasped when she saw a pair of shuriken sticking out of his chest. So intent was she on his wounds, that she didn't notice the walls move. Snapping branches caught her attention. Her eyes widened as tree branches reached out, impaling three shadowy figures. "It seems I mistook the enemy's determination." Sakura met Leo's eyes, then curled up and cried. "What is the meaning of this?" he snapped. "I-I couldn't save them! I tried, but my staff--it wouldn't work! It's my fault that they--AAAH!" Leo looked down at the two men, and bowed his head. "The battle is over. The Hoshidans are no longer a threat. Let's go back to Nohr." "B-but what about them. . .weren't they--" "They were my retainers, and served Nohr proudly until the end. That's all that matters," Leo replied gruffly. Through her own tears, Sakura thought she saw a glimmer in his eyes. "R-right. . ." she said, through her sobs. --- "That's your report?" Garon snapped. "Your carelessness caused you to lose your retainers?!" "I underestimated their approach," Leo said, his voice even. "Once Sakura had left the room, I checked everything. The shurikens in their bodies matched the shuriken the ninja had. Sakura's staff lay on the floor, next to Odin. The lower part of her dress was bloody, and several arrows were fired from the corner of the room Niles died in. Several shuriken were buried in the wall behind Niles and Odin. Lastly, I arrived right before Niles fell. I personally saw him cut the bonds on her feet, and attempt to take her with him. Thus, her story holds up," he continued. "Very well. You are dismissed," Garon replied coldly. "Just a moment. . .Father," Leo spoke up. "What is it?" "With your permission, I'd like to travel with Sakura. She will want to make sense of the deaths of those two, and I think I am the best equipped to help her with that. Plus, I have no retainers, which severely limits what I can do. If you want to keep an eye on her, I can do that, too." Garon nodded. "A wise plan, as usual, my son. I expect to hear everything. Understood?" "Yes, Father," Leo said, bowing before he exited the room. --- "How is she doing?" Elise asked Leo, worry in her voice. "Badly. She's barely eating, and the servants report hearing her scream at night." Elise hung her head. "I think she's taking their deaths worse than you are," she said, looking at the floor. "What about you?" "I'll be fine," Leo said gruffly, before turning down the hall. --- "May I come in?" Sakura looked up from her bedsheets. "Y-yes," she said softly. "How are you doing?" Leo asked, sitting in a chair opposite of the bed. "I'm the chosen of Yato. . .and yet. . .I couldn't save them. . .why?" Leo's lips pursed as Sakura buried her face in her hands. She stopped when he placed his hands on her shoulders. "This is what happens when people fight. People will die. Surely you know that," he said. "I-I do, in my head. But I don't like watching people die!" she yelled. Leo sighed. "You still have people that look up to you. Don't forget about them," he replied. She looked up at him, a small smile gracing her tear-stained cheeks. "Thanks," she told him, her face much closer to his than he remembered. He swallowed hard. "N-now if you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of," he said hastily, before leaving her room. --- "Hey, are you SURE that you're only training to be a butler, Kain?" The "person" in question wagged his tail. "Your cooking smells amazing!" "I suppose we'll have to tell Sakura about this guy sooner or later," Laslow grumbled. "You can tell her. I've got other things to do, like digging in!" Laslow's eyes went wide as he saw the food on Effie's plate disappear in short order. "H-hey, save some for me!" he cried out. "And me too!" Laslow looked between the wolfskin that had followed them here, and Effie, the color draining from his cheeks. "The two of you eat like pigs, you know that?" he said to himself. "You gonna eat that?" Effie asked, motioning towards his fish. "YES! And don't talk with your mouth full!" Effie stopped mid-chew. "Uh, I mean, you're more likely to enjoy your food if you slowed down!" he stammered. "I can't believe I was lucky enough to find you guys! All your food is delicious!" the wolfskin exclaimed. "Keaton, we haven't introduced you to the commander yet!" Effie said clearly, despite the volume of food in her mouth. "Still, I bet she'll just LOVE having me around! Didn't you see how many of those Hoshidans I ripped apart?" Laslow slumped. "Not over dinner," the mercenary-turned-ninja grumbled. Effie promoted to Great Knight. Paired up Leo and Sakura, then talked Keaton into joining. Keaton and Laslow paired up, while Effie walked through everyone. Eventually got Leo to the boss. One Iron Sword and one Brynhilder ended the map.Chapter 15 - 8/138 Spoiler "It's always the same," Azura muttered to herself. She ran her fingers over the fabric of her purple comforter, the silky smooth fabric at odds with the chaotic dream that had roused her from her sleep. It always started in an airy meadow, with someone that looked like the deceased Sakura, and an older man. Before she could get their names. . .THEY showed up. Though they stood like humans, their purplish skin, glowing eyes, and unmistakable stench of death gave their true nature away. Each of these were dressed in some mockery of the clothes that she'd normally see when she walked out of Shirasagi castle. Though Azura fought and sang with all that she had, they were always overwhelmed. The other two would create an opening, and Azura would run towards the light at the end of the walking corpses, only to awaken in her bed. Her musings were interrupted by a soft glow, coming from a half-open drawer. She slowly took out the object responsible for the sudden illumination - a pendant her mother had left her. "Mother. . .does this mean it's time?" The pendant's glow flickered, then faded. "I guess not. But the time is soon coming, isn't it? Then I'll have to choose. . ." --- The oaken door gave way easily enough to Kaze's touch. Fate had brought him to Nohr, as a prisoner. Today, he entered dressed in the garb of a prison guard, its owner sound asleep after a night of debauchery. He kept his back straight and eyes forward, letting his peripheral vision identify the sorry figures that inhabited the cells. He stopped when he saw two figures in dirty and tattered Hoshidan clothes. One of the figures lifted his head, bloodshot eyes meeting Kaze's own. "Subaki. . .what is going on?" Kaze whispered. "Y-you. . ." the prisoner rasped. "What do you want?" His eyes went wide when Kaze removed his helmet. "The two of you look awful." Subaki weakly raised an emaciated arm, and rested it on the back of the other figure. "She's finally asleep," Subaki whispered hoarsely. "She's been coughing all day." Kaze took an involuntary step backwards. "The plague--huh?" He stopped when he felt something soft at his back. "I knew you looked familiar," the woman behind him said, axe at ready. "You. . .you're a princess. Surely you don't have business down here, in the middle of the night," Kaze growled. "Normally, I don't, but I just had to see why a guard would want to visit the prisoners at this hour," she purred. "Isn't it customary for the guards to check on the prisoners, no matter what the hour?" The woman chuckled. "Oh, you're far too serious. But it looks like your little intrusion can be excused, this time. After all, you're the one that discovered the coughing plague down here." Coughing interrupted her. Kaze turned his attention back towards the prisoners. The other one was on her knees, her frail form shaking with each cough. "She's been like this for the past three days," Subaki said, before his own coughing fit started. "This will not do at all," the woman said softly, with a sigh. She cleared her throat. "Hey, new guy. Bring these two prisoners to the northern tower, top floor. I want to. . .personally interrogate them." She turned on her heel and left, lavender hair swaying in time with each step. "You heard the lady," Kaze said, putting his helmet back on. He chuckled, realizing that the guard and the other woman had left him no keys. The lock on the cell was meant to be heavy and intimidating, partially to give the guards a sense of security, and partially to keep the prisoners at bay. To a ninja with a lockpick, and a very urgent reason to get the door open, it was a thirty-second delay. The rusted hinge shrilly creaked its protest as Kaze pulled the door open. Subaki stumbled out, while his companion scooted out on her knees. Kaze sighed, then picked up the girl, gasping at the number of bones he felt through her clothes. He then reached out an arm to steady Subaki, gagging as the smell of rotting flesh hit his nostrils. Subaki withdrew his right arm with a scowl. The group managed to make it to the guard house before Subaki sank to his knees. "Oh, so this is where the stench is coming from," another voice chimed in. "Nice to see you too, Keaton," Kaze greeted glumly. "Man, are they dead or something? I smell someone rotting," Keaton said cheerily. "If you want to hang around, carry him," Kaze said, motioning towards Subaki. "Sure, he looks light enough--hey, you barely weigh anything!" Keaton exclaimed, as he threw the Hoshidan over his shoulder. "I'm a person, not a sack of rice!" Subaki protested. "A sack of rice smells better," Keaton countered. "That's enough, you two. Just. . .follow me," Kaze said. He briefly considered telling Keaton where to go, but remembered how utterly and hopelessly lost the wolfskin had been when they had first met. --- Much to everyone's surprise, the top floor of the northern tower had two beds, and two bowls with steam rising from them. The two Hoshidans were gingerly placed on the beds. Kaze examined the two prisoners, this time with the light from the fireplace. Both of them were severely malnourished, with the girl's shoulder blades peeking out from her worn shirt. The woman fussed over the man, who sat on the bed. His hair tumbled down his back in a greasy red mass. His normally angular features were outright hawkish. Though he resisted, his bony form was no match for her toned one. She ripped his shirt off, before gagging and taking several steps back. Off in a corner, Keaton's shoulders heaved. Kaze put a hand to his nose, then blanched as he saw the source of the stench - an arm with black spots. "How are you even alive?" the woman said, swallowing hard. "Someone has to keep her company," Subaki rattled out, motioning towards the other bed with his good arm. "You're a real sweetheart, you know that? But I'm gonna have to do something about that arm," the woman said, freeing the axe on her back. "Y-you can't be serious!" Subaki croaked out. "It's your arm or your life. Even the best doctors in Hoshido wouldn't be able to save an arm with gangrene," she said. Subaki's shoulders slumped. "Hey, you," the woman said, pointing towards Kaze. "You'll need to tie off the stump when I'm done." "I have a name, and it's Kain," he growled. One of Subaki's eyebrows went up. "Very well. . .Kain. Put a poker in the fireplace. If the tourniquet isn't enough to stop the bleeding, we'll use fire to do so." "What about him?" Subaki asked, pointing towards the unconscious form of Keaton. The woman shook her head. "That idiot wolfskin and his nose will be the end of him," she grumbled. "But he's out of the way, so it won't matter. Now, try not to wake the girl up. I'll deal with her after I make sure that you aren't in any danger of dropping dead." "In case you. . .mess up. . .my name is Subaki, and hers is Hana," Subaki said. "Oh, what an odd coincidence," the woman said, with a chuckle. "I believe your name is one of the Hoshidan ways of describing a certain flower, right? I, too, am that flower - Camilla, to be exact." Subaki's reply to her revelation was cut short when Kaze slid a pair of chopsticks between his teeth. "Now, try not to scream." So, uh, this chapter really sucks with no 1-2 range. Sakura had to manually kill things. Gunter danced out of the way of everything.Chapter 16 - 12/150 Spoiler "Let me get this straight. I'm being sent to Hoshido, to pick herbs, because my retainers somehow caught the coughing plague?!" Sakura exclaimed, to Camilla. "That's the long and short of it," the elder woman said. "You and Azura know the lay of the land, and what plants to bring back. Failure means that your retainers die a miserable death. It's not too hard to see why Father would send you on such a mission." "AND you're coming with us," Sakura added. "Well, I WAS exposed to those two, and even after that awful tea you made me drink, Father thinks I might be contagious. Better to have me out and about than trapped in a room. At least in terms of appearances. Kain, or whoever he is, will stay with those two, since someone has to watch over them. Though Keaton was also exposed, it seems that the wolfskin are immune to the plague. . .but I wouldn't trust him with a rat, let alone two gravely ill humans," Camilla explained. "All right. It'll be good to have you on our side," Sakura said lightly. She remembered Kaze's report, about how cleanly Subaki's arm had been removed. It took great strength to wield an axe, and delicate technique to cut off a limb while minimizing the damage to the surrounding area. Camilla had done both with relatively little effort. "I'll be waiting for you at the gate." With that, Camilla turned and left. --- "We've got quite the crowd," Leo commented. "Though I never would've expected you, of all people, to volunteer," he continued, looking at the mercenary knight. "This is a mission to help those in need," the knight said. "I can't turn my back on the sick." "Still, I don't associate mercenaries with charity work. But it's good that you're with us," Leo said hastily. "We'll cross the sea, and several neutral territories to get to Hoshido. The ship won't be set to sail until afternoon, so take this time to buy whatever you need. We'll meet back here after lunch." --- "I hate boats," Keaton grumbled. "They sway in all sorts of crazy directions, and I can't eat!" "You could stop complaining and do something about it," Camilla shot back. "I'm trying to admire the view--WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Keaton closed the gap between them, his face inches from her neck. "You feel all right?" he asked her. "I'm fine, why do you ask?" she snapped. "You don't smell all right." "It's not like we can take regular baths out here!" the princess complained, her cheeks flushed. "No, not like that. You kinda smell like those prisoners. But not quite as bad. And it's on your breath." Camilla's eyes went wide. "I swear, if you are lying about this, I'M making you drink that concoction," she growled. --- "A spellbook?" Sakura asked. Leo nodded. "If you can't use your staves, perhaps you can use offensive magic." The girl's face paled. "N-not that I'm saying your in the way or anything! I figured that this would be another way that you could help your allies!" "T-thank you," she said shyly. "But I have no idea what to do. . ." "Then I'll teach you. It takes time, and we have a lot of it on this boat." Sakura grabbed his hands and smiled up at him. Leo felt his face grow hot. Fortunately, his sister saved him from further embarrassment. "I hate to break the two of you up, but do you have another dose of that tea, Sakura?" Sakura quickly withdrew her hands, and rummaged through her bag. "Ah, here it is!" she exclaimed, a pouch in her hand. "But it's a little strange for anyone to ask for this!" "Call it a precautionary measure," Camilla replied. "And thanks. Now, Leo, behave yourself. She IS Hoshidan royalty!" "S-shut up!" Leo sputtered, as his older sister turned heel and left. Sakura giggled. "The two of you seem to be really close!" she said lightly. "Camilla is always like that," he muttered. "Now, where was I? Right, the basics of casting. First. . ." --- He couldn't toss knives, or swing a sword, so Laslow took to watching the crew come and go. Effie and Benny used poles tied off with cloth to spar with each other. Jakob and Azura talked about something on the other end of the ship, her hands in his. A Nohrian soldier, hired to guard the crew, walked back and forth, his hands hidden in his pockets. Laslow turned his head, just enough to make it seem like his attention was elsewhere, but not so much that he lost sight of the solider. The ship lurched, and a few coins spilled out of the soldier's pocket, all of them pure gold. The soldier quickly scurried below the hold. Laslow picked up the coins, then ran towards Sakura's room. He paused as he heard another voice in the room, then barged in. Leo and Sakura sat on opposite sides of a desk, a book between them. "Sorry to bug you, but we've got a problem," Laslow said, as he took the coins out. "They're coins. What about them?" Leo said flatly. "Is a common soldier supposed to carry this much on him?" Leo bit his lip. "We've got trouble!" Keaton yelled, from down the hall. "Some weird ship is trying to board us!" --- Sakura sank to her knees. The battle had been won, their ship was undamaged, the enemy agent had been captured, and none of her friends had been seriously hurt. "State your name," Leo demanded, his sword at the enemy's neck. "Name's Shura. You gonna kill me, or what?" Leo glanced at everyone else. No one seemed to recognize the name. "After all of the chaos you caused, death would be an option," Leo said evenly. He followed Shura's gaze, to Sakura. "What's she doing with you guys?" the prisoner asked. "None of your business!" Leo snapped. "Huh, so you're fond of the girl. You shouldn't reveal such things so freely." "That's enough," Camilla said. "You still have a report to write, Leo." The younger man glared for a moment, then retreated to the hold. "As for you, Shura. . .what WILL we do with you? The other ship fled, and didn't so much as ask about how you were doing. Surely you weren't working with them?" Shura's eyes narrowed. "You're asking questions that you already know the answer to," the prisoner snapped. He grunted as Camilla's boot found his ribs. "Don't assume a woman's thoughts," she growled. "Oh, I've learned plenty about women. But this ain't the time and place, unless you're interested in an old man like me." His words were cut short by another boot to the ribs. "Still, you're a weird group. You've got a Hoshidan with you, and yet you trusted her enough with a sword. All of your styles are really different, yet you somehow make it work. And that kid with the knives has the sloppiest form I've ever seen." Camilla chuckled. "My, you've got a keen eye. If you hadn't tried to kill us an hour ago, I'd consider recruiting you," Camilla said lightly. "And what's to stop you now?" Shura asked. "Besides the fact that I could've killed several of you by now." Camilla yelped as Shura dodged, then tripped her. He stood up, the ropes that bound him falling to his feet. In one fluid motion, he grabbed Sakura. "You--you're a ninja!" Sakura exclaimed. "Huh? You don't seem the least bit scared," Shura grunted. "If you wanted me dead, you wouldn't have grabbed me. If you wanted everyone else dead, you would've waited until we were asleep before escaping. You're trying to show us what you can do," Sakura continued. "My, my, outsmarted by a little girl," Shura complained. He let her go. "Well, the offer stands. What do you think?" "I think you'd be better off negotiating straight," Camilla grumbled. "You're not such a bad guy," Sakura added with a light giggle. "S-stop that! You're ruining the sales pitch!" "It looks like YOU'RE weak to little girls, too," Camilla said, adding her own giggle into the mix. "My little sister would find that adorable!" "W-what makes you think I'd be more inclined to help you if you mention that?" The light in Camilla's eyes danced. "Ah, you really are a sweet guy under that gruff exterior! Perhaps you should find yourself a good woman and settle down, so you have your own children you can dote on!" Shura sputtered, his face almost as red as Hinoka's hair. "But as long as Sakura here can keep you in check, I suppose having you around can't be a bad thing. You mentioned something about a kid with a sloppy form. Perhaps you can work out the kinks, hmm?" Speed tonics to Effie (to double Mercenaries) and Leo (to double axe guys). This chapter is doable in ten turns, but I think this was the run where I got a decent amount of work out of Laslow. Anyway, Camilla grabbed Keaton and flew around to the south, while Effie with Laslow stayed out of range of the Freeze staff. Once Camilla came back, I switched to Keaton, left him in Freeze range, and put Effie next to him. This caused the Freeze guy to target Keaton. Next turn, I swapped to Camilla, had the men switch partners, swapped back to Laslow, and had him deal with things while Effie used Keaton's Strength boost to OHKO the Freeze guy. Jakob (with pocket Benny) stayed near the starting position, donating a Physic when necessary (like when Effie ate an Armorslayer). Had to equip Jakob with the Steel Shuriken to ensure that the enemies would attack him! Leo (paired with Sakura) went the other way, pissing off 'zerkers and everything else. Talked to the guy all the way to the south (1), the guy all the way to the north (2), the guy to the west (3), and Shura (easternmost dude). Used Laslow/Jakob to whittle down Shura (because Poison Strike OP), then I think Effie got the kill. Or maybe one of Laslow/Camilla. Memory's fuzzy. Writing and all that later. Chapter 17 sucks. Edited January 17, 2017 by eclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 (edited) I'm behind on the writing, but I'm not gonna let that stop me from actually finishing this thing!Chapter 17 - 19/169 Spoiler "Why does it feel like I'm being watched?" Sakura whispered to Azura. "Mokushu's scouts, no doubt," Azura whispered back. "We're not even in their territory yet." Azura shrugged at Sakura's words, then grunted as her face hit the floor. "What are the two of you doing?" Shura growled. He dusted himself off, and offered a hand to Azura. "I could ask the same of you!" Azura snapped, rising on her own. Shura motioned towards the far wall. Two shuriken were lodged in the rocks, bits of dust bleeding from the wall. "Who--" Sakura started. Shura shoved her forward. "This isn't the time or place to ask questions! We need to move, and fast!" Once Sakura and Azura had run towards the far exit, Shura unslung his bow, and fired an arrow towards the ceiling. He chuckled as he heard a startled cry, then hurried towards the rest of the group. --- "I think we've found our mystery assailant," Leo said, motioning towards the prisoner. "Saizou? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked. "I could say the same of you, traitor!" Anything else he had to say was cut short by the butt of Benny's spear. Azura's eyes narrowed. "Where did you find him?" she asked Leo. "Over there," Leo said, motioning towards a recessed cave. "It's a dead end, but it's the perfect hiding place for a lone assassin." "He's innocent," Azura stated. "Excuse me?" Sakura cleared her throat. "We were attacked by someone from above, Leo. There's no way Saizou could've thrown those shuriken if he hid near the ground." Leo stroked his chin, then turned to Sakura. "So if he wasn't the one that attacked you, then who? The Mokushu are firmly allied with Nohr!" "Lady Sakura still looks like a Hoshidan princess," Laslow suggested. "Maybe they decided to strike first and ask questions later?" "A reasonable suggestion," Leo mused. "But this is still inexcusable!" "Oh, what do we have here? A tea party?" Everyone's attention snapped towards the newcomer that had added himself to the group. "YOU!" Saizou yelled. Benny's spear butt found his midsection again, and he knelt on the ground, gasping. "You're guests in my realm. Don't you know it's rude to attack your host?" "That would mean you are Kotaro. I am Leo, prince of Nohr. Explain why you attacked someone under the care of Nohr!" Kotaro's expression changed to one of puzzlement. "Under the protection of Nohr? The only ones we're after are from Hoshido. Like that princess over there," he said, pointing towards Sakura. "Hand her over, and I can. . .forgive you for killing one of our scouts." It was Leo's turn to look puzzled. "If your scout died, it was in the name of self-defense," Leo said carefully. "I don't think he's here to negotiate," Camilla said, appearing from around a corner. "Not after what we found." She carefully swung her axe around, blood dripping from its blade. Kotaro's face contorted with rage. "You DARE attack my people? The penalty for that is death! Make sure that none escape!" he yelled, before disappearing around the corner Camilla had come from. "Start talking. . .sister," Leo said, his voice shaking with anger. "Keaton smelled something funny, so I went with him. We found explosives within the walls. While we tried to figure out why they were there, we were attacked. Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough to escape either of us. However, we need to get out of this section, before it collapses around us." Leo sighed. "Let me go!" Saizou demanded. "And why in the world would we do that?" Leo responded icily. "I know where Kotaro went. I have. . .business with him." Benny's spear butt raised, but Sakura shook her head. "Very well. You may not trust me, but I know you don't go back on your word." Leo opened his mouth to object, but Azura spoke first. "I will vouch for him as well. For all of his bluster, he's honest to a fault." Benny backed away, and Saizou stood up. "Don't fall behind." --- "I suppose we aren't welcome," Leo said, looking at the ground distastefully, "but did they really need to roll out a carpet of spikes for us?" "So, like this?" Laslow muttered, as the spikes retracted. Saizou arched an eyebrow. "Hey, I just watched what the old man over there did," Laslow said cheerily, as Shura trotted back to the group. "For Nohrian, you travel with a lot of Hoshidans," Saizou mumbled. "We're past the section with explosives, but we'll have to deal with Mokushu's soldiers." Leo chuckled coldly. "If you're asking for our help, I'll gladly give it, just this once. I'll make that bastard pay for trying to hurt us." Saizou turned to Leo, then Sakura. The girl's cheeks were flushed, as she hid her mouth behind a sleeve, her sheepish gaze on Leo. "How am I going to explain THIS to Lord Ryoma?" he said with a sigh. --- "How am I supposed to fight with YOU clanking around?" Shura snapped. "I was told to keep watch over you," Benny said evenly. The knight brought up his shield, as a shuriken bounced off of it. "You sure you aren't tryin' to imitate them?" Shura grumbled, as Laslow darted from behind Effie to let loose another volley of knives. "How the hell is that kid still alive? He's left himself open no less than three times." He fired an arrow into a dark corner, smiling as he heard muttered curses above the din of battle, then spat out his own string of curses as Benny's shield shifted towards another corner. Another set of shuriken bounced off of the steel. "On second thought, you're not half-bad," Shura muttered. --- "You DARE come here, after all that you done?" Kotaro demanded. "Well, the rest of your soldiers tried to fight," Camilla purred, "but they were barely more than a mediocre warm-up. You seem. . .less disappointing than them." "I'll--wha?" Kotaro's feet refused to move. "No more running for you," Jakob said coldly. "You tried to kill Lady Sakura, never mind the rest of the Nohrian royal family. That's punishable by death in both countries." Kotaro took out a pair of shuriken, and threw them towards Camilla. She twisted away, the shuriken's edge slicing her arm open. "Dishonorable as ever," Shura said, firing an arrow towards Kotaro, which lodged itself in his side. The wounded ninja took out another set of shuriken. Shura's eyes went wide as they began to glow. "Everyone, get down--huh?" The shuriken's glow faded, quenched by the spreading pool of blood under Kotaro. Keaton reverted, wiping his mouth. "And THAT was for hurtin' Lady Camilla," he said triumphantly. "Has anyone seen that Hoshidan?" Laslow asked. From behind the throne, several figures emerged. "Kagero!" Sakura exclaimed. "You look well, Your Highness," Kagero said softly. "You'll have to excuse Saizou. He misses you more than he'll ever admit." Saizou grumbled beneath his mask. Sakura giggled. "What's back there?" Effie wondered, pointing towards the throne. "Oh, just the entrance to the prison," Kagero said, her voice unusually light. "Wouldn't had happened if I hadn't tripped over a tree root." "You haven't changed at all," Azura said, her voice laced with mirth. "My, is THIS what you Hoshidans look like when you grow up? Lady Sakura, I expect GREAT things from you!" Laslow said merrily. He shrank back as four sets of glares greeted him. "Uh. . .what. . .it's a joke guys, calm down." "You idiot," Effie grumbled, her piercing gaze never leaving Laslow. "Don't speak of a princess like that!" Leo snapped. "I never knew Nohrians were so crass," Kagero said, resignation in her voice. "You are but temporary allies," Saizou growled. He then turned his glare to Shura. "Are you the one responsible for him?" he snapped. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Shura responded. --- "I miss those two," Sakura said softly. "I'm just glad they left without a fight," Leo said. "After Laslow opened his mouth, I was certain they'd kill us all." "Saizou may be rough, but he wouldn't start a brawl over mere words. Kagero has had to deal with comments like those for a long time, so I don't think she's truly mad," Sakura replied. "You seem awfully familiar with them," Leo commented. "They're Ryoma's retainers. Even though my brother acts tough, he'd miss them dearly if they were to fall in battle. Oh, was it something I said?" Leo pursed his lips, but said nothing. "My retainers aren't with me, and yours are. . .oh, no, I'm sorry. . ." Leo gingerly held Sakura, as the girl sobbed into his chest. "If only I could've made that staff work, they wouldn't have. . ." "I think you've cried more tears over them than me," Leo whispered. "B-but you miss them too, right? You don't have to cry, if you don't want to. . .I just. . .huh?" Sakura gasped as his embrace tightened. She held him close, even as her shoulder grew warm with tears that weren't her own. --- "Sir." Shura regarded the small group in front of him. "Less than ten," he grumbled. "Still, it's good to see that you're all alive." "Kotaro was quick enough to give us a place in his meager ranks," one of them said, a scar across his cheek. "So we waited, each of us volunteering to guard the prisoners. It's a position with little glory and much information." "Unfortunately, the only prisoner that was able to fight left with the one-eyed ninja," another one continued. "Better than nothing, I suppose," Shura grumbled. "But no matter. These lands now belong to the Kohga, and we're going to make sure of that." "But sir, aren't you traveling with that odd mix of Hoshidans and Nohrians?" a third ninja piped up. "That's where you guys come in. I'll continue my journey with them - it'll give me some political leeway, after this mess is over. You guys will need to help me, from the shadows. I'm sure there's some stragglers that are still loyal to Kotaro, and they must be disposed of at once." "Speaking of your group," a fourth ninja responded, "you're being followed by a troop, about four thousand strong." Shura let loose a few choice words, none of which he'd dare speak in front of Sakura. "So we're an advance scout, clearing the way for a proper invasion. How absolutely pathetic." He sighed, hands across his chest. "We're at our best when no one knows that we're working. I'll need you to pass messages along, and possibly clear out an obstruction or two. Understand?" The eight figures in front of Shura nodded, before disappearing into the shadows. Strength tonics to Laslow and Effie for some KO shenanigans. Speed tonic to Laslow so he wouldn't be doubled all the time. Sakura reclassed to Onmyoji (aka Leo's support). Rather than attempt the Camilla wall-hopping strategy (because she dies REALLY QUICKLY and can't ORKO back), I decided to move everyone as an army. Locked up Saizo in the room with the 5000 gold, and got my Speedwings. Kotaro ate a lot of Shura attacks, then died to Keaton. Roving bow staffbot amuses me to no end, and I'm not sure why he wasn't drafted by someone else. The upside of taking so long is that I was able to get Laslow to level 20.Chapter 18 - 12/181 Spoiler "Huh? Someone running out of Izumo? This is unusual," Azura commented. "Hinata?" Sakura asked, as the figure halted in the road, hands on his knees. His face darkened as he realized which group he ran into. "So it was true," he said bitterly, before turning back the way he came. He halted as several tree roots burst from the ground. "Have a little more respect for your princess," Leo snapped. "MY princess? She's the one that turned her back on Hoshido!" Hinata yelled. "I--" Sakura started, but Azura shook her head. "People usually don't sprint out of Izumo, white as a ghost," Azura said softly. "What's going on in there?" "Don't play dumb!" Hinata spat out. "Oh, you're one of the retainers to that cute little prince. How IS he doing?" Camilla purred. "Y-you again?!" Hinata froze, while Camilla laughed lightly. "That's enough, sister. No need to scare him any further," Leo said, shaking his head. "We were going to rest at Izumo for a couple of days before moving on. Azura has said good things about the food, and I want to taste it for myself." "R-really?" Hinata's shoulders dropped slightly. "I give you my word, as a prince of Nohr." Hinata frowned, then sighed. "Fine, fine. We were headed towards Izumo, when some guys dressed as Nohrians grabbed Takumi and arrested him! Oboro tried to get more information out of them, but they placed her under arrest, too! They said that the Nohrian army was due any day, and that Lord Takumi would be executed to raise their morale!" Camilla shook her head. "My, my. Now who would be foolish enough to claim something like that? Regardless, they must be take care of, and swiftly. I'd rather not have a repeat of this in another neutral territory," Camilla mused. Hinata's jaw dropped. "Why do you look so surprised? I don't know who told you that, but they are most certainly not with us," Leo continued. "B-but she said that she was going to take care of them? Wouldn't that mean you're fighting your own people?" Hinata asked. "Perhaps," Camilla replied, a small smile on her face. In moments, it was replaced with a stern frown. "But if my suspicion is correct, we must hurry. I can't guarantee that they'll keep either of them safe." --- "It's as I feared," Camilla whispered to Leo, as the two of them observed the gate guards. "We need to hurry, or the only thing that kid will rescue is a couple of mutilated corpses." "How do you propose we get past them?" Leo said, motioning to the two gate guards. The two looked towards Hinata, whose attention was thankfully elsewhere. "They only need to trust us long enough to get inside. So what if we were to offer him up as a hostage?" Camilla sighed at her brother's words. "He doesn't trust us at all. I don't think he'll agree to it," she responded bluntly. A very unmanly giggle caused the royal siblings to turn. "Can't argue with that plan. Now leave the convincing to me," Laslow said with an exaggerated wink. He tapped Hinata on the shoulder. "Hey, you look decent with a sword. Got time for a little sparring?" "What is the meaning of this?" Hinata demanded. "Just a little something that I've always wanted to do. But we're close to the enemy, so we'll have to keep our sheathes on," Laslow continued, his voice light. "You Nohrians are strange," Hinata said, bringing his sheathed sword up. Laslow did the same, except he adopted a purely defensive stance. "Can you get past this guard?" Hinata studied his opponent for a few seconds, before delivering a strike to Laslow's blade. Without stopping, he continued, before the tip of his sword was at his opponent's throat. "Heh. That was too easy!" Laslow's grin reached his eyes. "A strike to the sword, then another past it. See those guys out there? They're the sword," Laslow explained. "So, just like that move you did, we need to strike pat their guard, then continue past them." "You're going to ask me to do something weird," Hinata concluded. "Pretty much. They know you ran away, so if we display you as some sort of prisoner, they'll open the gates. After that, we're free to rush past them." Hinata glared at Laslow. "And why would I agree to that?" "Because I hear that time is of the essence. The longer we wait, the less likely we rescue your friends unharmed," Laslow replied cheerfully. --- "Who goes there?" Leo gave the guards the most haughty look he could muster. "I am Prince Leo of Nohr, and I come bearing a Hoshidan prisoner!" he announced. He roughly shoved Hinata forward. "It's him! The one that ran away!" one of the guards shouted. "Open the gate!" As soon as the guards turned their back, Leo took out a dagger and freed Hinata. In return, Hinata hopped on Leo's horse. The guards turned back, just in time to see the duo gallop past them. Before they could register what happened, an arrow and a knife ended their lives. Leo stopped his horse and whipped out his spellbook. Any forward progress of the gate was hindered by the tree roots that sprang up in front of it. "That's everyone!" Effie shouted, as Benny hustled through the now-busted gate. "They're probably in the castle," Azura gasped out. "Let's go!" Leo yelled. --- "Never would've thought that I'd be fighting alongside the likes of you," Hinata gasped out. "But thanks." "I could say the same to you!" Keaton replied. "Not now, boys," Camilla interrupted. "I overheard a couple of soldiers mention the new prisoners. They weren't in the prison proper yet, which means they should be somewhere around here." "This room's barricaded from the outside!" Effie yelled, her voice carrying across the courtyard. "We're here to help!" she yelled. A thud answered her call. Hinata shook his head and cleared his throat. "Hey you two, we're gonna open the door!" he shouted. Silence answered him. Effie threw the last plank of wood away, and opened the door. She frowned when she saw the arrow embedded in the door. "LORD TAKUMI!" Hinata yelled into the open door. "Hinata. You have a lot of explaining to do," Takumi responded, glaring at each of the Nohrians. "That will have to wait," Leo cut in. Camilla looked at her brother's paler-than-normal complexion, brows furrowed. "You found the archduke, didn't you?" she said, worry in her voice. "Yes. He is in no shape to receive visitors," he replied, bits of emotion leaking through his voice. "I need to see him!" Takumi demanded. "Did you hear a word I just said?" Leo snapped. "Look, we appreciate you rescuing us and all, but we really do have business here," Oboro chimed in. "Fine. But the rest of you stay here." Oboro shook her head at Leo's words. "I've already failed Lord Takumi once today. I won't do so again!" "I will lead the three of you to where Archduke Izana is, but only Takumi will enter with me. Is that acceptable?" Oboro opened her mouth, but Hinata put a hand up. "That's fine," he said. "These guys are fighting against the so-called Nohrians that captured you. Both sides can't be aligned with Nohr," Hinata reasoned. "I don't like this, but whatever," Oboro mumbled. --- "The prisons?" Oboro blurted out. "Yeah. Seems like the invaders didn't want the real archduke to get out," Hinata responded. They fell silent as the two prince's footsteps receded down the hall. For a few moments, silence reigned. They tensed as Takumi's yell carried down the hall, followed by a shout from Leo. Footsteps approached, interrupted by the sound of wood cracking. Unsure of what to expect, the two retainers drew their weapons, only to lower them as Takumi charged through the door, before falling on his knees, his back to them. "Milord, what's wrong?" Oboro asked. Takumi said nothing, his shoulders heaving in time with his gut. "This is why I didn't want the two of you along," Leo grumbled. Hinata put a hand to his face, while Oboro's features scrunched. "That smell is coming from you?" she demanded. "Well, yes, your liege graced me with his lunch." Sure enough, the Nohrian prince's clothes were drenched with bits of food. "How--" Takumi gasped. "WHAT KIND OF MONSTER DID THAT?!" "Someone so vile that he was exiled from Nohr," Leo replied coolly. "Rest assured, he won't die peacefully in his sleep." "That freak we captured?" Hinata asked. "Yeah. He doesn't deserve a clean death on the battlefield. Besides, I have a lot of questions for him. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to change out of these." "You'll need a LOT of vinegar to get the smell out!" Oboro yelled after Leo. --- "Hey, can I talk to you for a bit?" Shura asked. "Why the sudden interest in me?" Camilla shot back. "We're being followed," came the blunt reply. "And what makes you think that?" she snapped. "Just some things I've heard. There's only four thousand of them, so I guess it's nothing major," he added. Camilla frowned. "How close are they?" she asked, the harshness gone from her voice. "They're now two days behind us. Their leader is supposedly some guy with oily black hair. Maybe you can make some sense out of that." Before Camilla could say anything else, Shura sauntered off. "That's better," Leo said to himself, as he entered the room in a fresh set of clothes "Hey, Leo. You haven't done anything with. . .him, have you?" Camilla asked. "Not yet." "Let's stay here for a few days. I think I've found a much more fitting punishment for our prisoner," she said, mirth and malice in her voice. --- "What are you doing here?" Iago snapped. "We have a present for you," Camilla said mysteriously. "We're both behind schedule," Iago reminded her. Camilla turned towards the entrance, and nodded. Iago's expression went from annoyed to surprised to furious. He walked up to the bound man, before gently stroking his cheek. "Ah, Zola. My most promising student." He raised his hand back and slapped the prisoner across the face. "And my greatest disappointment." The prisoner cowered beneath Iago's withering glare. "P-please! I was gonna leave before you came!" A backhand silenced Zola. "It matters not. I said I'd make you regret the day we met again. And I am a man of my word." Zola whimpered, as Iago looked up at Camilla. "You may leave now." "L-lady Camilla, wait! Don't leave me alone--ack!" --- Nights like these were perfect for walking. Azura let the cool breeze play through her hair, individual strands dancing in the wind. The earth smelled of recently-fallen rain, and the half moon illuminated the courtyard just enough for her to see. She stood in view of a maple tree, lost in thoughts as the yellowed leaves drifted in the wind. The calm silence of the night was broken by a faint voice. She slowly walked towards the source of the voice - perhaps it was someone else that could appreciate such a beautiful night. She paused in mid-step, as the voice became a hoarse scream. Just across the courtyard was the entrance to the prison. Suddenly, the warmth of her bed seemed far more attractive. Strength tonics to Camilla and Effie for ORKO things. Speed tonics to Camilla and Effie so they can double the Heroes. Laslow promoted to Master Ninja, and has his swords back! Went up, dealt with Zola, then went down, and dealt with everyone else. Sakura managed to eat the initial Steel Lance/Spear combo with 1 HP, thanks to Leo pair-up and Jakob's aura. Had to dance around the southern boss area, because Camilla can't take bows, and Keaton can't take Beastkillers. Settled on having Sakura face-tank everything again, which looks like it'll be my go-to strategy for a while. Edited January 17, 2017 by eclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 (edited) Spoiler "It's been just us since Izumo," Sakura mused, "and we're getting close to the kitsune villages." "With their silky fur and slender form, I'm positive the kitsune ladies will be a sight to behold," Laslow chimed in. Effie shook her head. "Hey, Keaton, you've been awfully quiet these past few days," Camilla said. "Can't help it. Something's been off about everything since we left Izumo, and it's getting worse," the normally talkative wolfskin commented solemnly. "Can you describe it? If it's an enemy--" Keaton put a finger on his lips. "You're gonna startle the others for no reason! There's no one but us," he countered. "There's a stream up ahead," Shura said, as he reappeared from behind a tree. "But I don't know if we should cross it." "It's between us and our destination, correct?" Azura asked softly. "You'll understand when you see it." --- "What is the meaning of this?" Jakob demanded, one sleeve over his nose. A small stream bubbled through a clearing in the forest, the clear water flowing freely around a neat path of stepping stones. The scene was ruined by the rotting fish that littered the stones. "Izumo," Camilla said abruptly. "This stream must feed from there." "What are you talking about?" Leo asked through gritted teeth. "Gather as many dead fish as possible. Once we're on the other side, we'll burn them. Don't eat them, or you'll regret it. And don't drink from the stream, either." Camilla bent down to pick up two dead fish, before tossing them over to the other side. "S-she's serious," Jakob said faintly. He gingerly picked up one of the dead fish, grimacing as he used his other hand to keep the corpse from ripping in half. "I-if you insist," Sakura stammered. --- "I know the smell isn't wonderful," Camilla explained, over the campfire's decidedly fishy scent, "but please bear with it. How many residents of Izumo Castle did you see while we were there?" "I don't remember seeing any that were alive," Leo said evenly. "That's right. We were there a few days, so if they were simply hiding, they would've come out," Azura added. "Zola didn't have a particularly large force, and there was minimal structural damage," Camilla continued. "I suppose the rest of you are too young to remember the last large disaster near the kitsune village. Back then--" "A bunch of kitsune went crazy, and Nohr had to help pay for damages or something! It was kinda creepy, and totally weird that Nohr went out of its way to help!" Keaton cut in. "That's the gist of it," Camilla said with a sigh and a glare. "But that's only half of the story. During that time, Zola was part of Nohr, and answered to Iago." Several uneasy looks bounced between the rest of the group. "In an effort to get rid of one particularly stubborn resistance group, Zola let loose something he billed as a sleeping agent into the village's water supply. The Nohrian army gleefully took the lives of every last citizen of that village, and happily marched on. A few days later, they encountered kitsune who attacked anything that moved. They chalked up the first couple of them to illness, but when they came across an entire village of kitsune corpses, they realized something was wrong. Iago personally examined the corpses, and found the same poison that Zola had used on the village in the blood of the kitsune. For humans, the poison fully paralyzes someone, causing them to suffocate. When given to kitsune, however, it caused them to go insane. While the mission was a success, the collateral was beyond anything that King Garon could possibly explain. Zola was imprisoned and sentenced to hanging. On the night before he was to be executed, he escaped. Since then, no one had seen him - until we did." Every single person's attention was on Camilla's words. She allowed herself a small smile. "Rumor had it that Iago didn't want Zola's talent to be wasted on the noose, so he arranged for Zola to escape. Given how warmly Iago greeted Zola when they met again, I would say those rumors are probably true," Leo added. "I see very little escapes you, as usual," Camilla said wryly. "Isn't there a kitsune village just downstream from here?" Azura asked Sakura. The girl nodded, her eyes widening with horror. "W-we don't have time to sit around here! We need to warn them!" she shouted, jumping up. "Then let's not waste any time," Benny stated, holding his breastplate. The fire spat and smoked as the water he'd collected splashed over it. A second breastplate of water was enough to put the fire out for good. "You aren't going to put that back on right now, are you?" Shura asked. "What's it to you?" "That stream is probably poisoned. The poison travels through water. Dry that thing out first." With a sigh, Benny took out a towel. --- Sakura bit back a scream as she passed the first mangled kitsune corpse. Keaton's eyes narrowed as he examined it. "Hey, Camilla, you said that the kitsune attacked anything that moved, right?" "Yes, I did." "Then we've got company," Keaton said gravely. "A crazed kitsune would use claws and teeth to inflict wounds. They definitely wouldn't be able to remove that much skin so cleanly." "Poachers," Effie said darkly. "Elise gets mad when they're mentioned." "We can chat later!" Shura snapped, his bow drawn. He let loose an arrow, which landed in the eye of a charging kitsune. "Everyone, our goal is the village itself! Avoid the kitsune if you can! Poachers are in violation of Hoshido law, and should be dealt with accordingly," Sakura yelled. "They're in violation of Nohr's laws, too, and it's our job to bring them to justice!" Leo ordered. --- "Why am I stuck here with you?" Keaton grumbled. "If those kitsune bite you, you'll end up just like them," Camilla said, freeing her axe from a kitsune's skull. "And you've got a pretty good set of eyes, so you can tell me which ones have gone insane." "It's easy - the ones that are crazy are out in the open, instead of hiding," Keaton commented. "One of the poachers is behind that tree over there," he added, motioning to the right. "How many hides does he have on him?" Camilla asked. "None. It looks like he just got here," Keaton answered. "All yours. Come back when you're done," she said with a chuckle. Keaton jumped off the wyvern, and sprinted towards the poacher's last location. His unfortunate prey poked his head out from behind the tree, in time to see a very angry werewolf in front of him. "I guess that's wolfskin justice," Camilla said to herself, as the poacher's corpse slid to the ground, its head missing. A blur darted towards Keaton, making no effort to hide its approach. Camilla freed a throwing axe and let it loose, her eyes going wide as the kitsune stopped just short of the projectile. "Kaden?" Keaton called out, back to his more familiar form. "Keaton! It IS you!" the kitsune answered. "But who threw that axe?" "My apologies," Camilla greeted the newcomer. "I'm not very good at figuring out who's gone crazy." "Kaden, this is Princess Camilla of Nohr. Lady Camilla, this is Kaden, a buddy of mine!" Keaton's tail swished merrily as he introduced the two. "I'm the leader of this village," Kaden explained, "and I've told everyone to meet up elsewhere. However, I had to leave someone behind, so I'm going back for her." "It'll be faster if I can fly her over," Camilla volunteered. "I think Keaton has enough sense to keep himself out of danger. Right?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. "Y-yeah," Keaton replied, taking a step backwards. "The village is this way!" --- "Hey, we saw 'em first!" one of the poachers stated, freeing his sword. "Go away!" "You are in violation of Nohr's laws!" Effie yelled. "The penalty for poaching kitsune is death!" "Nohr's laws don't apply to us!" another one yelled, club in hand. "Hoshido's laws say the same thing, right down to executing poachers," Laslow replied lightly. The poacher with the club snarled, and charged towards Laslow, then fell to his knees as one of Laslow's knives found its way to his midsection. Effie moved her shield to block the poacher with the sword, then impaled him on her lance. Laslow opened his mouth to call out a warning as a third poacher appeared from the trees, axe at ready. His voice froze in his throat as he saw the man's axe come down towards Effie's head. His right hand grabbed the first thing it brushed against - the dead poacher's sword. In one swift motion, he parried the blow, which gave Effie enough time to move. The poacher aimed a clumsy swing at Laslow, who easily dodged it, then ran the man through. "T-thanks," Effie said shakily. "We're supposed to watch each other's backs, right?" Laslow's easy words were backed with a trembling voice. He put a hand on Effie's shoulder, and winked at her. "Next time, I'll have to make sure it isn't so close. Can't have the damsel in too much distress!" "Why you--" Effie said through clenched teeth. --- "This is your group?" Kaden asked Keaton. "Yep! Everyone's accounted for!" "Glad to see you all! Name's Kaden. I'm the leader of this village, even if mostly everyone's elsewhere." Sakura counted at least twenty kitsune corpses in the open area. "I-it's nice to meet you," Sakura said softly. "My name is Sakura, and--" "Princess Sakura? I've heard about you, how you're traveling with a band from Nohr. I guess the rumors are true!" Kaden said, his voice filled with excitement and his tail swishing not unlike Keaton's. "Why are you so happy?" Sakura asked. "We kitsune get along fine with the wolfskin, even if we're in different countries. You humans are slowly learning to do the same!" "It's, uh. . .never mind. Thank you." The pink-haired girl hid her mouth behind her hands to conceal her frown. "Anyway, the girl I was talking about is on Lady Camilla's wyvern. I need to get her over to the meeting site!" Kaden's dash out of the village was stopped by Keaton. "Hey, buddy, wait for us! It'll be safer if we travel together!" --- "My apologies, Sir Kaden, but these are the only ones remaining," a boy with pink sausage curls reported, as Kaden walked into the clearing. "No need to be so tense, kid." The eleven figures in the clearing regarded the group that joined them. The color drained from Sakura's face as she counted seven kitsune among the eleven. "You gave us food and a place to stay, and yet this is all we could save!" a wolfskin protested, her ears and tail drooping. Camilla's eyebrow arched at the girl's purple bangs. "And if you hadn't been there, it may have been less. Thank you, all of you," Kaden continued. "Were you able to find her?" the other human boy asked. Most of his features were obscured by the hood he wore. "Yes, we did, but she needs help." Camilla gently lowered the girl. The only indication that she was alive was her chest, which moved weakly. "Then leave that to us! You've been running around all day, trying to keep the village in order! The least we can do is make sure you get some rest!" The final girl's long blond hair bobbed in time with her words. "We can help," Azura added. "Both Sakura and myself are familiar with a wide variety of ailments." "But not THIS kind of ailment," the pink-haired boy cut in. "And who are you?" Leo demanded. "How rude of me. My name is Forrest. Due to circumstance, I have been trained in both Hoshidan and Nohrian herb lore." "My name is Velouria--hey, you smell like my father!" Velouria exclaimed, as she ran over to Keaton. She sniffed him a few more times. "But you're not him." She backed away, a frown on her face. "The name's Soliel! I'm here to keep the rest of 'em out of trouble." The boy with the hood rolled his eyes. "You mean GET us into trouble," he growled. "Oh, stop being such a downer, Dwyer. You'll never pick up girls like that!" "And who said I was interested?" he snapped. "That's enough, you two," Forrest said with a sigh. "Please forgive my companions. It's been a hard day for all of us." "As I can imagine," Leo said icily. "While most kitsune went berserk, this particular one fell to the ground in a coughing fit," Forrest explained. "I felt that out of all of them, I could save her, since she wasn't trying to kill me. I didn't expect Sir Kaden to go down there himself, though!" "For the last time, it's just Kaden," the worn-out kitsune said. "The poison that causes kitsune to go wild has no known antidote, but I think that this particular kitsune has another ailment," Forrest continued. "And what would happen if someone who was only part kitsune drank it?" Kaden asked. Forrest blinked. "Well, ah, I never thought of that," he admitted sheepishly. "This girl's part human. I think that's why she's like this." "Think all you want, but if you lot keep jabbering, she will die," another voice cut in. A blue-haired maid with a stern expression walked into the clearing. "FLORA? Oh thank the gods you're alive!" Sakura exclaimed. Flora met Sakura's gaze with a withering glare before turning back towards Forrest. "Do you have any ideas?" Forrest asked the newcomer. "I know what to do, but I don't have the necessary supplies. This poison uses some plants native to my home. The antidote is simple, but requires plants that grow in a sunny region." "Name them," Azura said. Flora gave the same glare to Azura. "If all you do is glare at whoever asks for your help, she will die anyway. Are you going to help, or are you going to pat yourself on the back?" Azura continued, her gaze never leaving Flora's. --- "The good news is that the girl will live. However, it will be a while before she recovers," Forrest said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "That Flora's not the friendliest, but she's quite capable." "I'm glad she'll be all right," Kaden said, his tail swishing happily. "What about the rest of you?" Keaton asked. "The water around here is still dangerous." "We'll figure something out," Kaden said lightly. "Nonsense. Until this blows over, you're staying with us." "W-what? But I can't ask that of you!" "I'm offering it," Keaton said, hands across his chest. "I'd feel awful if anything more happened to you guys." "If you insist," Kaden answered. "We could definitely use the rest." "What about those humans with you?" Keaton asked. "I can make arrangements--" "That won't be necessary," Forrest interrupted. "We'd like to travel with you." "Kid, we're marching into enemy territory. People are trying to kill us. It's not safe." Forrest shook his head at Keaton's words. "Though we may not look it, each of us has been trained to fight. We also have. . .other talents, should they be necessary. See Velouria?" he asked, pointing towards the wolfskin girl. "She can smell when people are lying to her. Dwyer may not say much, but he can spot an enemy from further out than most archers. And Soliel can make anything taste good - even bear meat." "So that's why Velouria was able to pick out everyone's lies during that game," Kaden mumbled. "Heh, sounds interesting. Have you talked to Lady Sakura yet? She's the one in charge of this." "She is? I'll do so right now," Forrest said. He yelped as Velouria put her hands on his shoulders. "Yes you will. RIGHT NOW. Because you said you would." Kaden and Keaton exchanged a look as Forrest was half-dragged towards Sakura's tent. --- "So, you're gonna glare at me all day? Your face is gonna freeze like that," Shura said lightly. Flora sat on a chair, her arms and legs bound to them. "I mean, I could kill you right now, after you pulled that knife of Lady Sakura, but she insisted that I keep you alive. Now why would she do something like that?" "She needs to pay for what she's done, and then I need to atone for what I've done," the maid said icily. "Y'know, killing her won't pay for anything," Shura continued. "And I speak from experience." "Shut up, old man," Flora snapped. "Oh, I hit a nerve, did I? If you wanted her dead, you had plenty of opportunity, between the confusion earlier today. Or maybe you could've offered your services in the army, and slipped her a poison. After all, you've got quite the knowledge of Nohrian herbs, something that this army sorely lacks." "You're the worst!" Shura smiled at her. "So your goal isn't to kill her. Did you want to mar her pretty face instead?" "Stop mocking me," Flora growled. "Perhaps I could do a better job if I knew what the hell was going on in that head of yours. You don't pull a knife on someone you want to serve. But yet you recoil when I lay out plausible ways to kill Lady Sakura. So what IS it that you want?" Flora's expression softened, and she looked down. "I--" Shura shook his head. "Look, until you can figure out what exactly you want, we can't let you roam around. If you don't have an answer, we're sending you with the rest of the kitsune, Got it?" Flora's mouth pursed as the options. "Lemme know if you're hungry." Flora watched the man leave the room. She tested her bonds, frowning as she felt them dig into her wrists the moment she shifted. She dropped her head and sighed. "Daddy. . .what am I supposed to do?" --- Once morning came, the kitsune parted ways. Keaton had hoped Kaden would come along, but the kitsune leader had insisted on seeing his people safely to the village. A wolfskin walked out from the shadows, stopping to drop to one knee in front of Keaton. "Let the village know that there's nine kitsune coming over." The wolfskin nodded, rising to his feet. Keaton put a hand on his shoulder. "And. . .let them know that the wolfskin are no longer neutral. We have something to protect now." Chapter 19 - 7/188 Reclassed Camilla to Wyvern Lord, and gave her a Seraph Robe and Arms Scroll. Speed tonics to Laslow, Camilla, Jakob, and Sakura (the first three so they double, and the last one so she wouldn't be doubled). Defense tonics to Camilla and Laslow (the former for general damage mitigation, the latter because Defense Tonic and Forest meant that Life or Death Kitsune were a 3HKO instead of a 2HKO). HP tonic to Camilla, for more tanking. Deployed Effie, Laslow, Keaton, Camilla, Azura, Jakob, Sakura, and Leo. Sakura facetanked a few things, and is really durable thanks to Leo in back, Yato, and Jakob. Laslow and Camilla murdered the map, thanks to Hunter's Knife and Beast Killer. Jakob tossed out some staves, and Azura danced to make sure the map ended on turn 7 EP. Camilla took care of the Life or Death swarm, then flew over and murdered Kaden's group. Everyone else slowly cleaned up the rest. By the time all was said and done, Camilla had gained six levels. Name Class Level HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res Sakura Onmyoji 4.56 33 10 22 19 21 12 16 11 Jakob Butler 25.43 32 17 14 24 21 23 15 16 Effie Great Knight 6.25 35 30 0 12 21 23 26 17 Azura Songstress 19.24 22 13 8 22 23 16 8 14 Laslow Master Ninja 5.67 36 23 0 28 25 21 15 16 Benny Knight 18.90 32 16 0 18 7 14 23 13 Leo Dark Knight 9.07 39 19 23 16 18 18 19 24 Camilla Wyvern Lord 11.19 39* 27 11 26 29 19 29 16 Keaton Wolfskin 19.34 38 23 0 10 17 11 19 8 Shura Adventurer 5.36 32 21 10 21 27 14 14 22 Flora Maid Base everything Edited January 17, 2017 by eclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gradivus. Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 ^You forgot Camilla in the stat box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 (edited) She's totally not important Sorry 'bout that! I'll shove her in! Star next to her HP is due to the Robe she got earlier. Edited October 22, 2016 by eggclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 (edited) I hope I don't hit the character limit.Chapter Kana - 9 Jakob to Paladin because Flora exists, and four staffbots is excessive. Chapter 19 was enough for Leo and Sakura to reach S, so I used this chapter for self-improvement.Chapter 20 - 14/202 Spoiler The plan was for everyone to go with the wolfskin. However, the journey took more of a toll on the sick girl than anyone had anticipated. Thus, only seven kitsune reached the wolfskin village. Surprisingly, the ninja of Mokushu had welcomed Kaden, giving him room and food. Though he wasn't an herbalist by nature, he was the only one of the kitsune that had seen what herbs were used on the girl. He blinked as she stirred. She rolled over, her hazel eyes meeting his. "Daddy?" --- Iago looked at this missive in his hand, and frowned. He'd either have to send the messenger back with an angry letter, or half of his army. Ever since they'd left Nohr, nothing had gone as planned. Instead of being a few days behind Sakura, they were more than a week behind her. And now Garon requested half of his army to march back to Nohr. "Wait at the camp's entrance. I'll only be able to spare a thousand troops at the moment. Any more, and the mission will be in jeopardy." The messenger bowed wordlessly, before leaving. The sorcerer thought back to how everything went wrong. First, their ship had been caught in a storm, which meant that they had to sail back for repairs. They were supposed to resupply at Mokushu, but the entrance had been blocked off, and ninja bodies were found around the area. Their next resupply point had been Izumo. However, the vast majority of the water had been poisoned, thanks to Zola. Iago's lips pursed as he remembered seeing his star pupil. Oh, how Zola had screamed and begged for mercy, as Iago let loose ten year's worth of frustration and disappointment on him. Even then, Iago had to cut his session short, due to time constraints. Iago's one and only act of mercy was to have Zola escape from an ignoble death, and maybe learn from the fatal mistake that cost Nohr its pride and victory in that battle. Instead, Zola had gone right back to using the same poison that had indiscriminately killed friend and foe alike. Perhaps if Zola had died in Nohr, Iago's army wouldn't be running so low on food. After Izumo, they reached an abandoned kitsune village. Someone suggested skinning the corpses, which would help to refill Nohr's coffers. While there were laws against poaching, the books had nothing to say if the animals were already dead. They managed to salvage fourteen pelts, a far cry from the number of corpses they found. Thanks to the amount of time that had passed, the water was safe for drinking, much to the soldier's delight. With Garon's new order, Iago wouldn't have to worry about as many mouths to feed, but he also had to keep in mind that he was invading Hoshido. The Hoshidans would likely put up a fight, though he hoped that the appearance of their princess, firmly on the side of Nohr, would cause them to lose some morale. Once he'd sent part of his army back to Nohr, their next stop was the Fire Tribe. Though Zola's idea to poison the water had catastrophic consequences, an airborne variant proved to be much more effective. It didn't linger and kill off the wildlife, and those that weren't killed outright when they inhaled it woke up after a couple of days, instead of dying a slow, agonizing death. Sakura's trip to the Ice Tribe had been quite effective at keeping them busy, so Iago had plenty of time to harvest the rare plants needed to make the poison. A pity that Garon chose to kill off the inhabitants of that village, since they were the ones that tended to those plants. Once he was king, the first thing Iago would do is establish a new village - one that would look after the unique flora and fauna the ice region had to offer. "Two birds, one stone. The winds should take care of the Wind Tribe." --- Sakura put a sleeve to her mouth and coughed. The others seemed to take no notice of the stench in the air - one that burned her eyes and throat every time she inhaled. "I don't like this one bit," Keaton growled. "Hey, you're fur's bristling. We're not fighting anyone," Camilla commented. "I just have this terrible feeling, that's all." Camilla's mouth worked into a frown. "We'll need you at full if we encounter any--" Camilla started. "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?" Keaton snapped. Camilla took a step back. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm so irritable." Much to Camilla's surprise, Flora walked up to them. "If I may," she said curtly. "The air smells faintly like the plants back at home. Those plants make the wolfskin. . .irritable." Camilla's eyes narrowed. "And what effect do they have on humans?" "For now, nothing. But if it's more concentrated, it would render someone unconscious. However, it would require a lot of those plants, and my tribe would've noticed if someone took that much." Camilla's expression went from pensive to angry. "IF they were around. Let's say that someone was crass enough to gather the necessary amount of those plants right when Sakura visited. Would there be enough time to make a large batch of whatever you had in mind?" The color drained from Flora's face. "Yes, it would. . .oh, no. . ." Flora's head dropped, her hands bound behind her back. "So that's what happened." She fell to her knees, tears falling to the ground. "But why are you telling me this?" "Go ahead. Be angry. But don't take it out on Sakura. There's no way she would've cooperated with Garon if she knew that your village was doomed no matter what she did." The girl's shoulders heaved with sobs. "I-it's not that. I want to curl up and cry. But if the air smells like this, then that means someone's in trouble, yet I can't bring myself--" She gasped as her hands fell to her sides. Keaton stood over her, a smirk on his face. "If you gotta do something, just do it! No point in sittin' around!" Keaton let out a less-than-human yell to emphasize his point. "H-he's right. I must warn the others. If we keep going, we'll march straight into it!" Camilla put a hand on Flora's shoulder. "I'll go with you. I have some questions that I want an answer to." "You're saying you want me to stay with Keaton?" Sakura gasped out. "It's clear that the air is affecting you," Flora said quietly. "So we Nohrians, who apparently have some immunity to this, will try to find the source of the poison," Camilla concluded. "Between my wyvern and Leo's horse, we shouldn't have too many problems." "All right. Be careful!" Sakura's words were cut short by another coughing fit. "Milady, if I would," Jakob interrupted. "The taste is less than ideal, but this should ease the coughing." Sakura took the cup, scowling at the brew's bitter aftertaste. "This is. . .something else," she sputtered. "Do you have anything sweet?" Jakob produced a small bun, which Sakura wolfed down. "Just to ease the coughing?" Flora asked, one eyebrow raised. "This scrubland is full of the antidote to that numbing plant that grows near your village," Jakob replied curtly. "And how would you know that?" Jakob smiled coldly at Flora. "Your father told me. When I was younger, I ate the leaves of that plant." "I don't want to just wait for you," Sakura protested. "Why not whip up another batch of that tea? I can't imagine anyone would release that poison unless there were people in the vicinity," Camilla suggested. "All right, I'll get started!" --- "N-no, I'm not drinking that!" Keaton yelled. "C'mon, big boy, everyone else in the army did," Sakura teased lightly. "You said you felt restless, so this should help you to settle down," Azura added. "Settle down into the grave!" Keaton spat. "Hold your nose," Azura suggested. "Or I can hold you down. I stayed behind to assist Sakura, after all." "Or I can always tell Camilla that you shirked like a puppy," Sakura teased. "F-fine, gimme that!" Sakura and Azura exchanged a look as the wolfskin upended the cup. "GAH, a rotting corpse taste better than this!" He reeled backwards before dropping to one knee. The two girls shared a giggle. "You've certainly become more outspoken," Azura said lightly. "And you're coming out of your shell, too!" Sakura shot back with a smile. "Never thought you'd open up to Jakob, of all people. He still holds me at a distance!" Azura's face flushed at Jakob's name. "A-HA!" Keaton said triumphantly. "You ladies smell different when there's a guy you like in the vicinity. Guess who likes Jakob~!" "R-really?" Sakura stammered. "Yes, really. Like how you smell when Leo walks near you," Keaton said, a giant grin on his face. It was Sakura's turn to blush. "Do men smell any different?" Azura asked. "Why would I want to sniff another man?!" Keaton exclaimed, which caused both girls to giggle. "So is that why you hang around Camilla?" Sakura contained another giggle when she saw Keaton's face turn red at her question. "T-that's none of your business!" he shouted. --- "This thing has killed my appetite," Effie complained, after finishing the bitter brew. "My throat feels better, but I don't think I'll be able to taste anything for a while," Laslow grumbled. "The effects won't last for very long," Jakob stated. "Sorry to interrupt, but there's someone over there," Dwyer butted in, motioning towards an empty expanse. "We don't have time for that!" Jakob snapped. "Suit yourself," Dwyer replied, before walking off. "H-hey, wait for me!" Velouria yelled. She took a sip from the cup she held, and scowled. "Can I please have another cup? This air won't affect me as badly as most wolfskin, but I'd rather not take that chance." "You're quite the proper young lady," Jakob said, as he poured another cup. "Why do you hang out with such a rude boy?" "Someone has to watch over him, and no one else was willing," Velouria replied, gulping the contents. "I'd better go before I lose his scent. Even if he's abrupt, he's still one of us." "Her parents raised her well," Jakob commented. "As opposed to you?" Laslow replied. Effie's face darkened. "Obviously not YOU," she said, grabbing Laslow by the collar of his shirt. "We're leaving. My apologies, Jakob." --- "Oh, it's some kid," Dwyer said, poking the unconscious boy. He scanned the area, looking for that plant his fa--Jakob had mentioned. Luckily, the boy had collapsed near a bush full of them. He gathered the leaves, then looked around. Making a fire would take far too long, and he didn't have the benefit of Forrest's magic to create one on the fly. "Huh, I guess you were right," Velouria said. Dwyer jerked to attention. "Sheesh, don't startle me like that!" he yelled. "Sorry. Looks like the boy is alive, at least. What were you going to do with those?" she asked, pointing to the leaves in Dwyer's hands. "I--uh. . ." he started. Much to his surprise, she snatched them from his hands, and stuffed a few of them into her mouth. She walked up to the boy, and forced his mouth open. Dwyer averted his gaze, not sure what to think of the girl's actions. He looked again as the boy coughed, and spat out what had been forced into his mouth. "A-are you guys trying to kill me," he gasped, coughing heavily. "Can you walk?" Dwyer asked flatly. "Y-yeah," he replied, slowly getting to his feet. "Turn your back to the wind and walk," the older boy ordered. "You can ask questions along the way." The younger boy's gaze was fixed on Velouria. "I'm not going to carry you," she said with a sigh. "F-fine. I'm old enough to walk on my own!" --- "Where have you guys been?! We've been looking all over for you!" Forrest exclaimed. "We found someone," Dwyer responded bluntly. "What's your name, kid?" Shura asked. "The name's Hayato, and I'm not a kid!" the boy said with a pout. "Alright, Hayato, what were you doing out there?" Camilla asked. "I was out gathering firewood, when I felt really funny. I stopped to lie down, and then someone stuffed something nasty in my mouth!" "How's the weather been?" Shura asked lightly. "The winds have blown from the wrong direction until earlier today. Why do you ask?" Shura's brows knit together. "And have you heard from the Fire Tribe?" Hayato put his hands on his hips. "What are you getting at?" he snapped. "Your village is in danger, kid," Shura concluded. "The winds normally blow from the Fire Tribe to the Wind Tribe. If someone had an airborne poison, it would make sense to release it in the Fire Tribe territory, and let the winds carry it over. Two territories, one dose of poison." "How do you know all of this?" Hayato held a scroll in his hands. He yelped as a rock hit his hand. Laslow bounced another rock in his hand, grinning merrily. "We smelled it on our way here," Camilla stated. "This poison is of Nohrian origin. I can think of one slime ball that would employ such a cowardly tactic. I think the old man has a point." Shura scowled at Camilla's words, but said nothing. "Where's your village?" "Why would I tell you people that? How do I know that you're not the ones that did this?" Dwyer sighed. "Look, KID, we could've easily killed you. Or left you, because you're too heavy to carry. Or done anything BUT revive you and ask a bunch of questions. Whatever's in the air disagrees with you, and probably disagrees with everyone else in your village. So throw us a bone, will you?" Dwyer looked down at Hayato, his sallow eyes narrowed. "Fine, whatever. I'll lead the way," Hayato grumbled. "You'll do no such thing," Leo snapped. "It's far too dangerous. If you can give us directions, we'll take it from there. Meanwhile, continue following this trail. We have a couple of our people waiting there, with something that should be able to help your village." --- "Huh, the wind is really unpredictable," Shura commented. "At least the poison is being blown away from the village." "For now," Flora said flatly. "We'll have to make the most of this opportunity." "Hold!" a guard stated, before collapsing into a coughing fit. "Good, you're conscious," Camilla said. "Drink this." "I--" the guard started, his words lost in another coughing fit. "If you want to do your job, you'll drink that," Benny said softly. The guard looked at the lance pointed at him, then at the cup Flora held. He drank it, then sputtered. "Are you guys trying to poison me?!" "You've stopped coughing. Good. Where is your leader?" The guard met Benny's unwavering gaze. "Can you get that away from me?" --- "Evacuate the village? No, we stay and fight." Leo sighed. "I'm sure this village means a lot to you, sir. However, you would be sorely outmatched if you were all healthy. There's poison in the air, which will all but seal your fate." "We should be fine, as long as we have this tea," the leader argued. "It is not something that's meant to be taken in the long term," Jakob stated. "You'll destroy your internal organs if you do." "Worried about where to put 'em all?" Shura asked. He grunted as Effie elbowed him in the ribs. "We do not turn our backs and run," the leader stated plainly. Flora looked at the village leader, her expression unreadable. She abruptly turned and walked out of the room. "Please forgive her. I think you remind her of her father," Jakob said, no emotion in his voice. "He, too, led a village, not unlike this one. The army came, and killed everyone in the village - except for her. She hid amongst the corpses, staring her dead father in the eye, until the army left." "We won't bend so easily," the leader stated. "Perhaps you won't. Or perhaps Flora will walk among your bodies, wondering why she failed to save yet another village. Honestly, can you blame her? She finally has a chance to change the course of fate, but you won't hear of it. And unlike your village, hers didn't get any sort of warning beforehand." "Enough!" the leader snapped. "We'll settle this the old way - trial by combat." "But not here," Camilla said. "It wouldn't be a fair fight. And since this is something that affects the entire village, I think they should all be present." "Very well," the leader growled. "If we win, your lives are forfeit." "And if we win, you'll abandon this village for the next month," Leo replied. "That should give the air enough time to clear." --- The field they used was far too close to the village for Shura's liking, but that was the best they could wrest out of the village leader. He and four of his best fighters faced Leo, Camilla, Effie, Laslow, and himself. Flora acted as the referee. "And. . .GO!" Camilla took to the skies, looking for an opportunity. A priestess took note, and aimed her bow at the princess. She abruptly dropped the bow when Shura's arrow lodged itself into her shoulder. With a whimper, she raised a staff, only to be shot again. "One down," he mumbled to himself. He winced as fire raced around him. One of the spellcasters had taken aim at him - but hadn't counted on Shura's natural magical resistance. "Alright, eat this!" The arrow tore through the scroll, grazing the man's shoulder. Leo's magic caused tree roots to spring from the ground, tripping his opponent. Before the spearman could regain his feet, Leo's branches wrapped him up and off the ground. Camilla dove towards the spellcaster that had targeted Shura, using the flat of her axe to knock him silly. She yelped as an arrow passed far too close to her. One of the aerial troops had a bow, and took aim at her. Camilla managed to dodge the arrow, but overcompensated, and fell off of her wyvern. While the kinshi knight took aim, Laslow chucked a knife in her direction. He missed, but it was enough to convince the kinshi knight to move elsewhere. "Do you think such petty tricks will work against me?" the leader yelled. Leo barely managed to parry the other man's blow. Effie threw one of her spears, yelping as the leader caught it with one hand, while continuing to keep Leo off-balance. Shura finished tending to the worst of Camilla's injuries. She'd live, but she wouldn't be happy about it. He unslung a very different kind of staff, and closed his eyes. Normally, he left such tactics to the likes of Jakob. With Leo in such close quarters, he couldn't afford to shoot an arrow. He winced as an arrow found its way into his shoulder. The staff's magic took hold, and the leader gasped as his feet were rooted to the ground. He opened his eyes, in time to see another arrow aimed at him. Another figure appeared on the winged beast, before both tumbled down, Laslow landing on top. "Be a good girl, and surrender," the younger boy said cheerily, the point of his sword at her throat. Meanwhile, Leo's blade flew out of his hands. Shura tried to move his arm, and gasped as the arrow dug in deeper. "Looks like we're it," Effie commented to Laslow. "You ready?" "Anytime, my sweet~!" Effie charged, lance first. The leader parried the blow, a grunt escaping his throat. Laslow darted underneath Effie's shield, letting loose a couple of knives. The leader's naginata caught him in a sweeping blow, and Laslow flew out of the ring. "I told that stupid kid that he needed to work on his form," Shura grumbled. He dragged himself near the priestess, whose wounds bled far too much for his liking. "Look, miss, hold still before you bleed out." Effie circled her opponent, lance braced. Even with his feet stuck to the ground, he was still a formidable foe. She sighed as he took out a club - a weapon that could easily snap her lance. As soon as his feet were free, he'd have every advantage. He feinted forward, then aimed for her shield. She desperately moved to his blind side, dropping her shield as it rang from the blow she parried. With both hands, she grabbed her lance, and brought it down on his back. Much to her relief, he crumpled. She pointed the lance at the back of his head. "Do you yield?" --- "Where have you guys been?" Sakura demanded, the dying rays of the sun illuminating the crowd. "Detour," Leo said curtly, massaging his hand. "How much tea did you manage to brew?" "Not enough for all of them!" Sakura protested. "We managed to brew enough for the majority of them," Jakob replied, "but there's one girl that wouldn't wake up. Flora insisted on staying with her." "She shouldn't be alive," Flora corrected. "According to the Wind Tribe, she was found to the north of the village, and--" "RINKAH!" Sakura exclaimed. "What happened to you?" Flora cleared her throat. "As I was saying, the Wind Tribe found her to the north, unconscious. Before they could ask her any questions, the winds shifted. From what I could tell, the only reason why anyone was able to get to her was because the winds stopped blowing from the north for a few hours. Otherwise, the poison was far too strong, and anyone who tried to assist her would've been knocked unconscious. Since she was from the north, and presumably came from the worst of the poison, I think it's safe to say that the amount of poison released in the air would be fatal for those who didn't have some sort of immunity to it." "That's awful!" Sakura said with a frown. "Who would do something like that?" "Iago," Camilla said flatly. "Releasing an agent that renders his opponent useless, without the disastrous side effects of a water-borne poison. . .this is what he does best." "Now what?" the village leader said gruffly. "Fuga? You're safe!" Sakura exclaimed. "Your Highness? Why are you traveling with them?" Sakura took out Yato. Fuga looked at Sakura, and nodded. "If I had known that you had the blessings of the bearer of Yato, I would've come immediately. Even so, you don't act anything like the Nohrians we have been told about." He turned to Shura. "Who else would be crazy enough to heal their opponent mid-battle?" Leo scowled, and Shura shrugged. "It was supposed to be a sparring match, and it was my fault that she was hurt that badly," he said simply. "I take care of my mistakes." "So, what will you do?" Azura asked. "We'll find somewhere to weather this storm," Fuga replied. "Even if we're forced out of our village, we'll be fine." "I'd offer you a spot in the wolfskin village, but we're a little full," Keaton said apologetically. "Didn't we clean out Mokushu?" Shura mused. "Why would we send them all the way there?" Shura chuckled at Sakura's words. "Why not? Kotaro's dead, and I hear that the place is empty. Just the spot for a displaced village. Maybe they can clean the place up as payment or something," he continued. "What an interesting smell," Velouria said, walking up to Shura. "W-what are you talking about?" he snapped. "Oh, it's just that you seem to know something," she said, looking at him much like she'd look at her dinner. "D-does it matter? They need a place to stay, and there's no one in Mokushu," he said quickly. "If you insist," the wolfskin girl said mysteriously, before walking off. "I like her," Camilla said, once Velouria was out of earshot. "You would," Shura grumbled. --- "W-wait, I've got another patient to look after?" Kaden protested. "My orders were to deliver that to you," the ninja replied, before walking out of the room. Kaden looked at the now-sleeping kitsune, and the human girl that slept on the other side. "Man, I'm gonna have to sleep on the floor. This isn't fair!" Promoted Keaton (finally). Speed, Strength, and Skill tonics to Laslow, so that he doubles Fuga, does damage to Fuga using an Iron Shuriken, and raises his Lethality proc rate to 8%. While this is doable in three turns, it requires the following: 1. Laslow must proc Lethality on Fuga without taking any damage on turn 2. 2. Laslow needs to dodge a Freeze staff, plus two attacks. Lethality's proc rate is 8%, and dodging everything else puts the chances of this at near-nil. Instead, I used this chapter for self-improvement, while nabbing Rescue and the gold. In the meantime, Effie/Laslow and Azura/Jakob hit S. I need to do four paralogues. Send help! Edited January 17, 2017 by eclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 (edited) Chapter Dwyer - 9? Shenanigans were had with Shura and Flora, thanks to the latter's aura keeping the former alive long enough for him to murder the ninjas. From there, I broke in, used Leo to bait the archers, recruited Dwyer, and cleaned up the map. Promoted Dwyer to Butler for Live to Serve. Passed down Tomebreaker and Luck +4 (didn't have a choice with the latter).Chapter Soliel - 13 I'm a bit fuzzy on the turn counts for the kid chapters, but they were all under 20. Dwyer to Falcoknight. Keaton to Berserker, for better offense. Had to restart this a few times because some soldier or other kept dying. Thanks to pairing/separation shenanigans, I got Laslow to Soliel on something like turn 3, which gave me time to promote her. She either killed stuff outright (Luna, Lethality) or kept herself alive (Sol). Leo took care of the northwestern guys, Laslow ran back towards the Bow Knights (after dealing with the northeastern side), and everyone else kept the southwestern side under control. Got a lot of stuff for keeping everyone alive! Camilla and Keaton hit S here.Chapter Forrest - 13 Soliel paired up with her dad, and helped to bring holy justice to whoever touched Forrest's amazing curls. Things got a bit dicey when I managed to piss off the entire northern section, but thanks to some dodging from Shura, I managed to keep everyone alive. Completely forgot about the two Paladins behind the wall, which is why my turn count is so high. Snagged the money before leaving. Passed down Rally Magic (oops) and Malefic Aura (not oops).Chapter Velouria - 10? Forrest to Nohr Noble. This is gonna be hilarious. For most of the chapter, Sakura and Dwyer sat on forts. Effie (with Laslow) and Soliel (with Forrest) cleared out the worst of the center. Camilla ferried Keaton to Velouria's starting position, and the happy little family made quick work of that area. Once I cleared out the three irritating staffbots, marched down the center of the map, and dealt with the rest of the enemies. Passed down HP +5 and Savage Blow. Forgot to promote Velouria (oops).Chapter Shigure - 8? Soliel, Leo, and Velouria (with Dwyer behind her) went north, while Shura/Keaton, Jakob/Azura, and Effie/Laslow went south. Shura very nearly ate it on turn 3, but managed to survive because the AI would rather attack Effie with magic. Slowly cleaned up the north side, while Forrest got some self-improvement in, thanks to Dragonstone. Managed to kill everything, which made me quite happy~!Chapter 21 - 6/208 Spoiler "Why can't we leave?" Hana rasped. Though she'd recovered from the worst of her illness, the coughing fit had left her vocal cords damaged. "We're still prisoners. But at least the surroundings are a lot better," Subaki replied, a training sword in his left hand. The days after he'd left prison felt like a fever dream. Thanks to Elise's covert trips to the two of them, Subaki had somehow survived the amputation and sickness. "If we could go outside," Hana started, before a coughing fit took over. "I could help you train." She cleared her throat, frowning at the taste in her mouth. "Someone's coming," Kaze commented. Subaki hastily stored the training sword behind the bed. Footsteps - or more accurately, footstomps - echoed down the hall. A girl with pigtails surveyed the room, peeking out from behind the door. "Oh, so you're the prisoners I have to guard," she grumbled. "I though there was only two of you." "My apologies," Kaze replied. "I am Kain, and I help to take care of them." The girl's wide-eyed expression turned into a frown. "I don't need YOUR help!" she snapped. "Who are you?" The girl glared at Hana's raspy question. "My name is Peri, and I serve Lord Xander!" she stated proudly. "Oh, so you're a retainer, too," Subaki commented. "A retainer such as yourself should not be assigned to such base tasks as scrubbing the floor on one's hands and knees. That is the job of a servant such as myself," Kaze said, taking a deep bow. "Since when did prisoners get servants? If I wasn't under orders. . ." Peri's hand reached for her scabbard. "Don't you dare!" Hana shouted. "Or you'll what?" Peri taunted. "That's enough, you two," Subaki said, shaking his head. "Hana, she's right. We're still prisoners, and it's only thanks to the grace of the royal family that Kain is here with us. Miss Peri, Kain is very good at keeping out of the way, and he handles things that we couldn't do on our own, such as getting our meals. Surely Lord Xander has more respect for you than that!" The redhead took a step back as both girls glared at him. "It's Peri, not Miss Peri!" the girl with pigtails yelled. "Do I look like an old woman to you?" "Of course not, Peri. You are a retainer, and as such, I wish to treat you with the dignity and respect you deserve." Peri's mouth opened and closed, her face registering shock. Hana wisely stayed silent. "Excuse me, but lunch is served," Kaze said, holding four plates. The two prisoners silently ate their portion of meat and potatoes, which was far better fare than anything the prison guards fed them. Peri's face contorted into a scowl. She spat out the mouthful of food she ate. "THIS is the slop they're feeding you?!" she shrieked. "And I'm supposed to eat it too? I will not stand for this! Gimme that!" The three Hoshidans exchanged looks as Peri snatched their plates from them. "That could've gone a lot better," Subaki said, once the footsteps stopped echoing up the tower. "At least the kitchen didn't overboil the meat this time," Kaze mumbled. "My potatoes were hard," Hana whispered. "But at least we're eating real food on a proper table." Her hands traced the outline of the chair she sat on, a deceptively simple furnishing finished with a dark brown glaze. "I hope Lady Sakura is okay," Subaki said, worry in his voice. "From what I've heard, she's doing fine. The last report I received said that she safely departed for Hoshido on a boat," Kaze added. He shifted uncomfortably on the stool he sat on, barely more than a footstool, and as comfortable as one. "If something happened to her. . ." Hana trailed off. Subaki pursed his lips. Just then, footstomps approached. "It's the best I could do on short notice," Peri said, a large platter of sandwiches in her hands. "They look delicious!" Subaki said, his stomach growling in agreement. "Of course! I made them!" Peri replied with a grin. Hana took one and bit into it gingerly. "This is amazing!" she said, her mouth full. The sandwich filling was slightly grainy, with stringy bits of meat mixed in, along with a delicate note of cream. The soft bread was accentuated with crispy lettuce and thinly-sliced raw onion. "I've never tasted anything so delicious!" Subaki added, crumbs all over his mouth. "Well, don't just sit there!" Peri snapped at Kaze. "Dig in!" "As you wish," he said deferentially. His eyes went wide as he took the first bite. "You're an amazing cook!" "You all like it? Really?" Three nods answered Peri, everyone's mouth too full to say otherwise. Peri beamed with pride. "Then I'll just have to do better at dinner!" --- "You are the troops sent by Iago?" The men shifted nervously, as a redheaded girl greeted them. One man, broad-shouldered and a head taller than the average Nohrian, stepped out from the crowd. "What's a little girl doing all the way out here?" he demanded. He gulped and took a step back as the girl unsheathed her sword, and pointed it at his neck. "My name is Selena, and I act in lieu of Princess Camilla. I am in charge of you now. Any objections?" The troops shifted, uncertain of what to make of the young woman. A large shadow appeared over the troops, descending towards Selena. Another young woman dismounted a wyvern, her shoulder-length blue-gray hair in stark contrast to Selena's red pigtails. "The way is clear," the newcomer said, no emotion in her voice. "Thank you. You'll need to introduce yourself. Some of these. . .men can't tell who's in charge," Selena said, just loudly enough for the front of the troop to hear. "Very well. My name is Beruka. I act under Princess Camilla's orders." Unlike Selena, Beruka's voice was near-monotone. "We're running late," Selena commented. "Let's go." As the troop marched on, a lanky youth in back looked towards the bushes. He gulped as he saw a boot, attached to a leg, which disappeared in the undergrowth. However, he couldn't afford to lag behind, since his new commander had a short fuse. As he turned his eyes back to the road, he could've sworn he saw a red glimmer on the ground, near the boot. --- A heavier set of footsteps interrupted Subaki's latest training session. He quickly hid the practice sword, as a well-built blond man stormed in. "Where's Peri?" he demanded. "I believe she went down to the kitchen, sir," Subaki said, hesitation in his voice. On cue, the door opened, and Peri stood there with four covered plates of food. "MILORD?" she exclaimed, somehow keeping the plates in her hands. "Peri, WHAT did I say about leaving them alone?" the newcomer demanded. "B-but milord, the kitchens wouldn't serve them FOOD. It was pig slop!" she countered. "That doesn't mean it's okay to leave your post. Remember why you're here!" Peri's shoulders shook, as she put the plates down. "Milord, if I may," Subaki interrupted. He was rewarded with a piercing glare from the blond man. "Even if we are prisoners, we have a servant and an exceptional cook. It's almost as if we're guests of honor. I want to thank you for all that you've done for us," Subaki continued. "In a sense, you are," the blond man grumbled. "If so, then I'd like it if Peri continued to cook for us. Her food is nothing short of amazing," Subaki concluded. "Yeah, and if I cook, you KNOW the food will be safe!" Peri added. She put her hands on her mouth, as the blond man scowled at her. His brows knit together for a moment, before he sighed. "Very well. But don't take too long!" he ordered. "Yes sir!" she said, her shock transforming into a smile. She cast a sharp look at the Hoshidans. "This is Prince Xander, show some respect!" Hana gracefully fell to one knee, while Subaki awkwardly toppled over. Peri stifled a giggle at the latter's antics. "There's no need for such formality," Xander said, the ire gone from his voice. "My apologies, Your Highness," Subaki said, picking himself up out of a prone position to a kneeling one. "If I had known that you were one of Nohr's princes--" Hana's coughing interrupted him. "Please excuse us, Your Highness," she managed to rasp out, before another coughing fit took her. "Are you well?" Xander asked Hana, as she looked up. "Yes, sir. My voice will always be like this." "Very well. While you may be prisoners, you are also retainers to a princess. It would reflect badly on Nohr if we mistreated someone of your station. I cannot allow you to roam free, but I can arrange for better quarters than the dungeon," he said. "You are too kind, sir," Subaki said. "If you'll excuse me, I have other business to attend to," Xander replied. Subaki breathed a sigh of relief as Xander's footsteps retreated. "I never expected him to be so kind," Hana whispered. "Still, what Peri said worries me," Kaze added, stepping out from the corner he'd stood in during Xander's visit. "It almost sounded like someone wants you two dead." The blood drained from Peri's face. "Then it would have to be because of my handsome face!" Subaki said cheerfully, glancing in Peri's direction. "As if," Hana argued, arms crossed over her chest. "It definitely isn't because of your womanly figure, Hana," Subaki taunted. "SAY THAT AGAIN!" Hana croaked. "You're the worst!" Peri added. "Dinner's getting cold," Kaze protested. "If you three are going to argue, I'll eat it all." "Not on your life!" Hana yelled, reaching for a plate. She shot a sheepish glance at Peri. "Thanks. For everything." "No problem!" Peri said cheerfully. "Some guys really are the worst!" She stuck her tongue out at Subaki before taking a plate for herself. "Way to change the subject," Kaze whispered to Subaki. "It's for the best that we don't dwell on it," Subaki whispered back, a plate in his hands. "Besides, it's dinnertime!" --- "What in the world. . ." Sakura trailed off. The mountain in front of her crawled. Whatever was on the mountain was nearly the same color as the granite. "I'll see if I can get closer," Camilla said. She stopped as a familiar hand grabbed her shoulder. "Not without me! I can smell trouble long before it reaches you," Keaton insisted. Camilla sighed. "You aren't going to let me go until I say yes, are you?" she said dejectedly. "You know me too well!" Keaton replied with a toothy grin. --- "We've got trouble," Camilla stated, jumping off of her wyvern. "The mountain is crawling with Faceless. There's no way we can fight them all." "Why would they be here, of all places?" Leo mused. "They're searching for something," Forrest said, approaching from behind Leo. "And how would you know that?" Camilla asked, tapping her foot. "In my spare time, I perused the library at home. One of the books I read said that the Faceless can be used for more than brute force. They can be summoned with something in mind, much like a hunting dog is given a scent before being let loose. Usually, it's some sort of magical artifact. Why this is, I cannot say." Camilla's mouth worked into a frown. "Are you saying that these Faceless are after some sort of magical artifact?" Leo demanded. "I can't say for certain, but there's no other reason for them to be on this mountain," Forrest replied. "Yato," Camilla stated. "Why would they be after Yato?" Sakura spat out. "It's an easy way of keeping track of you," Camilla mused. "We can't hike over the mountain while these things are loose. And if what Forrest says is true, they'll follow us if we find a way around the mountain," Leo added. "Then we go through the mountain," Azura said, her gaze on the mountain. "The lava should waylay such mindless creatures." "It also means that you'll be trapped," Forrest spoke up. "They'll come for their target from whichever entrance is nearest." "The solution is obvious, no? Sakura takes a different route from the rest of us," Dwyer butted in. "You'll leave her out there?" Leo snapped. "Absolutely not. I can fly her over the mountain, while the rest of you go through it. If the Faceless are after her, then they'll stay on the mountain, and ignore you guys." Forrest shot Dwyer a worried look. "That sounds insane," Sakura said quietly, "but I can't think of anything better." "I'm going with you over the mountain," Camilla said firmly. "Sorry, kid, but if you run into trouble, you'll need someone to bail you out." "Suit yourself," Dwyer said with a shrug. --- "We haven't run into anything," Leo stated, "but the heat is something else." "This path isn't the most comfortable, but it's the safest once I could find," Azura replied, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Then my theory was correct," Forrest said flatly. "Did she really need to carry Brynhilder?" Leo demanded. "Yes, even if she can't use it. Any sort of magical artifact would be trouble." "This plan of yours had better work," Leo growled. "You aren't the only one that's worried," Forrest replied. "If she dies--" "You're awfully casual about this, you know that?" Leo snapped. "We are of equal station. I don't see the problem." "WHAT?!" Everyone stopped as Leo's shout echoed through the cavern. "I suppose now's as good a time as any to tell you. My companions and I are from. . .another version of this world. I was born of both Nohrian and Hoshidan royalty. Thus, I am a prince of both nations." "Prove it." Forrest regarded the walled-off path, then closed his eyes. A faint magical trace emanated from a nearby statue. He walked up to one of the points, and let the magic flow through him. The boulders shuddered, and fell. "I hope that is enough for you," Forrest said, moving his curls behind him. "That proves that you have someone's royal blood in you. But who are your parents?" Forrest let out a light chuckle. "My father was Prince Nox of Nohr, fourth in line for the throne. My mother went by the name of Aria. She refused to speak her Hoshidan name. She was the third princess of Hoshido. My parents wed as part of a peace treaty between both nations." "You're definitely not of this world," Leo muttered. "So why are you here?" "Something terrible is set to happen, sometime in the near future. We're supposed to stop it. We don't know where it will happen, but we'd get more answers from traveling with you than staying at the kitsune village." --- Sakura clung to Dwyer, surprised that his pegasus hadn't unseated either of them. Yato was slung over her back, and Brynhilder sat in a bag she wore over her other shoulder. Thanks to Dwyer's swift movements, the Faceless stumbled around, unable to get a proper bearing on either of them. Off to the other side, Camilla swung her axe, neatly burying it in the neck of one of the monsters. She wrenched it free and flew off, the other Faceless oblivious to her presence. "Hmm, what's that?" Camilla mused. "H-hey, where are you going? They're over that way!" Keaton protested. Camilla ignored her passenger, and set her wyvern down near a group of rocks. Sure enough, a faint magic called to her. She closed her eyes and invoked it. "W-what happened? The Faceless stopped moving!" Keaton exclaimed. "It's a secret!" Camilla stated with a giggle. "Oh, come on! Would you tell me if I asked you to marry me? Couples have no secrets!" Camilla stopped in her tracks. "This is not the time for such tasteless humor!" she snapped. Keaton's ears and tail drooped. "But I wasn't joking. . ." he mumbled. "You're serious about this," Camilla said, doing her best to force the words to come to mind. "Well, yeah. You're smart, you're strong, and you're gorgeous. That's everything I want in a mate." "I'm a princess. That means you'll have to move to Nohr," Camilla said softly. "If that's all it takes, count me in!" Keaton said, a hint of his usual enthusiasm back in his voice. "Absolutely not," Camilla retorted. Keaton's tail drooped again. "I wouldn't ask you to give up your position as the leader of the wolfskin on my account." "So how's it gonna work, then? Traveling back and forth will be hard." "Let me think about this. It's clear that you're serious about this, so I must take it just as seriously." "Is that a yes?" Keaton asked, the tip of his tail twitching. "It's a maybe. I should have a better answer for you in a few days. Is that okay? Keaton?" The wolfskin danced merrily off to the side. "I'm the luckiest man alive!" --- "Huh? The Faceless stopped?" Sakura asked. "That's good news for us!" Dwyer said. "I can fly her at a slower pace." "I've never met anyone who could handle a pegasus like you," Sakura said cheerfully. "Not even your retainer?" Dwyer asked. "H-how did you know?" Dwyer cleared his throat. "That's not important. I need to get you over this mountain, and I'm going to do just that." The pair rode in silence, Sakura staring at the frozen Faceless in awe. Suddenly, she yelped. One of the Faceless slowly turned its head in her direction. "We need to hurry!" she squealed. Dwyer sighed. Sensing the movement on the ground, his mount sped up. "Wait. Can you let me down here?" Much to her relief, she felt the pegasus descend. While Dwyer fetched some water from a nearby stream, Sakura walked towards the copse of trees. A familiar magic washed over her, something that would respond only to those of royal descent. Dwyer arched an eyebrow at her, before turning his attention back to his mount, who greedily drank from the bucket of water he held up. The heavy sounds of the Faceless transformed into silence. "We should be safe for the time being. I can feel another Dragon Vein not far from here. If you can walk your pegasus over, she can rest." The boy nodded, refilling his bucket before follwing Sakura, pegasus in tow. Another copse of trees somehow grew on the mountain, despite the lack of visible water. "Who taught you how to ride?" Sakura asked, unsure of how to approach the hooded boy. "My mother did," he responded plainly. "So you're from Hoshido?" "Not really." Sakura stopped talking, instead taking the time to observe the boy and his steed. The pegasus eagerly finished the bucket of water, before nuzzling him. He sighed and took out a carrot, which she happily devoured. He wore a small smile as he watched his mount eat. Suddenly, his head snapped up. "This way!" Sakura hastily rose to her feet and ran in the direction Dwyer pulled her. A few second later, a heavy boulder landed where she had been sitting. "W-what was that?" "They're moving again. Get on the pegasus." The girl nodded, before climbing onto the pegasus' back. Much to her surprise, Dwyer ran towards the copse of trees. "Wait, where are you going--huh?" The wind caught the boy's hood, and whipped it back. Pale blue hair rose up at all angles, as the boy stood within the trees. He turned towards Sakura, pulling his hood up. "Not a word of that to anyone," he said sternly, as he hopped on his steed. "I-I guess you have your reasons, and I won't pry," she said. "Thank you." --- "It's a good things those Dragon Veins dotted the mountain," Camilla said, as Dwyer and Sakura dismounted. "Otherwise, I don't know how you would've gotten through." "Forrest was right, though. The Faceless were after me." Sakura's voice shook. "I'm glad you're safe," Leo said, Brynhilder in hand. "You're too kind, brother dearest~!" Camilla teased. Leo shot her a dirty look, as Sakura giggled. "Hey, Forrest," Leo growled. Forrest looked up from his book. "You're going to tell Sakura and Camilla what you told me back in the caves." Forrest turned to Camilla, and paled. He looked at Sakura, and sighed. "Very well." Deployed: Camilla, Keaton, Dwyer, Sakura. Having two flying units that could activate Dragon Veins was worth it. Camilla didn't crit the Arms Scroll guy, but that's okay, because I don't think Dwyer would've dodged all of that again. Name Class Level HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res Sakura Onmyoji 9.45 33 11 26 21 25 13 18 13 Jakob Paladin 30.81 38 23 10 27 20 24 17 21 Effie Great Knight 11.75 38 34 0 19 23 26 27 19 Azura Songstress 24.30 23 16 10 27 28 18 9 16 Laslow Master Ninja 12.42 37 26 0 34 30 25 16 19 Benny Great Knight 1.30 34 19 0 21 11 16 23 14 Leo Dark Knight 13.95 39 19 24 18 20 20 21 24 Camilla Wyvern Lord 17.13 41* 30 12 31 30 22 33 19 Keaton Berserker 9.52 51 35 0 17 24 15 24 9 Shura Adventurer 10.88 33 25 13 23 29 14 15 27 Flora Maid 9.06 31 19 16 27 16 12 14 26 Dwyer Falcoknight 9.15 34 21 18 22 29 21 15 24 Soliel Hero 9.76 37 30 1 26 24 22 21 17 Forrest Nohr Noble 8.04 35 17 28 14 21 16 19 29 Velouria Wolfssenger 7.41 47 30 4 22 25 18 26 16 Edited January 17, 2017 by eclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 (edited) Chapter 22 - 6/214 "Hey, Sakura." Leo stood outside of Sakura's tent. He held Brynhilder close to his chest, fingers periodically tightening on its cover. She turned, her smile bright despite the dying rays of the sun. "Hi! Would you like some tea?" She motioned towards a kettle, steam rising out of its spout. His eyes traced the dark green vines that wove their way around the kettle. A gentle cough snapped him out of his momentary reverie. "I-I'm fine," he said hastily, his knuckles momentarily turning white as he gripped his spellbook. "There's something I wanted to ask you." She responded with a light giggle. It took everything he had to look into her eyes. "We're going to enter Hoshido tomorrow," he started. His breath caught in his chest. "I'll be fine," Sakura said softly. "We're here to gather herbs. If we stick to the forests just within Hoshido's border, we shouldn't run into too much trouble." "Your brother was at Izumo. They know you're here," Leo said sharply. "It will take them time to muster a troop to meet us." Leo shook his head at Sakura's words. "Iago's behind us. We've managed to put some distance between us, but it's not enough. With all of us, and a Nohrian army at our backs, we look like the precursor to an invasion." Sakura's hands shook. "B-but that wasn't why we were sent here!" she said shrilly. "WE know the truth. But will Hoshido listen?" Sakura sank to her knees. Leo bit his lip, a habit that he thought he'd kicked ten years prior. "There's another way to avert this mess. If two members of the royal family married, it would no longer be seen as an invasion." Sakura looked up at Leo, tears in her eyes. "Are you saying. . .that we should get married?" Leo nodded at her words. Sakura's expression changed, from sorrow to shock. The color slowly drained from her face. "Absolutely NOT! I'm not some sort of political pawn!" He took a step back at her outburst. "Forget I said anything," he said roughly, before quickly exiting the tent. He walked outside of the camp, Shura raising an eyebrow as he left the perimeter. Once he lost sight of the tents, he sat on a nearby log, and buried his face in his hands. --- Forrest idly flipped through the book he'd borrowed from his aunt, skimming over the details of some political deal or other. He looked up as Leo stalked past him, before quietly approaching Sakura's tent. Muffled sobs came from its interior. He turned towards Leo, before running into something soft. "I-I'm sorry!" Forrest exclaimed, looking up at a frowning Soliel. "Did you make her cry?" she said flatly, arms across her chest. "Not this time," he said, looking towards the tent. "This time?" she repeated testily. "I'll do so in the future, when I'm born," he mumbled. "We're not supposed to screw with things over here," Soliel warned. "Not until we fix the timeline." "Maybe THIS is how we fix it," Forrest growled. "I finally got to see Mother smile, only to have Father mess it up." Soliel tossed her head, her blond hair whipping around like a horse's mane. "Rub it in, why don't you?" she snapped. "R-right, sorry," he muttered. "But what about you? Didn't you want to find your father?" "Only so I can tell him what a loser he is!" He took a step back as tears sprang to her eyes. "I don't think that will make anything better," he stammered. "What would YOU know?" He shook his head and sighed as Soliel stomped off towards the mess hall. "What would I know?" he repeated to himself. He walked out of camp, lost in his own memories. A voice had guided each of them to a clearing, promising them a chance to save their doomed future. As the gate opened, a horde of Risen stormed towards them. Six had gathered in the clearing. Five made it to the other side. "Ignatius. . .please, be safe. . ." The last sight he had of the otherwise cowardly knight was of his shield, raised to block an axe meant for Forrest's head. Before he could cast a spell, he'd been picked up by the larger boy, and thrown through the gate. He shook his head. That was in the past - or at least, in Forrest's past. Motion out of the corner of his eye stopped him. Leo stood in front of him, Brynhilder at ready. "I guess this clearing is occupied." Leo glared at the boy. "You're awfully far from camp." "And so are you," Forrest replied, mentally kicking himself. Father would've rapped him over the head for such a response. Leo, however, was not yet Forrest's father. Instead, the two stared at each other, unsure of what to say to each other. Forrest took a breath, and broke the silence. "I have a story from my own time, if you'd care to listen," he said slowly. "Whatever." Forrest allowed himself a small smile. "My mother and father married for political reasons. However, they rarely spoke to each other." Leo's gaze didn't break from Forrest. "When my younger brother was born, it nearly cost my mother her life. One day, my father was especially lost in his work, and I wanted to show him the book I just read. I climbed on his lap, which earned me a good scolding. However, I caught a glimpse of what he'd been working on. Among the crumpled pieces of paper was a letter. All it said was 'To my dearest Ayame'. Being the curious child I was, I asked him who Ayame was. He held me by the shoulders and made me swear that I wouldn't tell anyone about what I'd seen. Once I did, he explained that my mother's name was Ayame, before she married into Nohr's royal family. She had married him to bring peace to both countries, but it wasn't the future she wanted for herself. That's why she isolated herself from everyone. He felt that if he couldn't reach her with his voice, he would do so with a letter." Leo frowned at Forrest's words. "My father really did love my mother, but he never told her. She, in turn, didn't tell him how she felt about anything. Though I'm a prince, my family didn't exist. But I think I've talked for too long. I'll go back to camp now." Forrest left the clearing, a smile on his face. His father's emotions were always transparent, and Leo's expression said everything that Forrest could've hoped for. "I will have my family." --- "Who's in charge of this fort?" Leo asked. "Yukimura will most likely take the point," Azura answered. "He leads by example." "A pity we're going to have to pass through this fort," Leo mused. "I would've loved to talk to him about strategy." "You'd probably give away all of Nohr's secrets," Camilla teased. "But I guess I can capture him alive for my dearest younger brother." "You're too kind," Leo said dryly. "I don't know what happened between you and Sakura, but maybe a peace offering of her family's tactician will pacify her." Leo chose not to dignify his sister's words with a response. --- "I'll not stand for this!" Yukimura protested, his hands and feet firmly bound to a chair. Shura chuckled at his response. "Well, you're sitting," came the snarky reply. "We really do need you alive, though. Someone has to warn the Hoshidan troops that there's an invasion force at their doorstep." "And why would the lot of you want to do that? Aren't you guys from Nohr?" Another chuckle answered Yukimura. "Lady Sakura would be very sad if her choices were to destroy Hoshido. She's already been asked to make several though decisions, time and again. I wish to alleviate that burden." "You managed to sneak past the bulk of the fortress' defenses, yet you want me to warn Hoshido. Just whose side are you on?" "The side that will win." Yukimura's eyes narrowed, before he smiled. "The years haven't changed you at all. . .Shura." "You remembered. How troublesome," Shura grumbled. "I've heard reports that Mokushu went quiet, and that Kotaro was dead. And now you're playing Hoshido and Nohr against each other. It's no different than that shogi tournament, where you were disqualified a technicality. A pity that happened. I would've been happy to defeat you in the finals." "Whatever makes you happy," Shura said cryptically. "Now, where would you place a not-quite-secret letter, one that was clearly written by you, as a warning to your own troops?" --- Iago blanched at the number of troops that guarded the fortress. Sakura's group should've thinned their numbers! Still, this was the way into Hoshido. The last report he received stated that Yukimura himself was in charge of the fortress. Instead, some no-name hurled insults at the Nohrians. "Let's see how you like this," Iago growled, as the Faceless he'd summoned advanced on the Hoshidans. He turned to his troops, some which shrank back in fear. "Use the Faceless as your shields, and charge!" --- Leo followed Sakura until she left camp. Once she was alone, he cleared his throat. "What do you want?" she asked flatly, her eyes averted. "I-I'm sorry about the other day." She looked up at him, her expression unreadable. "Before you're a princess, you're a person, who has her own feelings, and I ignored those." He did his best to steady his breath, as tears formed in her eyes. Before he could think better of it, he fell to one knee, taking one of her hands in his. "I love you. Will you marry me?" She blinked at his words. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. "If you're worried about your family, I'll give up my title as prince, and--huh?" His sentiment was cut off as she threw himself into his arms. "Of course I will! Now stop making a fool of yourself, okay?" She looked up at him, a big grin in stark contrast to the tears that ran down her face. "All right. . .my love," he said softly. Forrest smiled, as the wind carried his parent's words across the clearing. He poked his head out from behind a tree, then crept away from the clearing, his face as red as Velouria's hood. Back at home, his parents sometimes held hands. His mother had never so much as lay a kiss on his father's cheek, let alone a passionate one on his lips. He gasped as his hands flickered for a brief second. "So, this is what happens when we change the future," he said to himself. "This isn't so bad at all." Camilla flew to the top and redid Yukimura's face. Hana fell to a well-placed Brynhilder, and Subaki. . .well, let's just say that all that bulk means squat against a pissed-off Shura. Everyone else did some self-improvement. Chapter 23 - 16/230 I decided to ferry everyone over the gap and climb, leaving Hinata's group alone. Managed to get Leo to the boss, where the two princes proceeded to have an argument over who had the superior hairstyle. Edited February 16, 2017 by eclipse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 It only took THIS LONG to figure out how to do the map! Since I want to finish my story, this draft will be finished. One day. Chapter 24 - 7/237 Thanks to PKL's tier list, I was reminded that Beastbane was A Thing, which made killing those pesky flying things a lot easier. Sent Leo off to the left, Velouria/Dwyer off to the right, and everyone else up the middle. Used Leo to lure Setsuna (he needed to level Speed to not be doubled), then had Laslow run and finish her off. Effie and Camilla wiped out the pegasi swarm, then Leo murdered Azama. Camilla weakened Hinoka, Leo waited next to her while taking no action, then Effie took a Beast Killer and made life a lot easier for me. Jakob was able to tank an Oni Chieftain. Camilla hit the first dragon vein, Forrest the second (lower-left island), and Velouria the third (right island). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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