Vesper's Heroes

W00t! Another chapter down. I’m getting really annoyed at myself. I plan to have like three things happen in a chapter and then I end up only getting one actually finished and putting the other two on hold for the next chapter. I’ve been trying to get to this chapter’s plot point for the last four.
I hated writing this chapter. It just gave me hell. >_<
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. There is a language warning for this chapter. Reviews are loved.

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Gloves tightened as the steady drizzle of rain swallowed up the sound of it. The horses plodded on under the two riders, not winded in the least as they traveled. The riders were tense, as anyone riding tail guard would be. It was a dangerous position to be in as they were detached from the main group but it was necessary. With two of them present, one could remain behind as a decoy of any danger that did appear while the other rode ahead as a warning.

It was that shivering dread that chilled Riku more than the sudden cold or the falling rains. It was that constant apprehension that the halflings would have somehow learned of the Kestrel Dawn and what they were up to. It was that ever-present suspicion of if they had doubled back and were about to attack from behind allied lines.

“How much further?” he asked, feeling his hood slide a bit as he turned. He quickly snatched it back before any water crept down his shirt. Hosep was thinking hard under the waxed material of his own hood. Thankfully they were wearing full coats this time and not cloaks, keeping them far warmer.

“Can’t be much more,” he answered, casting a wary look over his shoulder. He felt it too, that something wasn’t right. It was a bit of just survival instinct that was keeping them high-strung. But I’ll bet there is something out there. It might not be a Heartless or a halfling but there is something watching us. Riku nodded, shifting a bit in the saddle. He was going to be sore. He just knew it. No one rode on horseback much so being achy when you dismounted was expected.

What was that? His head snapped up to look further down the road they were following. Yes, they got lucky and were traveling along an actual road rather than flitting like shadows through the forests and undergrowth. The rain hampered his long-range vision but he could see a light swinging back and forth up ahead. It almost looks like someone is swinging it.

He caught Hosep’s attention, nodding his head toward the light. The scout didn’t waste words but reined in his horse to turn off the road. The younger followed, dismounting when they were out of sight to lead the poor beast on foot. He swallowed a groan of pain as his legs protested to the position he had held for the last several hours, finding his balance.

With a few hand signal they were off with the horses in close attendance. They didn’t have warhorses for nothing. Granted they would be slower on foot but with horses that were trained to keep quiet and bred to have excellent night vision it wasn’t too bad of a trade.

The swinging light had been closer than they thought and allowed them to relax their guard and come out of hiding. It was a member of Kestrel Dawn who had been waiting for them with orders to lead them to camp. Their fellow scout member gave a sheepish grin before setting out for the encampment. When they passed the perimeter, Riku could feel a tingle of magic meaning wards had been set.

That was unusual. To put up wards on such a temporary camp was unheard of. Hell, they did even put them up on the more permanent camps. Unless this is a way to let everyone rest as much as possible. That was feasible. They would be locked in skirmishes all the way to Dalton. People would need to rest now.

Their horses were taken once they untied their packs. Their guide took them to the command tent where their flag was visible even in the rain. Once ushered inside, Tik’va favored them with a wave before gesturing to two plates of dinner on her table. Neither protested and dug in while their captain finished her own.

“You two get to just bunk with me so just spread out and crash when you’re done,” she ordered, rising to vanish into the second part of the tent. Now it was understood as to why there were a pair of bedrolls stacked in the corner. The two men made short work of preparing a bed, shucking off only coats, gloves and boots before curling around each other for sleep.

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Another Heartless died under his sword as Riku ghosted through the trees. The thing hadn’t even sensed his coming or that of any of Kestrel Dawn. The new armor was working perfectly, masking the wearer so they appeared to be a Heartless themselves and thus were ignored by the enemy. He couldn’t fight back the savage grin as he sliced another in two, watching the vapors fade.

That was how the last several days had worked. A skeleton crew remained with the camp, breaking it down for easy movement while everyone else suited up and went hunting.

And it was definitely open season on Heartless.

They were making clear progress, moving their joke of a camp closer and closer to Dalton. Riku admitted that perhaps he was enjoying himself a bit too much with all the Heartless he had slain but he also felt it was justified. Even though each one dead brought him closer to when he would have to leave, it also provided a bit of revenge for the very creatures that had turned his life upside down and inside out.

He paused, flashing a hand sign. As he had been assigned point, he was also the commanding field officer. Hosep copied it for the others, watching it get passed along. It had been a signal to rally together as he had glimpsed the rooftops of Dalton just beyond the tree line.

‘Ideas?’ he flashed to Hosep. The scout didn’t reply but that was no matter. It was a rhetorical question anyway. Once everyone gathered, they would divide up into their assigned teams and go after the halflings as planned.

Although I am curious as to why no one has pursued us regarding our little coupe. Indeed no one from Fallon or any other squad captain had come after them. It doesn’t matter now. Once we kill them off, it should all be over. He felt a surge of mental support from everyone’s favorite divine being. Riku sent a mental sense of rolling his eyes, which earned him a mental slap in return. He chuckled, earning a strange look from some but didn’t explain.

In front of him, the small hamlet of Dalton appeared to be empty. Thankfully it didn’t have the litter of dead bodies like the other cities, or the mass of structural damage that made it haphazardness to travel the streets. And without any Heartless patrols to block out way, this should be a piece of cake.
He pulled his attention from the city below to those behind them. They had already split into their teams, standing close to their comrades as they waited. Hosep was ready with a messenger to send back to the camp to let them know they were attacking Dalton. At his nod, the bird was released and 22 bodies surged toward the town.

Now Riku and Hosep held back, letting the rest take the lead and first blood. As was expected, while the Heartless couldn’t sense them the halflings could. Though their eyes would fail to find them, the halflings were still a challenge even when outnumbered.

They were grotesque. It was clear they had started as humans but now they were so warped and twisted it was almost painful to look at them. Misshapen and unbalanced it was a wonder they could stay on their feet. Most had both legs and perhaps one arm with Heartless characteristics. Some had only half a leg, one arm and part of their face. Others perhaps had both arms and then new extra limbs. Anyway you looked at it, the half-melted acid burned effect on top of that added to the monstrous disposition.

The keyblade wielder passed them all, his mind searching for the leader while his body navigated the streets. He could hear the cries of pain from his fellows but ignored it in favor of his own mission.

{:Ahead of you Champion. Main building.:} He thanks both Kingdom Hearts and his lucky stars for that tip, summoning Way to the Dawn before he crashed through the double doors of the council hall. The empty room echoed with their entrance, devoid of furniture that would hamper their fighting. Only two people were inside but from their response he knew they had been expected. However the view that greeted them was not.

One was Layla who was beaten and bloody with a vacant look in her eyes but a happy grin on her face. The other was holding her up and from the bloodstains was the one to harm her. He was clearly a man, middle aged but still in his prime. Ginger hair and a full matching beard were well clipped and orderly. Actual steel armor, not the leather most soldiers were given, graced his torso and forearms. Other than that he wore the uniform of the Vesper Hawks but with an insignia on his armor that Riku didn’t know. Clearly though Hosep did as he moved forward with a mask of vehemence.

“Fallon!” he spat. Oh shit. This was the captain of the entire mercenary company. He was the leader of the halflings? I totally should have seen that one coming. It was just too ironic and tied up a number of loose ends just a bit too well for Riku to remain surprised for very long. That grin as his eyes lingered on the pair of them also confirmed that they were visible. Double shit.

“So the traitors return,” Fallon laughed, letting what was left of Layla slump to the floor. His scratchy tenor echoed in the hall mockingly. “I’ll not waste time monologuing. Just know I’ll make sure to keep the boy alive. His skills could prove to be very useful to me.” The raking gaze caused Riku’s gut to clench, feeling as though he was being molested just by a look until it drifted to the other man. “You though Hosep, are perfectly expendable. And don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him.”

That must have been the final straw as the lieutenant charged recklessly. He and Fallon clashed with swords drawn, falling into a dance that even Riku was hard pressed to follow as he dove forward to check on Layla. He wanted her alive just to pay for what she did. Before he could get close though she was already rising, her body contorting as she turned into a halfling. She favored him with that same grin she wore before, teeth lengthening to razor points even as her hands became claws.

She lunged at Riku, eyes now just a wash of yellow that widened with maddening glee. He dodged and then blocked the next attack with his keyblade as he backpedaled away. He could feel rage, both his own and that of Kingdom Hearts flooding his mind but not overwhelming it as he dodged to the side to try to attack. He brought Way to the Dawn in a descending arc that sliced into her back and rewarded him with a scream. It had been shallow though and only seemed to fuel her own fury as she pounced.

A blizzard spell was slammed into her shoulder in an attempt to change her trajectory. This worked but again not by much. Damn it! What does it take to win? His rage doubled, racing into his keyblade and throwing it into flux as he attacked again. It solidified in time to block a new attack, now a white feathered wing rather than the scaled dark one.

“Halted Dusk,” he whispered, now being the one to lunge forward. His keyblade sang through the air as feathers dislodged from the main blade to take flight of their own. They hovered around him before striking at Layla like miniature rockets. Their small explosions of light turned her into a writhing mass of pain on the floor. She did not rise as he moved to finish her off, his new keyblade finding itself imbedded in her skull for a time until she faded away.

With one down and one to go Riku whirled to see how his partner was holding up. The two older men were still locked in a dance of swords on the other side of the room. It was clear they were skilled from the way they moved and how the sparks flew.

It was also clear that Fallon was better.

A choked scream tore out of Hosep as he failed to parry a blow and received a gash on his side for it. He stumbled back with one hand clutching at his side as Fallon continued to advance. The general raised his sword to find Riku diving into its path with Halted Dusk clanging against it. He raised now glowing eyes to Fallon, feeling something snap inside.

“Don’t you EVER fuckin’ touch him AGAIN!” he roared, giving into the fury that engulfed him. He shoved forward, causing the old man to nearly sprawl on his ass as the Champion of Kingdom Hearts attacked. Fallon barely managed to evade the almost random assaults against his person. “Die you BASTARD!”

A gravity spell sent Fallon soaring to land with a wet thud against one wall. He slid to the ground in a heap while Riku let easy strides take him forward. The general coughed wetly as he stood on shaking legs to glare at the boy. The dribble of blood into his face took away from the effect even as he fought to breathe properly with now broken ribs.

“Do you really think I am so easy?” he mocked even as blood dripped out his mouth. “Find me again and we can finish this.” What? Riku didn’t get a chance to kill him as a dark portal opened up and took away Fallon but unleashed a behemoth.

“No!” he snarled. The Heartless moved toward him even as he retreated, still staring at the spot where Fallon vanished. He finally wrenched his attention back to the behemoth. He pulled his keyblade back and let it fly, channeling all his rage and his magic into it. It imbedded into the creature’s body and then exploded, sending little bits of fading Heartless vapor around the room. He panted for a moment, feeling winded as he summoned back his weapon before throwing back his head as he let the remaining frenzy bleed out.

“DAMN YOU FALLON!” Riku screamed to the open air. “WHEN I FIND YOU YOU’RE A DEAD MAN!”

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Author here again. As you can tell, I take pot shots at even myself and my own writing. Really the idea of Fallon being the main bad guy occurred to me weeks ago and while it did nicely tie up some things I still feel it was a little bit predictable. Oh well.

Riku’s new keyblade. Just take out the spaces.

http:// suburbbum. deviantart.com /art/ Halted-Dusk -54872865