Fire Emblem PoR: The aftermath

-Black Knight and a Hermit-

Boyd groaned as he re-lifted his axe and swung down once more. Titania had stressed how important this mission was, but also how important it was to practice and keep yourself sharp and tune to all of your surroundings. Boyd continued to stand in his place, just swing up and down in a repeating motion over and over always on pace, one swing perfectly timed after the other. “I do my best.” Boyd mumbled to himself. “She’s just a slave driver.”

Boyd felt it, an ominous presence behind him, something that made his blood run cold, and sent shivers down his spine. “Let’s see how much of a slave driver I am.” Titania stated in an icy cold voice. “You have five minuets to get yourself ready for a sparring match, grab your practice axe.” With that Titania turned back around and walked into her tent, she grabbed only what she needed, her practice axe was at her side next to her vulnerary and she strapped her practice lance onto her back.

She walked out calmly and saw Boyd sitting on a log, his practice axe was stuck into the log almost right next to him. His head was inclined backward and she could see his face, his skin was flawless and the light seemed to reflect off of his soft tan. His eyes were closed but she knew that they were a very soft green color. “Stand up Boyd, let’s get started.”

Startled Boyd fell backward and landed roughly on his head. Titania smiled at his clumsiness but pulled out her spear and pointed it directly at Boyd who still laid on the ground. Rising up he grabbed a hand on the hilt of his axe and raised it up to meet her spear. “Don’t hold back Boyd, let’s see how the future of this company is going to deal with it’s opponents.” She dashed forward and lunged forward with her spear. Boyd spun around and swung down on her spear knocking it out of her hands.

Smiling she stepped backward as Boyd swung vertically at her stomach. Doing a back flip she dodged another vertical slash and managed to kick Boyd under his chin. Groaning in annoyance he swung straight down as fast as he could catching nothing but air.

This time though it was Boyd’s chance to smile, she wasn’t slowing down but her smirk was gone, he could tell that she couldn’t keep dodging. ‘I can’t tell,’ Boyd thought as he saw her pull out her axe. ‘Is this more of a good sign that she is feeling the pressure, or is it a bad that she took out her axe?’

He didn’t have another moment to think about it as she charged again and closed the distance. The wood clanged as she swung down and he raised his axe to block the shot. Again and again she swung and Boyd was struggling to keep pace with the axe expert. ‘This has to stop or else…’ Boyd didn’t finish his thought as Titania brought the axe down on his shoulder.

They bother heard the sickening pop, but he pushed pass the pain and leapt into the air at a stunned Titania an swung forward knocking her back. After the shot Boyd fell to the ground on his butt panting. Titania was in a similar position just holding her stomach instead of putting her shoulder back into her socket like Boyd was.

He caught his breath and stood up just as Titania charged forward and tackled him to the ground. “never underestimate your opponent.” She lectured.

“Good advice.” Boyd stated pulling a leg free he put it to her stomach. Taking hold of her shoulders he did a summersault and had her pinned. This time though his legs restrained her hips, his arms pinned her shoulders at her side keeping her from moving. He leaned into her ear and said in a very hushed voice “I’ll take it to heart.” Right after he backed away a foot and stared into her pale face, smiling a little he then rose up and went over to his tent and began to take it down. “Shouldn’t we get going? If we hurry we could go to Crimea and make it back here the same time tomorrow with our reinforcements.”

Titania laughed quietly and noticed quite a few things just from that one fight, first and most useful was his drive, he knew what he wanted to get done and did it, the brief exchange proved that. He was improving as a fighter, Boyd being able to hold his own against her for so long was proof of that. Also, and what made her feel slightly odd, something that she hadn’t felt since the death of Greil, was that he was in love with her and she might be returning the feelings.

~Back at camp~

“WE’RE BEING OVERRUN!” Oscar screamed as a whole new army of the revenants charged strait out and at him. As you could have guessed by his looks, he was a caring man and couldn’t handle endangering his horse any more. He leapt out as five revenants closed in. His horse stood on it’s hind legs and kicked on in the face. Turning he stuck the horse lightly on the hine leg, telling the animal without words to wait back at the stables for him to come back.

Oscar ran and pointed his spear at the ground, using it as a vault he launched himself over the enemy and landed behind them, with a swiping motion he lodged his spear into the neck of the closest revenant. Using all of his strength he managed to push through and finish the job. Another two revenants charged at him and one swung it large lanky arms down. It managed to cut through his armor, but only managed to leave a scratch. With a swift stabbing motion he pierced through the second revenant and flipped it on top of the other. Thrusting his spear into the ground he watched as it went through both, and with a twist of his wrist finished the two revenants.

Soren picked up two of his tombs and with one in each of his hands he caste two spells at one revenant cutting it into two different and unequal pieces. Hearing a screeched Soren watched as the revenants continued to flood down the staircase into the gloomy and dimly lit room. Casting two wind spells he managed to knock the line back and gave Lucia, Mia, Marcia and Nephenee a chance to destroy the left flank.

Ranulf, Gatrie, Mist took on the left side. However for each one of their fighters, there were at least three in wait. “FALL BACK! MIST USE THE WEAPON!” Mist nodded and raised a black staff that had what looked like a green vine with thorns wrapped around the hilt.

In what took only second a thick black smog came out of the orb positioned at the top, making it darker then night for anyone other then the people that she designated. Mia and Nephenee used wraith and cut down the revenants two at a time, Soren continued to blast them away using wind. Mist continued to heal anyone that was hurt and Gatrie positioned himself in the center of the action easily taking all the blows with his extremely thick armor. While Oscar used his long spear to destroy anyone that Gatrie struck, Ranulf leapt over the crowds and struck the ones that Gatrie and Oscar didn’t finish.

It was sudden and took everyone by surprise, the entrance to the fifth floor closed behind them and the revenants backed straight up the stairway. The voice echoed off the walls and back into their ears, the eerie voice of a dead man, a man that Ike told them to stay clear of. “So I see that general Gwain’s army still stands…as does his daughter, I suggest that you lift this darkness or I will have to get real nasty.”

Mist trembled and remembered the fight that Ike went through to put him down. The only reason that Ike did win though was due to Ragnel, his father’s sword. Shakily, she raised the staff and watched as the shadows retreated back into her staff. Ranulf growled at the man encased in black armor. “It is rather…nice to see you all again. How long was it?”

Soren watched as he pulled out a sword the size of a ten year old child and swing it at Nephenee. Gracefully she rolled out of the way and the air slice flew past her ear and cut a few strands of hair off of her head. Mia dashed forward and cut straight up with a critical, but didn’t even manage to scratch his ebony armor. With the back of his left hand he not only knocked Mia back into a wall, but Nephenee as well.

The Black Knight raised his weapon and swung back down causing another air rift that threatened to cut the girls into two clean halves. Without a second though Soren sprinted in front of them and threw up a Tornado spell from his tomb and watched as the two spells fought, eventually the Black Knights sword broke through and cut Soren. Although it wasn’t too deep due to his spell taking off the edge.

“You are quite the mage aren’t you?” He asked cutting Lucia and Oscar as they charged. Mist in a flash swept them both up on her horse and pulled them back before healing their wounds as fast as she could. Gatrie moved forward as fast as he could and thrusted his spear at the man’s helmet knocking it off.

They all looked at his seek blue hair that hung freely over his face, his eyes were a dark brown color, so dark they looked to be almost black and his cheekbones were high and pronounced. Overall he was a very handsome man. Soren ran forward and swiped his helmet making sure that he could be hurt. “You’ll pay for that.” the man stated cutting Gatrie twice before Oscar and Ranulf charged at him and knocked the man into a wall.

Everyone was panting, tired from the motions except for the handsome knight who did huff or heave. “I now know why my master is so afraid of you…you are all exceptional warriors, how sad that you had to meet me today.” Marcia (she didn’t bring the flying horse into the tower) Charged and thrusted her spear at the side of the man’s face but only managed a small cut to his cheek. Marcia leaned back as he swung his sword and cut the left side of her body. She fell lifelessly in a pool of her own blood.

“Wait, please.” Mist began. “I know that you are going to kill us…but will you answer my question first? Who is your master?” Soren seized the moment as the dark knight stepped over the fallen Pegasus knight and grabbed Marcia by the arm then slung her over his shoulder. He let her down near a wall where he force fed her an elixir.

The knight looked directly at Mist who was relatively unhurt but had a few scratches. “He was a leader of the Daien army during the war with Crimea and has brought Oliver back from the dead. With their combined knowledge they brought back some of the worlds best fighters. Although I doubt that you have met him, his name is Izuka, he was the one that guarded the heron princess.” The knight then scanned the room. “I applaud your bravery…I will give you a quick death.”

He marched straight for Mist, he raised his weapon above his head but stopped when Mist fell to her knees. Suddenly he stopped and looked to the wall where the entrance was blocked off, he let his weapon fall to his side and watched the wall expectantly. Surprisingly the stone bricks came un-lodged and a man with long green hair came through, light flew in behind him temporarily blinding everyone. “Step away from my students sister.” The Black Knight looked at the man, at his side was a curved sword and he wore a purple robe with a black mesh shirt underneath. “Or you will regret being born.”

Everyone perked up when they noticed the man. “I see.” The black knight stated. “I wish a match, but not here, not now. Take your men, I promise that no more revenants will come, so long as everyone returns in one days time so we may continue this fight.”

“Why not now?” The hermit sword master asked.

“I want you rested, I know that there are passages in this tower that would have led Revenants down to the first floor and you took them all out. Besides, I did quite a number on this lot, you best take my kindness in stride and leave.” The Black Knight then turned his back on the man and went back up the stairs. “I hope, that General Ike is accompanying you…I have two people who will be very pleased to meet him again.”

“Wait.” Mist called out. “Can we have two days? Ike will be back then.” The Knight nodded and continued up the stairs.

AN:/ I know, abrupt ending. Next chapter will be a big fight then they will start to put more pieces together. This is unbetaed because my beta is out of town at the moment. If you guys don’t leave reviews then I will slow down my updates even more. Understand? I hate doing this but I want input on my writing and am even willing to stop writing this. I tried to hint it but now I am starting to get pissed off.