Will of the King - Chapter 4

TITLE

Lyrian Chronicles 9 - Will of the King

Google Drive Version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Nq-Ex4gagEI4nZOUWHoKPt_MBf6LRubGz-s01PLCabY/edit?usp=sharing

Campaign By: Leaflit
Adapted By: Leaflit and ShyMoth

Edited By: ShyMoth

Proofread By: Ayra

Chapter Visual: Kriss Sison

This story is a replay novel.  Everything occurred over a game of Angel’s Sword TTRPG.  You can play for free now:
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You can follow the game here (Characters and Documents):

https://app.roll20.net/campaigns/journal/18196509/index

New Episodes every week or so.

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CHAPTER 4

Compromise

Lord Elphias lowered his longsword for a moment as he dismounted his horse, bringing himself to their level, "You speak of honor and justice as if the world were so simple. I have sworn an oath—not just to Casimir, but to the stability of this kingdom. My house has been loyal to the crown for generations, and now at this moment you would ask me to turn back on that legacy?"

He pointed to the battlefield where both armies were still locked in combat, "Do you think this brings pleasure? Lady Amelie...her memory drives us and her murder is that fuel. I cannot...I will not...allow her death be unavenged. Casimir is our future king, I can not simply ignore his command and throw everything of our house into dishonor. Most definitely not for a child princess, whose claim rests on a document of which I have never seen, in the hands of the very fugitive we seek to bring to justice."

Elphias looked up at the sky, his voice softening with a detectable fatigue, "I'll tell you one more time. Surrender. For the stability of the kingdom. What happens after me? More will come in my stead. You can end this right now and save this entire kingdom of bloodshed."

Yasha scoffed, her eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and disdain. "Save the kingdom from bloodshed? Apart from the people already murdered by the man you now serve, you mean?" she retorted sharply. "If you're not at least suspicious of him orchestrating the whole affair, then you are a fool."

She took a deliberate step forward, her grip tightening on her weapon. "If your honor blinds you to reason, then we will have to knock you down first. Perhaps seeing the document will change your mind, but I think further words are a waste of time here."

Elphias thrust his sword forward, pointing it sharply at the party. "Alizee, do it. All units, advance!" he commanded with unwavering authority.

Behind him stood Alizee, a mage adorned in elegant robes of light green that matched her serene eyes. A wide-brimmed hat shaded her face, the intelligence tangible in her eyes and her composed demeanor. She nodded firmly. "Yes, my lord."

She raised her staff, its intricate carvings catching the light, and closed her eyes as she began an incantation: 

Blessings of the wind spirit, all sylph who carry on the breeze of destiny, grant us your divine wind.

As her words echoed, the air around them began to stir. A gentle breeze swirled, growing steadily stronger, pushing softly against their cheeks. The atmosphere shifted, tension mounting as the winds gathered strength, signaling the imminent clash between the two forces.

Alizee stood poised behind Lord Elphias, her light green mage's robes fluttering gently in the rising breeze. The brim of her hat cast a shadow over eyes that matched her attire—a serene, pale green reflecting her unwavering focus. With a calm yet commanding presence, she continued to weave her spells in rapid succession.

"Whispers of the high skies, lift our spirits and bodies, grant us your grace." 

She intoned, her voice resonating with the very winds she summoned.

A soft green light emanated from her, and blades of grass swirled upward, caught in the spiral of magical energy forming around her. An orb of luminescent power blossomed in her right hand, pulsating with restrained force as she held it aloft, ready but not yet unleashed.

On the battlefield, Yasha barely had time to react as an arrow sliced through the air toward her. The first archer had taken aim with lethal precision, Alizee’s swirling wind enchanting their arrows. The projectile struck her armor, piercing through a joint and grazing her side. She winced as pain shot through her, clutching the wound while steadying herself. Her eyes locked onto the source of the attack.

Meanwhile, the enemy cavalry moved with practiced coordination. The knight broke formation, his steed thundering across the field straight toward Lanes. The glint of the rider's lance reflected the grim resolve in his eyes.

"It was obvious their formation was well-rehearsed," Lanes muttered, bracing himself. As the cavalryman closed in, he timed his move perfectly. At the last possible second, Lanes sidestepped, the horse's momentum carrying the rider past him as the lance thrust into empty air.

Without wasting a moment, Lanes pulled a small vial from his belt and drank a potion, feeling a surge of vitality course through him as Yasha's gaze glanced in his direction momentarily. 

Drawing his blade with fluid motion, he swung at the retreating cavalryman. The horse stumbled slightly, but his strike sliced through nothing but air. Fatigue began to weigh on him; but he knew he couldn't afford to let up.

"Not done yet," Lanes muttered again. Darting forward, he delivered a swift slash to the rider's flank. His blade found its mark, cutting through a gap in the armor. The cavalryman grimaced as the blow landed, circling around to make another pass.

From a distance, Lord Elphias observed the exchange. Swiping his sword to the side, he barked an order, "Tone, retreat. All Focus their ranger. Bulk, Skull, pin him down!"

The cavalryman—Tone—nodded sharply, pulling back to regroup. An archer moved forward, stepping into the swirling aura around Alizee. Within the protective winds, he drew an arrow and locked onto Lanes. The knights advanced, splitting apart as they went to catch Lanes between them.

"Well, I don't quite like the sound of that," Lanes remarked grimly. An arrow whistled past, grazing his cheek and leaving a thin line of blood. He felt the sharp sting but maintained his composure.

Kaede watched the unfolding battle with keen eyes. "We need to see how they respond," she thought. Swiftly, she reached for her musket, settling into a steady stance. She fired two shots in quick succession—the first a rapid discharge to gauge their defenses, the second more focused, aimed directly at the archer threatening Lanes.

As the bullets streaked toward their targets, Alizee shifted her right hand gracefully, the orb of energy moving with her. Raising her other hand, she conjured a spinning sphere of emerald energy that crackled with intensity.

"Barrier of the eternal gale, rise and shield us, let no force break through the winds of protection!"

A wall of condensed air materialized before the archer, the atmosphere twisting to form an impenetrable shield. Kaede's first bullet met the barrier and veered off wildly, its trajectory warped by the swirling winds. The second bullet suffered the same fate, spiraling harmlessly away.

The archer barely flinched as the bullets missed their mark. He exhaled sharply, relief evident on his face. "T-thanks, Alizee... ," he shouted over the gale, casting a grateful glance back at the mage.

Kaede frowned, lowering her musket slightly. "A wind barrier," she murmured. "They've got a solid support mage back there.  I don't think shooting is much of an option."

Yasha took a swig from the gourd at her side, a custom of her people as they ran into battle. She nodded to Kaede and exchanged a few quick words with Helene to finalize their strategy. "If you take the main group, I'll pick off the sides," she said, in a calculated manner.

Without fear, Yasha dug her feet into the ground and then charged forward. She sprinted toward the cavalry who had retreated to their original position. To the Cavalryman, it seemed as if Yasha disappeared for a moment, with only blades of grass kicked up into the air to signal her position.  He reared up his horse to retreat—caught off guard as Yasha spun her spear in arc.  Her spear struck true, embedding itself into his shoulder. Gripping the weapon with both hands, she leveraged her momentum with a twist to pull the man off his horse. 

With cold efficiency, she withdrew her spear and delivered a swift, precise stab to his neck. The cavalryman fell in a spray of blood, as his horse galloped away riderless.

Helene knew she had to ignore Lane's fight for more pressing matters as she slithered past the two opposing knights, trusting that Lanes and Kaede could handle them swiftly. She cast a mocking smile at Elphias, deliberately ignoring him as she thrust her spear toward the enemy alchemist and Alizee, the wind mage. The turbulent winds blew around her as she advanced, throwing off her initial strike just enough for the alchemist to stumble out of harm's way. Undeterred, she adjusted her stance and managed to catch Alizee with her second thrust, striking just before the mage's prepared spell was unleashed.

A powerful blast of wind erupted from Alizee, pushing Helene back with surprising force. She nearly collided with Lord Elphias but managed to skid to a stop twenty feet away, her armor absorbing most of the impact. "Right, how could I forget how annoying wind mages are to fight?" she muttered, irritation flickering across her face.

Alizee stood firm behind Lord Elphias, her light green mage's robes swirling in the magical winds she commanded. With focused intent, she continued her incantations.

Meanwhile, the enemy alchemist seized her moment. She pulled out a flask shimmering with frosty blue liquid and hurled it toward Yasha before quickly moving away. The flask arced through the air and exploded above Yasha's head in a burst of icy dust. Shards of frost clung to her armor, the sudden chill biting at her skin and making the oni shiver for a moment.

Alizee then turned her attention to Yasha in a concerted attack "Wind Blast !!" she called out, releasing a powerful gust aimed directly at her. Yasha braced herself, managing to block the initial blast. Undeterred, Alizee conjured two smaller bursts of wind that spun in a twin orbit, sending them hurtling toward her. With agile movements, Yasha dodged one by twisting her body and sidestepped the other, avoiding further harm.

Feeling the chill from the ice and the pressure of the attacks, Yasha pressed her fists together, channeling her inner mana. "Spiritual Sync !!" she whispered, expelling mana from within. A thin, shimmering layer, a mix of her life energy and mana coated her entire body to protect her—a technique that spoke to the closeness of the Youkai's bond with their internal energies.

Her eyes flashed with determination as she advanced toward the enemy formation. Sprinting past one of the archers, she spun around and delivered two swift jabs with her spear. The archer dodged the first strike, but the second connected, causing him to stagger backward—blood dripping from his leather half-armor.

Lord Elphias observed the battlefield, his gaze settling on Helene, "You want to play, girl?" Stepping forward, he raised his sword high, the blade beginning to glow ominously with mana. "Torte Style, Resonant Edge !!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

He slashed toward Helene with lethal intent, the blade humming loudly. Despite her armor, she knew better than to rely on it always, Helene dodged gracefully, the empowered blade slicing through empty air where she had stood moments before. "You'll have to try harder than that," she retorted, a steely glint in her eyes.

Frustrated, Elphias barked another command. "Tch...Knight, block their ranger!"

One of the knights nodded and moved swiftly to intercept Lanes, attempting to prevent him from providing any support. As Lanes adjusted his position, an enemy archer took aim and released an arrow with deadly accuracy. Sensing the attack, Lanes dodged just in time, the arrow whistling past him harmlessly. "They're really intent on pinning me down," he yelled out.

Kaede, recognizing the importance of neutralizing the enemy mage, sheathed her musket and gripped her greataxe firmly. "Time to make a move," she decided.

Charging toward the backline, Kaede sprinted forward, her axe dragging along the ground and sending up sparks. As she closed in on Alizee, she stepped between the mage and an archer. With a powerful swing, she aimed her greataxe at Alizee. The mage managed to dodge the initial strike, but the force of Kaede's swing generated a wild arc and a shockwave that caught Alizee off guard, causing her to stumble slightly.

"Sorry, but I need to make sure you stay put," Kaede said firmly, locking eyes with the mage.

One of Elphias's knights noticed Lanes attempting to create distance and moved swiftly to intercept him. "Why you so scared?" the knight chuckled gruffly, attempting to provoke Lanes into engaging. With a quick thrust, the knight's blade grazed Lanes's arm, a sharp sting reminding him of the danger.

Helene and Elphias squared off, sending sparks flying through the air as they exchanged blows.  The hum of the magic bathed on Elphias blade caused a deep instinct within herself to avoid it.  It was during the exchange that she realized it... this was a bad matchup for her.  The piercing magic on that blade would tear through the heavy armor that her large body afforded her to wear.

One of the Lord Commanders blows sliced down from the heavens, Helene tilting her shield at a steep angle to deflect the blow.  A chunk of steel spun through the air, the edge glowing red in a molten state.  "This is bad," she thought to herself.  She needed to change tactics.

Deciding to reposition, Helene moved away from Elphias. Sensing an opportunity, he swung his sword in a heavy arc. "As if I would let you get away!" he shouted. Helene's defensive instincts kicked in; she raised her shield and deflected the impact once more.

Continuing her movement, she closed in next to Alizee. "Your spells end here," Helene declared, projecting a threatening aura as she infused her spear with magic. The force of her presence drew the focus of Alizee, the alchemist, and the nearby archer.

The alchemist, noticing Helene and Kaede closing in, quickly reached into her pouch. "Try this on for size!" she shouted, hurling a flask at them. The flask exploded in a burst of blinding light, momentarily disorienting both women. Taking advantage of the distraction, she deftly pulled out a healing potion and tossed it to Alizee. "Here, this will help!"

Alizee caught the potion and drank it swiftly, throwing the vial to the ground in a shattering sound. Realizing the danger of staying close to Helene and Kaede, she began to retreat. As she moved away, she exposed herself to attacks from the three warriors.  The wind mage mustered all of her strength in a dazzling display of magic.  Like a choreographed dance, she spun, the wind whipping up around her as steel flashed around her in narrow misses.  Nearly out of the fray, Alizee retreated with only a slight wound from Kaede's axe.

Elphias dashed forward, his eyes fixed on Kaede. "I won't let you hurt Alizee," he declared, placing himself directly between Kaede and the wind mage. He feinted a strike toward Kaede, his blade glinting menacingly. As Kaede braced for the attack, Elphias spun, his sword arcing upward into the air. Mana surged through him, causing the blade to glow with an intense light.

"Resonant Blade !!" he shouted, bringing the empowered sword down toward Helene. The flames of magic danced along the blade as it sliced through the air, aimed directly at the Lamia warrior.

Helene, caught off guard by the sudden assault, attempted to raise her shield, but the force of Elphias's strike was overwhelming. The blade connected solidly, sending a shockwave through her body. Pain seared through her as the attack reverberated through her armor.

Seeing their pressured state, the Captain of the Royal Guard stepped forward, the ground cracking and sinking under her foot as pushed herself up into the air.  The archer looked skyward, narrowing his eyes to the glint of the sun as he unleashed several arrows.  Yasha swiped her hand in front of her, splintering the arrows into pieces as she landed beside him, her spear striking the ground—as the archer rolled away.

Stretching out her arms, Yasha clenched her hands into fists, manipulating the Ki around the archer who had attempted to distance himself from them. "You're not getting away," she muttered. She reached out her hand—concentrating her energy into it, manipulating the very nature of "inner magic" itself in a technique the Oni were fond of.  The archer stopped in his tracks, sliding backwards fighting against the attracting force of Yasha's Ki before losing foothold completely and hurdling through the air.

Kaede saw the archer being drawn toward her and didn't hesitate.  Despite the fact they only started working together, Adventurers often prided themselves in their versatility.  Kaede lowered her stance and swept her axe back, kicking up sparks as it grinded the ground.  Turning her axe to the side, she slammed it into the archer as he flew by, sending him twenty feet into the air as he tumbled onto the ground, motionless.  With a smile, she gave a thumbs up to Yasha, who nodded in acknowledgement.

Helene pressed forward towards the Alchemist who screamed in fear at her towering form.  The Alchemist fumbled through her bags in an attempt to find anything that could rectify the situation, Helene giving her a slight smile as she moved past.  In confusion the Alchemist turned around to see Helene now to her side and before she could decipher what was going on it was too late—The Lamiafolk had wrapped around her completely.  Her muscles still in pain from Elphias's strike, she fought through it and constricted around the Alchemist who could only be heard whimpering underneath the force.

Alizee thrust her hand to the side, spheres of wind bursting to life within them, "Hang on!" she called out. With swift movements, she fired two pressure blasts toward Helene.

Despite the speed of Alizee's spells, Helene's Chimera instincts were quicker.  She raised her shield, the spheres of wind striking the metal with a hollow thud as she protected her vitals that the wind mage had obviously aimed for.  The Alchemist continued to struggle, but with Helene's grip tightening she resigned, her body going limp.

Seeing his comrades fall around him, Elphias gripped his sword tightly as he walked forward with conviction.  He stepped into Kaede's axe that blocked his way, spinning his sword behind him and slashing up from underneath to knock it away.  With each step becoming heavier, he seemed to tower about Helene, despite her being much larger than he.  The sheer force of Elphias' presence was drilled into the Lamia's mind, the power of his very soul core wrapping him like a cloak of black flames.

Time seemed to slow as he raised his longsword to the sky in a two-handed stance that was the epitome of aggression.  He screamed out with pure fighting spirit, the mana flowing from him and then into the blade, the air trembling as he slashed Helene with his full weight, "Secret Art:  Resonant Blade Harrower !!"

The Lamia raised her shield to block it, infusing as much mana as she could.  The black-flame aura pushed into her shield which began to hum and tremble violently before pushing through and into her entire body.  Like a tuning fork, the resonation shook the very water in her body sending intense pangs of pain throughout her.  Helene held on for as long as she could, the energy tearing her muscles to shreds from within as she gave in, falling forward and collapsing onto the ground.

"Helene!"  Kaede stumbled forward in desperation as she moved forward slam Elphias with her shoulder while whispering an incantation under her breath:

“Yugu, protector of our world.  Breathe life into your children.  Cure Touch !!”

She rammed into Elphias who held out his hand to meet her, his gauntlet rattling under the force.  Kaede suddenly crouched down and pushed upward to knock him off balance before crouching down and touching Helene's chest to send the blessing of healing through her.

Helene coughed awake, flecks of blood traveling through the air as she immediately stood up.  She was a seasoned Royal Guard, and with steeled willpower she reached for her alchemy pouch, pulling two vials from it and hurling one to the ground in a cloud of smoke.  Biting the cork from the other she drank the healing potion, its effects muted by the diminishing mana flow in her body.

Elphias regained his balance and sighed, "Why do you delay the inevitable?"  They could only hear the action outside of the smoke, wind howling and weapons clashing.  He raised his stance once more like before.

The pair continued their assault on Elphias as he nimbly dodged them throughout the smoke, maintaining his stance as he gathered the mana into his blade.  With a loud hum, they could hear the activation of Elphias technique.  Kaede spun her axe and swung from low to high, Elphias stepping back.

He knew he had her, but he didn't offer a smile, only the respect of a merciful death, "Fall.  Resonant Blade !!"  With a low reverberation and finally a sharp hum, Elphias stepped into finish off the unbalanced Kaede.

Kaede heard a crunch and then a low hum, feeling warm blood dripping onto her face.  She looked up to see Helene in front of her, Elphias' blade grinding against the bone of her arm.  In her daze she could barely make out that Helene was shouting at her to run before armored boots struck the Lamia in the side and sent her sliding across the floor.

She held her hand out towards Helene and shouted, "Helene... no...!" which contrasted what Elphias said at that exact moment—"Stay Down... this time."  The catfolk regained her balance as she spun her axe into a high swing position that brushed the smoke aside as it subsided, raising the curtain on what had happened.

Yasha appeared on the other side of the smoke, her spear lodged into the Alchemist's shoulder who was passed out on the ground.  The Oni raised her foot up and kicked the Alchemist away to free her spear as she looked over to see the situation unfolding:   Helene was on the ground bleeding, an unconscious Lanes was being kicked while on the floor by the two knights and Kaede was in an unfavorable position.  

Alizee's gaze met Yasha's from across the battlefield in a mutual understanding that any interference would mean the other would join the fight.  She held out her hand and threatened the Oni as spheres of wind magic spun up in her hand.

Elphias, breathing heavily, called out to Alizee, "The catfolk can use Divine Magic."

Alizee looked to the ground to see Helene unconscious from her wounds.  She knew exactly what her Lord was telling her.  With her other hand she fired a blast of wind to knock her away in denial, the Lamia's form spinning through the air as she landed in the nearby bushes.

Kaede spun her axe as she began to rotate around Elphias, who did the same.  They both knew how tired she was, her muscles burning and screaming out for respite.  "If only... I wasn't so injured from the Armatae," she thought to herself in frustration.  

The Lord took the first strike, delivering a horizontal blow that Kaede easily deflected.  Flashes of light and steel sparked throughout the battlefield as Kaede doubled back from Elphias' brutal onslaught.  Despite Kaede wreathing every slash in her mana, causing small residual damage as Elphias dodged, the man moved with the force of a mountain in unyielding fashion.

Elphias's sword clashed with Kaede's axe one final time as he pushed forward on her before delivering a firm front kick to her gut and then a pommel strike to her shoulder.  He struck her right were the Armatae's blast hit her earlier.  She felt her rib crack with a crunch as she staggered back and fell back, only holding herself by her axe, gripping her bleeding shoulder with her other hand that stained her white coat in red.

Lord Elphias raised his sword once more, his blade brimming with mana as the terrifying hum resonated throughout the battlefield.  Yasha could no longer wait; she dug her heels in and prepared to intercept as Alizee responded in kind, thrusting her hands forward to blast her away.  But before Elphias struck he shouted to the both of them, "Stop."

Confused, Yasha and Alizee turned to look at him, who maintained the same stance from before.  Elphias spoke authoritatively "Let's negotiate.  You're wounded, we're wounded."  He looked around at the battle raging all around him, "I can see that my army is being collapsed on, but I've clearly won this engagement.  You let us retreat back to Macaron, and in return you can all keep your lives.  Perhaps I can save Sera's life as well."

He looked back at his subordinate who lay in a pool of her own blood, his lip twisting at the sight, "What say you?"  He prepared to strike with the full weight of his ability if they declined his offer.

Kaede dropped to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to stay upright. "If... you want her life saved, I can help you with that. If you trust me enough," Kaede offered between labored breaths.

Yasha lowered her spear, though her gaze remained firmly fixed on the commander. "You were the one attacking us to begin with. We had no quarrel with you from the start. If you wish to retreat from the field, I guarantee we will not pursue."

Elphias exhaled deeply, a subtle relief easing the tension in his posture as he lowered his blade. "Alizee... give the command to retreat. Then tend to the wounded."

One of the knights glanced down at the unconscious Lanes, then turned away, his hands moving in a concealed motion. The other knight noticed and gave a slight nod, chuckling. The first knight knelt beside Lanes and slipped something into his pocket before they both walked away, giving the ranger a final parting kick to his unconscious body.

Turning back to Kaede, Elphias met her eyes. "If you think you can do it... then I would be grateful. Sera is important to us."

Yasha jammed her spear into the ground and reached for the communicator at her belt. Bringing it to her lips, she spoke firmly into the artifice, "The enemy is retreating. Do not pursue and do not fire on retreating enemies."

Elphias continued, a hint of doubt lingering in his tone. "I hope you're telling the truth. About all of this. We'll know soon, I suppose."

"If not... you must understand how precarious a situation you will be in," he added, his gaze steady but weary.

Kaede nodded, struggling slightly as she pushed herself to her feet. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but she made her way toward Sera, the fallen dragoon commander. Kneeling beside the wounded woman, Kaede began to pray softly and earnestly.

"Oh Mother Earth, bless Yugu, please grant her your blessing and warmth so she finds the energy to keep going, Cure Touch !!" 

A soft light emanated from Kaede's hands as she retrieved her medicine kit, tending to Sera's wounds with practiced care. The healing energy flowed from her fingertips, knitting together torn flesh and soothing bruised organs.

Sera coughed weakly, a fleck of blood staining her lips, but her breathing steadied—a faint rise and fall returning to her chest.

"The offer to view the document is there if you are interested," Yasha said, addressing Elphias. "Our situation will not be good—I think that is obvious. Still, I'm sure there are many who do not wish to see Prince Casimir take power. I don't wish to speak for the princess, but I don't believe she really wants this either. She would have been much happier if anyone else than Casimir had been the survivor and next in line for the throne."

Alizee approached, a sphere of green energy swirling in her hand. Her light green mage's robes fluttered gently in the residual winds of her magic. "Lord Elphias, Tone and the horse are done for, but we can get out of here with Sasha, and the others."

Lord Elphias sheathed his longsword, his expression inscrutable. "Seeing the document wouldn't help much, it could be real or it could be a forgery.  Regardless I hope we don't meet again," he said, though a flicker of something softer crossed his eyes. 

"Not on the battlefield at least, I hope," Yasha replied, a note of sincerity in her voice.

He bent down and gently lifted Sera into his arms, cradling her like a princess. Glancing at Kaede, he added, "Thank you, Priestess."

"You're welcome, Lord Elphias," Kaede said with a tired smile.

He began to walk away, the knights following as they carried a few of their wounded comrades. Alizee fell into step beside him, with Sasha and Tone's body hovering on disks of swirling air conjured by her magic, retreating from the battlefield.

"And I kind of want to see you again. I feel like I can learn a lot from your fighting style," Kaede called out after him.

Once Elphias had left, Yasha walked in the opposite direction to where Lanes had fallen. "Get up," she ordered him. "Those knights put something in your pocket. I don't want to immediately accuse Elphias of foul play, but we can't rule out any potential threats being planted."

Lanes groaned as he got to his feet, clutching his ribs a bit. "I wasn't going to draw any attention to it in sight…the two knights seemed keen to not have him notice..." He got to his feet shakily. Suddenly, a gust of wind kicked up beneath Lanes, swirling dust and leaves around his feet.

"Well, great...what is it now?" he muttered, glancing downward with a mix of irritation and caution.

Descending gracefully through the air on her vertically-held staff—her foot secured in a stirrup attached to the device—a golden-haired girl with vibrant green eyes appeared. She touched down lightly beside them, stepping off with practiced ease.

The girl glanced over at Lanes, noticing his disheveled state and the wary look on his face. "It's just me—you don't have to be scared," she said with a slight smile. "I came right away. You guys okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice. It was Firefly, the commander of the Aerial Mage Battalion. Her arrival brought a momentary calm amid the aftermath of the battle.

Yasha turned to her as Firefly began reporting their unit's losses. She listened attentively, her expression stoic but her eyes reflecting a hint of sorrow.

"Acceptable," Yasha finally said with a solemn nod. "Any death is tragic, but it is also unavoidable in a battle such as this."  She looked back at the corpse of Tone’s horse, the Macaronian Cavalryman’s fate was still fresh on her mind.

"I saw that Alizee was on the battlefield," Firefly said, a shudder running through her as she added, "She has it out for me!"

"Do you know her?" Yasha inquired, turning her gaze to Firefly. "Not that I blame you for being cautious. I've read many horror stories about aerial mages encountering wind mages."

Firefly adjusted the goggles perched atop her hat, ensuring they were securely in place. "Ah, yeah... about Alizee. She's kind of a well-known wind mage. I've heard people know about me in different cities and stuff, and well, you know, we aerial mages don't get along with aeromancers. Probably would've been a pretty big accomplishment for her if she took me out, right?"

"Mmm," Yasha mused thoughtfully. "If we do have to fight her again, I'll keep you far away from her." She offered Firefly a reassuring glance. "It feels strange to be fighting against people who are well-known. I'll admit I didn't really keep up with these things."

Firefly smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Captain. I'll make sure to support from a safe distance."

An irritated huff and crumpling paper drew their attention to Lanes, his fist clenched. “I thought those knights might have left a boobytrap of some kind but…” he opened his hand and smoothed out the paper that had been planted on him as best he could. With annoyance clear in his voice, he read, “You big dumb and big suck…I king you queen. Sit down baby loser.” He stuffed the note into his pocket. “Just them insulting me. And it’s misspelled. Nothing important.”

Yasha raised an eyebrow at Lanes, skepticism flickering in her eyes, but she chose to let it go. “If that’s all, then I was worried for nothing.”

Firefly nodded thoughtfully, her green eyes reflecting both concern and curiosity as she questioned, "So, how was Lord Elphias? Was he really that strong?" She pondered for a moment, weighing out the matchup in her mind, "I can't imagine anyone being stronger than Yasha in a straight fight," she added, casting an admiring glance at the Oni warrior.

Yasha crossed her arms, her gaze distant as she recalled the battle. "He was strong," she admitted to Firefly. "If I were to fight him one-on-one, it would be a close fight, I think. But we were already tired from an earlier battle, and their formation was very well practiced. If we had kept fighting, I'm not sure we could have won. Thankfully, they offered to retreat, and I accepted their request."

Lanes let out a weary sigh. "Large-scale conflicts like this seldom allow us the luxury of straight fights," he explained to Firefly.  The ranger looked back on the battle, holding up his fingers to count the issues "He had his knights rush and stick to me like glue... cavalry went right at me...crossbows can't do much in that situation..."  He sighed dejectedly, "I'll need to pick up a few new tricks...I think."

The Captain turned toward Lanes, her eyes scrutinizing him carefully. "I was pretty sure you carried melee weapons?"

"I do," Lanes replied, meeting her gaze steadily. "But they were set to strike me whenever I attacked. Being in melee is not my forte. A problem I will be remedying forthwith. I have reflected on this whole battle and will be addressing it accordingly. You needn't worry."

After a few moments of tense silence, Yasha nodded. "See that you do, because your performance in this battle has, quite frankly, been unacceptable. Your mistake against the Armatae I can overlook, but it should not be possible for a Royal Guard to lose a fight against two common soldiers. When we get back, I shall find the tactics books I used to study before. I expect you to read them and perform better in the future. Are we clear?"

Lanes's jaw tightened slightly, but he maintained his composure. "As I said, you needn't worry. We're clear. I have no desire to die."

Yasha's mouth wrinkled at the mention of his last sentence.  She tried to find the exact words she wanted to use in awkward silence.

Firefly rubbed the back of her head, sensing the tension. "Alright, well... I'm going to go take a lap with the squadron, just to make sure everything is clear around here... and stuff."  

She tipped the front of her staff forward and hopped on, the device humming softly as she ascended. "See you back at camp!" she called out before zooming up into the blue sky, her golden hair streaming behind her like a comet's tail.

—

Kaede sprinted on all fours towards a patch of wood and brush on the battlefield.  She yelled out desperately, "HELENE!?".

Helene shakily raised a hand out of the bush she had collapsed behind. “Armor breaking techniques should be illegal...” she complained as she pushed herself to be a little more visible to Kaede. From what she could see and feel, her armor was pretty much intact beyond some scratches and dirt. The magic behind most armor break techniques allowed the force of a blow to flow through the armor to strike with bone breaking force underneath. 

"Ah!" Kaede exclaimed, relief washing over her. She hurried over, carefully parting the bushes to reach Helene. Without wasting a moment, she began assisting her out of the thicket. "Let me help you," she said softly, already opening her medicine kit. Her hands moved deftly, but concern etched lines across her face. "I'm surprised you held out that long. That technique seems specifically designed to harm those in heavy armor. Are you okay with me loosening your armor to start applying healing?"

Helene offered a wry smile. "Yes, please. I'd help with the straps, but... my everything hurts right now."

Kaede nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I understand." She began working on the straps, her fingers fumbling a bit with the unfamiliar clasps. "I usually deal with lighter armor. Leather vests don't have quite so many buckles," she admitted, her tail swaying behind her as she concentrated.

"Gauntlets and pauldrons first," Helene guided gently. "Heavy armor is layered to protect the straps and buckles. Can't have someone cutting a strap and my breastplate falling off in the middle of battle, can we? The gauntlets and pauldrons are the outer layers—remove those, and we can get to the rest."

"Right," Kaede agreed, following her instructions. She carefully unfastened the gauntlets, setting them aside before moving on to the pauldrons. Each piece was placed neatly on the grass, arranged in the order she removed them. "I've been thinking of investing in some tailored mail myself," she mused softly. "Something that offers more protection without hindering my movement."

Helene chuckled lightly, wincing just a bit. "It's a worthwhile investment. Though moments like these make me question my life choices."

Together, they managed to remove the breastplate and waist armor. Kaede's movements were gentle yet efficient, her earlier nervousness replaced by focused determination. Helene raised her arms with a suppressed groan, allowing Kaede to pull off the chainmail and padded underlayer, revealing the simple tunic beneath.

"This took longer than I thought," Kaede remarked, a hint of apology in her tone.

"Armor isn't known for its convenience," Helene replied with a soft smile. She watched as Kaede organized the armor pieces meticulously. Memories surfaced of her days as a squire in Nuren, assisting weary soldiers after grueling battles. It felt odd to be on the receiving end, but Kaede's careful attention eased any discomfort.

Kaede rolled up her sleeves, retrieving a salve from her kit. She placed her hands gently on Helene's arms, a warm light beginning to emanate from her palms. "Please grant her your blessing, oh Mother Lyr," she whispered. "Let your warmth heal her wounds."

A soothing sensation spread through Helene as the healing magic took effect. The deep aches began to fade, replaced by a comforting warmth. She let out a sigh of relief. "At least I don't have greaves and boots to worry about," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Kaede smiled softly. "Small mercies," she agreed. She could see the tension easing from Helene's face, but also noticed the lingering strain whenever she moved too quickly. Determined to help further, Kaede reached for one of the sealed jars of salve.

"Thank you, Kaede," Helene said, placing a hand over Kaede's to pause her. "I feel much better already, but let's wait until we're back at camp before we start with the salves. It's easier to apply them properly there."

Kaede hesitated for a moment before nodding. "You're right. I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I appreciate it," Helene assured her. "Now, if we bundle up the chainmail and stack the plates just right on the padded layer, I can carry it like a little sack." She began to demonstrate, despite Kaede's protests.

"Let me help with that," Kaede insisted. "You shouldn't overexert yourself right now."

Helene conceded with a gentle nod. "Alright, but I'll carry part of it. I'm not completely helpless."

Together, they packed up the armor, Kaede taking the heavier pieces despite Helene's mild objections. "If it becomes too much to carry, please let me know," Kaede said earnestly. "I don't mind taking on more."

"You're too kind," Helene replied, touched by her concern. "But I'll manage. Let's get back to the others."

Kaede offered her shoulder for support. "Lean on me if you need to."

Accepting the gesture, Helene rested a hand lightly on Kaede's shoulder. The two made their way slowly across the battlefield, the sounds of distant activity filling the air.

"Helene," Kaede began hesitantly. "I wanted to say... I'm sorry I couldn't assist you sooner. If I hadn't been so injured by the Armatae..."

Helene continued across the plains, clanking away as they went, "You have nothing to apologize for. We all did what we could. Besides, you faced an Armatae alone and lived to tell the tale. That's no small feat."

Kaede smiled softly in relief, a great weight lifted from her shoulders.  The two girls continued to walk in silence across the battlefield, the orange hues of setting sun streaking over their shoulders.

EXTRAS

Today’s chapter is long so… a short mini mag today!

Patreon QnA

This week we have no questions from Patreon so we’ll be answering some questions from discord!

It’s hard to say!  But we do try to use already established characters more, since it makes the world feel a lot more alive.  Amoretta is probably traveling around somewhere…

This is an interesting question.  So during the First Divine War, Kirara was supposed to help fight against the Angels, but the leader of Kirara at the time canceled their support right before a big offensive.  Instead they focused their efforts towards creating their own barrier, which hid the island from view—effectively leaving the other nations to fend for themselves.   Because of this Kirara was actually seen as a mythical place until just recently, and has finally re-integrated after helping (a little bit) during the Four Swords War.

Ancient texts are not kind to Kirara, many of them actually fairly upset at the fact that they refused to help and instead chose isolationism.