For Great Victory

[Ninian]

Lucia's eyes widened in surprise as she looked over Tormod before focusing her attention on her Queen, "Certainly. Tormod, let's go." Gently reaching for the boy's wrist the woman smiled warmly, "I will do what I can to entertain you, all right?"


Watching the spectacle, Naesala chuckled softly. Though it was indeed a tense situation, the thought of a boy requiring the Queen's aid as a babysitter was far too amusing. His expression then grew serious as he regarded the Queen, "Please, do not stress yourself. Now, where were we? I Believe we were discussing the rumors that I have verified as truth? These Infinites, as they call themselves. I do not have a motive, however they seem bent on disturbing the peace we worked so hard to achieve."

 

[Syrrus]

"Can you turn into a giant cat? Didn't think so.." Tormod said as he climbed the window and began to follow Lucia, watching Geoffrey who closed the door behind them again. Why was it so hard for people to understand that Tormod was old enough to care for himself? Perhaps it was his headstrongness, stubbornness and childish behavior.


Elincia smiled weakly. "Pardon me for not feeling less worried with these news. Do you know where they are heading? If we could send Ike and his troupes that way and cut them off perhaps..." There was no use, that idea had been destroyed as soon as she mentioned it, Ike was gone.

 

[Ninian]

Lucia looked at the boy with a concerned expression, letting out a soft sigh, "No... I cannot. However I believe Lethe is nearby. Would you like me to fetch her for you?" Though Lucia understood the boy's concern for his 'father', she wished that he would leave the Queen out of his affairs.


Naesala cocked his head at the Queen's suggestion, "Ike? I thought he disappeared. Well this is brilliant news! Yes, you could send him and his troupes, and the threat may be neutralized before it reaches mainland Tellius. I believe their goal is to conquer Daein so that they gain a foothold in Tellius. They should reach Marad within the next few days, and then I believe they will move directly to Nevasa. I cannot say this with certainty, however."

 

[Syrrus]

"Lethe? Uh... No thank you. She doesn't like me much..." Tormod said, looking rather sad. Infact, Lethe was the only laguz he knew that never stopped poking him for being a beroc with a laguz upbringing. He enjoyed Janaff or Ranulf company a lot more, which reminded me... "Aren't you together with Janaff?" He asked, with childish curiosity in his eyes.


Elincia smiled at him but her smiled died down rather quickly. "I am afraid that you are correct, Ike has not been seen for a very long time. Mist is getting worried." It was strange indeed, that Ike would go and leave his dearest sister behind.

 

[Ninian]

"O-Oh... I see. My apologies..." Her face flushed a bright red when Tormod mentioned Janaff, "E-Err... N-No, he's... he's a friend. A good friend." With furrowed brows, she averted her gaze from the boy. I believe he still owes me a dinner... Letting out a soft sigh, she then looked back at Tormod, "Is there anyone else that you'd wish to play with?"


Naesala let out a groan at the Queen's response, "Oh dear... Then... well, this may become a real threat. Ike's famed tactician is still here, so perhaps it isn't all for naught. I do believe you have many of your strongest vassals here as well? Though Ike had a certain skill set; especially his ability to rally together those who serve under different banners. My Queen, if you could play that role, then perhaps your army—no, all armies, together could fight against this threat."

 

[Syrrus]

Tormod frowned with his whole face, looking up at Lucia with a clearly very annoyed look. "I'm not a child, alright? I don't 'play' with people." Tormod had been raised by Laguz, which resulted in a mix between childish behavior and a pretend adult attitude. Not because Laguz grew up quickly, but because his life span was so much shorter than theirs that he had to be an adult at the age of thirteen to catch up.


Elincia sighed. She was flattered that anyone would but that much hope on her, she however felt like it was being misplaced. She was a good ruler, perhaps not better than her father, and she had some good friends in the lands across the world that would help her, no questions asked but that didn't mean she felt ashamed. "I will send someone to Gallia at once, I am certain their king wouldn't mind sending aid."

 

[Ninian]

Lucia let out a sigh, closing her eyes and shaking her head, "Yes, yes... I understand." Though she wasn't sure that Tormod even believed his own words, she was forced to agree with him, "Well... Is there anything you wish to do? Practice? We could spar." Letting out a sigh Lucia averted her gaze, "I would allow you to go about your own business, but you must understand that I have my orders. If I were not to accompany you, or have someone else do so in my stead, you would find your way back to the Queen. I wish to make this experience as pleasant as possible, so please help me to help you." Two fingertips touched her brow as the woman thought about her predicament. I do wish he would be more understanding...


With a nod, Naesala looked upon the Queen with a serious expression, "That would be most excellent. When I am done here I will visit with Tibarn, and ask aid of the united bird clans. Due to the circumstances, I have been unable to reach him... Ah well." Crossing his arms he raised a brow, "I do believe we've reached the extent of my helpfulness. You may wish to speak with your strategist before committing yourself to this cause. If you do, you should head them off at Marad... or perhaps send a scouting party. Unfortunately I am no tactician." Cracking his neck, Naesala stood extending a hand to Elincia with a smile, "Unless you have any further inquiries, I should take my leave."

 

[Syrrus]

Tormod shook his head. He didn't wish to spar with Lucia, she was the Queens guard and except that she was also no magician. He didn't wish to hurt her with his fire magic. He was using fire magic because of its strength towards Laguz, it sounded odd, but after being raised by one his life hadn't really become any better. Others would tease, bully and hurt him for being a Beorc, due to the slavery which Tormod had promise he would free all Laguz from. He used fire to protect himself from his 'own' kind, who wanted to hurt him for not having a tail. "No than- Gah!!" Tormod shouted in surprise as something fell through the trees. A bloodied, winged creature, who looked more like a thick pile of meat and goo than what he usually looked like.


Janaff was known for his strength. He was Tibarn's eyes just like Ulki was his ears. Both of them had been sent to protect Reyson, for when the weather turned cold, so to speak. Unfortunately, it seemed, seeing as the blond hawk-man was now laying upside down against a tree, bleeding from all over, with arrows through his wings, stomach and left arm, that something had gone horribly wrong.


Elincia nodded, and stood. "I will speak with Soren at once. Thank you, for coming all this way with news. I appreciate it and I believe Tibarn would appreciate it also." She placed a hand on Neasala's shoulder, looking through her fringe into his eyes. "Do be careful though." She said before excusing herself and hurrying through the corridors. "Soren! I need to speak with you."

 

[Ninian]

The loud crashing caused Lucia to jump, her gaze focused upwards. She instantly recognized the battered form as a hawk, as she was rather close to one. A shriek escaped her lips immediately as she recognized the dirty-blonde hair of her comrade, "JANAFF!!!" Sprinting towards the tree, Lucia began to tear off her clothing in strips, breaking the arrows at their shafts, but not pulling them out. Pulling a vulnerary from her satchel, she smeared the substance across the torn bits that were her clothing before taking one strip gently around his left arm. "Oh goddess..." The bleeding was horrendous, and Lucia was unsure her efforts would save the laguz, "Tormod! Please, please find a cleric..."


Picking up another soaked strip, the blue-haired woman examined the hawk's torso, "What happened to you....?" Wrapping his stomach carefully, Lucia felt her heart tense as she fretted over how to wrap Janaff's wings. Her outfit wouldn't be enough cloth to cover it in its entirety, and she hoped that Tormod could find a staff-wielder soon. Gently touching the hawk's face Lucia spoke softly, "Please... please don't die."


Naesala nodded with a smile, "You're most welcome, my Queen." Glancing at Elincia's hand briefly as she placed it upon his shoulder, he then met her gaze with his, "I will, your highness. Please do not worry, you have more pressing matters to attend to." With a bow, he watched as the Queen left, making his way out the door himself.


In his study, Soren heard the call of the Queen. Closing his eyes briefly, he stood up and made his way towards her voice, "Of course, your highness."

 

[Syrrus]

Janaff then grabbed her wrist with what little strength he had left. It was surprising really, how strong a Laguz could be. Here he was, sitting upside down against a tree... at least he thought it was a tree. The blood which was covering his eyes made it terribly hard to see, as if the blurriness of unconsciousness wasn't bad enough. He coughed some more red and thick liquid be accident as he attempted to speak. "The-- they're... behind.... Ugh-- right behin--- me.... They-- Reyson..." It was clearly hard to make out but he didn't manage more than that. He didn't even have time to worry until he completely lost consciousness and his eyes rolled back into their sockets.


Tormod of course did what he was told. There was no time for petty childishness when someone was near death. Running towards the fort and accidently bouncing into Neasala he shouted from the top of his lunges. "Soren!! Soren!" He didn't like the mage much, but he figured Rhys was far too slow and the Queen was a Queen, besides that she didn't have her weapons near. He knew that much. Soren always carried his, the paranoid bastard of a man. "Move out of the way!" Tormod shouted as he launched himself to the side and hurried through the hall, still screaming. "Janaff is dying! Soren come on! Where are you?!"


Elincia was walking towards her tactisian when she heard the young boy scream. It made a cold shiver go down her spine and she almost fell over in surprise. Something Geoffrey clearly did as he hurried towards the exist, sneaking past Neasala with ease even though he was wearing heavy armor. What had happened out there?

 

[Ninian]

Tears began to stream steadily down Lucia's cheeks as the laguz grabbed her arm, "J-Janaff..." When he spoke, she felt a chill down her spine. Furrowing her brows she tried to piece together what the hawk was trying to tell her, "Whoever attacked you is behind you? Where's Reyson? Did they take him!?" As much as Lucia wished to find Reyson, she knew that if she left Janaff now, there was a chance he wouldn't make it, and he meant far too much to her to leave him in such condition. A whimper escaped her lips as the laguz fell out of conciousness, "W-We'll... we'll find him, and you'll... make it."


As Tormod checked his shoulder, Naesala spun around to regard the boy who had ran into him, "Tormod? Is everything—" Out of hearing range of him, Naesala sighed, "...all right." Furrowing his brows she made his way back into the fort, If he's shouting for Soren, things cannot be good. I'll stay here for a while longer.


Hearing Tormod's cries, Soren glanced around with a creased brow, "Is that Tormod calling me?" Frozen, he finally made out the brat's words, "Dying!? What in the goddess?" Running back into his study, Soren grabbed his staff and ran towards Tormod's voice, "Sorry your Highness, it seems my presence is required elsewhere for the time. I will return to you shortly."


Locating Tormod, Soren stopped in his tracks to avoid trampling the young mage, "Where is he?" Tome in hand, and stave in the other, Soren was mentally preparing for the worst situation. If Janaff was dying, that would mean he had been attacked. The assailants may be a way out, but nonetheless they would be upon them shortly. There was little time to waste. "Tormod, do you know who's responsible for the attack?"

 

[Syrrus]

"Lucia is-- Oh my." Geoffrey stopped in his tracks, looking down at the Hawk with a strong frown on his face. That poor bird surely have had some awful things happening to him. He didn't catch what the creature had been saying, only his sister mentioning Reyson. This was indeed not good and perhaps he better find someone who could scout out the aria, in case he could still be found.


Tormod shook his head rather violently. He had no clue, why would he know? He didn't know everything that happened even if he wished that he did. Grabbing Soren by the cap he started to run, pulling him with him as hard as the little boy possibly could. They better hurry or things would get dark, Tormod was not one to let a Laguz die on his time, not if he could help it. "I have no clue- Move! You traitor!" He shouted at Neasala was they went past him again, clearly not trusting the birdman no matter if he was Laguz or not, at least that meant that the boy wasn't naive. "You always stand in the damned way!" He shouted hurrying back out to find Lucia, just where he had left her.


An arrow cut though the trees, dark as night and with a green thick liquid smeared on its point bit. Tormod was lucky, to have been raised by what someone would call an animal and managed to avoid it just in time my throwing himself flat. They were under attack.


"Protect the Queen!" Geoffrey shouted as he ran past, pulling Tormod back up on his feet in the process and towards the gate of their fort. It was lucky that he always carried his lance on hand. whistling sharply he caught the attention of his horse which came running. He wasn't the Crimean General and the commander of the Royal knights for nothing.


As Elincia heard someone call out her title and the word protect she quickly realized that something bad was happening, never mind the fact that Tormod as mentioned Janaff being near death. This was why she had entered the armory where she could find her sword which she quickly took in hand, she wasn't going to let her friends protect her without trying to fight herself.

 

[Ninian]

Soren let out a frustrated sigh as Tormod shook his head. He would have continued speaking had he not been violently grabbed by the brat, being tugged along, and slammed into Naesala who let out a confused cry. The raven placed his hands on his hips and called out, "For the last time I'm not a traitor." Averting his gaze he continued in a mutter, "At least not anymore... and it's you who keeps bumping into me."


The whizzing of an arrow caught Soren's ear, and he pulled out his tome immediately, casting an aero spell to redirect the trajectory of the arrow. Thankfully Tormod had dodged in time, but Soren's spell caused the arrow to change its course, avoiding Geoffrey, and anyone else unfortunate enough to be outside currently.


Tugging at Janaff's unconscious form, Lucia whimpered, "Please, you must wake up. We need to take you inside..." Carefully pulling him down from the tree, the trueblade struggled to carry the limp form in her arms. It was awkward, as Janaff's bloodied and battered wings laid strangely as Lucia attempted to carry him 'princess style'. Janaff was significantly heavier than he appeared, or perhaps it was the strange way she had to carry him that made it difficult.


Seeing that Elinicia was preparing for battle, Naesala made his way towards her, "My Queen, you do realize that placing yourself in harm's way puts your nation in jeopardy?"


Passing Soren, Lucia huffed, "Soren... please... please take care of Janaff... I'll... I'll worry about defending the Queen." With a flat expression, Soren replied, "The enemy employs ranged abilities. It would be unwise for me to leave to tend wounds." Lifting his staff, Soren closed his eyes as glowing energy formed at the tip of his staff, then rushed towards Janaff's broken form, filling him with life energy. "That should provide temporary relief. Please go inside."


Lucia was not pleased with Soren's response, but sighed, glancing at her brother before speaking, "Please take care..."

 

[Syrrus]

Tormod sneaked up on the back of Geoffreys horse, to the generals confusion, but there was no time to tell the boy to stand behind. Besides, Tormod was fairly useful in the heat of battle. Peering down at the sister however, as he mounted the horse himself and pulled on the reins, he smiled. "Of course. If you find Shinon, do tell him to get himself useful! And explain the news about Reyson to Lord Neasala!" He shouted as he hurried off, swinging is lance down the enemies throats as he passed them. As if he was riding a canoe.


Elincia looked up at Neasala, who was freakishly tall, at least when he was looking so confronting down at her. "Surely a Queen should fight alongside her people and ally's and not hide inside castle walls?" Seeing as she was saving time, speaking to the ambassador, she quickly pulled her armor down over her head and quickly latched it onto her. At least she could be smart enough for some sort of protection?


Janaff coughed up blood when he finally managed to breathe on his own, peering at the staff in Soren's hand and smirking up at him. Already gathering courage and heart enough to be his strong willed self. "F--Fancy that, Laguz-hater healing a fellow Laguz with magic? Surely the gods has gone mad... Eh-- Ey, Soren?"

 

[Ninian]

At her brother's words, Lucia pondered Shinon's location, I haven't seen him in a while... "Yes, sir!" She watched as her brother rode away, and to her surprised Janaff spoke! "Janaff! Save your breath!" Soren sneered, "It is the Queen's decree to treat all Laguz with respect, and provide them with the same courtesy and care as Beorc. That is all." Lucia panicked, "Okay you two. Let's discuss this later. Soren, please assist Geoffrey." The branded kept his gaze fixated upon Janaff for a few moments before trotting off to assist Geoffrey.


Heaving a sigh, Lucia looked down at Janaff, "How are you feeling? Do you think you can walk?" Lucia didn't mind carrying Janaff, but it was awkward, and she hoped that maybe he could lean on her and walk.


Naesala shook his head with a sigh, "I know whatever I may say won't change your mind. Please be careful, your Highness. Keep to the back lines."

 

[Syrrus]

Janaff got up on his feet, carefully and wobbly. His wings was still tucked in and looked awfully poorly. How embarrassing, to finally meet Lady Lucia again when he looked like a towel instead of a proud Hawk he was supposed to be. "I need to get back out there and find Lord Reyson." He said, trying his hardest to speak with strength. His back was bent, as always; perhaps this was because his winds were too heavy for him? Unfortunately, as soon as he attempted to fly, hi would face plant back into the dirt, just avoiding a thunder spell, causing the whole sky to rumble.


Geoffrey continued forward, killing them who stood in his way. He had to find their commander, nothing would stop him from figuring out what was going on, except perhaps Tormod who jumped off the horse. "Get back up here, child!" Geoffrey shouted as he turned his horse around. Tormod simply shook his head and started to throw his wind magic around. "I'll be fine! Keep going!"


Elincia looked up at Neasala as she passed him, smirking slightly. "Surely someone as strong as yourself could aid us?" He didn't mean to tease him, simply help him towards the task of aiding her friends in a battle that might or might not be too much for them. She hurried outside, without knowing about the outcome of her comment.