Tides of Intrigue (FEFD)

[ShadesofGrey18]

After the last major battle, the group of warriors had stopped to rest overnight. Thus, the sun was barely in the sky by the time they began traveling again.

Hinoka had insisted on being a forward scout for their group, keeping her eyes open as best she could for the invisible soldiers, so the redhead was further along the path.

"I do wonder what Hinoka will find..." Azama said to nobody in particular.

"Mmm... maybe a town?" Setsuna thought about it for a bit after responding. "That'd be nice..."

"Yes. Perhaps a town. Perhaps a monster. It matters little in the grand scheme of things, really."

Her retainers were being their usual selves, unsurprisingly.

[DMis]

Another stretched behind them. If it weren't for her insistence of wearing something that looked like she slightly belonged. The lone Blood Witch watched the world around her as she adjusted a pauldrons strap. "I hope she finds a town or at least a village... We could probably find information there," the woman offered as she watched one run a head. She could feel a new set bonds starting to form but couldn't make out where or from what they came.

A silver rapier with an oddly elaborate handle and hilt hung at the woman's waist. Several multicolored chambers sat in what looked to be a drum with in the handle.

[DanteMGalileo]

From just above the group, the wingbeats of a wyvern could be heard, the black dragon and her rider flying in circles around the group, acting as a guardian. Camilla gripped her Steel Axe, slightly frowning. It was strange... There wasn't anything present aside from the local wildlife. This complete absence of any opposition seemed to be troubling the purple-haired woman.

Beruka was not with the group at the moment, having taken flight high into the sky to examine the landscape. Her eyes, long accustomed to darkness, made out several distinct areas... What seemed like a city to the west, oddly lit. To the north, a frozen place with high mountains. To the south, a dense forest with a giant lake. And almost completely across from where they were, a desert. There was... something strange, dark clouds forming over the sands. "Down, Zeiss." The petit woman motioned the orange wyvern down, and the scaled beast complied, descending.

Selena rolled her eyes, listening in on Azama and Setsuna's conversation. "Gee, could we be more optimistic, Azama?" Her attention shifted to Beth, noting the newcomer's strange weaponry. "Thanks for saving Lady Camilla yesterday. I'm kinda curious, though... I knew somebody who used rapiers where I came from, what are those things?"

Before she could get an answer, Beruka and Camilla both descended to ground level, looking troubled.

[ShadesofGrey18]

As the two landed, Hinoka returned as well, looking troubled along with the Nohrians.

"Why so glum?" Azama asked. "You all look like you've seen a ghost or some such thing."

Hinoka glanced at the ground, shaking her head. "Well, I saw some things, but first... Camilla, Beruka, what did you two see?"

[DMis]

"Not a problem. I'll lend a hand as needed," Beth offered to Selena before her attention turned to the riders and the scout of the group. Her tone soon took a serious one. "What do we have on the horizon, fair riders?" The gears in her mind already turning and trying to plan a few steps ahead.

[DanteMGalileo]

"Isn't it strange, my dears?" Camilla asked, before taking another look around herself. "I've seen nothing but ourselves and the local wildlife. I know this should not be cause for concern, but when we landed, there was an entire horde of those invisible soldiers waiting for us. ... I don't like it. It feels like they're trying to lull us off-guard."

"Perhaps it isn't us, Lady Camilla." Beruka bowed her head to her liege. "While I was scouting, I noticed something... There's a cloud building to the west of here. I... I got a sinister vibe from it..."

Selena and Camilla both gave involuntary shudders. "That's... disconcerting," was Selena's reply. "Not for what you saw, but just WHAT are they doing all in one place?!"

[ShadesofGrey18]

"I don't know," Hinoka said, shaking her head, before turning the way she'd come from. "What I do know, though, is that not all those invisible soldiers are heading that way. There's a village up ahead, and there's a pretty decent-sized force of 'em wreaking havoc there!"

Setsuna frowned at that, readying her bow. "...We need to get through there..."

"Indeed," Azama replied. "Well then. I do suppose that life-threatening danger awaits us yet again, mm?"

[DMis]

"That it seems it does, Azama," Beth offered as she drew the rapier and clicked a button to have the hilt open with the blade dropped forward. She seemed to be trading out the colors on the drum. "Just switching out elements."

[DanteMGalileo]

"Never seen a sword that did anything like that before..." Selena said, checking the strange rapier that the newcomer used.

---



[Chapter 26: Tides of Intrigue]

[Select Units]

*Camilla
*Hinoka
*Beth
*Azama
*Selena
*Setsuna
*Beruka

[Support]
[View Map]

[Equip Skills]

*Camilla: Rose's Thorns, Strength+2, Lunge, Heartseeker
*Hinoka: Rallying Cry, Darting Blow, Camaraderie, Seal Defense
*Beth: Sacrifice, Under The Radar, Tourniquet, Regeneration, Flight
*Azama: Divine Retribution, Miracle, Rally Luck, Spendthrift
*Selena: Fierce Rival, Good Fortune, Strong Riposte, Air Superiority
*Setsuna: Optimistic, Skill+2, Quick Draw, Golembane
Beruka: Opportunist, Strength+2, Lunge, Axefaire

[Inventory]

Camilla: Steel Axe, Bolt Axe
Hinoka: Guard Naginata, Steel Lance, Sun Festal
Beth: Animist, Eldrazi Eliminator, Myrtenaster, Vials of Dust Energy Propellent Substitute, Bolganone
Azama: Sun Festal, Enfeeble, Raider Naginata
Selena: Iron Sword, Armorslayer
Setsuna: Steel Yumi, Sidelong Yumi
Beruka: Iron Axe, Killer Axe

[Save]

There's nothing left to save...

---

[Objective: Seize!]



A Spear Fighter jumped out from a nearby bush as they made their way towards the village under siege. Although the group did jump, it was simply dispatched of by two axe swings from Camilla. "Goodness... A little eager, aren't they?"

---

Meanwhile, a short distance from the village...

Lucina, having fallen hours ago, heard the sounds of people screaming. She ran towards the source of the screaming, Parallel Falchion drawn. Faintly, the wingbeats of some beast could be heard.

"They have flyers, too?" The blue-haired woman had only seen ground troops since she landed. Curiously, it seemed as though most of them were heading away from her... She decided to put these manners on the back burner for now. There was a village to save.

And yet, Lucina felt the strangest sense of familiarity.

[ShadesofGrey18]

Azama grasped his Festal as the group got closer to the besieged village, slowing his pace slightly. "You know how this goes, of course. Come to me if you need healing. I'll be further back, trying to avoid catching the pointy end of a weapon with my face."

"Mm..." Setsuna nodded in response, nocking an arrow into her Steel Yumi and preparing to attack. "They're coming..."

Hinoka spun her Guard Naginata overhead. "Let them come. We need to go this way and these people need help. Here we go!" The next opponent to come their way was a Samurai, going after Setsuna. Hinoka quickly flew down, intercepting the soldier with a swing of her weapon, the built-in shield nullifying the swing from the katana. "Stick close!"

[DMis]

Beth took a breath before readying herself for the fight as she changed out what looked like an empty vial to that of a fiery orange one and clicked the blade back into place. "Just so I can load the chambers. I think I got something new up my sleeves for this fight, but first- Under The Radar!" Beth called before activating the buff for her allies. "A bit of a boost for all of you this time."

[DanteMGalileo]

A surge of power swept through the group...

[Camilla's Strength: 17+2 -> 25+2]
[Camilla's Magic: 4 -> 6]

[Selena's Strength: 13 -> 19]

[Beruka's Strength: 15+2 -> 22+2]

"Oh, this again? Why, you shouldn't have~" Camilla gave a small laugh as Marzia gave Beth a quick nuzzle, before both rider and mount lunged upwards for a Sky Knight, knocking it down to ground level. "I must say, I do enjoy this feeling of power..."

The swatted Sky Knight was jumped by Selena, its body dissolving upon being slashed by her Iron Sword. "Hmph... I'm not sure where or how you learned to do that, but I'm not complaining."

Beruka and Zeiss took to the sky, preparing to intercept a Wyvern Rider. Something caught the orange dragon's attention, and it gave a slow growl, nudging its head towards the left. "... Somebody's there. Show yourself."

[ShadesofGrey18]

Hinoka let out a shout in delight as the power surged through her. "Much appreciated!" With a grin, the redhead swung her naginata at another Samurai, knocking them down.

Setsuna gave Beth a small smile and a nod before shooting down another Sky Knight going towards Camilla's flank. She groaned as a Spear Fighter slipped past her guard, getting a strike in on her. "Nngh..."

[Hinoka's Strength: 15 -> 22]

[Setsuna's Strength: 12 -> 18]

Azama just sighed, shaking his head. "Dear, dear... Setsuna, you really must be more careful. We might all die eventually, but I don't believe Lady Hinoka would appreciate you dying on us now." With a wave of his Festal, her wound closed up like nothing had happened. "Oh, my... I ought be grateful for the boost. How nice."

[Azama's Magic: 8 -> 12]

[DMis]

"Least I can do to help," Beth offered before her rapier pierced a Sword Knight. The latter seeming to just vanish afterwards. "I'd rather my allies survive. Not losing teammates again." She soon went to stab at an Axe Knight trying to sneak up on Azama only to get that one down a few pegs and herself hit.

[Beth HP 45 -> 40]

"That didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Guess the armor helped this time."

[DanteMGalileo]

There was the sound of something- or perhaps somebody- in the bushes... A presence lingered in the sky as well...

A wyvern rider came diving out of the dawn sky, aiming for Camilla. Marzia'a growl alerted her rider, who switched to her Bolt Axe, preparing to strike...

The spectral wyvern seemed to suddenly reel before the lightning-infused axe struck, and Camilla's strike dissolved it. "Oh? Who else is here... I would show yourself, darling."

On the ground, Selena dodged to the side, blocking a Fighter's axe on her shoulder shield, although wincing upon the impact regardless. "Ha... You're not getting me easily!" Her eye glinted, and she twisted her torso slightly, preparing to jump attack it.

But when she did so, it was as though a second fighter was also present. "Wha- who's there?! Show yourself!"