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The enemy forces seemed endless, looking over the battlefield all they could see was a sea of black armour and gleaming magitek. Rows upon rows of Garlean soldiers as far as the eye could see, each drilled to perfection and marching to a slow collision with the Eorzean forces. The ever-dark skies of the Ghimlyt Dark were alight with the glows of aetheric eruptions and floodlights from the advancing magitek.
The Eorzean forces, in contrast, were more than a little ragtag. But it was to be expected, this would be their first real showing together with their allies from the Far East and it had all of them on edge. Clashing strategies were being straightened out on the fly and soldiers were quick to familiarise themselves with anything that needed to be completed. The ones at the front already clashing with the enemy forces fought savagely refusing to give them an ilm of ground whilst the rest of army caught up with them.
One thing was clear to the Warrior of Light, this would not be like the Praetorium. It had only taken four adventurers, themselves included, to cut a bloody path through the soldiers there. They had been less disciplined and weaker than the forces here, the Eorzeans had only just started to push back, and it had caught them by surprise. The Warrior had been weaker then, wielding their axe like a blunt instrument, hacking away at soldier after soldier, knee deep in blood and bodies. They’d grown stronger, more skilled in both their axe and different forms of weaponry. One of the many regrets they had was that soldiers had probably suffered unnecessarily when they went on their rampage. At the time all they were thinking about was stopping the Ultima Weapon, their attacks had been imprecise, fast things designed to remove obstacles. How many did they leave bleeding in the cold? How many were left begging for help?
‘Not this time’ their hand gripped the katana tightly the spiralling metal on the sheath creaking against their strength. This time if they were forced to fight, then they would ensure it was clean deaths, no half-measures. No playing with their enemies like Zenos did.
And wasn’t that a problem, Zenos risen from the grave and fighting on the side of the Garleans. Even if it was a body jumping Ascian it felt like the world had gone mad. They had seen the man cut his own neck, watched the blood stain the flowers a deep crimson. The body had been committed to the grave by them and now it stood in a macabre dance. They would make sure that it stayed buried this time, no matter who was using it as their puppet.
Taking a moment to break away from their memories they began to check through each piece of their equipment. The haori and sandals combo wasn’t a combo that could be considered traditional, but each was woven with aether and more than capable of stopping a blade or a number of gunshots. Their weapon, a katana of fine make, was sharpened and polished. A far cry from its state through the fight in Ala Mhigo, but that was the past. After inspecting everything for any flaws and checking their supplies of potions they moved their hand to the leather cord around their neck. A single feather from a phoenix sat inside warm to the touch. A lifeline should someone be close to the brink, luckily one they hadn’t needed to use yet.
Atter confirming its place against their chest they turned to their companion. Alisaie was similarly finishing up checking her own weapons and she met their gaze.
“How’re you feeling?” she asked.
“Could be worse, at least we’re rested this time. But better question is how are you feeling?” Alisaie was no fragile flower, this much they knew. She had fought alongside them through Ala Mhigo and seen the worst of the fighting. Hells she’d gone toe to toe with Fordola whilst she was echo-empowered and almost beaten her. But this would be the first time she faced Garlemald at its highest, whilst dealing with the fates of the other Scions and her brother.
A complicated look took over her face, looking equal parts determined and scared, but somewhere along the line pride had stomped scared into submission. She squared her shoulders and wiped her face clean of any emotion.
“I’m alright, just thinking how annoyed Alphinaud is going to be that he missed a chance to debate with Emperor Varis.”
The Warrior chuckled. That would be very Alphinaud, single minded in the pursuit of a better life for Eorzea, but woefully easy to lose himself to side pursuals of justice.
“I’m surprised he didn’t wake up immediately.” The girl sobered.
‘Foot, this is mouth, have you met?’ She had obviously been putting it on for their benefit, but the reminder had torpedoed her mood.
“Alisaie, they’ll be ok I’m sure of it. We’ll finish things here, push the Garleans back and then I’m sure Krile would’ve made some kind of breakthrough. Best thing we can do is stay alive to see them wake up.” She took a deep breath, the blasted air of the battlefield doing little to soothe her nerves.
“I know they will, but doesn’t it all seem a little too coincidental? All of the Scions in comas, Zenos coming back cause of an Ascian, a voice in your head after Garlemald experimented with the Echo?”
“You’re thinking it’s all one big plot?”
“I don’t know,” she said, and they could see the frustration on her face, “but something is seriously wrong and I’m worried that you’re going to be at the centre of it.” She took a moment to look out on the battlefield. Fires burned and bodies fell in equal measure. “And that is a lot of soldiers.” The Warrior stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.
“We’ll both come out of this fine, we always have. Just keep your wits about you and try not to get split away from everyone. We’re a bigger target for weaponry together but less likely to attacked by enemy forces. No reckless attacks.” They finished. She seemed, if not comforted, at least slightly less tense at that.
“Deal, but remember what I said, no heroic sacrifices. Both of us make it out of this. I won’t have you lecturing me and then not being there for when I prove you wrong.” They took their hand from her shoulder.
“Of course, wouldn’t make me much of a teacher if I went and did something reckless now would it?” She finally smiled at that.
“I’m pretty certain reckless is all you know how to do.”
The Warrior smirked, conceding the point to her. A soldier came up to them both, informing them it was time to go. Final checks were completed, and they set off.
‘Clean this time, no mistakes. Time to break those rows in half.’
The battlefield was unbearably hot, the combined heat of fires burning the landscape and the body heat of so many people packed together left the Warrior sweltering. They were thankful for the loose clothing; how could anyone fight in armour?
The Garleans fell upon them almost immediately after entering and the Warrior in response sharpened their mind and met them with full force. Their katana came up with force, parrying a black sword through sheer strength alone. The blade scythed down through the soldier’s throat, and blood gushed forth as their head was parted. Immediately they followed it with a thrust, puncturing through the breastplate of another directly into their heart. They pulled the sword free and spun, channelling aether in a Mangetsu technique. Three bodies around them fell their tops separated with a clean cut from their bottoms. Blood sprayed across their face. They ignored it.
Alisaie met them with biting winds and thunder spells that fried them through their armour. After firing off a Verstone she shot forwards carried on a tether of aether. Slamming the blade through the helmet of one, she spun on one foot and blocked another before executing a picture-perfect Riposte and cutting their chest to ribbons.
Around them the other’s fought fiercely. They caught Lyse slamming her first into a Garlean face plate hard enough to dent it inwards and pulverise the skull inside. Her sister’s dress, battle garb despite its impracticality, bore spots of blood that blended with the red and her hands were rubbed raw where aether had failed to protect them. Similarly, the Bull of Ala Mhigo was baring his horns, despite having trained to fight with two arms, Raubahn showed no sign of stopping, tearing through every soldier that challenged him. Around them all the battle raged on spilling the noise of metallic clashes and tearing flesh across the battlefield. Occasionally the thrum of a high energy weapon would fill the air. Rock and dirt would give way to cinders as entire sections were turned into smoking craters. The Eorzeans fired back, magic leaving residues of fire and lighting where they scorched the ground.
The Warrior caught another blade with their katana before ramming the sheath from the side into the man’s stomach. As he was bent double, they stabbed down, the tip of their sword bursting from the man’s chest in a shower of gore. He turned his gaze on the Warrior who held it until they were sure the light had left before they pulled it free.
Their group continued to fight through ranks and rows of Garlean soldiers, sustaining little in the way of injury. Despite the smaller size of their unit, it was comprised of key fighters who had fought together before. Finding a gap in the defences was nigh impossible and throwing bodies at them was akin to a meat grinder. The few artillery attacks against them had been mitigated by magic or technique and had decided to focus on weaker links in the chain.
They were making ground towards a key location that enemy leaders were operating from. If they could break it, then they would buy a few crucial hours to rest their troops and perform maintenance. Otherwise, they would be forced into a prolonged engagement that would leave them depleted.
A magitek colossus bore down on them, cracking the stone underfoot. The Warrior rolled under its blade as it swung, bringing their sword round to sever the connection in its ankle. As it fell to one knee a flurry of magic came forth, melting through the face plate leaving a red-hot, sparking hole where its head used to be. The Warrior caught Alisaie’s eye and nodded receiving one in return. And so, they continued to fight.
‘Damn it all!’
The Warrior cradled Alisaie’s unconscious body. After all that, they lived through the battle, they both made it to the end and now she was taken like all the others?! When they found who was doing this, they were going to introduce the business side of their blade to somewhere private of the things body.
They had managed to rout the Garleans, breaking their ordered rows into disarray and sending them back for a time at least. But at what cost had it been? Now the main force of the Scions was down to just Tataru, Krile and them. They laid the girl down to rest on a cot setup in the medical tent. They had to stay focused, Zenos had been spotted on the field. It was time to put him back in the grave where he belonged.