11 Eastward Bound 2/4

DanMachi: The Dragon's Return

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(Musical inspiration from LOTR's "The Siege of Gondor" and The Elder Scroll 5: Skyrim's "Far Horizons.")

Chapter 11

Eastward Bound

Part 2

The Advance of the Enemy and the Parting at the Crossroads

…

Kára stood upon the battlements of the Shadow Pass fortress, looking over the blood-soaked ground bellow her and the seemingly endless lights of torches carried by legions of drake-spawn, orcs, and gods knew what. Despair had reigned over the roughly eight hundred Valkyrie that remained to defend the Shadow Pass. Some of the defenders called for a full retreat from the fortress, while others argued that they should defend the fortress for as long as possible to give Asgard time to prepare for the coming storm. They had chosen to stay, confident that their winged horses, the pegasi, could hold the enemy until they had no choice but to retreat.

Kára gritted her teeth. She wished Brynhildr were still alive to council the defenders on their next move. The loss of their commander was a heavy blow to the defenders, and the commander of the pegasi units, (1) Hildr, who took command of the fortress, was more dangerous and less wise. A cold wind descended upon the fortress and Kára felt an aura of terror upon the wind that told her that the enemy was now far more powerful than it was before. Something was coming for them, and it was almost ready. The young Valkyrie had urged her comrades to retreat while there was still time, but Hildr would hear none of Kára's fears. The red-orange light in the valley beneath the fortress grew brighter.

"WATCH OUT!" Kára screamed and several large spheres of flame came shooting at the fortress walls. The evil flames connected with the stone of the fortress, blowing thirty feet of the wall into rubble and dust. Whatever stones were not destroyed only worked to destroy buildings and kill fifty of the defenders. Kára had leapt away from the destruction before the spheres of struck the fortress.

Screams of confusion and terror could be heard throughout the fortress. Shouts were also called to prepare for battle. Amidst the chaos, Kára ran towards the fortress stables and took a pegasus and quickly mounted it. She pushed the majestic beast forward and took to the air, a spear of light appeared in her right hand as she climbed higher into the sky. Looking into the valley, she saw large, wingless firedrakes beginning to launch a barrage of their unholy flames once more at the fortress. Wyverns that could not breathe fire also took to the skies, mounted by orc commanders that wielded vile blood magic.

Other Valkyrie joined Kára, their numbers just short of three hundred, and the summoning of the magic spears of the Valkyrie was like lightning flashing across the night sky. The pegasi charged forward against the wyverns while thousands of orcs and drake-spawn charged against the defenders of the fortress. Some, however, fled the doom that hung over the defenders of the fortress and took the remaining pegasi to flee back to Asgard. But the bravery of the Valkyrie that Kára led was in vain. For though they struck down many wyverns and their riders, the orcs employed their blood magic to set the blood of the winged horses aflame with poison. And the Valkyrie of the skies fell back to the earth as dying flies, and the monsters rejoiced and supped on their blood and flesh.

"All is lost! Flee! Flee for your lives!" Kára heard the deserters scream in horror. The growing carnage struck fear into the hearts of the remaining defenders.

"RETREAT!" Kára cried. "Everyone, descend and take anyone we can back to Asgard!"

The young Valkyrie called upon Thor, asking for bolts of lightning to descend upon the wyvern riders, if only to give them time. The divine magic answered Kára, slowing the wyvern riders and breaking their concentration of blood magic on the remaining pegasi, which was now short of a hundred. The Valkyrie riders, quick as lighting, stampeded to the ground bellow, but only fifty of the fortress defenders were saved from the monsters that were ready to break through the lines of the Valkyrie.

Tears ran down Kára's cheeks as she heard the screams of pain and terror from those she couldn't save. She looked back and her eyes widened when she saw six tall figures, skin as dark as the night sky, wreathed in shadow and flame. Circles of dark magic shown around them, and dragons of flame came from those circles, chasing after the Valkyrie.

"Faster. Faster!" Kára thought in fear as the magic moved closer and closer to the Valkyrie. But lightning sprung forth from the tallest tower of Asgard and struck the flaming dragons. Shockwaves of the explosion filled the air and gusts of hot wind carried the wings of the remaining pegasi towards Asgard and out of the reach of the Enemy.

"Surround the city," the tallest of the flaming, forgotten demi-gods rasped. "Their gods may protect the city from magic… but… Asgard shall burn all the same."

…

The days were growing colder. That was what Lefiya thought as she and her companions moved further east towards the sacred Alv Mountains, which were considered to encircle the Alf Royal Forest and be the home of legendary creatures such as the pegasi, the griffons, and the hippogriffs. The Alv Mountains were considered some of the largest in the world, sacred for their closeness to the heavens, and the young elf was able to spot them from a couple of days earlier, but she could not see them well today.

The sky was dark, and freezing rain poured from the heavens as if some evil was openly mocking them for their journey. It had nearly been a month since Lefiya parted ways with Bell, and every day left her feeling more nauseated. Tiona was similar to Lefiya, and often they spent time together trying to comfort each other in their unwell states. Riveria was weary with their unwell states, yet oddly happy, and something told Lefiya that Riveria knew exactly what was wrong with Tiona and the young elf, as the High Elf had not given them medicine.

Within the month that they traveled, the company came across little with the exception of the occasional travelling merchant who would spin dark stories of the activities of monsters growing in mountains and forests. Mountain villages were being laid to waste, and many refugees had fled wherever their feet could take them. Orario was receiving the greatest influx of those refugees, but doubt ever told the young elf that Orario was less safe now than it had ever been before.

In their dreams, Tiona and Lefiya would meet with Bell and they would often tell each other in secret about their conversations with Bell when awake. Soft blushes would paint their faces whenever they had such a chance. Yet, despite their interactions, Lefiya had begun to feel a rather powerful rivalry with the Amazon she had long considered one of her dearest friends, and she was certain Tiona felt the same.

From time to time, the others would also come to ask about Bell, with the exception of Riveria and Tione, who often spoke alone together. While Riveria would betray little emotion, Tione was clearly troubled. At times, Lefiya heard Tione's displeasure of having to return to the Amazon homeland, and claimed the Amazons would more likely sit back and let rest of mortal races get killed so they could have the glory and pleasure of wiping every monster off the face of world. Riveria would shoot back at Tione's criticism, claiming that the destruction of the mortal races would lead to the destruction of the one thing Amazons enjoyed more than killing monsters: mating with the strong. Something, at which point, Tione would cry "not the captain" before giving Riveria the victory of the argument. Lefiya caught Tiona snickering at that very argument several times.

"You could support her a little more, you know," Lefiya smiled.

"Yeah, but watching her abandon everything over Finn is just too funny," Tiona giggled back.

"It doesn't help Riveria makes everything difficult where her logic is concerned," Lefiya giggled as well.

"Have you heard from Bell?" Tiona asked after the pair shared their laugh. Lefiya's mood darkened when she heard the name of their young rabbit.

"Nothing," the young elf muttered. "He has been silent for a week. But… I can feel him."

"I think I know what you mean," Tiona said softly and placed a hand over her heart. "It's much like when the gods say they can still feel of the lives of children in their Familias. I… haven't lost that feeling of fullness I received when we were joined together by the ritual. W-well, the feeling of fullness before the… sex…."

Both girls shared a blush they would often share together whenever Bell came up. But, Lefiya couldn't help but agree with the Amazon: her heart felt full. It was a fullness that made Lefiya to feel that Bell was holding her every night in her dreams, even on the nights they weren't in communication. Still, the young elf longed for the touch of her rabbit, even if it was the touch of his spirit. Unfortunately for the both of them, Hestia was near enough to the elf and the Amazon to hear about the "fullness" they received from Bell, to which the goddess of hearth and home stormed over to the pair in "righteous fury."

"I demand restitution due to pain and suffering!" the goddess shouted.

"Eh?!" Lefiya and Tiona responded, unsure what the goddess was going on about.

Riveria sighed as she watched the trio argue with each other. Tione wasn't far behind. She frowned a little at the scene her younger sister was making, but her eyes wandered over to Riveria.

"Do they know?" Tione frowned.

"No, they're all too airheaded to figure it out," Riveria laughed softly. "I'm sure Hestia would be more violent if she did, so this far more amusing. Though, for Cranel's sake, I imagine she would also be just as thrilled, almost to the point she would refuse to allow either to them go anywhere. But, we need them both, for what it's worth."

"Sentimental, are we?" Tione teased.

"Only insofar as I have spent more time raising the lot of you longer than I can remember anything else over the past two decades," the High Elf smiled. "And that goes for you as well. A part of me almost wanted to kill that foolish rabbit the moment lord Michael told me about them, but this is slightly more amusing."

"How will we proceed?" Tione asked softly. "By the time we get to Telskyura, Tiona will be roughly five months pregnant. The Alf's Royal Forest isn't that much of a distance, but Lefiya will be three months by the time you get there."

"Amazons are natural fighters," Riveria looked at Tione. "She will be able to adjust longer than most, but late pregnancy would leave her as fragile and difficult to move as any other pregnant woman. But, I understand your worry for your little sister and your future niece."

"I am," Tione sighed. "but I'm even more worried about Telskyura. The Kalif sisters, Argana in particular, will probably do everything they can to kill us. Bache could be reasoned with if Argana is killed, however."

"I had given thought to the Kalif sisters as well," Riveria nodded. "The only advice I can give you is to learn how to use the weapons lord Michael gave you. That, and Tiona needs to quickly adapt to her pregnancy, which means she needs to know of it. Even with natural adaption, she may still make a mistake. I can't tell you enough how important your training will be for the days ahead."

"You make it sound like this may well be the last time we see each other," Tione gave Riveria a small smile. "Don't sound so grim! You're sounding like that Titan."

"Anyone can die at any time," Riveria muttered. "But, I agree, it is good to keep optimism and hope alive as long as we can. Do you remember what to do after we reach the Alv crossroads?"

"Tiona, Hestia, Haruhime, Mikoto, and I will start the road south," Tiona mumbled. "Our mission will not only be to convince Kali to have the Amazon people aid the mortal races, but for the strengthening of Haruhime to counter Argana's curse, the 'Kalima.'"

"But the curse will be our strength," Riveria nodded. "The stronger Argana becomes, the more vulnerable she will be. You will have to kill her, and maybe Bache, in order to gain political control with Kali."

"Your job won't be any easier," Tione smiled half-heartedly.

"No," Riveria nodded. "Lefiya's position could lead to political unrest. My father may even try to have her assassinated in order to quell that unrest, if someone else doesn't try before he does. The fact that I would be supporting Lefiya's claim would only fan the flames of the political unrest. It will be the job of Ais and Ryuu to protect her, along with Syr, who lord Michael told me can discern the hearts of other. Syr will be out greatest ally in finding those who side with us."

"And then, if all goes well, we gather what strength we have and push north," Tiona muttered. "I feel like we need to gather more races."

"If Cranel is somehow able to succeed in his mission, all the humans and dwarves at Asgard's disposal will be able to help us against the Dragon Valley," Riveria frowned. "But, yes, I also feel we could use more."

"Perhaps Orario may be able to provide us with some kind of help," Tione said with concern.

"If the 'Nidhogg Pact' that Loki mentioned is to be believed, lord Ouranos will be our hope in filling missing numbers," Riveria furrowed her eyebrows. "For now, we must trust Cranel will succeed where Zeus failed."

…

Three days later, the company did reach the Alv crossroads. Many tears were shed between them and hugs given, along with promises that they would see each other again. Between them, Tiona and Lefiya shared the longest parting, having learned the truth from Riveria about their pregnancies. Of all the promises that were given between them, they swore a pact of sisterhood for the sake of their friendship, Bell, and the children growing inside them, even when they knew they had also become each other's rivals at the same time. The company went their separate ways, all making silent wishes to go back to their home one day, into the unknown.

…

1. "Hildr" means "battle."

…

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