9 Fire Emblem Part 7 Bandit Leaders & Swordsman

Meeting a few more of his mercenaries who had some things to share, the Lorca tribe had scattered all over. At least they were not wiped out like before. Well, there was still time for that at this rate.

"If you have found a bandit group, then go and take care of them. I don't want them to get a foothold. If you can, meet up with the Calvary members who are passing through."

"Yes sir." Clyde looked around and could see the numbers were thin. "But shouldn't we move to where you are going?"

"No, I have something to take care of in Bulgar. I want something there to be known for passersby and others. Keep this on you and while come when needed." He passed a Black Scroll over. "Do not open it unless you need me, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!" Clyde tucked it into his armor as he head out with his squad. "We will have good news, I swear it, Lord Hector!"

"Are you sure about this?" Lucious thought it was a strange idea for Hector to head back on his own while they took care of the Eturian Nobles they helped save. "You are strong but the bandits are probably hunting you down if not assassins from everything done."

"I am aware, that is why I am also going to flush them out." Hector was fit as a fiddle and he had a few other things he needed to try. Not something he wanted to do in front of his people until he was able to explain it clearly. "Raven, make sure the money from those bandits are secured. If the Nobles give you trouble, come back and we will deal with them after."

"Of course." giving a prompt salute, he left. Lucius, Dorcas, Natalie, Priscilla, and a few mercenaries going with.

Hector immediately went on his way as well. Tiamat had awakened and spoke with him a little. She was getting ready to go back to sleep soon, however.

'Listen, Architect, the Primordial Sea is part of you, I was not expecting it to go like this but something about your soul seems to speak with it or commune with it. If you find some ruins, I am sure you will be suprised by what happens.'

'Well, there are several all over the place. I already did a small thing went the Temple in Sacae, so maybe since I am stronger something bigger will happen.' Heading towards an abandoned fortress he rembered about, he wondered if the bandits under Carjiga would be there. 'It is getting closer to the point Caelin has its issues further.'

Arriving after a day or so, he defintely missed the use of cars and modern transportation. Using a mount would have helped but he wanted the time to think and prepare. Plus to drawn out an ambush and not lose a mount after getting one.

"Haa.. defintely enjoyed running all night. Really good for cardio further." Hector took some sips of water, his body was good enough to go for another three days without food but he was hungry and didn't want to deal with fasting a little. 'My armor is at the point it barely weighs a thing even now.'

Entering the abandoned fortress, he ran his hands along the walls. His magic building as he took in the Architecture himself. The place used to be something worthwhile and important back during the Scouring.

Lots of people had taken refuge when the dragons ran rampant. But so did humans caused problems for each other. Specters formed and acted out the past in a radius of 30 feet from him.

"The place is also vanishing." Hector looked over his shoulder, a dark blue wave of magic took away the fortress area he passed and touched. 'The Primordial Sea is growing in my Internal Space, but what is going to happen when I finish?'

Walking across every nook and cranny, Hector came across a few bones of the deceased long ago. What looked to be children clinging to one another. The specters appeared and showed them hiding out from what looked to be a bandit.

Even after he left, the children remained in hiding. A type of liquid underneath them, it was most likely blood but Hector only saw a ghostly blue in its place like the rest of the Spectres.

"Shame..." The same as everything else, they were dropped into the Primordial Sea. The sleeping Tiamat muttered some words but he didn't understand it. Sounded like a prayer or something. "..dead kids no matter what Dimension you go to."

Hector had no idea why the Primordial Sea or Tiamat wanted him to see Spectres but he would look into it when he had free time. It took only another pass to get everything but nothing really happened.

'Well, heading to my original destination.' Hector only wondered in passing what anyone who passes through the area will think about the entire fortress ruins no longer being there. 'Maybe after I wake up something will happen.'

As Hector took off in a sprint, a magic circle appeared some time later. A cloaked figure looked at the change for a few minutes. Shaking in either anger or fear it was hard to tell but one thing was certain, the glowing eyes was not that of a normal human.

.

Bulgar-

.

Hector ran with the speed of a jaguar. Only running into a small ambush and dealing with them with little effort, he purchased a horse and rode it hard the next few days to return.

No word from his people so they should be fine. While in Bulgar, it was a good time to get some supplies and some intel. The horse also needed a break.

"You did well, enjoy yourself." Hector removed a Seraph Robe and placed it on the horse. The properties of the Magical item made the horse more sturdy and a lot stronger. A type of magic ould felt between the two as they resonated little. "I will be back soon."

"Whiny!" The horse nudged his head before drinking some water at the troph.

Speaking with a few merchants and only finding out stuff he already knew, was a bit of a disappointment. A few whispers about his camp set up in the meadows had a few but nothing major.

"I am telling you, lots of Illia Mercenaries are moving around now." One man said loudly. "Heard some Noble purchase the services of a lot of them. Might be preparing for war or something."

"Nonsense," another said. "only trouble going on is the Black Fang changing leaders and the crazy stuff happening in Caelin. Heard their Lord has taken a turn for the worse."

Hector smiled under his hood as this was mostly done by his spies spreading the word. If a group goes into Caelin that would be for the best. Not like anyone else in Lycian League had made a move yet.

"Hmm." Hector smelled the scent of blood and wanted to see where it came from. However, it found him instead. "Watch it, stupid hippie." He barely moved when a guy with long hair bumped into him.

*Thump!* Hector was built like a wall but the hippie was no slouch despite being slim. In an instant, he went for his sword to strike like a viper.

"Pathetic." Hector grabbed the blade in his hand then punched the attacker in the chest. "The Sword Demon Karel, what could you possibly gain from losing your life against me?"

The patrons hugged the walls and ducked out upon hearing the name Sword Demon.

"Draw your sword." Karel recovered easily. His eyes narrowed in anticipation. 'He was able to stop my sword so fast, how did he do that with his bare hands?' Of course Hector did not do as he said. "I will not cut down an unarmed man."

"Unarmed... haha." Hector laughed as fired lightning from his fingers. "Never unarmed, how about a wager little sword demon?" His provocation defintely angered the swordsman. A simple nod of he was listening was enough for those watching to peek out. "We fight, I beat you and you have to do whatever I say, no matter what as long as I live."

"Humph, how preposterous." Karel scowled at him. His red sword glinting in the light. "When I win, I will take that sword you refuse to use." He looked at the Mani Katti that was not drawn. Having passed in the area and heard about some blue-haired man acquiring it, he waited to see if he could run into him.

"Come.. little one, see if you can get the sword." Hector's eyes lit up in glee as he felt his magic increase in a way. His ability to Enthrall seems to feed that he would gain Karel completely after beating him. "I can not wait to pick your brain!"

*Tap!* Kicking off the ground, his feet blew a hole where he once stood. Faster than most eyes could track, Hector smashed a fist into Karel's face. Knocking his head back like a diner bell. A second strike was missed as the swordsman bobbed his head away.

An upward slash cut across Hector's armor an actually made it through. Feeling his skin cut a little only caused Hector's smile to broaden. Karel was a better opponent than the ambushers he came across.

*Ching!* Another strike from the sword was blocked by a raised arm parry. Sparks flew as his disrupted the force. Their physical speed was the same, but Karel's use of the sword and its mastery made him faster. He just didn't have the strength to cut through Hector's defense easily.

'Flux!' With a shift of two fingers, black magic hit Karel square in the gut. Just enough to slow him down as Hector delivered a kick to his left leg. "Is this the best you can do?"

Leveling his blade for a brief moment, Karel vanished on the spot with multiple copies of him appearing. At least five of them touched the ground swing the sword in different locations.

His strike connected and pierced Hector's armor but the damage just didn't get through deeply. Hector ran his hand along his armor smiling at the technique, feeling it in person he wonder how deadly it would be if he learned it himself.

"All that speed and skill..." Seeing Karel ready to strike again, he shifted his weight and posture a little. Muscles tightened as he struck first. "..means nothing with no real strength and a body to follow through with!"

*Bam!* A hit to the shoulder of the sword arm coupled with his shift in posture caused the first strike to miss completely. Another strike to Hector's right arm was missed by him bending forward and punching Karel in the thigh.

"Ugh!" Karel faltered just slightly.

"Your body is just to weak." A straight jab to the jaw, knocked Karel on his ass. "If you weren't fighting against me.. you would have most likely killed anyone else." Feeling himself getting stronger, Hector felt the Enthrallment take place on his new member. 'Just in time.'

*Drip!* The cuts that did penetrate him dripped onto the ground through his armor. The sharpness of his strikes would have killed Hector if he was hit in the head or under his chin.

"Got to use it." Not wanting to risk anything, Hector used his Elixer. It was made for emergencies just like this. 'Have to use this sparingly until my magic gets better with healing or more potent medicine.'

Picking his prize up and tossing him onto the horse, Hector hopped on and moved through the market area. Of course he knew word would get around that Karel the Sword Demon was defeated. As he rode away, the blood-red sword was taken and tossed into the Primordial Sea.

'The sword carried the scent of blood and not him, such a weird little tidbit. Gonna have to give him a new one in exchange.' As if to answer the problem, a rumbling in his Internal Space took place. Then a sword appeared on his lap. "Hmm? looks a little like the Mani Katti but has a little more heft to it."

Despite the elixer healing the wounds, Hector felt phantom pain from the strike locations. A throbbing burning sensation that caused him to grin at the win. He licked his lips at the thought of tossing Karel into the Primordial Sea to see what would happen.

'I need those maps they are getting, the sooner the better.' Hector focused on the ride back. He wanted the Legendary Weapons to break down and the benefits.

Placing the sword in Karel's belt loop and tying it, Hector looked ahead while speeding up. He wonders how many of Karel's family had he killed yet due to.. the weirdness of his sword belief.