Fire Emblem Part 3: Preliminary Setup

Hector and his mercenary company had run roughshod of all the bandits in the area so far. The castle guard was shocked so many were actually so close to the capital. The horseriders did great in hunting down as well as the deployment of nets.

The Pegasus Riders were the best for overhead scouting and keeping the enemy contained. Any possible ambush was prevented thanks to them keeping a lookout. A few riders were upset they were not allowed in direct combat, but they understood this was training for them in different fields at a young age.

They were able to fire arrows accurately, of course. Breaking traditions and fighting styles preset went a long way to helping establish a better fighting method. Countersniping still had a long way to go.

The latest of the bandits were all over the place. A few mounted looked to be former knights of some realm or another. Having removed of most of the insignia, they could have also killed those who actually owned the armor.

"Hah!" Hector swung his axe down a man's backside. Bone and muscle tissue splattering across the grass. "Those blasted Cavaliers are taking their time I see!"

"I am sure they are just having trouble funneling the enemy to prevent escapees boss!" A lance mercenary said next to him. "Just mean we have to press even harder against the enemy!"

"Well said!" Hector crushed the chest of the down bandit and move to take the attacks of more of them. 'Despite not reaching their base in this area, quite a lot of them or moving around.'

"I won't die to some worthless sellswords!" The bandit leader spotted Hector fighting two of his guys and ran to sneak behind him. If he didn't yell the chances would be a lot better.

*Twang!* A pull from a bow could be heard in the wind. One of the bow-wielding pegasus riders had shot at the leader in the leg. Four more shots came down and belt the man's backside.

"Back out of range!" Sigune ordered. The left Wing of Tigris obeyed quickly. "Scour around to look for the next one to snipe!"

Despite being young, she was able to order them all strong enough. She had a lot to prove considering she was a teenager in charge of an entire set of young fliers. But she had not failed yet.

"They killed the vice-boss!" A bandit shouted inf ear. Seeing the arrows but no archers on the ground, he looked around terrified.

"Stay focused you, idiot!" Another bandit shouted at the other. "They are good, but we have them outnumbered!" Swinging his sword around, it cur right into another bandit that was pushed towards him. "Dammit!"

"Man.. you killed your comrade!" Hector came down with a cleave before the bandit had time to pull his weapon out. "That bites for your side!"

*Schlick!* The axe cut the man's head in half. Getting stuck inside his chest cavity. Letting his axe go, Hector grabbed the sword of the bandit to fight with. No time to actually waste on retrieving his axe currently.

"The Cavaliers are coming from the north!" One of Hector's mercenaries shouted. Most of the bandits looked that way but nothing was there. It was a trick as Hector's people were trained not to make calls on directions that way in battle or on operations. "It really worked..."

The small confusion allowed a few bandits to take heavy enough wounds that they tried to fall back. Running away and leaving themselves exposed.

"Well.. that is just foolish!" Hector was already moving as he picked up any weapon with his offhand and threw at the fleeing bandits. His people doing the same instead of running to far after in a chase. "Dios mio they can flee!"

Cursing as only a few of the weapons hit, the group only spent a little time throwing before moving to take any left in the area that was weak and on the ground trying to recover. A few of the bandits had Vulnerias and already applied the medicine to help recover.

Hector and the few that were nearby came at the bandits with the furry of wolves. They had smiles on their faces as this gave them the chance to fight bandits to gain a little more experience against them.

.

Few weeks later-

.

Currently, they were at the last phase of the clean-up in this area. With the castle guard from Ostia that came up while they were killing bearing witness to everything. It was quite annoying to deal with them. But, a swing of the axe and when they tried to detain them, made the "knights" flee back to report.

"Have they all been round up?" Hector looked over his forces, content with their work over the last few days. "Do not need any surprises or an ambush this early."

It was said for the pegasus riders to do a lookout further on any nobles possibly sending spies over to see.

"Sir, not a single one has escaped," Clyde reported. "Victor has taken a squad and is checking the surrounding area to make sure. All that survived are here."

The few surviving bandits looked a mess. Blood dripping from deep cuts. Broken bones from horses trampling over them.

"Then proceed with registration."

A few of the forces flipped the bandits over and cleaned up their faces. Then another would come over, sketch the face and take measurements as accurately as possible. Another would come up checking for weapons or anything of importance one more time after that.

Documenting and then placing it in the cart in the back.

"So who are you bandits and where do you come from?" Hector asked nicely. If they didn't answer, he would resort to harsher means. Moving through the group he asked each of them one by one observing the ones who looked away and to certain members of the group. "Is beating a better method than just talking?"

"Tch!" One bandit clicked his teeth.

"Yes?" Hector got face to face with the bandit. "Want to talk first?"

"Ptuh!" The bandit spat in his face. Right in the eye really. "How do you like my words?!"

"Very.. sharp words." Hector pulled the spit off with magic. Holding the spittle up then turning it into a needle, it was edge towards the bandit's eyeball. He then grabbed hold of the man's head gripping tight by the cheekbones. "Try mine. They go really deep."

*Split!* The thin saliva needle pierced the bandit's eyeball moving all the way into his skull. His screams were short-lived and served to only inflict fear into the others.

"May you serve under the Goddess Tiamat.." Hector said the words to sacrifice the bandit's soul. He then snapped the neck before letting go. "..till the end of time." For processing, a Dark Blue Sphere of magic disposed of the body into the Primordial Sea.

"Ahhh!" Another bandit screamed in absolute fear. The others holding it in a little more than he did.

"Now.. how about the rest of you, feeling the need to speak up more for me?" He smiled, causing the bandits to begin spilling their guts. Hector moved away to go through what was found on their persons so far. 'Hopefully, some maps to secret areas. That would be worth it.'

No map but he did find some items that confirmed what a few repots found over the years. The Black Bone Clan, were still inactive which was good. It means they hadn't found a way into Bern even further to get into the blasted shrine. Considering they do not become active for almost 20-35 years was not enough of a safety net.

'Have to keep bringing my magic resistance up, getting close to Classing Up for more power.' Putting everything away, Hector surveyed the area. They were getting closer to an objective. 'The time is way before the one called Glass attacks to steal the sword, but all reports have not confirmed he is one of the Bandits killed. Guess I will find out soon enough.'

"Boss," a mercenary of his came over. "a report of a military group was spotted. All reports indicate members of Eturia. They are passing around what looks to be a route to Pherae."

"Hmm, nothing of any important or consequence, carry on as you were." He dismissed the scout since the Eturian escort should be one of the groups that were marked to pass through already.

Cleaned up with some taking the bandits who had bounties away, Hector and a small group went towards Bulgar. The Pegasus Knights flying high above scouting the area as need be.

"This place is better than most." Hector took in the few homes and the wall that was damaged in a few spots. Wear and tear having done its part. Sacae's large Nomadic territory are up north and all over in those cardinal directions. Yet to the south pass the river brings you to Bern. This is a good place for a capital considering."

"Lord Hector, are you saying we are setting up here?" A few of the mercenaries were looking forward to that. The treck from Ostia while hunting bandits and gathering intel was grueling work.

"Yeah, it is ideal due to spacing and the fact the Sacaes are.. well freaking idiots. Bulgar has no real authority in just being a village that remains the last before meeting various trade stalls with the Nomads. "The land will allows us to set up ideally the way we want."

The Pegasus riders flew down as the group had stopped moving.

"Far North is Illia and Sacaen tribes, Illia is technically a good ally with a good bit of our funds spent there already. To the South is Bern our only problem if they mount a full offensive by flight. Which would be dumb. Balista and the Pegasus Riders can take care of that. By sea is not on overall threat since they would have to land to make use of ground troops and get pass the Sacaens all over."

As they talked, the locals obviously thought the worse seeing the armed group. Some running inside and peeking outward. No attacks happened of course as that would ruin any planning.

"Ok, let's buy some supplies, I am going to the Temple. Make sure to buy pickaxes or metal for we can make some. The mountains we went around has a lot of ore to use." As Hector gave those orders, the mercenaries went to work. Happy as can be.

"Lord Hector, I am going to inform the others of the developing situation." Sigune was more excited than most. To lay roots out of Illia was starting to take a stronger hold in her. "The open space will be good for the Pegasi!"

Approaching the Temple where the Mani Katti was housed, Hector moved about freely. Not minding the stares or the talks of the clergy folk at all. He could feel his magic stirring in almost anticipation of something.

The fact there was an Altar and a Throne in the Temple was not lost on him. At one point this place might have been something important. A gale of magic stirred with each step Hector took towards the sword. Before he even reached out, the Sword flew to his hand.

"Well now.. that is something." He marvel at the sword that despite conflicting descriptions and later adaptations stood true to what it was in its debut. "A fine Katana." His Affinity of magic triggered and gave a show to the people inside.

Countless "spirits" appeared and acknowledge him. All the people who at one point used the sword. With a simple nod of acknowledgment towards them, they vanished. Internally the Primordial Sea reacted but did nothing else.

'Not really a Legendary Sword but still worth the effort. Let's infuse some magic to keep it from ever breaking.' Using the little energy the spirits gave over, he enthralled the Blade so to speak. Those cut down by it would lose a little of themselves to keep it strong. "Perfect."

In front of the wide eyed priest, Hector move to sit on the throne. Effectively "Seizing" it in the process. His magic poured out from the Primordial Sea to repair the Temple and convert it to that of Tiamat.

It stretched all the way back to Bulgar and repaired the walls. His mercenary group was accustomed to his magic but not something like this.