Fandom Fire Emblem Heroes: A Tale Of Two Kingdoms

[PaulHaynek]

ShredKnives

"Alright then. This'll only take a moment, hopefully." Kiran nodded.

The Summoner then repeated the actions he took when he summoned Flora. But he did things a bit differently this time, he first loaded the rainbow orb in Breidablik before producing a red orb with white lines shaped into a diamond embedded on it. With Breidablik on one hand and the red orb on the other, Kiran then tossed the latter high up in the air before quickly taking aim with the former. With one shot of light from the legendary weapon, the red orb shattered and a bright pillar of light came down in its place. The Swordlords present had to shield their eyes from the summoning.

When the light pillar dissipated, a figure was left. Albeit, suspended in the air by a couple of feet. The figure then landed on the ground with an audible thud. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay?! I'm sorry!" Kiran quickly made way to the newly-summoned Hero. "Byleth? Are you okay?" Indeed, the new Hero was Byleth of Fodlan and she had just been in her dorm room in the Officers Academy in Garreg Mach Monastery before a bright light shone upon her and she was suddenly spirited away to this strange new place.

Byleth was among unknown faces. The man who was inquiring about her appeared like some sort of mage with his white and gold hood and cloak. Behind him were three women, one in silver-colored armor and what appeared to be two maids. Other than them, she was surrounded by warriors in bright gold and white armor and feathery armor wielding long blades.

"Uhh, you're probably confused as to what just happened. Well uhh, long story short: You were summoned to help save worlds... Okay, that sounds pretty wacky but uhh, ahh..." Kiran struggled to find the words and looked to Corrin for help.

 

[ShredKnives]

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Flora watched with observant eyes, whispering softly to her sister, "Is this what he was doing to me?"

"Bits and pieces," Felicia would whisper back.

Felicia and Corrin simultaneously covered their own eyes before the light had even shone, Flora quick to follow suit before they'd be introduced to the light. There laid a new stranger, one that eluded their memories in every turn and buckle.

Meanwhile, the stranger herself wasn't quite so sure where she was, how she got here, and what she was doing here of all places. Unfortunately, the surprise that overtook her spent too much time before she could react to being several feet off of the ground and she'd land with a painful-looking thud.

"Ow!"

"Byleth? Are you okay?"

Hells, even the name of this person didn't ring a bell to the trio. They had been expecting a new comrade by their side this entire time. Corrin rubbed the back of her neck, guessing firstly, "Guess I forgot that those of another world could be our potential comrade as well."

Byleth groaned, rubbing the back of her head and then her rear momentarily before she glanced at her surroundings.

In one direction, bright lights and white wings.

In the other, silver lights and bright colors.

She was fairly sure she wasn't feeling well, but such times can't be spent vomiting. She concluded that this summoner who was speaking was the one who pulled her here. Such an occasion meant that she wasn't just pulled out of random chance; she was selected to help these people, whoever they were.

Well, whether it be permitted by her or not, she's here now. She glanced at whoever bore the name Corrin for further explanation.

"Ah, that's me," Corrin said with the raise of her hand. They eyed each other.

She looks important, but why the lack of shoes? Byleth thought to herself.

She definitely looks like she's got better stuff than me. Corrin thought. She cleared her throat. "Kiran, our summoner, brought us here to help his kingdom out. If you choose to accept, you'll be fighting in a land where heroes from other worlds, like I, will be present. I'm not sure if the challenges you've faced have equated to such conditions, but-"

"Okay," Byleth said with a nod.

Corrin paused. "Er. Are you sure?"

"I don't see a reason why you'd need to lie to me. The effort to summon someone must be costly."

Flora shrugged. Seemed reasonable enough.

"Not to mention, you seemed to have gone through the trouble of bringing me here in...Well, a painful fashion. I guess you all must be in a hurry."

Felicia scratched her cheek. It sounded about right to the maid.

"Will I be with you?" She asked for confirmation.

Corrin pursed her lips at this lack of hesitance before she herself simply nodded. "I'm Corrin, these are my two maids, Flora in blue and Felicia in pink. Titles are unimportant, but I just like saying that."

They bowed their heads.

Byleth nodded. "Byleth, a professor. Please treat me well." She began standing up, cleaning herself with the palms of her hands.

Corrin nodded, before glancing at Kiran. "So our plan remains the same, correct? Ambush them from the side? With a collection of glowing knights by our side?"

 

[PaulHaynek]

ShredKnives

"Well, they're the best we got right now. I heard that we have more stealthier soldiers in Askr but they're not here right now. Anyway, good luck you four. And Byleth?" Kiran turned to the professor. "Thanks for helping us. I know you may be confused right now as to where you are right now but things will be explained to you once we have the time. Right now, Commander Anna's counting on you and the others to accomplish your objectives. Uhh, Commander Anna is... do you have someone named Anna in Fodlan?"

------

The four Heroes then set out with the Swordlords towards the mountains. The main Askrian army, including Commander Anna and the royal siblings, have also begun to mobilize to the gap where the Varjan army was likely waiting for them.

The ambush party reached the mountain range's base without incident. The peaks reached the heavens, scaling it would require professional mountaineering skills. Fortunately, there was a small trail that cuts through the natural barrier. A huge army could not possibly use this narrow path but a small group can slip by in a short amount of time. Just as the Askrian force have begun to enter the mountain trail, a Swordlord came with grave news. "A Varjan force is upon us! We are under attacked!" He announced as he pointed to the south.

Like he said, an entire unit of horsemen rode towards the defenseless Askrian force. However, they did not appear to be charging into melee as they slowed down once they got close to the Askrians. Wearing only pelt and leather armor, they brandished their hand axes and began hurling them at the Heroes and their allies. The Swordlords leapt into action, swinging their swords with amazing precision. Swatting away or slicing the oncoming axes. But a few of the Swordlords got unlucky, the throwing axes piercing their armor and their lifeless bodies falling to the ground as the first casualties of this fight.

But despite the Swordlords' deflecting skills, there was no way for them to retaliate. They had no projectiles of their own and they cannot catch these axe throwers on horseback.

"Miladies, we cannot keep this for long." One of the Swordlords told the Heroes as he sliced apart a flying axe. "We must either find their leader and force them to rout or find a way to negate their ranged advantage."

 

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"Well, they're the best we got right now. I heard that we have more stealthier soldiers in Askr but they're not here right now. Anyway, good luck you four."

Flora and Felicia glanced at each other, then at their own apparels. Maybe they should opt in for some armor, they halfheartedly thought.

Corrin rubbed the back of her neck, willing to work with what she had for the most part.

Byleth felt a little awkward. She had no idea who any of these people were, but...

Corrin placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lady Luck is fickle, Kiran. Right, Byleth?"

Byleth managed a nod.

"And Byleth?"

Her attention was piqued and she was quick to glance over in the summoner's direction.

"Thanks for helping us. I know you may be confused right now as to where you are right now but things will be explained to you once we have the time. Right now, Commander Anna's counting on you and the others to accomplish your objectives. Uhh, Commander Anna is... do you have someone named Anna in Fodlan?"

Byleth thought about it for a few moments, rubbing her chin in thought. Anna...Anna, Anna, Anna.

"...I think I've heard of a shop owned by a lady of the name, but none personally," She answered with a shake of her head.

____

"I miss a good pegasus ride," Felicia commented halfway through the trek.

"Mm," Flora only mumbled.

"So. Do. I." Corrin groaned.

"Maybe with more time, I could've been a Pegasus Knight," Byleth commented. "Then I could fly all of us."

"If only you knew you'd be thrown here," Flora commented with a smile. "I would appreciate such a generous offer."

Corrin wasn't quite so certain about the idea. "I don't think they'd be able to fit us, though...I don't want to hurt your future ride."

"You don't want to hurt a lot of things, Lady Corrin," Flora replied back.

"Y-you really don't," Felicia agreed. "Always trying to b-break up a fight."

"Hey, if I'm going to be a leader, I'm going to do it right," Corrin said, "Though breaking faces was an art."

"D-don't say it like it's some kind of martial art."

...

It was mostly silence and focus after their conversation. If anyone got hurt during this trail, it would be bad news if they tried to execute their plan. With no healer hero, they needed to keep themselves stable and healthy during this move.

"A Varjan force is upon us! We are under attacked!"

Such as that. The maids were quick to nod their heads and move back to back by the leaders' sides.

Corrin and Byleth were the first, drawing out their blades, though Corrin shot a glance at the professor's.

"Hey, it's the same color as mine. What does yours do?"

Byleth commented without even shooting a glance at her, "It can extend like a whip."

"No way."

Flora and Felicia seemed equally surprised.

Byleth shrugged. "I remember thinking the same thing when I used it."

Then axes came flying at them.

Corrin and Byleth were fast enough to deflect every axe headed their way with striking precision, but their problems resonated with the group: the only form of projectile counterattack would be from the maids.

Knives were, indeed, flying at the axes and throwing them off direction, a few even cutting the wooden handles entirely and splitting the tools. Corrin grit her teeth, unsure how to counterattack this that wouldn't risk Flora or Felicia's lives. They were quicker and more accurate, but the risk of melee combat was more dangerous.

Byleth suggested, "I can pick them off one by one until we find their leader."

"We may risk more casualties, though!" Corrin said while swinging her sword cleanly across an axe. "The maids can control ice, maybe they can set up an icy floor that will throw them off horseback!"

"They can control ice?" No time to be impressed. Byleth then commented, "I...They can freeze the axes."

"Oh! That might stop their movement entirely so they'll land back to the ground without ever hitting us. And you can still pick them off until they eventually retreat!"

Flora and Felicia commented, "Why not turn into a dragon and distract them?"

Byleth stared blankly at the maids, then at Corrin in a brief lapse of shocked confusion. "You..."

"Transforming would ruin the whole idea of ambushing them to begin with! We need to clear them out, and we need to do it discreetly, swiftly, and before they can escape," Corrin said. "I'll stick with our comrades, because a few have already fallen, and I'll shoot for the axes that may catch an unlucky man. Byleth?"

She slowly nodded.

It seemed the plan was agreed on.

"Then I guess we better move," Flora commented. "Felicia, let's go."

"R-right!"

And a clean barrage of icy cold winds were expelled into the air, brief but covering distance towards the flying axes in an effort to stop their horizontal movement. Byleth was quick to go to work, while Corrin sprinted to the frontlines, slashing every flying axe in her path.

And a sword would fly past the entire Askrian army, a blade that looked no different from a whip pouncing at individual axe-throwers like leopards.

 

[PaulHaynek]

ShredKnives

Felicia and Flora's ice magic froze the flying axes, stopping them in midair and making them drop to the ground harmlessly. The horsemen continued their assault for a little while longer but the Nohrian maids were adept, the axes had lost all their danger. Only a scant few axes made it past the icy onslaught only to be cut down by Corrin and the Swordlords. The horsemen realized that their efforts were for naught and halted their ranged attack.

And then came Byleth's attack. Her whip-like sword struck the horsemen, tearing them from their mounts. Suddenly, it was the Varjans who were at the defensive. But then Byleth's whip blade was swatted away by another sword and broke its momentum. Its wielder was mounted, garbed in mostly blue. A blue tunic, blue slacks, blue cape but white boots and gloves. His hair and his eyes were blue too as well but his skin was fair and not blue also, fortunately. He rode forth and ordered the horsemen to charge to break out of their predicament.

Thus, the horsemen put away their axes and brandished their spears. Not exactly of quality but it was good enough. The blue warrior led the charge and their horses thundered through the grassy plains. The Askrian Swordlords were not idle, they formed in front of the Heroes so that no harm may come to them. They readied their blades, their hands on their hilts. They would cut down the first horses to break the charge. At least that was the theory, the Swordlords have indeed cut down the first line of cavalry but the horses pushed through and broke into the formation. The fight had begun to devolve into a unorganized pit of melee. At least the Swordlords had the advantage, being the better melee combatants.

The blue warrior's horse was cut down by one of the Swordlords but he gracefully leapt from his fallen horse and behind the lines of the Swordlords and right in the vicinity of the Heroes. He pointed his gold-hilted blade at them, challenging them to a fight. "Greetings, I am Seliph. I do not wish to fight, but I am bound by a contract so I have a little choice. I'm sorry." He was about to strike but then there was an explosion of magic behind the Heroes, blowing away several Askrians.

A mage appeared forth. She was a pale-skinned woman in a white dress and purple robe. Her eyes were violet and her hair was a light tone of the same violet. In her hands was a tome bound with a green cover. "Brother, you will not fight alone!" She shouted to Seliph.

"Julia? Very well, let us fight together!" It appeared that the Heroes must divide themselves against these duo.

 

[ShredKnives]

ShredKnives

And then came Byleth's attack. Her whip-like sword struck the horsemen, tearing them from their mounts. Suddenly, it was the Varjans who were at the defensive. But then Byleth's whip blade was swatted away by another sword and broke its momentum. Its wielder was mounted, garbed in mostly blue. A blue tunic, blue slacks, blue cape but white boots and gloves. His hair and his eyes were blue too as well but his skin was fair and not blue also, fortunately. He rode forth and ordered the horsemen to charge to break out of their predicament.

As the axes began decreasing in number, so did the amount of ice magic in the air. Flora and Felicia needed to save up their energy for what was to come next.

"Ugh!" Byleth cried as she was forced to withdraw her blade back to her side. She had been expecting a quick counterattack, but this was beyond speedy. She was awfully used to wiping entire armies out with simplistic strategies that lasted the entire skirmish.

Corrin backed up towards Byleth, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, expect the plan to stop working halfway through."

"What's our new plan?"

Thus, the horsemen put away their axes and brandished their spears. Not exactly of quality but it was good enough. The blue warrior led the charge and their horses thundered through the grassy plains. The Askrian Swordlords were not idle, they formed in front of the Heroes so that no harm may come to them. They readied their blades, their hands on their hilts. They would cut down the first horses to break the charge. At least that was the theory, the Swordlords have indeed cut down the first line of cavalry but the horses pushed through and broke into the formation. The fight had begun to devolve into a unorganized pit of melee. At least the Swordlords had the advantage, being the better melee combatants.

Corrin glanced back at Flora and Felicia, who exchanged thumbs-ups. As long as they were winning, they would need to keep the momentum. She brandished her blade alongside Byleth's, the two standing side to side.

She eventually began, "We'll start by..."

The blue warrior's horse was cut down by one of the Swordlords but he gracefully leapt from his fallen horse and behind the lines of the Swordlords and right in the vicinity of the Heroes. He pointed his gold-hilted blade at them, challenging them to a fight. "Greetings, I am Seliph. I do not wish to fight, but I am bound by a contract so I have a little choice. I'm sorry." He was about to strike but then there was an explosion of magic behind the Heroes, blowing away several Askrians.

"We'll go for Sir Seliph and then..." Corrin paused, rapidly searching for the source of explosions.

A mage appeared forth. She was a pale-skinned woman in a white dress and purple robe. Her eyes were violet and her hair was a light tone of the same violet. In her hands was a tome bound with a green cover. "Brother, you will not fight alone!" She shouted to Seliph.

Byleth elbowed Corrin. "I'll cover you."

Corrin nodded. "Alright." She glanced at Flora and Felicia and gestured to the lady newcomer. Judging from the nods, they got the order. "If you won't fight alone, we won't either," She concluded.

The whip-blade returned once again, moving straight forward the knight in a dash for his body. As Byleth thrust her sword, a rain of knife-shaped ice hailed from the skies, raining down directly onto Julia. Felicia and her war accuracy at its finest was on the first move.

For the second move, Corrin went for a full-sprint, keeping her blade up and in a clear guard, above shoulder and positioned for his neck. However, she then shifted into a quick slide under the whipblade, sliding in an arc whose pathway would just graze Seliph. But with blade in hand, it would go right for his legs.

As Corrin did so, Flora skated across the land, breathing an icy puddle over the grass in a semi-circle to attempt to force Julia to evade in one direction; the direction where she'd toss her knives as she breathed her ice floor.

 

[PaulHaynek]

ShredKnives

--Corrin & Byleth--

Seliph readied his sword when he saw Corrin and Byleth approaching and when the latter's whip-blade sprang forth, he effortlessly blocked the attack. However, he did not anticipate Corrin ducking under the whip-sword to make also make an attack at him. The slash on his leg landed, forcing Seliph to lower it. He had gotten careless but he was not out of the fight yet.

The Heir Of Light brought his sword forth, and appeared to be empowered by a force from the blade itself. Seliph wasted no time going after Corrin, shrugging off his wound. His skill with the blade was tremendous, immediately putting Corrin on the defensive. She will need support from Byleth to turn this situation around.

--Flora & Felicia--

Julia stood her ground and bravely faced the oncoming ice knives from Felicia. "Winds of this world..." The mage muttered. "...Obey my commands, and blow my enemies away!" Her green tome flipped open and she stretched out her hand, a mighty wind blew forth from her and sent away the ice knives. Seeing Flora skating around her, Julia put an end to her plans by summoning more wind magic and sweeping the Nohrian maid off her feet.

With Flora down, Julia brought forth a pillar of sharp winds. A whirlwind wormed through the air, aiming to crash down on Flora. The Nohrian maids were in quite the pickle.

 

[ShredKnives]

ShredKnives

--Corrin & Byleth--

Seliph readied his sword when he saw Corrin and Byleth approaching and when the latter's whip-blade sprang forth, he effortlessly blocked the attack. However, he did not anticipate Corrin ducking under the whip-sword to make also make an attack at him. The slash on his leg landed, forcing Seliph to lower it. He had gotten careless but he was not out of the fight yet.

The Heir Of Light brought his sword forth, and appeared to be empowered by a force from the blade itself. Seliph wasted no time going after Corrin, shrugging off his wound. His skill with the blade was tremendous, immediately putting Corrin on the defensive. She will need support from Byleth to turn this situation around.

Corrin, in a fierce battle of skill and technique, was obviously losing; it wouldn't be long before a fatal hit would completely finish her in moments. However, it wouldn't stop Corrin from risking it all! And a bit of helpful leader-like communication with her new ally. Byleth was no stranger to seeing a losing battle and there was little chance she'd back down from a losing side-- This was now all down to how she reacted.

Rather than provide long-range support, Byleth decided with an extremely riskier move, one that Seliph probably wouldn't have expected.

Upon a fresh parry against Corrin's blade, would Byleth swing her whip-blade and lasso her blade around Corrin's, yanking her back to her side with a surprisingly-girlish scream from Corrin. This was certainly a defensive move like none other, with the grand teacher basically risking the life of her comrade to attempt to save said comrade's life.

A regroup would certainly be an interesting decision, but it seems these two would have some, rather...Unorthodox methods.

--Flora & Felicia--

Julia stood her ground and bravely faced the oncoming ice knives from Felicia. "Winds of this world..." The mage muttered. "...Obey my commands, and blow my enemies away!" Her green tome flipped open and she stretched out her hand, a mighty wind blew forth from her and sent away the ice knives. Seeing Flora skating around her, Julia put an end to her plans by summoning more wind magic and sweeping the Nohrian maid off her feet.

With Flora down, Julia brought forth a pillar of sharp winds. A whirlwind wormed through the air, aiming to crash down on Flora. The Nohrian maids were in quite the pickle.

Felicia clicked her teeth, realizing a distinguished problem: they were out-ranged. Despite the two on one, they weren't fast enough to outpace Julia's magic attacks, and this was beginning to turn into a larger problem. Especially with Flora's situation.

Despite Flora's attempts to avoid Julia's attack, the attack affected too large an area.

"Gaah!!" Flora cried, her body tumbling across the same icy floor she made. Certainly a pickle, but Felicia was no stranger to sticky situations. The only difference was that even she wasn't so sure how to save this. She pursed her lips in a panic, before thinking of the first thing she imagined with a whirlwind.

Whirlwinds...Whirlwinds, what can stop a whirlwind?!

...Something big. Something obstructive. They're not hurricanes, they're just vortexes, Felicia needs...A wall! She isn't entirely confident in her ice abilities, but even something as simple as a dome would disrupt the windflow of a whirl-wind! Like a ferret, she pounced her hands right to the ground, infesting the land with a chilly ice path that morphed into the shape of claw and surrounded Flora. In an instant, the ice spread outward into a half-dome around Felicia's sister.

All or nothing! This was the one, the only, and the last barrier between Flora and certain doom...If Felicia had the time to sweat profusely, it would've rained down from her forehead.