//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: "Preparation to the Fire" // Story: Displaced Blade // by Desperate Dawn //------------------------------// The battle was over once the Princess along with Vael, Sid and her contingency of guards make it to the cliff overviewing the battle. Equestrian army had won the battle but with a huge cost of their own, many had lost their life today and many more to come at the upcoming battle. The small engagement earlier had also cost a few guards and it all was for nothing. The Princess wished for a broad sight over the battle only to be ambushed and once she arrived, the battle is over. Princess Luna sighed, so many deaths she thought. She told her escort that her business here is done and they should return to camp. All of her escort nodded but Vael and Sid remained quiet. Princess Luna led the way back, following a different path than before. If earlier they were from a pathway that is surrounded by arch trees, they cut their way through a slightly sloppy hill. Princess Luna and the Pegasi take flight and glide down while those who had none have to carefully climb down, Vael and Sid had to carefully bend their body to the ground to avoid stumbling down. Once the flightless had reached down, they continued with Princess Luna in the lead. Vael glanced to the location where the battle had once fought by the two armies. Dead pony, both non-crystal and crystal alike and variety of weapons such as spears, swords and axes lies scattered on the slightly scorched earth that was once just a grassy plain. Sid bumped his elbow to him, snapping him out of his thoughts. It wasn’t long until a familiar sun and moon flag appeared on the horizon, and soon a huge camp comes into view. “That’s a lot of tents.” Sid whistled. “Those gents art forsooth, sir Siegfried. After all, we hast at least ten thousand troops varied between the three tribes on each army. And each army varied depending to those who commanded those folk, one could beest earth pony majority or one is very balanced between each tribe.” Princess Luna explained as they neared the camp’s entrance with two guards stationed at it. “We for one, consisted of mostly flight based army as Unicorn's and Earth Pony alike art hath kept as reserve.” “But, Princess that army we saw earlier is mostly Earth ponies and Unicorn that fought, why is that?” Vael asked. “A very valorous question forsooth, sir Vael, however-” she smirked. “How many army doth thee bethink we has't?” Sid raised his hand, “I’m guessing of at least fifteen armies, Princess.” Princess Luna shook her head, “Nay sir Siegfried, we has't twenty-three armies each scattered between regions of Equestria, some armies art hath sent to aid our allies in this war, but majority art still within Equestrian land.” Princess Luna paused but smiled. “But thou art correct in some ways.” Princess Luna then turned to Vael, “As for thine question, sir Vael, we art at the topless of command with mine sister. We command all the armies but we doth not hast full command over the chains of ranks within, those gents after all hast a commander of their own.” Vael nodded. “I see…” Princess Luna motioned of her escort to dispersed, but not Vael and Sid. She gestured them to follow her into her tent. The two followed the Lunar Princess, and of course the Princess’s tent is the only one that is colored midnight blue with a few decorations of the stars and moon around the tent. The two guards that stood in front nodded to the Princess as she entered along with Vael and Sid. The inside of her tent are quite spacious as expected from a royalty, an armor stand at the corner, a bed with a book on top, and a table at the middle which are filled with maps and scrolls. “Please, make thyself comfortable.” Princess Luna said as she took her helmet off and floats it to the armor stand. “Do you need a moment, Princess?” Vael asked. Princess Luna titled her head, seemingly misunderstand. Knowing this, Vael immediately corrected himself while waving his hand. “I-I mean if you wish t-to uhh...” Princess Luna giggled, Vael can feel how red he is currently but thankfully his helmet covers are lowered. So Sid can’t tease him afterwards, however Sid himself seems to hold a snicker of his own. “Oh dear, what a bethought, thee should beest ashamed of thyself, sir Vael.” Princess Luna chuckled. Vael bows low, apologizing. The Princess waved a wing at him, “Thee shan’t beest apologizing, sir Vael, tis mine fault to tease.” Princess Luna then turned to a more serious expression. “However, now that thou knights hath joined our ranks we shalt tell thee our plan for the upcoming battle.” The Princess moved to the opposite of the table, she gestured them to come closer and so they did. The map was filled with red circles and square on Equestrian land, blue square also decorate the map but more than the red square. She pointed a red square along with a few smaller one with her wing, “This is where we reside, the fourteenth army with a couple of Brigades from the fifteenth army.” She then moved her wings to the blue squares, each lining adjacent to other square. “And this is where our foe marching through Equestrian plain, we art outnumbered three to one. However, a small battalion is brave enough to venture into the enemy flank and waits for the main army to meet the enemy.” She explained as she moved her wing to a small red square in a gorge who had a clear gap on the enemy battle line, small but enough for them to move pass. “Once our army collided, the small battalion wilt lodge their archers hither and then hath moved their remaining soldier to strike the enemy where those crystal pony least expect.” She said as she points her wings to a hill nearby and then moved her wing across from the small red square to the blue square. “And, where should we be then?” Sid asked. Princess Luna smiled, “Excellent question, sir Siegfried, thou shalt journey to the small battalion and tell them that the main army is moving to meet the enemy. Of course, thou will not journey alone as I shalt send our best soldier to escort thee.” “Hmm, I think it’s easy enough, what do you think Vael?” Sid turned his head to Vael. “But, the path ahead will not be easy to venture through, are we supplied with a map or perhaps a direction pointer like… uhh, like compass.” Vael think out loud. Princess Luna smiled, she know not to underestimate these foreigners. “Thou noble knights shan’t go alone, as one our best scout shall accompany thee throughout thine journey.” She returned her attentions to the battle-maps. “Just remember, we wilt beginneth marching as soon as thine departure. Prepare thineself of the journey ahead, as for now, thou should rest.” The two knights nodded and excused themselves. The two exited her tents before Princess Luna called Vael and said knight then turned, wondering why he was called. “Send this to the Captain,” she floated a scroll above Vael’s hand. “He shalt not harm thee nor doth he will question thee.” Vael grabbed the scroll and looked at it, the scroll are sealed with her royal signature. Vael bowed, “I shall deliver her Highness message to the Captain, I must bid farewell for now, Princess, Goodnight.” Vael stepped out of the lunar tent, sighing as there is a task they must accomplish. It is too late to back out now, let’s hope we don’t get any nasty surprise. Vael thought to himself. He looked around for one particular and unusually dressed Knight. He spotted him soon after as said knight sat down near a camp-fire alone. He noticed that most of the ponies avoided them, staring at them briefly before returning to their activity. Some of those stare he received are mostly curiosity and confusion, some unicorns does glared at them with disgust but the knights ignored them completely, well he don’t know about Sid being oblivious about it but he suppose that Sid also ignored them. Walking towards him, he noticed that he seems to be rummaging on something. He walked closer and took a closer look of what Sid’s doing only to widen his eye in surprise. With a nonchalant expression he rummaged through what appears to be a box, a medium sized wooden box. If the box is what he thinks it is, then… Vael sat down beside him, staring intently at Sid as he keep rummaging through the box, picking up an item before putting it back, Sid does this for the entire duration Vael stared at him. Shaking his head, he looked at the camp-fire; simple sticks and stone camp-fire unlike the Dark Souls bonfire which has a sword embedded on it. However, he felt… warm and comfort as all of his worries thrown into a nearby trashcan. He felt something on his back as he was about to shift his position, turning his head he saw that same box Sid’s rummaging on. He swore that it wasn’t there before as if the box simply appeared there. He shrugged and grabbed the box, putting it in front of him. He opened the box and… again his mind was blown. When it says ‘bottomless box’, then it is bottomless and non-existent reality of how did his entire inventory even got in. Eh, game logic, not going to argue. “Aha, finally found you!” Sid exclaimed. Vael looked over to see him pulling a Sunlight Straight Sword. Ignoring of Sid’s finding, Vael began to scour his inventory. “So… how does that thing work?” A Royal Guard asked to the Knights. “Serves as the same purpose of how you keep your weapon and armor, except that it had no bound whatsoever and practically can put anything bigger than the box itself.” Sid explained cheerfully to the group of ponies that grows interest to the two knights pulling weapons and armor out of their tiny box. Sid no longer wearing his ridiculously armor set and instead he wore the exact same set as Solaire of Astora, the NPC you met once you get to the dragon in Undead Parish. He even got his talisman strapped onto his belt. Vael wonders of how did he wore and took off his armor quickly, he then remembered that everything in Dark Souls when you switched armor or weapons, it happen as quick as it is of Sid. He still wonders of how could they repair, reinforce or even attune some magic of their own. Vael does have some miracles but lack of faith to use them except Great Heal Excerpt and Heal. He is after-all, Strength build because he is a Knight class. Sid is a Warrior class and with him finishing the game at least once or twice, he’s a flexible build between a Combat-Sorcerer to a Warrior-Knight role. At least that what Vael thinks about Sid’s character. Vael still wore his Elite Knight set, complete with his Claymore and Crest Shield. He strapped on Astora’s Straight Sword too as a secondary. He was rather heavy but comfortable enough. He hesitate to use the Chaos Zweihander he was given on one of the ‘Giant Dads’ when he was invaded at one time. The two had given a pouch by Princess Luna to bring ‘anything useful for the journey ahead’. It is enough to accommodate Estus Flask, some Humanity, a few Green Blossom, Repair Powder (they didn’t have Repairbox for whatever reason nor can they knew when the sword would break), and three Divine Blessing. There’s still an empty space on the Pouch but Vael decide to save it for now. Sid’s seems to be lost in conversation with a couple of guard that surrounds him, answering questions without any regard. It probably not a very good idea but he decides to let him, because what’s the bad thing that is going to happen eh? Tempting Murphy and Fate’s aside, he heard a flap of wings beside him. Turning he saw a Pegasus stallion complete with its armor landing and proceeds to salute him. “Sir Vael, I has't been assigned as thy escort and guide.” Vael stared at the guard, confused. “Uhh, at ease…umm?” “It’s Silver Sky, sir Vael. I will guide thee throughout thine journey.” The guard said, sitting down on his haunches, “Tis a pleasure to meet thee, sir Vael.” “The pleasure is mine, Silver,” Vael nodded. “Art thou ready for the journey ahead of us?” Silver asked. “We shalt journey on when thou art ready.” “Wait, Silver, aren’t we suppose to move at dawn?” Vael asked, confused. It can’t be that fast is it? “Actually, dawn has’t cometh already and if we hurry, we may hath reached the battalion at the next dawn.” Welp, that’s convenient. Vael thought to himself. “Then we shall go now.” He said, standing up. “Sid let’s go, we’re going now.” “Huh?” Sid turned to Vael. “Aren’t we moving tomorrow?” “It’s already tomorrow, now come on!” Vael shouted while strapping his Claymore to his back. Much to the guard’s disappointment, they let Sid pack up his gear and then they returned to pack up the tents. Somehow, the two missed an entire army mobilizing a moment ago. Sid pack up his gear, grabbing his Sunlight Straight Sword and Sunlight Shield before catching up with Vael with their escort in the sky. And so, they raced on ahead the main army towards the small battalion, climbing uphill just in time to see the whole army slowly marching down the road in a single column. Sid whistles in amazement while Vael simply stared in disbelief at the sheer size of it from their overview, four thousands seems a lot from here. “Sir Vael, sir Siegfried, let us proceed.” Silver said, breaking their trance. “Right,” Vael shook his head. “Let’s go deep into the fire!”