He may have escaped before, but he's run out of hiding places now, and he will pay! Also I will hopefully be able to recruit Altenna now, since I'm pretty sure this is my last chapter in Thracia. So begins chapter 9, For Whose Sake
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After liberating the northern half of Thracia, the army was stationed at Mease, unsure of how to proceed into the heartland of the peninsula. Trabant and his wyvern knights acted as the sole ally of the Grandbell Empire, where they worked alongside Alvis. Altenna and Arion, are both stationed at the capital, while the famed general Hanibal, otherwise known as the "Shield of Thracia", was stationed at Kapathogia castle. General Disler, one of Trabant's trusted confidants, is commanding from Luthecia castle, while a dark bishop named Judah controls Grutia castle. With the sheer scale of the conflict bearing down on them, the citizens of Thracia also began to fear the liberation army, seeing them as an invading force. "Is there any justice to be found in this battle? And for whom are we fighting for?". These questions weigh heavily on Serlis and his army for the first time.
Altenna flies down to the capital, where an enraged Trabant demands to know why she hadn't attacked Manster. Trabant notes how he relies on both her and Arion, and asks how she can simply ignore his orders and return like nothing had happened, and she tries to defend herself, saying that the people of Thracia would never be content living in lands claimed through the blood and sweat of other people. Arion steps in and silences her, commanding her to obey their fathers wishes, while also defending her, saying that her lack of direct experience likely made actual combat overwhelming to her. He pleads with his father to try not to be too harsh with her this time, and Trabant says that his babying of her is what causes her to cause him so much trouble in the first place. He forgives her her failure to take Manster, but commands her to take back Mease with a wyvern battalion, and states that her failure, daughter or not, will lead to severe consequences. She concedes and exits to form the battalion, while Trabant muses that given the vitriol Altenna has for him, it's almost like Ethlin is speaking to her from the grave. Arion waves it off as her being young still, and not knowing where to draw the line yet, and Trabant gives it only passing notice, saying that he will head to Kapathogia to speak with Hanibal, who seems unhappy with his way of running things, and so aims to make sure he doesn't betray him. Arion is surprised and chilled by his fathers dismay, wondering at what could have caused it, and Trabant takes off for Kapathogia.
Trabant explains the situation to Hanibal, and asks for assistance from his armored knight brigade, but Hanibal says that this battle is futile. He notes that only a cease-fire with the liberation army will allow the time needed to strengthen the country internally, and he also criticizes the choice to join the empire, noting the danger presented to the populace due to it. Trabant is angered by this, and states that, with the deaths of his men and the liberators presence in Mease, a cease-fire would be useless. After Trabant questions Hanibal's loyalty, Hanibal is offended, saying that he has a certain amount of distinction as a warrior, and Trabant decides to test this claim. He takes Hanibal's son with him as he leaves (you just have a habit of taking peoples children hostage to make them listen to you don't you?), saying that he may have him back after the war is through. Trabant summons the boy, named Corple, and as he's taken away, Hanibal asks his forgiveness. Trabant notes that Corple isn't even his real son, and wonders why he's so attached, to which Hanibal replies that his son, adopted or no, means more to him than anything else. Trabant mocks him once more, and then flies off to Luthecia.
He asks Disler if he would take care of the defenses here, and the man quickly agrees, saying that Luthecia castle is impenetrable. Trabant leaves Corple there, and Disler asks what to do if Hanibal does betray them, and Trabant orders him to kill the child. He then flies off to Grutia, and asks of Alvis will send reinforcements like promised, and Judah assures him that a battalion of knights is on their way.
Back in Mease, Levin tells Serlis that with a wyvern squadron coming their way, they must go back into the battle. Serlis asks why they must fight Thracia, if the empire is their enemy, and Levin tells him that if this is handled properly, he'll find out soon enough. Serlis is still a bit hesitant, noting how sad the wyvern rider on the mountain top from the previous battle had looked, and saying that he would rather not have to fight her. Levin is irritated by this, saying that this is war, and that if Serlis can't handle this, then he should be back at Tilnanogue. Oifaye defends Serlis, saying that it's obvious he's exhausted, and Levin notes that so is everyone else, and also brings up the pressing matter of Loptous's resurrection, and how they must prevent it soon if they wish to have any hope of saving the world. Serlis agrees with Levin after some thought, and says that if this battle appears meaningless, then they shall simply give it a reason through their actions. Now Leaf asks Fin what seems to be troubling him, and he too makes mention of the wyvern knight who waited atop the mountains near Manster. Leaf says he saw her, and notes the oddity of a female wyvern knight, but wonders what else could bear mention, and Fin explains that he saw her holding the Gae Bolg, and she shared the same sort of aura as Cuan, the mirror image of Noba. Leaf is confused by this, and Fin explains that this means neither his sister nor the Gae Bolg were lost in the Thracian surprise attack on his family. Leaf is still confused, wondering why she'd be working for Thracia, and Fin guesses that Trabant took her and raised her as his own. Leaf comments that Trabant mustn't be quite that bad if he did that, and Fin agrees, but only insofar as it relates to the survival of the Noba lineage, which would have ended in full had Altenna perished. He also notes that Trabant knew of this, and is likely the reason he abducted her; to make use of her ability to use the Gae Bolg. Leaf is angered by this, and decides that they must try to convince her to join them, so that they can avenge their parents death together, and Fin says Leaf is likely the only one she would listen to at this point, given that he's her brother.
And so it begins. Preparations start as usual, and I have Lana pawn her skill ring to Lester (who as kinda bad skill for an archer), Tinny pawn her thunder tome to Lana (to give her some variety magically), and Delmud pawn his slim sword off to Leaf (to give him another attacking option besides his Light sword) before everyone begins going through the arena. Those who make it all the way through are Julia (insane magic and speed + Nosferatu = completely invincible), Lana, Serlis, Lester, Scathach, Shanan, Lakche, Arthur, Tinny, Fin, Aless (though he needed to use the Mistoltin), Faval (though he needed to use the Ichival), Sety, and Fee. Afterwards, the party repairs all of the weapons they are able to, and I survey the field. Altenna's gonna make a beeline straight for us, and Hanibal is likely to as well, so this is gonna get hectic. Hanibal seems like he's recruitable, but I think I need to take Luthecia and save Corple before he'll join me, and how will I do that with him and his army in the way? I'll cross that bridge when we come to it, and the party mobilizes, everyone staying near the castle to hold off the incoming forces, although Leaf and Fin expressly stay near the wyvern's flight path. I note the sheer might of Hanibal's forces (fairly good stats, a fortify High Priest, and brave lances and bows for those armors, while sleep swords for sword armors), and make sure the strongest people are ready to guard that side.
Hanibal begins speaking with the castles guard, and decides that they shall focus on defense, attacking only if absolutely necessary. He tells his apparent friend Kanatz, to watch the castle as they wait to see how things develop. Altenna then commands her troops to attack Mease castle, aiming to take it back.
If Hanibal doesn't want to attack me, then I'd be happy to go around and just smash Disler, assuming there aren't any restricted areas near Luthecia. Fee flies out towards the villages being assailed by a bandit, aiming to both save them and hopefully gain access to the Luthecia area, so as to free Corple and allow Hanibal to join me. Sadly, I think I'll need to fight his men to get by, so the party advances as well, preparing to take on the enemy troops. Leaf, Fin, Johalva, Lakche, Lester, Faval, and Nanna prepare to face down the whole of the wyvern troops, while the party awaits Fee's assessment of the situation just outside of the range of Hanibal's furthest soldier, hoping that she can reach Disler and defeat him without the party needing to fight Hanibal.
It appears Hanibal is content to wait where he is so long as we don't get close. Down in Luthecia, Disler complains about having to watch over Corple, and Corple asks to be let go, since his father doesn't want to fight. Disler tells him to shut up, saying that with him hostage, his father won't get any funny ideas.
Fee continues her flight, but hasn't hit any restricted airspace yet. Leaf's group awaits the wyverns, knowing that it's going to be a tall order to reach Altenna and recruit her. Altenna reaches and attacks Fin, apologizing for what she's about to do, while Fin recognizes her, and they trade blows.
Leaf speaks with her, yelling at her that he's her brother, to which she understandably replies confusedly, asking who the hell he is. He says that he's Leaf of Lenster, and she recognizes the name, while saying that she's Trabant's daughter, to which Leaf replies that Cuan and Ethlin, her real parents, were slain seventeen years prior by Trabant. He says she went missing alongside the Gae Bolg, and says that the spear she wields right now is that same spear. She asks if he thinks she's stupid, pointing out how silly the story is. Leaf begs her to take a good look at him, and then tell him what she thinks, and despite her desire to just brush him off, she can't ignore the resemblance. She is still torn, and decides to go speak with Trabant about this.
She then flies away, and as she returns, Trabant is about to give her an earful, but she says she must ask him something. She demands to know whether he actually is her true father, or if she is actually the daughter of Cuan. He confirms her claim, and asks what that matters now, since he was the one who raised her. She mutters that this means he has killed her real parents, and he amusedly asks if she has a problem with that. Enraged, she prepares to kill him, and Arion intervenes, to which she tells him to stay out of this. He says that, should she fight Trabant, she must fight him too, but she says she can't bring herself to attack him, and Arion prepares to kill her himself. Trabant speaks up, asking if she's actually dead, and noting that Arion needn't have gone that far. He then changes the subject, saying that it's about time he took matters into his own hands. He decides to fly out, and leaves Thracia in Arion's hands, also leaving the Gungnir with him. Arion is surprised, asking what he means in this gesture, and Trabant explains that he has grown tired of this, and knows that it's him we're after. He tells Arion to do as he sees fit once he's gone. Arion at first mistakes this as a claim for a truce, and Trabant simply tells him to do what he must to end the people's suffering. Trabant flies out with a fresh wing of wyvern knights, bidding his son farewell as he prepares to meet his fate.
Fee nearly reaches the villages north of Luthecia, as Leaf's group takes down the first squadron of wyvern knights, preparing to take on Trabant's group, a far more fearsome foe than Altenna's squad soon as well. Sety, Arthur, Lana, and Tinny join Leaf's group, since they will be needing all the help they can get in order to defeat these foes, especially with Trabant leading them.
I think I'll stop here, since a fair amount has happened, and we are about to face down Trabant and his men soon.
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