Fortuna City

3 Days Before The Great War

"Do you think the rumors are true? Are we really going to war?"

"I don't wanna go to war...my wife and I just had twins, a boy and a girl...I miss the Queen. She would never let it come to this"

"Aye! Shut up you idiots, the chancellor's about to speak"

As Chancellor Cedric approached the pedestal he looked out to his kingdom, the state of Perdita. The coldness in his eyes froze the hundreds of Perditians in their tracks. He cleared his throat before speaking, a bit of blood spattered onto his handkerchief. 

“Greetings to my fellow Perditians. Since the news of our King’s passing I, like the rest of you, have had my heart shattered into pieces. I’ve known him for as long as I can remember and to think he would pass…my heart arches. BUT! I have picked myself up and now with The Honored Sword’s assistance, I will lead this state to further success than we’ve ever tasted. It was us who were this country’s first born! It was us who have led this country to its most impressive feats! It was us who was labeled the beacon — the beacon of hope! And now we will show Excitatur, Aidia, Sollicitus, Inanis, and Spes that we will be the ones to unite Emovere! My dear citizens, since the death of Elpis I shall take the mantle of Emovere’s next savior! I will lead our beautiful state of Perdota to the promise land! This state has known a many of wars, but this will be the final one. We, yes we, will lead the charge!  We'll start by destroying that unholy neighbor of ours, Spes, then the rest will follow suit! Why Spes you ask with those confused looks on your face? Well, it's simple really." The chancellor pounded his fist into the podium before continuing. "THEY have sought out this war! THEY have desecrated the graves of our brothers and sisters! THEY have spat in the face of our religion! Our freedom! But most of all it was THEM who assassinated our once late, great queen and left our state headless! So, we will have vengeance and take back our losses!"

The words from Cedric seemed to draw something out of the citizens as they erupted into an uproar. 

The chancellor motioned the crowd to calm itself before continuing, "One last thing if you all will, with that said, this is our final warning to all Spesians: come crawling to Perdita & beg us for mercy, or become a casualty of war!"

As Cedric continued to rally the citizens, two individuals looked on from a nearby watchtower. 

"So, that’s your plan? You greedy bastard. You claim you care about the people, but it was you who abandoned this state.” Felichs scoffed as they spat in Cedric’s direction.

“Aye now, you’ll have your chance to take his head soon. For now you just need to calm yourself, alright? The tall man reminded them as he stood up and grabbed his sword.

“Well, he’s right there. I could just kill him now if I wanted to.”

“Haha! You think you’re as good a shot as Rose? Besides, we gotta do it right or else we’ll just rile up this crowd. Do that and we’ll have a whole new fight on our hands, one you’ll have to explain.”

“Tch. I want him dead.”

“And you’ll get him, but not yet.”

“Then when? If we pass up this opportunity then we’ll have to wait until the party and then what? If we miss either one of these opportunities we’re screwed and then you’ll be the one doing the explaining.”

“Ugh, look, I get you have a vested interest in this, way more than the rest of us, and maybe you’re right, but still. We have a way to get him later and look out there,” the man granted Felichs and turned them towards the knights by Cedric’s side, “You see them right? Those aren’t the type of soldiers you just wanna rush in head first against. That’s Perdita’s ace up the sleeve, The Honored Sword. You act reckless against them and you’re dead.

“I’ve fought one of them before you know.”

“And if it wasn’t for me you’d be dead. I get that you’ve been through a hell of a lot over these past few years, but get yourself together already. I need the Felichs that actually used their brain to formulate strategies. Not this new Felichs that walks around with their head down and can’t look anybody in the eyes. Speaking of eyes, maybe you can’t come up with anything because of all of that damn hair in your face. What made you grow your hair out to begin with?”

“Whatever I say would just make me sound like I’m bitching now wouldn’t it?”

“That’s what I meant. Just get your head together alright? You can still save her you know?”

“Yeah…I guess so…” Felichs pushed aside their hair and inspected the scene. “The sky. It seems less cloudier than it has been. It’s still gray though. Sad. I’d love to see the sky be blue. You know I’ve read that it used to be a beautiful light blue during the summertime.”

“Yeah. Someday we’ll make that dream a reality. But first we need to take him down — properly.”

The two stare on in silence. 

“I’ve thought over it and you’re right. I hate to miss this opportunity, but there’s no point if we both end up dead. So, do you think she’ll really take the seat as leader of Perdita? Or will she continue pestering me about it?”

“Haha! Good luck winning that one. Besides you lived here. Most of the people who’ll be fighting this war are like you. So, who better to lead the people than the one most like them. 

“You’d be right if that piece of shit wasn’t a hero to these idiots. So even if we were to take him down there’s no way the people would accept me so easily. Unless!”

“Unless what?”

“You kill him.”

“Me? Did you not listen to-”

“I’m not done yet. You kill him and I kill you.”

“If that’s what you desire then so be it. I knew what would be at stake ever since I joined all those years ago.”

“I didn’t mean literally kill you, but make the people believe I did. Once you take his head I’ll be the first towards you knife in hand.” 

The man burst into a boisterous laughter as he slammed his hand into Felichs’ back.

“OUCH! What was that for?”

“That’s the Felichs I know. Alright let’s get- ready yourself.”

“Eh? Wait. Is that…”

Three sets of repeated clapping could be heard. One clap. Two claps. Three. 

"Eh bien, bien, bien, je dirai. Je suis impressionné. Tu es vraiment une personne spéciale n'est-ce pas?”

 “Oh ho, my apologies, I forget you lower class fools only speak your type of English. Anywho, I’m not so sure about the red headed one, but you my dear, could prove to be a valuable asset. What say you swear your allegiance to your future king, Cedric, and I’ll forget everything you said. As a bonus I’ll even allow your friend here to live — just minus the arms.”

“By the looks of that blade you must be the one I’ve heard so much about. They say you’re the strongest weirder of a sword this land has ever seen.”

“Ils auraient raison, mais je n’aime pas ces choses insignifiantes. I only care for one thing and that’s…never mind fools like you would never understand. I’ll ask one more Felichs, what is your decision? Side with us and live or die where you stand?”

“I can only buy you about five minutes, Felichs, so if you got a plan then make it quick.”

“Plan? Sorry man but I don’t have one. Not against a demon like her.”

“Thought so. Alright then, plan b it is.”

“And what exactly is plan b if you don’t mind me asking?

"Kill this bitch and hope we make it out alive!" The man ordered as he reached for his sword. “Flower Technique: Botanical Blade!”

“So that’s your decision then? Fine! I'd love nothing more than for someone from this Goddess-forsaken country to ACTUALLY give me a challenge. So, I, the descendant of Jeanne d'Arc, Rouen d'Arc accept you as a worthy opponent, you better not be a waste of my time, fools."