Her Blazing Will

The party was stopped at a broken gate by a pair of guards.

“Halt! Who goes-” One of them tried to say.

They froze as they recognized Princess Colette, and hastily moved aside to let the trio pass. After entering the town, they dismounted from their horses and began to walk past worn and partially broken buildings.

There were dozens of soldiers occupying the area, with most resting in abandoned market stalls to take shelter from the heavy downpour. When they noticed their Princess, their haggard and exhausted faces almost instantly brightened to hopefulness.

One of them, a big middle-aged man with short white hair and dented silver armor, got up and went over to salute her.

“Your Highness, thank the Goddess!”

Colette gave him a serious frown and crossed her arms. “Captain Charles, what happened here?”

He grimaced. “The Daemons marched upon us. We fought the first three waves well enough, but during the fourth…the dragon came down and brought the storm. We only drove it back because we had the fae with us.”

“Where are they now?” Lilian cut in.

“They’re overseeing the defenses at the western gate. I’m sure they’d be delighted to see you again.”

She nodded and glanced at Colette. “We need to mobilize whoever we can for the battle ahead. The time to strike is now.”

Edward glanced at the resting soldiers, and noticed several were slumped forward as if they were about to faint. For a moment, he felt a numbing buzz as a similar moment from the past flashed in his mind, but he scowled and shook his head to make it go away.

“Can they even last one more fight?” He said with uncertainty. “We’re going to face a dragon too…”

“They’ll have to push themselves to keep fighting.” Colette said firmly. “They don’t have time to recover. It’s either we take the fight to the enemy, or they come to finish us off.” 

Charles frowned with determination. “Well, I’m done holding up here like a coward. The townspeople are counting on us as well. Let’s go slay those Daemon bastards and show them our pride!”

She gave him a nod, then planted her sword in the ground and looked at the soldiers as she began to address them.

“Listen up! You only have a little while to prepare yourselves! If there’s anyone resting indoors, drag them out so we can regroup at the western gate! That’s an order from me, the Princess of Leone!”

It was like her words were a spell, as despite their exhaustion the soldiers staggered up and began to move around. Some stayed to do maintenance on their equipment, while others went to the battered homes and shops to find their comrades.

Edward blinked in surprise. “How did she do that?”

Lilian laughed softly. “Colette’s blazing will has that effect on people. Jen had that too. Haven’t you felt it before?”

He thought of when he first met Colette, when she saved his life on Earth. Though he didn’t respond to Lilian, he still touched his heart under his cloak. Indeed, it beat a little harder back then, as it did now.

_________________________________________

It wasn’t just the western gate that was destroyed, a significant chunk of the wall was missing too. The drenched field outside could be seen, and beyond that…the source of the storm.

A dragon larger than a house, with black scales that sparked with electricity. It let out a roar as it flared its wings and breathed a bolt of lightning into the dark clouds above.

Around it, an army was gathered. Though they looked human at first glance, their skin was ghoulishly white, and they had no hair anywhere on their nude bodies. While some had unusually long limbs, others were shorter with heavier builds.

As Edward saw the enemies he would soon fight, he shivered as unease coursed through him.

“So that’s Fafnir…” He muttered. “And…those are Daemons?”

Lilian gripped her bow tight in worry. “I can’t believe it…How can Fafnir be alive?”

A new voice cut in, causing them to turn their heads.

“My Lady!”

Jogging up to them was a female fae who appeared to be middle-aged, with pink hair tied in a ponytail and a few bandage wraps around her arms.

“Rosaline, are you alright?” Lilian said in concern.

The pink-haired fae inclined her head. “They’re just scratches. More importantly, I’m relieved to see you returned, Princess Lilian.”

Edward was taken aback. “Wait, Princess?”

Lilian gave him an embarrassed smile. “Mhm, I meant to tell you, but I couldn’t find the right time. I’m Princess of the Fae, and Rosaline is my handmaiden.”

Rosaline curtsied to him and Colette. “Thank you both, for lending your aid to My Lady. Princess Colette, and…the Hero of Worlds, I presume? With you here, we should be able to overcome even the Lord of Nevermore.”

Colette turned to the source of the storm and shouldered her sword, now grinning with a surge of confidence.

“My ancestors slayed it before with your help, so I can do it again with you. Lil, regroup with your people and have them join us. It’s time for battle.”

Lilian put on a serious look as she nodded, then took off with her handmaiden. Colette then turned her gaze to Edward, whose breath hitched as their eyes met, and he saw the flicker of flames in hers.

“I know you’re not ready for this.” She said in a low tone. “You’ve hardly trained a day, and you’ve never fought these things before. Still, you need to give this all you got. Show them all that you can be a hero.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice got caught in his throat. Once again, his mind flashed to that past he wanted to forget. But now with a bloody battle on the horizon…

‘I can’t…I can’t…’ He thought with labored breaths, shaking his head.

He gasped in surprise as the Princess’s hand gripped his shoulder, strong and firm. Once again, their eyes locked, and she leaned down closer to him.

“If you can’t believe in yourself, then believe in me.” She said with more authority. “Because no matter what you think, I believe in you.”

‘She…believes in me?’ The dark-haired man thought with wide eyes.

At that moment, the army began to gather at the gate. After giving his shoulder an assuring squeeze, Colette stood straight and turned to the crowd, then planted her sword in front of her as she spoke loud and clear despite the screaming rain.

“People of Leone, and fae of the forest, the time has come! Out there is Fafnir, the Lord of Nevermore! Though our ancestors brought it down many years ago, it has risen once again to terrorize our lands!”

Some of the soldiers looked at each other with unease, but quickly snapped back to attention as their Princess continued her speech.

“I know you’re all scared, injured, and tired. You defended this territory from Nocturne’s Daemons for four days, despite their numbers! You weathered this storm and the dragon’s onslaught, and kept it from destroying everything! That’s why I mean it when I say…I am proud of you all!”

She raised her blade skyward, and gave the army a fiery glare that caused nearly all of them to flinch.

“I am proud to have such loyal and brave knights! I know nothing will stop you from destroying the darkness that threatens our lives, and of those we love!”

She glanced aside to Edward, who stared up at her with his mouth open in astoundment.

“And with the Hero of Worlds, Edward Clarke, at our side, nothing is impossible to overcome!”

She turned to the muddy field and pointed her sword at the distant Daemon army, which was beginning to approach.

“So join me, my heroes! Show your courage and help me bring this storm to an end!”

There was only a few seconds of hesitation before the soldiers erupted into fierce cheers and shouts. They shook their swords and banged them on their shields, creating a pre-battle symphony that echoed throughout the town.

Edward watched the rally with an incredulous face, then put a hand on his chest as he felt his heart racing once again. He recalled what Lilian said about Colette’s spirit, and Jenette’s, but still couldn’t believe it.

‘...What kind of person can sway the hearts of so many people?’ He thought in confusion. ‘Even though they’re facing a monster that can bring storms, they’re still going to follow her…’

Yet, despite his own reservations, he walked right by the sun-haired princess as she led her army onto the field. As they splashed over the wet ground, she gave him a cocky grin.

“You ready, Sir Edward?”

He held out his hand, and the World Sword appeared in his grip. Though uncertain, he still put on a determined frown as he looked at the gradually closing Daemon army.

“As I’ll ever be.” He said quietly.

As both sides got close, they made a charge for each other. The Daemons screamed like banshees, and Colette’s army yelled with courage, as a great battle began amidst a storm.