Remember: In video games, you can try again as many times as you like, limited only by your free time and save slots. Quests rarely give you that freedom.
Honestly, the weirdest thing here is just how aggressive the Conditioning is among the highest ranks, which suggests that this is where the Conspiracy has put most of their time and effort into. The Dragons have apparently been largely extinct for a millennia, and yet they still remember and fear them like they were still running around in living memory? That's not something that can happen without regular reinforcement. Not with humans. Not this level of knee-jerking rage.
Compare and contrast certain segments of Christian conservatives and the vitriol with which they talk about Satanists—an enemy which, unlike dragons, never existed. (At least, not in the way that said conservatives claim they do. There are dudes that party under a pentagram and Baphomet statue, but they're not organized anti-God cultists.)
Not saying that this kind of vitriol is insignificant, but it doesn't seem remarkable either. Exterminating the evil monstrous dragons is a core part of the Imperial founding myth, far more important to their claim to power than Satan was to any Christian sect or polity.
Salvador blinks, even his disciplined mind unable to comprehend what he'd just heard. "A… dragon?" he asks, unrolling the scroll as one was handed to him.
They're also the Wyrmblood dynasty, with a bunch of sacred anti-dragon weapons and lots of other anti-dragon imagery built in. There's a bit of nominative determinism there. The core tenant the state was built on is protecting humanity from dragons, so widespread good-will towards a dragon is bad PR.
I do think you have to either work on it, or make outside posts to explain.
Because as it reads? It feels as multiple bad things together, not just one:
A) you got the empire biggest badass sent after you.
B) the regent will solidify his grip on the empire
C) there will be no one to stop the regent plans inside the empire
As for the whole archmage thing? Seems he is on our side but as a response....
D) the empire will start to promote amoral mages.
It's, okay, I just don't cope with surprises very well, and this seemed like a very nasty one.
The thing that really kind of set me off was the end, where he's like "Welp, I hope she's an actual threat because that way it'll be worth me leaving the Emperor to the Regent largely unchecked to kill her, otherwise it's a waste of my time". Because that implied he was going to be an Implacable Man who could only be deterred by death. With the intent apparently being "He is not okay with this but doesn't have a choice but to move out", that actually gives room for outcomes that aren't life or death.
(Though that still risks him coming down with a bad case of Laser Ninja if it looks like we're making headway)
Also, I didn't get the impression that Stormspeaker was that big a deal honestly? For being apparently the 'Second Most Powerful Man in the Empire', he's apparently been very easily marginalized and openly snubbed when he didn't instantly fall in line. Yeah, I mean, he is the Archmage, but apparently that only extends to "We're not willing to enter open warfare with him at this juncture, and it's frustrating that he got wise to us before we had him by the balls". Not that he has significant political influence (Like promoting a known exile on account of apparent Crimes Against Humanity to replace his former representative should be a non-starter if they actually feared a political response from him)
I honestly don't think this is too bad an outcome for a bane. Yeah, someone who is pretty tough is setting out against Ryza specifically, but he's also a person who is not directly supportive of Justinian and has a direct line to the new emperor. A few good knocks to Justinian's credibility (and, yeah, probably winning fights against him so he's forced to listen), and we have an opportunity here.
I do think you have to either work on it, or make outside posts to explain.
Because as it reads? It feels as multiple bad things together, not just one:
A) you got the empire biggest badass sent after you.
B) the regent will solidify his grip on the empire
C) there will be no one to stop the regent plans inside the empire
As for the whole archmage thing? Seems he is on our side but as a response....
D) the empire will start to promote amoral mages.
Way I read it, all of those things bar the first were already happening, and we're just seeing it for ourselves for the first time, so it comes as a larger surprise. But it barely surprises me tbh. The villains just aren't going to sit there and let their schemes get foiled, they have a continent to conquer, and are going to use their considerable resources to patch holes in the plan wherever they appear. That they can't do much against the Revisionist propaganda despite knowing and wanting to is honestly quite a victory against them for that reason, and the villains clearly feel it.
For that matter, while the plotting is concerning, its not nearly as bad as it looks. B feels like it already happened due to the net of conspiracy and if anything we've put a chip into it with the Revisionist propaganda. C is actually just incorrect: whoever gave the Kopoi their suspicions and that list of spies, it wasn't Salvador as the narration proves (he doesn't think Justinian is involved), so the helpful mole is still there and hasn't been found out yet. D does suck, but its kind of a consequence of Ryza's more significant successes at Marble Hall: if the good mages won't help, he would have to turn to the not-so-good mages instead... And that will hopefully prove true in more ways than one, and reflect badly on Justinian.
Yeah. Stormspeaker wouldn't have automatically been on Ryza's side without the Boon, but the Regent tried to smash the Marble Hall's autonomy and neutrality before stomping all over the pieces. I'm not sure there's any universe where mages with any other meaningful options would side with that a-hole. But the Regent still needs mages, and most available to him are ones who were kicked out of the Marble Hall for some reason.
Remember: Opposition to the Empire and being friends with this new dragon kid are not synonymous. The Regent might consider anyone who befriends Ryza his enemy, but not all of his enemies will automatically like Ryza.
Spoiler alert: Ryza is not, in fact, that terrible of a threat. She's probably less of a threat to the Emperor than any of the "rebel" armies. Heck, depending on what the Imperial officer corps is like, she might be less of a threat to the Emperor than some Imperial armies! And while this is a little subtler, Salvador is already predisposed to sympathize with Ryza.
Not a terrible threat...
Breaking News!
Dragons(Manakete) are Not in fact Evil!
Empire founded on lies and Genocide?!
People Rioting in the Streets!
Nobles seceding from the Empire!
...not a terrible physical threat maybe. (joking)
To my eyes, Salvador has "Anti-Turtling Mechanic" written all over him. Like, in-game, he'd be that one overpowered boss that hangs over your head for a few early-game maps, who shows up if you happen to waste too many turns and periodically gets mid-map cutscenes counting down to his arrival.
He's basically this quest's version of Galzus, if any of you remember how he worked in the back half of Thracia's Munster Prison Break. Jury's still out on whether he'll be recruitable or just a Camus, though.
Spoiler alert: Ryza is not, in fact, that terrible of a threat. She's probably less of a threat to the Emperor than any of the "rebel" armies. Heck, depending on what the Imperial officer corps is like, she might be less of a threat to the Emperor than some Imperial armies! And while this is a little subtler, Salvador is already predisposed to sympathize with Ryza.
I completely disagree. Well, on a purely physical level you're not wrong.
But for an empire whose bedrock is built upon a borderline divine right mythos, Ryza is an existential threat who could tear it apart. Not even could, Ryza is actively doing so. She is deliberately spreading manakete knowledge, culture, and history that directly counters the currently standing historical record that is the literal reason why the empire so strongly believes they should rule over all humans on the continent.
Civil wars have been fought over less and it's honestly mind boggling no one has even hinted at this possibility to Ryza. Unless I missed it or something. Though I guess with the current war on it'd be a bit of a moot point.
Not a terrible threat...
Breaking News!
Dragons(Manakete) are Not in fact Evil!
Empire founded on lies and Genocide?!
People Rioting in the Streets!
Nobles seceding from the Empire!
...not a terrible physical threat maybe. (joking)
I completely disagree. Well, on a purely physical level you're not wrong.
But for an empire whose bedrock is built upon a borderline divine right mythos, Ryza is an existential threat who could tear it apart. Not even could, Ryza is actively doing so. She is deliberately spreading manakete knowledge, culture, and history that directly counters the currently standing historical record that is the literal reason why the empire so strongly believes they should rule over all humans on the continent.
Civil wars have been fought over less and it's honestly mind boggling no one has even hinted at this possibility to Ryza. Unless I missed it or something. Though I guess with the current war on it'd be a bit of a moot point.
Ryza is potentially disruptive, but she's not an existential threat to the Empire. She's a threat to the central myth of the Empire, but states can survive that; there's always another justification. She might be a threat to the power of the Imperial aristocracy, but it's not clear whether that would be enough to make Salvador decide she's worth leaving the Emperor alone. Is he loyal to the physical Emperor or to the title he bears?
Plus, you know. It's pretty clear Salvador is thinking about the threat Ryza poses to Imperial cities and/or civilians, which in reality is approximately zero.
Ryza is potentially disruptive, but she's not an existential threat to the Empire. She's a threat to the central myth of the Empire, but states can survive that; there's always another justification. She might be a threat to the power of the Imperial aristocracy, but it's not clear whether that would be enough to make Salvador decide she's worth leaving the Emperor alone. Is he loyal to the physical Emperor or to the title he bears?
Plus, you know. It's pretty clear Salvador is thinking about the threat Ryza poses to Imperial cities and/or civilians, which in reality is approximately zero.
The average citizen in the Empire might not care too much about their founding mythos, but there's clearly a significant faction (of indeterminate size) that fanatically believes in it and is dead set on this war to bring all the other human nations back into the fold. I believe that those people will absolutely treat Ryza and her actions as an existential threat, and will 100% take action like it is. People like that, you're either on their side or you're an enemy.
As for Salvador? On the one hand, if this was a dragon… well, the Fell War had been the single most devastating event in human history. Never before had humanity as a species been as threatened as when dragon and monster had united in an effort to wipe them from the face of the continent. However… he looked back at the smiling girl in the sketch… true, that picture had been designed to make her look friendly, but not all that was painted was false.
Salvador is not eager to jump in bed with the Revisionist, but he's actively considering whether Ryza might be the kind, innocent girl implied by the sketch. He would not do that if he was a fanatic believer in the wyrmslaying stuff. At worst, he'll still be able to rationalize Ryza as "one of the good ones," distinct from the evil wyrms that the first emperor killed.
Salvador is not eager to jump in bed with the Revisionist, but he's actively considering whether Ryza might be the kind, innocent girl implied by the sketch. He would not do that if he was a fanatic believer in the wyrmslaying stuff. At worst, he'll still be able to rationalize Ryza as "one of the good ones," distinct from the evil wyrms that the first emperor killed.
"The first time I saw young Lady Cartese's dragon flying openly above our army, her golden scales shimmering in the sun, I knew the tide had turned. I knew that one day soon, all men would be free."
-Unnamed Agrithian soldier
You'd always imagined that after undergoing the Awakening, everything would make a lot more sense. You'd thought you'd feel more mature, more confident, more able to navigate the sometimes strange and concerning world you found yourself in.
However, you honestly don't feel that different. Oh, you certainly are different. Dragon-you has always been a presence in your mind, but she's been just a… pressure. Someone/something who's there when you're scared or stressed or in trouble. Someone who pushes you to be brave, to be strong, to move forward against anything that tried to hold you back.
'Come oooonnnnn…' dragon-you whines as you stand atop a small hill next to Artemis, watching the mass of men and animals mill around below, constantly getting in each other's way and yelling at each other. 'Why are they so slooooowww…'
She's certainly never been this talkative before!
'But it's true!' she says. 'They are slow!' You're forced to nod in agreement: it turns out that large groups of humans are very slow. At least when they're trying to get going.
After you'd dropped Sypha and her people off at Castle Legerius, you'd made your way with Artemis and the others back to Agrithe. When you'd arrived, you'd found a large group of men and women, armed and armored, many with horses, dozens of flags being waved around and drums and horns being played to try and organize everyone. It didn't look as big as the massive army you'd seen marching when you'd been on your way to the Hall, but there were a lot of them, and more importantly they're going north to help people rather than hurt them.
Dragon-you'd been impressed as Artemis set about organizing them to set off. From what little you'd understood from listening in on the meeting with the dozen or so leaders of various ranks, there were troops from four different Kingdoms present. While most of them were Agrithian, there were a large contingent of lightly armed and armored Rignalian infantry and foot-archers, led by Alejandro Rignali. The other two kingdoms weren't anyone you really knew, as there wasn't anybody from Legerius. However, you'd been happy to see Angela and her two friends were being sent along to provide aerial support. You'll have to introduce them to dragon-you soon, since you'll probably be expected to help them out since you can fly too.
Of course, it had still taken the entire day to get everyone to agree to a basic plan of how to even get moving! Despite Agrithe providing the majority of the army, the two older men in overall command of the contingents from the other kingdoms, a Count Sobieski of Parves and Sir Rimpler of Vennlani, had seemed to think they knew better than Artemis what should be done, and had needed to be argued down by your friend and Alejandro. Even once they grudgingly accepted that Artemis was in charge, the sheer number of people crowded into a tent, all gathering around a map, made the meeting drag on and on. Thus, it had taken ages to hash out who would take what roads, pass by what towns, and Mother that was just for the first two or three days of travel!
You believe in communication and collaboration. They were the foundation of manakete society. Still, that meeting had gotten ridiculous!
Still, you'd reassured both parts of yourself as you got to sleep last night, that had to have been the worst of it. Now that everything had been planned out, it would merely be a matter of carrying out the plan, which shouldn't take too long.
'We really shouldn't have gotten our hopes up.'
Artemes glances at you, smiling wryly as she reads your pained expression as you watch a cart nearly run over a trio of men arguing over a map, provoking another yelling match. "The joys of coalition warfare," she says dryly. "Everything has to be argued about and planned out meticulously in advance, and it still turns into a clust- mess when the time comes to execute the plan." Getting up onto Actaeon, she rides over towards the group of Agrithian yeomen that seem to be having an argument with a group of Parvei cavaliers over who went first on one of the narrow roads north.
'You know…' dragon-you says, coils of mischievous humor weaving into her voice and starting to overtake her. 'We could probably get everyone moving way faster! Let me out, let me fly around and roar and give orders, and everyone'll be jumping!'
You smile as you gently channel the worst of the humor away from your dragon-self before it can trigger a transformation: she's entitled to feel her emotions so long as they do not overtake her. 'As funny as that'd be, it'd be counterproductive,' you think. 'Besides, it'd be mean to scare them like that.'
'Come oooonnnn, I wanna get out!' your other half whines.
That was something you had been prepared for: newly Awakened dragon-selves were eager to have control of a manakete's body as much as possible. All dragons wanted to act, of course, but as they grew older and more mature they would settle down. For young dragons, however, the heart had to remain resolute. To teach their dragon-self that while there was a time and place for decisive action, there was also a time for planning and contemplation. No matter how much dragon-you whines about how unfair it is that you got to be awake and in charge for ninety years so it's her turn now, you have to be calm but firm.
A long-suffering sigh fills your mind. 'Fine,' she says. 'But can we at least fly ahead? I'm bored.'
You nod, that sounds fine, so long as Artemis agrees. Flapping your wings, you glide down to where she's directing traffic. "Hey, Artemis, do you mind if I fly ahead?" you ask. "I know the way, as well as where we're planning to stop. I can make sure there's no problems on the road."
Artemis considers for a long moment before nodding. "That sounds like a good idea," she says. "Are you planning to go as yourself, or… other you?"
You had intended to just fly in Heart-form, though you probably should bring Belle and Kelton, since they're coming along on this mission and you didn't want to leave them behind. Besides, something about Artemis's face… "Why do you ask?"
Your friend walks Actaeon back a few steps to give you both some privacy. "I was thinking… I know you don't really like showing off, but your dragon form is incredibly impressive. The stories of your nature are pretty much all over the Kingdoms now, and there's a lot of interest. If the soldiers could see you, know that the skies above them are under your protection… I think that'd do wonders for morale. But only if you both are comfortable with it."
'I knew there's a reason she's our favorite!' dragon-you thinks. 'I think it's a great idea! Come on come on let's do it!'
You consider, but eventually nod. You have been telling people about your nature, and it's only fair that they get to see all of it. To see that even when you're big and scaly, you're still their friend. "Alright," you say. "I'll just go grab Kelton and Belle and then we'll be off. See you later," Artemis nods, smiling, before going back to yelling at people twice and three times her age to stop being whiny babies and take turns. Grinning, you flap back up to the hill.
"So are we finally moving out, boss?" Belle asks. "I mean, say what you will about Talons being jerks, but at least they know how to keep a marching schedule."
"Hey!" Elena says.
You nod. "We are," you say. "And dragon-me's gonna be flying for a bit. Either of you want to come along?"
"Of course!" Kelton says, grinning as he stood. "It's always nice to spend time with other you." Your other half preened, pride and joy swirling in her being enough that you almost felt light on your own feet.
As your friends and retainers grabbed their packs, you closed your eyes and focused. While transformations could be done with a flicker of a thought, when you have a moment to set it up it was a good idea to take it. You quickly calculated how long it'd take to fly to the projected camping spot, added some extra time for unforeseen issues or to just let dragon-you have some time out and about. Then, as you started spooling your emotional energy out, you carefully crafted it into determination and loyalty and steady will. 'Flying is fun,' you tell both parts of yourself. 'But we are also doing this to help Artemis. To help Agrithe. To help everyone who will be hurt by the Regent. We need to make a good impression, to show these people that we are their friend and ally. To show them that they don't have to be afraid of us. We're flying to the camp site and making sure everything's okay.'
'Agreed,' Dragon-you says, her voice becoming firm and unyielding as her emotions line up with your Determination and shift her nature to match. 'We are the scions of Kepesk-Okar. We are the representatives of our people. We bring hope to the hopeless and lightning to the cruel."
"We will not fail.'
As your stone crackles in your hand and your body begins to shift in a crash of thunder, you mentally step back and hand over the body to your dragon. As she smoothly steps into place and finishes the transformation, you nod in satisfaction and settle back. You'll speak up if you have to, but she has things well in hand right now.
…
You plant your talons firmly, claws digging furrows into the ground as you spread your wings to glitter against the rays of the Mother's rising gift. "Come, Kelton, Belle," you say, listening to the gasps of shock and awe from the crowd below. You stand up straight; you are no fearful hatchling. You are Ryza Levinheart, daughter of Matriatch Aithusa and Runemaster Fafnara, and you are flying north to fight evil, just as they are. "We fly."
Once your friends and allies have clambered onto your back and settled among the narrow spines that form your back-ridge (weighing seemingly nothing against your draconic might), you flap your wings, rising smoothly into the air. You are a child of Yellow and Lighting and Magic: you were born for the sky. You have no need of running starts or clumsy leaps: your magic and your wings are enough. "Hold on," you say, rising higher into the air, circling over the army. After all, you have a job! You're not just flying, you're inspiring, which means you have to be seen.
Judging by the voices rising from below… you are succeeding. Allowing a thin smile of triumph to split your muzzle, you turn north and beat your wings hard, shooting forwards with a triumphant roar, exalting the humans below to follow you to the noble battle that is ahead.
As the sounds of cheers and shouts from the army starts to fade, Belle lightly kicks your side. "You okay, big girl?" she asked. "You seem kinda tense."
"There is time for play and merriment," you say firmly. "This is time for action. We have a mission, and we will accomplish it."
You hear the faint shifting as Belle and Kelton glance at each other. "So… are there problems ahead?"
You shift around a cloud so that you're still clearly visible from below. "That is yet to be determined," you say. "But those who follow us deserve to know that they will not fight alone, that the skies will be their friend rather than their foe." You glance back, huffing as you notice that despite your determined efforts to inspire the humans to get their act together and get moving, they're still milling around like lost goats. Still, you do not turn back. Your primary objective is to fly ahead and scout for any issues on the road, not get the wyrmlings in order. That is Artemis's objective, and you will not step on her tail.
Normally, you'd probably be irritated, but right now you're too engulfed with the need to focus on your job to feel anything other than dedication to completing it.
Belle pets your neck. "Don't worry about them, they'll get moving eventually," she says. "Despite what I said to axe-girl, even the Talons took ages to get started on a march. Once they get going, they'll be fine." You hope so, otherwise any information you spot might be out of date by the time the humans get to it!
As you fly over Agrithe, following the path Artemis's part of the army was planning on taking, you kept your eyes on the ground, looking for any issues. There was a group of cattle being herded along by a few villagers, but as you start to angle down to tell them to clear the path, a gentle nudge from your heart-self points out that it'll probably be hours before the army arrives, and by the looks of it the humans herding the cows are heading towards a village not far away. They're no risk to your mission, so you fly overhead, though you listen as the boys shout and point up at you in surprise.
Other than that, there's not much of interest you see until you spot Angela flying over. "Hello," you say when she gets close enough.
"Hey, Ryza," she says, glancing at Kelton and Belle on your back. "Got bored marching with the ground-pounders and decided to get a move on?"
"I have a job to do," you say, turning your eyes back to the road as you see another group of humans with big muscles and axes in the woods next to it: are those bandits? After a moment, you dismiss the idea. They are in the middle of cutting down some trees, probably to help repair that small manor you see further off the road, there's plenty of scaffolding around it. They are no threat. "I am scouting the path and showing my allegiance."
Angela grins. "I mean, that's what we all say," she says. "But can you really deny-"
Your eyes flash as you glare at her. "I am completing my mission!" you say coldly. "I am dedicated to my task!"
The Whitewing's pegasus nickers as she drifts away, forcing a nervous Angela to rein her back into speaking range. "What's her problem?" she mutters, clearly thinking you can't hear her. As your eyes narrow and you start to open your mouth to disabuse her of that notion, she speaks up. "Sorry to offend you, I was just making conversation… You okay? You seem… tense…"
Kelton's hands gently run across your neck, clearly trying to calm you down. Far more effective is the tiny note of reproach coming from heart-you: she's hanging well back in your shared mind to let you handle the mission, but she reminds you that picking fights with your allies just because they don't understand your dedication is counterproductive to that mission.
You hold back a huff; you'd thought people hired to do a job would be more interested in doing it right than just flying around having fun!
"It's alright," Belle says with a forced casualness that belies the way her heart rate has picked up. "Ryza's her dragon-self right now, and she seems to be in super-serious mode. Apparently, she focuses on one emotion when she transforms, and that's all she feels."
… At least she'd been listening, even if she was almost criminally oversimplifying…
Angela's eyes widen slightly. "You mean… I thought you said you were still yourself when you did this," she says, gesturing to you.
"That was true. It is no longer. I am Awakened, and at this time I am in control of the body." You pause as you watch a trio of human females, looking little older than Sypha, screaming and dropping their baskets of cloth to dive for cover as they spot you flying over. "One moment. I must inform those wyrmlings that I mean them no harm."
"Hey that might not be-" Angela starts to say, but you're already smoothly circling down, careful to avoid an aggressive dive. Still, you faintly hear the girls whimpering from under the bush they'd found as shelter as you land.
Carefully, you hook a few pieces of rough-spun, wet cloth from the dirt road and put them back into one of the baskets before pushing the wicker containers to the edge of the bushes. "You need not fear me," you say as softly as you can: your task is to allay the fears of the Southern Kingdom's people, not enhance them. "The old stories told about my people are wrong; I am no monster. I am simply flying ahead of Artemis Cartese, because she is my friend and I want to keep her safe." You press your mouth carefully closed to try and simulate a smile without baring teeth. "As you are clearly no threat to her, I am no threat to you. I am Ryza Levinheart. What are your names?"
Pleasantries may take you away from your primary objective, but as time was built in to your transformation you can afford the delay to achieve your secondary objectives.
You hear the sound of Angela landing behind you as one of the girls warily peeks out (the other two are still buried in deep, as if a frail shield of sticks and leaves would hide or protect them if you truly meant them harm.) "I know she looks like an overgrown wyvern," the Whitewing says soothingly, swinging from her saddle and crouching down. "But I assure you, she's quite sweet so long as you don't threaten anyone she cares about."
'Aw, thanks Angela,' heart-you comments dryly.
The little black-haired girl, even smaller than Sypha and with a dirty, ragged look about her, frowns. "…so you're not gonna eat us?" she asks, ignoring the hissed command from one of the others to not shut up.
"I have never partaken in the flesh of humans, and I have no intention to do so."
As the small human mulls over your answer, Kelton pokes your back. "Maybe letting other-you handle things will help?" he suggests.
You shake your head. "That is not how it works. I am in control of the body, I will not simply relinquish it. Not until I have completed my task."
"Even if you being in control is making the task harder?"
You shake your head. "That is impossible," you say. "I have been set this task and I will complete it."
Other-you hums thoughtfully. 'Not technically impossible,' she says. 'But you're doing a good job right now.' You nod; that is self-evident. You are speaking soothingly and not baring teeth to small creatures. That is allaying fears. '…it's a little more complicated than that…'
Slowly, the black-haired girl crawls out from under the bush. "…Okay…" she says, looking up at you. "…I'm Dali."
You nod gravely. "Hello, Dali. I am Ryza Levinheart," you say again.
"You're a mage?" Dali asks as the other girls, another black-haired girl and a brunette, poke their heads out too. "Did you use magic to turn yourself into a dragon?"
"Yes, but not in the manner you are thinking," you say. "I am a manakete, dragon and heart together. I am simply assuming this form so I can complete the task Artemis Cartese gave me: to scout ahead and to show the people of Agrithe they need not fear me." You frown thoughtfully. "You will see a large number of people passing by sometime today, depending on when exactly they actually get moving. This is no cause for alarm."
Dali's eyes brighten. "Wait, you said you were working for Lady Artemis?" she says. "Does that mean she's gonna be with those people?!" You nod: this seems an effective way of minimizing concern on these children's part. "Oh Sentinel that's so cool! Dani, Dara, did you hear that! Lady Artemis is coming here!" Without warning, she hugs your snout before dashing off.
"Wait! Dali! You forgot your- oh spirits…" the older black-haired girl says, throwing you a slightly wary look as she struggles to pick up two of the baskets while the brunette grabs the third. "So sorry to trouble you… milady?"
You shrug your wings. "Simply Ryza will suffice," you say.
The girl looks confused for a moment, but clumsily curtsies, using her head to hold up the baskets. "Well, thanks for not eating us, have a good day." The brunette bobs as well before the pair follow their excited younger friend.
Angela rolls her eyes. "You realize that now the entire town's probably gonna be out to watch the army pass, right?" she says. "Well, it'll get the population excited, so mission accomplished, right?"
"Mission accomplished, they were no longer hiding from me at the end of the conversation," you say.
As the pair of you take off and continue on, Angela looks back at you. "Well, nice knowing we'll have another flier around," she says. "We always have a lot to do: expect to be asked to transmit messages, scout ahead, even find lost detachments. I was a bit worried that my girls and I'd be run ragged trying to do a full squadron's job by ourselves."
You nod. "If it helps Artemis on her mission, then I will comply," you say.
Angela cocks her head. "Are... you, gonna be around the whole time?" she asks.
"Unlikely," you say. "I only have a short time left in my emotional charge, and much of the rest of the transit will likely be handled by my Heart."
"Okay," Angela says. "Well, I should probably get back to my part in this. It was nice meeting you, Dragon-Ryza." You nod politely as Angela turns to fly back the way she came.
As the Whitewing disappears into the clouds, Belle squeezes her thighs against your shoulders. "Well, you certainly made a splash," she says. "Those girls aren't gonna be talking about anything else for a week. At least."
"So long as they are not frightened, then I consider that a success."
The rest of the trip to the projected camp spot passes peacefully. You're mostly out of energy when you arrive, but you still take the time to carefully fly around, scanning for the slightest sign of trouble. However, there turns out to be nothing, allowing you to settle down in the rubble that had probably once been a watchtower like the one you sheltered at in Legerius, but had completely crumbled. As you take one last look around and see no danger, feeling Belle and Kelton slipping off your back, you close your eyes and let go of your will.
You have done your duty well, and can rest satisfied.
…
You yawn, stretching slightly as you return to your smaller heart-form. Even being separated from the majority of it and having a bigger body to contain it, being around that much emotion is exhausting! "Well, we're here," you say, looking around. "Did you two have fun?"
The two humans stare at you. "Ryza… I know this is normal for you," Kelton says, "but it's kinda creepy, how you go from super-intense and seemingly about to bite the head off anyone who looks at you wrong to casually asking if we had fun."
You frown. "I'm sorry you feel that way…" you say.
The soldier waves a hand. "I mean, it makes sense, knowing what I know about you," he says, dodging as Belle tries to kick him in the shin. "I'm just letting you know so there aren't any hurt feelings if someone's more nasty about saying it to you."
After thinking for a moment, you shrug. "I mean, it's part of being a manakete," you say. "I'd never actually hurt anyone who didn't deserve it, not unless I'd transformed in anger which is something I'll only do if I really have to." You're willing to bend to fit in with human society, but you are still a manakete. You're proud of your heritage, and you're not going to force your dragon-self to comport to human expectations just to make them a bit less confused. She deserves to be herself so long as she's not needlessly hurting people.
Belle nods. "I guess that makes sense," she says. "So, now that we've looked around, are we going to go back to Artemis?"
You consider for a moment. "Maybe later, but for now, I'm fine with waiting here if you are," you say. "I was meaning to practice magic a bit, but I get the feeling that it'd be harder to do that if I was on the move or there's a lot of noise when we're in camp."
As you find a nice wall to sit at and start digging out your scroll on Red magic, dragon-you flickers a bit of discontent. 'We should be practicing our natural magic,' she thinks. She's still riding the after-currents of her determination high, leaving her mental "voice" cool, steady and certain.
'Why do you say that?' you ask. Just because the Heart is in charge of planning and day-to-day life doesn't mean that the dragon's opinions should ever be discarded.
'We fly to war,' your other half says firmly. 'Our task, our calling, is to protect and help Artemis. While it is good to have the ability to cast more colors, our truest power will always come from the lighting in our blood. Every major battle we have fought has been won with Yellow magic.'
This isn't quite true; after all the lich below your home would have resisted Yellow magic far more than your White magic, but since you don't expect you'll be fighting many monsters… you slowly nod. 'Alright,' you say, rolling through the scroll until you find the Yellow section. 'So Arcthunder's pretty good for close-range work, but how about we look at Bolting? Being able to help Artemis from a range seems like a good idea, since this form of our body's pretty frail.'
The dragon-spirit has a flash of irritation at the thought of there being a fight she wasn't handling with breath and talon, but you channel the anger away. There is a place for both of you in every part of your lives, even the unpleasant parts. 'A good idea,' she says.
Nodding, you dig around in Practical Magic for a bit before you find the beginning of the section on Bolting.
Legends say that, once, there was an angry manakete who threw a bolt of lighting at the sky, only to be shocked (both literally and figuratively) when the sky retaliated with a bolt of its own. While it is unlikely this story is true, it does teach several lessons. First, of course, is that manakete must always be careful with their magical powers, lest there be unexpected consequences of its misuse.
For the purposes of this scroll, however, the lesson is that there is energy all around us, but especially in the sky. After all, the lighting that Yellow manakete call upon is generated naturally in the clouds above, and that energy can be called upon by a careful manakete in order to project power beyond the normal limits.
The most obvious example of this is the Bolting spell. By casting a carefully-crafted and calculated spell into the sky, a manakete can induce the charge that already exists in even open air to react in such a way as to cause a bolt of lighting to fall upon a distant location. A similar, though more powerful, effect can be accomplished if the manakete can sense and compel the obedience of a Yellow spirit, but such things are best left to elders. Therefore, this scroll will focus on the first, simpler method.
There are several obvious advantages of being able to cast an aggressive spell at long range. First, of course, is the fact that doing so keeps the manakete safe from any retaliation, unless their target is able to cast similar magic. Some of the most powerful monsters, such as Gorgon Matriarchs or Arch Mogalls, are capable of casting a corrupted, quasi Black long-range spell, but they are few and far between. Most opponents a manakete might attack will never be able to fight back, especially if the caster is Sky-Blessed. Another advantage is that, by drawing upon the innate power of the sky, a manakete is able to cast a far more powerful single bolt.
However, there are also clear weaknesses to this method. First and foremost, the casting of a Bolting is a complex, time-consuming effort. With the time and effort of one long-ranged spell, a talented manakete could cast many simpler spells, especially when factoring in the time between the initial casting and the sky delivering the bolt. Calculating and casting this spell will also completely consume the focus of the manakete, leaving them unable to move swiftly and extremely vulnerable to close-range attackers. If a manakete has even the slightest concern of immediate, close danger, they should not begin a Bolting casting until they have secured their immediate surroundings.
Another challenge is the fact that, by leaving much of the power to the sky, a manakete loses much of the fine control they have over their magic. Once the spell is cast, barring a complex, dangerous redirection-spell, the bolt will hit the designated point… no matter what or who is currently occupying it. Extreme care must be taken that no inadvertent harm is done to friends or innocents when engaging in long-range casting.
The final weakness, the one that is the most subtle, is the risk of becoming callous or arrogant if Bolting becomes a staple spell. The ability to deal death from afar is a powerful ability, but one should never forget that death is being dealt. Sometimes violence is necessary, and it can be tempting to isolate oneself from the reality of battle, especially if it is against a foe that one would rather not fight, but with power comes the responsibility to use it well. If manakete forget that fact, then we risk becoming as our ancient ancestors: so caught up in our own immediate needs and desires that we forget that other creatures usually deserve their existence too.
You nod slowly as you start reading over the actual mechanics of the spell. It's complicated, just as the scroll said, but with all the practice you've had… you think you'll be able to do this with a bit of work, and it will be very useful.
You spend the rest of the day practicing, asking Belle and Kelton to run targets down the hill and make sure that nobody's around to maybe get hit by any stray lightning bolts. Belle grumbles at the "drudge-work," but seems interested enough in watching you cast that you're pretty sure it's mostly performative.
Your first few bolts don't even reach the ground, simply flaring into the sky due to miscalculations on your part. Finally, however, a massive bolt of lightning, filled with the incalculable power of the sky, burns its way into the dirt… several tens of meters away from the pole you'd been aiming for.
More work is clearly needed.
By the time the first Agrithian horses gallop into the clearing at the bottom of the hill, carrying one of the banners you'd seen waving around the army camp, you've managed to get your bolts to within ten meters of the intended targeted point. Still not something you'd feel comfortable throwing around where it might hit Artemis, especially since you're nowhere near the maximum range that the scroll described. The further away you are, the harder it is to figure out exactly where you need to hit, even if the travel-time of the spell isn't noticeably longer.
As you stand up and wave, the leader of the yeomen rides up the hill towards you. "Mistress Levinheart, is everything well?" he asks worriedly. "The village we passed warned that there was an angry spirit manifesting on this hill, should we move camp?"
"No, no, that was me," you say. "I was just practicing magic, and I got a bit over-excited." You wince. "I should probably go apologize and let everyone know that everything's okay…"
Leaving the yeomen to work with Kelton and Belle to scope out where everything would go in the camp, you fly back towards the village. Despite this, you feel good about the progress you made. You have plenty of time to practice and make it as safe as possible to use in an actually dangerous situation. You'll probably have to start practicing predicating where people will be going at distance, so you can preemptively aim at where they'll be, but even if your first few actual castings miss, it'll make the Imperials keep their heads down.
As you land near the town, you see more Agrithian soldiers, mostly cavalry but with a core of infantry bringing up the rear, marching past the village. You also see Artemis standing next to Actaeon, with Axton and Lancel flanking her, as she talks to a worried-looking old woman who's gesturing in the direction of the hill. "Hi, Artemis," you say as you trot over.
Your friend turns to you, smiling wryly. "Hello, Ryza," she says. "I was just talking to Headwoman Merinda here, something about a wrathful spirit, angry at the disrespect we humans have been heaping upon the land." She raises an eyebrow. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
You kick the ground. "I'm really sorry, Headwoman," you say, flapping your cloak. "I'm a mage, and I was practicing magic. I forgot that if the bolts were coming from that high up, people would see them and maybe draw the wrong conclusion. No angry spirits."
The woman hurriedly reassures you that everything's fine, she just wanted to make sure that her lord's daughter did not inadvertently run across a dangerous spiritual manifestation. Soon, you're hopping up onto Actaeon behind Artemis as she rides onwards towards the camp.
As the two of you continue on, Artemis glances back at you. "So you certainly made an impression," she said, grinning. "All around the army, I heard people talking about how glad they were that you're on our side."
'See,' Dragon-you says. 'Told you I'd done a good job! Can I do it again tomorrow?!' She was back to her flexible, emotionally-excitable "baseline."
'We'll see,' you say. She gives a disappointed groan.
A minute later, Artemis continues casually. "So, I was passing the village of Boh-lensa," she says. "And pretty much the entire town was along the path, cheering for us. While I appreciate the support of the people I will one day lead, I wasn't exactly expecting them to have heard we were coming far enough in advance for everyone to make it over."
You squirm. "I… might have told a few children who were scared by me that I was with you. Or at least, that you'd be coming along soon."
Your friend chuckles. "I kind of figured something like that happened," she says. "Well, I'm glad you're concerned about people's feelings. If nothing else, you're showing that a dragon-form flying over is no more dangerous than a wyvern flying over."
"Though, it'll probably just take some more repetitions to get the point across."
As the march north continues, you don't get another chance to just go flying as your dragon-self. Instead, just as Angela had told you, you quickly get roped into being a flying messenger, scout, and general fixer communicating between three different columns of soldiers, each with their own sub-columns of foragers, skirmishers, baggage trains, and associated hangers-on.
Thankfully, the combination of your cloak, mage-name, and the point you'd made on the first day by flying in dragon-form meant that you weren't treated like a child when you had to interact with Count Sobieski and Sir Rimpler. Some of their subordinates need a bit of reminding that you're still Head Mage of Agrithe even though you have to hover to look anyone in the eye, but thankfully there're no major problems.
On occasion, you're able to get far enough ahead that you can afford to spend some time practicing your Bolting targeting without disrupting everyone's sleep at camp (with how tired everyone is after a long day's march, you don't want to do that.) Around the time you pass Veicia, you finally manage to hit your target, though you still missed more often than not that day. However, the fact that you're making progress means that you're hopeful that you'll be ready by the time you reach Starhelm.
Still, as you get closer and closer to the war you know is coming, you can't help but remember what Master Darktide's vision had shown. You're sure there's more to it, that you're not going to… but unless the Regent decides to pull his soldiers back, to stop trying to grind everyone who doesn't agree with him under his boot… you are going to have to fight. You're not going to stand back and let anything bad happen to Artemis or anyone else.
'No, we won't,' dragon-you says, picking up on your regretful determination and mirroring it. 'We won't let anything bad happen to her or any of our other friends.'
The knowledge that you're not alone, that you have both halves of yourself fully awake and ready to endure this situation… that makes things better.
Finally, after days and days of traveling, you find yourself riding with Artemis and a small advance force consisting of most of your friends (on your insistence), a bunch of yeomen you don't know well, as well as Alejandro and Count Sobieski and a few of their men. As the armies approach Starhelm together, they're now close enough that people can communicate without fliers, so these sorts of multi-Kingdom forays are more common.
Today is the day you expect to reach the castle itself. The bushy-mustached noble cavalier had proudly said that it was important that there be a show of unity by the representatives of all the major powers coming to relieve the North enter the castle as one. When asked why Sir Rimpler wasn't with you, Count Sobieski had said that the knight had volunteered to stay and ensure that the combined Parvan/Vennlani force not get bogged down.
From the way Alejandro shakes his head and Artemis forces herself not to roll her eyes, you get the feeling the poor man had been volun-told. Hopefully he won't be too annoyed about it. You'll all have to work together well once you get settled, and if there are hard feelings that would make that harder.
However, you're distracted from that line of thought as your sharp eyes pick out something on the horizon. "Is that the Library?" you ask, pointing at the ruined-looking building at the top of the hill.
Artemis nods sadly. "It is," she says. "Alina said that the people of Starhelm made a conscious choice to never repair it, to keep a constant reminder of what the Empire had taken from them." She sighs. "I guess Lord Starhelm decided that his children were a more pressing symbol than a burned-out ruin. I can't say I really blame him, but-"
Before she can continue, the sight of three fast-moving white dots approaching makes you flinch. "That looks like Angela, Bucephila and Alexandra!" you say. Now that everyone was close enough together, the three Whitewings had taken to flying their scout-patterns together, in case they ran into trouble. "I hope nothing's wrong, there wasn't when they reported in yesterday…"
"Unfortunately, things can change quickly in war," Artemis says grimly. "Still, at least it shouldn't be a major problem. This probably isn't the Empire's main army: Alina and the northern scouts would have told us if they were on the move. I'd guess this is some sort of probing attack, enough to require informing us without being a serious threat."
Alejandro and Count Sobieski nod as the three pegasus knights come in for a landing, cantering down the road to meet the rest of you. "My Lady, my lords," Angela says, her face flushed with annoyance. "It seems the Imps beat us here."
"How many, Dame Whitewing," Count Sobieski says before Artemis could speak, causing your friend to throw him an annoyed look.
Angela gestured back towards the hill. "Not too many," she says. "I'd say a few hundred, maybe as many as a thousand. They've taken some heights across the Starlight River from Castle Starhelm and are setting up camp, but they don't seem to be intending a full siege. There were a few detachments around the area, but we couldn't get any closer without drawing the attention of the two wyverns they had flying around terrorizing everyone!"
You frown. "More Talons?" you ask.
"Unlikely," Artemis says. "I killed Bloodhunter and its rider when I was up here the first time. I suppose it's possible they sent another two chapters in, but I'd imagine that this is a regular Imperial raiding party. Did either of them seem to be Sealed?"
"No, my lady," Angela says. "I'm pretty sure both were just normal riders. Still, two-on-three odds aren't good for Whitewings, so we fell back to let you know what was going on."
Artemis nods. "Very good idea," she says. "Do you think they saw you?"
"Don't think so. We were pretty far away, and we had cloud-cover. They might have caught a glimpse, though."
The nobles look at each other. "We don't have the numbers to see their whole force off right now," Alejandro says. "But I know my boys and girls aren't far, and I'm pretty sure everyone else is in the same boat. We can pick off a detachment or two, weaken their numbers before our main force arrives to see them off. Might give us some prisoners or idea of what they were intending."
"That sounds like a good idea," Artemis says, pulling her bow from over her back and starting to string it. "Let's go take a closer look; that'll determine what we do. Ryza, take off but stay close."
You nod, spreading your wings and flying next to Artemis as Angela and the other Whitewings, still riding on the ground, lead the way up the hill towards the weathered ruins of the Starhelm Library. As you approach, you can still see signs of scorch marks on some of the rough stone walls, a memory of what happened here once.
You will not let the Empire do something like that again!
Once everyone's in position, using the ruins as cover, you flap up to peer over the top of a wall while Artemis, Alejandro and Count Sobieski look through spy-glasses from the ground.
You quickly see the camp the Imperial troops had set up; it seemed mostly the same as other camps you'd see, save for the small earthen wall that had been dug up halfway down the hill overlooking the big bridge leading across the river. There are men and women milling about in the camp, but other than some sentries along the barrier they mostly seem relaxed.
On the other side of the river, in the plain between the water and the castle, are several groups of riders. They seem mostly focused towards the camp, and their garments seem to be lighter and brighter-colored than the Imperial troops, making you tentatively identify them as Northerners.
One group suddenly starts moving, and you look up in time to see the two wyverns, flying wingtip to wingtip, diving towards them. However, the Imperials swiftly abort their attack as the riders scramble towards each other to provide arrow support, leaving the wyverns to swoop lazily back into a higher hunting pattern. A clear, present threat the Northerns could do nothing about… they only had to get lucky on an overextending skirmisher group once, and there'd be blood.
There are a few other groups of Imperials you spot. Another, smaller bridge, closer to you, is being guarded by a group of Imperial cavaliers, enough to force the Northerners to give them a wide berth. Further down the river is a small village that straddles the river, similar in size to Miau or Glenhaven. Amidst the small, wooden houses, you see flashes of movement from more Imperial soldiers. There don't seem to be any townsfolk about, and as you watch you see a big, axe-wielding man forcing his way through a door, a bag over his shoulder.
Finally, and most strangely, on another hill, closer to the castle but still on the western side of the river, there's another group of carts. You can't get a great look, but there seems to be a bunch of people setting up some sort of big wooden structure, surrounded by what looks like oversized bows…
"What're they doing?" you hear Kelton mutter as he peeks around the wall as well. "There's no way such a small force could take that castle if the Northerners have enough people to risk having some riding around outside."
Artemis hears him, and gives a growl. "Making a point," she says. "'We can come into your land,' they're saying 'and you can't stop us.' They've probably sent a surrender demand, but I don't think they intend to take Starhelm today. Probably waiting for the main force to get ready back in the Empire before making their real push."
"Whoever's in charge down there, however, hasn't figured on reinforcements from this angle. All their men are focused on the castle, so we have an opportunity to punish their arrogance!"
Count Sobieski (Level 5 Cavalier, Silver Sword, Steel Lance) and 3 Generic Cavaliers (Permanently together, Iron Swords and Lances, Cavalry)
Angela (Level 4 Pegasus Knight: Steel Lance, Javelin, Flyer)
Bucephila (Level 4 Pegasus Knight: Iron Lance, Flyer)
Alexandra (Level 3 Pegasus Knight: Iron Lance, Flyer)
Castle Starhelm (Unknown number of forces, will likely reinforce you if possible.)
Enemy Forces:
Group 1: Two Wyvern Riders (Level 6, Steel Lances)
(Only fliers can engage)
Group 2: Nine Cavaliers (Levels 3-5, Most with Steel Lances/Swords, One Silver Lance)
(Fliers/Cavalry reach on first round, Infantry reach on second round)
Group 3: Twelve Fighters/Soldiers in Village, most with Iron Weapons, few Steels
Group 3.1: Two Soldiers (Level 3 and 5) and Two Fighters (Level 3 and 5)
Group 3.2: Two Soldiers (Level 4 and 5) and Two Fighters (Level 3 and 5)
Group 3.3: Two Soldiers (Level 3 and 5) and Two Fighters (Level 4 and 5)
(Fliers/Cavalry reach on first round, Infantry reach on second round)
Group 4: Eleven Soldiers/Archers with incomplete siege equipment. (Levels 1-4, Iron Weapons)
(Fliers reach on first round. Cavalry reach on second round. Infantry reach on third round)
Group 5: Main Imperial camp. Too many to fight, can be harassed by Bolting to limit reinforcements/sow chaos.
(Will likely send out reinforcements, but will take time to get organized)
Battlefield:
You and the rest of the advance force are on a hill amidst the ruins of the Starhelm Library. The Imperial main camp is unassailable by your small numbers, but there are several detachments that are vulnerable. Defeating them will show the Empire that they can't simply roll over a small kingdom without resistance, as well as showing the Northern Kingdoms that they can rely on you to protect them.
Primary Objective: Give the Empire a bloody nose
Secondary Objectives
[] Write In (Plan)
Strategy
[] Write In (Plan)
AN: I'm back. I had a project I was working on, as well as needing some time to come up with what I was going to do next. I hadn't actually put much thought into this war-arc before.
You'll notice that the voting time is a full week: this is both to let people catch up/remember what was going on, as well as deal with this potentially complicated battle.
Okay, let's figure this out. I'm thinking that what we want to do is stick together for now, and keep Bolting in reserve for the moment. The Siege Camp will be a prime target to take out their equipment, but they'll scurry away if they think they can get away with it. The main Cavalry Block needs to be hit with the force of an angry god though to get it out of play ASAP, then we can sweep in on the ones hitting the village. Ryza should keep Bolting in reserve for now, so we can break it out when they have things they can't just drop. The Wyverns will probably Get Fucked if they walk into the fightblob that is Artemis' yeomen.
Dragon Form should be held in reserve for now, lest they start breaking out Dragonkiller weapons. It'll be hard for Ryza to be threatened behind Kelton and Belle after all.
LOL at super-serious Dragon!Ryza. Still, I think it was instructive in how things could go wrong if we are careless in any future transform votes depending on the emotions we use.
Safest idea to me seems to be to have the whole group punch through at Group 3 (or 2) and work counter-clockwise with the ultimate goal of taking the siege equipment. A bolder plan would be to have our flight units go directly for the siege equipment while our ground units go for Group 3 with the intent to meet up where the enemy wyverns are (and then push towards Group 2 and try to hold Group 5 at bay somewhat by controlling that bridge over the river near them.) Think I'm more in favor of the latter option - with the element of surprise we can hopefully neutralize the siege equipment before they can react well and once we fly over the river they'll be forced to use the bridge route to give chase.
Finally, while not listed as part of the force composition, Alejandro thinks our main army is close. If we can cut the supply lines to Group 5 maybe we can force a total defeat. I'm not sure how that would look though... Aim at Groups 4 and 2 (either one-at-a-time or a similar two-pronged attack approach?) and then basically play a defend battle at the Road to the Empire until our main forces arrive? And meanwhile hope Starhelm sends out a force to take back the village and harass Group 5 from the other side to relieve pressure on us?
Think I'll give thinking it over some time though.
Unfortunately, this wouldn't work. While the main army is relatively close, it's not going to show up for an hour or two, which is more than enough time for the several-hundred-strong Imperials to completely overrun your twenty-odd advance force. While you don't know how much of a garrison Starhelm has, the fact that they're not engaging in an open-field battle means they think they'd lose that battle.
Basically, you need to do what damage you can to the vulnerable targets while the camping imperials scramble to get organized, then either fall back or take cover in Starhelm until the Southern army arrives and drives off the Imperials by weight of numbers (though most likely the Imperials would leave before fighting a losing battle.)
Unfortunately, this wouldn't work. While the main army is relatively close, it's not going to show up for an hour or two, which is more than enough time for the several-hundred-strong Imperials to completely overrun your twenty-odd advance force.
Oh! Well, okay scratch that idea then. It wasn't my preferred idea to begin with, but given the pre-battle talk of this being Imperial arrogance with sending up a force ahead of their main groups the idea of cutting them off and going for a total rout just naturally came to mind so I figured I'd give voice to it - but yeah, even if it had been plausible it struck me as Lunatic Mode difficulty.
Basically, you need to do what damage you can to the vulnerable targets while the camping imperials scramble to get organized, then either fall back or take cover in Starhelm until the Southern army arrives and drives off the Imperials by weight of numbers (though most likely the Imperials would leave before fighting a losing battle.)
If these pieces of dialogue are meant to be two different sentences, then that "as" is completely out of place and should be removed. If they are meant to be a single sentence, then that "And" should be removed, although given the way the rest is worded, I would recommend keeping them two sentences.
