Part 2:
To Trade in Death
Outskirts of Frostmont: 1568Â of the Sixth Astral Era
  Cold rain fell on the snow covered ground. Winters in Coerthas tended to be a bit harsher than those of the Shroud, though usually not by much. Unfortunately this day was one of the rare, and far more bone chilling days, where nearly frozen drops of water seeped through clothes and between the gaps of armor. Small clouds of white mist puffed rhythmically from the beaks of his and the other chocobos. Nearly silent “kwehs†and other noises associated with the beasts could be heard from time to time, but the majority of this particular trip was in silence. As he reflected on it, most of their travelling had been done in silence for the past couple of months. He liked to think it was to gain the element of surprise, but in his heart he knew it was not the real reason. In the past four months, two towns and one outpost had been overtaken by the Dravanian hordes. Their attacks far too tactically sound, and destruction too complete.
  This was Flynt’s fist campaign under the banner of Calieur, and second time he’d been under Dalinat’s command. Since those events nearly four years prior, Flynt had been sponsored to train as a Dragoon for House Calieur. While Flynt had expected the man to rescind his houses’ sponsorship and forget about him, Dalinat had not, and continue to show a special interest in him. Flynt would not say so out loud, for fear of what those words would do, but it was very apparent that the two had developed an almost fraternal bond. Even still, Flynt found it hard to hide his envy of Dalinat. The envy he had of the man’s skill, his station and the sheer confidence in his abilities. He’d vowed during their first campaign, after truly seeing Dalinat in action that he would become just like the heir of House Calieur. This was why when Dalinat rode in silence, he did so as well.
  A few hours after dawn, Dalinat’s detachment reached the small hamlet of Frostmont, or at least the remnants of it. Thick smoke still rose from the ashes of the destroyed buildings, the rain slowly extinguishing the charred wood and thatching that still burned.
  “Adamoit, Thevenin, Aldafont… Survey the surrounding area for signs of Dravanian scouts.â€Â Dalinat said as he slid effortlessly off of his chocobo. “Fouchaux and Virgaud, search for survivors. Flynt…†He paused for a moment, searching for the youngest and most junior member of their detachment. “Tend to the chocobos.â€
  Flynt nodded, every part of him wishing to show his disdain for the work, but he knew Dalinat would give him no special treatment. Adamoit, Thevenin and Aldafont walked past Flynt without even looking at him, Aldafont’s shoulder catching Flynt’s and turning him somewhat as he passed. Flynt clenched his jaw, the tip of his fangs slipping out from behind his lips.
  “Pay them no mind Flynt.†Fouchaux said with a forced smile. Other than Dalinat, Fouchaux was the only person who did not look at Flynt as if he were inferior. This was likely because he was a Hyur, surrounded by Elezen. Even still, Flynt decided not to worry about why he was nice to him and chose to instead be grateful he had one other person who did not look down on him.
  “Here, take Shugo and Lenos.†Fouchaux said as he handed Flynt the reigns to Shugo, his chocobo, and Lenos, Virguad’s. Flynt nodded respectfully, ignoring Shugo’s irritated balking. Shugo was in no small part one of the reasons Flynt loathed tending to the chocobos, and mainly because the frustrating bird seemed to hate Flynt with a passion.
Flynt’s tending was quickly sidetracked by Virguad’s shouts a moment later. “Ser! We’ve got quite a few survivors’ here!â€Â Dalinat, Fouchaux and Flynt all dashed over to the source of the shouting. A small shack, surprisingly out of place due to the fact it still stood, housed the handful of Frostmont villagers still alive. As Dalinat strode up, the ten or so people strode out from the tiny structure, faces covered in blood and soot eyes distant from whatever horrors they had seen. All were quiet, save one woman cradling a broken arm and mumbling to herself as she rocked back and forth on the balls and heel of her feet. Dalinat grabbed the woman by her broken arm, pulling her to him before throwing her to the ground. She let out a pained his, staring up at him with wild eyes.
  “Who else locked eyes with a greater Dravanian? Speak now, for I will know if you are lying.â€Â Dalinat said as he looked over the small group of tired survivor’s, his gaze finally landing on a portly Hyur whose eyes must have shown a fear of being discovered.
“N-No Ser! I am f-fine! Truly! Our eyes only crossed the same p-path! My mind is my own I a-assure y-“ The portly man stopped with his pleas as Dalinat’s spear was hurled into the man’s chest, coming a hair’s breadth from two of the other survivor’s as it flew. Dalinat strode over to the now dead man, pulling his spear free from the man’s chest as he turned his attention to the crazed woman. She paused only for a moment after seeing the portly Hyur’s death, and she took off towards the tree line.Â
  “Flynt…â€Â Dalinat said in an even tone as the woman dashed passed him. “Kill her.â€
Flynt paused, looking back from Dalinat to the woman, and once more. She was not moving quickly, and her injuries would kill her if the weather did not. It seemed strange to dispatch her so nonchalantly.
 “Ser…†Flynt had managed to get out before Dalinat’s composure broke, “Kill her now! That is an order!†He said, his tone harsh but volume far from a shout.Â
Flynt nodded, but as he did a shrill, piercing cry bellowed from the woman. The shout was so loud and violent Flynt was sure her throat must have bled from the sheer force of it. Virgaud launched and fell a half a breath later, skewering the woman into the frozen ground a few fulms before she’d reached the treeline. The lean-faced Elezen smirked beneath his Drachen mail as he turned his head to Flynt.
  “You should probably tell your Pup orders are not optional out here Dalinat. T’is the indecisive who are frequently the first to find th-“ Virgaud’s words were cut off by a loud, wet snap. Â
  The wyvern reeled back, as it tried to regurgitate the Dragoon’s bladed arm, spitting out the limb which seemed to have severed almost surgically by the 7 fulm tall beast. The limb sat in a bed of crimson snow, and all Flynt could think about was how long that moment seemed to be taking. He knew what would happen, at least the broad strokes of it. They were about to be ambushed, Virgaud was going to die and they would not be far behind depending how many beasts hid in those trees.
  “So why is this taking so long?†He thought as his gaze met Virgaud’s.
  Time seemed to then make up for it’s slow pace by now moving twice as fast. Blood and flesh fell from the sides of the beasts’ maw as it snapped again onto the man’s head and removed it from his shoulders before discarding it before what was left of Virgaud collapsed to the ground. Close to a dozen more winged forms shifted and emerged from the trees, each shrieking out a war cry that when combined made promises of pain, blood and death. Dalinat shot off first, small snowflakes shooting up around his feet before hanging idly in place for a moment, seemingly unaffected by the bitter winds that swirled through the burnt ruins of the town.
  Flynt felt his knees shake and hands begin to tremble as the two forces rushed to meet each other. He wanted so desperately to do something, either to fight or even run… But he was simply frozen in place, as if Virgaud’s death had somehow spread to him and he was just waiting to collapse as well.
  “Frequently the first to find themselves watching as a Aevis feasts on their innards. That’s what he was going to say… He said it to me when I first joined the Broken Bloods.†Fouchaux continued to stride next to and then past Flynt, watching Dalinat bound tens of fulms at a time with the rest of his men a bound or two behind.Â
 Fouchaux turned back to Flynt and slid the rounded top of his helm into position. “We’re going to make it through this Flynt. Trust in Halone and she will guide your spear. For the Sky brother?â€
 Sylastair Wolfhart Wiki