[✍️EDITING] Children of Legend | Fire Emblem Awakening

⚜Lucina Chapter 2⚜

Chapter Two

The kids continued to march throughout the day. Around noon, the first horrid stomach pangs began, bubbling in Lucina's slim stomach. They were easier than usual to ignore today-excitement over being so close to the coast filled her belly. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that everyone else had the same amount of excitement and was moving determinedly. That was good-as the unofficial leader of the tiny gang, Lucina was sensitive to morale.

And morale was high, because they didn't encounter any Risen as they made their way through the underbrush and weeds. Lucina had bad memories of violet-faced, red-eyed men jumping out at them from the trees, moving like ghosts through the darkness, roaring and mindlessly swinging swords and axes. But nothing leapt at them today in the sunny morning, and when they finally broke free of the trees up on a high slope overlooking the sea, Lucina nearly wept in relief. 

Port Ferox lay before them, the largest harbor in Regna Ferox, hugging the sea in a near perfect square of mottled houses and factory buildings. Minerva's earlier observations proved true-large clouds blocked out the sun here, and a damp fog spread from the sea all the way to the eastern hills, obscuring the actual harbor itself. Lucina squinted as best she could, but she could descry no ships. She couldn't even see the harbormaster's house.

"Gerome?" Lucina asked. The wyvern rider flanked her and scanned the land below with his sharp eyes, but he shook his head helplessly. Lucina wiped sweat from her face. "Well, we'll just have to get a closer look."

"You really think that's wise?" Laurent asked. "After all, Risen like to-hey!" The others had already began making their way down the hill, leaving him to scramble to catch up.

This area was a lot colder than the woods they'd left behind, where the trees and canopy blocked out most of the wind. Here, they were exposed to the brutal sea wind, and Regna Ferox's chill began to sink into their bones. Lucina huddled up in her cloak, as did the others, but her face and ears grew numb as the first buildings of the port town eased out of the fog.

"Everyone ready?" Lucina asked as they reached the town's entrance. She loosened Falchion in its sheath, prepared to fully draw it at a moment's notice, and the others did the same with their weapons. Then, in a tight group, they made their way into the port town, not quite sure of what to expect.

Nothing but dust and wind was out in the streets. Ramshackle buildings flanked them on either side as they made their way down the main thoroughfare, worn down by the elements. A couple of old street wagons lined the way, but they were as dilapidated as the houses they passed-one crumbled to pieces as they went by, making them all jump.

"It's a ghost town," Gerome said on a breath.

"It must have gone down during the Risen insurgency," Lucina whispered, watching a wind vane twist and creak from its perch atop a boarded-up shop. She began to worry. If the town was in shambles, then what of the harbor?

"Lucina," Severa said tensely, suddenly freezing. Lucina looked to where the girl was pointing and cursed. A lumpy silhouette was making its way out of the fog from down the way, shuffling in their direction. Lucina had grown to recognize this shadow, the shadow of a dozen or more Risen on the horizon.

"Blast," Laurent croaked.

"Psst!" Gerome had crossed the street, and was easing Minerva through the door of what looked to be a blacksmith's old shop. Lucina, Severa, and Laurent quickly followed, gliding across the ground with practiced silence. The inside of the shop was a mess of rubble, twisted tools, brick and mortar, but they ducked down into the shadows, trying not to disturb the pieces of debris that littered the floor. Minerva was an edgy, shifting form, but Gerome rapidly rubbed her head, murmuring to her in a soothing voice to calm her down. Lucina was braced against the front wall of the shop, near a hole that looked to be created by an archer's arrow. She eased downward, far enough that she could see through it. The hair on the back of her neck stood up in alarm.