#the legend of the northern blade

[lindoesntwin]

TOP MANHWAS OF 2024

Ranked from MyAnimeList

The greatest estate developer - 8.76 ⭐

+1 comedy +1 civil engineering

The horizon - 8.7 ⭐

+1 world building +1 art style +1 philosophical

No home - 8.68 ⭐

+1 emotion-packed +1 characters

Solo leveling - 8.66 ⭐

+1 art +1 character development

Wind breaker - 8.63 ⭐

+1 action

Omniscient reader's viewpoint - 8.59 ⭐

+1 plotline

Seasons of blossom - 8.59 ⭐

+1 storyline +1 characters +1 art

After school lessons for unripe apples - 8.58 ⭐

+1 characters +1 relationships +1 realism

The legend of the northern blade - 8.53 ⭐

+1 characters +1 fight scenes +1 art

Eleceed - 8.52 ⭐

+1 action

Webtoon character na kang lim - 8.5 ⭐

+1 harem

The boxer - 8.49 ⭐

+1 writing

Return of the blossoming blade - 8.49 ⭐

+1 art +1 story +1 comedy

Bastard - 8.48 ⭐

+1 surrealism +1 charm

Who made me a princess - 8.47 ⭐

+1 characters +1 captivating +1 writing +1 art

Spirit fingers - 8.44 ⭐

+1 characters

Lost in the cloud - 8.43 ⭐

+1 art

Villains are destined to die - 8.39 ⭐

+1 character growth +1 fitting art +1 angst

The breaker - 8.39 ⭐

+1 emotions

Tower of god - 8.37 ⭐

+1 art improvement +1 world

[aspiring-holistic-otaku]

Season 3 Ramble#9 - Way of the Sword ver.2

Greetings and welcome to another episode of MM..MANGA, the podcast about getting more people into more manga.

As usual I assume everyone listening in are smart folks who could tell from the title, but i’m gonna go ahead and say it. This month’s ramble is all about swords... Actually it kinda does make sense to actually say it because last time I did this in Way of the sword ver.1 (which I urge you to go listen to if you haven’t), I only focused on samurai manga, but this time i’ve put my bias for the sheer awesomeness of samurai, bushido and all that aside and broadened my scope to swords in general. 

This ramble is gonna have the typical format, top 5 sword manga read this month then top 5 older sword manga reads, both in ascending order, but I’ll only be going into detail about this month’s reads as i would have gone into detail about older reads in ver.1. After the main ramble is over I'll have a little post ramble ramble, where i rank my top 5 swordsmen and because i was watching some martial arts/sword/samurai movies along with my reads I'll give a top 5 of those as well.

Before I get into it I want to start with a quote from Miyamoto Musashi, I read his book 5 rings as well this month and it was a pretty solid read imo, especially if you can see the broad things specifically and specific things broadly…

“A thousand days of training to develop, ten thousand days of training to polish. You must examine all this well.” - Miyamoto Musashi

TOP 5 SWORD READS THIS MONTH

#5) Reiri (Story by Hitoshi Iwaaki and art by Daisuke Muroi, ran from 2015-2018, complete w 35 chapters)

Getting this out the way, Reiri is a samurai manga. I know I said I broadened my scope but I didn’t say I’d exclude anything. Samurai manga just tend to be the cream of the crop, what can I say?

In any case, The story here follows a young girl named Reiri, a peasant girl who lives in peace with her family, until one day in the aftermath of war, soldiers ruthlessly murder and behead her mother, brother and father. Lucky for her, a general from the opposing forces saves her and so she grows up and grows stronger serving him, but has always eagerly sought death so she could be together with her now lost family.

Short and sweet read. solid art. and though the cast wasn’t as expansive or dynamic as I’d usually like, there was a tendency towards depth even in the shorter interactions. I think the creators had a message or discussion around a topic they wanted to get across/have, and they did a pretty good job, especially with so few chapters. You could probably tell from the summary but the main subject was death, or more specifically in my mind, the question of, what kind of life should one lead to have a satisfying death?

That’s pretty common in samurai manga and samurai media in general, but there were two major differences from the usual that made this read more interesting and added a bit more nuance than usual. One was the fact that the main character was a woman, which I honestly always dig.. love a woman that can kick my ass.mp4... but seriously, if you know anything about samurai society there’s no way she could be considered a samurai and die in battle like she hoped. The second point kinda springs from the first in that because she was a woman, even though she was pretty strong, the people around her tended to try and discourage her from her pursuit of an honourable death. Which when said out loud sounds like the obvious normal reaction, but again, this is samurai society. If she were a man, everyone would either be pushing her towards death in battle or asking her why she hasn’t already killed herself out of shame for being unable to protect her family. I think these two things really added to what could have been just another samurai manga.

In any case this is just #5 on the list, short as hell and not THAT much packed in so not much more to say, maybe a bit too much yapping there but definitely recommend.

#4) Ragna Crimson (Story&Art by Daiki Kobayashi, 2017-present, ongoing w 77 chapters)

This right here is some major meathead shit. Which usually wouldn’t do anything for me but 1) swords and 2) the levels of rawness, aura and whatever else the kids are saying nowadays just tipped the scales. It’s almost too crazy I'm telling you.

Anywho, the story here takes place in a world constantly under threat from dragons, and we follow the main character Ragna, a pretty shitty dragon hunter, that follows around and takes care of one of the strongest dragon hunters around. One day a larger than normal dragon horde threatens everything he loves when suddenly he has a flashback, to the future... His future self explains that this dragon attack changed his life and destroyed everything he held dear, leading him to be the strongest dragon hunter ever. Sadly even that wasn’t enough to kill every last dragon, so now he’s sending all his power back to present day Ragna so he can grow even more and hopefully protect the ones he loves, and maybe more importantly, kill every last dragon.

First off, I usually I have a bit of distaste for reborn or future knowledge stories cause the mcs tend to just,, know everything,, nothing’s a challenge, and in my mind, every arc, subplot and etc is a completely uneven playing ground where they have almost every upperhand and everyone else is either in complete awe or fear… but i digress… That wasn’t the case here, they handled it pretty simply and pretty well in that the mc didn’t really get all the memories, it’s all a bit fuzzy, so he has all this power but pretty much zero know how.

In any case the art is fairly solid, gotta say the big impact moments were very big and impactful, really well done. The story so far was kinda just okay and really heavily carried by all the raw fighting content, which I guess is to be expected in a battle manga, but the story aspect has been picking up and I can see that side of things getting much more enjoyable.

Great cast and character interactions, which may sound a bit weird given what I just said about the story but I really really enjoyed watching them and their antics, and that goes for pretty much the entire cast. I actually think that’s what really did it for me and got it on this list. Typically, in world threatening or apocalypse scenario stories, the cast and mood tend to be kinda serious, moody, edgy and whatnot,, which makes sense and isn’t a fault more so than it is me having had enough of that, but here the cast was pretty goofy and they pretty much all had some quirk or the other that made them distinct if not stand out. Small spoiler for the sake of a nice example, but the mc has horrible social anxiety that often makes him throw up in a crowd, so you can see how that would make trying to be a world saving hero difficult. I think any story, especially battle manga where it’s pretty much expected, can have a good fight, and those fights can even have really deep meanings, but no manga can be all fights all the time, not even battle manga. And so the in betweens, transitionary phases, etc are really important. It’s easier to get away with in anime with an sakuga and so forth, but in my opinion, if it’s not there in manga, the whole thing's just gonna feel like a slideshow.

In any case, for the more elitist, nitpicker listeners, it's labeled dark fantasy but it's definitely a mickey mouse series,,, but in a jetix kinda way if that makes sense… I said that in a discord and they said that basically means it’s an early 2000s fest and I agree.. All that being said I still recommend it, really great if you like to turn your brain off, solid enough if that’s not for you and for the anime watchers, there is an anime with 24 episodes, can’t speak on the quality as i have not and do not plan to watch but just putting that out there.

#3) Samurai Executioner (Story by Kazuo Koike and Story by Goseki Kojima, 1970-1976, complete w 54 chapters)

Firstly, this story art duo is responsible for creating my #1 samurai read from way of the sword ver.1, lone wolf and cub,(again i urge you to check that out, the ramble or even just that one manga specifically), so it’s great to see greatness from them again, + i’ve been told and seen from related manga sections that there’s a bunch more where that came from so i’m looking forward to reading more stuff from them in future.

The anilist description of the series is pretty hard so i’m gonna run with that here;

In a prison world, there are few good stories, and this is the world of Kubikiri Asa, the beheader and master samurai under the Shogun. It's a world full of vengeance, greed, and violence. A world of depravity and sin. One man can set things straight if he can keep his wits. This is a story of extreme proportions, of sword study thick in tradition and with grim purpose, of blood rivers, agonizing screams, bondage, torture, and the evil prevalent in human failure. Drafted by the confirmed masters of the international medium of manga, Samurai Executioner is a shocking combination of darkness and fire, fine lines, and a fine man in the face of human decline.

Very episodic, much like lone wolf and cub was at first, and though it had some overarching continuity, it didn’t really have the same culminating payoff. Still great though as each chapter was very poignant, and as a story that very much focused on death, almost every chapter ending being the end of a life, it's very fitting.

Great art if you’re into the old school feel, which I like in general but also goes fabulously with stories set in older time periods. Solid cast, though as I said it’s pretty episodic and outside the main character almost everyone was a passing face, but again those passing faces, especially the ones meant to be executed, had a lot to say. Even the few chapters sprinkled throughout that didn’t have executions and were just conversations tended to be very contemplative. In the same way lone wolf and cub was a great dialogue around the meaning of being a samurai, this was a brilliant dialogue around the meaning of life and death. The main character’s words to live by were literally “All things are impermanent. This is the law of life and extinction. When both life and extinction perish, nirvana will be bliss.”

Brilliant short read. something to savour. highly recommend.

#2) The legend of the northern blade (Story and Art by Hue Min, Original story by U Gak, 2019-present, ongoing w 192 chapters)

I won’t call this meathead. It’s meathead adjacent,, so we’ll call it action packed,, but meatheads would definitely enjoy this. 

The story here is that for pretty much a hundred years and through 4 generations, the northern heavenly sect has protected the country from the evil silent night. Sadly, because of envy for their growing strength, the 4th generation leader is betrayed by those he swore to protect, and in the end is forced to disband his sect and kill himself to protect his son. Years later, his son, our mc, is kept under surveillance by his enemies and is forced to lead a miserable life almost completely alone in the ruins of his former glorious sect. One day a surprise attack by members of the silent night gives him a chance to escape and so he begins a long journey of training in order to master his fighting techniques, and eventually take revenge on those who betrayed him.

Great cast. great story. great art. Great pacing, which sadly, is something I feel like I haven’t said in a while., Admittedly the start is a bit slow but after the first 10 or so chapters are out of the way, which are kind of like a prelude, it picks up and pretty much keeps on picking up. They introduce the cast really well on both the protagonist and antagonist side, nothing really feels predetermined or too obvious like oh this dude is definitely gonna join or be against, it’s just kind of circumstantial and felt very natural. Very solid for a revenge story, i think i’ve said it before but imo manhwa seem to be very revenge focused for some reason and the mcs tend to have a habit of getting lost in the sauce of it all, but our mc, Jin Mu Won, is a goat that keeps his cool. My dude is frosty. My dude is ice cold. Bro is literally too cool for school.. but I digress… Last but definitely not least is the action. The art is pretty solid throughout but when it comes to the action? They’re on some anime sakuga type shit, very strong choreography that only gets better and better, definitely has its fair share of mob cuts but even those go pretty hard, and the big boss fights are 5 star chef’s kiss. The only downside, is that if you know anything about manhwa, korean webtoons and the like, they tend to go with this one page scroll like type layout so most places you read it outside of the official source slice up a lot of otherwise beautiful panels with separating black lines. It’s sad but it still manages to remain solid in that aspect despite being put through the blender. Definitely the most hype thing I read this month, obviously also very solid coming in at number two, and it was a pretty close call tbh but yh, definitely highly recommend. Especially as it seems to be entering the final arc so it’s a really really great time to jump in.

#1) Azumi (Story & Art by Yuu Koyama,1994-2008, complete w 350 chapters)

Now this isn’t really samurai, though it does take place in that period,, and has a lot of samurai… but the main character isn’t a samurai, she’s an assassin, so we’ll say it’s historical. And it definitely is as a lot of real life key Japanese historical figures are littered throughout the story.

In any case, the story here starts with 10 orphans raised and trained in seclusion from a very early age to be assassins. Not just any assassins, but assassins meant to put an end to all wars in japan. The most gifted among them being Azumi, who as you can probably tell by the title, is our mc and who we follow throughout the story. 

This story has a very epic feel, not in the adventure time adjective kind of way but in the more iliad type beat extended story kind of way, much like I described lone wolf and cub to be last time… and as you can probably tell by the 300+ chapter count. The chapters are very well used though, as I said the story starts out with them as kids but it follows Azumi into adulthood. The pacing and passing of time feels very natural, like it doesn’t even feel like there were any time skip so much as literally just watching her grow. The cast naturally changes with the times and although not a lot of them stick around physically, as the main character and her world views changes with the people she meets, many characters stick around in Azumi’s psyche and reemerge in her mental state. The art is great, has that old school vibe in an old school context that I love and the action and choreo were great too. Had a real kill bill siren feel cause Azumi was a manslayer fr.

Feel like I haven’t done it justice, I don't think I can either... I realize I often feel that way with my number 1s and that’s probably because the truly meaningful transcends mere words, but it’s my number 1 pick for this month and it’s there for a reason is all i can say.

hm: isekai samurai, return of the blossoming blade

TOP 5 OLDER READS

#5) Shigurui aka death frenzy (used to be #2 here)

#4) Ichigeki aka one hit kill (was #2 in new reads of ver.1 and #2 overall that year)

#3) Vagabond (unchanged)

#2) Lone wolf and cub (was #1 in new reads of ver.1)

#1) Blade of the immortal (unchanged)

that's it for the ramble, you can check out beer. 1 below and if you're not gonna listen in for the post ramble ramble then take care until next time.

[uhhhsmthrandom]

i know a banger when i see one

[robot-roadtrip-rants]

I think the artist reached the platonic ideal of douchiness when he drew this guy. That pose! That smirk! That ludicrously fancy pipe and pin that look like he's compensating for something! Lying around in his underwear and treating his imperial robe like a bathrobe! Prime fuckboi energy just radiates off this fucker!

[greatestmageofbrazil]

Legend of the Northern Blade

[samporrra]

💀

[akshimartins]

[parastish]

The strongest enemy is also the best master

[arwanp]

[oristian]

High Lord and High Lady of the Dusk Court

@nessianweek Day Six — Legends and Destiny

“You said you had an eight-pointed star tattooed on you,” Bryce explained. “And you found the chamber with the eight-pointed star in the Prison, too.”

Nesta lifted her head. “So?”

“So I want you to take the Starsword.” Bryce held the blade between them. “Gwydion—whatever you call it here. The age of the Starborn is over on Midgard. It ends with me.”

“I don’t understand.” But Bryce began backing toward the portal, taking Hunt’s hand, and smiled again at the female, at her mate, at their world, as the Northern Rift began to close.

“I think that eight-pointed star was tattooed on you for a reason. Take that sword and go figure out why.” — HOFAS

My biggest theory is that Nesta and Cassian will help to revive the Dusk Court and the land—and the Mother—will choose them to rule as High Lord and High Lady.

I want to thank @lulybot-blog for this incredible artwork that depicts that scene so well! I am so in awe of this piece and of your talent!

ART CREDIT @lulybot-blog

COMMISSIONED BY @oristian @lulufoxlainfawn

PLEASE DO NOT REPOST

ALSO FOUND ON INSTAGRAM (HERE)

[dwarfhorse]

p 1/??

Rune factory Guardians of Azuma

alrighty so this is gonna be a little lengthy because a lot was shown recently! however I'm typing on my tablet which is dying as I type and the sites won't load, forgive me for image sizes as I can't make them smaller.

first off, here's the new rune factory guardians of azuma trailer. accompanied with a release date of May 30, 2025. the game alone is 60$ USD while the limited edition is 100$ USD.

I'll get into characters in a minute, but we are seeing town building as well as being allowed to pick NPCs jobs (im assuming they're just store running NPCs with no storyline). and the trailer kind of gives pokemon graphics with genshin inspired mechanics. some mechanics also remind me of Pokemon legends Arceus. Keep in mind this is a sideline game, if I remember correctly they are working on 6, a mainline game. They are trying a totally new formula with this game and farming will still be included but not a main focus.

It seems there will be 2 romance routes locked behind dlc, and for the first time in a long time, the mcs will have their own distinctive personalities and the opposite of you pick will be romanceable.

Story: The Celestial Collapse — a calamity caused by a colossal object crashing into the eastern lands known as Azuma. The devastating impact sent fragments of terrain to the skies above and the seas below. With the earth shattered, the power provided by the runes ceased to flow. The gods of nature vanished soon after. Mountains crumbled and fields withered, leaving the people with nothing…not even hope. You awaken, startled by a dream of dueling dragons. You don’t remember how or why, but a voice resonates within you. "Accept the power of an Earth Dancer. Use this power to save the land.” Thus begins your lengthy journey to restore the gods…

now for characters:

Subaru (male mc) and Kaguya (fem mc)

Left his cold village in the northern part of Azuma on a mission to save the land. Childhood friends with Kaguya, who hails from the same hometown. Usually relaxed and easy-going. Enjoys gazing at the sky. While generally not a fan of battle, he has a strong sense of justice, and will fight fiercely to protect his friends and loved ones.

Left her cold village in the northern part of Azuma on a mission to save the land. Childhood friends with Subaru, who hails from the same hometown. Loves being in nature, especially interacting with animals and observing flowers. Although usually calm, she despises evil and resents any acts of injustice.

Woolby (mascot /sidekick)

The protagonist's loyal partner and guide. A bit of a braggart and a klutz. His gluttonous nature makes him susceptible to sweet bribes, especially dango.

Romance options, there are 16!

Iroha

The owner of Iroha's Teahouse in Spring Village. A friendly, caring young woman who dreams of revitalizing Spring Village and returning it to its former glory.

Murasame (they beefed him down in game sadly)

A samurai who wanders Azuma with the goal of becoming the world's greatest swordsman. Master of the Munen Muso sword style, which means "free from empty thoughts." Spends his days training and keeping his sword in good condition.

Hina

A half-human, half-fox were-animal who arrives in Azuma on an airship with Mauro. Claims to be an archaeologist. Childhood events instilled her with a strong desire to help others.

Mauro

A self-proclaimed treasure hunter from a foreign land who came to Azuma by airship in search of a legendary treasure. This sentimental soul is easily moved to tears.

Ulalaka

Azuma's kind, gentle god of spring and merriment. Her benevolence knows no bounds, and she simply wants everyone to live happy, peaceful lives.

Matsuri

Azuma's carefree god of summer and swords. Enjoys physical activities of all kinds. Despite being a master of the blade, she tends to solve problems with brute force instead.

Unfortunately I've hit the picture limit, so I'll have to make a part 2.

[aspiring-holistic-otaku]

[witchthewriter]

𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡

𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐: "Our Blades Are Sharp" 𝑺𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒍: The Bolton sigil is a red flayed man, on pale pink spotted with red blood drops. 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒔: The Boltons are known for their historical practice of flaying their enemies, and they are said to hang the skins of their enemies in a room of the Dreadfort. The family has a reputation for being dishonorable, cruel, and cunning. They are physically known for their pale, almost ghostly complexions.

The Boltons are an ancient and powerful House of the North who once ruled as Red Kings from the Dreadfort, with their land reaching from the Last River and the White Knife to the Sheepshead Hills. The Dreadfort, the ancestral seat of House Bolton, is said to have hidden passageways and dungeons used for flaying and torturing prisoners. It’s also implied that the castle is built to inspire fear, with chilling legends surrounding its construction and history.

Thousands of years ago, the Dreadfort rose in an unsuccessful rebellion with the Greystarks of the Wolf's Den against the Starks. The Boltons survived the rebellion, although the Greystarks did not.

House Bolton was infamous for its centuries-old practice of flaying their enemies alive, to the point that they used a flayed man as their sigil. The Boltons supposedly gave up this practice after bending the knee to House Stark, and centuries later, Lord Eddard Stark outlawed flaying in the North altogether, but the Boltons continued the practice. This led to them being despised and feared by many of the Northern houses, especially after their betrayal of House Stark.

Lord Roose Bolton is noted as a capable battle commander. He fought alongside Eddard Stark during Robert's Rebellion. After the Battle of the Trident, Roose suggested executing the defeated Barristan Selmy, but Eddard and Robert Baratheon refused.

According to Roose Bolton, the lord of the Dreadfort has the right to sleep with a miller’s wife on her wedding night, a supposed "first night" tradition (a controversial and horrifying custom). Ramsay Snow was conceived from such an act, with Roose hanging the miller beneath a tree and forcing his wife to name the boy Ramsay.

Roose’s legitimate son, Domeric, was poised to inherit the Dreadfort, but he mysteriously died after seeking companionship with his bastard brother, Ramsay. Many speculate Ramsay murdered him, eliminating a rival for Roose’s favor.

[robot-roadtrip-rants]

if they don't become sworn brothers i will RIOT

[greatestmageofbrazil]

Legend of The Northern Blade just keep delivering the besta fights

[dragonologist-writings]

Title: Love & War Fandom: Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Rating: M Status: Complete (19/19) Main Characters: Knight-Commander Cleo Ironbark, Queen Galfrey Supporting Characters: Yozz, Arueshalae, Woljif, Wenduag, Ember, Irahai, Nocticula, Hand of the Inheritor Ships: Knight-Commander/Queen Galfrey Additional Notes: Complicated Relationships, Angst, Rivals to Enemies to Lovers, Demon to Legend Mythic Path, Canon-Typical Themes, Minor Character Death Word Count: 72.8k Summary:

Galfrey was a queen, a paladin, an icon for all that was righteous and just in the Crusades. Cleo was a barbarian, a tiefling, a personification of demonic chaos. By all rights and logic, the two should have been at each other's throats- and often, they were. But somehow, through war and struggle and sacrifice, they ended up finding more in each other than either ever expected.

read here on ao3

Chaper 1 Below:

The first impression Queen Galfrey of Mendev formed of Cleo, warrior of the Ironbark tribe, was not a kind one.

To be completely fair, the Queen’s opinion was not wholly condemning, either. It was quite impossible for Galfrey to condemn the woman who had pulled Kenabres from the burning jaws of the demons. Every report given to the Queen repeated the same story: Cleo of Ironbark had bravely led the charge against the evil cultists and demons who threatened the city. Cleo of Ironbark had stormed the Grey Garrison and saved them all from the poison of the corrupted Wardstone. Cleo of Ironbark was a hero.

But Cleo of Ironbark was also…raucous.

“Another round!” the warrior cried, holding her tankard aloft, and the celebrating soldiers cheered along with her. The tankard was refilled without a moment’s hesitation, and after taking a long drink, Kenabres’s champion resumed her dramatic recounting of the day’s battle. Her voice carried across the tavern, rising above the din of the crowd and filling the large room with echoes of her bravado. Irabeth and Anevia sat at her side, listening to the tale with fond weariness and open amusement, respectively.

Galfrey kept to the corner of the tavern, holding her tongue and a humble mug of ale as she watched the theatrics unfold. Her retinue was waiting outside; she’d ordered them to give her fifteen minutes of peace before following her in. The guards were always so touchy about letting her out of their sight, as if she couldn’t handle herself perfectly well.

The Queen sighed at herself. That was unfair; they were merely doing their job. Under normal circumstances, she would have been content to let them do so. But a procession of guards was something that tended to be noticed, and in this instance, she’d wished to make her observations from a place of relative anonymity. She’d feared she might be noticed anyhow, but no; the people’s attention was centered solely on the sword-bearing storyteller who had already nearly drained her third serving of ale. This could only be the famous Cleo- who else would be drawing such adulation from the victorious crusaders?

Yet, she was not quite what Galfrey had expected.

For starters, Cleo was clearly not of Kenabres. Not a fact all that odd on its own, perhaps, but she was no ordinary traveler, either. She wore the furs and leather armor of the northern barbarians, and when she called out to the crowds, a Kellid accent made itself clear in her words. As if a lone tribeswoman in the middle of a Mendevian city wasn’t odd enough, the people’s new hero was also a tiefling. With skin of deep green and small horns that poked through her dark, close-shorn hair, her abyssal heritage was impossible to miss.

Even so, the notoriously suspicious Mendevians around her watched with high-spirited adulation as she spoke, her tail lashing enthusiastically behind her all the while.

“-and then,” she was saying, “just when we all thought we were well and truly fucked, I charged for the Wardstone. Minagho tried to stop me, but it was too late for her- I had my blade in my hands, and I took the biggest swing of my life, and with just one strike I shattered that corrupted chunk of stone!”

She mimed the motion of her attack, and the crowds shouted their appreciation. Their cheers brought a cocky grin to Cleo’s lips, revealing sharp-tipped teeth.

“And of course once that was taken care of, Minagho didn’t stand a chance. Shame she’s so good at running away, but there’s plenty other demons out there to slay!”

This declaration brought another round of victorious shouts, but Galfrey remained reticent. The scene so far had only served to cement her final impression of Cleo of Ironbark: that she was in possession of a concerning degree of reckless arrogance. Cleo spoke loudly and cursed often; she lauded her own daring exploits; she relished in stretching out her arms to display the scars lining her well-toned muscles to her crowd of admirers.

Galfrey was hardly unaccustomed to such personality. The thrill of victory could go to any soldier’s head, especially when aided by ale and applause. But she had been hoping for something more substantial from the savior of the city, and to find behavior which bordered upon unseemly was…disappointing.

Across the room, Cleo let out a loud laugh and leapt to her feet, very nearly tripping over her chair in the process. She teetered over Anevia, leaned down, and- inexplicably- blew a kiss onto the small charm in Anevia’s hands. They both laughed again at the action, even as Irabeth swatted at her wife’s shoulder in half-hearted chastisement.

In spite of herself, Galfrey felt her lips pull reluctantly into a smile. Her judgments were harsh; revelry could certainly be permitted in times like this. This was a celebration, after all, and here she was sulking in the corner and thinking dour thoughts. It must be the endless war meetings taking their toll, fixing her into this permanently somber state. After so many decades, it was growing increasingly difficult to escape such a mindset, especially when she’d spent the majority of the march to Kenabres half-expecting to find nothing but a funeral pyre.

Instead, she’d found a city in the throes of exhilarating victory. Such a state was infinitely preferable, and the leader who’d made it possible had more than earned herself a carefree night.

With that thought in mind, Galfrey threw back a swig of ale and strode forward to join her subjects at their table. Her fifteen minutes of peace were almost up, and it was time to make her presence known. Better to make a jovial introduction, she decided, rather than be a weight upon the soldiers’ high spirits.

The reactions her reveal garnered were much what Galfrey expected: Irabeth snapped to immediate attention, the nearby soldiers backed away to a respectful distance, and even Anevia straightened her posture and pushed her drink away.

But not Cleo. Cleo just watched, dark eyes giving away nothing as she granted the Queen a lazy smile. “Have I had too much to drink, or are you really who I think you are?”

“That depends a good deal on who you think I am, doesn’t it?” Galfrey countered evenly. She kept her voice lighthearted, welcoming, and held out her hand in a simple greeting. “Galfrey, of Mendev.”

Cleo regarded the offered gesture for a moment, her gaze sliding from Galfrey’s hand to meet her eyes. The edges of her smile grew more pronounced. “I see the rumors were not exaggerated. Pleasure to make your royal acquaintance.” Without breaking her stare, Cleo wrapped her calloused fingers around Galfrey’s, and she brought Galfrey’s hand to her lips.

The kiss she laid on Galfrey’s skin was short, but her eyes stayed fixed on the Queen- testing her, Galfrey realized. Pressing to see how quickly Galfrey would pull away.

Indignation surged through Galfrey’s veins, but she had decades of practice in disguising her annoyances.  She did not pull away, nor did she flinch under that taunting gaze; she waited until Cleo’s touch retreated, and only then did she withdraw her hand.

“Thank you for the compliment,” she said stiffly, and Cleo chuckled.

“Didn’t say what the rumors were, did I? But you are quite welcome, your royal highness. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?”

The words were simply dripping with mockery, and Galfrey almost changed her mind right then and there. The mission she’d meant to bequeath upon the hero of Kenabres required some modicum of respect and discipline, and she could just as easily enlist any of her current generals who actually displayed those qualities.

Except…none of those generals, in all their years of service, had accomplished anything like the feat this woman already performed. If even half of what Cleo claimed was true, she should be dead ten times over. That meant that this woman was either a braggart lying through her teeth…or she truly possessed the type of power the Crusades so desperately needed.

It was a risk, to gamble on the latter option in such a way. But the war had been locked in a stalemate for far too long. Perhaps a certain amount of risk was warranted.

And besides, Galfrey reminded herself, Cleo was currently deep in her cups. In all likelihood, she would wake in the morning somewhat sheepish and ready to approach their arrangement with a bit more propriety.

“The Queen graces me with her presence, I see.”

Galfrey stifled a sigh as she entered the Cleo’s tent. Outside, troops bustled in preparation for the march to Drezen, their shouts and orders mingling with the familiar clang of plated armor. The soldiers had been all too eager to accept the hero of Kenabres as their new Knight-Commander- much more eager than Cleo was to actually act the part. The obstinate woman lounged at her table of maps, not even rising to her feet as she greeted Galfrey with her usual taunt.

This was a worthy gamble, the Queen reminded herself. This inexplicable hostility was a small price to pay, if her newly-appointed Knight-Commander truly had a chance at cracking Drezen.

“Indeed. This mission is a matter of great importance, Commander,” Galfrey said, happy to hear that her voice came out smooth, betraying none of her frustrations. She allowed the weight of her authority to creep in on that last word, hoping to emphasize the importance of the title. “Reclaiming Drezen would be an unimaginable boon to the Crusades…as I have told you. The people believe in you. You have ignited their courage, and their hope. It is these virtues which will bring us to victory.”

“You can ease off the speeches in here, you know. Save us both the time,” Cleo drawled, not bothering to lift her attention away from the maps spread out before her.

Galfrey scowled and moved closer, setting her hands firmly over the maps and papers covering the table. “We are all putting our trust in you. This is not something I say lightly, and I cannot leave without knowing that we have an understanding.”

For the first time, Galfrey’s words actually seemed to have an effect on Cleo; her lazy smile disappeared, and her dark eyes narrowed as she studied the Queen standing before her. She even rose from her seat so as to meet Galfrey eye-to-eye across the narrow table. She shucked off her fur cloak as she stood, revealing broad shoulders laced with scars and decorated with geometric tattoos which wound around the back of her neck.

“And where will you be,” Cleo asked, steady and sharp, “while we charge off fearlessly to victory?”

Galfrey arched an eyebrow, surprised, but it seemed an honest question. “I shall be preparing the defenses at Nerosyan and its sister cities, and planning the future of the Fifth Crusade. Does this satisfy your curiosity, Commander?”

Cleo gave an undignified snort, a look of self-satisfaction flashing across her face. “Should’ve known.”

“Do you have something to say?” Galfrey demanded harshly. Such a rebuke would have shaken any of her courtiers or generals. Even now, knowing Cleo as she did, she half-expected the other woman to step back at the sound of her cutting displeasure.

But of course the Commander did not such thing. She actually leaned closer, eyes flashing, as she hissed, “Just that what you mean to say is that you’ll be watching the battle from the rear, safe and hidden away in some cushy palace while your soldiers bloody the battlefield. Can’t say I’m surprised. I’m sure a throne room is much more amenable to your sensibilities than a war camp.”

Her sensibilities? Galfrey’s jaw clenched. This feckless stranger hadn’t the faintest idea what she was speaking of- what did she know of the battles Galfrey had seen, the blood she herself had spilled in the name of Iomedae? She knew nothing, and Galfrey owed her no explanation for any of it.

“I have already overlooked many instances of insubordination, Commander,” Galfrey said, her voice low. “Do not test me further.”

The warning was a serious one, and perhaps Cleo sensed it. She paused, her face still close, searching the Queen’s expression for- well, Galfrey still wasn’t quite sure. But at last, she let out a quiet breath and turned away.

“It’s only insubordination if you’re the one in charge,” she said, almost conversationally. “From where I sit, you’re not the one doing the leading on this particular mission. If you’ve really got the mettle, march on Drezen with us. You’ve been making all your speeches about how pivotal this mission is for your Crusade. So prove it.”

A few seconds passed in which Galfrey could not form a response. Cleo made no secret of her disdain for the Queen’s presence- why would she make this offer now? Cleo tilted her chin, boldly staring down Galfrey as she waited for an answer.

“It has been a very long time,” Galfrey said slowly, archly, with as much authority as she could muster, “since anyone has dared to speak to me in such a manner. I must ask, what is it you are hoping to accomplish?”

Cleo shrugged. “Believe it or not, I’m not actually trying to offend. I don’t know you well enough to know whether I want to offend you or not. And that’s the point. Where I’m from, we don’t give respect based on fancy titles. We respect the people who’ve earned it.” She paused, her eyes roving over Galfrey’s polished armor. “Whatever you believe about me, I do want to win this war. But I also like to know the people I’m fighting with.”

“On that, at least, we can agree.” Galfrey frowned as she found herself seriously considering the offer- no, the challenge. That was what this brash, impetuous tiefling had thrown at her feet. A challenge.

“Very well,” Galfrey said. “We march together.”

A grin crossed Cleo’s face, catching Galfrey by surprise yet again. “Looking forward to it.” She laughed, and the grin widened to show off her pointed teeth. “We’re gonna make those demons wish they never crawled out of their mothers’ hellholes.”

When Galfrey left the tent, she told herself this was a sound decision, made for sound reasons. The advance would benefit from her presence, and this way she could keep an eye on her new unpredictable Commander. All her reasons were all true, which made them all that much easier to believe.

But a small part of her whispered that the truth of it was…it had been so long since someone had truly challenged her. Maybe she just wanted to see what would come of it, and of this unprecedented Knight-Commander.

Gods above, Galfrey thought, shaking her head at herself as the thoughts rattled through her mind. What have I just unleashed upon the world?