“Thousand one. Thousand two. Thousand three. Thousand four.”

Piso's commanders stared at their dictator as he conducts his pre-fight calisthenics. Many of them have grown quite accustomed to his sudden quirks, and this one with Excalator seems to be no different. They could understand if he is doing it to belittle the remnants of the savage Beretans.

However, what is significantly different from all of his past campaigns would be his age. Piso is not getting any younger even as his legend becomes bigger than it ever was. He commands great influence among the people since he was no armchair commander ever since, but is his status of being a living legend enough for this fight? Has not the joke gone far enough for today? How will he fulfill his pledge for succession if he dies before the longest term ends?

“Lord Piso,” one of the commanders gathered the courage to interrupt, “we can fight that mercenary for you. Please, return to your seat and let us handle her.”

The dictator straightened up and then removed his armor before speaking, “My dear general, you don’t trust your commanding officer? Or would you also seek to add your stars like Frid?”

“No, my lord! I daren’t! Please, forgive my insolence.”

“Well then,” Piso said as he removed his helmet, “Can you hold this for me? Off I must go.”

“Yes, Lord Piso, let me ta… kof!”

The commander almost dropped Piso’s helmet due to its sheer weight. It was unbelievably heavy, even for himself. He also noticed how two of his armor bearers are having difficulty lifting Piso’s scale armor, so much so that they need to call more soldiers to their aid.

As Excalator saw Piso come out of his corner, she sneered, “Hello, what’s this?! Do you want to throw your life so bad?! I didn’t agree to fight someone carrying a beat stick! I want to fight…!”

Within a blink of an eye, Piso disappeared from her sight. However, the element of surprise did not take her captive for long. She already sensed he was behind her. Excalator blocked Piso’s slash from the back by swinging her sword over her shoulder, locking their weapons together.

“Good show,” he complimented, “You’re even swifter than earlier.”

Turning her head to have a glimpse of Piso’s weapon, she replied, “Heh! Bring it on, grandpa!”

“Be careful what you wish for,” Piso whispered as he backed off from their position.

Excalator discovered that the dictator holds in his dominant hand a cane.

“Wait, are you insulting me?! You’re fighting with your darn cane!”

She charged with amazing speed, her small stature making her appear much faster than in reality. She then launched a quick ten strike attack against him, only to discover that all of them have been deflected. Her eyes widened when the cane cracked after her offensive. Beneath its wooden façade was Piso’s sword, which appears to be a rapier similar to hers.

“Three Sages,” Piso said before countering Excalator with three simultaneous hits to the body.

All but one pierced Excalator, leaving visible holes on her leather armor where blood began to trickle. She felt those spots sting, but the mercenary leader did not show any loss of composure.

“The Limiter of Eternity, Raja Ikinen!”

“Oh,” Piso mused as he pushed Excalator backwards with his relentless slashing, “You’ve heard of my cane? This isn’t good. I really need some more counterinformation ops in the future.”

Pressed by Piso’s continuing offense, all Excalator can do was stop them from dealing damage. Meanwhile, some in the audience who were not familiar with Piso's fighting style wondered why the dictator was slashing with a sword usually meant only for thrusting attacks.

“That’s no cane, you lying bastard!”, she bawled as one of Piso thrust’s grazed her helmet.

She then redirected the Raja Ikinen to the ground, stepping on the two swords to keep them there, before landing a solid punch on Piso’s face. His head was thrown with much force, it almost twisted his head to the back. This gives enough time for Excalator to reach her armor and spread sand to Piso’s eyes as soon as he looked forward. With his eyes closed, she removed her foot on their swords and spun around to hit three powerful kicks against Piso’s stomach. Upon seeing how the dictator vomited and loosened grip of Raja Ikinen, she tumbled away from him.

“Remember Excalator,” she declared while spinning in midair after her last tumble, “Bereta’s Liberator and conqueror of Dalreida’s Benefactor!”

Landing wonderfully, she prepared her next thrust against Piso, only to find out he was already on to her as well even as his eyes have not yet recovered their sight. It turns out Excalator was a moment quicker in launching her attack. However, instead of choosing to deflect her multiple strikes, Piso mounted his counterattack with simultaneous thrusts.

“Twenty-Four Elders!”

He attacked her with 24 strikes to counter her own quick moves. Their hits were too fast for laymen’s eyes to even count, and the next thing the audience knew, the two stopped on their tracks. Facing different directions with some distance between them, Piso was first to react as blood flowed from his mouth and he collapsed on his knees. His clothing had some holes and cuts from the clashing of swords with Excalator.

Using Raja Ikinen as his support, he slowly arose and opened his eyes before wiping the blood with his hand. Turning to catch a glimpse of his opponent, Piso saw what the spectators also witnessed. Blood burst from different parts of her body. She then falls to the ground, front first, covering the area around her with a sea of red, while still clutching firmly her sword.

Despite Piso’s seemingly critical condition, the winner was clear for his soldiers, who cheered loudly while clanging their weapons and armors. After all, looks are not everything, and their dictator proved once more that age may just be a number Some even leapt with joy, hugged each other, and whistled with condescending tones The celebration was not shared among the mercenaries and the locals, who began to shout and weep for their leader. Nevertheless, instead of staying knelt, Piso stood up and staggered towards Excalator.

Fearing for her life, Karl ran to the dueling place and pleaded, “No! No! Please don’t!”

He threw himself in front of the dictator and blocked his path. Along with Karl came a dog, who barked and then licked the blood spilled.

“Don’t interfere… The battle’s not yet over,” Piso threatened the armor bearer with his sword.

“What do you mean?!”, Karl cried, “You saw how dangerously Lady Excalator fell! How can…?!”

Piso rolled his eyes, and then pointed behind him. The armor bearer turned and saw in terror his leader rising up even while her blood still drips. She smiled and grasped Karl’s shoulder with her bloodstained hand.

“It’s nothing…,” Excalator softly said with her eyes blazing, “Just a flesh wound…”

“But…!”

She gave her armor bearer a hard punch, as if expressing that her power has not yet waned and she can continue. The force made Karl roll far to the side, but it also made her wince.

“Stop bugging me, Karl! I’m enjoying this fight! Besides, I’m starting to see three enemies in front of me now!”

While massaging his nose, he was startled to see the same sight Excalator was looking at.

Trembling, Karl stammered, “N-no… I a-also see…”

In front of her were three figures of Piso. At first, she hesitated and checked on her condition. However, the three figures were just standing there. It must be an illusion, and she must act hastily to determine the trick to it.

She skipped in place, and then rushed towards them. Her agility remains, but it was not enough to catch the three figures. As they dispersed to surround Excalator, their side-to-side movements resembled that of phantoms or astral projections. They were like floating on air, with the feet making little to no indication of ongoing movement.

As she looked around the figures, Excalator asked, “Piso! Can you do me a favor?!”

The dictator gave an enigmatic smile, “You want to renegotiate our terms, Lady Excalator?”

It was no use, Excalator screamed in her mind. Even ascertaining where the voice of the original Piso comes from does not seem to help. They all looked like speaking. His constant movement makes it harder to pinpoint, not to mention the boisterous audience in the background.

“Not really negotiate, but a personal request,” she replied while still observing the dictator's figures.

“Let me guess, an honorable death wish?”

“Heck, don’t get cocky,” Excalator laughed, “What I wish for… my unyielding wish... Please take care of me.”

Piso frowned, “This isn’t leading to an inappropriate prank? Because I’m not interested.”

She shook her head, “I’ll explain later. But if you win, when the battle’s over, take me away.”

“It’s not a practice we’re used to. Why should I grant this request?”

“I got to know you better with the clashing of swords, don’t you agree? I know you’d grant it.”

“We’ll see. For now, let’s finish this!”

She gave a tight smile, “Of course, it only applies if you win, grandpa!”

Excalator disappeared in the area Piso was restricting her with as she saw a gap large enough for her to escape from his three figures. The dictator responded by trailing her with haste, recapturing the mercenary within yet another restricted area.

However, it gave her an idea on which of the figures is the true Piso. She fiercely lunged towards one of the figures with a barrage of thrusts, and behold, Excalator caught the real Piso with a few hits escaping his defense and piercing through his arms and legs. The two figures flickered for a while, but when Excalator failed to followed up her successful strike, the dictator was able to maintain the three figures he formed to hound her.

“Seventy-Two Apostles!”

Not knowing where his attack would come from, Excalator whirls extremely fast while slashing her sword with differing variations from top to bottom. Alas, it was not enough to deflect all 72 simultaneous strikes which Piso launched from three directions.

Excalator was hit at almost all sides, worsening some of the wounds she already obtained from the Twenty-Four Elders, and creating more new ones. Unlike the initial penetration of the Three Sages, the Seventy-Two Apostles seemed to lack significant power behind them. However, it was enough to deal considerable damage against Excalator, who fell on her knees and lost grip of her sword.

“It’s a pleasure… to meet you…,” she whispered before passing out.

Piso was quick to hold her in his arms, “The pleasure’s all mine, Lady Excalator…”

Excalator’s final defeat removed clouds of doubt among some Dalreidans who worried about her recovery. Piso motioned to the soldiers to take them away from the field. Despite their cries and complaints, the mercenaries nor the locals were unable to claim the mercenary leader's body and give her the honors she deserves.

Not to be outdone, archers among the mercenary troops fired at will without any prior order from the captains next in line to Excalator’s leadership. If they are unable to take back their leader with them, they figured it would be a fair exchange to take away the dictator’s life. It took the soldiers taking Piso and Excalator back to their camp. When Piso saw this, he pushed away the attendant clutching him and ran a few paces towards the volleys of arrows. He stomps his right foot forward before making a spinning slash.

The force of his strike was so great, it created a vacuum wave that sucked the wind away from the arrows. Instead of flying through the bodies of their enemies, the mercenaries’ arrows fell on the ground like lifeless beings, never reaching their supposed destinations. Seeing their enemies being afraid of drawing again, the Dalreidan archers prepared to fire at them. While numerous enough to potentially take down every mercenary present, Piso yelled an order not to strike. And so, Piso’s commanders patiently heard the mercenaries when it concerns their eventual surrender, as agreed upon between the dictator and Excalator.

The number of mercenaries accompanying Excalator that day totaled two thousand, which was double the earlier estimate. Similar to earlier surrenderees, especially those officially under Kabalenus’s forces, the mercenaries were given material and immaterial benefits to initiate their integration to Dalreidan society. It took another week to inform the remaining mercenaries spread over the mining and fishing towns further north and west about the outcome of the battle.

They resisted initial calls for surrender, until it was stressed and confirmed by fellow mercenaries how Excalator was slain in her fight against Piso. An additional thousand or so mercenaries scattered all over Bereta surrendered during this time, yet each of them who were not present in the battle were still mightily convinced that Excalator’s death was quite exaggerated. Mercenaries who were not affiliated with Excalator needed little convincing, for even they have harbored either fear or respect of the slain fighter.

Meanwhile, before his scheduled return to Dalreida for yet another victory march to the republican capital, a laurel upon laurel of his many battles, Piso recuperates in the Beretan capital Kalashokran. Part of Kabalenus’s former castle was hastily converted into a hospital for Dalreidan soldiers. After a hearty meal, the dictator read reports and signed documents on bed. Then, he decides to head out of the room.

“Lord Piso,” one of his attendants asked, “are you sure it’s alright for you to get up?”

The dictator quickly grabbed his cane and laughed, “You worry too much about your aging dictator. Those needles literally go through my body! How’s the other patient? I hope it isn’t that serious.”

“No, sir. Recovery is going well thanks to our excellent medical team.”

“Good to hear. I’m going to see for myself.”

“W-wait, my lord,” his companion obstructed his path, “You mean, now? The generals said…”

Piso smiled and held the attendant’s shoulder, “I know you’re doing your work, but I got you.”

The attendant paused, and then said, “R-right. This way, my lord.”

Walking a number of paces and going up a few floors later, Piso and his attendant reached the other patient’s room. The dictator then ordered the attendant to keep watch outside, wanting to talk with the patient alone. He enters by slowly opening the door, and then locking it after closing.

Piso slightly bowed and greeted with candor, “How do you do? Do you have time just now?”

Gazing through the window, the patient sips hot coffee, and then turns upon hearing this greeting. It was revealed to be Excalator after all, who sets aside her cup at the nearby table.

She grinned as she readies to disrobe herself, “Locking the door right off the bat, eh? You dirty old man! Oh, gods! Consume me with your overpowered manliness! Do what you must!”

The smiling dictator took a seat beside her and replied, “Soldiers don’t like showing mercy to their enemies.”

Excalator throws an apple to him, “How’s that related to this visit of yours? I’m surprised.”

Piso takes the apple, peeling and cutting it on a plate, while continuing the conversation.

“I believe you’re the one who’s got a story to tell, Lady Excalator. You did ask me to take you.”

She twiddled her thumbs, “I… I did say that now, didn’t I? But I guess there’s not much options.”

“You’ve got a choice. In the first place, you could’ve not accepted my offer to negotiate.”

“Fighting, and then more fighting. And then what? It’s a mercenary’s life. We fight to survive.”

“Unbelievable skill, too, if my opinion is of any worth for you. Your Excalator is swift.”

“Flatterer, you men. Looking back, I’m no match against your Raja Ikinen since the start, really. But I’ve to admit, it’s a good fight. Speaking of which, can I see that legendary blade of yours?”

Piso hands over his cane, “You know it well. I hope you’re not thinking of spiriting it away.”

She shivered before holding the cane, “What I think? You can still win with that knife alone! You purposely lightened your strikes, because if each hit was as strong as Three Sages… woah!”

Unsheathing the blade, Excalator gained better appreciation of Raja Ikinen. It appeared like an average rapier, except for its above average length that helps its disguise as a cane. However, there are other features which make it unique.

Perhaps seen only at the microscopic level, there were wavy chips and watery-like patterns on the blade’s surface that go all the way from the handle to the pointy tip. Tracing these chips resemble spirals which creates an artificial imperfection, and thus, preventing the blade from natural erosion due to constant use. Unlike the Excalator’s black blade, the Raja Ikinen whitish blade shines brighter than a mirror, suggesting that it was no ordinary metal or alloy.

“It’s actually my magistrate’s sword,” Piso said as he handed a slice of apple to her, “But since it’s a new creation just prior to his death, there’s only little time for him to use it.”

Mesmerized by the sword, Excalator reaches out her mouth to eat the apple without looking.

While chewing, she replied, “It looks like Raja Ikinen focuses more on its intelligent design, while Excalator on raw power. Anyway, Excalator’s not originally mine, too. It’s given to me by my stepfather, Captain Ander Dracon. If he’s living now, he’s probably as old as you.”

“How old do you think I am?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe 66?”

He blinked, somewhat amused with her wild guess, “Mmm. I see... Dracon? You mean the Tektonic Menace?”

The so-called Tektonic Menace was an infamous mercenary leader who was believed to have originated from Barba, albeit his past was enriched later on to discourage being warriors for hire. Before the Dalreidan invasion, parts of Barba were consolidated under the Tektonic State, or simply Tekton. The republic still views Barba in bad light due to Tekton's past resistance against their forces, and Dracon was once hired to be part of this struggle.

“You know your stuff, grandpa. Yes, I wasn’t even alive when Captain terrorized those parts. But when Dalreida took over Barba, there’s no market for mercenaries like him anymore. So, he moved to Bereta. That’s where I met him when I was still a child. Around four, I think.”

Piso hands her another apple slice, “You’re born in Bereta?”

“I’d be darned if I know. Beretans don’t have brown hair like mine. They’re like Barbans who swish their blond hair around, so I thought that far. Besides, I don’t even know my parents!”

“Perhaps you are of mixed blood? Carga maybe? Did Dracon tell you if he knew anything?”

“He just saw me in one of his raids near here, in the south. He said I was slashing and dashing with much glee, he thought I’d have potential. Since then, I grew up seeing him as my father.”

“So, you’re a nameless child who took the name of Dracon’s sword? Is that what you mean?”

“Ain’t it cool? My legend even grew larger than Captain’s!”

“And you don’t want to see it suffer the same ending as Kabalenus’s?”

“Kabalenus is a crackpot and a crybaby, I’m sure. There has to be someone else to stand up, because what’s important is that we tried. My best years were in Bereta. I grew to love her.”

“As I said, you’ve a choice. You could’ve just fought my armies for years long end.”

“But then, you’d never leave, won’t you, Piso? You want to make sure there’s zero resistance.”

Piso smiled while handing over another apple slice, “Unfortunately, yes. We have a deadline.”

“It seems deadlines are great motivators. I’ve been fighting Kabalenus for twenty years, yet you went on to take his city of Kalashokran in twenty days! But I believe, you’re a great motivator, too.”

“What makes you say that, Lady Excalator?”

“We had contracts with some tribes between Barba and Cingis before. Dalreida’s been trying to consolidate control there for some time now, but your commanders are hopeless, I tell you. Good money for us though.”

“Oh, you don’t have to remind me. But seriously, why did you decide to quit being a mercenary?”

“I’m sure you’ve got an idea about that,” she answered while putting back Raja Ikinen, “Still, I don’t want to go like a coward. It has to be an inspiring and graceful exit, not like what King Kabalenus did.”

“It doesn’t answer my question. Won’t your mercenaries rise up against us because of you?”

“We’re mercenaries, grandpa! Without a master paying us, we’re quite harmless. Look at what you did at Barba. Did Captain’s former mercenaries rebel against you there?”

“So what you’re saying is, you’re just looking out for yourself?”

She lightly punched him in the arm, “Bingo! I’ve already told them about this anyway. I want to see the world, do some stuff other than fighting, be a self-imposed exile. You get the idea? Freedom, what does it really mean? Besides, the other mercenary leaders are giving me some bad looks. It’s unbearable!”

“Lady Excalator, with that tone of yours, you just might convince me that you gave away the win.”

She laughs hard, “Of course not! Everyone wants to beat the balls out of Dalreida’s dictator!”

“But then, you can’t carry the name Excalator anymore. What do you plan to do now?”

“I did my best, for real. The Queen of Bereta thing would’ve been nice if I actually won. I know you keep your word. Even if I lost, I heard you’re still planning to make me governor? Is that about right? But no, I don’t think it suits me. I don’t even do those daily review stuff with the suppliers and buyers!”

Piso frowns as he hands an apple slice, “Please don’t misunderstand, Lady Excalator. I mean it when I say the likes of you are needed, and leaders don’t necessarily have to be managers. You don’t let the head do the work of your hands or of your feet. Each one has their own purpose. But what can I say? It seems you’ve made up your mind, and I’ll respect your decision.”

She nods while chewing, “You know, this feels like a father feeding his daughter… Anyway, after Captain’s gruesome death, I yearned for what it means to have a family. My mercenaries are like family to me, too, but as I see it, we’re all siblings. I want to know what it’s like…”

“How do you think being captured by Dalreidan authorities helps you?”

“You mentioned Carga. Like it actually makes some sense if you think about it. My parents must’ve come from Carga to Bereta, but left me for some reason. I don’t know if they’re still alive, but whatever, I just want to know. As the philosophers say, to doubt is imperfection.”

“Well, they didn’t exactly say that…”

“Shut it, Piso! Where was I? Ah, yeah. I just want you to help me gain freedom and mobility.”

“To find your family?”

“Why not? If they're out there, maybe it wouldn't hurt to know... But to have a living that doesn’t involve much fighting would be nice, too. Besides, my father died fighting. I realized how he must have felt when you almost killed me at that last fight! You really took it to heart, didn’t you?!”

“It’s been a while since I got to fight. Please forgive me. It only means how proficient you are.”

“Seventy-Two Apostles…,” Excalator recalls as she returns Raja Iikinen to Piso, “To be able to land as many hits in so short a time. Brrr! That godlike speed still gives me chills all over my spine! I can only wonder how you were at your peak!”

He places the remaining apple slices on the table, “It’s been a good chat, Lady Excalator. You can leave as soon as you’re able. Anywhere in Dalreida you can go, now that Bereta is part of us.”

“Wait, grandpa,” she pointed at her armor in the room, “I don’t think I’d be needing that. Do you think it’d be a nice fit in your collection?”

“It stays in Bereta. How about Excalator?”

“Not too keen with leather, eh? If it’s the sword you want, dream on! I’d be keeping it. You’ll never know when you’ll need the extra protection.”

The dictator nods and stands up with his cane, “Yes, it’s probably your only memory of Dracon. Keep it. Farewell then. May Ieso keep you.”

“Hey…,” Excalator sadly looked down while clutching her hands, “I didn’t tell anyone about this… Not even to them. I’m not really nameless, you know… So, I guess... Please remember me. Remember the name...”

Her voice became almost inaudible at this point, accompanied even by a slight mispronunciation, but somehow, Piso heard it clearly.

“Is that true?”, the puzzled dictator asked as he turns back, “Is that really your name?”

She looked up at him and nodded, as if communicating her sincerity with her eyes.

“That would be a different story then. Alright, use that name instead after you leave this castle. I’m going to connect you to a friend in Carga who just might know something about that name.”

Her eyes gleamed as she grabbed Piso by the sleeve, “Are you sure?! You know about this?!”

While slowly trying to put away her hand, Piso said, “Yes… It seems so... No wonder you’re…”

“Yieee! Come here, grandpa!”, Excalator wailed as she pulled her erstwhile adversary for a hug, “Oh, pfft! You smell like medicine, but I don’t mind! Thank you! Thank you! A thousand thank you!”

At first, the old dictator felt slightly irritated by her reaction. This time she appears a bit pushier than usual. However, after a few moments and some thinking, he warmed up and began to close his arms around her as well.

“Yes,” Piso thought to himself during the hug, “If I was only there for you…”

The Bereta campaign becomes one of the dictator's fastest campaigns in recent history for lasting a mere five weeks despite starting during the infamous winter clime of the kingdom, once deemed impossible to cross by any conqueror or invader, and dealing with the immense expanse which Bereta occupies north of the republic.

What future does Bereta have as Dalreida adds the formerly independent kingdom as one of its newest provinces? How can Piso aid the woes of former mercenary Excalator? Why does the dictator have to conceal Raja Ikinen in his wooden cane?