Hello all as the title implies this is my fanfiction. I recently played For Honor's full campaign on a friends Xbox 1 and it inspired me to get off my a$$ and make one. I just thought I would post the (very) rough draft here before it goes through the process of being refined & corrected to see if anyone would actually like it. So please read and (hopefully) enjoy! Also if you see any flaws or have some constructive criticism I would appreciate hearing them. Spoiler For Honor Fan fiction story Alpha version Looking back, I often wonder if I could have done something different that day. The day we, we as in the Dawn Empire and the Iron Legion, defeated the manipulative warlord Apollyon. I wonder if I didn’t try hard enough to stop the hellish war that followed for years afterwards, then again I don’t actually know if there was a war seeing as I died that day; but given what happened after that Orochi killed Apollyon I don’t doubt that some type of conflict was waged afterwards. I still remember that feeling of shock that spread through my body as my brothers and sisters of the Iron Legion suddenly charged at the samurai army standing scant feet from us. I remember lowering my sword in utter disbelief and looking over at the Kensei across from me and I saw just from his body language alone that he too couldn’t believe this was happening. We had just stopped a war that could’ve destroyed both our nations, but now it seemed all our efforts were for naught as our respective sides clashed on the battlements. The worst thing was that I couldn’t find a single reason for why we were fighting, no matter much thought I put towards it I couldn’t find a single damned reason. A war cry suddenly drew my attention and the Kensei’s to the gate we were situated above, the gate burst open letting in a flood of Viking warriors led by a massive one wielding a Dane ax. I couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle at that moment, we had been so focused on Apollyon that we hadn’t taken the possibility of the Vikings attacking into account or perhaps we had and those plans had failed, or even worse maybe we had simply discounted them as a threat since the Empire and Legions had beaten them so many times. I still can’t properly recall if we ever planned for them or didn’t, everything had just moved so fast once we joined forces. I turned my attention to the Kensei who had also been looking down at the attacking Viking horde, he must have sensed my eyes on him as he straightened and looked at me. No words were exchanged between us; there was nothing to be said. If our people wished to fight then we had no choice but to fight as well. We both walked back to our previous spots and fully faced one another. As both a thank you and as a show of respect to his people I bowed to him. I held it for a moment before righting myself just barely managing to catch him in straightening up as well. With a final unison nod at each other we took our stances. I reached around to my left side where my trusty long sword was still clasped in my hand. I gripped the handle and brought it around to my right side while shifting my feet into position as the Kensei readied himself as well. A silent staring took place as we waited for the other to attack, and then at behest of an unheard signal we clashed. I can’t help but wonder if anyone will remember our fight save for the Kensei himself, it may not have been a battle between titans but it sure felt like one at the time. The clang of steel on steel and sparks flying from the more powerful strikes was a symphony of sight and sounds that had sent my blood pumping through my veins numerous times and it was only through my harsh training and self discipline that kept me from focusing solely on the warrior in front of me. With a grunt I swung my sword trying to get a hit on his left side but he quickly shifted his stance deflecting my sword before brining up his own for a downward slash. I had hoped he would do this in response to my attack and so I quickly reversed my grip while moving my left hand to grab onto the end of my sword. The clang of steel hitting steel was music to my ears as I delivered a kick to the Sword Saint’s exposed midsection and quickly followed up with a powerful right swing that sliced across his left side. To his credit the Kensei only grunted and used the momentum created by his new injury to spin around and slash open my unguarded right shoulder. Just like my opponent the only thing heard from me was a grunt as I rolled my shoulder slightly to make sure it was still in working order. The Kensei was now favoring his right side while I was now favoring my left. These were the only major injuries we had inflicted on each other so far, the others being small cuts in comparison. But despite the gash on my shoulder being my only major injury I was quickly running out of energy to keep going and I suspected the Kensei was no better judging by his slightly slouched posturing and labored breathing. Both of us had been fighting non-stop all day and I myself had gotten barely any sleep or rest in the days leading up to the attack. It was with a with a surprisingly calm realization on my part that this fight was likely going to be resolved in the next one or two moves and either myself or Sword Saint across from me would be dead and likely forgot by this world. As I looked into his eyes I could see that he understood this as well. I couldn’t help but note how strange this Kensei was, from what little I knew these particular warriors were trained from infancy to fight and die for their emperor or fellow samurai without asking why, and yet this particular Sword Saint was obviously no zealously loyal samurai. Perhaps I had been misinformed or maybe this particular Kensei had been through so much that his training had been broken. Either way I knew the man across from me was far from a mindless fanatic. Letting out an exhausted breath I brought up my sword into the standard “top guard” position and the Kensei moved to match me, I couldn’t help but smile knowing that one way or the other this was the end. If I died then I would enjoy whatever peace there was in the afterlife and if I lived I would attempt to make up for all the needless slaughter I had committed for Apollyon. I tensed and lunged at the Kensei, he deflected my strike downward and quickly made to run his nodachi through me but a quick spin allowed me dodge the blade. Using the momentum it created I brought up my sword and forced the Kensei’s nodachi to the ground and quickly slammed the pommel into his helmet making him step back. Taking the only chance I would likely get with how exhausted I was I turned my blade and attempted to run him through like he did with me. What I hadn’t anticipated was how fast my opponent would recover or that he still had enough energy to slam a fist into my stomach with enough force to double me over along with driving the pommel of his nodachi into MY helmet causing me stumble back wards holding my now ringing head. That was when I felt the blade pierce me. There’s no true way I could describe what it felt like to a have a nodachi go through me, other than that it was cold. Maybe it was because I was exhausted or perhaps because it was my ‘death blow’ as some people liked to call it, or maybe the blade was just that: cold. Whatever the feeling I knew this was it; the Sword Saint had triumphed over the Warden. The Kensei pulled his blade from my chest as I fell to my knees and dropped my own sword, I could no longer hold up my blade or myself. Blood poured from the wound in copious amounts and somewhere in my mind it registered that the blood was only coming out so fast and in such amounts because of the likely possibility that my heart had been cut or nicked. My gaze locked with that of the Kensei’s, no words were exchanged but just from his eyes I could tell he regretted having to do this just like me. In my deteriorating state I wondered if maybe Apollyon had been right, that only the strong were meant to rule. A violent coughing fit suddenly racked my body, I could taste blood; the Kensei must’ve nicked my lung as well. I fell to my right, no longer able to keep myself upright. The colors of the world began to fade and the ringing in my head grew worse, and yet I wasn’t scared. Sure there were things I wanted to do, to make up for, but then maybe it was better this way. Taking a look back at all the things I had done in my life made me wonder why anyone thought I would make a good Warden. A hand placed itself on my left shoulder and rolled me onto my back, it was the Kensei. He placed my long sword on my chest and guided my hand to it. Using what little strength I had left I gripped the handle and gave silent thanks to the Kensei. My eyelids gradually started to feel heavy and as they began to close my last thoughts centered on my brothers and sisters in the Legion, wondering if they would pull through without me. …It was so cold. 1 day later The battle had gone long into night with all three sides taking heavy casualties, though ultimately it was the Iron Legion that held onto the Blackstone fortress in the end. The samurai had done what they had come to Ashfield to do and didn’t stick around long leaving the Iron Legion and Vikings to duke it out. Eventually the Vikings retreated, though it was more they were leaving because they had plundered all they could rather than an actual retreat. And what should have been a “glorious victory” as most knights would call it was bittersweet for one Holden Cross, who was currently standing over the Warden’s corpse, exactly where the Kensei had left him. As Holden continued to stand over and stare at the corpse of the man who had changed so much it was with a bit of shame that Holden realized he didn’t even know the young man’s name despite having served with him for so long. He let out a sigh before kneeling down and setting his pole ax on the ground and reaching in to the small pouch he always wore. He retrieved the amulet that he had put in there what felt like ages ago and placed it on the Warden’s chest. “I believe this belongs to you.” He said quietly and bowed his head in respect for the fallen warrior. A few moments later Holden raised his head to look at the Warden’s faceless helmet. “Whatever you may have thought of yourself when you threw this away, I want you to know that in my eyes you regained your honor and restored ours as well. You will be remembered brother.” It was the best he could do. Holden wasn’t a quiet man but he certainly wasn’t a man of many words either and he suspected the Warden might’ve preferred it that way. Two pairs of approaching footsteps sounded behind him. One pair was accompanied my clinking of chains and the clanking of armor while the other pair could barely be heard. Holden sighed and grabbed his pole ax before standing and turning to face his two comrades. Stone stopped a few feet from him and cast a glance at the Warden’s corpse before his posture visibly slumped at the sight, though it was only slightly, he was still a knight after all. The two had been as close as brothers since Stone had been the only the Warden trusted in his early days of the Blackstone Legion. Mercy stopped just next to Holden and seemingly stared at their fallen brother’s corpse, he could never tell what she was thinking or her expression with that hood and mask on. He didn’t even think her and the Warden knew each other outside of a few sparse conversations, then again all it took for her to betray Apollyon was a private conversation and suddenly they had a deadly Peacekeeper in their rebellion. A few minutes of silence passed until… “So, what do we do now?” Stone asked. The Warden had been the one to convince them to break away from Apollyon and in turn had become the de-facto leader of the new Iron Legion. Holden contemplated for moment on how he should answer, the Warden had made it clear he was to become leader should he fall, and yet Holden already what his answer would be before hand. “We gather our injured, regain our strength, and protect our people.” Holden said. “As we used to.” “The Empire and Vikings are far from done with us.” Mercy spoke up still not taking her eyes off her fallen brother. “Whether we like or not we are still at war.” Holden nodded even though she wasn’t looking. “Indeed. But now we will fight not for the sake of making war, but to make peace. And hopefully the Empire and maybe even the Warborn will eventually accede to the idea of peace between our nations. I’m not sure either of them will even talk to us after all we’ve done to them. But we owe it to our fallen brother to at least try.” He said as Legion soldiers arrived and began the arduous task of cleaning up the aftermath of the three-way battle. “Agreed.” Stone said with a nod laying the chain part of his Flail on his shoulder. “Only for peace, even if it kills us.” Mercy nodded finally turning away from the Warden’s body. “Only for peace.” Two Legion soldiers arrive carrying a stretcher between them. They set it down by the Warden and carefully picked his body up before setting it on the stretcher. As they picked up the stretcher and started walking away Holden quietly muttered. “Only for peace.”
