After the battle between Wally, Hazel and Reinhilde's forces, peace reigns in Regalle once more.

Larielle and Wally have bonded well, and she learned to command her own Postknight division, consisting of Aegles.

Currently, she is overseeing some Aegles attemtping to perform a Sommersmash with their hammers and fumbling.

Some hammers break from the impact.

The commander facepalms. "Serves me right. Any experience us Aegles have is not with Postknight weapons. We use katanas, binds, bows and staves."

Then she looks down at the trainees. "Keep trying, I know we Aegles aren't used to these weapons. But our Ranger friends have glaring weakness in their defenses, and we have to cover them!"

"We are short on weapons!" a trainee complains. "Saffron keeps trying to limit our budget!"

Larielle shakes her head. "Some people just refuse to change. Though Wally has told me everything about Osric of Kurestal, who didn't even have the history of Wintertide and the Great War to excuse his hate for us. I might tell Saffron about him in case he goes too far."

"But, Commander, aren't you afraid to oppose your superiors?" a B-rank Postknight asks.

Larielle chuckles. "A bold statement, coming from you. Well, I did help Wally and Hazel beat up Reinhilde, and if Saffron turns hateful, he will have to deal with Her Wise Majesty. So, no, I am not afraid. As for weapons, I am friends with the best Smithmage. She will help us, even if it's because of some desires I don't agree with."

One of the C-ranking Aegles whispers to his partner. "Well, trust me, many Humans would benefit greatly from the Smithmage's desires."

"Anyways, I am going to visit the Smithmage!" Larielle announces. "Instructor Aeluin, you watch over the trainees and report!"

Aeluin nods.

The Smithmage is in her hoouse, along with the famous songstress Sella.

And she is dancing to her favorite song.

"Sitting by the sand fish in Mesokeras
Visions into my fantasy full of past eras
Dune after dune in the ocean of yellow sand
Wind is blowing silently in the Wasteland
Dorafin by Dorafin
Dorafin by Dorafin"

But the song is interrupted by a knock on the door.

The blue-haired Smithmage opens it, annoyed by the interruption of the song.

"Oh, Larielle, is that you? Pleeeease, tell me you have recruited more adorable Humans in your ranks. And also, is Wally with you? I miss him so much!"

Larielle rolls her eyes. "I don't have time for this, Zefira. You see, I need your help with making some weapons for our new trainees. Swords, daggers, shields, hammers..."

"Sure! If there are two things I love, it's working and helping Aegles and Humans," she winks as she says that, "get together. But first, how about some Verstand Ham and Regal Blue Tea?"

Larielle nods. "Sure. I hope you two have exciting news for me."

"First we have some questions," Sella asks while Zefira prepares tea for her guests and herself. "Where are Wally and Hazel? They haven't come here for some time."

"They are in the wastelands of Helix, fighting off the ruthless Dune Pirates. I heard they joined forces with some old friends named Almond and Razielle," Larielle explains.

"Oh, Dorafin by Dorafin is about Helix! Are they going to visit Mesokeras?" Zefira asks.

"Yes, according to Hazel. I met her while she was delivering in Sagacia. She had to beat some Revivers back to shape first, though. Even Nestor wasn't complaining."

"Nestor?" Zefira asks. "The one Lowers call the Evil Demon?"

"He is also the Kind Spirit, but that should stay between us," Larielle says. "I would trust you two with my life... especially you, Sella."

"To be honest, you can trust me. I knew this since Nestor clashed with Wally and Hazel, and nobody else knew I am aware."

"You can also trust me at everything... except for sticking to one lover," Zefira adds, fixing her hair. "I think my beauty should be shared with everyone who wants it!"

"Agree to disagree," Larielle says. "I believe I should stick to one lover."

"But does your pet agree with you?" the Smithmage asks.

"Sella, can you play some music for us?" Larielle says immediately.

After a small feast, Zefira gets to work and starts smithing weapons for the Postknights.

"The Ranger sets are my favorite!" she tells Larielle. "They are fashionable and stylish, but they don't lack substance, for they have devastating offense, tough defense, allow a lot of agility and can resist both physical damage and projectiles! All in all, a very effective set!"

"It actually has a flaw Wally noticed," Larielle replies. "Its defense against spells is pathetic."

Zefira nods and smiles. "Yes, Larielle. It is. It would take effort to be able to defend against everything, dear. But that was not an oversight. You see, the Rangers overly rely on their magic. This is their greatest strength, but also their greatest weakness. These sets I make for your Postknights ensure you will be able to take down every adversary, except if any of you plans to betray and fight our Rangers."

"Don't worry, I have no such plans," Larielle assures her as she keeps smithing.

At the same time, Sella is talking to Leif.

"Leif, you always seem pessimistic, even after the Postknights stopped a war. Did Reinhilde's stance against our new friends hurt you so much?" she asks him.

Leif looks down. "Yes. I used to idolize Reinhilde. So brave, so skilled, so powerful... and so closed-minded. She had temporarily fired me for siding with innocent humans. I don't know if I can forgive her for that. Or if I can forgive myself for my insubordination."

"But you are now a Ranger again. Reinhilde realized she was wrong all along. No need to blame yourself."

"Maybe... maybe you are right."

The next day, the weapons are ready, and the Postknights are training again.

Suddenly, Leif comes running in. "We have a problem! Some black knights are in the outskirts of Regalle!"

"Alright, Postknights!" Larielle tells them. "This is our first chance to prove ourselves!"

A horde of Anti-Knights marches towards Regalle.

It's led by Captain Blackpole, also known as Dark Lance. With Kraig's downfall, Dark Lance seeks revenge, and has also retrained the Anti-Knights, teaching them new moves.

"Why are we attacking Regalle?" an Anti-Knight asks.

"We might be weaker, but we have advantages. Our defenses are mightier than theirs, and we can limit the space where they can dodge. They are also not used to the plague as Kurestians are. As for the reason? Some Aegles still don't trust humans. If we murder enough sharp-ears, the hatred between Kurestal and Quivtol will reignite and they will have a second Great War. One in which we will be victorious, since they will have killed each other," Dark Lance explains.

"What if they unite against us?" the same Anti-Knight asks. "This plan can backfire horribly!"

"Not when there is still lack of trust between them."

When they reach the walls, however, the Anti-Knights are greeted with arrows. The magical arrows of the Ranger Archers attack from the sky and never miss.

"Wall!" Dark Lance orders, and the Irresolute Anti-Knights raise a wall with their magical shields. While a few of arrows that hit the back lines are lethal, those that hit the shields of the Irresolute Anti-Knights, which is most of them, are deflected harmlessly.

"Now! Let's see them dodge THIS! FIRE!"

The Cowardly Anti-Knights fire at the walls, but the Rangers take cover and some of them charge or teleport at the field. The Ranger Guards attack by charging their katanas, while the Ranger Mages fire their beams. But they cannot get past the wall and the katana-wielding Guards get hurt in the process.

"You wish you had the might of our defenses. FIRE! Blot out the Sun!"

The archers shoot arrows all over the field, leaving the Rangers with no place to dodge.

However, they only get three enemies once the rain of arrows dies down.

Dark Lance's jaw drops as he sees Larielle and her Postknights standing between them and the Rangers, having blocked the shots with their shields, daggers and hammers.

"Rush at the shieldbearers, hammer boys and girls!" Larielle orders, pointing a dagger at the Anti-Knights.

"Alchemical Anti-Knights! Fire at them! Block their path!" Dark Lance orders, pointing his lance at the Postknights.

Soon, pools of liquid plague block the way of the Postknights.

However, the Ranger Mages teleport to the sides and fire their beams at any Alchemical Anti-Knights that aren't protected by the shieldbearers, catching them off-guard and easily decimating them.

Ranger Guards dodge the pools easily, and wait for their allies to break the defenses.

Once the pools are drenched, the Postknights approach the wall of Irresolute Anti-Knights.

But some Alchemical Anti-Knights throw more plague flasks.

Larielle parries a flask with her daggers, making it fall on the feet of the enemies and poisoning them. Soon, the rest of her Postknights, taking her example, start reflecting the flasks.

By the time they reach the weakened human fence, the hammer users bash them in a defensive stance, breaking their powerful defenses and finishing them off with Powersmashes.

Then the swordsmen and swordswomen charge at the Cowardly Anti-Knights and decrease their numbers.

However, the rookie Postknights are still not very strong, and some of them fall to arrows in the way. But while wielders of all three melee weapons under Larielle get killed or wounded, the damage to the enemy is done.

The Rangers, now able to always land hits without being blocked and dodge enemy attacks, make short work of Dark Lance's forces. Ranger Guards charge their katanas, focus on the enemies and cut the archers down like butter.

While the plague vials and the arrows of the Anti-Knights sometimes miss, the arrows of the Rangers never do, and the lack of magical defense from their foes ensures they are knocked out in one arrow each.

The Ranger Mages teleport out of the way of incoming arrows and vials, and blast whole rows of enemies with each beam.

Dark Lance stabs a Ranger Guard in the heart after he cuts down his bind with a thrust. However, Larielle cuts down an Alchemical Anti-Knight and the two come face to face.

"I didn't expect classic Postknights in Quivtol," Dark Lance says. "Your idealism ruined my whole plan."

"I cannot let you give humans a bad name, Kraig's lackey. Would you like to fight?"

Dark Lance nods. "You are going down!" Then he charges with his lance in his right hand, ready to stab Larielle in the forehead. She charges as well, her daggers ready to slash her opponent.

In the middle of the charge, Larielle starts feeling nervous. Her daggers have much shorter range than the opponent's lance, and he is in a position that would force them to trade blows on paper, which greatly favors the Anti-Knight.

But someone else sees this clash from afar. "I can't let Larielle die here!"

And, a second before Dark Lance impales Larielle, a magical arrow comes from the sky and digs itself deep in the Anti-Knight's shoulder, interrupting the attack and knocking his right arm aside.

This allows Larielle, who smirks, to land an upwards slash with her right dagger. Then she slashes him again with the left one and finally she knocks him down with a Final Slash from both daggers.

Leif watches from the walls. "I might not be strong enough, but I can always make a difference. Thank you, Sella."

Dark Lance looks up to the walls and spots Leif, then he turns towards Larielle. "I can't beat you Postknights and the Rangers. Not when you are united. RETREAT!"

And so, the Anti-Knights run away.

Once the brave heroes return, Sella is about to sing for their victory.

But then, Larielle and Leif step forward. "Don't cheer for just us. Both you and Zefira deserve credit," Leif tells them.

"If not for Zefira, we would never have enough gear to protect your Rangers!" Larielle explains.

"And if not for you, Sella, I might have never gathered the confidence to shoot the enemy leader!" Leif adds.

Larielle pulls Leif into a hug. "You fired that arrow? You know I owe my life to you?"

"He did," a Ranger Archer confirms.

Sella, after learning the story, smiles.

"Someone, please call Zefira! I am sure she would love to hear a song about our heroism!"