I Need a Hero
Jearmin Week Day 1 Fantasy
Summary: Jean’s band of adventurers come across royal bodyguards of a kidnapped princess. Seeing an opportunity to line his pockets and finally live the easy life, Jean and his friends get more than they bargained for when they discover their kingdom’s most well-guarded secret: they don’t have a princess but a meek prince.
Next Part
A spark flew from Eren’s fingertips. The small light drew squints from the guards by the castle gate. Mere seconds later a ball of flames lit up the night sky along with the orcish guards. Their pained screams echoed around the ancient castle causing numerous bells to start clanging.
“Goddamn it, Jaeger!” Jean shouted, finally catching up to the rash sorcerer. “What part of stealthy don’t you get?”
“The part where my friend remains captured by Marley longer than necessary,” Eren crossed his arms indignantly.
Before Jean could attempt to tackle him, a knight clad in full steel plate stepped forward and placed him into a headlock. “Eren, we have to be careful. We don’t want to risk them injuring the princess.”
Letting out a sigh, some smoke blew out of Eren’s mouth. “No. But we need to hurry before they have a chance to escape with her. Let’s go!”
The rest of the adventurers caught up with them, all breathing heavily.
“Wait a minute!” Sasha held up a hand, bending over to catch her breath. “I need a minute... and some food.”
“We ate like thirty minutes ago,” Jean rolled his eyes. “Take a minute but we need to get going before they try and escape since someone alerted them to our pressence.”
Eren stuck his tongue out and face the castle. “Like they’re gonna escape me.”
“Look, I still don’t know what the fuck you are but we still gotta get across that moat,” Jean pointed to the gap between the gates Eren just clear and the wooden drawbridge.
“Oh, let me get that. I just need to sneak in and lower the bridge!” Connie offered, his face lighting up at the opportunity to break into a castle.
Unfortunately an even brighter flame exploded across the moat. The wooden drawbridge shattered into splinters and shrapnel as Eren snapped his fingers. “There, gate open-”
Mikasa proceeded to choke Eren while Jean ran a gloved a hand down his face.
“Don’t worry, I can fix this,” the final adventurer stepped forward, gracefully stepping towards the moat.
Marco knelt down and muttered words in a language only he and his kind understood. His freckles glowed a dull green, catching the attention of their flame sorcerer. Eren stopped struggling in Mikasa’s grasp, watching with curiosity as seaweed twisted upwards from the moat. The plants grew into a bridge.
“Thanks Marco. Come on!” Jean pointed forward. His group ran across the bridge with Jean leading the charge. “Where are they keeping Princess Historia?”
“The top of the tallest tower, duh. Are you even a real adventurer?” Sasha spoke, earning a scowl from the leader of the group.
“This isn’t a fairy tale.”
“Actually, she’s right. Prince Zeke’s room is at the top of the tallest tower and likely where he’s keeping his hostage,” Mikasa informed him.
“Told ya so!” Sasha pointed at Jean.
Ignoring the urge to hit his friend, he clenched his fist while Eren dashed ahead.
“This way, I know how to get there,” Eren stated.
“Wait!” Jean called back, quickly picking up the pace. The group sprinted through the castle, turning various corners. “Does he really know where he’s going?”
“Yes,” Mikasa replied until they found Eren brought to a halt at the end of a corridor.
Standing in the hallway was a petite blonde with icy blue eyes and clad in dark metal armor. Her hands rested on the hilt of a longsword.
“So the prodigal son returns... with company,” a cool voice greeted the group.
“Out of the way Annie. We’re grabbing the princess and leaving,” Eren snapped back.
The blonde knight quirked an eyebrow, drawing her blade.
“...I’m under orders to capture you on sight.”
Eren pointed a finger at Annie, but a black flash ran by him.
Mikasa swung her blade at Annie, who swiftly blocked it with her own. Exchanging glares the two broke out into a fight- metal clanging against metal. Both warriors made use of the ample hallway space and swung liberally, cutting through tapestries and pots. Mikasa looked back at the group.
“Go!”
“But-” Eren reached out for Mikasa, but Marco grabbed his wrist.
“Just go!”
“Cone on, Eren. Lead us to the princess. Mikasa can handle herself,” Marco gently pushed him ahead.
Swallowing a lump in his throat, Eren nodded. He sprinted forward again. Leading the group up a nearby stairwell, Eren paused to take in his surroundings. Pointing to down a barren hallway, the adventurers made it halfway to another intersection before another knight and a group of orcish guards blocked the way.
“Called it,” the large blond knight in their path chuckled at the group. “Bertholdt owes me a round of mead. No one else is dumb enough to blow open a gate besides you.”
“Shut up and get out fo our way, Reiner,” Eren replied.
Laughing loudly, Reiner stepped forward holding a double sided ax. “You’re not getting through me.”
Jean’s eyes widened as Reiner sprinted forward. For such a bulky person he was quite fast. Reiner swung for Eren’s arm but Connie blocked the blow with two daggers.
“I got him, go now!” Connie said through gritted teeth.
“You?” Reiner balked at the thought. “I’m gonna chop a twig like you in half!”
A loud twang echoed around the halls as a lute slammed into the side of Reiner’s head. He rolled to the side as he recovered his bearings.
“Sasha?!” Connie’s mouth dropped. “But your lute?”
“I got you, baldie,” Sasha grinned. “Don’t worry about my lute, i’ll tune it once we get out of here. Besides I can smell the kitchen nearby.”
“Be careful!” Jean called back as he followed down another corridor. The thought of leaving his bard and rogue against a knight like Reiner sent chills down his spine but he had faith in the two. They made it this far in life after all.
Just as Jean began to recollect his thoughts he ran straight into Eren’s back, not realizing the boy suddenly stopped.
“What the hell now Jaeger?” Jean asked, rubbing his nose. he looked around Jaeger to see a tall but lanky man with dark robes in their way. “It’s just one guy. And he’s not wearing armor!”
“That’s Bertholdt the Black you dumbass,” Eren retorted. “He’s on the archmages of Marley. Why the hell are you in this ancient dump?”
“You already know the answer to that,” Bertholdt replied, stepping forward.
Eren took a step back into Jean, unnerving the adventurer. What about this man unnerved Eren Jaeger?
Before Jean could guess an answer, Marco stepped past the two.
“Rescue the princess,” Marco simply stated before his freckles glowed once more. The stone floor between Marco and his friends suddenly rose to the ceiling, separating them.
“Marco!” Eren shouted, slamming his fists against the new wall.
“Eren, let’s hurry! Marco can hold his own but I don’t know for how long,” Jean explained.
“Against someone like Bertholdt though?” Eren wondered as he sprinted down a nearby corridor.
At the end of the long corridor a spiral staircase lead upwards.
“Marco is stronger than you know but I don’t know that mage’s power. He’ll be able to last a little bit at least.”
A massive tremor shook the castle causing dust to fall from the cracks of the stone ceiling. Candles fell from their stands and put themselves out as they hit the ground. Eren and Jean barely maintained their footing.
“That wasn’t one of Bertl’s spells...”
“Oh shit. If Marco is shaking the castle we don’t have that much time,” Jean swore. “Is that the stairwell the tower?”
Eren nodded as Jean and him resumed their run. As they reached the end of the hallway, a gust blew from the tower. A few large stone fell downwards, causing Eren and Jean to stop.
Frowning at the sudden event, Eren turned to Jean. “The prince is here. Just run up and grab the princess like we planned, I’ll hold him off.”
“But I can fight too!” Jean geatured to his blade.
“Not against this kind of magic. He’s like me,” Eren let out a deep breath, releasing some smoke. “Trust me on this one and trust this spell.”
“What?” Jean questioned as Eren placed a hand on his head. He felt his head started to glow hot for a moment. The warmth spread over his body and relaxed his tense muscles. Before he could inquire more he saw his skin start to fade as the familiar invisibility took hold. Normally this was Connie’s schtick.
“Well, well, what an unpleasant surprise,” an older man stated as he floated down from the tower. He stepped through the entrance into the corridor. “What brings you home?”
“You took my princess,” Eren narrowed his eyes at Prince Zeke.
“That’s your princess?” Zeke scoffed, not noticing Jean scooting carefully along the wall. “Of course that’s your preference. If you want ‘em you can have ‘em. Assuming you can beat me, brother.”
“Shut up and fight,” Eren demanded, his eyes glowing red.
“As you wish.” Prince Zeke’s eyes glowed grey as one of the stone from before shot out from behind him and towards Eren.
Jean covered his mouth as he almost gasped from surprise. Quickly but nimbly he ascended the stairs at the castle shook again from the battles below. Flame and stone shot upwards as Jean circled the tower. Despite being in great shape, running up so many stairs left him heaving by the time he reached the top. Whoever the fuck made these things an architectural necessity for castles deserved to be shot with several arrows.
Reaching the door of the royal chambers, Jean opened it and suddenly felt very impoverished. Purple carpet extended from the door to the giant bed in the center of the room. Dark, wooden chairs were pushed into a desk in the corner with papers splayed out on it. A silver jug and wine glasses were set on a table near the bed. After being understandably caught up in the moment, Jean heard sobbing coming from the bed. From the doorway he could see a silhouette through the canopy in the bed.
Taking a step into the room, the carpet crunched under Jean’s weight. A gasp came from the bed and the sobs stopped. Jean swallowed the lump in his throat and continued forward. The carpet continued to make sounds as he made his way around the regal room. On the ground he noticed ripped apart.
The silhouette in the bed disappeared under the covers as Jean reached the side. As soon as he opened his mouth a pillow came crashing into his face. He stumbled backwards and into the table with wine glasses. The invisibility faded and the silver jug spilled wine all over Jean. Now he’d need a good bath after this.
“Ouch!” Jean reacted, rubbing the back of his head.
“Stay away!” A voice warned from the covers.
Before Jean could utter a barbed retort, his throat choked out his words. A beautiful blonde head poked from the covers, her expression a mixture of anger and fear. Jean’s heart pounded and his mouth ran dry. The rumors about the princess being the greatest beauty in the land did have some weight after all.
“Uh. That stung... I mean-” Jean cleared his throat and plastered the cheesiest smile he could muster. “Princess Historia, my name is Jean Kirschtein and I’m here to save you.”
The princess’ eyes widened. “What?”
“Well, it’s more accurate to say me and my friends came to rescue you. We found Eren and Mikasa on the way here and came to help rescue you, my lady,” Jean explained.
The princess’ face turned a deep red. “Eren and Mikasa came to rescue me?”
“Of course! Right now they’re fighting below but once I activate this scroll,” Jean gestured to a parchment on his belt. “We’ll teleport out of here and the others will get the signal to do the same. Shall we?”
“Uh... I don’t have any clothes...” The princess looked at the ripped pieces of cloth on the ground. “Prince Zeke isn’t known for his... temperament.”
“No fear, you can use my cloak,” Jean offered before realizing it was covered in wine. “It might be a bit damp.”
“That’s fine, that was my fault,” the princess raised her hands out of the cover, causing the duvet to fall. Before Jean could avert his eyes, he noticed the pale chest of the princess and that it lacked... “Oh my!”
The princess covered her chest but it was already too late. Jean’s face fell at the sight. “Y-you’re not a girl.”
“N-no. I’m not the princess. She’s in another castle,” the impostor frowned. “My name is Armin.”
Jean pressed his lips together as his hopes and dreams for a cushy life were dashed once more. he pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled a deep breath. “So your friends mislead us?”
“I’m afraid so...” Armin’s face fell, tears forming on the edges of his eyes. “They kidnapped me by mistake. When Zeke found out a bit ago I thought he was going to kill me until an explosion rang out.”
Jean’s chest tightened again. Seeing the petite boy on the verge of tears made his stomach twist in knots. Resigning himself to reality, Jean stepped forward and wrapped his wine-soaked cloak around the poor boy. He offered a gentle smile. While not a princess, he did at least knock one thing off his bucket list; he rescued a beauty from an ancient, evil castle.
“Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Jean extended a hand and bowed a little.
Caught off guard by the chivalrous treatment, Armin’s blush deepened.
“Thank... Thank you,” Armin took the hand and stood up. His eyes darted to the desk and he ran over.
“What are you doing?” Jean tilted his head from confusion as Armin grabbed all the letters off the desk. Another tremor shook the castle. “We need to get going!”
“Making sure this humiliation wasn’t for naught,” Armin replied. he bent over and opened a drawer. he flung out some quills and and ink until he found a bag. he grabbed the bag and ran over to Jean. “I’m ready.”
Grabbing the parchment, Jean opened it. He glanced over the arcane text before muttering the words Marco trained him to say. The scroll glowed a dull purple. “Hang on!”
Jean hooked an arm around Armin and pulled him close, both of them disappearing in a quick flash.
Both boys were teleported to some plains far away from the castle. Armin landed on top of Jean, knocking the breath out of his chest.
“I’ve been saved,” Armin stated as he rolled off Jean, disbelief evident in his voice. “This must be what the princess feels like.”
“How’d you know that?” Jean asked, taking in a deep breath. While emotionally confused, he was glad to at least have his life.
“She tells me in between kidnappings. I swear Ymir let’s it happen just so she has an excuse to ravish her,” Armin answered as he sat up.
“Wait, you know the princess? And she’s repeatedly kidnapped?” Jean’s eyes widened. maybe this wasn’t a complete crapshoot.
“Yeah, we’re best friends,” Armin admitted, his eyes falling to his hands. “And she’s kidnapped enough that it’s pretty normal. If you were expecting a reward for saving her I don’t think you would’ve gotten it.”
“Damn it,” Jean cursed falling back into the grass. “I was hoping to at least get a kiss for all that bullshit.”
Before he could register what was happening, he felt a pair of lips press against his. It was a chaste kiss but it left Jean red faced, especially since the sounds of the others teleporting in rattled his nerves. He was going to have fun explaining why a he had a naked boy on top of him instead of Princess Historia.
To Be Continued tomorrow with Jearmin Week Day 2 Survival!