For Honor - The Path to Love

by MissBlackRock

A Warden sets out on a mission that will forever change the course of her entire life, and it's all because of a single Nobushi. With a Heart of Pure Gold and Nerves of Solid Steel, will the Warden be able to defeat those who stand before her and the love of her life? Only her words and her sword can choose the fate of those she fights during her many Enemy Encounters. [Complete!]

21. Chapter 21 - The End

Here we are! The final chapter of this story, and the Epilogue and aftermath of what happened in the most recent chapter. I'll leave the thank you speech and other crap for the end. Oh, and by the way, the story is going through a Name and Summary Change! So yeah, mind that. Just for reference, this story was previously known as: "For Honor - In Combat with the Heroes of For Honor."

This is the last one, for real this time. This chapter is longer than Chapter 20, so read it in parts. No All-Caps this time around...Just...Take the warning, please.

And just a nice little tip...Pay attention near the end.

---

"Oh my god...That's fucking crazy!"

"N-No, don't put her through that! She can't!"

"We're not cutting it off! There's no way we're doing that, I won't let it happen!"

"Then they have to do it!? Fuck...They have to, goddamn it!"

"Fucking hell, this is not going to be pretty..."

"Just...Just fucking do it..."

---

In a large building within the Hakushi Province that had survived the fire of the Urutora Clan's people, in the first main floor, was where a large majority of injured or wounded warriors, civilians, and Heroes were all being treated for their battle damage. Whether it was from the fire, from a falling building, or a cut caused by an enemy blade, the Urutora and Seinaru Clan's medics and doctors were hard at work, treating the fallen fighters as best they could with what supplies they had.

Cots with blankets and pillows were set out all over the floor of the building. Chairs and cushions were also used to settle anyone who needed it. Among one of the people wounded in the battle was the Azure Legion's very own Warden, Emora.

She had survived the collapse of the entire Hakushi Manor, which had fallen on top of her right near its exit. After emerging from the ruins, her allies quickly rushed to her, holding and moving her slowly and carefully. After about half an hour of questioning and emotional arguing, she was settled in at the Province's temporary safe haven.

When the Warden first took step in the structure, other warriors and civillians turned to her with wide eyes, observing the heavily wounded and rugged looking Knight. They suddenly felt as if their own wounds were nothing compared to the damage this girl had suffered and survived. Medics rushed to lay her down in a cot, being weary of her currently frail body.

Shortly after examination, they moved her outside in the back.

"Chūi shite kudasai!"

"Hai, shitte imasu."

Katsue nodded her head and sighed in relief as she watched a group of medics get up on stacked crates, all holding buckets and barrels full of clean water. The Shinobi turned to look to her right, her eyes resting on a teary-eyed, tensed up Japanese girl who she knew to be the young Airi.

"Hey, Hakushi."

The anxious Nobushi turned to her, quietly yelping as she ceased her fidgeting. "Y-Yes?"

Katsue smiled warmly. "She'll be okay."

Emora stood with her head down, her arms limp at her sides. She stood completely naked, her body bleeding all over, dirt and dust plastered onto her sweaty skin. Bruises and deep cuts marked her chest, back, arms, legs, stomach, and face. Two other medics held onto her carefully, closing their eyes and also putting their heads down.

One by one, a person holding the buckets and barrels of water began to pour it above the head of the Warden. Just in case she couldn't take the weight of the water, she had helpers to assist her weak legs in maintaining their still posture. Airi watched attentively, her eyes big and full of nothing but worry. She watched as the dirt and blood was all washed off and splashed into the muddy grass. Katsue also watched, nodding her head as more water was poured on Emora.

Her sighs of relief were quiet, but satisfying. The feeling of the cold water falling all over her body revitalized the Warden, her eyes opening wide, her mouth widening, gasping. After all the water was poured, the Warden was left completely soaked, her wet hair and body now clean and ready for repair.

After being carefully dried with soft towels, she was returned to a room on the second floor of the temporary safe haven. Her blade related injuries were treated with ointment and medication and then bandaged. Some of the deeper cuts and slashes had to be stitched before being bandaged. There were many of them all over her body; the process was long and painful for the Warden, who had to deal with the stinging pain of medicine in her open wounds, and the excruciating feeling of being awake through the stitching of her large wounds.

Stab wounds were examined and cleared for stitching as well, luckily, there were not many of them, and if there were, none more lethal than one of a small knife. Her back, shoulders, neck, thighs, calves, ankles, and feet were then all massaged in order to relax the Warden and ease up the post-limit breaking physical exhaustion her body had gone through.

There was still one issue, and that was by far the biggest one. The Warden felt much better, but was still in a fit of constant pain. Her left arm ached deeply, the skin growing purple, implying that internal bleeding was taking place, internal bleeding that Emora's body could not stop on its own due to a large flaw in its system.

The flaw of a broken bone.

Medics suggested their immediate removal of the arm in order to spare Emora the possibility of getting sick, or her entire left arm becoming null and begin rotting, despite the chances of the limb growing null were slim. The standard procedure for a broken limb was to simply remove it, since it was rendered useless.

Katsue refused to let Airi listen in. She grit her teeth at the thought of Emora without her left arm, being unable to live her life normally, and being dishonorably discharged as her position as a Warden. She asked the medics if there was another way, her heart beating with sense of driven tenacity.

"Hone no settei."

"Hone no settei?"

"Henkō sa reta hone no shudō chōsei."

"Soreha...Osoroshī yo ne!"

"Hoka no yuiitsu no hōhōdesu."

Katsue put her hand over her mouth in thought. She closed her eyes and exhaled into her sweaty palm. She looked at the medic, a middle aged man with black hair and deep black eyes, his two other assistants younger than him, a man and a woman, both with black hair and dark eyes.

With worry in her shaky voice, she sighed and accepted. She turned away and went out to gather the other Heroes, who were all having treatment of their own. All wearing no armor and light clothing, with bandages and patches all located in different parts of their bodies, stood the Shinobi's friends.

"The medics have a way to fix Emora's shattered arm. I...I don't want her to lose it, so they're not going to cut it off." Katsue explained, her voice solemn.

"Okay, that's great!" Alban sighed, a genuine smile on his face. He looked behind Katsue at Airi, who stood outside of the door to the room where Emora was being prepared for treatment.

"C-Can we see her?" Cyrus asked.

"Yeah...I...I wanted you guys to watch." Katsue said nervously.

"Watch?" Elea tilted her head in confusion.

The young Shinobi nodded her head. "Yeah. To support her, give her something to look at."

All of the Heroes exchanged confused and blank looks. They all turned back to Katsue, who only shook her head and turned to Airi, opening the door to the room.

They all entered to see Emora with her eyes shut tightly, her teeth grit with pain. Beads of sweat were building on her forehead as she breathed steadily. She wore thin olive green pants and a pair of small ankle-high leather boots that belonged to Airi. The left sleeve on her white short-sleeve shirt was rolled up, showing the Warden's shoulder. She rested on a red cushioned sun chair, one which was meant to be used for relaxing outside in the sun. She sat near the edge of it, leaning back, her legs straight, and her left arm at her side.

"What's going to happen? Is she going to be okay?" Cindra asked, her silver eyes staring deeply at Emora.

"Yeah...The doctor is just getting ready for the procedure he's going to do on Emora." Katsue answered firmly.

"What is it? Why do we need to support her?" Cinder asked, his heartbeat rising due to worry.

Katsue turned to look at Airi, who was standing next to Emora, gently passing her fingers through the Warden's long blonde hair.

"We're going to set her arm straight. Manually readjust the broken bone back into place, and remove any shattered pieces." Katsue said quickly, her purple eyes scared for the Warden.

"W-What?!" Alban shouted aloud.

"No way!" Cindra cried.

"Oh my god...That's fucking crazy!" Apollo blurted out.

"You're going to perform a Bone-Setting?! What the fuck, Katsue?! That's only used for broken legs, not arms! Our arms have smaller bones, it's more risky, it's harder, it's more painful! You can't do this!" Cinder yelled angrily.

"Cinder, it's the only other way! Otherwise, Emora will have her arm cut off completely!" Katsue argued. "I...I don't want that! I want Emora to keep being her normal self, to keep being a Warden! She can't be a Warden with a missing limb!"

As the Commander was about to fight back, he suddenly stopped. Everyone fell silent as Airi hurriedly walked over to them, her eyes with that watery glint of probable tears.

"A Bone-Setting? T-That happened to my father when he was young...He was knocked off of his horse in battle...And it went berserk, shattering his leg as it abandoned him. He told me how much it hurt...How horrible it was!"

Airi turned to look at Emora, who was looking over at them, her chest rising up and down with her breaths.

"K-Katsue...She...She can't—"

"Airi...Do you want Emora to keep her arm?" The Shinobi asked.

"Yes, but...Is there no other way?" Airi asked, her voice growing desperate and scared.

"No, there isn't Airi, I'm sorry. E-Emora is a strong girl...She'll make it through." Katsue said with a sad smile, trying to calm the Nobushi.

Airi began to hyperventilate. "N-No! Don't put her through that! She can't!"

"We're not cutting it off! There's no way we're doing that, I won't let it happen!" Katsue yelled, her voice cracking with defense.

"But...She's...She'll be in so much pain! I'm scared...I don't want her to go through more pain! W-Why can't she just rest?! Why can't she be relieved of all of this...Fucking pain!?" Airi yelled out angrily.

"I...I don't like it any more than you do, Airi. But...They have to." Katsue said sadly.

"Then they have to do it?! Fuck...They have to, goddamn it!" Apollo dug his face into his hand, his face pursed with frustration.

"Fucking hell, this is not going to be pretty..." Elea exhaled, shaking her head.

"But...Emora...I—" Airi began, before a voice broke through the commotion and silenced the room.

"Hey..."

They all looked at her.

"Just...Just fucking do it..." Emora moaned.

Airi rushed over to her and shook her head, the Warden using her good arm to embrace the fearful Nobushi.

"I don't want you to be in more pain..." Airi cried softly.

Emora smiled faintly, her breathing deep and slow. "I've been through a lot of pain. I've survived a lot of shit. An arm injury won't kill me...But it's gonna hurt more than anything I've ever encountered. Heh...To me...It's just part of my life as a Hero, don't you think?"

Airi opened her mouth to speak. "But—"

"SHH!" Emora shushed, she smiled at the Nobushi as she gently pushed her back. "Shut up before I kiss you." She winked.

"I...I'll be by your side! Okay?! I won't leave you!" Airi sobbed, digging her face into Emora's neck.

"Yeah...I know you won't." Emora exhaled.

One of the medics held a tight grip on Emora's shoulder, making sure to hold it completely still. The other medic held onto her wrist with a tight vice grip, slowly extending her arm to its full length. The main medic, the oldest one, had cut into Emora's arm with a thin utensil in the location where he believed the bone was broken at.

He looked up at Katsue, his gaze one of extreme concentration.

"Kanojo o dakishimeru tame ni anata no yūjin ga hitsuyōdesu."

Airi looked up at the medic, her eyes full of worry, her heartbeat only getting worse as she looked at the medic's tense face. Katsue nodded her head, turning to Cyrus and Alban.

"Guys...Can...Can you guys hold her down? She needs to be completely still for this. If any part of her bone stabs through her skin and goes too far out...Everything will fail...And we'll have to remove her arm as fast as possible." Katsue explained.

Alban and Cyrus both nodded their heads in understanding. The Highlander walked to the end of the chair and grabbed onto Emora's ankles. He pushed down on them, applying pressure. Airi looked at him, tears in her eyes.

"It'll be okay. Comfort her, talk to her, use your love." Alban smiled, Airi's eyes widening with shock, but then becoming fierce with determination.

"I will..." Airi whispered, turning to Cyrus.

"Hey, Emora. It's your boy Cyrus...I'll be above you the entire time, keeping your right shoulder still! There's nothing to worry about, I know you can make it through this, am I right?" Cyrus said, his voice full of enthusiasm.

Emora couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Yeah...We got this, right?"

The blue eyed, blonde-haired Warden grinned widely. "Hell yeah we do." He winked.

The medic was wearing a white cover on his lap as he sat next to Emora's sun chair on a small wooden stool. He slowly opened up his incision in Emora's arm further and further, the Warden quietly wincing in pain. He cut two more incisions on the side, making a sort of flap. He slowly lifted up the flap of Emora's flesh, blood dripping from her arm and falling onto the cover on his lap. He squinted as he located the split in Emora's arm.

He reached into the bloody flesh and began to remove shattered pieces of bone. Emora's eyes instantly widened with pain. She let out a short yelp, her breathing growing fast and panicked.

Airi held onto Emora's right hand, she soothed her fingers and rubbed her palm, looking up at the Warden. "Emora...It's okay...I'm here."

"Relax and breathe, Emora." Alban said calmly.

"You got this girl, come on. Halfway there already." Cyrus huffed.

The medic tapped the bone with his finger gently, bringing out a sharp reaction from the Warden. Her body jumped, Cyrus, Alban, Airi, and the two other medics also growing alert of Emora's natural instincts.

"Watashi wa settei ga hitsuyōna ude no bubun o mitsukemashita." The medic said, not looking away from Emora's arm.

"Oh good..." Airi sighed in relief.

"What did he say?" Elea asked.

"He's found the two parts of the arm that need the setting." Katsue said, staring at the blood leaking from the incision.

"The setting?" Elea looked at Emora, who had her eyes narrowed with resistance, staring a hole in the roof.

"Yeah, the setting. They need to be pushed together, forcefully, and by hand. It's the longest and most painful part." Katsue said bluntly.

Emora gasped, her scared eyes looking at the Shinobi, her jaw shaking with fear.

"Fuck!" Katsue squeaked. She slapped her hands over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut with regret.

"Nice fuckin' job Katsue...Emora didn't need to know that. We're here to support her, not make her feel worse..." Cinder whispered angrily.

"I...I'm sorry...I just...I..."

Katsue crouched down and hid her face behind her hands; she began to cry quietly, looking up at Airi, who was glaring at her over her shoulder.

Emora shook her head, trying to sit up. "K-Katsue! I'm fine, relax! D-Don't..."

The medic huffed as she grabbed onto Emora's arm with both hands, bandages on his forearms, and a needle and thread on his other arm. Emora let out a small gasp of pain, she looked at the medic, her eyes wide, her body ready for what was to come.

"Don't cry over this...I'll make it..." She yelped out.

Katsue shook her head, wiping tears from her face. "Emora..."

The medic himself grunted as he began to put pressure on the Warden's arm. He gripped her flesh tightly, making sure not to lose track of the two splits. With a loud gasp and choke, Emora's body thrashed and squirmed, the medics, Cyrus, and Alban all working to keep her still.

"AHHHH! OH—OH MY GOD...AHH! AHHHHH FUCK!"

The medic watched as Emora's blood leaked from his own hands. He saw the bone fragments clacking into one another, he strained and slowly moved them together, trying not to cut them through her skin. Blood rushed and flowed everywhere, Emora's flesh blocking his view.

"AHHHHH! GAAAAAAAHH! AH—AHHHH! FUCK...OH...MY..."

"Emora, I'm here! I'm here with you!" Airi stood up, squeezing Emora's hand tightly within her own. She felt as the Warden squeezed back, her face streaming with tears of pain.

"Just breathe, Emora!"

The Warden was shaking and yelling out of control. She roared and thundered, her eyes shut tightly, her mouth wide open, releasing yells and cries of powerful pain. Her face and neck grew red, tears flooded from her eyes as she cried in agony.

The medic struggled to push the fractured bone back into place. He could see the fracture, the blatant crack in the bone that needed to be corrected and stilled in order for it to be regenerated and repaired with time.

He stuck needles through Emora's flesh to keep it from interacting with the bone. The flap in her flesh, the incision that started his view was constantly closing, causing the operation to go on for longer. He needed something to hold the hole open in order for him to be able to see the bones, and prevent them from piercing through her skin and popping out like branches on a tree.

He began to yell out to Katsue, his voice alert and determined. The Shinobi nodded her head rapidly, rushing to the side of the medic, she set her eyes on the bloody mess that was Emora's arm. She swallowed her disgust and dug her fingers into the incision, pulling back the flesh and holding the hole open. The Shinobi stared at the bare bone of the Warden's arm, her eyes wide, her mouth trembling, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"AHHHHHH!" Emora cried out, Airi feeling her hand going numb from being squeezed, but she didn't care.

"Emora, squeeze tighter! Tighter! The more it hurts, the more you squeeze, you hear me?!" Airi yelled.

"OH MY GOD...AIRII! IT HURTS...AHHHH! PLEASE...PLEASE JUST HURRY—DAMN IT—GAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"You got this Emora, come on!" Cyrus yelled.

Cindra covered her ears and shut her eyes, not wanting to watch. Apollo and Cinder watched with horrified eyes, they watched as Alban and Cyrus struggled to hold Emora down, the chair shaking and banging on the ground slightly. Elea rubbed her eyes and swallowed her tiny amounts of saliva, feeling tight and unable to breathe.

The medic began to accelerate. He nodded his head more and more, begging for Katsue to maintain her composure. The hot blood, the wetness, the feeling of raw human flesh on her finger tips, it stirred the Shinobi's stomach. Her heart was out of control as she begged for the medic to hurry.

He narrowed his eyes as he yelled out to everyone. "Karera wa sono ba ni iru!"

"YES!" Airi cried. She lifted Emora's hand up to her face and kissed it. Emora's yelling kept going, but grew a bit less frantic. She opened her eyes and turned to Airi, her face red, her eyes bloated.

"A-Airi..." She panted heavily.

"I'm here...I'm here!" Airi cried.

The Warden held onto the Nobushi's hand tightly, not wanting to let go. She turned to look at her arm, her blood leaking and seeping out of the cut in it. Her flesh and skin was red, her bone no longer clearly visible.

The medic was yelling for his assistants, who let go of Emora and rushed out of the room. Cyrus and Alban let go of her as well, allowing the Warden to move a bit.

"Emora! Are you okay?!" Alban asked.

"Holy shit...Emora, that was crazy!" Cyrus laughed, he sighed in relief seeing Emora smile wearily.

"It...It hurt. It hurt a lot...It still hurts..."

"How much...On a scale of one to ten, right now...Not during the setting." Airi asked, her hand gently soothing Emora's.

"Right now...A solid eight...But during the setting...Twenty." Emora sighed. Her other friends soon gathered around, caringly asking her about her well-being. A few minutes later, the medics returned with more bandages, wet towels, some leather, and a jar.

Everyone watched as the older medic stitched Emora's arm back to normal, closing the cut he made, and cutting the thread. The other medics took the wet cloths and began to wipe the Warden's arm clean of blood. They cut off her shirt and decided to give her a new one. The arm was still broken, but the fracture was now in place and ready for the long healing and regeneration process.

One of the medics opened up a jar and applied a medication called the Black Ointment to the Warden's arm. Emora quietly moaned as the ointment was being applied. Katsue asked what it was; her question being answered in Japanese.

"What is it, Katsue?" Airi asked, her voice full of curiosity.

"It's a medicine that helps the healing process of an injury. The ointment is good for everything. It cools, refreshes, soothes, heals and it stimulates the formation of pus. So...That's good. They need to put on a splint, in order to keep her arm completely still. So that's what the wood is for. Afterward, the whole thing will be wrapped up in bandages." Katsue replied.

Airi looked at Emora, smiling sadly. "Sorry Emora...But you're going to be in a cast for a little while. So...That means you're life is going to be a bit different back home for about a few months." She explained.

The Warden watched as the medics held her arm still and attached three wooden sticks to different sides of it. They wrapped a broad string around the center of it the fracture, putting pressure on the limb. Emora winced a bit, moaning quietly as the stabbing pain in her arm pulsed with strength. They tied two more cords, above and below the center cord, firmly holding the arm-splint in place. Finally, they tightly wrapped soft silk bandages around the splint, securing the makeshift cast in place. Her forearm dangled from the contraption, she could barely bend it, her arm suspended in a straight position.

"Being in bed would be the best option." Alban suggested.

Emora groaned to herself. "I...I'm gonna be so bored. I...I wanted to be there for Daigo's trial! I wanted to help him earn the people's trust back...Now I can't. I...I also won't be able to train! Or workout! I...I'm gonna get fat cause I'm gonna be eating and sleeping all day! And...And what if my arm gets infected?!" The Warden cried out.

"Emora...It's going to get swollen, and the cords on your splint will need to be changed and readjusted every once in a while. The silk bandages will also need to be changed. But hey...That Black Ointment really helps..." Cindra said softly.

"I can ask if the medics if they can lend us some." Katsue nodded, smiling.

"Emora, it's best we ship you out of here. We can put you in a carriage; the Urutora Clan's guards can send you back to Fort Diamond. Plus...We needed someone back home anyway." Alban said firmly.

Emora nodded her head. "I guess you're right. I...I want to help the Urutora Clan recover. I know for a fact that The Azure Legion can help fix things between the Urutora and Seinaru Clan...And I also know we can help with the rebuilding process. Who knows...It could lead to an alliance."

"And...If Daigo earns the trust of the people back..." Cinder paused, hating the words that came out of his mouth. He swallowed his pride and grudge, and then continued. "Then...Who knows...He can take the place as Emperor...And if a worthy Empress comes along or steps up...The two clans can be legitimately fused, and everything will restored to the way it was supposed to originally happen."

Airi frowned. "The people hate him. How will he be forgiven?"

"I can tell...He's a changed man. I...I want to talk to him." Emora said, slowly sitting up.

"Just take it easy, okay? We'll help you walk. But...Before you do, you should get some rest." Apollo said sternly.

"Yeah...You're right." Emora sighed.

Her friends helped the Warden down the stairs, and supported her frail arm. They gently set her down on a cot, and wrapped her in a blanket. Airi planted a small kiss on Emora's forehead and smiled warmly.

"Rest up. You...You can do your business tomorrow. But...I can't go with you on the way back home. I'm sorry but...My people need me here in their time of need..."

"Airi...That's perfectly fine. Just as long as Daigo doesn't die. He deserves a second chance, please Airi. Promise me you'll try and do him some justice..." Emora pleaded, looking into the Nobushi's eyes.

Airi sighed deeply and nodded her head. "I'll see what I can do. I'll try to come back to Fort Diamond as soon as I can too! I want to be there for you. I love you."

"I love you too..."

Hakushi leaned down and kissed the Warden briefly before standing up. "And please Emora...Take it easy back home. Don't move that arm at all, and don't try to get out of bed or anything without any help."

The Blonde Knight nodded her head. "Rose and Daisy will be watching me like hawks. They'll make sure I recover from this, so there's no need to worry."

"Alright...Now get some rest, okay?"

"Alright."

Airi and the other Heroes all stood around the Warden's cot. They smiled at her, looks of happiness, pity, relief, and serenity in their eyes.

"She made it through so much. I...I feel kind of bad. She took and suffered through the most abuse, by far." Cyrus mumbled quietly.

"But that's the type of person she is, and we can't change that. She wanted to do this, and she did what she came for. Nothing was going to stop her, and we all know that. Just shows how strong she is." Apollo replied.

Airi couldn't stop staring at the Warden. She looked at her longingly, praying that her recovery would be full and smooth. Her deep gaze was sincere and loving, the other Heroes taking notice of her dead silence. Alban grunted as he placed his hand on the Nobushi's shoulder, causing her to jump a bit.

"Airi, she's going to be okay. A little less than an hour ago, we all thought she was dead. But here she is, in front of us, starting her long journey down the road of recovery. But you shouldn't worry. All we have to do is settle things out here, get a rebuilding plan set, and clear up Daigo's name. The Samurai people are forgiving, despite their punishments being harsh. But they're reasonable, and if there's one person they'll all listen to, it's you, Airi." The Highlander said optimistically.

The Nobushi looked up at him, her eyes beginning to well up with tears. "I...I still haven't forgiven myself for what I did to you. I'm...I'm sorry—"

"Don't worry. Airi, don't for a second believe that you're a bad person. I know...I was a bit pushy and intimidating in the beginning...I wasn't very...Amiable with you. I...I'll admit, I thought Emora was beautiful...I was so deeply in love that I...I began to get hasty. I want to say sorry for some of the things I told you too. But...I've already forgiven you. I'm wondering if you'll ever forgive yourself." Alban interrupted, his voice deep and clear, his smile genuine and honest.

Airi couldn't speak. She let out a muffled sob as she fell into Alban's arms, crying into his chest. She mumbled desperate apologies as she cried, the other Heroes looking on with solemn smiles.

"Damn..." Elea muttered.

"Talk about having a way with words...Sheesh." Cyrus chuckled.

Alban hugged the Nobushi tightly; looking at the now sleeping Emora, smiling to himself that she was now safe.

"Shh...Everything's fine, Airi. This whole mess will all be over in a little bit...We just need some time."

Airi nodded slowly, her head tucked underneath Alban's chin. "Okay...I trust you..."

---

A few days later...

With the help of Elea and Cindra, Emora slowly made her way to her carriage, two black horses were tied to the front of the wagon, their instructor was a Kensei. The Warden could hear Airi speaking to the Kensei in a fast, somewhat strict manor, the Kensei nodding and responding in firm understanding. Accompanying the Warden inside the carriage was an Orochi, who was going to watch over her and assist the Kensei in case any trouble arises, just in case.

Elea and Cindra leaned Emora up against the wagon, the curtains of the wagon closed. The three Heroes could hear the Orochi ruffling around inside, likely organizing and setting up for the long ride into Knight Territory.

"Well...This is it, I guess. You're going back home, Emora!" Elea said cheerfully.

"We're going to miss you back here." Cindra said, a slightly sad tone in her voice. "But...We'll join you shortly after. It'll only be a few weeks. The Kensei and Orochi that are going with you will not only be your guardians, but messengers. Hopefully my father can agree to send over some supplies and men, and...Potentially accept an alliance with these clans." The Commander said with hope.

Emora nodded. "Yeah. If that happens...Our relationship with the Samurai will definitely improve. Trade can increase throughout the Myre, and it'll benefit both of us. The Dawn Empire will steadily grow stronger and less disconnected from the rest of the world."

"Exactly my point." Cindra smiled.

"Man, you guys are all smart and...Thinkers. I don't really care what happens! I just wanna be cool with these guys! I mean...Look at this place, it's great, and way different than anything I've ever seen in Ashfeld or up in Valkenheim. It's great here! And the food...Oh jeez...I could live here." Elea grinned, Cindra and Emora laughing at the Berserker's remarks.

"But...I do want to get it fixed up. I feel kind of bad for the civilians." The Berserker added after the laughing ceased.

"Yeah...But that's what we're planning to do. We'll help them all, the Urutora and the Seinaru Clan. I'm sure Daigo's parents are very troubled right now." Cindra crossed her arms and turned to back towards the city.

Emora and Elea looked as well, the Warden's heart skipping a slight beat as she stood up straighter, her breathing growing a bit panicked. In between Cinder and an Urutora Clan General walked Daigo, his head down, his hands tied behind his back with tight binds. They walked up to the carriage, Cinder clearing this throat.

"As you wanted, Emora. You can talk to him now." Cinder gave the Warden a nod.

The Urutora Clan turned to Daigo and struck him in his back, bringing out a grunt from the Orochi, and forcing him to look up.

"T-That isn't necessary. He doesn't need to be treated that way." Emora said caringly, raising her good hand towards the Urutora General.

"My apologies, Lord Ryon. Let's just say our people are not very happy with him at this time." The General said, his serious face and monotone voice reflecting his disliking towards the Orochi.

Emora slowly nodded, understanding that the General's feelings towards the Orochi were understandable. She turned to look at Daigo, his eyes dull and emotionless, his mouth closed calmly, reflecting no sign of a frown or smile, or anything that fits in between. There were bags under his eyes, meaning he hadn't gotten much sleep. He had a small patch on his cheek, covering up a wound that he had from what had occurred a few days ago.

"How...Are you faring, Daigo?" Emora asked, her eyes soft.

The Orochi scoffed. "Why do you even care? What did you call me here for; you wanted to speak to me, didn't you? So talk."

The Warden shifted with a shaken heart, her feelings hurt from Daigo's harsh attitude and blunt response. Despite this, she continued. "I'm only trying to help you, Daigo. I don't want you to get hurt, nor do I want you to die. Are...Are you still feeling suicidal?"

Daigo glared at Emora. "The way I'm being treated...The way I'm being looked at and talked about by everyone...It doesn't exactly give me the idea that I'm welcome in the Myre. The medics were silent while they treated my wounds, half-assed by the way. I had to tighten the bandages myself. I set up my own cot, tried to avoid any confrontations with angry looking civilians. Children would cry when they looked at me, women would look away and gossip, men would clutch their fists and glare, guards and warriors would place their hands on their swords and shift their shields at the sight of me."

The Orochi shook his head.

"I'm hated. Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?" He asked.

"I said it already. I want to help you. Daigo, everyone deserves a second chance, even if it doesn't seem like it. I...I want to give you another chance! Another opportunity to redeem yourself, to prove that you're not the evil tyrant the people currently see you to be!" Emora pleaded, her tone sincere.

The Orochi didn't say anything in response, he only looked at the Warden, his expression turning into one of confusion and questioning.

"Daigo...You're being put on trial. I've...I've managed to convince some of my friends to side with you. Even...Even Airi is on your side, despite everything that happened." Emora continued.

Daigo looked away, his head spiking back in surprise. "Is that so..."

"Yes, it is."

Emora turned to her right, watching as Airi slid in between Elea and Cinder, and took her place next to Emora. She grabbed onto the Warden's hand, clutching it tightly. Emora could feel the Nobushi's fingers feeling out her hand.

"I'm honestly surprised, Hakushi. But...I also don't understand at all, whatsoever. You all hate me, I know you do. Yet...You're helping me. I've even told you, yelled at you that I wanted to end my own life, and you don't allow it. Just what is holding you all back from plunging a knife into my stomach, huh?" Daigo asked, his voice slightly aggressive.

"Emora is, at least for me." Airi said honestly.

"Same here." Cinder said sternly.

"Goes for me too." Cindra butt in.

"Your skull would've been split into two if it was up to me!" Elea shrugged, smirking.

Daigo turned back to Emora, frowning. "So this all your doing, isn't it, Ryon?"

The Warden nodded silently, not afraid to look the Orochi in the eyes. It was clear that Daigo didn't like her disgustingly pure gaze, for he quickly found something else to look at on the ground.

"You're so naïve...You're so...Fucking empathetic. It makes me want to vomit. It makes me want to punch you in your...Perfect face!" Daigo yelled out.

"T-Thanks for the compliment?" Emora smiled nervously.

"Oh, and you have jokes...Just what I fuckin' wanted...Someone I want to get along with." The Orochi said annoyingly.

Emora rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Listen, you don't have to like me...In fact...You hate me, don't you?"

"Correct-amundo, you prick!" Daigo laughed.

"Okay, that's fine...I could care less! I'm not one to hold grudges, and I've already set my mind on what I want to do. Daigo, you're going to live. I want to give you your spot as Emperor back. You still want to help the Myre, don't you? You still want to help your people, your Empire, your home? Isn't that what you wanted in the first place?!" Emora cried out.

"You were a good man, Kaneko. I admired your determination, your honest motivations, and direct intentions to help the Samurai people. But now...I'm not sure if any of that still resides in your corrupted mind." Airi added.

Daigo's gaze darted between the Nobushi and Warden, his eyes growing wide with shock.

"It's true. I feel like you were probably a man I could've gotten along with. Someone I would've loved to help." Cinder sighed. Cindra looking at her younger brother and nodding in agreement.

The Orochi huffed, looking back at the ground. "Well...Hakushi, you're wrong. Yeah, I'm not very happy with what happened. I lost everything...My parents hate me, my people hate me, hell, even my own clan hates me. I've lost...Everything. If I had the chance, the ability to help...Then I would, yes, I still want to help my people! But..."

Daigo paused, his breathing was getting quick.

"But I don't know if they'll let me help them anymore. They don't want me as their Emperor! No one does! I've done so much...Their image of me is one of horror and dishonor! And it's true, I have been dishonored! I'd rather die than be seen as a sign of evil. I'm already looked upon negatively. My pride is shattered, my reputation destroyed as the prince of the Seinaru Clan. I have nothing. I am nothing. I can no longer do what I initially strove to do."

Daigo squeezed his eyes shut, his lips pursed. He looked down, his black hair draping over his forehead and covering his eyes. To Emora, it looked like the Orochi was holding back tears. The other Heroes couldn't help but feel shaken by his words, to feel a bit of pity on their hearts. Cinder closed his eyes, shaking his head and looking away. Airi looked to Emora, her eyes dilated with uncertainty.

"Daigo, I'm telling you right now...You still can. Please, just let me help you. I wanted to talk to you about this...I wanted to tell you that I can help give you a second chance." Emora leaned forward, Daigo's body quivering a bit.

"How?! How can you!? If you can tell me how, then maybe I'll...Maybe I'll try and understand! Emora, I don't understand how you can even stand to look at me! I tried...To kill you...And all of your friends!" Daigo stopped and looked at Airi, whose body was leaning close to Emora's. "I tried to kill the love of your life, to forcefully take her from you, against her fucking will, and you still want to help?!"

Airi flinched at the volume of the Orochi's cracking voice. Emora looked Daigo in the eyes, her mouth opening to speak.

"I told you this...Back when we were in the manor, running for our lives. I...I can't help who I am. Maybe I'm crazy, maybe I'm fucking stupid...But it's who I am. I've been told that I'm too forgiving, that I'm too...Sympathetic and empathetic. Yeah, that's true. But it's who I am, and what I choose to be. No one can change that, and I can't resist or fight against what my heart wants. But most of the time...I don't want to resist. Most of the time I agree with what it says...Because it's part of me. Why would you want to resist against something you feel?" Emora asked.

Tears began to form in Daigo's eyes as he looked up at the Warden. "I still don't...Understand—"

"It's what you're doing. You're resisting against what your heart is telling you. You want to help your people; you want to help the Myre, your home. You still want to do the right thing...But you believe that it's too late, that it can't be done. You're resisting, you're fighting against what you want. Why?" Emora asked him, her voice growing softer.

"I..It's because I...Because I...I don't...Fuck—I..."

Daigo couldn't form a sentence.

Cinder, Cindra, Elea, Airi, and the Urutora General all watched as Daigo began to sob. In front of everyone, in front of Emora, in the middle of a dirt road. People all around looked over at the carriage, hearing the Orochi's loud, desolate cries. Their eyes widening at the sight.

"Wow...Holy fuck, Emora." Cinder laughed in disbelief.

Emora took a step forward and let go of Airi's hand. She placed it on Daigo's shoulder, rubbing it gently.

"Daigo..."

The Orochi slowly looked up, his teeth clenched together tightly. He seethed quietly, trying to suppress his sobs.

"I..."

"It's okay. Daigo, please...Can I? Will you allow me to help?"

"Am I worthy...? D-Do I deserve it?"

"What have I been telling you? Everyone deserves a second chance. I see it in you. You have what it takes. Just let me guide you, let me help you. I don't want to see you die. I want to see you change, return to what you once were. You may hate me...But that won't stop me, it won't slow me, it won't deter me. Just let me, Daigo. Let me help."

The Orochi breathed slowly and heavily, his breaths deep and loud. He sniffed back his sobs and blinked rapidly, forcing his tears back into his eyes.

"My goodness...You're definitely something, Ryon. W-What exactly can you do...?" Daigo asked, his eyes finally making direct contact with Emora's, a look of hope deep inside them.

"Promise the people you'll change, apologize to them, and say that you regret everything that happened. Say that you'll accept punishment and take responsibility for what you did. Show respect to Atsuto and Airina Hakushi, and pledge your honor and sympathies to the Urutora Clan. Apologize to your parents, your clan, and your people. Tell them, swear to them, make an oath that you'll fix everything...That you'll bring them all supplies, food, water, new homes, and new lives. You'll need to show them that you still want to help, that you still want to do the right thing." Emora explained.

"How will I bring about those supplies and everything?" Daigo asked.

Emora grinned. "You just leave that to me. Just tell them to trust you, it's what you need from them. If they trust you, they'll start to lean more toward following you. Their trust will be secured once they see that your new allies are willing to help mend everything back together."

"N-New...Allies?" Daigo muttered, his voice unsure.

Emora nodded, her smile wide and full of purity.

"That's us, bozo." Cinder chuckled.

"Yeah, we're here for you and your people." Cindra smiled.

Airi sighed, looking at the Orochi. "We'll help you, Kaneko. I...I still don't like you very much...But...If Emora sees something in you, then I'll hopefully see it too. But for now, I'll put my trust with hers...Because if I'm going to agree with anyone's judgement...It's hers. I'll stand on your side, Daigo...I'll help you earn the trust of the Urutora Clan."

"And if the Urutora Clan trusts you, then other clans will probably follow, considering that they're so great and almighty or whatever!" Elea cheered.

"For sure." Cinder smirked.

Daigo couldn't believe it, he shook his head in disbelief and began to cry tears of happiness and gratitude.

"Emora...I...I can't show how much I..."

"Hey, it's fine. Just do what I told you to do. You have us on your side. And you have Hakushi on your side as well. The people look up to her, and if they see that she's on your side, supporting the idea that you can still change...Then this shouldn't be so hard if you just tell prove to them that you're different, that you're still willing to help, and lead the Dawn Empire." The Warden smiled.

"Yes, yes, I will! I'll prove it to them! I'll...I'll promise what you told me to...And I'll tell them about you, your allies, your legion! I'll tell them that there's hope...That there's hope for a better future!" Daigo cried out.

"Yeah, a better future for all of us. You'll get what you want, Daigo...A better Myre, and a stronger Dawn Empire." Emora smiled.

The Urutora General cut Daigo's binds. The Orochi turned around and looked at him, his eyes wide as he rubbed his wrists.

"It's clear that you no longer need to be bound by people who are you allies, correct?" He asked with a small grin.

"W-What're you talking about?" Daigo asked.

The Urutora General widened his happy grin. "You're one of us, aren't you? Prove to me and everyone else that you're worthy of the spot of Supreme Emperor. But...From what I saw just now...I think you have me convinced." He chuckled as he gave the Orochi a nod.

Daigo shut his eyes and bowed before the General. Airi gasped, taking a few steps back with her hand over her mouth in disbelief.

"I bet this is pretty important to the Samurai, isn't it?" Cinder asked.

Emora smiled, nodding her head.

"Arigatōgozaimashita!" Daigo yelled, his head down in a bow.

"Raizu, Orochi. Anata wa yurusareru, Kaneko-Sama." The General replied, extending his hand.

Daigo took his hand and rose back up to his full height. He nodded, exchanging a firm smile with the General. He turned back to Emora, his eyes still a bit teary.

"Thank you, Emora. I...I'm forever in your debt. Please...Once this is all over, once everything is back to the way it was and peace is upon us all again...Maybe we can have you over for some tea?" The Orochi asked.

"O-Of course! I...I'd love to visit!" Emora replied, her voice shaky but happy.

"I'm...I'm also very sorry about everything. I want to apologize to you personally, and all of your friends." Daigo said firmly, looking at Cinder, Airi, Cindra, and Elea.

"Yeah, no problem! Still gotta get to know you better but...I guess this is a start." Elea winked, making everyone laugh.

"Safe travels, Emora-San...I wish upon you a full recovery and a hopeful return to the Myre." Daigo bowed, once again making Airi jump a bit. Once the Orochi rose again, he turned to Cinder, looking at him firmly.

"Lead the way, Commander." Daigo nodded.

Cinder was a bit taken back. He cleared his throat and returned the nod. "Y-Yes...Um...Let's go then, to the plaza."

Emora watched as Cinder and the General walked away with Daigo, all three of them heading back to the center of the city. She looked at Airi, who was staring at the fading Orochi.

"Wow...Emora you...You did what you do to everyone you meet! You...You touched their hearts...You got to him! He's...He's different..." Airi stammered.

Emora passed her hands through her bangs, smiling. "Yeah...I guess I did."

The Nobushi grabbed onto the Warden's hand and kissed her. She pulled back, biting her lip. "I'm going to miss you..." Airi said softly.

"Relax, it'll only be for a little bit. You'll be back home in no time." Emora nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure of it. I'll be sure to tell you how it all goes...But...I think what you did already locked in the path he's set his mind on. You really are special, Emora. I...I'll be sure to tell Alban, Cyrus, Apollo, and Katsue that you're leaving, although they all already know that you're going away today...It's just that they're busy setting up the trial and everything." Airi explained, a smile on her face.

"Yeah...It's fine. But...I guess I should get going, shouldn't I?" Emora teased.

"Yes, you should! Remember, take it easy on that arm, and listen to everything Rose and Daisy tell you to do!" Airi laughed as Emora banged on the carriage.

"What're they gonna tell me to do? I'm gonna be stuck in bed for like...Two months, not like I can move it anywhere. But yeah...I'll let them feed me and crap." Emora rolled her eyes. She turned to the Orochi and the Kensei who would be accompanying her on the way back to Ashfeld.

"Good morning, Lord Ryon." The two said and bowed at the same time.

"H-Hi...I guess you two will be...Taking me back!" Emora said nervously.

"Don't ride through dangerous territory! And don't make the ride bumpy either! I swear...If she gets hurt..." Airi started.

"N-No! I...I'll make sure the horses go slow and carefully on the path, no need to worry, Princess Hakushi..." The Kensei bowed humbly, his voice showing his respect and slight fear of the Nobushi.

"And you..." Airi turned to the Orochi who would be in the carriage with Emora. She was a young woman with dark brown hair and black eyes.

"No funny business with Emora, alright?!" Airi yelled.

The Orochi's face flushed with a red color.

"N-No! O-Of course not, Princess Hakushi! I swear! I...I would never do such a thing! I..." The Orochi stumbled over her words, her stuttering made Emora laugh.

"Airi, chill out. You flustered her." Emora turned to the Orochi, still giggling a bit. "Don't worry about her, she's just teasing you."

"I'm not! I'm being serious!" Airi yelled.

"Okay, okay! Airi...Goodbye."

The Nobushi sighed, hugging the Warden and kissing her on the cheek once more.

"See you in a little while. I'll miss you!" She waved.

The Orochi and Kensei helped Emora up on the carriage. As the Kensei sat down in the rider's seat and the Orochi joined Emora inside the carriage, the Warden stuck her head out of the wagon, sticking her tongue out at Airi.

"Oh my gosh, really? That's how you say goodbye to me?!" The Nobushi cried as the carriage began to pull away.

"I'm kidding! I love you, bye!" Emora laughed as the Orochi pulled her back.

Airi put her hands on her hips and shook her head.

"Well...Time to get to work." She said to herself as she began to make her way back to center of the Hakushi Province.

---

Inside the carriage...

The Orochi carefully set Emora down on the bed she had made for her. There was a small crate of fruit and bread for the road, as well as multiple waterskins so the Warden wouldn't have to use a pond for water.

"So, you're basically my guard, right? Or...Are you here to keep me company?" Emora asked jokingly.

"I...I'm here to assist and watch over you. The recovery of someone with a broken limb usually requires a caresitter to make sure the wounded one is comfortable, in order to minimize movement, and accelerate the time needed for recovery." The Orochi replied, still a bit flustered from what Airi had said earlier.

Emora could feel the awkward tension in the carriage; she didn't like it at all, so she decided to try her hand at lightening the mood.

"So...You wanna fuck?"

"W-What!?"

Emora broke out laughing, the Orochi quickly holding her down to stop the Warden from potentially hurting herself.

"Oh damn, I didn't know you wanted to do it that badly, and so soon too?" Emora asked.

The Orochi's eyes widened. She shook her head repeatedly, her voice shaky. "N-No! I'm just trying to—"

"Oh relax, it's just a joke. You Samurai need to lighten up sometimes. You know, just because you were assigned a mission doesn't mean you need to be so uptight. Relax; I'm a fun person, no need to be so formal." Emora said genuinely.

"R-Right...I get it." The Orochi exhaled nervously.

After a few moments of silence, Emora started back up again.

"So, you never answered my question." She said with a smug grin, trying to continue the joke, and keep the teasing going.

It was all ruined though.

When the young, confused Orochi misunderstood...

"D-Do you seriously want me to answer? L-Like honestly? I can answer the question...If you want..." The Orochi whispered, her cheeks red. She stared at Emora with nervous, but dreamy eyes, her gaze intent.

Emora's heart stopped, her expression growing dull.

"Uh...Nevermind. I'm going to sleep."

"B-But...!" The Orochi cried out, her voice desperate. She began to reach out for the Warden, her hand shaking.

"SHUT UP." Emora yelled, slapping the Samurai's wrist.

"OW!" The Orochi squealed, rubbing her hand. She looked at the Warden with a heartbroken look before turning away and curling up on the opposite side of the wagon carriage. Emora only stared at the wooden ceiling, her heart beating out of control.

The rest of the ride was silent.

---

Fort Diamond...

The Kensei had to get Emora out of the wagon all by himself. He slowly helped her step off of the carriage, making sure to keep her arm completely still. The Orochi leaned on the side of the carriage, her head down, hair draped over her face, her arms wrapped around her own body. When the blonde Warden stepped out of her carriage, she shot her a quick look, causing her to jump.

"Tsk..." Emora frowned, looking away from the Samurai. She turned to the Kensei with a smile and nodded, thanking him.

The Warden looked up at her home Fortress, her eyes sparkling with happiness. After a few minutes, the sound of chains and wood creaking and shifting filled everyone's ears as the huge gate began to open. A few guards stepped out to secure and search the Kensei and Orochi. Emora slowly made her way towards them, the guards rushing to her, greeting and helping her. A few mere seconds afterward, Rose and Daisy both sprinted out of the gate, tears in their eyes, their cute hands reaching out for the Warden.

"Emora!" They both cried out.

Once they both saw Emora's condition, her pure smile looking at them through bandages and bruise marks, they both stopped in their tracks. Rose cupped her hands over her mouth, her eyes filled with tears of shock. Daisy's emerald eyes glistened with relief, but pity. They both slowly walked up to Emora, looking up at her with solemn looks.

"You look so tired..." Daisy said quietly.

Rose gently placed her hand on Emora's cheek, looking into her eyes. She planted a light kiss on her cheek, before digging her face into the Warden's neck, crying heavily.

"What happened?! Emora...What happened...!?" She sobbed.

"Hey...I'm okay. You two don't need to worry." Emora smiled.

Daisy looked at the Warden's broken arm. She gently tapped Emora's index finger, looking at her while she soothed it with her thumb and pointer finger.

"Can you feel it?" Daisy asked.

The Warden returned a sad smile as she shook her head. The two maids both got on either side of Emora and helped her get into the Fortress. Civilians and commoners stared at the Hero as she entered. People who knew or recognized the Warden showed signs of concern or interest for her once they saw her condition. New trainees on the path to become a Hero stared at the war-torn fighter, both in awe and in fear.

Rose and Daisy stood silently as Emora stood in the first floor of the Conference building. Rookie Heroes stood nearby, drinking rum and murmuring amongst themselves about the mess that had walked in. They all silenced once Cinderus himself stepped out of his quarters, clad in his white painted armor, his long bright blue robes flapping a few mere inches above the floor with every step. His powerful silver eyes, more powerful than the silver in both Cinder and Cindra's eyes, glared and observed Emora. The rookies did the same, all of them dead silent.

Rose and Daisy stood behind the Warden, their heads down, hands together in respect. Emora stood in front of Cinderus, awaiting the words that were to come. Her right fist was clenched with strain, while her left arm was completely still, her forearm arched a tiny bit.

"So, you have returned." Cinderus said, his voice deep and almighty.

Emora bowed in respect. "Yes, General, I have. I...I returned here a bit early due to all of the damage that I have sustained." She explained, struggling to keep her voice firm.

The General looked at the Warden's arm and shifted. He raised a finger towards it and raised an eyebrow. "How do you plan on continuing your duties with an injury as severe as that? I don't think you are fit to be a Warden anymore. I suggest you retire, Ryon."

Emora swallowed hard, she felt a wave of heat surge through her body as she began to sweat. She could hear Daisy and Rose whimpering behind her. She held firm and calm as she spoke. "Sir, I will recover from this injury. I...I completed my objective, and the mission was a success."

"Ah, so you managed to get Hakushi back in action..." Cinderus asked, his expression one of satisfaction and surprise. Emora silently nodded in response.

"But...Developments have occurred. In the Myre, the two powerhouse clans, the Urutora and Seinaru Clans are in disarray. The Hakushi Province...The city that was created by the Hakushi family long ago, was destroyed during the battle." Emora reported, the room becoming filled with a deep tension.

"What?! An entire city destroyed in a rescue mission?! Just how is that possible?" Cinderus asked, his voice growing more intimidating.

"There were some disagreements between sides. The...The temporary Emperor was having some issues, Atsuto and Airina Hakushi were both killed, and the Urutora Clan was temporarily taken over. The people rebelled, the city and royal Manor burned and destroyed. It...It was all a chain of events, General...It was all a simple blur." Emora bowed, closing her eyes from nervousness.

Cinderus put his hand on his chin and shook his head. He looked up at Emora, a frown on his face. "So the other Heroes are...?"

"They are helping to settle things out in the city. In the Myre, the panic caused by certain events has caused us to believe that we should help the Samurai in their time of need. Another reason I returned was to try and convince you, for your permission. We want to help the Samurai, the Urutora and Seinaru Clans. The Azure Legion can greatly impact the health of the Dawn Empire if this happens." Emora explained.

"I see. The Azure Legion is quite wealthy, and with constant victories against the Elio Legion, supplies are bountiful. What is it that they need?" Cinderus asked.

"The basics, my General. Food, water, building supplies, some soldiers and workers for additional support, and of course other goods that we can perhaps trade with the Samurai. We want to help rebuild the Hakushi Province, and restore life in the city in where hundreds of people once lived happily." Emora replied. She bowed fully, her head down, her eyes closed, her hair draping over her face.

"Please, General Alphus, I'm begging that you speak with the other Generals about this...Our Warlords can lead the convoys, our men can help the process be quick! Please sir...Allow for us to help others in need. An alliance with the two most powerful clans in the Myre is also a possibility, sir." Emora added on, her voice filled with hope and honesty.

Cinderus looked at Emora, his face stern.

"Please...Sir...?" Emora mumbled aloud after a few seconds of silence.

Cinderus sighed and lifted his chin, looking down on the Warden. "Stand tall, Ryon."

Emora did as told. She stood up straight, looking at Cinderus with a determined gaze.

"I see no problem with this. As long as the Samurai aren't playing any tricks, then I would be happy to help. Not only that, but an alliance with the Dawn Empire could greatly help our Legion, as well as the rest of Ashfeld." Cinderus smiled.

"T-Thank you, General Alphus!" Emora squeaked, Rose and Daisy behind her with big smiles on their faces. The two grabbed onto Emora and bowed in respect before Cinderus, before turning for the door. A Centurion and Peacekeeper stared at the battered Warden as she exited. Emora looked ahead, spotting a young teenage girl standing by the door, her gaze set on Emora.

It was clear that she was scared of what being a Hero could entail.

Emora stopped, Rose and Daisy looking back, being careful not to pull on the Warden. Emora looked down at the young girl, her face friendly.

"What's with that look?" Emora asked.

The young girl flinched. She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes quickly shifted to Emora's arm and body. She had bright blonde hair that was even lighter than Emora's. Her eyes were a crystal clear laser blue, her face young, completely spotless and delicate. This girl had never gotten hurt, had never suffered severe pain, had never even gotten badly scratched before. Her heart was young, her mind naïve. Emora began to smile as she observed the young trainee, who was still young and impressionable.

"So, you going to answer?" Emora asked again. The young girl blinked, jumping a bit.

"U-Um...No...Lord Ryon...I apologize for staring." She said quickly, bowing before Emora shortly after finishing what she had said.

"No, it's okay. Tell me." Emora smiled warmly.

The young teenager looked up, her eyes big with admiration. "I...I just...Seeing someone like you...Battered, beaten, deeply wounded, and broken...Still walking and talking. It's...It's scary. I..."

The girl paused, tears building in her eyes.

"I'm scared of becoming a Warden now...I...I know that it's a dangerous job, but getting hurt that badly...I...I can't imagine that. I...I don't want to die! But I know that being a Hero means...Means having self-sacrifice." She finished.

Emora nodded. "Well, then...Maybe you shouldn't have gone into training. Here at Fort Diamond, we take in junior trainees when they're twelve and train them from the ground up, but only when they're completely sure they want to become a Hero, and if their parents allow it. How old are you?"

"I...I'm fourteen, ma'am." The girl said shyly.

"That means you've been in training for two years. You're only four years away from being able to become a real Hero. But six years away from being able to go outside of the Fortress and fight in outer battles. You're just having your doubts now?"

"Y-Yes. I've seen wounded soldiers before, but none were as bad as you! I've also been hurt in training, but they're just bruises that heal quickly. A broken arm...That takes weeks to heal, and it hurts so much...!" The young girl whimpered.

"Yeah, but...I mean, are you sure you want to become a Warden?"

The young girl's eyes flashed with hurt. "Yes! I-I want to become a Hero! My dad...He was a Warden too. He died when I was ten...And my mom? Well...She didn't handle it very well. She gets drunk a lot...And she works as a dancer. Sometimes she would come home with a random man and...You know. I hate being home, that's why I wanted to go into training when I turned twelve...So I could leave her."

Emora's heart stung with pain. "I see...I...I'm sorry. I..."

The Warden shook her head, her heartbeat accelerating.

"It's okay though...I don't care. I just wish I had somewhere better to come home to. But...I...I don't know if I want to do this anymore."

Emora sighed. Her smiled grew as she placed her right hand on the trainee's shoulder. "Hey, listen. I'm...I'm kind of brash, this is just what happens. I'll tell you one thing. This type of stuff will likely only happen when you turn twenty and are able to go out on missions. You've still got a lot of time to get hardened, you don't need to worry at all. Plus, I'm kind of a...Drastic fighter."

"Don't I get to go on missions when I'm eighteen?" The teenage trainee asked quietly.

"No, only self-defense missions and patrol. Basic stuff, just to gain some experience before you get to the big stuff. I've been a Warden for three years, but I've only been a Hero for one year. I'm not that experienced either, you know."

"I've heard so much of you though...You were the one who won the Martial Arts Tournament!"

Emora nodded. "Yes but...I want you to listen, keep this in mind. Anything can happen when you're out there...But try not to think about the bad things. Whatever comes your way is something you can overcome if you play your cards right, okay?"

The young teenager nodded.

"Train hard, learn a lot, and stay positive. Thoughts of death will only make you paranoid, and that's the opposite of what you want to be during a fight. Wounds will come, and you will feel more and more pain, but just remember that whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Let the pain harden you, and strengthen your heart and body, mind and soul, got it?"

The girl nodded. Emora paused, motioning her head at her broken arm.

"And...This right here is a sign of my effort. It doesn't matter what happens as long as you try and complete your duty as a Warden. Fight for your cause with honor, and fight for honor. When the sword of a Warden is drawn, it's for a purpose, and that purpose is what should drive you. You'll be a great Warden, trust me on that."

The Trainee's cheeks flushed with red. She put a grin on her face as she nodded her head eagerly. "Y-Yes Lord Ryon, thank you!"

"No problem. Take care now, alright?" Emora winked as Rose and Daisy began to help her forward.

"Okay! Thank you again, Lord Ryon!" The young girl waved goodbye, a new role model set in her mind. A new Hero for her to admire and follow.

Rose and Daisy took Emora back to her quarters, a small but beautiful two story house which she shared with Airi. After a slow, careful shower, and a grueling changing of the cast, Emora was set down in her bed, where she would likely be staying in for a few long weeks.

"Hey, Rose...Daisy?" Emora said aloud as the two maids were about to exit the room for the night.

"Yes, Emora?" Daisy asked as she turned around.

"Y-You guys will take good care of me...Right?" Emora asked.

Rose and Daisy exchanged short glances. They smiled and laughed as they nodded their heads, both rushing back over to the Warden and kissing her on the forehead.

As Emora fell into a deep slumber, all sorts of thoughts flooded her mind. With heavy eyelids, and a hopeful heart, the Warden started her first night on her long path to recovery.

An exciting future awaited her.

---

Back in the Myre, the trial of Kaneko Daigo was occurring, with the people of the Urutora and some form the Seinaru Clans filled with mixed emotions about the young Emperor. Many angry Urutora Generals, as well as Daigo's parents were on the opposing side of the spectrum, wanting the young Emperor to be imprisoned for the remainder of his lifetime, and some even wanting him to be publicly executed for attempting the forced takeover of the Urutora Clan.

Vouching for Daigo, the Heroes of the Azure Legion, regretful Seinaru Generals, and of course, Hakushi Airi of the Urutora Clan. Naturally, Airi was the only one who was fit to be the true heir of the throne, and was expected to take the place of the Supreme Empress, and was to elect a Supreme Emperor with the help of the people and public opinion. Airi did not want this however, nor did any of the other Heroes. Daigo sat silently at his trial, waiting for the moment for when it his time to speak.

The two sides fought viciously, and neither side showed any sign of giving up. The civilians of both clans were forced to pick sides. Whether they were merciful or out for blood, there was a side that benefitted everyone. More people and more Samurai began to get ahold of the news of the trial and came to the destroyed Province to see what had happened. The Daimyo's emerged, and even though they had no real say in the matter, they still wished to see who would be commanding them in the future. The trial went on for two weeks, the rebuilding process slow until Daigo finally proposed what he was capable of doing for the Myre.

With Emora in the back of his mind, his memories of her kindness and acts mercy flashing through his head, and the sound of her soft voice telling him everything that he needed to say in order to hopefully earn the trust of the people back, he spoke proudly and firmly. He promised that he would rebuild the entire Province even better than before, and in a time that would be fairly short. He would rebuild the Hakushi Manor and restore its original colors and layout, in honor of the Atsuto and Airina. He would bring food, drink, medicine, clothes, and other supplies and goods over to the Myre from his allies in Ashfeld, the Azure Legion, who would also be bringing over carpenters, architects, and workers in order to accelerate the rebuilding process. Finally, if it was deemed necessary, Daigo vowed to receive any punishment that he was to receive.

"Even if I am to end up being executed, I will still follow through with everything I have promised, despite me no longer being present. I will restore your homes and your lives, even if it costs me my own life."

Were the words of Daigo himself, standing in front of the people and the trial. With clear eyes, a firm voice, and a serious expression, Daigo apologized in Japanese, falling to his knees and bowing fully to the side who opposed him. The Generals and civilians were shocked to see this moment, Airi found herself smiling at the sight.

"Gomen'nasai."

With Daigo leaving his life up to the trial, the Heroes watched the Emperor slowly walk back to his seat and sit down, his head down, completely silent. The opposing side was clearly shaken, the lead speaker having to take a second to breathe and clear his throat before continuing the sentences. Airi turned to her allies, saying that the help the Myre needed as quickly as possible. If Daigo was killed, the people would realize that he was not lying, and that possibly...Just maybe, a mistake was made.

Exactly one more week later, the trial was concluded and decided. The final verdict being announced publicly. An Urutora General, the same one who had helped Cinder hold Daigo down when he spoke to Emora, stood atop of a podium, his expression stern. In Japanese, he spoke proudly, the people murmuring with excitement in the crowds. Four different colored Daimyos stood in the outskirts, their arms crossed, their eyes peeled, their ears listening closely. As the verdict was finished, Daigo was speechless, his chest pounding.

Alban put his hand on Airi's shoulder, Katsue too busy crying.

"What did he say?"

With a relieved smile, Airi looked at the Highlander, her eyes big.

"The trial of Kaneko Daigo of the Seinaru Clan has finally been decided. After three long weeks of back and forth conflict, this verdict has been decided upon by the people, the Urutora, and Seinaru clans all together as one, the Samurai of the Dawn Empire. Daigo Kaneko is to be spared of execution, our hearts filled with hope that these mistakes will not be repeated ever again. With his promises in mind, but the possibility of betrayal still in the question, Kaneko is to be imprisoned for half a year. That is the punishment that has been chosen in order to pay for the crimes committed by Daigo. With these final words, we hope that a bright future awaits the Myre. In our time of darkness, we all can only hope that the light shines through it all, showing us the path to the recovery."

---

Three Months Later...

"Thank you so much Ms. Baker! We hope to see you this evening!" Rose said cheerfully as she waved goodbye to a brown haired lady who she had just given a flyer to. The happy girl sprinted through the entire fortress, dodging carriages and horses, running through barns and taverns, and spreading the word about the news. A smile was on her face the entire time, her stamina seemed unlimited. The sun was high up in the sky, the weather perfect. The wind was blowing lightly, the air cool, the sun giving off just the right amount of warmth.

Rose stopped in her tracks as she spotted Cinder with his arms crossed, standing outside of the Conference Building. She slid in front of him, looking up at him with her hands together.

"Cinder! You're coming right?! Please tell me you're coming!" She fluttered excitedly.

The Commander couldn't help but smile at the young maid, looking down at her with a positive look on his face. He uncrossed his arms and put his hands on his hips. "Of course I am, I wouldn't miss it even if it was the end of the world." He said with a smirk.

"Is your sister coming too?!" Rose cried.

"Of course, tsk...Cindra wants to go more than I do. It's not like I don't want to, but she's even more excited than I am. Actually...She's out getting ready." Cinder replied.

"Ready?" Rose asked, confused.

"Yeah. She doesn't want to wear her Azure robes. Instead she wants to wear a dress. But hey, that's her choice." Cinder shrugged.

Rose put her hand on her chin as she looked at the ground for a second. She looked back at Cinder with a giggle. "Ms. Dormor said there was no way she was going to wear a dress! She made me laugh with her ridiculous quirks."

Cinder let out a small chuckle, shaking his head with a smile. "Yeah, there's no way in hell Elea would wear a dress. Nothing in the world would make her do that, no doubt. Although it would be hilarious to see her wearing a nice little gown with some high-heels." The Commander huffed.

"I know, it would be so fitting!" Rose laughed.

Cinder exhaled, looking up at the bright blue sky. "Maybe, it would definitely give everyone a good laugh. It's not her style at all, and I don't think she'll be able to walk with those elevated heels."

Rose nodded in agreement. She cleared her throat and smiled cheerfully. "I have to be going now, I must help Daisy finish up the preparations! See you this evening Mr. Alphus!"

With a light bow and a cute little wave, Rose dashed off, Cinder watched her disappear among the people. He looked at his hands and ruffled up his perked up hair. He looked over his shoulder and stilled himself when he heard someone coming down the stairs from inside the building. He knew who it was, so he relaxed his body and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms again, and looking away as the door to the conference building opened.

"Father." Cinder said firmly.

"Cinder, what are you doing out here?" Cinderus asked, his voice still as powerful as ever.

"Just observing dad, nothing much." The young Commander replied.

Cinderus clenched his fists and looked around, his brow furrowed in his stern expression, which he always kept on. "Where is Cindra?"

"She's out preparing. She's bathed like twice today already. I'm about to go take one myself before I go get ready. Hm, tell me dad..."

Cinder turned to his father.

"Are you excited about this?" He asked.

Cinderus sighed, scratching his head. He paused for a second, his eyes looking out in front of him. A small smile came over his stern face as he tilted his head, shrugging.

"Well, they're still very young and naïve, both with a lot to learn. But being a Hero is different than being in a relationship."

Cinder couldn't help but laugh at his father's remark. "Very true dad...Very true."

After a few moments of silence, the General of the Azure Legion huffed, his smile now clear on his face.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Cinder nodded, his heart filled with excitement.

Rose slid on the sandy floor as she hit a sharp left, kicking up dust as she took off, sprinting towards a medium sized house. She burst through the door, panting.

"Daisy! Daisy!"

Within seconds, the other young maid appeared through the backdoor, a wide smile on her face.

"How'd it go? Did you send out the flyers?" She asked.

"Of course I did! All of them! Except for one..." Rose replied, holding up a single flyer.

"W-Who refused?" Daisy asked.

Rose grinned. "The blacksmith. Hard at work making the diamond...You know." She winked, Daisy giggling happily. She grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her out back, both of them looking at the beautiful sight in front of them.

"Hyah! Hrah! Tch—Gah! Hngh...Tsh, Huah!"

"AHH!"

Apollo slammed into the ground, dust exploding out from underneath him. He coughed heavily, sweating profusely. He looked up at his opponent with a smile, still coughing and wheezing a bit. A gorgeous, soft hand reached out to him, he grabbed onto it tightly, pulling himself up and standing at his full height.

"It's like nothing ever happened. Rose and Daisy must've kept you like a fuckin' statue. How's it feel to be back in action?" The Centurion asked.

The two maids shuddered with giddy little giggles as they looked at the beautiful Warden, her blonde ponytail flowing in the wind, her hazel eyes narrowed with pride, her smirk filled with relief and happiness. She clutched her left fist, flexing and rotating her arm. She wiped sweat off of her brow as she slammed her right fist into her left hand.

"It feels amazing. I stayed in that bed for an extra two weeks, just to make sure that it was fully healed. It feels great, I'm back to normal! Then again...I haven't trained or worked out in three whole months...So I've got work to do." Emora winked. She wore chains on her forearms, acting as weights. She had no shirt on, just her bra. Her leather pants tucked into beige colored cloth boots. A white silk headband was tied around her head, hiding behind her fringe, her ponytail running down her back.

"So Apollo, you want to keep going?" The Warden asked with a grin.

"Hit me!" The Centurion replied.

Emora strode forward, leaping slightly into the air and throwing a powerful kick. Weighted kneepads and shin guards were strapped onto both of her legs. Apollo placed his hands front of the Warden's heel, blocking just in time. The weights gave the blow extra force, sending the Centurion staggered back from recoil.

"Oh...Jeez, your arm was broken, not your legs!" He teased.

"Yeah, I know! Don't mean I can't use em!"

The two friends charged at one another. Apollo missing his right hook, but blocking Emora's jab as well. The Centurion leaned back, expecting a forward jab from Emora. He ducked his head and crossed his forearms in front of his face, only to receive a shattering punch directly underneath his chin. His head spiked upwards, his jaw tingling with pain.

"Ugh!"

Emora backed up, grinning. She placed her guard back up on the left side, expecting a strong left hook from the Centurion. She blocked the left side of her face with her left forearm, using her right arm to support her bicep to reinforce the block. But Apollo retaliated differently, stepping to the right and swinging his fist in an arc, delivering a strong right hook to Emora's exposed right face.

"Guh!"

Emora shook her head as she looked ahead, Apollo about to launch forward a left forward punch. She felt her heart skip a beat as she thrusted her left arm out, her fist clutched fiercely.

"Oh!"

"Tsk!"

Apollo and Emora's fists collided, their knuckles cracking into each other's. Both of them pushed forward, trying to force the other's arm back. Their left arms quivered with tension, shaking steadily, their muscles bulging out with struggle.

"That arm of yours really healed up nicely..." Apollo exhaled, his voice strained.

"Time...Is the best medicine!" Emora replied, her fist opening up wide in a split second, Apollo's fist falling straight into the Warden's sweaty palm.

"What the—"

Emora quickly threw a powerful right jab into the center of Apollo's chest, knocking the wind right out of him. She then launched her left kneecap into his side, lifting herself up off the ground using her right foot. With a final move, she clocked the back of Apollo's neck using a swift right chop. The Centurion's eyes went blank, spit spilling from his mouth as he fell forward, unconscious.

The Warden did all of this in under two seconds.

Rose and Daisy rushed out, shaking Apollo, trying to wake him. Emora stood up, dusting herself off.

"Guys, it's okay. He's only knocked out. He'll wake up in a few minutes. I gotta remember to thank him for helping me have my first warm up in a while." Emora grinned, taking off her dirty headband and taking a deep breath.

Rose looked up at Emora, her hands together politely. "Emora, you should to take a bath! I can go with you if you'd like!"

Emora smiled and shook her head. "There's no need to anymore, remember?"

"Oh..."

Rose looked down, her eyes downcast. "I forgot you don't need our help anymore. You can do everything on your own again. S-Sorry...Ms. Ryon..."

"Ms. Ryon?!"

Emora grabbed onto Rose's hand, the maid looking up at the Warden, her gray eyes filled with confusion.

"I might need a little help doing my hair after I'm done." The Warden smiled.

Rose's face brightened. "Okay! Let's go, Daisy can take care of Mr. Stone!"

The blonde maid smiled, raising a thumbs up. Emora and Rose went inside, the Warden going off to prepare for the evening. Elsewhere, someone else was busy with the preparation.

"Which dress do you want to wear? And there's tons of flower fragrances you can put on, you just need to decide which one. Are you going to be wearing anything on your head? And...Your shoes, flats right? I don't think you really like the high-heel style..." Katsue asked, her long hair tied up and curled, her eyes darkened by a light shadow, bringing out her beautiful purple irises. She was wearing a dark blue dress and silver flat shoes.

Airi sat in front of Katsue, her hair still a bit wet, her attractive, young body completely naked. She was sprawled out on top of the Shinobi's bed, one of her hands over her mouth.

"Um...She likes blue...I'll wear white and blue! But...She might like red too...Like scarlet, don't you think? And...She likes the smell of Lavender and Jasmine's...So we can use those oils! And...Yeah, flat shoes. But what color? And what makeup? How will I do my hair...And what ornament should I wear? Gold, silver? Or maybe...Something light, like pearls! I don't know...I really don't know..."

The Nobushi covered her face and sighed.

"Ugh...Katsue, I don't know! I want to look good for her..."

Katsue smiled warmly, her eyes growing soft.

"Airi..."

Hakushi took her hands off of her face and craned her neck to look at the Shinobi. "Yeah?"

Katsue exhaled, her voice gentle. "Emora thinks you're beautiful no matter what you wear. It doesn't matter what you wear, what makeup you use, what flowers you smell like, she'll always think you're the prettiest thing in the world, you know."

Airi didn't respond, she only looked at Katsue in silence.

"Just wear what you want. She'll love it either way."

Airi looked at her own body, biting her lip as she eyed the slit in between her legs that was her wonder hole. "Okay...But first, get me a razorblade."

"A razorblade?" Katsue asked. She traced Airi's eyes, trying to follow her line of sight. The Shinobi's eyes fell upon Airi's vagina, her eyes immediately rolling.

"Wow...You're a dirty girl, aren't you?" Katsue laughed.

"I don't know if she likes it shaved or not!" Airi cried out, blushing profoundly.

"Right, right. I'll get you one."

"Thanks..."

Airi watched as Katsue exited the room, leaving the Nobushi alone in her thoughts. She passed her fingertips past the little slit, her body tingling with wishful thoughts, a wave of heavy ecstasy passed over her, her heart skipping a beat. Thoughts of what Emora had promised her up in the watchtower three months ago made it even more intense.

"Emora...I really hope you deliver..."

---

A few hours later...

In the grand plaza of Fort Diamond, straight in the center, all of the people were bustling and crowding. There were tables laid out with tons of food, like meats, biscuits, scones, vegetables, and even baked sweets. Everyone was able to come and eat for free, like a huge feast. Wooden chairs were laid out for the majority of the people to sit during the ceremony. There were musicians and jousts for entertainment, singing and dancing, the entire plaza decorated with ribbons and wreaths.

The time for the ceremony was coming near as the sun was beginning to set. Most of the people attending knew of the popular Warden known as Emora, as she had been there since she was born, her parents both being decorated Heroes who were tragically killed in the line of duty. Emora lived up to their names, becoming known as the Hero who won the Jacques Pierre's Martial Arts Tournament with a stylish kiss, one of the Heroes who embarked on the undercover mission to Valkenheim, and the Hero who saved Daigo Kaneko's life, and possibly the entire Myre.

Unlike Airi, the Warden was present during the pre-ceremony, mingling and socializing with her friends and fellow Knights. She wore white leather boots, the heels, tips, soles, and laces lined with gold. Her pants and brigandines where white, her bright silver armor painted with the same color.

Her shoulder pads and chest pieces all tightly strapped with lightly colored belts with golden buckles, the center piece with an engraving of a rose. To top it all off, her robes and cape were all a snowy white color as well. Her makeup was light, a beige foundation that powdered her smooth skin, and a bit of moisturizing ointment to gloss up her lips. Her blonde hair was down, running down her shoulders and back, down to her breasts. A small golden crown with small white diamonds rest upon her head.

She looked up at the setting sun, watching as the sky slowly turned pinkish-blue. Soon, it would be completely orange, the clouds all little blotches of grey that were laid out in the sky. Her hazel eyes glowed with a golden light, her nervous heart beating with a heated pace.

"You nervous?"

Emora snapped out of it. She realized she was holding a cup of water, and took small sip from it. Katsue stood in front of her, her dark blue dress matching her perfectly.

"Katsue, you look beautiful." The Warden smiled warmly, ignoring her question.

"Oh come on, you're just saying that. I know I look horrible." Katsue shook her head, brushing some strands of hair out of her face.

"What're you talking about? You look gorgeous! Those amethyst eyes of yours, they're so unique. I love it."

Katsue brushed the Warden away playfully, giggling with a small blush. "Emora, you're so charming! No wonder Airi fell for you." The Shinobi winked.

Emora rolled her eyes, laughing nervously. "I was the opposite of charming when I met Airi. I'm still not very charming, considering that I get flustered pretty easily. But I'm just comfortable with you, and I'm good at telling the truth."

"The truth? Wow, now you're implying that I'm beautiful. Okay, be quiet, you klutz." Katsue scoffed, Emora laughing at the Shinobi's stupid smile.

Cyrus and Elea came by, stopping at the two Heroes, both holding cups of rum.

"Hey! It's the blessed motherfucker! How ya feelin'?" Cyrus laughed, slapping Emora's shoulder.

"I'm doing fine, just a bit giddy. You know...The butterflies in the stomach." Emora replied with a smile.

"Oh, butterflies?" Cyrus looked at Elea and Katsue before turning back to Emora with a smirk. "Butterflies about the wedding? Or butterflies about what's gonna happen...After the wedding? HA!"

Elea and Katsue both burst out laughing, Emora rolling her eyes and covering her face with one hand, her cheeks flushed with a deep red.

"Goddamn it Cyrus, you can never give me a break, can you?!" Emora stammered.

"Nope! You already know I'm here to ruin your life." The golden Warden winked. His armor was sparkling. His boots were a clean light brown, the same with his belts and straps. His armor was painted with a golden paint, his shoulder, knee, shin, and chest pieces all shining brightly. His robes and cape were a bright yellow, his chest fitted with an engraving of a lion. His slicked blonde hair and bright blue eyes made him a magnet for women, but he didn't seem to be looking back at any of them, at least not seriously.

"Well, it's almost time I think! So you'd better get ready, huh? People are already takin' their seats, and I think I'm about to go off to try and find Apollo." Cyrus huffed, Elea nodding along.

"Yeah, where is Apollo anyways? And Alban?" Emora asked.

"Both of them are off playing a drinking game. But something tells me that Alban can take more than Apollo." Elea chuckled, her arms crossed. Dresses were not the Berserker's style, but she still looked somewhat formal.

Her boots were ankle high, both of them black leather. Her slim pants were light brown, her shirt made of ice-white silk. She wore golden bracelets on her wrists, and two little silver earrings.

Her dark brown hair was smooth and straight, her extra hair forming little side fringe that surrounded her ears. Her ponytail was a single, long braid that rested on her shoulder, and reached down to her waist. The Berserker looked calm and happy, cute and innocent.

Finally, after a few more minutes the ceremonial horn blew. People began to take their seats, the noise lessening and lessening. Everyone took their places. The priest stood in between two guards who were clad in white and blue armor and robes. Standing near the front, Cinder, Cindra, and Cinderus stood proudly, their armor black, their robes blue and cyan. Their longswords were dug into the ground, all three of them standing still and calm.

An outdoor wedding was something that was only done for large-scale ceremonies. Indeed, there was many people attending. The joining of two Heroes was also a big deal, knowing that the life of a Hero came with dangers. It was a bold move, but at the same time, a beautiful one. The music began to play as Emora walked down the lane; she held her longsword tightly, making sure to keep it steady.

She could see the people looking at her as she walked, she eyed the priest and his guards as she began to walk a bit to the right, she straightened herself, panicking. She stopped in front of the priest, but craned her neck to look at Cinderus.

Cindra and Cinder took their sides by their father. Cinderus ordered Emora to bow. She did as told, and fell onto one knee. The General took ahold of the Warden's sword and held it steadily over her head. Announcing his official blessings, the crowd clapped a bit, Cinder and Cindra both giving short speeches that were dedicated to the Warden shortly after. As the General and Commanders of the entire Fortress, their appearance was set to happen during the ceremony as well.

The priest also did a bit of speaking, announcing the name of the Warden, and the type of wedding that was occurring. Airi was not only a Samurai, but was also another woman. Both were very young, and both were Heroes. The people showed no reaction, knowing about what was happening. Cyrus, Elea, Apollo, Alban, and Katsue all sat in the front row, all of them watching intently. Finally, it was the time for the bride to be revealed. As the music began to play, the people turned in their seats to watch Princess Hakushi of the Myre emerge from the church.

Murmurs and Ooh's could be heard from the crowd, all of them observing the beautiful woman before them. Tears welled in Katsue's eyes as she looked at the Nobushi and her beauty. Apollo, Alban, and Cyrus were all grinning, Cindra and Cinder smiling lightly.

The Nobushi wore a silver dress, it glistened in the sun, the silk lining and straps were white, her tight gloves the same color. Her shoes were the same color as her gown, a beautiful silver. Her hair was tied in a bun, little tips edged out from the bottom, all of them tied together with a white ribbon. Her eyes were lightly shadowed, her lips glistened with a light pink color, her eye lashes brushed, her perfect nose smooth and powdered.

Escorting Airi down the lane with linked arms were both Rose and Daisy on either side of her. Both of them wearing dresses of respective colors to their names. Rose with a ruby dress and roses in her hair, while Daisy wore a yellow dress with white daisies in her hair.

Once she was close enough, Airi finished the walk on her own. Taking her place next to Emora, who was wide-eyed and silent. She found herself unable to stop looking at the Nobushi, her lean body fitting the silver dress perfectly, her face irresistibly beautiful and attractive, her curvature firm and mesmerizing, her overall beauty was breathtaking.

The Warden shut her eyes and shuddered as she turned to look at the priest. The golden crown sat atop her head, the white diamonds shimmering with the sun's soothing light. Airi was wearing a silver tiara; two little white diamonds lined the center of it, representing the situation. She was holding a bouquet of flowers, her short bangs flowing above her eyes.

Emora dug her sword's blade into the ground. She stood tall and firm, her lips quivering ever so slightly. As the music became subtle and gentle, the priest began to announce the oaths of the two Heroes.

"The bride and groom have written their own vows and oaths. Please let the people hear them aloud." The priest announced.

Airi cleared her throat as she looked at Emora, who looked back. She was holding the flowers tightly, a little too tight. Her arms were shaking a bit, her eyes shining with nervousness. She opened her mouth to speak, hesitating a bit before recovering.

"I—I...I, Airi Hakushi of the Urutora Clan...Vow to you, Emora Ryon, of the Azure Legion, to always be there for you in your times of need, and hours of darkness. I vow to always be there to care for you, and to always be available for any situation or misfortune. I vow to you, swear to you, that I will never abandon you, nor will I ever leave your side. I want to be with you forever, I never want to be separated from you. My heart only belongs to you, without you being there, I'm nothing but a broken Hero. I vow to love, and care, and adore, and treasure you for as long as I live, for I see it impossible for me not to do so." Airi said slowly and firmly. The people were shaken by the Nobushi's words. Katsue could hear people nearby aweing and cooing, some even beginning to sniffle. The Shinobi bit her lip and felt as a couple of tears fell from her eyes.

"Damn...The Samurai always had a way with words..." Cyrus whispered.

"Shut up, you dumbass." Apollo snapped quietly.

Alban's eyes were bright with happiness. He could feel his beating heart in his chest, he could hear his own heartbeat. He remembered his love for Emora, and his promise to her, to always keep her and Airi safe. He had done what she wanted, and he had made her happy again. For him, to be seeing this moment, was something that hit very close to home, and although deep down it was bittersweet, the Highlander couldn't help but shed a tear at the show of deep love.

Emora's gentle heart couldn't take it. She was the one wearing the armor, holding the sword, wearing the crown instead of the tiara. She was seen as the stronger one, but in reality, Airi was the one with the stronger heart, the one with more composure, the one capable of handling more amounts and heavier levels of emotion, not Emora.

The Warden's heart grew a thousand sizes, her emotions breaking the dam and flooding through her body. She felt tears erupt from her eyes as her chest became devoid of all air. With a heavy cry, she fell onto her knees, the crowd gasping out loud at the sight, thinking that something was wrong.

Cinder, Cinderus, and Cindra all grew alert, Alban, Elea, Katsue, Cyrus, and Apollo did as well. Airi let out a cry of fear as she jumped up a bit, dropping the flowers. The Priest watched as Emora fell onto all fours, crying like a full-blown baby. Her heart ached with overflowing emotion, her pulsing chest felt like it was about to explode. He began to smile as he turned to Cinderus.

"You were right about her." The Priest said.

Cinderus nodded, looking at the young Warden, smiling lightly. "She has nerves of steel, a heart of gold, and amazing physical ability. She's a good leader and a genuine person, all the things that her parents were. The only difference is her delicate soul. It seems that her only weakness is those leaky eyes of hers."

The Priest huffed. "You're gonna have to try and fix those leaks."

Cinderus paused for a bit, thinking. "Hm...I think it's better if I leave her the way she is. She may cry a lot, but...It's who she is. I can't change that."

The people watched as Emora tried to speak, her cries far too loud, her sobs heavy and desperate. They drained her of all her air, she gasped in and out, she panted rapidly, trying to breathe in between sobs. Her face was red, her eyes shut tightly, tears streaming down her face, her crown on the ground next to her. Airi looked down at the Warden, watching with her own tears in her eyes.

"E-Emora..."

"NO! J-Just...Be quiet, okay?! I..."

Emora looked up at the Nobushi, shaking her head. Her head began to spin, as if she was about to pass out.

"Airi...I...I'm such a lucky girl...I'm so lucky to have you. I...Those vows...They're so much better than the ones I wrote! You're...You're amazing, Airi! I just...I can't match up to you, I feel like I'm a disappointment! But...I..."

The Priest cut in, raising his hand. "Ryon, just tell her what you feel."

Emora got up onto one knee, she wiped her tears and took a few deep breaths. The ceremony was basically ruined because of the Warden's weeping, but it made it all that more unique.

"Airi, I just...All I can say is...That I love you. I love you more than anything in this entire wide world! Ever since the beginning...You were the only one out of the team to try and talk to me. You fought alongside me, you were the one who told the other two to help me! You saved my life that day...From that Warden! You took care of me and healed me every time I was done with one of my messy fights! You cleaned me, washed my clothes, kept me fed and hydrated. You've already been doing all of the things that you said in your vows...And just knowing that you're going to be doing all of them...For the rest of my life...Just knowing that...It..."

Emora paused, releasing a sob.

"It's a miracle, it's...It's a blessing! Airi, to me...You're a gift straight from the heavens! I...I treasure you with everything I have! I would give my life for you, I would never...Ever hurt you, in any way! I already feel like I can't! Every day, my feelings for you grow more and more, and I never want it to stop. I swear to you, Airi...I'll protect you, I'll shield you from all danger, whether it be physical or emotional, I'll do everything I can to keep you safe and healthy. I vow to always tend to you, to never ignore or neglect you like I've done in the past. I want to apologize for my past mistakes, I want to apologize for the things I've done before. I'm sorry for worrying, keeping you anxious and scared for hours on end whenever I went off alone to fight an enemy I know I couldn't beat! I beg for your forgiveness, for those times I left you alone, I know how much you enjoy having me around...I want you to know, I feel the same way!"

Airi was shaking.

"Without you, I'm nothing. That's why I couldn't do anything when you left! I couldn't sleep, rest, I couldn't relax at all! I had to come after you...I had too! I felt empty, like a piece of me was missing. Airi...I would do...Absolutely anything for you, as long as it means...That you're a part of my life. I never want you to leave...Because I for one, will never want to leave your side. You're the only one for me, and I love you. I just...Words can't explain it. Thinking of you makes me smile like an idiot, my heart begins to race, my face flushes with red, I can't...I can't resist you, nor can I resist my feelings. Your words mean so much to me...Anything you say hits me right in the heart. That's why I...Why I broke down just now...Because you shatter me, Airi. But I know you can also put me back together..."

The crowd was sitting at the edges of their seats. The Priest was smiling, Cindra was crying, she tugged on her chainmail, hating the fact that she had to wear her armor. Cinder had tears in his eyes, but he had told himself beforehand not to cry. Katsue was crying her eyes out, Elea and Cyrus holding back tears. Apollo and Alban looked on with genuine expressions of awe.

Emora stood up, she grabbed Airi's hands gently, the crowd releasing a little gasp.

"Please...Put me back together..." The Warden begged, her eyes still releasing tears.

Airi understood what she had to do. Her heart told her directly. She wiped tears from Emora's eyes and face, she took a step closer and smiled.

"I will. I'll put you back together, Emora."

"Airi..."

The crowd stood up from their seats, cheering and clapping loudly. Alban clapped loudly, Cyrus and Elea's cheers loud and enthusiastic. Apollo and Elea rubbed Katsue's back, her overflowing happiness bringing forth tears. After wiping her eyes clean she stood up and clapped, hollering the names of the two Heroes. Cindra and Cinder both had wide smiles on their faces, Cindra turning to her younger brother with watery eyes.

"They're perfect..."

Cinder nodded, smiling firmly.

"Yeah, they are."

The Priest inhaled and exhaled as he closed his bible. He turned to Cinderus, shrugging. "That was definitely something." He chuckled.

"Indeed it was, old friend. But that's just who they are. They're an emotional pair, and I think this is exactly what they needed after being distant for so long. Telling each other face to face how much they really care for one another." Cinderus said, his arms crossed, his expression genuine.

Emora and Airi kissed passionately and deeply, their ears filled with the sounds of cheers and claps. The Nobushi began to lose her composure as well. She broke away from the kiss, digging her face into Emora's neck and embracing her tightly. Emora held Airi close, hugging her.

"Emora...I...I love you...We're together...I'm with you..." Hakushi sobbed, her voice muffled.

"Yeah, we are. Heh, I guess I'm emotional first, then you come after, huh?" Emora sniffed a few times, chuckling lightly. She perked up, grabbing something from her pocket. In the palm of her glove was a small diamond ring. The cheering continued as Emora slid the ring onto Airi's left ring finger. The baby blue gemstone shined brightly.

The Nobushi looked at the Warden, gazing deep into her eyes. She began to cry even more as she dug her face into her chest.

"I DIDN'T GET YOU A RING! I'M SO STUPID! FUCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK...FUCK! I'M SORRY, EMORA! I SHOULD'VE...HOW DID—FORGET? I...HOW COULD I BE SO IGNORANT, I FUCKING HATE MYSEL—"

"Hey, hey, hey! It's okay! It's okay, Airi! Rings aren't really my thing anyway! It's fine...It's okay...Alright? Don't worry about it. Shh...Relax...It's alright." Emora cooed, gently holding Airi in her arms. The crowd was clapping and whooping, Cinderus stepping out to speak out loud, trying to calm the people and get the after-party started. Airi covered her face with her hands, she crouched down and put her head down, crying quietly. Emora knelt down and put an arm around the Nobushi. Her heart connected with Hakushi's, and soon, Emora's sympathetic side stepped in. As more tears fell out of her eyes, she whispered into Airi's ear with a small laugh.

"We're both crybabies..."

Airi couldn't help but smile, she wiped her nose of a teardrop as she exhaled.

"Yeah...We are..."

---

A few hours later...

After the party ended and the ceremony was cleaned up, the people all began to return to their homes. The Heroes stayed afterwards to help clean, even Emora and Airi themselves stayed to help. Tables and chairs were put away, food was cleaned up, garbage was burned or thrown into compost, and ribbons and wreaths were put away. The plaza was returned to normal, some individuals who drank too much still lying around, one of them being Apollo.

Cyrus put his hands on his hips as he stood in front of a teetering Apollo, who slowly stumbled forward, one of his eyes half open, the other dilated for levels of darkness.

"Damn dude, you got folded. Come on man, let's get you home."

"Home? Dude, that's so boring! I feel so awake...I feel like I could stay here...Forever, you know?! I want too! Can we dude, bet...Let's do this.."

"We live here, Apollo. Come on, cunt! Let's go!" Cyrus urged.

"Man, shut up! Don't tell how to live my life, you motherfucker!" Apollo yelled, his voice and words slurred.

Cyrus looked over his shoulder to see Cindra and Elea looking at him, their hands over their mouths as they laughed.

"Dude, come on." Cyrus huffed.

"SHUT UP!" Apollo yelled out.

"You're drunk!"

"You're sexy!"

Cyrus paused, twitching.

"Alright, that's it. Come on, bitch!"

"AHHH!"

Cyrus picked Apollo and threw him over his shoulder. He began to jog back to Apollo's house, the Centurion himself repeatedly slamming the golden Warden's back. Elea and Cindra laughed heartily, watching as the two disappeared inside of a house.

Emora and Airi finished placing the last chairs and tables in a storage shack. They met up with the other Heroes in the center of the plaza to say their goodbyes.

"Well, that was a crazy wedding. Way to make it emotional, Emora." Cinder teased.

"Oh shut up..." Emora replied, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I'm about to knock out, so I'm gonna go to bed. See you guys around!" Elea waved as she turned to go back to her house.

"Yeah, Cinder and I have things to do tomorrow. I'm so happy that everything worked out. You guys are married now, that's amazing! That also means you two better behave and be responsible, okay?" Cindra asked, sounding like a mother.

"Yes, Cindra! Take care!" Airi said cheerfully. Cinder nodded and waved goodbye as he followed his sister into the conference building. Alban had already said his goodbyes early, as he had decided to go home to sober up from his drinking, unlike Apollo, who foolishly kept going.

Airi and Katsue hugged tightly, the Nobushi smiling warmly at the young Shinobi.

"Thank you so much for everything, Katsue. Sleep tight, okay?"

"I will, knowing that both of you are finally at peace. Today was so crazy, it was a whole ride of different emotions for me. Enjoy your first night as a married Hero duo!" Katsue giggled as she opened the door to a nearby house.

"Sweet dreams!" Airi cried out, Katsue waving goodbye before closing the door.

Other Heroes who stayed back to help passed by and congratulated the two Heroes as they also went to their own homes. Finally, only Airi and Emora stood in the plaza, alone.

"Alright. I guess that's it...Let's go home." Airi smiled.

"Okay..." Emora replied.

The two Heroes walked hand in hand, both of their hearts beating. The night was young, and the atmosphere was perfect. The two girls undressed and bathed together for the first time in a long while, their giggles and laughs relieving the awkward mood. After drying up, they went into their bedroom and opened up a window to let the cool breeze in.

"It feels good to be sharing a room with you again..." Airi said thoughtfully as she put on a thin shirt and slid on some clean panties.

"Yeah, it's been a while hasn't it?" Emora replied, drinking a cup of hot water with mint leaves. She washed the water around her mouth and even gargled it, making Airi laugh.

"You're so stupid!" The Nobushi giggled.

Emora opened up the window and spat the water out. She shrugged and put the cup of water down. "I ate a lot today, so I just want to clean my mouth a bit, you know? Gotta stay frosty."

"Oh? Frosty. I like that..." Airi said, her tone getting a bit questionable.

Emora gave the cup to Airi, who did the same as Emora, excluding the gargle. She launched the water out of the window and threw the cup on the floor.

"We're both disgusting people." Emora laughed.

"Yeah, whatever! People usually spit stuff out in buckets and keep it in their house. I think I'm good." Airi replied, rolling her eyes. The two girls got into bed together, blowing out a small candle, and letting the room get dark. The moonlight came in through the window, bathing both of them in the beautiful night.

Emora was already beginning to knock out. Her eyelids became heavy as she closed them, ready to sleep in the next day. On the other hand, Airi, was wide-awake, her heart beating, her body radiating an unbearable amount of heat. She clutched her own hand tightly, holding both of them close to her breasts. She curled up, pressing her legs together. Her stomach was fluttering with butterflies, her breathing somewhat rapid and loud.

She wanted to talk, she want to say something, she want to remind her. Had she forgotten? She promised, didn't she? She wanted it so badly; it was the only thing she wanted. She hadn't felt it in so long, and she wanted to feel it again. What's she doing!? Is she not going to do anything?!

Airi was beginning to grow restless. She squirmed lightly, wiggling her toes and shifting her legs around. She didn't know where to keep her hands, where to place her arms and elbows. She looked over at Emora, who looked calm and still, and was likely already asleep.

"No...Is it too late?! No...No! I...I can't help it! I want her...My body is calling for hers! I'm lusting...I'm lustful...Is she? No?! What!? I refuse! I need...Her..."

"AH!"

Airi spiked up, she rolled over and grabbed onto Emora's arm. The Warden let out a short shriek as she woke up, looking up at Airi with a startled expression.

"Jesus! Oh...Fuck! Airi...You scared the living shit out of me! Is...Is everything okay? Something wrong?"

Airi stayed silent. She sat on the bed, her legs pressed together tightly. Both of her hands were covering the area in between her legs. Her head was down, her long hair casting a shadow over her eyes. She mumbled a bit before speaking out loud.

"Yes...There is something wrong."

"W-What is it?" Emora asked.

Airi looked up, her eyes showing her clear thirst.

"You promised me something! I want it! I want you!"

"W-What?!"

Suddenly, Emora remembered. She froze up, watching as Airi grabbed onto Emora's neck and pulled her in violently. The Warden felt Airi's wet, long tongue enter her mouth, brush past her own tongue, and make its way down her throat. Her eyes widened as her frozen body refused to move. Emora was shaking, feeling the amazing sensation in her mouth. Her body began to tingle, and the level of ecstasy she was experiencing suddenly skyrocketed.

Emora closed her eyes and grabbed onto Airi's shirt. She began to kiss the Nobushi back passionately, at a fast and excited pace, almost an aggressive pace. Their lips were loud, their tongues wet and dripping. Emora threw Airi's shirt onto the floor, leaving only the Nobushi's bra.

The Warden pulled back, quickly throwing off her own shirt. Airi panted as she grabbed onto Emora's breasts and pushed her back on the bed. She kissed her deeply, her tongue exploring every single inch of the Warden's mouth. The Nobushi felt as Emora's tongue did the same, the sliding and brushing made her body tingle. She felt her soft hands on her body, feeling out her thin waist and clutching onto her thighs.

Airi was ecstatic. She reached underneath Emora's back, surprising the Warden, but not enough to cease the make out session. Before she knew it, her bare breasts were in out in the open. Airi got up on top of the Warden, Emora looked up with heavy breaths as Airi took off her own bra. Her heart skipped a beat as she set her eyes on the Nobushi's perfect breasts. Airi went back down, aggressively holding the Warden's right hand down on the pillow using her own hand. Their fingers intertwined, the two girls holding each other's hands tightly. With the other hand, Airi reached down low and began to tease the Warden's clitoris. Emora squeezed her eyes shut, her vagina tingling and sparking with pleasure. She felt moisture, a warm feeling of wetness. The Nobushi could feel the moisture on her fingertips, and kept going, teasing more and more.

Airi kept on tonguing the Warden. Emora began to whimper moan quietly. Airi slid her index finger along the slit, Emora letting out a sudden yelp of pleasure. Airi pulled back, whipping her hair back in forth, and wiping her mouth of saliva.

"That's it...I want to feel it personally..."

The Nobushi used her fingers to slid into Emora's panties and take them off. She flung them away, feeling her way up to her wet pussy, past her soft feet, her smooth legs, her juicy thighs, and finally reaching the treasure area. She grabbed Emora by the chin, squeezing her face.

"I want more of your lips, your mouth is what I want."

Airi pressed back down, her index and middle finger ready for the torture. She aggressively kissed the Warden while simultaneously rubbing her vagina's opening. She reached in deeper, bringing out more vibrant moans from Emora. Airi didn't let the Warden breathe, covering her mouth using her own, trying to bring out more moaning. She began to giggle, Emora's eyes growing teary from all the pleasure. Airi felt her fingers get wet, she backed down, looking at the Warden's clit like it was a book. She savagely fingered it, Emora moaning and yelping with pleasure, her voice desperate and filled with pleasure.

Airi flinched as the Warden's juices shot out, drenching her finger and spraying onto her face. She licked her own fingers, teasing Emora with her own orgasm.

"Want a taste?"

The Nobushi slowly opened up Emora's mouth, separating her lips. Emora let it happen, she stared at Airi with lustful eyes. She shut her mouth around Airi's fingers, licking and tasting them, likely swallowing her own juices while sucking on the Nobushi's fingers.

The Warden wanted to change things up, she had grown tired of being dominated, it was time she turned the fight around. With a burst of strength, she pushed the Nobushi off and got up on top of her. She smiled sexily, her voice seductive and hot.

"You showed me what those hands can do...And I've shown you how wet I can be...But you said earlier...That you want more of my mouth. I'll show you what my mouth can do, you'll see."

Airi's heartbeat accelerated as she watched Emora slid her panties off of her. The Warden kissed the Nobushi's ankle and licked her legs. She planted more kisses on her stomach, and then grabbed ahold of her breast.

"Let's see if I can get any milk!"

Emora put the nipple in her mouth, sucking and licking in a perfect rhythm. The feeling Airi was experiencing was so special, so unique, so beautiful. Her breasts tingled, they felt warm and wet, moist and delicate. They even tickled a bit, the Warden's lips pressed against it, her tongue teasing and licking, sucking and tasting.

The Warden dug her face into Airi's breasts, kissing and sucking on both of them. She rose up and planted a single kiss on Hakushi's little nose, licking it a little.

"Oh! You've got fetishes..." Airi winked.

Emora licked her lips, she slid down Airi's body, teasing her vagina with her fingers. The Nobushi was already so turned on, she didn't want more, but at the same time, she was feeling more thirsty than before. She wanted to be quenched, she wanted that feeling from the Warden, and she was about to get it.

"My tongue feels good in your mouth, right? It'll feel even better in here."

"Oh, Emora...Oh...AH! OH!"

The Warden covered Airi's pussy with her mouth. Her tongue tore and ravaged through her vagina's insides, licking and pleasuring. She moved it in and out, she teased the outsides and used her fingers to open Airi up even more. Airi laid back, her arms sprawled out, her head back. She released loud, loving moans as Emora ate her out, eating her pussy like there was no tomorrow. The Nobushi grew more and more horny, her ecstasy level reaching critical levels. She felt it coming, the tingling in her pelvis, the itching feeling of pleasure in her clit, the wet, warm feeling, she felt it coming, she felt it all coming!

She was coming.

Or cumming.

"Oh god, Emora! I...I'm cumming! Oh! AH!"

Emora felt as Airi's sweet, sweet juices entered her mouth. She closed her eyes a she licked it all up and swallowed, teasing, kissing, and brushing her lips against the Nobushi's pussy lips as if it was her mouth. She sat up, wiping her mouth clean.

"Want a taste? I think all that juice sunk into my tongue like a sponge." Emora winked, biting her lip.

"I'd love to taste, especially if it's coming straight from your mouth. But I still want to be pleasured more..."

"Then we do this..."

Emora placed her left leg on top of Airi's right leg, then grabbed onto Airi's left leg and placed it on top of her right leg. They were in a strange position, their waists and stomachs close to each other. They grabbed onto each other's necks and pulled each other close. They looked down to see their vaginas right up against one another.

"Oh..." Airi moaned.

"Now we just...Move our bodies...Like this..."

Emora began to thrust a bit, her body moved smoothly, her young, fit figure turning the Nobushi on even more. Airi did the same motion, curving her body and thrusting, up and down, back and forth. The two girls grinded up on each other, their wet pussies rubbing against each other, getting wetter and wetter, feeling warmer and warmer, cumming more and more, their moans getting louder and better. They two girls tried to stop their moaning by kissing, but by making out and scissoring at the same time, the moans only became suppressed and muffled, and in a way, becoming sexier.

The two girls did this for minutes on end, both of them reaching the climax multiple times. Their bodies were radiating with heat, their pussies wet and red, their tongues tired and lips wet. They fell back, Airi grabbing onto Emora's breast and kissing it. She nuzzled it and licked it slowly, before she closed her eyes and rested her head on the Warden's chest.

The two girls laid there, on their messy bed, both fully naked, both activated beyond the max, and both hornier than ever before. But physical exhaustion won them over. Their last moans were released, and only heavy breathing was left.

Airi slowly stuck her tongue out and licked Emora's neck, bringing out a little quivery whimper from the Warden.

The Nobushi sighed, smiling happily. "I didn't think you could be so savage..."

Emora swallowed, licking her bottom lip. "You started it, you monster."

"Next time, I get a taste of you. I'll drink you up so badly that your pussy will look as dry as a desert." Airi laughed.

"Yeah right! It'll feel so good I won't be able to stop cumming on you!" Emora replied, giggling.

"That isn't a bad thing either. You'll be left moaning and gasping for breath while I'm having a good time. It's win-win. I think." Airi exhaled.

"Being with you overall, is a win-win." Emora said softly.

After a few seconds of silence, the Nobushi crawled up Emora's nude body, still on top of her, but her head now nuzzled next to the Warden's.

"I love you." Airi whispered.

"I love you too." Emora whispered back.

---

Another Three Months later...

Emora jumped off of her horse and landed firmly on the brand new stone ground. She breathed in the fresh air, her nose fuzzy from the feeling. She exhaled through her mouth, smiling firmly.

She looked around, the people bustling and going about their daily commute. The kids were playing, laughing, the adults working and talking with one another. The people seemed happy and content. There were more animals around now, helping for travel and transport. The guards kept the peace, patrols and posts staying vigilant.

The Warden smiled and waved at people who stopped to greet her. She bowed and saluted with guards and escorts. She began to climb up a new flight of stone stairs, admiring the engravings that were below her feet. She admired a large white and red structure, the rooftops freshly painted, the lamps hanging proudly. The walls were beautiful, the trees and gardens clean and well kept.

She was a bit shaken by the sight of the large building, but at the same time, she was relieved to be looking at it, in all of its original glory. The Warden was greeted by a man in black and gold armor, his black hair and dark eyes polite and firm.

"Ah, Emora Ryon, correct? We have been expecting you. I am glad that you have made a full recovery from your last time here, and we hope that everything has been pleasant for thus far." The man bowed in respect, Emora nodded and did the same back.

She followed him along a stone path, in the far back of the large red and white building. It was a medium sized stone building, it looked old, unlike the newer, cleaner looking ones the Warden had seen before. Her face softened a bit at the sight of it.

"A lot has changed, and I see that...Everything worked out." Emora brought up.

"Yes, indeed. All thanks to you and your people, Lord Ryon."

"Yes, we are happy to help. I'm glad that these few months have been so successful and progressive. Your people seem happy, and seem to be ready for the election, or...Decision, don't you think?" Emora asked.

"Indeed, our people are prospering. It turns out both sides benefit from this, and I'm honestly relieved and happy that everything has been restored. A dark past is forgotten, while a bright future is being built. Our home will keep improving, as long as we have your assistance, and as long as we keep our internal conflicts to a minimum." The man said firmly.

"Yeah. Over time, they'll get better, trust me." Emora smiled.

"Of course, but only time will tell. Now, it's time." The man turned to the building.

"Whew..." Emora exhaled, getting ready.

She watched as two guards clad in black and gold armor stepped out of the front door of the building. Soon after, one more stepped out. Finally, the man Emora was hoping to see was revealed. He was blind folded, his hands bound behind him by chains. Behind him, two more guards held onto him.

"I'd like to take him to the front face of the mountain, where he can have a beautiful clear view of this all." Emora asked.

"Of course, he is free to go after all. We'll make sure to get him cleaned up and all after you're done." The man bowed, before turning to the man and unlocking his binds. He took off his blindfold and stepped back.

The man blinked repeatedly, covering his eyes with his hands. His hair was long, his face ruffled and bruised. A bit of beard and moustache beginning to form. He had a thin gray shirt that was drenched in sweat, his cut up beige pants torn at the cuffs, his cloth shoes had holes in their soles and were missing laces and straps. He staggered forward, trying to adjust to the sunlight.

He looked around, observing the people around him. His eyes rested upon Emora, both widening with shock. He stopped moving, his mouth slowly widened more and more. He took a single step forward, his gaze filled with confusion.

"E-Emora? What're you doing here?" The man asked.

"Daigo, it's good to see you again. Do you look good? No, but you will soon, relax." Emora joked.

The Orochi swung at the air. "Uh-huh, right. It's...It's good to see you here, Emora. I wish you could've been here for the trial a little while ago."

"Little while ago? Daigo, it's been six months. That's more than a little while ago." Emora giggled.

"Hey, when you're in a crappy prison tied up in chains and sitting in a cold, damp prison cell, you'll see how hard it is to keep track of time. I made it to about seventy-eight days on my tally wall before my guard took away my carving coin." Daigo scoffed. The Orochi still had a light heart, and that made Emora laugh a bit.

"Well...I want to show you something. I want to show you all that's changed since you were imprisoned. Before, everything was destroyed, burned and charred, the Hakushi Manor brought down and reduced to a pile of rubble."

"I don't need to be reminded..." Daigo exhaled.

"Sorry. But...You remember what you promised the people? The people of the Urutora Clan and the Seinaru Clan?" Emora asked.

"Yeah, of course I remember. How could I not?" Daigo replied.

The Emperor began to walk along with the Warden. He followed close behind her, looking at the trees and the stone floor underneath him. He followed Emora up a flight of stairs and realized that he was scaling a mountain. He took in tons of deep breaths, letting his lungs feel relieved by the feeling of fresh air.

"Well...I just wanted to show you that...Everything is okay now. Your promises came true, and they helped create this!"

Emora and Daigo stood atop the mountain, the far front face that overlooked the entire Province and Manor. The wind was blowing, leaves flying in the breeze. Emora's hair flowed in the wind, Daigo's hair doing the same. His eyes slowly widened, tears growing in them. His jaw dropped, his mouth agape. Emora turned to the Orochi, she watched his eyes dart around, trying to look at everything at the same time.

The Emperor became enveloped by heavy amounts of happiness and relief. To see his home in such good shape, to see the Hakushi Manor and Province fully rebuilt and made better, to see the environment and people doing better as well, it warmed his heart. He had gotten what had first gone off to achieve.

He wanted to help his people, he wanted to help his home, he wanted to help the Myre, he wanted to help the Samurai, the Dawn Empire. To the people, he did just that. His alliance with the Azure Legion brought about a new age for the Samurai. He was a Hero. A worthy Hero who was now deemed capable of sitting atop the throne of the Supreme Emperor.

He fell to his knees, his tears falling to the stone beneath him. He cried silently, trying to make it less obvious and heavy. He couldn't stop looking at the beautiful sight. All the greenery, the beautiful buildings, the sun, the clear skies, and the gorgeous Manor, everything was perfect. Emora knelt down next to the Orochi, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"You did this, Daigo. If you had refused our help...This might've never happened. You promised that this would happen, and it did. Sure it was because of the Azure Legion, but I have a feeling...No, not a feeling...I know for sure, that if you had the Azure Legion's supplies, you would've done the same thing to try and repair everything." Emora grinned.

"Of course! Yes...I would've. I...Emora..."

Daigo put his wrist over his mouth, shutting his eyes tightly. Emora smiled warmly, her eyes soft.

"Hey...There's no shame in crying, you know. Especially not in front of me. I cry a lot...And I'm not ashamed of it. Well, in most cases I'm not..." Emora chuckled nervously.

Daigo scoffed. He wiped his tears and stood up, rising to his full height. He raised a fist to the sky, Emora looking up at it.

"I swear to you, Dawn Empire. I...Kaneko Daigo of the Seinaru Clan...Will continue to serve for the people, and all of the people. If you will allow me to do so, I will lead you in times of darkness towards the light as your Supreme Emperor!"

Daigo paused, taking in a deep breath.

"Yoake no tōitsu teikoku, arigatō!" He yelled out, his voice echoing off of the mountains and trees. Daigo turned to Emora, his gaze firm and respectful.

"Emora-San...I sincerely wish that both of us can forget about the past, and instead focus on the future. I...I regret everything I've done, and I regret everything I've tried to do to you and your allies as well. I see that your arm and other wounds have healed very nicely. You look as beautiful as ever, Airi is a lucky woman." Daigo smiled with a nod.

"Yeah. We're married now. My life has changed a lot. And soon, yours will too. Being Supreme Emperor is probably quite the big deal." Emora smiled back.

"Indeed it is. I'm happy for you and Hakushi though, I wish you both happy lives." Daigo bowed. He looked back up, staring at Emora's smiling face. He took a step forward, standing directly in front of her.

"Everything okay, Daigo?" Emora asked.

The Orochi nodded, he took another step forward and hugged the Warden, taking her by surprise. Emora's heart beat accelerated tenfold, her eyes widened as he hands hovered over the Orochi's body.

"Emora, thank you. Thank you for everything. You spared my life, prevented me from killing myself, and even helped me earn the trust of my people back. Thank you, so much..." Daigo said sternly, trying to keep his composure. He held onto Emora tightly, a grateful smile on his face.

Emora also began to smile. She hugged the Orochi back, closing her eyes and sighing with relief.

"It's no problem. Hopefully, the future is bright for the both of us."

The Orochi and Warden both let go of one another and shook each other's hands, standing atop the mountain's north face proudly, a new alliance officially born. The Vikings had been put in their place earlier in the year, the Knights now allies with Samurai, and assisting them in their struggle of poverty and civil war.

Allies of the Azure Legion, like the Iron Legion would begin to help as well. The Viking clans up north would start to farm their own food, and raids would become less frequent. With all major conflicts being resolved, a time of peace came around, a time where even the Blackstone Legion was peaceful, but who knew what happened in the background of their mighty black fortress.

But somewhere in a battle field, somewhere far off in a small fort, possibly an outpost of some sorts, a minor conflict was occurring. That minor conflict was exactly what it was, minor. But it meant something else. It was the first of its kind, and the first time that any fort had been attacked by these strange, unknown, and scarily foreign troops.

A Warden stood against a wall, her fellow knights around her, all of them fighting off the oncoming forces of enemy troops. But these tactics were strange and wild, their fighting techniques aggressive and effective, fast and strong, nimble and agile, quick and efficient. Smoke to hide their movements, their strikes invisible, their damage lethal.

The Warden swiftly stabbed through one of her enemies, before quickly turning and beheading a second. She stepped to the right and sliced the stomach of a third open before ducking below an arc attack and cutting the leg off of a fourth. She disemboweled and kicked down a fifth before grabbing a final sixth and slamming them into the ground.

She looked around, watching as a man with a staff slayed endless amounts of her men, his kicks powerful, his staff lethal, his speed and agility unbelievable. She looked to the left, seeing another man, an elderly man, cutting, slashing, and guttering down every enemy who came his way, his strikes strong and firm, his guard firm and steady. Finally, she looked up on the walls of her fort, a small, agile, but lethally fast and deadly fighter was killing her troops swiftly and with little efforts, their movements smooth and rhythmic, almost like a dance.

The Warden couldn't believe her eyes. She turned around and managed to block the blade of an enemy behind her. She kneecapped and decked the soldier to the ground, before dodging two arrows and staggering back.

She couldn't breathe, her red hair flowing in the wind, and being covered by the dust that was falling on top of her from the collapsing tower. She managed to jump out of the way of the falling debris, and take cover from another explosion. As she coughed out a bit of dirt, she reached up for her helmet, trying to take it off. She threw it aside, coughing more. She used her sword to stand back up, but as soon as she was about to look up, a brown leather boot with an engraving on the shin guard caught her eye.

She slowly looked up, her eyes resting on a man with a silver chest piece and a crowned silver helmet, looking similar to Centurion. His robes were basic, his armor and body strong. His eyes were glaring at her, the intent to kill deep inside them.

The Warden's eyes widened as the last thing she saw in frame was a silver curved blade with a red tassel at the end of the handle.

The man ripped his sword back from the Warden's lifeless body, flipping it around and holding it backwards, the blade behind him. He took a deep breath and looked to his allies, nodding firmly.

"Zhè jǐnjǐn shìgè kāishǐ!"

---

The End

Well, yeah! That's it! The end of the story. Now this is the part where I thank all of you guys and stuff. So...Yeah! Thank you all so much for reading, and I really appreciate every single one of you who reviewed or PM'd me about the story. Whether it was praising or criticizing the story, I appreciated it either way, so thank you. I had a ton of dun writing this story, and one moment where I had to cry while writing! That's just me though, cause I'm a weak piece of crap.

I really hope you all enjoyed this twenty chapter emotional book of tears! I also really hope you all found the fighting scenes satisfactory. As always, feel free to leave any of your final thoughts or final words of criticism for me in the Reviews! And if you made it to the end, you're a god, and I love you!

I'll be seeing you all in the next story. And if you haven't caught on yet, or didn't get the little hint...There's going to be a sequel, so stay tuned for that. Everyone in the For Honor community and their For Honor Grandma has heard about the new Wu Lin faction, so you bet I'm going to be writing about that next. For now though, stay tuned for a little joke story that will be releasing shortly after this one.

And...Just for reference, and if you were curious at all...These are the final ages of most of the characters at this point in time, at the ending of the story.

Emora: 21

Airi: 21

Apollo: 24

Cyrus: 23

Elea: 21

Alban: 25

Katsue: 20

Cinder: 23

Cindra: 25

Rose: 19

Daisy: 19

Daigo: 22

Cinderus: 51

So yeah, that's just for my own reference so I don't have to search through the story chapters or anything. Official ages, yay.

Anyways, thank you all so much! Goodbye!