The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 47
Kage's Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Kage sighed as he tightened the leather straps of the traveling pack. It was early morning in Chon'sin. The peaceful notes of songbirds drifted along a chilled western wind. Grey skies sat above the land. Promising rain within a few hours. Weather like that would slow him down.
Yesterday, General Yen'fay asked him to hunt down the ones who attacked his family as well as rescue his kidnapped baby brother. The young Sith Lord decided to rest one day before embarking. He did not want to, but he needed to let the wound in his calf heal a little bit before embarking on this journey. After all, he remembered what happened to him all those years ago. He knew who held him captive. It was a very cunning and clever man. And he had skilled warriors following him. Enough of an army to make Kage at least a little cautious about confronting them while injured. The major problem he currently had was actually much more frustrating than an injury. He was not entirely sure where the worm that took baby Kage was keeping him. That, and he could not remember the man's name.
But he never forgot a face. Fat and pudgy. Oily hair and lips like fat, pink sausages. A revolting looking cretin that used to make him feel fear at night. But now, because of his training under Maul, all he felt when he remembered that worm was disgust and fury. Even now, he could feel his grip tightening on the straps of his pack as he threw it onto the back of his horse.
He clenched his jaw as he secured the pack to the saddle. The dark side of the force thrashed around him as he recalled what hazy memories he could of the harrowing kidnapping. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. If he got any angrier, he might lose control and cause the entire stable to collapse on top of him.
His horse, a reliable black steed, stamped it's foot in the straw. Kage patted it's neck.
"It's ok, girl." He whispered, calming the beast down.
"You understand horses as well?"
Kage glanced around his horse. To his surprise, he saw Princess Say'ri striding into the stables. She was not wearing a kimono. And her hair was not set up in any ornate way. Instead, her hair was tied up in a simple knot. And she wore regular traveling clothes. Leather pants for riding. A comfortable shirt. She held some leather armor over her shoulder as she strode into the stables.
She walked into the stall beside Kage's and threw a saddle over the horse's back.
Kage sighed, "That is not a good idea."
"What is not a good idea?" Say'ri asked as she secured the saddle then threw her own traveling gear onto the horse.
"You coming with me." Kage replied, "Not a good idea."
The Chon'sin Princess glared at him, "And who are you to tell me whether my ideas are good or bad?"
"Someone who knows better." Kage snorted back as he gave his gear one last look. Everything appeared secure.
"Fie! Are you implying that I am incapable of taking care of myself?" Say'ri asked as she jumped up into her saddle, "There is a sword resting against my hip that says otherwise."
Kage arched an eyebrow, "Can you dress a wound?"
"Well-"
"Can you effectively scout an enemy territory? Identify weaknesses among their ranks? Hunt for your own food? Locate drinkable water?"
Say'ri grunted as she trotted past him, "You have made your point."
Kage frowned as she kept riding out of the stable. He shook his head and cast an irritated glance at the ceiling above him. Finally, he jumped up in his own saddle and rode out after her.
"So you are just riding around the palace for fun now, right?" He asked her.
Say'ri shook her head, "No. I'm still coming with you."
"But-"
"You will teach me all of those skills." She continued.
Kage slouched in his saddle, "And we have time for that when?"
"When we grab Kage of course. Once he is back with me, you will have time to instruct me on the return journey." Say'ri replied in a matter of fact tone.
Kage frowned, "And what does the General think of all of this?"
"My brother left before dawn." Say'ri replied. Disgust laced the tone of her voice. Disgust that was difficult not to notice, "The rebellion in Rosanne is getting out of hand. He is being sent to put it down."
Kage blinked, "So he doesn't know?"
Say'ri waved off his concern, "I intend to be back at the palace before he returns. In the meantime, I have a trusted steward in place to keep an eye on everything."
Kage shook his head, "Your place is here with your people."
"My place," Say'ri snapped. Her voice sounded harsh and angry, "Is with you, rescuing my baby brother. The baby brother that was kidnapped on my watch." She huffed, "It is my duty to make sure he is safe and sound. And it is my duty to kill the wretch that dared to kidnap him."
Kage pursed his lips.
Well… clearly there is no dissuading her.
"Now," Say'ri continued, "Are you going to continue in your attempts to dissuade me, or are you going to accept my help?"
Kage let out a long, frustrated breath. He snapped the reigns of his horse.
"Just try to keep up." He said as he took off down the dirt road and out of the city.
Say'ri uttered a surprised cry. She snapped the reins of her steed and took off after him. It was not long before she caught up to Kage. Kage had to admire her riding skills. She was not a slouch on a horse. She handled the beast with grace and ease. He nodded to himself and slowed the pace to an easy trott. They had a long journey ahead of them. The horses would need to conserve as much energy as possible.
"So, where are we going?" Say'ri asked.
Kage raised an eyebrow. He could not let on that he knew where the Chon'sin Prince was taken too. Such a revelation would lead to a lot of questions. Questions he could not answer right now. And honestly, he did not have the patience for an interrogation. Not even if his older sister was the one doing the interogating. For one, she would not believe him if he claimed to be an older version of her younger sibling. And two, she would immediately assume he had something to do with the plot against her family. Both scenarios were less than ideal.
"I was hoping you could give me some insight on that." Kage decided to answer, "Your family was the one attacked. Who has motivations to do that?"
Say'ri frowned, "The nobles would not dare enrage my brother. He commands the Conqueror's southern army. The most capable army save for the Conqueror's own force. To attempt an assassination of myself, him, and capturing Kage would bring about certain doom for any noble."
"So that rules out anyone from Chon'sin." Kage nodded, "It is not in their political interest to destroy your family or take anyone hostage."
"Precisely." Say'ri frowned, "I need to think a little more."
"Take your time." Kage grabbed his water skin and took a sip, "We have already ruled out anyone from Chon'sin. So the boy is likely no longer in this country." He noticed worry flash over Say'ri's face, "I say we turn northwest for now. That way, if we hear any word, we can break off either south west, further northwest, or due north more easily."
Say'ri nodded in agreement.
Kage was pleased. She was at least listening to him. He would have rather she stay behind. He worked better alone anyways. Even Maul knew that. Alone he had the freedom to do what was necessary in order to accomplish his mission. He could deceive, steal from, or kill anyone that got in his way without any repercussions. There was no way local authorities could apprehend him. He was far too powerful for such things.
But he was not alone for this quest. He had Say'ri with him. A woman with a high sense of honor and justice. That would complicate things right away. His preferred methods of interrogation and combat were no longer viable. Not unless he wanted to lose her trust. A situation he was hesitant to allow to occur. There were advantages to being friends with royalty. After all, because he made friends, he now had a nice, new sword and a horse to ride on. One did not want to lose friends like that.
They rode mostly in silence for the rest of the day, covering many miles in that time. The rain that sat in the saturated clouds above them came down hard around sunset. Drenching both riders and turning the road before them into a river of thick mud. Kage signaled back to Say'ri to pull off of the road and into the shelter of a large forest.
He swiftly began setting up camp. There would be no fire with how much rain there was. But the tents they had would help keep them dry. He had his own shelter set up within a few minutes. Once it was ready, he glanced over at Say'ri. She was struggling to get her tent to stay standing. Her legs were covered in mud from having slipped as she struggled to put the stakes into the ground.
Kage sighed and pushed her out of the way. Without a word, he set up her tent. Just as he finished planting the final stake in the ground and raising the roof of her small tent, the rain began to fade away. He muttered several curses as he tossed away their mallet and looked down at his mud covered clothes.
"Maybe, since it is just drizzling now, we can have a fire?" Say'ri thought as she threw her traveling gear into her tent.
Kage snorted, "Be my guest. Go ahead and try to find some dry tinder to start one with."
Say'ri frowned, "You do realize I'm a princess right?"
"No shit?" Kage gasped, feigning surprise, "I never would have guessed. What with the inability to set up a tent or recognize that a fire is not possible right now. Truly, the evidence for such a thing is not there."
He could see the girl seething at him. But he did not care. He was already irritated enough that she had to accompany him. Now he was wet, covered in mud, and tired from traveling and having to set up her tent.
I should have made her just figure it out.
With a loud huff, Say'ri retreated into her tent.
"Fine." Kage grumbled as he reached into his pack and grabbed a small piece of dried pork, "I'll take first watch. It's not like I'm tired or in any physical pain at all."
He did not think she heard him. Oh how wrong he was. Say'ri stormed out of her tent like a bat out of hell.
"Who do you think you are, Ylissean?" She growled.
"I have a name." Kage replied nonchalantly as he bit into his rudimentary dinner.
"To hell with your name!" Say'ri snapped, "You are acting so petulant right now. What with your coldness and general off putting attitude. It is as if you do not want my help!"
"How did you guess?" Kage replied, "I work better on my own, Princess. Besides, you won't like the methods I use when it comes to," He had to choose his next few ords carefully, "confronting enemies."
"And I don't care what methods you use." Say'ri snarled, "You could roast all of my family's enemies alive for all I care. I want to help you save my baby brother. And I will not be told no when it comes to that mission. Now I may not be the most capable at survival skills, but I know how to fight."
"Really?" Kage snorted.
"Indeed!" Say'ri folded her arms, "After all, I saved your life by killing an assassin that very nearly took your head from your shoulders."
"And I killed the others that were originally sent to kill you." Kage reminded her, "So spare me the whole equality speech. If I did not intervene, you would be lying in a wooden box six feet underground." He saw her jaw working furiously behind her lips as her own frustration mounted, "And I did not have to accept this quest from your brother. I accepted it out of the goodness of my own heart. Hard to believe, I know. But that is the truth." He reached into his pack, grabbed another portion of pork and held it out, "So how about you stop throwing a fit and eat some dinner."
Say'ri slapped the pork out of his hands and stormed back into her tent. Kage looked at the ruined piece of pork as it sank into the mud near his feet.
"What a waste." He muttered with a shake of his head. He gnawed off another bite of the tough meat and went quiet.
He did not remember his older sister being so infuriating. He had always looked up to her. Seen her as his own personal hero. She had moved heaven and earth to save him when he was originally kidnapped all of those years ago. During that mission, she had displayed more survival skills than this.
Then again, when she did finally rescue him, she had already gained notoriety as a resistance fighter against Emperor Walhart. He had disrupted that outcome in this timeline. Now she was just a princess who could fight a little bit.
Which means she is going to be a liability. Kage thought as he gnawed off another bite of pork.
He glanced up at the sky. The stars were beginning to peak out from behind the fading rain clouds. There was a full moon in the air. It cast pale light down on the forest around them. Kage shook his head.
"Why do I always end up with the headache inducing situations." He said to himself as the night deepened around him.
He finished off his meal of cold pork. With a relieved sigh he sank into the leather of his travel pack and relaxed. After a couple minutes, he strained his hearing and heard soft snores coming from Say'ri's tent. She had already fallen asleep. Her own attitude towards him a result of her weariness from the day more so than frustration. Kage could at least understand that explanation.
With her asleep, he could start a fire without her knowing how he did it. For a few minutes, he wandered around their campsite and gathered up some fallen branches and twigs. He piled them between the two tents, cast a cautious glance over at Say'ri's tent, then shot a small burst of lightning at the wet tinder.
The super heated lightning instantly set the wood aflame. The warmth the fire provided did a lot to ease his own frustration with the day. He found the flickering firelight to be very relaxing. He lounged back against his travel gear. Behind him, the two horses had set down and started to doze off.
He felt weary. But Kage kept himself awake. These forests were notorious for bandits and raiders. The Conqueror's armies were more focused on putting down petty rebellions than dealing with violent gangs of criminals. As a result, bandit gangs often had free reign over the various roads and trails that criss-crossed the continent of Valm. Many would often set up their hideouts in forests like this.
There was a rustle in the leaves. Kage's head twitched towards the sound. He strained his eyes against the darkness. His burning, yellow irises searched for any movement in the shadows. When he saw nothing, he relaxed once again. At least, he appeared relaxed. In reality, he stopped relying on his physical senses and instead chose to rely on the Force.
He let the dark side of the force creep around the campsite. It's dark tendrils crawled over twigs and stones. Weaved through blades of grass and around large tree trunks. He could sense something moving in the forest around him. No… someone. Multiple someones.
He subtly kicked a rock into Say'ri's tent. A small smirk cross his lips when he heard her let out a small, pained grunt as it hit her leg. The Princess poked her head out of her tent. She blinked sleep from her eyes and yawned.
"Is it my watch already?" She asked sleepily.
Kage put a finger to his lips. Say'ri's mouth snapped closed. The Princess was on alert. She opened her mouth to speak again but Kage signaled for her to stay silent. He strained his ears. There were more rustlings around them. He could hear a couple of twigs snap as something heavy landed on them. The horses jolted awake and snorted anxiously behind the Sith Lord. Whether that was because of the Dark Side swirling around the campsite or the presence of an enemy, Kage was not sure yet.
Something shot out from the treeline. He saw it just out of the corner of his own vision. A stone smacked into Say'ri's stomach. The Princess uttered a pain filled cry and slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.
Kage jumped to his feet as battle cries sounded out around him. He grit his teeth.
Bandits.
"Get em boys!" A thin, older male wielding a shortsword bellowed.
Kage felt a shot of apprehension race through him. Their numbers were large. At least two dozen bandits were charging at him from deep in the forest. He glanced down at Say'ri. She was struggling to get back up to her feet. The stone that had been shot at her had knocked the wind from her lungs. There was not enough time to grab her and run. The enemy would be upon them in moments.
"Well damn it." Kage thought, "Princess Say'ri, remember those unsavory methods I told you about?"
"Just do it already!" Say'ri gasped before coughing hard.
Kage smiled. Oh, he would do it. And he would enjoy every second this. It had been a few weeks since he truly let loose on enemies.
The dark side of the force howled in his ears. It's power coursed through his veins. He would not use his lightsaber still. That would be too easy. There was no fun in annihilating enemies like that. He had to make some sport out of this encounter.
He drew the blade Yen'fay gave him. The steel shimmered in the firelight. He did not wait for the enemy to reach him. His lips curled into a vile grin as he shot across the camp at the nearest bandit.
The poor sod did not know what hit him. Kage thrusted his blade straight through the man's bowels. Before he could even cry out in pain, the Sith slit his throat. A second bandit rushed him. Kage smirked and clenched his free hand into a fist. The force grabbed the bandit, raised him into the air, and crushed his bones. His screams echoed through the night as Kage twirled to meet the ax of a third bandit.
Before he could strike down this bandit, a fourth took a wild swing at him. Kage ducked. He kicked the legs out of his first attacker and brought his blade down into the man's chest as he fell to the dirt. He wrenched the weapon free and caught two axes aimed at his neck.
Lightning danced along his fingertips and shot into the next two bandits. They howled in agony. Their weapons fell from their hands as Kage launched them through the air.
Say'ri uttered a startled cry behind him. She had finally recovered from the stone and had grabbed her own weapon. Two bandits lay dead at her feet. But a very large, hammer wielding behemoth was giving her trouble. Kage's eyes lit up as he reveled in the pain he felt around him. The Dark Side of the Force rippled through him. Raged around him. Drinking in the pain and fear he was sewing among the enemy. It was intoxicating. He wanted more.
He flipped over the campfire and impaled his blade into the neck of the hammer wielding foe. Say'ri gasped as the giant slumped to his knees and fell dead at her feet. Kage hopped back from the body, a large smile on his face.
Say'ri dug her heels in beside him. He could sense fear radiating from her. And it was directed at him. That was not surprising to the Sith Lord. In the span of a couple minutes he had slaughtered five bandits. Their deaths some of the most horrific ones the young Princess had ever seen.
Kage twirled his blade and stared down the other bandits. They were hesitant now. They all saw how quickly Kage had cut down their comrades. None of them wanted to meet a similar, cruel fate.
"What are you all waiting for!?" Their leader snapped, "Kill him! I, your Prince, the great and mighty Chrom, demand it!"
"What!? The Ylissean Prince has invaded my lands!?" Say'ri cried, both dismayed and puzzled.
She gave Kage a startled look as he began to howl with laughter. Kage felt the dark side of the force subside a little as he started laughing louder.
"You-you-" Kage pointed at the scrawny fool. He doubled over and continued laughing loud, "You think you are- oh by the force- I can't! I mean just-"
"HEY!" A voice shouted out above him.
A hoof smacked Kage between the shoulder blades. Kage uttered a surprised cry as he fell forward into the dirt. He winced as pain lanced through his back from where the hoof had slammed into him.
A pegasus rider landed beside the man claiming to be Prince Chrom. She brushed some blue hair from her face and tightened the grip on her lance. The young lady that rode the pegasus pointed an accusatory finger at Kage.
"Don't you dare make fun of my father."
"Father!?" Say'ri cried, thoroughly confused.
Father!? Kage sucked in a sharp breath. That did not make any sense. Prince Chrom had just married Sumia in this timeline. There was now way they had- Wait a damn minute!
Kage raised his gaze. His eyes widened.
"What in the Sith hells?" He hissed.
"That's a good daughter." The bandit impersonating Chrom smirked, "Go finish the job now."
"With pleasure." The woman nodded eagerly, "No one gets to make fun of my father and get away with it."
Kage pushed himself back to his feet. He took a second look at the charging Pegasus Knight. A pit formed in his stomach. A deep sense of dread filled him as he stared down the charging knight. He recognized everything about her. The pale skin. Striking blue hair. Armor that was a touch too big for her young body. Naive eyes begging for justice to be dealt.
Naga above. It is her.
He jumped out of the way of the charging rider. Her lance nearly impaled him. As he flipped out of the way, he let his foot drift out a little too wide. The heel of his boot caught Say'ri on the chin. The Princess twirled and flopped to the ground, unconscious.
Now I can talk to her without worrying about any unfortunate slips of the tongue.
"Cynthia, you damn idiot!" Kage snapped as the Pegasus wheeled around at him.
"Who is calling me an idi-" She sucked in her breath. Her innocent, naive eyes ballooned in her skull, "K-Kage!? What are- but- how- why- who-"
"Are you that much of a dumbass?" Kage asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He sensed the other bandits starting to encroach on him, "ANYONE MOVES A MUSCLE AND I SWEAR I WILL COOK YOU ALIVE!"
Lightning shot from his fingertips and slammed into the closest bandit. The bandit uttered a loud shriek then fell to the ground. Static and smoke rose from his dead body. Kage smiled to himself. They all backed off now.
"Kage, why did you do that?" Cynthia gasped, "That soldier was about to retire!"
"That bandit chose the wrong person to ambush." Kage snapped back.
"Bandit? These aren't bandits they're-"
Kage groaned and rubbed his temple, "Cynthia, take a long, hard look at these men. Do they look anything like Sir Frederick's soldiers?"
Cynthia's eyes scanned the still living men around her. They all looked like fighting men to her. But now that Kage mentioned it. Something was a little off. None of them wore traditional Ylissean armor. And Sir Frederick had installed a strict grooming policy as part of the training regimen and standards for the army. In the weeks she had been traveling with these men, none of them had bathed and all of them had at least one tooth missing. She shook her head in disbelief.
"But-but," She pointed an armored finger at the impostor Chrom, "He's my father!"
Kage blinked in disbelief. He could feel mouth hanging open. A wicked headache started to spread over his forehead and around the back of his skull.
In a flash, he threw his blade as hard as he could at the impostor. The metal sank deep into the man's chest. The point of the blade burrowed itself into the man's heart. The impostor did not even utter a sound as he fell limp to the ground. Dead in an instant.
"DADDY!" Cynthia screamed.
"No!" Kage bellowed, "No! No! No!" He let out a long, exasperated groan and massaged his forehead."At this rate, I'm going to have an aneurysm." He muttered before returning his attention to Cynthia, "Your father would not be that easy to kill, Cynthia."
"You-you killed-" Cynthia sniffled. Tears began to well up in her eyes.
Force, now she's crying!
The other bandits gave Kage a lot of space as he stormed over to the impostor's body. He yanked his blade out the man's chest. A wet squelch followed the weapon and blood spurted from the wound. Cynthia sobbed loudly when she saw that. Kage rolled his eyes, grabbed the body by the back of its neck, and dragged it over to Cynthia.
"Cynthia," Kage sighed, "What did your father look like?"
"You killed him!" Cynthia wailed.
"Your father had blue hair right? Like you." Kage continued, ignoring her sobs.
He held the body up in the air for her too look at. The girl tried to avert her eyes. But every time she did, Kage moved so that she was staring directly at the dead man.
"He did not have facial hair. Hell, this guy is even older than he actually was! Naga, Cynthia, you are an airhead to the nth degree!"
The shaft of her lance smacked against the back of his skull.
"Stop bullying me!" She wailed.
"Would you stop crying!" Kage roared, "Am I right!? This guy looks nothing like your father?"
"He's dead!" Cynthia sniffled.
"RIGHT!?" Kage raged, startling the blue haired girl so badly she started hiccuping.
"He- *hic* he-" Cynthia stared at the dead body through teary eyes, "He said he dyed his hair."
"And you believed him!?" Kage cried.
"I-I-" Cynthia rubbed the tears from her eyes, "But he was so convincing. And how do I know you are not lying to me?"
"When have I ever lied to you?"
Cynthia narrowed her eyes at Kage. A accusatory stare that made Kage freeze.
"You know what, don't answer that." Kage said before she could reply, "Do you understand now though? This dead man is not your father. He is not Prince Chrom."
Cynthia sniffled and hiccuped again, "N-now that you *hic* mention it; he *hic* doesn't have the same jawline."
Kage felt his eye twitch, "The jawline? That is how you realize? I-" He let out a long breath. The urge to scream was enormous, "I'm just going to go to bed now."
He stormed over to his tent. Cynthia turned in her saddle.
"What about the other bandits?" She asked then hiccuped.
"Oh, I'd love for them to try something. I need to express some rage. And the only reason I haven't is because Say'ri is right there." He pointed at the unconscious Princess, "And I'm already going to get interrogated tomorrow. I'd rather not have to answer anymore questions than I have to." Kage pulled the flap to his tent open, "Tell them all to scram or they will die. How does that sound?"
"Not very nice."
"Cynthia!"
"Oh fine." Cynthia hiccuped, "Guys um… maybe you should go before you um… catch a bad case of the dead."
The other bandits gave each other nervous looks. Several nodded in agreement and drifted back into the forest. Others hesitated. One more look at their dead leader and comrades confirmed that the man in black and his companions would not be easy prey. They left as well. And they would not be back.
Part of me wishes they would try again. Kage seethed as he lay down in his tent.
His tent opened and Cynthia slipped inside.
"What do you think you're-"
*CRACK*
Her armored elbow smacked into his forehead. Kage uttered a loud howl of pain. Cynthia muttered an apology then curled up next to him. Within a few minutes, she was asleep. Kage balled up his fists at his side and resisted the urge to strangle the girl. He squirmed in his spot and did his best to put as much space between himself and Cynthia as he could. A long huff rushed from his lungs.
"Oh great and terrible gods of the Sith; if you have any mercy, save me from this insanity."
….
The ship rocked to and fro as a violent storm surged all around it. Lightning flashed and arced in long branches across the dark sky. Thunder clapped with a force so powerful it threatened to shatter the wooden panels that kept the ship together. Towering waves crashed against the sides of the ship and poured over its bow. Water rushed over the deck and knocked men off of their feet as they struggled to keep the ship afloat. Above the roaring winds and crashing waves, the ship captain bellowed out commands and manned the wheel.
Marth grit her teeth and struggled to make it below deck. She was of no use up here. She was a cripple in the eyes of the sailors around her. They refused to allow her to help hold down any lines or set any sails. The captain had ordered her to get down below, out of the way, so that the rest of his men could work unhindered.
It stung her pride to be told she was of no use in a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, the Captain was correct. The pain in her wounds had started to flare up again. If she had struggled against the storm any longer, she would have succumbed to her own pain and likely been tossed overboard. And that was a fate she did not want to experience.
She stumbled and almost lost her balance as the ship pitched forward then reared back. Her body slammed into a wall. Her one hand reached out and gripped a mass of nets secured to the inside of the hull. She held on for dear life as the ship was tossed about. Water leaked in from the deck above her. Soaking the floor under her feet and making it nearly impossible to stand upright without slipping.
After this, she never wanted to go on another boat ever again. She let out a small cry as the boat creaked around her. Equipment slid along the slick deck all around her. If the storm got any more intense there would be no hope for the ship. The waves would devour the boat. And she would sink to the depths with the rest of the crew. Her mission incomplete.
She squeezed her eyes shut and started muttering a silent prayer to Naga. A prayer for strength and courage. One she made often. One taught to her by someone she once cared about.
Kage taught her that prayer on the very first day she had ever met him. She was maybe seven years old at the time. Her father and some of the other Shepherds were invited to visit the land of Chon'sin. Princess Say'ri wanted them to come and enjoy all of the luxuries and wonders her land had to offer. They were her friends and comrades. And she had been to Ylisse before. It was only fair that Prince Chrom and his family visit her own country. Especially since it had been freed from the Conqueror's grasp.
The wonders of Chon'sin sat in Marth's mind for a long time. She had never seen a place like it before. The bamboo forests were so massive and thick. One could get lost in there if they were not careful. The sea that the capital of Chon'sin sat beside sparkled like sapphires. The waters were warm and peaceful. The air was gentle and pleasant.
And the people were all kind and inviting. She remembered the warm smiles all of the common folk gave her as she rushed about the city with her sister and her friends. All of them just looking for an adventure to go on.
That was when she met Kage for the first time. The boy had moved like a shadow. Easily following her and her friends without them noticing. Marth smiled to herself. Her cousin had gathered the Justice Cabal when Kage finally came forth from the shadows.
He was a quiet kid. Shy but sweet. Marth instantly liked him and invited the nervous boy to join them in their game of castle. Her cousin wanted him to be the villain that he, the brave knight, had to vanquish. Marth argued against that and made Kage her side kick. Her partner in fighting crime and evil. At the time, she had no idea he was a year or two older than her. But she did not care about age. He enjoyed the game just as much as she did. That was all that mattered.
The role of the villain of that particular game went to one of the other children. A girl who used an enchanted talisman to make herself rather scary and fearless when needed. Sometimes, she took it a little too far. And it would scare Marth. But Kage stood by her side and told her the prayer for courage. And it worked to. They defeated the villain and saved the castle. Much to her cousin's shock and dismay.
A wistful smile crossed Marth's lips as she followed the memory. How she wished it could have stayed that way forever. That day was the beginning of a friendship she would never forget. A friendship that she thought would blossom into something more. But fate was a cruel thing. The world ended all around her a few years later. And Kage turned into something she did not recognize. A monster that only grew more terrifying under Maul's tutelage.
When she ran into him once again in this timeline, she had felt a multitude of emotions. Ones that her Master certainly would not have approved of. She felt anger, betrayal, relief, joy; they all mixed into a strange concoction in her mind that left her scared and confused. She had held out hope that maybe, in the years they were apart, Kage broke away from Maul. Realized the evil nature of that vile creature and decided to forge his own path.
Then the battle in Plegia happened. Kage showed his true colors. The friendship came to an end. In that pain filled moment, Kage betrayed her. Electrocuted her. Nearly killed her. The entire time, when she looked into those hate filled eyes, she saw her old friend. Screaming to be free once again. But lost to the madness that was the dark side of the force.
It broke her heart to see what her friend had become. Now it was time to face him again. No longer as a friend, but as an enemy. A rival.
She did not know what Kage's end game was. She did not know why he would retreat to Chon'sin of all places. It was a risky move on his part. And it would be a risk that would cause his undoing. She knew where he was. Had guessed it as soon as she heard about how he disappeared from the battle to save Exalt Emmeryn.
Marth had tried reasoning with him. Had tried reaching out a hand and offering him help. He had tossed that offer away. And now, there would be no helping him. Once she found him, she would confront him.
And if necessary, she would kill him.
And chapter! Surprise! Say hello to the our newest space cadet, Cynthia! Someone who is going to really grate on Kage's nerves and give all of us a good laugh in the process. Meanwhile, Marth is lingering on good memories. Will she be able to strike the final blow when the pair meet again? That is a wonderful question. We will find out eventually. This was more of a character focused chapter rather than a plot focused chapter. I really want to build up these relationships before we go full tilt into the Valm arc. We will be returning to Chrom and the other Shepherds next chapter.
The next chapter will not be out for at least another week. I am leaving to go visit my great grandmother tomorrow. From there, I'm going to a cousin's wedding then spending time with my great grandma afterwards. There is no internet at her house. So I'll be scribbling in my notebook until I get a connection once again. Just a heads up for you all.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!