The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 58
Breaking Point
They flew for hours over thick forest canopies. As the hours passed and Cynthia's pegasus soared, the trees far below Say'ri changed from the tropical Chon'sin species into more temperate pines, oaks, and willows. Some of them looked massive. Jutting up into the sky. So close that maybe, if she reached out, she could brush her fingertips against the leaves. The moon looked even closer. A giant, glowing orb in the sky that filled her vision. Every time Cynthia guided the Pegasus higher, Say'ri thought they were about to soar to the moon.
She tightened her arms around Cytnhia's waist as the pegasus started to descend from the stars. The Chon'sin Princess's admiration for the bubbly girl grew whenever she deftly guided her steed. Cynthia was born to be in the skies. Say'ri could see that. She flew with grace and confidence. Like it was second nature for her. The teenager did not lose control of her Pegasus once as they soared away from danger. And the brave steed appeared at ease. Even with three people on its back.
But it could only fly so far with that much weight. Eventually, the wings started beating at a more erratic pace. Cynthia frowned and whispered in her Pegasus's ear. The flying horse snorted and began to descend. Gliding through the cool night air down to the edge of one of the many forests they soared over. Say'ri looked at the land they were dropping to. With the exception of a few isolated woods, there was no cover. Rolling hills filled this part of the continent. Endless seas of tall grass waved to and fro in the wind. Far in the distance, she could see a giant, black mountain jutting up from the ground. Smoke billowed from it's coned peak. A terrifying volcano known as the Demon's Ingle. Say'ri was glad they were going nowhere near that hellscape.
Cynthia executed a perfect landing. As soon as they touched the ground, Luke jumped off of the animal's back. Say'ri frowned as he stormed away a couple steps. Shoulders hunched over. Breaths leaving his lungs in ragged gasps. It was as if his entire world had been shaken. A top predator became made prey to an unknown enemy. And he was not handling it well.
Say'ri slid off of the pegasus. She gave the beast a gentle pat on the muzzle. Cynthia smiled down at the Princess.
"She likes you." She glanced over at Luke as the man attempted to calm himself down, "Him, not so much."
"I'm not its biggest fan either." Luke grumbled before taking a seat among the waves of grass.
Cynthia hopped off her pegasus. The short girl reached up and rubbed her mount's muzzle, a bright smile on her face.
"You did great, girl." She whispered. A happy sigh left Cynthia's lips, "So, we escaped! Success!"
"I was defeated." Luke grumbled, "I would not call that a success."
"You are alive." Say'ri countered, "Given what that monster was capable of, I'd say you should be happy it ended as well as it did."
"Ended?" Luke uttered a mocking laugh, "My dance with that monster is far from over. He will not defeat me. And he will not get away with making me look weak."
Cynthia looked at Luke with a puzzled expression as she sat down across from him, "Technically he was dancing. You were flailing like fish." She hummed, "Especially when you got hit by his lightning."
Luke's fingers balled up into tight fists, "I am aware." He hissed through a clenched jaw.
Say'ri remained standing. She wanted to remain vigilant right now. They had no camping gear. It had all been on the horses. Which they lost when they fled from whoever their new enemy was. There would be no shelter for them tonight. Which meant they all had to be extra careful. Extremely wary and focused. This landscape was very exposed. Anything could attack them out here.
"Who was that man?" Say'ri asked.
Luke inhaled, "That thing was a Deadlord."
Say'ri arched an eyebrow, "I never found dehumanizing an opponent to be very helpful in defeating them. You fail to understand the enemy that way."
A dry laugh left Luke's lips, "Spoke like a general. You resemble your brother more than you would like to admit." Say'ri's gaze darkened. Luke rolled his eyes, "That thing was not human."
Cynthia sucked in a sharp breath, "You don't mean-"
Luke nodded, "He followed us. And now his servants are trying to kill us."
Say'ri gave both a confused look, "Who is trying to kill us?"
"Ever heard of Grima?" Luke asked.
Say'ri narrowed her eyes at the man, "This has to be some kind of joke. A sick joke at that. The Fell Dragon is long dead. Slain over a thousand years ago."
Luke snorted, "Tell that to the Deadlord I just fought."
"You still haven't explained what exactly a Deadlord is?" Say'ri snapped back.
"Grima's top fighters." Cynthia said, without her usual cheerful smile, "Filled with both his will and power."
"Unstoppable killing machines. And normally just as mindless as normal Risen." Luke furrowed his brow, "But for some reason, not this one."
"Do you think he upgraded them?" Cynthia asked.
Luke rolled his eyes, "How would he do that, dumb ass?"
"He's practically the god of death! You tell me." Cynthia replied, a little frustration in her voice, "And quit calling me dumb and an idiot. It's not very nice."
"I don't care." Luke snarled, "You are those things."
Say'ri kept her mouth closed. This was a personal argument. But if she had her say, she would have taken Cynthia's side. Other than her one brain dead moment following around some bandits, she had been nothing but helpful and supportive to their efforts. If it wasn't for her, both Say'ri and Luke could have been killed or captured by the Deadlord. Cynthia might not be the most focused or serious person, but she was far from stupid.
The Pegasus Knight narrowed her eyes at Luke.
"Why are you so grumpy?" Luke rolled his eyes at her question, "I'm serious!" Cynthia continued, "You weren't this grumpy last time we talked."
"The last time was three years ago." Luke remarked as he folded his hands and closed his eyes. Deep breaths rushed in and out of his lungs.
"Three years isn't enough time for you to go from one of the fun people to one of the mean ones." Cynthia pouted, "For Naga's sake, you are almost as grumpy as Gerome."
Kage grunted, but said nothing in reply.
"So why?" Cynthia asked again. She tapped his knee, "C'mon, open up to me. What is making you so mad?" Her eyes lit up, "Did you get in a fight with Luci?"
Say'ri drew back as Luke's face twisted in anger. She saw his fists ball up very tight in his lap. Obvious rage leaked out of him.
"You did!" Cynthia gasped, "Luke, what did you fight about? Did you guys break up? I hope not. You two were really cute together. Before you became a sour puss that is. I'm pretty sure if you did, you broke her heart because-"
"SHUT UP!" Luke roared. His eyes flashed. Say'ri sucked in a fearful breath as sparks danced along his fingertips.
"No." Cynthia shot back, "You will tell me why-"
"Lucina is dead!"
Cynthia froze. She gave Luke an unblinking stare. Her chest barely rose and fell as the words hit her like a slap in the face. A small, uncertain laugh left the young girl's lips.
"You- you're lying." She said, her voice weak with uncertainty, "You always did like to lead me on. So, where is Luci anyways? You have to have met up with her already and-"
"Maul killed her." Luke glared angrily at Cynthia.
Cynthia's eyes widened. Her lips quivered. Say'ri saw large tears forming in her innocent eyes. The girl gulped.
"W-what?" She whimpered.
Luke leaned closer. Rage etched all over his face.
"Maul killed her." He repeated.
Cynthia's fist shot out so fast, Say'ri barely noticed. Her punch collided with Luke's jaw. Knocking the irritable man flat on his back. Luke's eyes widened in shock as Cynthia jumped on top of him and rained another fist down on his face.
"YOU'RE LYING!" Cynthia screamed as she pounded away at him, "LIAR! LIAR!"
Luke raised his hands and caught Cynthia by the wrists. Sobs wracked Cynthia's lungs as she collapsed in a heap on top of Luke.
"She's not dead!" Cynthia wailed, "Luci can't die!"
"Get off of me." Luke grunted as he pushed the sobbing Pegasus Knight off of him.
Cynthia pushed herself up on all fours. She sniffled a moment then glared at Luke.
"You… you followed Maul when he did it, didn't you?"
Say'ri saw Luke swallow hard. Guilt rushed over the man's face. He refused to look Cynthia is the eye at that moment. No hateful comment or snide remark left his lips. That look of pure guilt was all it took to send Cynthia over the edge. The sobbing Pegasus Knight rushed over to her mount. The Pegasus snorted and knelt down for her to get on. Say'ri rushed to stop her.
"Cynthia wait!"
The beast's angelic wings hammered against the night air. Cynthia shot up into the sky. Not controlling her pegasus in the slightest. Her face buried in its white mane instead of focused on where she was flying. Say'ri's eyes followed her path. The Chon'sin Princess shook with rage as she turned to face Kage.
"What kind of sick, twisted man are you?" She spat.
"The kind that is going to save your little brother."
She spat at him. Luke drew back in surprise.
"To hell with you. I would much sooner save him myself than be around the likes of you any longer." She pointed an accusatory figure at the stunned man, "You are a poison. A sick individual who clearly gains pleasure out of causing pain. I hope you meet a terrible end at the hands of that Deadlord. You deserve it."
Say'ri huffed, turned on her heel, and raced off in the direction Cynthia ran away at.
Kage is a liar. He had to be lying. There was no way Lucina was dead. Cynthia refused to believe it. Refused to believe him. Lucina was the strongest person she knew. The best warrior she knew. No one could kill her. Risen couldn't kill her. Deadlords were unable to kill her. As long as Falchion sat in her hands, her older sister was an unstoppable force on the battlefield. Grima himself was cautious when approaching her.
But as Kage's words sank in, Cynthia could not help but feel that he told her the truth. The guilt he had on his face was impossible to miss. Only a truthful person would look that guilty. Only someone who regretted what they had done possessed that much regret. Lucina was dead. Kage's master killed her. And Kage fully admitted to standing by and watching him do it.
Another round of sobs wracked Cynthia's small body. Her pegasus wobbled in the air. The poor animal was exhausted. The amount of weight it had to carry while flying had been too much. Cytnhia did not command her steed to descend. But it did so anyways. Aware that its rider was in no condition to properly pilot her.
She buried her face into her Pegasus's long mane. The hairs on the beasts neck were damp with her tears. Shuddering sobs rushed out of Cynthia as she wrapped her arms around the Pegasus's thick neck and held on. The animal snorted, folded its wings up so that they covered Cynthia, and knelt down in the grass. Allowing Cynthia to lay on it's back and cry.
"You-" Cynthia sniffled, "Do you think he is lying?" She asked her steed.
Dark eyes stared back at her. Sympathetic eyes. The animal knew her rider was in pain.
"He's not." Cynthia swallowed then sobbed again, "I-I can tell he isn't. He wouldn't have let me hit him if was."
"Cynthia!"
The Pegasus Knight jerked her head up. A woman's voice called out to her from the hills. Her heart jumped in her chest. Was it Lucina? Did Kage really lie to her? Was he wrong?
Say'ri emerged on top of a nearby hill. The Chon'sin princess laid eyes on her and raced over to the mourning Pegasus Knight. Cynthia's shoulders shuddered again and she buried her face into her Pegasus.
Say'ri slowed down as she approached the shattered Knight. The Pegasus watched her closely. Making sure that Say'ri did not intend to cause any harm. Say'ri gave the animal a small, knowing nod. The beast snorted and turned its head away, allowing Say'ri to see Cynthia's tear stained face.
Her little hands were balled up in the Pegasus's mane. Rivers of tears rushed down her pale cheeks. Her eyes were puffy and filled with sorrow. Say'ri closed her eyes and shook her head. She could not imagine the pain in her heart. Say'ri did not know who Lucina was, but she had a feeling she was close to Cynthia.
The Chon'sin Princess sank down beside the broken Pegasus Knight. Before she could even say anything, armored arms reached over and clutched her. Searching for some sort of comfort. Say'ri hesitated then wrapped her own arms around Cynthia's shoulders.
"It is ok." Say'ri breathed as Cynthia sobbed.
The blue haired girl shook her head, "No… its not." She sniffled, "I have been traveling with the monster that helped kill my sister."
Say'ri's eyes went wide. Lucina was the name of Cynthia's sister. And she claimed Luke helped kill her.
"I thought he said Maul killed her?"
Cynthia uttered a shaky breath. More tears rushed down her cheeks.
"Maul is Kage's master. And Kage just watched him kill her." Cynthia replied.
Say'ri furrowed her brow, "Kage? I thought his name was Luke." She frowned, "This is the second time-"
"Luke is a name he uses when he doesn't want anyone to know who he is." Cynthia sniffed, "His real name is Kage. His older brother, Yen'fay, gave it to him."
Say'ri's heart stopped beating in her chest.
"What?" She pried herself free from Cynthia, "Are- are you playing some sick game with me?"
Cynthia sniffled then shook her head, "That bastard Kage is the same Kage we are trying to rescue. Just a lot older."
Say'ri reeled. She suspected something was amiss when it came to Luke's identity. Cynthia's slip of the tongue combined with Luke's own knowledge of Say'ri's family and the whereabouts of her little brother were difficult to ignore. But none of the pieces made any sense untill now. But even with Cynthia's stunning admission, it still boggled her mind.
"That is not possible."
"Not without Naga and her horrible time travel ritual." Cynthia replied.
Say'ri gave Cynthia an incredulous look.
"Are you saying you are from the future? Both of you?"
Cynthia wiped away a tear and nodded, "And I'm telling the truth to you because I don't give a damn what Kage thinks anymore. He can go… he can go…" She struggled to find her words for a moment, "I hope Auntie Tharja finds him and hexes his balls off!"
The Pegasus Knight slumped in her seat. Say'ri stared at her. Silent and dumbfounded. Unable to find any words to properly express what she felt. She did not see any deception in the Cynthia's actions. There was no reason for the Pegasus Knight to lie to her. Unless she was as sick in the head as Luke, then she was telling her the truth. Say'ri fell back against the Pegasus behind her. Her mind reeling.
"We were really good friends once." Cynthia sniffled as she tried to reel in her emotions, "Me, Kage, Cousin Owain, and Morgan. The Justice Cabal! That is what we called ourselves. Our little team."
A small, wistful laugh interrupted her quiet crying.
"Lucina used to think we were all so immature. Except for Kage. She adored him. He was the only reason she joined in our fun."
Another laugh, this one louder and even more pain filled left Cynthia's lips. Say'ri sat quiet and listened. Both dreading and eager to hear stories of the future.
"This one time, we all decided to pull a prank on my aunt Lissa. The ultimate prankster getting pranked! It would have been glorious. Kage had this gigantic bag of chicken feathers ready to go. I had the glue. Cousin Owain was going to lead his mom right into it. She would have had to race through town looking like a chicken." Cynthia snorted, "And Morgan was going to cluck behind her the entire way." Her laughter rose a little more, "But… um… well, I screwed up our timing. Because Auntie Lissa was with Auntie Tharja at the time. And well, I lost my grip on the bucket of glue. Kage thought that was the cue to drop the feathers. Next thing we all knew, Auntie Tharja was chasing us through town dressed as a chicken." Cynthia started crying again, "I've never seen a scarier chicken in my life."
"Luci got us out of a lot of trouble that time. She managed to fetch her Master who was able to calm down Auntie Tharja. But we all ended up with runny nose hexes still." Cynthia laughed, "Kage got the worst of that. It was like he had a cold for a full week."
Say'ri gave Cynthia a gentle smile, "It sounds like you all were very close."
Cynthia sniffed and wiped at her eyes, "We were. But… clearly that's all over. It… it all ended when Maul first showed up."
Say'ri waited for Cynthia to catch her breath. The poor girl looked both terrified and sad as she spoke Maul's name.
"He showed up one day," She began, "right around when me and Luci's parents just got home from a big war. Her master decided to start teaching Luci how to fight and use magic. Kage wanted to learn too. But he refused to teach two people at once. Well… Maul arrived. He knew how to fight the same way as Luci's master. And he knew the same kind of magic as well. So Kage went to him for training. Against both Luci and her Master's warnings." Cynthia sniffed, "Maul was so evil. He did not try anything at first. But I just knew he was. I could see it in how he talked, how he moved, how he fought and taught. Kage would come back from training sessions with bruises and welts so large that it worried us all sick. Luci always rushed to take care of him. I was a bit too young to help out at the time."
"A year or two later, another war broke out. The most evil of all evils returned, Grima. Mom, Dad, and all their friends left for war." Cynthia tucked her legs close to her chest, "Mom and Dad didn't come back. Auntie Lissa, Auntie Tharja, and Luci's Master took it upon themselves to take care of me and Luci at that point. And Luci especially took care of me. So did Kage. In fact, Kage almost became like an older brother to me. He was always around Luci. And since I was always around Luci, he was always around me."
"As the war dragged, more people we were close to died. Eventually, only a few of the adults we knew carried on the fight against the enemy. Our last stronghold was Ylisstol. Kage and Maul directed the defense of the palace while Luci and her Master rallied our forces on the walls. The enemy laid siege. Luci and her Master needed reinforcements. Maul did not give them. He fled through the first time portal with Kage. Left us all for dead. But somehow, we won that battle. It was a miracle really." Cynthia sniffled, "A few years later, Ylisstol was besieged again. This time, we could not hold out. Luci performed the ritual to send us all back in time. Her Master gave his life to give us enough time to get through the portals. And we all arrived here. But not together."
Cynthia wiped some fresh tears from her eyes, "I hoped I'd meet up with Luci on the other side. That we could both save the future together. And maybe, the Justice Cabal could actually see justice carried out. That we would be the ones to save the world." She hung her head, "I wanted to believe Kage did not fall as far as Maul wanted him to. But he just… just let him kill Luci. Did not even try to stop him from the sounds of things. Did our friendship mean that little? Did Luci's trust in him really mean nothing to him?" Cynthia gulped and took a shuddering breath, "I never want to see his face again."
Say'ri took a moment to take in everything Cynthia just told her. A future war with Grima? Her little brother coming under the dark tutelage of an evil master? It all seemed way too unbelievable. Traveling through time using an ancient ritual in order to defeat a long dead monster? How could she possibly believe any of that?
At the same time though, Cynthia was not lying. Either she believed her own fantasy or she was that good at lying. Something that Say'ri doubted. No one as innocent as Cynthia appeared to be was that good at lying. And the tears she shed for her sister were genuine. The betrayal on her face in regards to Luke was real.
Which meant there was a war coming. A war of such monumental scale that it would make Walhart's conquest look like a mere skirmish. Cynthia's sister gave her life to try and stop the war from coming. Say'ri would not let such an honorable sacrifice be in vain.
"I'm going to miss her." Cynthia sniffed as she held her knees to her chest, "She did everything she could to keep me safe. To give me a better future."
Say'ri placed a hand on Cynthia's shoulder, "And we will not let her sacrifice be in vain. Her memory will live on in a future not ravaged by darkness and war." The Chon'sin princess got to her feet, "First we must rescue my little brother. I intend to never let him meet Maul. That monster will fall by my blade if he ever comes near him. Then we shall both prepare for the coming war."
"We will?" Cynthia gave Say'ri a surprise look, "You really believe me?"
"I don't think you are a liar." Say'ri replied with a soft smile. She held a hand out to Cynthia. Say'ri grabbed Cynthia's hand and hauled the girl to her feet, "And if you are not lying, then you must be telling the truth."
Cynthia gulped, "But… what should we do about Kage?"
"My little brother, we shall save." Say'ri said firmly, "As for Luke, he can go jump into a pit." She placed a hand on Cynthia's shoulder, "He does not matter anymore. We have a future to save."
"Do you now?"
The hairs on the back of Say'ri's neck stood on end. Fear gripped her heart. Her stomach shot to her throat. Cynthia's eyes widened in pure terror. The Chon'sin princess turned around.
No. That was not possible. How did he find them so quickly? They had been flying for hours? No man could move that fast!
But Kage said he was not a man. No, he was a servant of the Fell Dragon Grima. A Deadlord.
Equus smirked as he approached the two women, red blade drawn and humming in his right hand. A chill rushed through the air, making Say'ri shiver. Cold sweat ran down her back as she drew her own blade and pushed Cynthia behind her. Equus uttered an amused laugh at her weak show of defiance. He held his blade aloft in front of his face then swept it out to the side. A salute of some sort.
"My Master will most certainly object to your plans."
Kage sat still in the rolling fields. Pondering what had just occurred. He took several deep breaths. Slowly inhaling and exhaling. Doing everything he could to calm his own rage.
At first, he thought he was mad at Cynthia. But whenever he pictured her face in his mind, he only felt guilt. Not rage. He reached up to his chin and felt the growing, purple bruise. He cringed as some sharp pain went through his jaw. She really walloped him. For such a small girl, she could really pack a punch
He sucked in another deep breath. He finally had some peace and quiet. A chance to think without having to worry about anyone else around him or having to move fast to avoid capture. No one knew him in Valm. No one wanted him dead except for the Deadlord.
And maybe Cynthia.
Kage shook his head. No, Cynthia was not like that. She did get mad. Very mad at times. But she never wanted to purposefully harm people. She was like her Aunt Lissa that way. While she understood the need to fight, she never desired to harm another living soul. However when it came to Risen; Cynthia was a flying terror for them. Her innocence only lasted until the undead attempted to kill those close to her. Then she became a warrior of almost unparalleled capabilities.
Kage gulped. He killed her innocence. In his own frustration and rage, he shattered her. Spat out Lucina's death like it was nothing more than an insult. A way to shake off a nuisance. He buried his head in his head and let out a shaky breath.
When did it all go so wrong? When did he allow Maul to control him so easily? When did he stop fighting for those he cared about? A terrifying thought entered his mind.
When he first started learning from Maul, Kenobi warned him to walk way from the monster. His methods would twist his mind. Warp his heart and corrupt him. Turn him into a monster he would not recognize until it was far too late. Was it too late now?
When he had been around Lucina and his other friends, they kept him line. Kept him grounded. Reminded him of who and what he fought for. When he went through the time portal with Maul, he lost that anchor. He lost what grounded him to reality. Grounded him to the light. To what was good and just. He realized now that Maul never intended to help save the future by coming to the past earlier than the others. He intended to separate Kage. To finally break him. Mold another monster in his own image.
A small sob left Kage's lips.
It worked. Maul succeeded. His hands started shaking as the events of the last few months raced through his mind. The atrocities he committed on his Master's orders. From kidnapping Exalt Emmeryn to nearly killing Gaius, Panne, and all of the other Shepherds that named him comrade and friend. All of those sins culminating in the death of the one person that believed in him to the bitter end. The one person that extended a hand on the walls of the Plegian Palace.
Ever since he felt nothing but guilt and rage. He thought the rage was because of the world. Because of the insufferable people he had to be around. Because of Say'ri not listening to him or Cynthia being an annoyance. In reality, they were neither of those things. The rage was because of him. He hated himself. Hated what he had done. It was all his fault in the end. He could blame Kenobi or Maul all he wanted. But in the end, he could have done something. He could have stopped Maul. He could have fought back against his wretched Master.
He could have told him no. I will not learn from you.
Kage reached up to his eyes and brushed some tears from his face. Lucina was probably looking down on him now. What was she thinking? Was she disgusted? Maybe. But he knew her. She would not be disgusted. She would be disappointed.
She was gone now. No one else was strong enough to complete the mission she started. No one, except maybe him.
And there was no one to look out for Cynthia, except for him. The joyful girl would be eaten alive by this cruel world without someone to watch her back. Her presence among bandits when they first encountered each other during this time was evidence of that.
Kage took a deep breath and looked up at the twinkling stars above him.
"I'm so sorry, Luci." He breathed. He took another deep breath and got to his feet. His hand rested on the hilt of Yen'fay's blade, "I've screwed up." He looked down at his feet, "But not anymore."
It would be a long road back. Maul's poison had gone deep into his mind. Even into his very heart. The habits he had built would likely take years to break. But he would break them. If for no other reason than to make Lucina proud as she watched from the afterlife.
He would not fight for himself anymore. He would fight for those he cared about. For those who cared about him. Cynthia and Say'ri, they cared. Even if they were furious with him. He deserved their anger. If there was anyway he could redeem himself, he would find it.
"Well," He whispered, "Cynthia ran off again. I'll go make sure didn't get hurt."
A wave of cold slammed into him. His eyes shot wide open. The dark side of the force taunted him. Laughed at him. He felt fear racing over the hills. Panic seized his heart.
Equus was here.
"No."
Kage turned on his heel and raced in Say'ri and Cynthia's direction. Praying to Naga that he would make it in time. He would not allow another one of his mistakes result in the death of someone he cared about.
Never again.
Equus smiled at the two women. This evening was working out so well. A little boost to his speed thanks to the Force, and he easily caught up to the fleeing children. Truly, the powers granted to him by his Master were magnificent. Even though his body appeared old and frail, he felt reborn. A hundred times stronger than any living creature. A predator stalking through an entire world of prey.
His eyes shifted from brown to red as the dark side flowed through his veins. He took a step towards Say'ri and Cynthia. The young Pegasus Knight took a step back. But Say'ri stood her ground.
"You are a determined one, aren't you?" Equus addressed the Chon'sin Princess.
Say'ri tightened her hands around her sword, "I do not fear you."
Equus chuckled. He let some of his power leak out. An oppressive wave of the dark side rushed out at the two women. Cynthia trembled then collapsed to her knees. Quick, terrified breaths rushed in and out of her lungs. Fear paralyzed her.
Say'ri paled and swallowed hard, but she kept the tip of her blade pointed at Equus' heart. And kept her own body between him and the girl from the future.
"Then you shall die braver than most."
Equus lunged at Say'ri. The Princess grit her teeth and moved to intercept the thrust. Just as her blade was about to make contact with the glowing bar of red light, a blast of invisible power slammed into both her and Cynthia. The two girls flew over their terrified Pegasus and landed in a heap away from Equus' deadly strike.
The Deadlord arched an eyebrow. But then he laughed.
"And the bait manages to lure my prey." He chuckled before turning to see Kage standing nearby.
The boy's chest rose and fell as he sucked in heavy breaths. He must have used the same technique as Equus in order to reach the trapped women in time. But unlike Equus, he was not experienced with such an ability. Once again, relying on pure talent in order to combat a more skilled opponent. That left him winded and weary.
Kage looked past Equus at Cynthia and Say'ri. Say'ri narrowed her eyes at the blonde boy. Cynthia gave him a furious look.
"What are you doing here?" The blue haired girl snapped.
Kage drew his own lightsaber, "Saving my friends."
Cynthia drew back in shock. Meanwhile, Equus chuckled.
"So, you believe you can defeat me? Did you consider the advice I gave you after our last bout."
Kage frowned, "I may have." He held his lightsaber loose in one hand, "And you were correct on two points."
"Oh?"
"You are much more skilled than I am. No denying that. You defeated me. Easily for that matter. But you also conceded I have more raw power than you."
"What is your point?"
"How long do you think you can hold out?"
Equus narrowed his eyes. An enormous dam burst in the force. His red eyes widened in shock as a tidal wave of dark side energy slammed into him. The Deadlord raised his lightsaber just in time to catch a torrent of blue lighting that shot from the boy's fingertips.
Blue light flashed through the night. Nearly blinding both Say'ri and Cynthia. Equus meanwhile, grit his teeth and struggled against the massive onslaught.
"Cynthia!" Kage shouted. He poured more power into his attack, "Take Say'ri and go! You will find me at Fort Stieger!"
"How will you find us?" Cynthia shouted back.
He gave her a small smile, "Just go. You'll have to trust me on this one."
Cynthia wanted to protest. But the lightning roared all around them. Little thunderclaps banged in the air as the bolts collided with Equus's saber. She pressed her hands over her ears as Say'ri grabbed her arm. The two girls rushed over to the Pegasus and clambered onto her back. Cynthia looked back at Kage as he pushed Equus down to one knee with his lightning.
"Kage!" Cynthia screamed, "You better live! Because I still need to kick your butt for what you did!"
She heard him utter a laugh. Not a sarcastic laugh. Not a condescending laugh. But a laugh she recognized. A playful one that reminded her so much of the kid she grew up with.
"I'll hold you to it! Now go!"
With a nod, Cynthia dug her spurs in. The Pegasus uttered a loud whine then soared up into the air. Kage's eyes followed them as they raced north towards Fort Stieger. As soon as he was certain they were beyond Equus' reach, Kage ended his barrage of lightning.
The Deadlord panted a moment. A few memories shot through his mind as some stray bolts of lightning lanced out from his blade and into him. He saw a hooded figure. Terrifying and decrepit. He wielded power unimaginable. And Equus named him master during a previous life. And the Master named him Tyrannus. A name with power in the Dark Side of the Force.
The Deadlord took a deep breath. Smoke billowed around his red lightsaber. Some static sparked near his hands and around his arms. The monster raised his eyes to meet Kage's.
"How noble." He sneered as he got back to his feet.
Kage paled. The lightning did what he originally intended. It occupied the Deadlord long enough to allow Say'ri and Cynthia to escape. But he also hoped that maybe, just maybe, he would have dealt some damage to the deadly monster before him. Instead, Equus shrugged the attack off as if it was just a nuisance. A little spark instead of an electrical storm that would have killed most men.
The boy tightened his grip on his lightsaber. He tried to steady his racing heart as he stared down one of the deadliest beings on the planet.
"Judging by your drawn lightsaber, I assume you are still unwilling to come quietly." Equus said.
Kage smirked, "Just because I made it a little easier for you doesn't mean I won't fight back."
"Good." Equus saluted Kage with his blade, "I was afraid this was going to be boring."
They rushed at each other. Blue and red blades collided with great sparks of light in the night air.
Kage battled with all the fury he could muster. Every trick he ever learned, every technique, every chop and hack he knew, he threw at Equus. But no matter what he did, the Deadlord effortlessly countered.
Rage filled the young Sith Lord. He could not lose. Not now. Not when he finally realized his mistakes. Not when he finally realized what he needed to fight for. He roared and unleashed a furious assault on Equus.
The Deadlord took a few surprised steps back as Kage put him on the defensive. Hacks and slashes rained down on the Deadlord's precise defense. Kage bashed a massive chop against his red blade then flipped over him. Equus spun and lashed out with his own counter strike. Kage managed to deflect it just before the red blade could bite into his thigh.
Kage had found it. During those few seconds Equus was on the defensive, he discovered the key to victory. The weakness in his fighting form. Equus fought like a master fencer. Controlled, precise, elegant attacks. But weak in power and strength. Not meant to cleave an enemy in two, but to disable an opponent with precision. And that lack of strength extended to his defense.
He needed to pour on the offense. Attack with strength, speed, and ferocity. Enough to overwhelm the Deadlord and force him off balance. Kage spun his blade and surged at the Equus.
One slash at his neck. Deflected. Immediate follow up to the waist. Deflected again. Equus danced backwards as Kage rained blows down on him. The boy could feel his muscles starting to burn. His strategy would leave him weary. He needed to finish this quickly. Needed to create an opening for escape.
He locked blades with Equus. The taller man glowered down at him.
"I sense fear in you boy." Equus snarled as he closed the space between them, "Your hatred and anger leave you. And all that is left is fear."
"Maybe." Kage grit his teeth, "But that is not fear for myself anymore."
He slid his blade down Equus' blade. The lightsabers screeched. Equus reeled away as he tried to keep the tip of Kage's blade from puncturing his shoulder. Kage placed a foot behind his ankle. Equus stumbled and fell backwards, breaking the blade lock.
Kage's own blade thundered down and burned through the Deadlord's belly. The old man's eyes widened in shock. A victorious smirk crossed Kage's lips.
"I know this won't kill you." Kage hissed, "You are technically already dead. But it is so satisfying seeing that pain on your cursed face."
Equus' lightsaber switched off. Kage kept his own buried in the Deadlord's gut for a few more seconds. Allowing the burning light to char the Deadlord's wound even more.
"You… really are impressive." The Deadlord winced, "If only you had a proper teacher."
"Are you offering?" Kage smirked, "Because you already know my answer."
He deactivated his blue blade and slammed a small burst of lightning into Equus. A way of making sure he stayed down a little while longer. Kage turned on his heel after that pulse of power, and started running North.
"You cannot run forever!" Equus called after him as he lay still in the dirt, "I will fulfill my Master's will!"
Kage paused. He glanced back at the wounded Deadlord.
"And I will happily stand against him." He started running again. As he ran a quiet whisper left his lips.
"Because you would have, Lucina."
And chapter! Nothing like Cynthia socking Kage in the face in order to give him a proper wake up call. This was a heavier chapter, obviously. We get to see a bit more of Kage's character other than the moody asshole we already know. Apparently he is taking it upon himself to look out for Cynthia now. As a way to try and redeem himself. He is not doing a complete 180 right out of the gate. He will still be a little snide and get ticked off easily. But he is actually going to try and be a better person now. And writing those two together is very fun. I'm looking forward to writing more shenanigans!
Also, CANON DEVIATION! Say'ri knows everything now! It was only a matter of time what with her hanging around blabbermouth Cynthia and the older version of her brother, Kage. That could make her first meeting with the Shepherds very interesting.
And Equus is starting to regain some memories. I wonder… if he remembers who he really was before the Hierophant raised him, will he still follow him? Hm… questions and more questions.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!