The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 62
The Mila Tree
One had to just marvel at the sheer scale. The absolute magnificence of it. Carefully grown and tended to. Like a beloved garden. None like it existed in all of the land of Valm. The portly man's hand reached up and stroked his fingers lovingly through his thick beard. A low hum ran out of his lips. Almost like a cat purring. How he adored his magnificent beard. The only hair on his otherwise naked head. If there was one thing he could claim to be better at than the other General's in the Conqueror's army, it was that he had the greatest facial hair.
Sure, General Pheros had the absolute loyalty of her soldiers. The love and affection of her men due to her stern, yet caring command. And General Yen'fay held the honor and admiration of his legions thanks to his own stoicism and discipline. A sense of justice that his men wished to emulate and follow. But he, General Cervantes, least of the Conqueror's three General's, possessed the beard. A symbol of manhood and power that would make enemies tremble before him.
"Tell me, lieutenant?" General Cervantes began, his gruff voice mostly muffled behind the thick brush covering his face and lips, "Should I comb it, or let it be wild today? What would galvanize the men more?"
The young lieutenant, a new recruit if he recalled, gulped behind him. No doubt uncertain as to how to respond. Which course to choose. Both seemed excellent. Yes, both were indeed excellent!
"Quite right, young man! Wild it is! For we roam the wilds around the Mila Tree in search of the dastardly prisoner who dared escape General Pheros's clutches. Tarnishing her otherwise impeccable record." A soft, mocking chuckle left the General's lips as he ran his hand through his beard once again, "Not so impeccable now. Mediocre as well. Just as I! Except the woman does not possess this mark of manhood. This monument to manliness that even the Conqueror himself noticed and praised!"
"It is a wonderful beard sir." The lieutenant cringed behind him.
"Not just a beard my boy! A mustache as well. And sideburns! The entire package!"
A slight breeze drifted into his large, personal tent. Cervantes frowned. He did not recall it being very windy outside. As he admired his gruff face in the mirror, he failed to notice the sudden flash of light follow the brief rush of wind. The lieutenant uttered a startled cry and took a few steps back as a fat, revolting looking man appeared out of thin air.
Excellus scowled as he glanced over at Cervantes.
"Would you cease petting that hairball over your lips." Excellus snapped.
Cervantes arched an eyebrow, "Oh, Excellus. I did not realize you would be paying me a visit this evening. How goes your little schemings, spider?"
"I am not a spider."
"A rather fat rat then."
Excellus grit his teeth. Cervantes meanwhile chuckled to himself. There were other perks to being one of the Conqueror's generals. Poking fun at the fat worm that he named his tactician was one of them.
"I am not the one with a rat on my face." Excellus grumbled, "And that is besides the point of my visit. Have you apprehend our escaped prisoner yet?"
"Hm? Does it look like I have?"
"Well-"
"Then there is your answer." Cervantes hummed, "Do not fret, Excellus. You can inform Pheros that her escapee will be found and brought back to Fort Stieger in chains. What did the prisoner look like again?"
"Blue haired woman. Rather young. One armed."
"Then it will not be hard to find her." Cervantes turned to face the fuming tactician, "Now, let me go about my job. I do not tell you how to do yours, so you do not have to tell me how to do mine."
"Forgive me for placing some concern into this matter." Excellus frowned, "But this is a rather high profile prisoner that must be apprehended with all hate."
"A prisoner?" An aristocratic voice clipped through the air in the tent, "Perhaps I can be of assistance?"
Excellus jumped out of his skin as a regal, eldelry man stepped into Cervantes's tent. Cervantes arched his brow and hummed to himself.
"Hm… lieutenant?"
"Y-yes General?" The boy replied.
"Does my tent have an open invitation tonight?"
"N-no sir."
"It will for me. For I can help solve your little problem, General." The elderly man said with a confident smile on his face, "Oh, I apologize, General. I have not introduced myself." He gave Cervantes a low bow, "Tyrannus, at your service."
Excellus gave the man a puzzled look. Cervantes nodded at the older man.
"Tyrannus hm? You have good sense of decorum and propriety about you. I can most appreciate that. And I see you are a man with a love of facial hair as well. That beard appears impeccable."
A genial smile crossed the elder's face, "I thank you General. It took much trial and error to perfect it."
"Oh most certainly."
Excellus stomped his foot, "What the hell are you doing here?" He snarled at the man name Tyrannus.
Tyrannus arched an eyebrow. He practically towered over the stout Excellus. His eyes glowered down at the stressed man.
"I am offering my assistance, Excellus." Tyrannus explained, "I have reason to believe that my own quarry may be tied up in this prisoner escape from Fort Stieger. After all, my target is after the child too."
"Child?" Cervantes wondered out loud.
"The woman is very young." Excellus chirped nervously.
"Young woman?" Tyrannus frowned, "I seem to recall your prisoner being a young boy. A toddler no less." He glanced over at General Cervantes, "Are you not aware of who you really hunt, General? I can assure you, once you learn, you will redouble your efforts."
"Is that so? What has Excellus failed to inform me of this time?"
Excellus took a nervous step back from the two men.
"Your escaped prisoner is not a young woman. That might be his rescuer actually. Your escapee is none other than the Prince of Chon'sin, Kage."
Cervantes's face visibly paled.
"I don't think I have to remind you of what might happen if General Yen'fay learned that you failed to rescue his brother from the clutches of bandits."
"Bandits?" Excellus snarled, "What are you getting at, Eq-"
"Clearly, your little hostage scheme involving the General has failed." Tyrannus snapped, cutting off the worm. Cervantes narrowed his eyes at Excellus as the elder man spoke, "Now the situation must be remedied if the integrity of the Conqueror's military is to remain intact. You have failed to do so. I see it as only necessary that I step in to assist."
"And how can you assist in repairing Excellus screw up, good Tyrannus?" Cervantes asked. His own small, angry eyes not leaving the extremely nervous Excellus.
"Well, the young woman who took Prince Kage happens to be a known associate of a very dangerous man. A wanted fugitive throughout the lands of Ylisse and Regna Ferox. I have come from Ylisse in order to personally apprehend said individual. But he has eluded me quite well so far. I believe that I can successfully capture him if I can draw him out using an old acquaintance of his."
"The young woman?" Cervantes hummed.
"Precisely." Tyrannus nodded, "I offer my own martial skills and decades of experience in hunting fugitives to the search."
"That won't be necessary, Tyrannus." Excellus stammered out, "We are more than cap-"
"We cannot afford for General Yen'fay to learn of Excellus's treachery." Cervantes glared at the worm, silencing him instantly, "The very integrity of the Conqueror's military is now at risk. As is Excellus's position by the Emperor's side." Cervantes chuckled, "How does it feel to be vulnerable, Excellus?"
"Quite awful if I were to be honest."
"But we do not want to lose good Excellus. After all, this is but one mistake. A large one. But only one. And if we act quickly, we can mitigate any lasting damage." Tyrannus folded his arms, "I will assist in retrieving the Prince while at the same time disposing of his current captors. You, General Cervantes, will enter into General Yen'fay's good graces by rescuing his little brother from a group of dastardly bandits that took him hostage. And you shall return him to Chon'sin personally."
"I like this idea." Cervantes hummed with delight.
"And what about me?" Excellus frowned, "What must I do to remedy the situation."
Tyrannus smirked, "Stay out of my way of course. You have managed to create quite a mess. Now, I shall clean it up for you."
"Well… you are too kind."
"Do not mistake my actions for kindness, Excellus." Tyrannus frowned at the shorter man, "I do expect to be well compensated for my actions tonight."
"Of course, of course." Cervantes hummed, "I shall personally compensate you. And I'm sure Excellus would be more than happy to pitch in as well."
"Unfortunately." Excellus sighed.
"Splendid." Tyrannus unfolded his arms, "Now, where have you conducted your search, General?"
General Cervantes waved for Tyrannus to follow him over to a table. Two maps rested on top of the table. One of the entire continent of Valm. The other an in depth map of the area surrounding the Mila Tree. Cervantes drew a small circle around the Mila Tree at the center of the second map.
"We've been searching within a ten mile radius. A net pattern as well. I have patrols in constant motion along both the main road and the trails that cut through the forest. There are very few gaps in such a pattern."
Tyrannus raised his brow, "I can see one very large gap however."
"Oh? Do tell."
Tyrannus placed a long finger right on top of the Mila Tree. Cervantes sputtered as he realized what the elder man was implying.
"Do you believe that the woman and child managed to slip by my soldiers and reach a point under my very nose!?"
"This woman was able to outwit both Excellus and General Pheros. Do not underestimate her." Tyrannus replied, "I shall go to the top of the Mila Tree personally. Perhaps my own quarry has already met up with her."
Cervantes nodded, "Myself and a company of my men will wait at the base of the tree. I will also make sure some food and blankets are prepared for the young Prince. Do you require irons for the bandit."
Tyrannus chuckled as he turned to leave the tent, "That will not be necessary, General. Right now, there is nowhere she can run."
Marth awoke with a start. The air around her felt cold. Far too cold for this night in Valm. She did not remember her breath leaving her lips in small puffs of frost before. As she moved to sit up, she felt Tiki's firm hand grip her shoulder.
"Quiet your presence." The ancient Manakete hissed in the night.
Marth froze. Quite her presence? What did she mean by that?"
"Someone… no, something has followed you here."
Tiki narrowed her sharp eyes. Green irises flicked through the shadows at the top of the Mila Tree. The starless night hid everything around them in darkness. Making it difficult to make out any movement in the blackness.
Marth remained frozen in place.
"Carefully reach out with the Force." Tiki breathed, "You will know about the danger I feel then."
Marth gulped. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Tiki told her to be careful. Which meant that she had to very subtly move through the Force's currents. Sense everything around her while barely leaving a mark in the act. An extremely difficult thing to achieve. She could barely reach out an accurately sense others with the force. Let alone do so with the subtlety Tiki required from her.
She stumbled into the Force. It lashed out at her. Cold and furious. Black as a void. Marth hissed. Her eyes shot open. Her hand went to the blade at her hip.
"What is that?" She whispered.
Tiki tensed her muscles, "One of Grima's servants."
Marth's heart jumped to her throat. One of the Risen followed her here? How? The Risen were not that intelligent. And they never operated alone.
Fear lanced through her heart. A terrible pit opened in her gut. No, not all Risen ran in packs. Special servants of the Fell Dragon operated alone. Powerful enemies that could dominate an entire battlefield. Unstoppable juggernauts filled with the Fell Dragon's will and power.
A Deadlord.
Marth's breathing quickened. She could sense it drawing closer. The air around her became colder. Her breath hitched when Kage woke and whimpered nearby. Tiki's head flicked back to the boy.
"I shall go greet this fell servant." Tiki told Marth, "Grab the Prince and run while you can."
"But the way is blocked by the Valm army." Marth argued half heartedly.
"Would you rather face men or a monster?"
Marth swallowed hard. She nodded and crept over to Kage. When she reached the boy, his little arms wrapped around her hips. Marth reached down and helped him climb up onto her back. He wrapped his arms over the top of her chest and clasped his hands tight around her. She could feel him trembling.
"Go, now!" Tiki hissed.
Marth gulped and nodded. As she slipped out of Tiki's hut, the Manakete emerged from the hut's main entry and stepped out onto the small platform she called home.
A gentle breeze drifted by her. But it felt cold and vile. A fell stench hung in the air. It reeked of death and decay. Dark magic swirled with the breeze. The dark side of the force gnashed its teeth as she revealed herself.
"I sense you are there, fell spawn of Grima." Tiki frowned, "Show yourself."
There was silence for a moment. Then he emerged. Red eyes glowed in the darkness like rubies. Tiki regarded him with caution. He appeared like an old man. A deceptive disguise to hide the power beneath the surface. This old man, though genial and kind in appearance, could tear any mortal asunder with his power if he so desired.
Fortunately, she was not a mere mortal.
"You are not the one I seek." Grima's fell servant said.
His voice surprisingly sophisticated and intelligent. It alarmed Tiki. How powerful has the Fell Dragon become while she slumbered? Had he finally begun to reemerge from the void he had been cast into? If so, this world may soon be approaching its doom.
"Yet I am the one you find." Tiki replied, her own voice calm and even. Not betraying any of the trepidation she felt regarding this one.
"Indeed. And I seem to have forgotten my manners. I go by many names apparently. My master refers to me as Equus. But I now recall a much more suitable name for myself," He bowed to her, "Tyrannus."
Tiki inclined her head at him, "Very polite of you, Deadlord. I am surprised your master allowed to retain such personality traits. Free will is not something he hands out lightly."
"My will is not so free as it appears." Tyrannus countered, "Otherwise, I would not be here carrying out his wishes. He has something I want back. And I believe I will get it back when I complete this mission."
"A good point." Tiki frowned, "And what does Grima want? Why does he send a Deadlord to my home?"
"He did not send me here specifically. But he did send me in search of someone. And I believe you are sheltering a young woman that can draw my prey to me." Tyrannus said, "I have already tried conventional means of capturing my target. But he is a rather stubborn boy."
Tiki felt some confusion inside of her. The Fell Dragon sent one of his servants to capture someone? That did not sound like him at all. He usually sent legions of Risen to do the grunt work. And they never sought to capture anyone. They desired only death and destruction. Her anxiety regarding this Deadlord continued to grow as she learned more about him.
"Lady Tiki," Tyrannus continued, "I do not have orders to harm you or anyone else. I simply wish to capture my quarry. However, if you do choose to stand in my way." She saw a curved, silver hilt slip into his hand from his belt, "I will have to force my way by you."
Tiki furrowed her brow as she felt the aura of this Deadlord. Terrifying power. Dark and furious. Yet cold and extremely calculating. Measured in a way. Controlled and disciplined. This servant was the Fell Dragon's scalpel. A fine edge meant for precision strikes. The sharpest of his tools.
Grima really has evolved. Tiki thought grimly.
A red bar of light hissed to life from the end of the curved hilt. Tyrannus let out a long sigh.
"I do not wish to make things messy, my dear."
Tiki smirked across the platform.
"You know my name, even though I never said it."
Tyrannus inclined his head, "I do."
"So you have some knowledge granted to you by Grima."
"Your point being?"
Tiki reached into a small pocket in her dress. Inside sat a small, shiny gem.
"Clearly he did not tell you everything."
She channeled her power through the gem. Bright light erupted from her body. Blinding the Deadlord. As the monster reeled, Tiki's form morphed inside of the bright light. When the light faded, the woman was gone. A dragon appeared in her place.
A mighty roar erupted from her large jaws. Flames shot from her maw. Tyrannus's eyes widened in shock as he was blasted off of the platform and sent plummeting down the Mila Tree.
"Are we there yet?"
Kage let out a long groan as he strode through the thick foliage around them. The forest surrounding the Mila Tree was wild and overgrown. Centuries of being considered sacred ground rendered the land practically untouched by humanity. The only exception were small trails that zigged and zagged through the undergrowth; and the main road that cut south from the massive tree.
Unfortunately for Kage and his friends, they could not use those trails or the main road. All of them were heavily patrolled by Valmese soldiers. If they set foot on those paths, they would be spotted and captured. Then their mission to save Prince Kage, Say'ri's youngest sibling, would be over. A failed quest.
Kage did not fail missions. He never failed them when he served Maul. He would not start failing now.
"Hey, Kage," Cynthia poked his shoulder. Kage grumbled under his breath, "Are we there yet?"
"Look up." Kage sighed.
Cynthia's gaze shot skyward.
"Not that high up." Kage groaned, "Look ahead."
Cynthia furrowed her brow and stared ahead of them.
"Oh!" She smiled, "We are there."
"Yes." Kage sighed as he massaged his temple, "Now I can be rid of this ridiculous headache I have thanks to your inane questions."
Cytnhia frowned, "I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I detect a lot of sass."
"He is giving you plenty of sass." Say'ri nodded. She placed her hands on her hips, "So, Luke," She saw the young man flinch a little as she still refused to use his true name, "Where do we go from here?"
Kage closed his eyes, "Give me a minute."
He reached out with the Force. Allowing the dark tendrils he had learned to control creep across the dark forest. He should be able to sense the boy if he was nearby. The Prince's signature in the force would be unmistakable. He was a prodigy after all. Even if that potential had not yet been realized during this timeline.
Kage's concentration broke when a massive roar erupted over the treetops. The ground shook as the gigantic roar reverberated through the air. Kage could sense sudden fear and panic from the Valmese soldiers in nearby clearings. He opened his eyes and looked up to the top of the Mila Tree.
Fire shot from the pinnacle of the tree. Bright and hot. Orange flames licked at the mighty branches with fury. Falling from the stream of flames was a dark body. The man was in free fall for a few seconds before righting himself. Kage felt the dark side of the force whirl around the falling man's form. Slowing his descent just enough so that he could land on his feet without too much trouble.
Kage swallowed hard.
"Equus." He said, hand already moving to draw his lightsaber.
Cynthia gasped beside Kage. Say'ri drew her blade and pointed the tip at the Deadlord.
A light chuckle left the Deadlord's lips, "Well now, my little gamble paid off. How fortunate for me." His own lightsaber ignited in his grip.
Kage grit his teeth. How did he catch up to them so fast? And how did he know where they were going? Kage did not sense him pursuing them when they stopped at Fort Steiger a few days ago. What kind of fell powers did Grima imbue into this one? A terrified thought hit his mind. Equus knew their mission. And so, the Deadlord was using that knowledge to his advantage.
He tracked me using the Force. But not me. No, he tracked the younger me knowing that I was pursuing him.
This Deadlord was far more dangerous than he originally thought.
"Cynthia, Say'ri, you need to get away from here."
"Oh no!" Cynthia shot back, "We are not leaving you behind again."
"We fight together." Say'ri nodded.
"He will kill you both without a second thought." Kage warned, "Besides, I can hold him while you find the Prince." He glanced at Say'ri, "He is somewhere nearby."
Say'ri's eyes widened. She flicked an uncertain look over at Equus before lowering her blade.
"The entire Valmese army will be scouring the forest now." She glanced over at Cynthia, "We best hurry."
"But-but-"
"Go Cynthia!" Kage snapped, "I already failed to protect your sister. I will not fail in protecting you."
Cynthia blinked in shock. She felt Say'ri tug on her shoulder pauldron.
"Let's go." Say'ri breathed.
Cynthia gulped and nodded. She hopped back up onto her Pegasus.
"I'll search from above." Cynthia told Say'ri.
"And I below."
Cynthia shot into the stars. The wings of her pegasus easily carrying her high above the forest canopy. Say'ri gave Kage another worried look.
"Do not die." She said before rushing away into the thickets around them.
Kage smirked as he disappeared. He did not plan on dying today.
"Oh, you will not die. That is not my Master's will." Equus said as he pointed his lightsaber at Kage, "Also, Equus is such a terrible name for me. Please, call me Tyrannus."
"That does sound a touch more intimidating." Kage replied as his own lightsaber hissed to life. The blue blade hummed ominously in the night air, "And if you think you will be taking me alive, you are sadly mistaken."
He surged at Equus. Their blades clashed together in a shower of sparks. Light flashed as the lightsabers hissed a popped.
"You are predictable, boy." Equus growled as he shoved Kage back and lashed out at him.
Kage quickly parried two deadly swipes from Equus' blade.
"Is that so?" Kage remarked as he jumped back from a thrust, "Care to explain?"
"I will not give you a lesson on swordplay when I must defeat you." Equus remarked.
"Damn." Kage smirked, "I was hoping you might tell me about an advantage." He slashed down at Equus. His heavy handed strike easily blocked by the more elegant swordsman, "Or maybe a weakness of yours."
"You discovered one weakness already. Unfortunately, you failed to follow through on said discovery." Equus growled back.
"What? Bashing your meager defenses to smithereens?" Kage grit his teeth as he parried a flurry of slashes and stabs from Equus, "I can do that again."
"But will I allow you to? That is the question."
Kage's eyes widened as he ducked beneath a wicked chop. He flicked his blade out and smiled as the tip of his blade clipped the side of Equus' calf. The Deadlord snarled and slashed down at Kage. The boy rolled out of the way and bounced up to his feet. Just in time to meet Equus's deadly red blade once again.
The Deadlord's eyes blazed with fury. He could see that the old man was pissed off. Kage clenched his jaw and muscled against the monster's blade.
He could not allow this to drag out. Kage knew that Equus was the superior swordsman. He was not a fool in that regard. Equus could pick him apart if he did not have any limitations. Luckily, the Deadlord was not allowed to kill him. Just maim him if necessary. Which gave Kage some breathing room to work with.
This battle needed to end quickly. He had to overwhelm Equus again. Overpower his defenses with brute force. But he would see that coming.
Kage ducked and hopped back from another deadly series of slashes and stabs.
Looks like I don't have a choice. Kage twirled his blade, If it isn't broken; don't fix it.
He reared back in order to slam a powerful blow against Equus. Just before he could swing his saber, the old man stepped back and extended an open palm. An alarmed cry left Kage's lips as he flew backwards through the air and slammed into a nearby tree. His head snapped back. Stars danced over his vision.
Kage groaned as he picked himself up. Across from him, Equus stalked forward. A pleased smile on his old lips.
"So," Kage rubbed the back of his head, "That's how it is going to be?"
Equus smirked, "You have poor shielding for someone trained in the dark side of the force."
"Yeah well," Kage tightened his grip on his blade, "If you ever meet my Master, go ahead and blame him. But you better get to him before me. Because I plan on killing the bastard."
"As any true Sith should." Equus praised, "But what makes you think you will ever be able to face him again once I have taken you before my Master?"
Kage shrugged, "I guess I like to think optimistically on the matter."
Equus lunged. Kage moved to the side and deflected a deadly thrust. He grit his teeth as an invisible hand gripped him and tossed him like a rag doll through the forest once again. He rolled to stop in a nearby clearing.
He spat dirt and blood from his lips as he rose back to his feet. Equus' lightsaber hummed in the night as the Deadlord continued his slow, deadly approach. Kage rubbed his bloody lip and frowned.
This was not going well.
Ben let Gaius take the lead as they got closer to the Mila Tree. If the thief was useful for one thing, it was sneaking past enemies. He led them down trails and little back ways that kept them out of the eye of the enemy. The Valmese army was thick in the woods surrounding the massive Mila Tree. That made it difficult to navigate the area without getting caught.
Ben flicked his gaze up to the Mila Tree. He had seen many strange things in his life as a Jedi Knight, but the Mila Tree had to be one of the strangest. It truly was an enormous tree. Almost as tall as many of the skyscrapers on Coruscant. It ascended for what looked like forever into the night sky. It's massive branches spread out above the rest of the forest. Creating a second canopy over him and his friends that blotted out most of the starlight and moonlight. It left him in absolute awe. No other organism on this planet possessed the sheer size the Mila Tree had. What caused this enormous plant to grow? Why was it so much taller than any other tree nearby?
He furrowed his brow as he stretched out with the Force. For that matter, why did he sense the force concentrated around it? Like a thick, heavy mist. It swirled skywards. Following the trunk of the massive tree into the boughs over his head.
Something about this tree made it important to the Force. Ben did not know why, but it intrigued him greatly.
"Hold up." Gaius hissed, holding up a fist as he crouched low.
The others crouched behind him. Ben glanced back at the others. They were all a little weary from traveling. They had moved quite fast through the flat plains and rolling hills between Charlet and the Mila Tree in order to save as much time as possible for the return journey. They managed to make a one week journey turn into only a five day trek. But Ben could see that his friends were tired.
Yet they soldiered on without complaint. Anna remained eerily silent. The poor merchant still coping with the death of her sister. Tharja was the same old Tharja. Quiet and intimidating at times. But also softening significantly towards the others recently. She no longer hexed anyone outright for offending her. Instead she just threatened them. A remarkable improvement.
It took a great deal of effort to keep Laurent from wandering to study every little thing along the road. Even now, as they hid from a coming Valmese patrol, his studious eyes gazed at the Mila Tree in wonder. Robin and Panne did a good job keeping him focused. The Tactician helped Ben plot their course throughout the journey. Which Ben was grateful for. He did not have to lead this expedition on his own.
Panne was their hunter. Her natural abilities as a Taguel allowed her to easily track down and catch prey. Which meant they ate well while marching through the countryside. That offset some of the weariness they all felt. And Donnel was a phenomenal cook.
Ben lowered his head as the patrol passed by. Gaius carefully observed the trail and waved for the others to follow him. Ben waited for the others to make it across the trail. He brought up the rear. As he moved across the trail, a loud roar reverberated through the air.
He froze. The Force exploded with power. A great jet of fire erupted from the top of the Mila Tree. As the inferno died away, Ben could see a tall figure plummeting down the side of the Mila Tree. He reached out with his senses towards the falling man.
His blood ran cold. The Dark Side of the Force swirled around him. Clung to the falling man like a black shell.
"Benny," Gaius hissed, "you coming?"
Robin looked up to what Ben was looking at, "Ben?"
"Go ahead." Ben reached into his robes and drew Anakin's lightsaber. The hilt rested heavily in his grip. He could see Robin and Tharja's eyes widen, "I think I may have found an old friend."
"Kage?" Robin asked.
Ben furrowed his brow, "Maybe. The Dark Side of the Force sure is thick around him. I'm going to investigate. The rest of you go towards the tree. I have a feeling Marth will be at the center of whatever that fiery blast was."
Robin nodded, "That does sound like something she would do."
Gaius rolled his eyes, "Why does Blue always make getting to her so damn difficult. Stay close to me everyone. And Benny, good luck."
"You too." Ben nodded.
Gaius took off. The others followed. Both Robin and Tharja hesitated. But they saw the concern on Ben's face. This was not a fight they could take part in. Robin nodded at his friend then raced after Gaius.
Tharja lingered a while longer. She clutched her spell book close to her chest.
"Ben?"
"Hm?"
Tharja took a deep breath, "Don't die."
Ben smirked, "I don't plan on it."
Tharja nodded and rushed after the others. A long sigh left the swordsman's lips. He felt anxious. But he should not feel that way. Gaius could be serious and skilled when the situation called for it. He would not lead his friends into the hands of the enemy. They would find Marth.
Ben turned and strode in the direction of where the man fell from the Mila Tree. As he tiptoed through the forest, he could feel the Dark Side growing in power around him. Fear and fury hung thick in the air. A dense cloud of dark side energy that would not abate. Ben tightened his grip on Anakin's lightsaber as he stepped into a clearing.
He froze. Slowly rising from the ground, blood dripping from his lips, was Kage. The boy staggered to his feet and sway in place for a moment. His azure blade hummed in the night air.
The boy was fighting someone. But who? Ben felt some worry grip his heart? Did Marth find him? Was she taking her revenge? He hoped not. That was a slippery slope to go down for any person. But especially for a force sensitive.
Besides, Marth could not possibly be strong enough to deal damage like what Ben saw to Kage. The boy looked concussed. Bruised and bloodied. But still standing in defiance against whatever opponent he faced. Ben moved to try and speak to the boy.
"Still standing."
The swordsman's blood ran cold. That voice; the clipped richness. The aristocratic sneer lacing those words as they hung in the air. Ben knew that voice. But it was not possible. He was dead. Anakin killed him with the very blade that rested in his own palm.
Ben's eyes widened as he emerged from the darkness. Red blade ignited in one hand. A smug smirk over his pale lips. He was unmistakable. Still as regal and sophisticated as ever. Moving with sureness and grace. Yet also exuding confidence bordering on arrogance. He stalked towards Kage as a lion stalks a gazelle. Ready to pounce and mangle its prey.
"Dooku." Ben breathed in disbelief.
Kage uttered a rage filled snarl. He raised his own blade, ready to defend himself.
Ben's mind reeled. How was this possible? How was Dooku alive? How was even on this planet? What trickery was the force pulling? Was his mind compromised? Did someone have him seeing things that should not exist?
"Why aren't you charging you damn Deadlord?" Kage snarled, voice trembling with rage.
"Because we have company, boy." The Deadlord replied.
Kage blinked. He furrowed his brow and glanced behind him.
He did not know what to feel. Anger shot through him first. Then a flash of hatred as he gazed upon Obi Wan Kenobi's shocked face. The temptation to charge at the man was tremendous. But there was a far greater enemy facing him at the moment. One that made him greatly consider his next action.
"I-" The Deadlord shook his head, "I think I know him from somewhere."
"You know Kenobi?" Kage growled.
"Kenobi…" The Deadlord looked past Kage at the paralyzed Jedi Master, "Kenobi…" A small smirk crossed the monster's lips, "Well, consider me surprised to see you again, Master Kenobi."
Kage drew back in confusion. So he did know that cursed Jedi.
"Don't you have something witty to reply with?" The Deadlord asked, "No quips this time?"
"You're supposed to be dead." Ben practically whispered.
"He is. Can't you sense that?" Kage snapped, both annoyed by Ben's own shock and his own confusion, "He's a Deadlord. One of Grima's deadliest servants." He smirked at the Deadlord, "This one goes by the name Equus."
"I know him as Count Dooku." Ben breathed back, "Or more specifically, Darth Tyrannus."
Kage's face paled. Did- did Kenobi just give Equus the title of Darth? A touch of fear lanced through Kage's heart. No wonder this monster was so powerful. In a previous life, he was a Sith Lord. Just like his master, Maul.
"You finally realize what you are up against." Dooku chuckled as he saw fear cross Kage's features, "Do you still wish to resist?"
Kage glanced back at Ben, "Kenobi! Please tell me that you know how to kill this thing."
Ben furrowed his brow. Silence hung in the air. A hiss echoed through the night as a blue blade ignited in Ben's right hand.
Ben smirked at Kage, "Kage, Sith Lords are my speciality."
Dooku scoffed, "I seem to recall tossing you around my ship like a ragdoll last time we met, Master Kenobi."
"Unlike last time, I am at least a little more prepared now."
Kenobi charged past Kage and engaged Dooku. Their blades slammed together. Kage took a minute to catch his breath as he watched the two men hack away at each other.
The bladework on display was masterful. Perfection in motion. Not a movement wasted. Kenobi fought with caution. His bladwork extremely defensive. Very little movement in his actions. Enough to deflect Dooku's weapon away from causing harm. Kage had to smile a little. The damn Jedi was sizing up his opponent.
But he did not have to do any sizing up. As Kenobi pulled away from Dooku, Kage charged in. The boy slashed hard at Dooku's exposed head. The Deadlord caught his blade with his own.
"Two against one?" Dooku smirked at Ben, "This is hardly fair."
"You never complained before, Count." Ben shot back, "I seem to recall you enjoyed being taken from two sides."
"Rather low brow of you, Kenobi." Dooku replied, "I thought a man of your caliber above such humor."
"A lot has changed since you lost your head. Including the company I keep and the humor I enjoy."
Dooku twirled Kage's blade away from his face and lashed out at him. The boy backpedaled a few steps. As Dooku pressed his advantage, Ben attacked. The Jedi Master leaped over Dooku's head and slashed down mid air. The Deadlord quickly raised his blade to deflect the attack.
When the Jedi Master landed, Dooku whirled around to face him. Their blades hissed against each other. Ben deflected a deadly stab to his shoulder. Sidestepped a following flick that would have taken his head off. Then countered with a flurry of his own. Forcing the Deadlord to fall back.
Kage surged by Ben and slammed his own blade against Dooku's, pressing the older man's defense to its limits. Ben moved to finish him off while he could.
Dooku grit his teeth and let one hand fall from his lightsaber. He delivered a brutal punch to Kage's ribs. As the boy staggered back, Dooku kicked him away then launched a torrent of lighting at Ben. The Jedi Master screeched to a stop. Raising his blade to catch the lightning before it could harm him.
"You are much more aggressive than I remember, Obi Wan." Dooku breathed, "A lot has changed. You have actually improved on your initial shortcomings." He nodded over at Kage as the boy struggled to rise to his feet, "Unlike the brat over there."
"Shut your damn mouth." Kage growl as he moved to charge again.
A spark crossed Dooku's eyes. Ben gasped.
"Kage don't!"
Dooku drew back his lighting and instead called upon the force to grab the boy. Kage cried out then gasped as Dooku grasped him by the throat using the force. He hoisted the boy in the air. Before Ben could move to stop him, Dooku yanked him towards his blade.
The Deadlord impaled the boy upon his blade. The red lightsaber jutted into Kage just above his left hip. Kage uttered a loud scream as Dooku allowed him to fall to the dirt. Wounded and weak.
"You mentioned something about not being taken alive?" Dooku uttered a dark chuckle, "Well, you failed in that endeavor. Now if you'll excuse me, I will deal with you once I finish entertaining my old friend."
The Deadlord turned to face Kenobi. The longer he looked at the man, the more the Deadlord remembered. He could recall his own death. At the hands of Kenobi's old apprentice. Skywalker took his head from his shoulders while he sat at his mercy. How very un-jedi of the boy. Kenobi would not have approved if he saw that.
Speaking of Kenobi, there was something off about him. The strange aggression he had gave Dooku some pause. He did not remember Kenobi dueling so recklessly before. And his appearance was also strange. He did not wear traditional jedi robes. And he appeared a lot more spry. Youthful even. Yes… a lot has changed indeed.
Dooku and Ben circled each other.
"I'm afraid my sudden death has left me out of the loop on galactic events." Dooku began as Kage groaned in pain nearby, "May I ask you to fill me in?"
"Well," Kenobi smirked, "To make a long story short, your Master won."
"Did he?" Dooku hummed, "That would explain your strange appearance. You managed to survive the fall of the Jedi Order then? Now, you are in hiding. I'm most impressed Kenobi. I figured you would be a difficult Jedi to kill, but I did not suspect you would actually survive."
"It was a rather close shave." Ben replied, "Well, not as close as your own, of course."
Dooku rolled his eyes.
"So the war is over? Sidious finished the grand plan. The Jedi Order is fallen."
"And the Sith rule with an Empire."
"Indeed. I'd expect no less from my former master." Dooku replied, spitting out the title like a bad taste from his mouth.
"There seems to be no love lost between you two."
"He did order my death at the hands of young Skywalker." Dooku frowned, "That tends to leave some bad blood."
Kenobi smirked at him, "Sour after realizing you were a pawn all this time?"
"Perhaps. But now, I work for a greater master."
"You mean serve." Kenobi remarked, "Have you taken on the role of a pawn again, Count? Honestly, I thought you were a much more independent man than that."
"I am."
"So why are you serving the Fell Dragon Grima as one of his undead underlings?" Ben shot back.
Dooku furrowed his brow. Indeed, why was he?
With a growl, he lunged at Ben. Their lightsabers sparked and cracked Ben slapped away the attack. Dooku raised his hands over his head and brought his blade crashing down. Ben brought his own blade above his head and blocked the blow.
Kenobi then did something completely uncharacteristic to his fighting style. Something that caught Dooku completely off guard. He headbutted him. Stars danced over Dooku's vision. As the Deadlord reeled, he tripped backwards and fell hard to the dirt. Before he could regain his wits, he felt the heat of Ben's lightsaber near his throat.
"I believe I have asked this a million times before but," Kenobi gave him a wry smirk, "surrender Count?"
Dooku's face twisted into a snarl. His new body gifted to him by his Master could endure much. Even heal from grevious wounds. He did manage to recover from the wounds the boy gave him a few days ago. But he did not wish to test the limits of such a body. For all he knew, if Kenobi took his head, that would be the end. And the Force would embrace his spirit once again.
He sighed and let his lightsaber fall from his grip.
"Unlike Skywalker," Dooku drawled, "I at least know you will be honorable in how you treat an unarmed man."
"Oh you are hardly unarmed, Count. I am not a fool."
Dooku's face twisted in pain as Kenobi severed his hands at the wrist. The Deadlord hissed and rolled over onto his side.
"There. Now you are unarmed." Kenobi said.
"Damn you, Kenobi!" Dooku snarled as he sat upright. A heavy sigh let his lips, "I was hoping you were more trusting."
"Watching everyone you ever cared about killed by people you trusted tends to destroy that sense." Ben countered as he deactivated Anakin's lightsaber.
A dry, pain filled laugh left Dooku's lips.
"You have actually gained some intelligence. How lovely." Dooku inhaled, "I assume you mean to take me prisoner? Or perhaps you are smarter than I give you credit for and you will actually kill me?"
Ben frowned, "No. I will not kill you. Things may have changed drastically Count, but I am not a murderer."
Dooku snorted, "Still a fool however."
"Maybe. But this way, you can explain to me how you are actually alive right now."
Dooku scowled, "I don't know how. All I know is that a dark entity named Grima deemed it my time return to life."
"And you serve him now?"
"I serve no one, Kenobi."
"You just referred to him as your master."
Dooku's scowl deepened. He did refer to the Fell Dragon as such. But why? What made that overgrown lizard more powerful than him? He was a dark lord of the Sith. Not bound to anyone's will or whims. Why had he been following that fell demon's orders so loyally? His last master, Sidious, had disposed of him without a second thought. Grima could very well do the same.
He did not plan on dying again anytime soon.
"Well," Dooku sighed, "I'm partial to not having a master anymore after how the last one turned out."
Ben snorted, "Is that so? I dare say, Count, you have actually gained some intelligence."
"Very funny, Kenobi." Dooku growled, "So, what are you going to do with me now? Kill me? Let me go?"
"Neither." Kenobi motioned for him to rise. "You are coming with me."
Dooku frowned, "I thought you were smarter than that, Kenobi."
"Oh I am. And I will sleep better at night if I know exactly where you are at all times." Ben pointed a finger at the former Sith Lord, "It is better than the thought of you traipsing across the planet doing what you please."
"I don't traipse." Dooku sighed.
"Galavant then. Is that more sophisticated for you?" Kenobi strode over to Kage.
The boy had passed out. The wound too painful for his body to properly function while awake. Ben clipped Anakin's lightsaber to his belt then reached down and picked up the wounded boy.
"You know," Dooku began as Ben shouldered Kage's limp form, "I could very easily escape. Since you are occupied with the boy."
"I don't think you will. You are much smarter than that. But be my guest, Count. If you do choose to leave, you are on your own." Ben nodded at Kage, "Kage is under my protection now. Which will make it much more difficult for you to fulfill Grima's wishes. And if you fail to carry out his orders, your newfound life will be rather brief. "
The Deadlord mulled Ben's words. He paused for a moment as Ben started walking away from him.
"Where are you going then?" Dooku asked.
Ben stopped, "Right now, I have a friend that needs saving. Then we need to hurry back to Charlet and get out of Valm before we are stranded here. So if you are tagging along, do try to keep up."
Dooku sighed. Since when did he start taking orders from the youth? Still, Kenobi's offer was a far better fate than what Grima would do to him for failing in his mission. Besides, even if he had so far failed, staying near Kenobi meant there was a good chance the boy would remain nearby as well. If Grima ever did come for him, he would lead the Fell Dragon to his prize.
The old man smirked as he followed Kenobi into the woods, towards the Mila Tree.
There was always a way out.
Say'ri rushed through the thick undergrowth. All around her, Valmese soldiers sounded alarms. Whatever happened atop the Mila Tree had both alarmed and terrified the soldiers nearby. The entire encampment had been roused and readied for combat. Say'ri kept her hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword. She did not have much time to search for her little brother and his rescuer. Soon the soldiers would notice her. And then it would be time to fight.
Say'ri turned down a bend in the trail and collided into something. She cried out and fell backwards, hitting the dirt hard. A long groan left her lips as she lay in the dirt. Across from her, she could hear another woman groaning while a young boy whimpered.
The Chon'sin Princess's eyes shot open. A young boy's voice! Say'ri raised her head. A cry of joy rush from her lips.
Kage stood beside a stunned woman with blue hair. Say'ri burst to her feet and lunged for him. A boot slammed into her chest. Knocking her back from her little brother.
Say'ri felt fury build up in her as the woman leapt to her feet and drew a blade. She stepped between her and her brother.
"Get back, fiend." The woman growled, "You will not recapture him."
Say'ri's face twisted in anger.
"I'm the fiend? Fie! You are the one who took my baby brother and decided not to return him to his homeland." Say'ri drew her sword and readied herself for a fight, "Come then, wench. Let us settle this."
The woman hesitated.
"You are-"
"Say Say!" Kage rushed out from behind the woman.
All thoughts of battle left Say'ri's mind. Her sword fell from her grip and she knelt down to embrace her little brother. The toddler jumped into her arms and buried his face into her chest.
"Oh Kage." She breathed, on the verge of tears, "I am so happy to see you."
Say'ri sniffled and looked up at the woman. She had sheathed her blade. Making it known that she was not a threat. Now that Say'ri was certain she would not be battling this woman, she got a good look at her.
She is the one who rescued him?
She looked awful. Bags hung heavy beneath her eyes. Her body seemed far too skinny as her clothes hung a tad loose on her already slim frame. One of her arms had been cut off at the elbow. Overall, not the picture of a great warrior. But there was something about the way the woman carried herself. How she looked so determined. It gave Say'ri the sense that, if she were healthy, this woman would be a formidable opponent.
The blue haired girl bowed her head.
"I apologize, Lady Say'ri." She breathed, "I did not realize it was you."
Say'ri did not reply at first. Instead, she kept her arms wrapped around Kage and placed a gentle kiss on top of his head.
"Are you ready to go home?" She asked him.
The little boy nodded as he held on tight to her.
Say'ri smiled and let go of him. She picked up her sword, sheathed it, then took her baby brother's hand. As he stood beside her, he pointed at the woman.
"Hero!" He cried with delight.
Marth gave the little prince a small smile, "I am no hero, I assure you."
"Not a hero?" Say'ri breathed, "Fie! You are a hero to him, so you are a hero to me as well. You saved his life. I owe you a debt beyond repaying. Please, tell me your name."
"Marth." The woman replied.
"Marth." Say'ri nodded, "I shall make sure you are rewarded. And I'm sure my brother will as well. Once he learns of Kage's safe return to our home."
"No reward is necessary." Marth said with a wave of her hand, "Just seeing him safe is enough for me. However-"
"Hm?"
"I-" Marth hesitated, "I must warn you that a monster may come soon. It may not be safe for him in Chon'sin. Perhaps-"
"Do you speak of Maul?" Say'ri cut her off.
Marth's face grew pale. A great fear washed over her tired visage. Say'ri furrowed her brow.
"No. He has not come yet." Say'ri said, as if answering Marth's unsaid question, "As to how I know about Maul and what he will do, I have spoken to someone who has seen it happen."
Marth's eyes widened, "Spoken to- who!? Who was it!?"
Armor clinked nearby. Soldiers cried out. Torches lit up the shadows around Say'ri and Marth. Both women drew their blades and turned to face a group of Valmese soldiers marching towards them. At the head was a large man wearing an enormous set of armor. A magnificent, bushy beard covered his chin and lips.
"There they are, General!" A soldier cried, "Men, take them out."
"Hold yourself, son." General Cervantes ordered. He hummed then bowed his head, "Lady Say'ri, I had not realized you were journeying this way."
Say'ri inclined her chin at the General, "Cervantes, you have a lot of explaining to do."
Cervantes sighed as he stroked his beard, "Indeed I do. And I shall. My lady, I had no idea that the person we were hunting down was your little brother. I was merely told a prisoner had escaped For Steiger. I greatly apologize for such a misunderstanding and offer to provide you a personal escort back to Chon'sin. My only request is that when you inform your brother of the Prince's daring rescue, you mention me as an ally and friend. Not as someone so grossly fooled by the words of another."
Say'ri narrowed her eyes. Politics, even in the military they were present. Cervantes wished to gain favor by claiming credit for saving her little brother. But if it meant she would be safely seen back to Chon'sin with him then perhaps it was worth boosting the General's ego.
"Very well, General."
"Good. Now before we get moving, we have captured some rebels that had been scurrying about. No doubt their aim was to scale the Mila Tree. I wish to take care of them before anything else."
Say'ri paused. Rebels? Anxiety raced through her. Cynthia! She probably decided not to sneak around and instead attack in order to find Kage. Cervantes might view her as a foe when in fact she had become a close friend.
"General, what do these rebels look like?" Say'ri asked.
"Well, one is riding a pegasus. The others are a motley group. One is clearly a practiced thief who managed to help the other rebels avoid detection before having their cover blown by the Pegasus Rider. Three appear to be mages. One is a rather hairy woman. And one is just a farm boy."
Marth furrowed her brow.
"I wish to speak to these Rebels." Say'ri said, "I think one of them may actually be someone who has assisted me in recovering my brother."
Some nervous beads of sweat dripped down Cervantes's bald head.
"Er, yes! Of course, my lady. Please, follow me to the main camp."
Say'ri nodded and started to follow the General. Kage skipped along at her side. Before she got too far, she looked back at Marth.
"Well, come along Marth. I still plan on rewarding you." Say'ri said before smiling down at Kage, "If not for you, my little brother would never have been saved."
Marth hesitated to follow. Watching the Valm military deal with rebels was not something she wanted to do. But she did want to follow Say'ri.
She knew someone from the future. Marth was certain of that. No one else could have known about what Maul would do to her little brother. Now, Marth had questions she wanted answered. And she had a feeling, if she followed Say'ri, the answers would be revealed.
And chapter! Consider this part 1 of this little section of the story. I originally planned on this chapter being a lot longer but the two halves clashed in tone. So I broke it in half. Next chapter will pick up with Cynthia. And it will be hilarious.
So, we had Tiki show off a little bit of her power. We also get a duel between Ben, Kage, and the now returned Dooku. And Ben wants to keep an eye on our former Sith Lord. That should make for some interesting shenanigans and conversations.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!