The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 93
Latent Power
Regna Ferox was always cold. You could live in any area of the country, and your life would be nothing more than permafrost, chapped lips, and frozen toes. How any civilization managed to survive in this harsh, unforgiving climate still boggled Morgana's mind. Then again, she probably should not scoff at the Feroxi and their choice of environment. Her people lived in the exact opposite climate. A sandy wasteland, scorched by the sun and dry, unforgiving winds. Sweat and sunburn marked the days of a Plegian. As well as dreams of an oasis in the desert sands.
In a way, Ferox was far more livable than the desert wasteland she grew up in. Water was not hard to come by. Just step outside, scoop up some ice, and melt it. A Plegian villager living in the desert wastes could only dream of such luxury. But they, like her, would complain about the cold.
It just was not natural for humans to live in ice fields. No matter how many layers she placed over her body, she could not escape the frost. Only a roaring fire and a damn good hex warmed Morgana's bones. And she at least was capable of conjuring a powerful enough hex to combat the freezing temperatures. She could not say the same for some of the other 'heretics' in her company.
Morgana let out a sigh as her boots crunched in the frost beneath her feet. Grey skies dominated the land yet again. Very few sunny days existed this far north. And half the year rested in permanent darkness. A time that would be coming soon. She hoped the darkness would last long. The weather would turn. The blizzards would come. And any hope Validar and this new, mysterious Hierophant had of finding her would be delayed once again.
She paused in her march back towards the hideout. She had spent most of the morning getting some fresh air. Away from the stresses in her life. There was a quiet cliff that overlooked the arctic sea to the north. While a chilly spot, it was quiet. It allowed her to think.
She needed those quiet moments now more than ever. Before, she could throw herself into her research and work. Occupy her mind and toss away any stress that way. But this stress, this anxiety, was different.
Grima lived. She did not know how that was possible, yet. But she knew Grima roamed the world once again. Now she needed to puzzled out how exactly the abomination managed to do it.
He did not take over his intended vessel yet. She made certain of that. Although, he most certainly tried to. The longer his dark avatar contained his power, the more likely it became that Grima would consume him. She still had yet to find a solution to that vexing problem.
The curse needs to hold a little while longer. She thought to herself, That way, I can figure out how Grima is trying to come back without the use of another body.
She furrowed her brow. Perhaps she was thinking about this all wrong. What if Grima decided to shift his plans? What if he intended to inhabit another body? She shook her head. Impossible, that would require Validar and the Grimleal capturing the current vessel. Which they had not done yet. The Ylisseans kept the boy very secure. Validar, now King of Plegia, could not make a move against him without inciting a war against the Naga-spawn. And it would be a bloody war. That gave her even more time to formulate a solution to this mess. One that ended Grima's scourge on this world and preserved the life of her beloved son.
And if she failed, there was always her doomsday plan.
She waved her hand. The portal to the hideout opened. She stepped inside.
Sparks flew through the air around her. The scent of molten metal filled her nose. She could feel the vast amounts of magic energy radiating in the air. It surrounded the workers moving along the hull of the project. The strange ship she had designed.
Her green eyes roved over the enormous construction project. As she gazed up at it, one of her mages strode up to her.
"Lady Morgana!"
Morgana glanced over at the man. A reedy, frail, former Grimleal mage. Gray hair flecked his thinning brown hair. Spectacles sat on the bridge of his nose as he stooped close to her.
"Alfred." She nodded, "What is our progress?"
Alfred was her lead scientist. The man who helped her develop much of the equipment needed to build such an enormous feat of technology, engineering, and magic. He had been relegated to a mere archivist among the Grimleal. Banished to that monotonous work in the temple library thanks to his rather eccentric mindset. But that eccentricity was what allowed him to thrive under Morgana's guidance. He thought outside the box. Looked at the problems surrounding the project with a vision very few could fathom. Without him, none of this would have even gotten off of the ground. Because none of them would have been capable of understanding the object they got the technology from.
"Well," He continued. Nasally voice echoing through the icy cavern. One long finger pushed up on his spectacles, "Construction is starting to slow. The outer carapace is nearly complete. We are working on the inner wiring and ducts. Mostly struggling with how to implement proper airflow inside of such a sealed containment. Recycling used air into usable air and whatnot. Complex stuff. The Artifact has sparse information on the subject. But I'm certain we will figure it out eventually. Nevertheless, I must ask: are you certain there is no air beyond the atmosphere?"
"Positive." Morgana breathed as she strode towards the set of stairs that led to her personal quarters. Alfred followed her, "Think about it, Alfred. The higher up one ascends a mountain, the thinner the air. The higher a Wyvern rider soars, the more likely they are to suffocate. It is why, when Wyvern riders are trained, they are warned against soaring above the clouds. Neither the beast, nor the rider can survive the thin air at that altitude." She pushed her door open and strode into her quarters. As always, a fire burned in the fireplace. Keeping the space warm and comfortable. She strode over to her bookshelf and ran her finger along several book spines, "It is, therefore, only logical to assume that if we were to pass beyond our atmosphere and into the stars, there is likely extremely thin or even no air at all. So we must compensate for that with our… ship. For lack of a better term."
"Flying ship." Alfred nodded, "Seems to describe it well enough. Although, it will not fly without a proper power source." He folded his hands into the billowing sleeves of his purple and black robes, "It will take a great deal of magical energy to power the ship."
"I'm aware." Morgana sighed as she yanked a book regarding the theory of Magic and Mana from her shelf. She tossed it onto her bed. A little light reading for later in the evening, "Which is why we need a Manakete. Otherwise, it will take at least half a dozen mages to get the damn thing off of the ground."
"And we lost our Manakete thanks to the Naga-spawn." Alfred huffed.
Morgana glanced back at him as she stood near her window. A heavy sigh left her lips.
"You know that there are only two Manketes we know of. And that one was the easier one to obtain."
"Not anymore." Morgana hummed, "The Shepherds will not just give her up. And she is unlikely to come willingly. She has our scent after all." She cursed, "I should have gone on that mission personally. We would not have lost her and some of our best mages in the desert if I did."
"And you would have been discovered by Validar. Not only that, but you could have altered the course of the war between Ylisse and Plegia. Which would have put us under both nations' gazes." Alfred reminded her, "You alone could have taken most of those Naga-spawn. But we do not need that kind of attention right now."
Morgana reluctantly nodded in agreement, "That leaves one Manakete we can reach. One that has not been taken by anyone."
"Not technically. She is still under guard by the Valmese."
Morgana blinked, "And it just so happens Ylisse, Regna Ferox, and Valm are about to come to blows." She turned around to face Alfred. A small hint of excitement laced her voice, "This could be our opportunity."
She shot past Alfred, out of her door, and down the stairs. Alfred rushed after her. This time, Morgana did not stop to observe the ship's construction. Instead, she marched to a door embedded in the wall on the other side. She opened the door and descended down a long corridor carved into thick layers of stone and ice.
"Lady Morgana! I feel the need to remind you that this particular Manakete will be much more difficult to capture than the younger one."
Morgana stopped her march and spun around, "I am aware. Let me think for a moment."
She continued her march until she came upon a set of iron, double doors. Two of her most powerful mages guarded the doors. She nodded at both of them. They opened the doors.
Inside, on an iron table covered in a thin layer of ice, rested the Artifact. The object they had found frozen in the ice fields. A strange looking machine. Its metal was an unknown alloy. Dark as midnight. Various lenses and sensors lined its bulbous head and body. Several long, probing arms protruded out form the base of the body. They had been very careful not to disturb it when they unfroze the artifact.
At one point in the past, it woke up. And when it woke up, it communicated with them. A strange, warbling tongue consisting of various bleeps, bloops, and broken speech. Morgana recalled staring into the largest of the lenses, seeing her reflection, and being utterly fascinated by it. She wanted to learn its technology. Discover its secrets. And when she made her demands known, it unveiled it all. Now they just had to apply the knowledge. Something that was proving rather difficult.
Even more difficult now that the damn thing died. Morgana thought as she looked at the massive object stretched out on a metal table. It's bulbous head was open. The various wires and components inside exposed to the air. Allowing her mages to study the strange inner workings and technology.
"Have you managed to discern its power source?" she asked as she walked around the table. Alfred stood on the other side.
She hoped that maybe they would not need to capture a Mankete after all. Maybe, in order to power the ship, they could use whatever powered the Artifact.
Alfred shook her head. Dashing her hopes once again.
"It is still a mystery to us. There does not seem to be any sort of magical power source we can identify. And we are still discovering how many of the various components work inside of it. For example," He grabbed a metal rod and shot some faint thunder magic through it. He pressed the rod against a wire. The largest black lens turned red, "This allows it to see and scan us."
"Scan?" Morgana asked.
A red beam shot out from the lense. It fanned out over the wall and swept up and down. A loud beep sounded and the beam disappeared back into the lense.
"Subject, non-sentient." The Artifact warbled, "Construction, solid. Two parts Hydrogen, one part Oxygen."
"That is new." Morgana observed.
"It was silently doing it to us the entire time." Alfred reached for a strange component laying next to the Artifact. He prodded his electrified rod to it. The Artifact twitched and a blue beam of light erupted from another lens.
Information poured out of it. Morgana's eyes widened as she recognized her portrait in the blue light. A three dimensional picture of her. Her attributes, physical and non-physical, listed beside her. It also had a note regarding her magical abilities. Although, it listed her powers as unknown, needing further study.
"It seems while we were learning from it, it was learning from us." Alfred's voice rose with excitement, "This artifact isn't just a machine. It is capable of thought. Of learning!" He exhaled as his icy eyes roved the machine, "What kind of civilization is capable of such a thing?"
"One far beyond our own. And one that, if we ever meet, will hopefully be friendly." Morgana breathed as she furrowed her brow. The blue light flickered off once Alfred removed his rod, "Judging by what you have just shown me, it is a research device."
"I came to the same conclusion." Alfred nodded.
"Which means it will have limited knowledge to share. Wherever and however it stores this information will be reserved for what it learns from us more than anything else." Morgana frowned, "Which means we are nearing the limit of what we can decipher from it."
"Unfortunately yes." Alfred sighed.
"And with no way of figuring out a power source…" Morgana trailed off and shook her head, "A Manakete is our only option. They are the only beings capable of producing enough magic to power the ship."
"And that leads me back to reminding you that the particular Manakete we are thinking about is-"
"Extremely powerful." Morgana nodded, "I'm aware. She is… an old one. Abnormally old, even by Manakete standards. Most of them degenerate several hundred years before her age. And yet, from what we have gathered, she is still completely healthy." She rubbed her chin, "Which means her power could be enormous."
"Our understanding of Manakete's is rather limited. Perhaps we will learn more once she is in our custody." Alfred said, "Speaking of which, how do you plan on doing that? If we try to grab her now, we will have both Archanea and Valm fall upon our heads, with axes. And then we will be headless."
Morgana sighed, "It'll be just like the situation in Plegia. You're right, we cannot personally capture her." She hummed to herself as she thought, "We will have to let someone else do it for us." Her gaze brightened as an idea came to mind, "We will allow the Naga-spawn to do it."
Alfred was silent a moment.
"That guarantees we will never reach her. The Naga-spawn will never trust us."
Morgana chuckled, "I would not be so sure of that. After all, if the reports are to be believed, two former Grimleal mages fight alongside them now."
Alfred arched an eyebrow, "Is that so? Huh… the late Exalt Arcturus must be rolling over in his grave at the moment then."
Morgana laughed out loud, "Almost certainly." She nodded, "Well, continue with our current work. Once the Manakete is captured by the Ylisseans we can…" A sudden pain hit her skull. Like needles jabbing into her skin. Poking at the bone beneath, "We can…"
She gasped and slumped against the table. She heard Alfred utter an alarmed cry. But she could not decipher his words as he rushed to her side. Instead, she heard a different voice thrumming in her mind. One that forced a chill up and down her spine.
"I know you are there." An abomination rumbled, "I sense you, Witch."
Morgana swallowed hard. Sweat beaded on her brow. Her arms started to trembled as Alfred helped her lie down on the ground. Her green eyes widened as she saw someone hovering against the ceiling above her.
A man in a purple and gold coat. Spiky white hair topped his pale head. Hate filled, yellow eyes glared down at her.
"He is mine!"
The pain subsided. The vision of the fell demon disappeared. Reality crashed back around Morgana.
"Lady Morgan!" Alfred shook her shoulder.
Panic filled her. She just saw Grima. He possessed his Avatar. But how? He could not have done that without her knowing. She would know if her curse broke. She would know if he had been resurrected.
"Robin…" She breathed, shoving Alfred's hand away as she struggled to rise to her feet.
Her strength felt sapped. She stumbled against the stone wall next to her and winced.
"I shall fetch a healer, Lady Morgana." Alfred informed her.
"No. Don't bother." Morgana breathed.
She needed to know what Validar was doing. She needed to know what this Hierophant that commanded him was up to.
She needed Aversa.
"Get me my daughter."
Sully shoved Libra back, "I'm fine!" She roared as she sat on a crate of apples. Armor removed. Heavy bandages wrapped around her abdomen. She spat and reached for a bottle beside her, "Let me celebrate."
"I don't recommend that." Libra hummed disapprovingly as he picked himself up off the floor and dusted off his white robes.
"Don't recommend celebrating?" Sully snorted, "We won." She put the bottle to her lips and took a long gulp. She winced when the liquid hit her belly. A sharp stinging pain shot through her wound, "Ah… that's how you know you're alive."
Inside of the hull of the flagship, most of the Shepherds were celebrating. The Valmese fleet had been completely destroyed. Only a few ships with red sails managed to escape the fiery inferno that danced upon the ocean waves. A resounding victory for the Archaneans. One with far fewer casualties than any of the leaders expected.
Although, there were plenty of wounds to go around. Most of the Shepherds had bandages wrapped around some part of their body. Frederick hobbled around with the help of a long stick. He took a sword to his calf while defending Chrom from a wave of attackers. Kellam sat beside Sully, thick cotton bandages wrapped around his wounded thigh. Virion had some of his fingers splinted together. The result of punching an armored Valmese away from him when he ran out of arrows. Vaike was… Vaike. He had a new scar to sport on his muscled chest. And he actively showed it off. Exasperating both Miriel and Laurent in the process. As well as making Lissa chuckle every so often as she tried to heal the wound.
Stahl had a few nicks in his hands and arms. Lon'qu had a large cut above his right eyebrow. Lissa healed that up quickly. Gaius nursed a nasty welt on his forehead. He didn't get it from an enemy though. In his own words he 'accidentally' took an elbow to the head while protecting Panne. The elbow had in fact been Panne's because she had to shove him out of the way of a ballista arrow. Gregor was missing a tooth. Henry and Tharja were coping with magical exhaustion. Both dark mages were slumped in their hammocks. Henry snored away, a smile on his face. Tharja remained awake. Her fingers twirled Ben's hair as he sat beside her hammock.
Anna lounged on her hammock far away from everyone else. Occasionally, one of the Shepherds would go over to check on her. And she would wave her hand, say she was fine, then drink. Sully snorted. The normally upbeat merchant had grown rather sour since the campaign against the Valmese began. But she could understand why. The Valmese killed her sister. Sully would want vengeance for such a thing as well. Although, she'd probably be enjoying the vengeance a lot more than Anna was.
The only Shepherds unscathed were Chrom, Ben, Sumia, Cherche, and Robin. Sumia and Cherche were airborne for most of the battle. Swooping low from time to time. Picking off enemy soldiers with their weapons. Sully had to admire Cherche's abilities with an ax. They put Vaike's to shame. And she did not hesitate to point that out once they returned to the rest of the fleet. But Sully was especially surprised to see Chrom, Ben, and Robin unscathed.
Those three were in the thickest parts of the battle. Hell, Robin and Ben took on entire waves of soldiers on their own. Ben even managed to lift a damn ship out of the water. Something that made Sully's jaw drop. Of course, he was exhausted afterwards. But if not for that display of power, the Valmese probably would have kept attacking them and eventually overwhelmed their defenses.
Chrom celebrated with the others. He sat beside Sumia, one hand around her shoulders while they both toasted their firewine. Lucina leaned against the wall nearby. Still feeling a little awkward about hanging out with her parents.
Sully gulped down another swig of firewine.
Then again, I'd feel awkward if I had my future kid nearby too.
Drinks were passed around. Food distributed. Mostly salted pork and some dried fruit. Sailor food. But good food. Sully reached for a tray of pork and snatched two pieces.
"Take it easy." Kellam advised her, his quiet voice barely penetrating the loud chatter inside of the hull.
Sully arched an eyebrow. In response, she opened her mouth and shoveled an entire piece of pork in.
"I do what I want." She said with her mouth full. She swallowed hard and let out a belch, "And you!"
"Me?" Kellam cried.
"What the hell were you thinking out there?" Sully huffed, "I'm getting healed by Libra and Anna, and I see those enemies coming at us. I get up to defend them, and all of a sudden you step in front of me and take a wound to the leg." She shook her head, "You stole my thunder."
"You could barely stand up." Kellam muttered.
"I just needed some more adrenaline to start pumping." Sully punched at the air in front of her, "Then no one could have stood against me." She winced as her wound stung again.
"Mhmm, sure." Kellam nodded.
Sully rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Just don't do it again. I can take care of myself."
She exhaled and slouched against the wall. She took another long gulp of firewine as she watched everyone celebrate around her. Two Shepherds were missing from the celebrations, Donnel and Maribelle.
She gulped as she thought about the poor farm kid. Libra insisted he would live. But damn he looked rough when they got back to the rest of the fleet. Maribelle was inconsolable while they tried to heal him. Even Dooku seemed visibly shaken by the sight of the boy bloodied and broken. And that guy had ice in his veins, as far as Sully was concerned.
Speaking of Dooku, he was nowhere to be seen either.
Probably with Maribelle and Donnel.
Kellam nudged her shoulder.
"What?" Sully asked.
"Robin doesn't look too happy."
Sully frowned. She flicked her eyes across the cramped space to the furthest hammock away. Robin lay silently in it. Eyes staring up at the ceiling. Face pale and hands folded over his chest. His soaked tome rested open near his hammock. A small candle burned near it. Trying to dry the pages.
"I don't know why." Sully remarked, "His strategy won us the day. And he was bad ass out there. I mean, you saw all of that lightning right?" Sully hooted, "Naga damn, he may as well have been a thundercloud out there."
"I think that is why he's so upset." Kellam muttered.
"Why? That he's powerful?" Sully shrugged, "Shit, if I had powers like that, I wouldn't be upset."
"That is because you don't understand them, Sully." Ben sighed as he rolled his head. Popping several knots in his neck.
Sully eyed Ben, "You know, I'd normally be offended by that, but screw it. I'm drunk, wounded, and damn happy. So I'll let it slide."
"You're just afraid he'll beat you up." Virion chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Olivia's waist. The already drunk Feroxi Ambassador snoozed against him.
"Can it, Ruffles!" Sully barked, "I may be bloody but I ain't beaten."
Ben chuckled, "Save it for the Valmese, Sully."
He reached up and rubbed Tharja's arm as her fingers slowed their twirling. Her eyes were closed. Breathing even. With a reluctant sigh, Ben rose to his feet. He winced as his sore muscles protested. After taking a second, weary breath, he walked towards Robin.
That tactician remained completely silent as he lay in his hammock. Ben leaned up against the wall beside him.
"Robin."
Robin let out a heavy sigh. Eyes never leaving the ceiling above him, "Yeah?"
"Come on. Let's talk."
Robin closed his eyes, "Now?"
"Better now then when we have to fight the Valmese again."
"Fair point." Robin groaned and rubbed his eyes. He swung his legs out of his hammock and hopped out. He and Ben moved towards the stairs that led up to the top deck.
"Look at that!" Chrom smiled, "He's up and moving!"
Robin gave his friend a small smile, "For now. Pretty sure I'm going to pass out soon."
"Not before you drink with us." Chrom beamed, "You won us the day Robin. Don't look so dour."
Robin gave him a small nod while the others cheered around him. But he did not reply. Instead, he took a deep breath and followed Ben up onto the top deck.
The sun had nearly set below the horizon. Stars twinkled in the twilight sky above them. A full moon lumbered higher into the darkness. A few Plegian Sailors lingered on the deck. One of them manned the wheel while the Captain got some much deserved rest. Severa, Owain, Cherche, and Cordelia lingered near the stern. The younger red head seemed rather cross whenever she was around Cordelia. Robin wondered why.
His mind snapped away from those thoughts when Dooku addressed him and Ben.
"Good, Lucina finally sent you to me." Dooku huffed as he stood on the bow. Eyes focused on the fading light in the distance, "It took you both long enough."
"Chrom wanted us to celebrate for a little bit." Ben replied as he took a set on a bench near the deck railing. Robin remained standing, barely present in the conversation as his thoughts lingered on the battle.
"Celebrations can wait." Dooku frowned.
"Not when the ruler of Ylisse demands them." Ben chuckled, "He pays us, remember?"
"The Khans pay you." Dooku reminded him.
"Then I most certainly have to celebrate otherwise Flavia gets offended." Ben remarked with a wry smirk. He noticed Dooku's frown deepened, "Do you always have to spoil the party?"
"You are still one of the most insolent Jedi I know." Dooku remarked as he folded his arms.
"I'll take the compliment."
Dooku growled.
Ben shook his head, "Alright, something is clearly bothering you." His smile ran away for a moment, "Is Donnel alright?"
Dooku flinched a little bit, "He's-" A heavy sigh left Dooku's lips, "The boy will be fine. A few weeks and he will be fully recovered. Hopefully, he is allowed to. And hopefully he does not do something foolish and rush into battle too soon."
"I'll make sure he doesn't." Robin muttered, "He'll stay with the reserves until he is ready."
Dooku eyed Robin, "Good." He finally replied after a long silence, "And Donnel is not my most pressing concern at the moment." He glanced over at Robin, "Care to explain what happened?"
Ben frowned, "Dooku…"
"Silence Kenobi." Dooku lowered his gaze at Robin. The tactician ducked his head beneath Dooku's stern glare, "Any day now."
Robin shook his head, "I have no idea." He trudged up the bow railing and leaned against it. The wind whipped over the deck. Causing his coat to flap behind him a little bit, "One moment, I am in over my head. The next moment, I see the enemy. I see-" Robin choked a moment, "I see Donnel in a pool of his own blood. And I-I just saw red."
Dooku furrowed his brow.
"I can't explain it." Robin breathed, "Something just… took over. I mean, I let it. But-" He rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know."
Dooku raised a hand, "No need to go any further." He glanced at Ben then returned his attention to Robin, "Go get some rest." He said as he nodded his head at the stairs.
"Is something wrong with me?" Robin asked, "I mean, first the mental attack. Then this… loss of control."
"Nothing is wrong, Robin." Ben reassured him.
"Quit lying to him, Kenobi." Dooku snarled, startling Ben, "Something is wrong. We are just trying to figure out what. And seeing as how I don't want to worry you any further, I am telling you to go get some sleep. We will need your mind rested for when we reach the Valmese mainland."
Robin gulped. He gave Dooku a small nod, turned on his heel, and marched away.
"A rather quick conversation." Ben muttered as he rested his elbows on his knees and watched Robin descend by down into the hull.
"But one that needed to happen. You at least recognized that." Dooku sighed and rubbed his eyes.
There was silence for a moment. Ben quirked an eyebrow as Dooku kept his attention on the horizon.
"You're thinking about something." Ben pointed out.
"No, really?" Dooku sassed back, "How did you know?"
Ben narrowed his eyes, "Now that I'm on the receiving end of it, I can see why my sass annoys you."
Dooku snorted but said nothing in return. The long fingers on his left hand tapped against his right arm as he continued his silent musing.
"Seriously, Dooku, what is going through that mind of yours?" Ben asked again.
"Other than thoughts of strangling you?" Dooku remarked. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He ran a hand over his face, "What did you feel on that ship, Kenobi?"
Ben furrowed his brow, "Feel?"
"Yes, feel." Dooku spun around and glared at his Jedi counterpart, "Because I know you were not blind to what Robin was doing."
Ben leaned back in his seat, "I'm not exactly sure what I felt."
Dooku frowned as Ben gathered his thoughts. Ben glanced up at Dooku, some surprise on his face.
"You're afraid." Ben realized.
Dooku snarled and spun back around to face the sea.
"You are!" Ben said, more shock laced his voice, "You are afraid of Robin."
"Preposterous! I am not afraid of Robin." Dooku snapped, "But I am afraid of what is inside of him."
Ben gave Dooku a puzzled look, "What do you mean by that?" He asked as he rose from his seat and stood beside the Count.
Dooku tensed up, "Did you hear what caused Robin to lose control?"
Ben frowned, "You aren't answering my-"
"I'm getting to it, Kenobi. Damnable Jedi impatience." Dooku grumbled, "But did you hear what he said?"
Ben nodded, "I did, he saw Donnel fall and saw red."
"He let his anger and fear get the better of him. Not because the enemy was swarming around him, but because one of his friends was on death's door." Dooku clarified, "Does that remind you of anyone?"
Ben's face darkened, "Robin is not Anakin."
"But he exhibits some of the same fatal flaws as Skywalker." Dooku argued back.
"No. he does not!" Ben snapped, "He has nowhere near the arrogance Anakin possessed."
"Perhaps not, but that does not matter." Dooku replied. He glanced over at Severa, Owain, Cherche, and Cordelia as the group marched down into the hull of the ship. He lowered his voice as they drew closer, "Robin exhibits the same flaw that allowed Sidious to twist Skywalker."
"That flaw being a desire to save his friends?" Ben asked.
"Not just his friends, those he cares about." Dooku pointed out, "And at any cost. Otherwise, he would not have tapped into such power." Dooku shuddered, "Not only does he exhibit that foolishness, but he also has potential that likes of which I have only felt twice before."
Ben arched an eyebrow.
"Skywalker and Sidious both possessed such power. Skywalker had far more potential. But… there is something different about Robin. It is like he isn't just wielding the dark side when he used the force. It almost feels like he is embodying it."
"That is ridiculous." Ben argued, "No one can embody an aspect of the Force. Only use it."
"But Robin was not just using the Force he was channeling it, Kenobi!" Dooku snapped, "That power inside of Robin is enormous. And it is as dark as black hole. How and why it has not corrupted him already is beyond me." Dooku rubbed his beard, "I suspect his amnesia has something to do with that."
Ben shook his head, "Do you have any idea how absurd this sounds."
"About as absurd as you being killed by Clones then waking up alive and younger on an unknown planet." Dooku replied.
Ben remained silent for a moment. He took a deep breath and leaned up against the bow's railing, "Alright, so lets say your hypothesis is correct. Robin isn't just using the dark side of the force, he is embodying it. Why? And another important question, how? And what does his amnesia have to do with any of it?"
"I doubt even Robin knows why." Dooku answered, "I'm still piecing that together. As for how… I'm not entirely sure. I suspect he has already received some training. Training he does not remember. Hence, his amnesia being a factor. I suspect his amnesia is blocking his full potential. And it may even be blocking the sinister nature of the dark side inside of him."
Ben snorted, "Are you saying that the dark side has not corrupted Robin purely because he is ignorant and naive?"
"Yes." Dooku nodded, "So that leads to our next question: how did this amnesia happen? And how long will it persist?"
"It has persisted for three years now, Dooku." Ben reminded the count.
"Yes, and some of it broke when his mind was attacked. After all, he recalled Validar being his father."
"We don't know that for certain." Ben said, "It could just be a trick."
"And what is the point of tricking Robin with that tidbit of information?"
"I don't know!" Ben shouted in frustration. His shoulders sagged as a wave of exhaustion hit him. He reached up and rubbed his tired eyes, "So what does this mean?"
"It means that we must proceed with caution in regards to Robin's training."
"We?"
"Yes, we." Dooku reiterated, "You are not keeping me out of this any longer."
"Oh no. No, no!" Ben walked around Dooku and wagged his finger at him, "You will not take Robin to be your own sith apprentice."
"If you continue to belittle me I have half a mind to shock you." Dooku sneered as he swatted Ben's finger out of his face, "And I do not intend to train Robin as a Sith. That would be playing right into Sidious's hands."
Ben froze, "What do you mean by that?"
Dooku groaned, "You still do not see it. Damn it all, Kenobi. You have grown weak, blind, and apparently stupid as well. My disappointment in you continues to grow." Dooku clapped his hands together, "How did Sidious make Skywalker fall?"
Ben furrowed his brow.
"He manipulated Skywalker, didn't he?" Dooku began, "Played on his emotions. Particularly his strong feelings for others." Dooku stared hard at Ben, "Particularly on his feelings for someone."
"Padme." Ben breathed.
Dooku looked surprised, "Senator Amidala? Well, that is certainly scandalous. I wish I would have learned that during the Clone Wars. It could have worked to my advantage." He cleared his throat, "Disregarding that for now, I am willing to bet that Skywalker feared harm befalling Senator Amidala. And Sidious knew exactly how to twist the knife for maximum damage." Ben's eyes widened as he began to understand, "Robin exhibits the same deep caring for his friends. Imagine if he fell in love with someone. Then imagine if Sidious found him. Skywalker would have been his test run. Robin would be his masterpiece."
"No! I won't allow it!" Ben snapped.
"Then you must let me instruct him." Dooku took a breath, "Master Windu and I sparred frequently. And it is no secret Windu struggled with his own demons in the force. So he developed a philosophy to not only counter his darkness, but harness that darkness."
"Vaapad." Ben rubbed his mouth, "You think you can teach Robin that?"
"At the very least the fundamentals of it. Windu never revealed all of its secrets, unfortunately." Dooku sighed with regret, "I will instruct Robin to the best of my abilities. You will of course, continue to help. But, if Sidious arrives before his training is complete, we must do everything in our power to prevent the Dark Lord from sinking his claws into him. Or else-"
"Sidious will have an apprentice equal in power to Anakin." Ben paled at the thought.
"And now you understand."
Ben frowned. What Dooku said made sense. But, the thought of Robin equaling Anakin in terms of power still seemed preposterous to Ben. Anakin had been a once in a generation- no- once in a millennium Jedi Knight. His strength rivaled the most powerful of the Jedi Order, even at a young age. Robin never exhibited such raw strength until very recently. How could he have not sensed it?
"And what about your original plan?" Ben asked as Dooku turned on his heel.
"Original plan?"
Ben turned to face Dooku, "You know, your original plan to defeat Sidious. To train Lucina, Kage, and Robin into the ultimate force against Palpatine?"
Dooku paused as he strode towards the stairs, "Plans change, Kenobi. If we are to survive all of this, you must gain some Sith adaptability. Force knows, the Jedi never understood that they had to adapt to survive."
Ben frowned as Dooku disappeared into the bowels of the ship. Likely on his way to check on Donnel. He and the farm boy had become close during their year together in Themis. And he likely needed to discuss political matters with Maribelle. Ben felt grateful he no longer had to deal with inane politics anymore.
Then again, this situation with Robin made him long for boring discussions with galactic senators. At least he could understand politics. He no longer understood the force. The currents made no sense to him. And every time he thought he finally regained his grasp on it, another strange element would rear its head. This time, it involved one of his closest friends.
"He's not like Anakin." Ben pushed away from the railing, "He will not fall." He turned on his heel and marched back to the stairs.
"I won't let him."
Noire trudged through the mud. Ankle deep mud. Her boots were stuffed with the stuff. Thick and slimy. Like wet clay. It made traveling through the Valmese countryside miserable. Noire huffed a she stumbled and sank to one knee. She cursed under her breath and struggled forward. One of Priam's mercenaries reached over and grabbed her by the arm. An action that startled her and caused her to swat his hand away.
She still did not trust Priam or his men. The wild haired man seemed rather mercurial. One moment, he was quite witty. Dangerously so. He pissed off Brady more than once with a sharp barb or two. The next moment, he was deadly serious. Those moments were usually when he was discussing marching orders with his men or polishing his armor and ridiculously strong sword, Ragnell.
Noire still felt baffled by the weapon. There was only one sword in existence she knew could defy a lightsaber. She witnessed it many times. Back when her father was training Lucina. Falchion was a divine weapon. According to legend, it was forged using a tooth from the Divine Dragon herself. Only one existed in the world. And, as far as Noire was concerned, it was the only weapon that could stand up against a lightsaber besides another lightsaber.
Priam proved her wrong. He proved Luke wrong. Noire glanced over her shoulder at the still wounded Sith. He rode atop of Cynthia's pegasus. Slouched over. Heavy bandages wrapped around his torso, hidden beneath his black robes. Cynthia remained close by while he rested. Or, claimed to rest. Noire suspected the bastard was brooding. Wallowing in his near defeat.
He defeated Priam, but just barely. That fact alone startled her. She could not imagine how much it rattled Luke. Luke, the young man who matched Lucina blow for blow in the future. The traitor personally trained by the most dangerous man Noire ever met, Maul.
Priam nearly bested him, not because he was faster or stronger, but because he was better. Noire watched that fight closely. She wanted to see just how powerful the traitor had really become. And for the first few minutes of the duel, she was unimpressed. He appeared off balance. Out of focus and overwhelmed by Priam's effective technique. Overall, Priam appeared to be the better pure swordsman.
But those last few moments stood out to Noire. The sudden black hole that opened in the force. A chill she could feel in her bones. She did not consider herself overly capable with the Force. Hell, her own father did not bother to train her. He chose Lucina over her. Her potential must not be that great. Yet, she could feel the power Luke radiated when he engaged in his final assault on Priam.
That was the only reason Luke won. He surprised and overwhelmed Priam with a short burst of raw power when he should have been done for. And now, Noire could see the fatal flaw in how Luke fought. And she was damn sure he realized it as well.
He relied on his pure talent and nothing else. Maul no doubt cultivated such laziness. After all, Noire knew Luke's potential in the force was enormous. Maul would not have wanted Luke to surpass him out of pure self preservation. That spineless coward always looked out for himself before others. And that selfishness obviously extended to his lone student.
The column of mercenaries came to a brief stop in the muddy, rain soaked trail. Priam pointed up to a nearby hill. Say'ri, who stood with him at the front of the company, nodded in agreement. Noire could not hear what they were discussing. But she hoped they were talking about making camp.
They had passed beyond Chon'sin's northern border a day ago. A slow descent from the Kiba mountains into the hills and plains south of Mila Tree. Naturally, all of the rain from Chon'sin's rainy season cascaded down from those mountains and flooded the plains below it. Rivers swelled out of their banks nearby. The only respite from the water and mud were the occasional hilltop the company made camp upon.
And they were approaching one such hilltop. Noire powered her way up the last few meters to the top of the hill. She gasped for air when she reached the top. Legs on fire, lungs burning, and a little dizzy. She dropped to her butt in the mostly dry grass on top of the hill.
Brady trudged over and offered his flask. Which Noire politely declined with a small shake of her head.
"Fine. Don't enjoy the good stuff." He reached to his hip and grabbed a small water skin he kept as well.
Noire nodded eagerly before taking the water skin and taking a large drink. She let out a loud gasp.
"Don't drink it all at once." Brady muttered as he put the cork back on it.
"Thirty miles." Noire gasped. "Thirty miles through mud, water, and heat."
"You forgot the humidity." Brady grunted as he took a seat beside her.
"That too!" Noire gasped as she wiped her hand over her sweaty brow, "I didn't think any place could be warmer than the future." She fell flat on her back while Brady chuckled, "Naga, give me strength!"
"She ain't listening." Brady muttered before taking a sip from his flask.
"I'm starting to think you're right." Noire groaned.
Cynthia's pegasus came to a stop beside Noire. The beast knelt down and Cynthia quickly zipped over to help Luke down. Luke winced as he dropped back down to the ground. Cynthia offered to carry some of his weight. But he shook his head. Determined to try and muscle through the pain himself.
"Don't be stupid. Let her help." Brady remarked as Luke stepped around him and Noire, "I'm not going to seal you up again if you break the wound open."
"Just get your staff powered up." Luke grunted as he gingerly sat down beside the priest.
Brady frowned, "You know, one of these days, you are going to get yourself too damn hurt for me to patch up. And when that day comes, I'm just going to laugh and say I told you so."
"Brady!" Cynthia snapped.
"What? Karma's a bitch." Brady mumbled as he poured magic into his healing staff. The gem on top glowed green and he focused its power on Luke's wound, "And he has a lot coming to him."
"Karma was not the reason he lost." Noire said. She propped herself up on her elbows.
"He didn't lose." Cynthia remind her.
"No, he did. Then he got lucky and surprised Priam with the Force. I know what I sensed." Noire argued back.
"I thought you couldn't use the force very well?" Luke breathed. He winced a little bit as the healing magic made his wound sting.
"I can't." Noire sighed, "Doesn't mean I haven't picked up a thing or two. I was around Lucina when she was training with my father. I overheard some things. Besides, I don't think karma would have struck you during that duel."
"You don't?" Brady blinked, surprised.
"Yeah, I don't." Noire took a deep breath, "He actually came to save us." She admitted reluctantly, "And that surprised me a little bit."
"You all have such a high opinion of me, don't you?" Luke grumbled. He hissed as Brady did something with his healing staff.
"Sass us again, and I might make this healing staff a good ol' fashioned beating staff."
"Why do you think he lost then, Noire?" Cynthia asked, her curiosity growing.
Noire pursed her lips, "He already knows." She nodded her head in Luke's direction, "Ask him."
Luke's expression darkened. Normally, when he got upset like that, Noire would feel a slight pulse in the Force around him. A flash of anger that caused the dark side to snarl. But this time, she did not feel any of that. The force remained eerily silent around him. He was not mad at her. He seemed angry at himself.
"Maul's training is failing me." Luke admitted.
Cynthia blinked in surprise, "But-but you fought like him against Priam. That is how you won."
"And if I did not end it quickly, Priam would have recovered and beaten me again." Luke said.
He glanced to the front of the company. Past the myriad of small tents being set up by the mercenaries. Both Priam and Say'ri were staring hard a map of Valm. Each talking in hushed voices. Prince Kage remained close to Say'ri's side. One hand gripped on the hem of her shirt.
"That man knows how to fight." Luke breathed, "And I do not."
"You know how to fight." Cynthia replied, somewhat confused.
"I know how to overwhelm an inferior opponent." Luke replied, "That is how Maul fought. If he knew you were stronger than him, then he would wait until he knew he had an advantage. He would wait until he was certain of victory by sheer force." He glanced at Noire, "Why do you think he did not engage your father at all in the future despite his hatred?"
Cynthia's eyes widened, "Your father is that good, Noire?"
"You watched him train Lucina. You should know." Noire said.
"I know that but-" Cynthia sat back, shocked, "I mean, he never looked like he was trying very hard. Even against the Risen."
"Risen grunts would not concern him unless they were going to overwhelm him." Luke noted, "And he was also training Luci. He's a Jedi. He would not go all out on her while she was still learning." Luke pulled at some wet grass where he sat. His jaw worked back and forth, "And unfortunately for me, Maul imparted that habit onto me. Wait until your opponent is weak. Wait till they are vulnerable. Then strike. But what if my opponent is not vulnerable? What if he is not weak?" He flicked some grass from his fingertips, "What if such a scenario never manifests? What if I'm cornered? What do I have to rely on? Juyo is lightsaber combat at its most aggressive form. But the way Maul taught me was raw." He cursed under his breath, "Damn cretin never wanted me to become stronger than him."
"Sweet Naga, he's learning!" Noire snickered.
Luke threw her a sharp glare. But that only made her snicker a little more. As she laughed, Brady made his way over to their horse and removed their tents and mats from it.
"It is not like you knew that." Luke grumbled.
"I didn't at first." Noire admitted, "But now I have seen you fight. And I can say, I am not impressed."
Luke snarled. But that slight twinge of anger faded as he took a breath. He gave Noire an ever so slight nod of his head.
"You are right. My technique is shit." He tugged at some more grass, "And… its not just that."
Cynthia furrowed her brow in confusion. Behind their little group, Brady started to pitch their tents. Her Pegasus knelt down beside her. Cynthia smiled and gave her loyal steed a small scratch near her ears.
Noire looked at Luke with some confusion, "What else then?"
Luke sighed. A despondent sound. The source of his sour mood.
"The Force is betraying me."
Noire furrowed her brow, "What?"
"What does that mean?"
"It means he's losing his connection." Noire answered, expression grave.
"Not really. It's not that extreme, thank Naga." Luke breathed, "Look, when a dark side user utilizes the force, they use negative emotions as a way of focusing power. It gives clarity. If you're fully immersed in the dark side, you can feel the ebb and flow of battle. Feel the fear radiating out from your enemy. You can harness anger and pain so that they are no longer hindrances but strengths." Luke shook his head, "I tried doing that against Priam. And it only worked at the end. When I realized that if I lost, I would lose you." He looked at Cynthia. The Pegasus Knight gave him a small smile, "The anger I had in that moment was not anger at Priam or at the mercenaries. It was at myself. I was infuriated by my own weakness. The dark side of the force does not tolerate weakness."
"So what you're saying is, the dark side is turning its back on you?" Noire asked.
Luke nodded.
"Can you tell it to knock it off?" Cynthia asked.
Luke snorted out a small laugh, "If only it were that simple." He shook his head, "I don't know what to do about it."
Noire stared at Luke with wide eyes. This was unlike him. He never admitted his weaknesses. Blatantly refused to acknowledge them. He was powerful, end of discussion. His near loss to Priam shook him far more than Noire thought.
"I'm guessing my training is on hold then?" Noire wondered out loud.
"You're not weaseling out of it that easy." Luke replied, causing Noire to utter a small curse, "Just because I cannot utilize my full strength does not mean I cannot teach."
"No flips and nonsense until you are actually healed." Brady shouted as he finished setting up the last tent, "So help me, I will follow through on my threat."
"I'm not going to teach her to do nonsense." Luke shouted back. He shook his head, "I'll leave that to the person who should have taught you in the first place."
Noire looked down at the ground at the mention of her father not training her. It was still a huge source of discouragement for her. Why couldn't he teach her? Was she really not strong enough to be worth the time or energy? Did he father think that little of her?
She shook her head. No, her father loved her. She knew that. He gave his life so that her and her friends could get through the portal. He fought for her and her mother everyday in the war. This line of thinking was false.
So why did it hurt still?
"Alright," Noire sighed, "What other nonsense will you be teaching me then?"
Luke snorted, "I don't know. Where do you want to start?"
Noire pursed her lips as she thought for a moment, "Before you arrived in Priam's hideout, me and Say'ri were blindfolded and-"
"Hold up! Blindfolded!?" Cynthia cried.
"I'm going to kill him." Luke breathed.
"Get in line." Brady growled as he returned to his seat beside Noire, flask open and in hand.
Noire raised her hands, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't like Priam either. But he has agreed to help us. And that is besides the point." Noire took a breath, "While I was blindfolded, I swore I could see the world around me. It looked faint. But I could make out details. I could see the flickering bonfire. I could see Say'ri beside me. I could see the faint outline of the cave we were in. It was like looking through a dense fog."
Luke nodded, "You were seeing with the force."
"She can do that?" Cynthia gasped.
"I can do that." Luke remarked.
"You can!?" Cynthia placed a hand behind her back, "How many fingers?"
"Cynthia…"
"How many!?"
"Three."
Cynthia blinked. She screwed her face into an odd expression.
"Okay, how many now?" She asked.
"Cynthia, I can't see through you." Luke shook his head as he chuckled a little bit. "Seeing through the force is just like Noire described. If our vision is impaired or impeded, we can use the force as a sort of sixth sense. Train enough, and that sixth sense can be clearer than actual eyesight. After all, our eyes can deceive us. We should never fully trust them." He looked at Noire, "Brady blindfold her."
Brady choked on some sake, "Wh-what?"
"Do it Brady." Noire commanded.
Brady arched an eyebrow. He reached into his pack and grabbed some unused cloth bandages. He walked behind Noire and wrapped the cloth over her eyes.
"Imagined this happening under different circumstances." Brady muttered under his breath.
"You're a priest." Noire reminded him.
"A guy can dream." Brady huffed as his cheeks heated up, "There!" He clapped his hands, "Blindfolded." He flopped back down his seat, "Where's the magic?"
Luke glared at Brady. The priest shrank away.
"Alright, Noire." Luke began, "Focus." She nodded, "Imagine your environment. Your surroundings. Every blade of grass beneath your feet. Every wisp of wind. Every breath we all take. Everything around you is part of the Force." She pressed her lips into a thin line, "Do not try to see through the blindfold. Rather, try to see as if the blindfold was not there."
"I thought the flips were nonsense, but this is something else." Brady droned.
"Quiet Brady!" Cynthia hissed.
Luke raised a hand and pulled a finger back with his thumb. Before Cynthia or Brady could stop him, he flicked Noire's forehead.
"Ow! Hey!" Noire yelped.
"Luke!" Both Brady and Cynthia cried.
"It's motivation." Luke reassured them all, "I could use rocks. That's what Maul did to me."
"I'll stick with the flicks." Noire replied, a little irritated, "So, I'm supposed to see you trying to flick me?"
"And stop me." Luke nodded.
Noire took a deep breath. Luke waited a few moments, then flicked her knee.
"Hey! That's-"
"A different spot. I know." Luke interrupted.
Noire folded her arms, "How the hell am I supposed to see you like this?"
Luke rolled his eyes, "What did I say? Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them." He rubbed his forehead, a little exasperated, "Look, just… stretch out with your feelings."
"What in Naga's name does that mean?" Brady asked.
"It means she needs to be happier." Cynthia nodded.
"I don't think so." Brady frowned.
Noire took a deep breath. She slowly exhaled. She had to stretch out with her feelings? Brady was right. What does that even mean? Frustration built inside of her as she felt Luke flick her arm. She grit her teeth.
Focus Noire! She thought. She took another calming breath. Similar to what she saw her Father and Lucina do when they grew frustrated. What was that piece of advise her father always gave Luci when she was exasperated? Rest in the Force. Let it speak to you. Let it guide you.
Her muscles relaxed. The tension in her shoulder ebbed away. A strange calm came over her. For a split second, the haze over her eyes lifted. She saw Luke reach towards her, ready to flick her shoulder.
She smacked his hand away. Brady's jaw fell open. Cynthia smiled and clapped her hands. Luke nodded.
"Well done." He quickly tried to flick Noire's forehead again. Noire reached up and caught his hand.
"I'll be damned." Brady breathed.
Noire grinned as she let go of Luke's hand. She reached up and removed her blindfold.
"I-I did it!" She said, voice filled with excitement, "I mean, I don't exactly know how. But I did it!"
"Good." Luke nodded, "We'll work our way up to rocks soon enough."
Noire paled. A nervous laugh left her lips. As she laughed, Say'ri made her way over with Kage.
"Good news. We should pass by the Mila Tree tomorrow." Say'ri informed them all, "We're about a week away from Charlet."
"Do you think we will reach the city in time?" Luke asked her.
Say'ri folded her arms, "Priam says if we keep this pace up, we should be able to. But the closer we get to Charlet, the more likely we are to run into Valmese patrols."
"Good thing we have a bunch of untrustworthy mercenaries to protect us." Brady said dryly.
Say'ri sighed, "Yeah, well, we have to take what we can get. Priam does give me that impression."
"He already betrayed Valm? Why wouldn't he betray us for the right price?" Luke pointed out.
Say'ri frowned, "Look, we need help if we are going to unite with the Shepherds once they land. And I'm sure the Shepherds will welcome him with open arms if he helps us. He's already expressed a desire to fight Ben Kenobi. This is his chance. Why would he waste it?" Say'ri turned her attention to Noire, "You are certain they will be landing in Charlet?"
Noire nodded, "That is where they landed in the future. I just can't be certain of the timing."
Say'ri sighed, "Well, then we better hope by some miracle we arrive when they do. Otherwise, it'll get very interesting very fast."
"Wasn't Yen'fay supposed to march to Charlet?" Brady asked.
Say'ri's face darkened, "He was. And if I see him, I will happily fight him. It is time he paid for betraying my parents."
Luke swallowed hard, but said nothing. Cynthia gulped. Brady bobbed his head and offered Say'ri some sake. Say'ri took a small sip then let out a loud sigh.
"Rest up. The Mila Tree is still crawling with Valmese soldiers. We'll have to go a safe distance around it."
"Then on to Charlet!" Prince Kage cheered.
Say'ri smiled.
"Then on to Charlet."
And chapter! A bit of an interlude chapter, bringing together these two separate story arcs just before they collide. Dooku and Ben are starting to worry that there is a lot more to Robin's abilities than meets the eye. Noire is learning from Luke (Naga help them). And Luke is grappling with his own deficiencies as a warrior. He's not necessarily weak, as much as he is losing his grasp on the Dark Side. He has tried to turn away from it. And the dark side does not tolerate weakness or rejection. Should be interesting to see where Luke goes from here.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!