The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 95
Red Sunset
Explosions rocked the beach. Fiery spells arced through the smoke billowing up from sunken boats in the harbor. Human bodies littered the sand. Blood washed into the waves. Turning the once peaceful aquamarine sea into a sickly scarlet. Shards of glass erupted where white hot flames impacted the sand. Soot covered patches where red flames still danced over bodies. Horses screamed as the humans formed a pike wall. Men cried out. Crying for peace, crying for blood, crying for life and death. The chaos of war.
Oh how he missed this.
Grievous narrowed his reptilian eyes as he surveyed the carnage from atop one of the market buildings near the seawall. Metallic hands folded behind his back. His stooped body hidden beneath a fraying cape. A low growl rattled out from his lipless face.
He wanted to crush the enemy. He could see the Shepherds surging onto the beach. The enemies of his new master. He could so easily destroy them. Charge onto the battlefield and annihilate them all. Their primitive weapons stood no chance against him. Their swords would shatter on his limbs. Their armor would be cut to slag by his blades. Their skulls crushed by his talons. Only their strange magic gave him pause. But that strange magic these humans possessed also provided him with some amusement.
The Valmese were much more intelligent than droids. Grievous appreciated that. When he ordered them to open fire, they opened fire. Unleashed fire spells that would make hell seem cold. No processing, no second guessing due to programming. A swift yes sir. And even swifter execution. Pure discipline.
It made him want to win this battle. He knew he could. But he also had his orders. The orders that superseded the Conqueror's. Grima's will stood above all. Grima gave him life again. Grima gave him a chance to exact revenge against the man that killed him. He felt duty bound to at least assist the life giver in destroying his enemies.
The Valmese were among those enemies. The Conqueror was not an ally to the Fell Dragon. He needed to be destroyed along with the Shepherds. What better way to get rid of the competition than to have them destroy each other?
The Shepherds would annihilate the Valmese. The Valmese would take a heavy toll from the Shepherds. To the point where neither would be able to stand up to the dark force rising in the sands of Plegia. A cunning, ruthless plan. But still, Grievous disliked it. Why not just destroy the Shepherds and their allies with the Valmese? Then turn around and destroy the Valmese with the Risen? This all seemed far too complicated to the cyborg general reborn as a Deadlord.
But he also knew better than to challenge a being clearly more powerful than him. He had life again. He would not throw it away. Not until he got his revenge.
And his revenge now stood in his sights. A low growl emanated from his mask once again as he caught sight of a blue lightsaber flashing on the beach. Catching lightning spells and cutting through fireballs.
"Kenobi." He growled.
A red lightsaber flashed, catching his attention. The processors that sped up his thinking whirred. He recognized Count Dooku fighting alongside the Jedi scum. Dealing devastation to the footsoldiers Grievous sent to pulverize the charging Archaneans.
There was a brief sense of shock. Then he remembered, Dooku was also reborn by his Master's will. A Deadlord gone rogue. One his Master wanted crushed and brought before him for punishment. A low chuckle came from Grievous.
He did wonder if he could stand against both Kenobi and Dooku. Grima granted him his fell power. But would it be enough to stand against both masters of the lightsaber? There was only one way to find out. He glanced over at a Valmese captain standing nearby.
"You!" He pointed a sharp talon at the man. The Captain jumped, gulped, then nodded at the cyborg, "Oversee the battle. Carry out Excellus's strategy. Fail and I will crush you."
The man shook, "Y-yes s-sir."
Grievous stalked down from the roof. Yellow eyes fixed unblinking upon the red and blue lights dancing in the fire, smoke, and chaos. He stomped past his line of mages holding the seawall. Admired their handiwork as he marched towards the ramp that led down to the beach. These mages dealt as much death and damage as any battle droids. They had earned his respect, for now.
His metal talons sank into the sand. An excited chuckle rumbled from his mask. Dooku and Kenobi had yet to notice his arrival. Both were focused on protecting their soldiers. His reptilian eyes scanned the chaos. Standing in the smoke and fire, bellowing orders at the top of his lungs, was someone his Master had a great deal of interest in. The Ylissean tactician, Robin. A good friend of Kenobi's.
The gears in his limbs whirred. The mechanisms that powered his machine body fired up. He shot into the fray faster than any normal being could fathom. Two green and blue lightsabers thrummed to life in his hands. Both slashed into the pathetic Feroxi Lancers between him and the tactician.
He may not be allowed to win this battle, but he would deal a critical blow to the enemy war effort. If for no other reason, than he wanted to.
There was something about flying a Pegasus that made Sumia breathlessly happy. Even as she flew over a battlefield, she struggled to contain her excitement. The wind rushing by her body, through her hair, exhilarated her. Refreshed her mind and soul in a way few things could. The subtle shift and movement of her loyal Pegasus beneath her thrilled her. The mighty flaps of angelic wings on the wind were music to her ears. Being able to reach out and touch low hanging clouds made her smile even wider.
And yet, despite her love of flying, something about this battle worried her. A sinking feeling always hit her gut whenever a broad smile came over her lips.
The Shepherds were about to do battle in a land so far from home. One they did not know. Against an enemy that they hardly understood. An enemy they had little intelligence on. An enemy that outnumbered and outgunned them. All to prevent an invasion that would otherwise wash over their homes and consume them in blood and fire. They were stuck between dying at home, or dying in a foreign land. Sumia could understand why Chrom, Robin, Flavia, and Basilio all believed it was better to take the fight to the Valmese rather than sit back and wait for the war to come to them. It seemed like the only way they could prevent war from touching their lands again.
At the same time, she feared this path. She feared a war gone awry. A war at home would be devastating, but they knew how to defend Archanea. They knew how to defend Ylisse. The Shepherds had already done it once before. Sumia felt they could do it again.
But the cost of such a strategy still made her heart sink. She remembered the devastation left behind in the wake of the Plegian War. The broken homes, the thousands of orphans, the destroyed livelihoods, weighed heavily on her heart. She helped rebuild it all with Chrom. And right as they were starting to bear the fruits of their rebuilt nation, the drums of war beat once again. Only this time, Chrom refused to allow them near his home. So he took the fight across the sea. And she followed him. Even though her gut instinct was to stay at home with Lucina.
Now, she soared over Charlet. Flew alongside her best friend, Cordelia, and one of the newest addition to the Shepherds, Cherche. At their backs, the Pegasus Knights. All two hundred of them. Trained to perfection by their Wing-Commander and their Queen. Each one was ready to defeat any threats to Ylisse.
"Sumia."
Cordelia's voice broke through the rush of wind. Sumia glanced over at the red haired knight.
"It's going to be okay." Cordelia continued with a reassuring smile, "Chrom has the best looking out for him."
Sumia gulped, "I know." She took a deep breath. Her Pegasus beat its wings against the air again. Keeping them level with the clouds. Concealing their movements from the Valmese city below, "I just can't help but feel-"
"Something bad might happen." Cordelia finished for her. Sumia nodded, "We can't control that Sumia. I wish we could." Cordelia exhaled, "All we can control is our part in this battle. If we do our part, the pressure on the beach will not be severe."
"R-right." Sumia nodded.
Cordelia turned her head and glanced over at Cherche. The Wyvern rider had her heels dug into the stirrups. She practically stood on them. Keeping most of her body weight off of her Wyvern, Minerva. Something the massive lizard seemed to appreciate as it flew with much more speed and agility than the Pegasi behind them.
"Cherche! What should we expect around the walls?"
"Archers!" Cherche shouted back to Cordelia, "Ballista maybe."
"Mages?" Sumia asked.
Cherche shook her head, "The Conqueror has a disdain for mages in the army. He won't employ them unless absolutely necessary."
Sumia nodded. Good, they would not have to deal with any lightning or wind spells. Those magics could devastate any flyer. Especially Pegasus riders.
Cherche glanced down from her Wyvern. She nodded over at Cordelia. Cordelia took a deep breath.
"We're over the city." She twisted in her saddle and glanced back at her knights, "Fast dive!" She shouted over the wind, "One strike then take flight! Do not be static!"
A chorus of "Yes ma'ams" echoed around Sumia. Sumia closed her eyes and tried to steady her racing heart. She reached to the special part of her saddle that held her lance. She drew it from the leather and let it rest in the crook of her right arm. Her hand gripped the shaft. Knuckles white with nervousness.
Cordelia raised a hand. They flew silent for a moment.
Her hand fell.
"DIVE!"
Sumia dug her spurs. Her Pegasus whinnied, folded its wings, and pitched down.
The wind howled in her ears. A whistle echoed around her as the wind swept through the leather belts on her saddle. The clouds thinned out around them. Trees emerged like small green pin pricks on a vast field of grass. The rooftops below her expanded as her mount shrieked down.
Charlet was a large port city. Expansive and dense. The harbor was the largest one in all of Valm. And the Empire valued the city for its strong trade presence. So it would naturally have the best walls and defenses. The best archers with the best bows and arrows. All of them trained to defense the city to the last man.
Sumia did not expect the lightning magic.
A bolt of lightning shot into the sky. Static wrapped around her. The hairs on her arms stood one end. Through the howling wind, Sumia heard it crack. She glanced back towards where the lightning bolt shot by her.
One of the Pegasus Knights screamed towards the ground. Smoke swirled from the angelic beast and its rider.
A pit formed in Sumia's stomach. The Valmese had mages.
Razor sharp wind shot past her. A Pegasus screamed as a wing was severed by the deadly spell. The rider howled down to the ground even as she struggled to stay airborne.
Sumia tightened her grip on the reins. She grit her teeth. A flash of light hit her vision. She yanked on her reins and banked hard to the right. Just barely managing to dodge a lightning bolt. Another Pegasus Knight plummeted to the ground. Sumia eased off on her dive.
"KEEP GOING!" Cordelia roared.
The Wing Commander shot past Sumia. Cherche hot on her heels. Sumia gulped and resumed the sharp dive.
As they got closer, arrows zipped into the air around them. Sumia ducked her head and buried her face into her Pegasus's mane. Letting the soft hair and soothing scent of her beloved steed comfort her.
Just a little closer. She could make out the individual soldiers on the walls now. She could see the red robed mages scurrying on top of the towers near the city's main gate.
Cordelia pulled up in front of her. The Wing Commander lashed out with her lance, burying the tip into an exposed mage on one of the towers. Cherche's wyvern roared, grabbed two more mages with its claws, and carried them into the air. The mages screamed and tried to free themselves. Then Minerva dropped them to their deaths.
Sumia sucked in a sharp breath as she broke out of her dive. She swiped down at an archer with her lance. Her arm shuddered as the sharp steel missed the strike, but the shaft hammered against the man's unprotected face. He fell to the ground, face a bloody mess. Blood coated the wooden shaft of her lance. Running down in thin ribbons before pooling up onto Sumia's gauntlet. Sumia paled.
"SUMIA! UP!" A Pegasus Knight cried.
She snapped out of her stupor and yanked on the reins. Stone blocked her vision. She was about to hit a tower. Her Pegasus whined as she shot sharply up into the air. Hooves grazed the stone in front of her. Sumia let out the breath she had been holding as she soared up.
Cordelia shot up beside her.
"Stay close to me on this one, Sumia!"
Cordelia dove again. Sumia followed. Along the walls, Cherche's Wyvern sewed panic and death. Her axe flashed in the sunlight as the Wyvern landed hard on the walls, cracking stone with its massive claws. The Wyvern snapped its jaws around another mage while Cherche cut down an archer. Then she took flight again.
Sumia gulped as they got close to the walls again. Soldiers streamed out from the towers. Lances and bows at the ready. Cordelia zipped over them. She leaned down from her saddle and thrust her lance down. Impaling it through the helm of a Valmese archer. Sumia followed her. Jabbing her lance into the robed head of a Valmese mage. She yanked her lance free and paled at the gore etched into the steel.
A pegasus screamed. Another rider fell. This time landing in a bloody heap upon the walls. Crushing two Valmese soldiers beneath her fallen steed.
"Focus on the mages!" Cordelia roared, "Stay low-"
Lighting shot out. Cordelia's pegasus screamed. Sumia's eyes widened in horror as the Wing Commander, her friend, twirled out of control.
Cordelia's pegasus hit the walls first. The impact threw Cordelia from her saddle and onto the walls. She tumbled along the stone then came to an abrupt stop when her body hit the doorway to a tower.
"CORDELIA!" Sumia screamed.
She shot towards the fallen knight. Ignoring the various spells and arrows sailing through the air around her. She managed to land near her friend's dead pegasus. Sumia snapped her reins and leveled her lance as she charged at two Valmese soldiers moving to finish off Cordelia.
She buried her lance into the back of one soldier. Her pegasus reared back and stomped its hooves into the chest of the other one.
Sumia hopped down from her saddle and scrambled to Cordelia's side. Her armor was dented badly. Some blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. A bloody gash rested over her right eye. One arm hung loose by her side. Her right leg was twisted around in a position that made Sumia want to retch.
"Sumia." Cordelia breathed weakly.
Sumia picked up her friend and threw her onto her Pegasus. Before Sumia could jump back onto her mount, a Valmese mage blasted a wind spell at her. Sumia dodged to the side, reared back, and threw her lance as hard as she could at the mage. The mage uttered a brief cry as the lance lodged into his gut.
A roar broke the air. Sumia ducked as Cherche's wyvern soared over her head. Minvera landed hard a few yards down the wall from her position.
"Get in the air!" Cherche shouted as she spun in her saddle and cleaved her ax through an archer's helmet, "I'll take it from here!" Minerva's scaly tail whipped out and sent three Valmese mages falling from the walls.
Sumia clambered back onto her Pegasus. Cordelia's body rested against her chest. Limp and fading.
Libra… I need Libra. Sumia gulped, snapped the reins, and shot into the air. She banked her Pegasus hard towards the beach.
Her breath got stuck in her throat.
Fires raged on the beach. Spells exploded in the red waves. Bodies littered the sand. The Shepherds were pinned down halfway up the beach. Mages rained death upon them. Her gaze drifted towards the fleet led by Flavia and Basilio. They were hitting the harbor now. Ships burned at the docks. Feroxi soldiers surged off of the warships and raced towards the city with Flavia and Basilio leading them. The only part of this battle proceeding as planned.
And the only place safe for Cordelia.
"Su…. mia. Sev-sev… Severa." Cordelia gasped, struggling to breathe and stay awake.
Sumia shot towards the warships. Several arrows shot after her. They all missed. Smoke billowed up from the harbor. Her eyes stung as she shot through a column of smoke then descended down onto the closest war ship.
"I NEED A HEALER!" Sumia cried as she jumped off of her Pegasus and gingerly grabbed Cordelia.
Two Ylissean healers rushed towards her. She set Cordelia down on the deck. A bloody cough bubbled up from her lungs. Both healers hovered their staves over her body.
An explosion rang out. Sumia snapped her gaze to one of the warships. Flames billowed out of it. Another Valmese fire spell hit it, sending flames rushing up the mast to the billowing sail. Soliders screamed and ran to escape the deadly flames. Some flung themselves into the water. Others sprinted off the ship and into the waiting jaws of the Valmese army.
"OFF THE SHIPS, YOU LOT!" Flavia bellowed nearby, "GIVE AS GOOD AS YOU GOT!"
Sumia's chest heaved up and down. Her gaze fell on the beach. No progress.
"Your highness."
She kept her eyes focused on the beach. Desperately searching for Chrom in the chaos.
"Your highness!"
Sumia blinked. She glanced to her right, Basilio ran towards her.
"What are you doing here? What is going on at the… walls…" Basilio trailed off as the two healers carried Cordelia off of the deck and down into the ship's bowels. One of them shouted for help and for vulnaries as they disappeared below deck.
Sumia broke down. She dropped to her knees as sobs bubbled up from her throat.
"I-I can't-I-"
Basilio crouched down beside her, "Hey. Come on, girl. Get up now." He reached out a large hand. Sumia sniffed and tentatively grasped his hand. Basilio hauled her to her feet.
"Now then, you're queen of Ylisse." Basilio said calmly, "You may not like being out here, but here you are. Now you gotta do what you came to do." He glanced at the stairs that led below deck, "Cordelia is out. It's time for you to step up. Can you do that?"
Sumia took a shaky breath. She wiped at some tears with the back of her hand. Could she lead the Pegasus Knights? She was not Cordelia. She was not as skilled or gifted as Cordelia. She did not have the combat experience Cordelia had. What made her capable of leading them into battle?
Basilio gave her a small nod, "If you can't, then stick close to here. Can't let you fall too. Chrom would have a fit." He unsheathed his ax, "Or, you can charge with me. And we can kick Valmese ass until they run screaming away from the walls."
Sumia gulped. Another healer charged below deck as the others hollered for more help.
Her best friend lay dying below deck. Healers worked furiously to save her. But the more frantic shouting she heard, the worse the situation seemed. Another explosion hammered the waves. Sumia jumped.
"Come on. Let's at least get off this boat." Basilio said.
Sumia gave him a shaky nod, "F-for Cordelia."
Basilio nodded, "That's right. For Cordelia."
Sumia walked back to her Pegasus. She ran her hand along its nose and up into its thick white mane. The feeling of its soft fur beneath her hand calmed her racing heart and mind. Sumia took a deep breath and threw herself back up into her saddle.
"Sumia!" Basilio called to her before she took off, "I'll see you at the walls!"
Sumia gulped, took a deep breath, then drew her sword.
"See you at the walls, Khan Basilio!"
Sand exploded around Robin. Smoke filled his nose and burned his eyes. Shards of glass from super heated flames hitting the sand crunched beneath his boots. A thunder spell built up in his palm. He launched the spell up at the seawall. A thunderclap rang out from his spell. An explosion rocked the wall. Shards of rock and rubble exploded out where the thunder spell hit. Several mages fell to the ground.
"Keep pushing!" Robin bellowed at the Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers storming the beach, "Get to that wall!"
He shielded his face with his right arm as a fireball whooshed past him and hit a Lancer charging alongside him. The scent of cooked flesh and molten metal hit Robin's nose. Robin glanced back. The Lancer knelt in the sand, flames dancing over his torso. A second later, he slumped to the ground, dead.
Robin spun back around. A thunder spell hit the sand in front of him, causing him to fly backwards.
He rolled back down the beach, stopping only when he reached out and braced himself into a pile of newly made glass. The shards dug into the sleeve of his coat and bit into his arm. Blood leaked out of fresh gashes. Robin hissed. His head spun as he tried to regather his wits.
This battle was a disaster. He built this strategy thinking a large portion of the Valmese military died at sea. He also built this strategy using the intelligence from Cherche that the Valmese held disdain for mages in the military. That the Conqueror viewed magic as a dishonorable form a combat. A way to compensate for weakness rather than a military strength. And yet, the Valmese mages wreaked havoc on the Shepherds and their allies. Flaming husks of rowboats bobbed up and down in red waves. Charred bodies hung out of a few of them.
His ears rang as another explosion hit the sand nearby. Robin threw his arms over his head as sand rained down on his body. A few arrows peppered the ground near him.
"Oi! Little tactician!"
Robin blinked as Gregor grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his feet.
"Gregor see you go down. No good here. No time for rest."
"I'm aware!" Robin shouted back.
"Oh good, Gregor worried Robin's brain broke." The old mercenary chuckled, "Come friend. Up beach we go."
They both took a step up the beach, then froze. Robin's heart stopped beating in his chest. A lump formed in his throat. Stalking into the battle, reptilian eyes focused solely on him, was the Monster that killed Ricken.
"H-how-" Robin stammered.
Gregor brandished his blade even as the monster drew two lightsabers hidden beneath its cape.
"Come Robin!" Gregor grit his teeth, "We take together. Avenge Ricken!"
Gregor charged at the monster. Robin's heart jumped to his throat. He wanted to call out to Gregor. Tell him to stop. But the words died in his throat. The monster lifted a clawed foot and grabbed Gregor by the face. He stomped down. Burying Gregor's face into the sand. The lightsabers crashed down.
Horror filled Robin as Gregor went limp. The monster uttered an amused, artificial chuckle when it saw Robin's fear filled gaze. It removed its talons from Gregor's head and stomped towards Robin.
Its wrists twirled. The lightsabers spun faster than a pinwheel. The blades shrieked in the air. They cut into the sand, turning it to slag as he stomped towards Robin. Robin took a step back. Frozen by the terror in his heart.
A whistle rang out. The monster paused. Something slammed into it. Ripping the behemoth off of its feet. The monster roared as it flew back and slammed into the sea wall, causing parts of it to crumble around him.
A blue lightsaber rushed past Robin, followed by a red lightsaber. Both Dooku and Ben stopped defending the lancers from magical blasts and moved to engage the metallic monster known as Grievous.
Robin's gaze fell on Gregor's limp body again. Two charred holes punctured his back. Not a muscle moved. Robin shook away his fear. He scrambled over to Gregor's side and turned the mercenary over.
He was already dead. Robin's hands shook as he let go of Gregor. He flicked his gaze up to the battle around him. They were three quarters of the way up to the sea wall. Tharja, Henry, and Miriel blasted away at the mages firing down upon the army. Frederick and Chrom led the Lancers in a charge towards the ramp that led up to the main city. Sully and Kellam charged with them. Virion picked off one mage after another with his bow and arrow. Panne weaved through explosions. Gaius rode on her back. Teeth grit, lollipop hanging out of the corner of his mouth.
Lon'qu chased after the Lancers. Chrom and Frederick poked a hole in the Valmese defensive lines. Now they were going to burst them wide open. Tharja, Henry, and Miriel rushed towards the ramp. Ducking beneath magical blasts and arrows. Henry had the biggest smile on his face as he cast a hex at an enemy mage. Making the poor sod turn inside out.
Where is Stahl? Robin thought as he did a headcount.
"R-Rob-"
Robin paled. He glanced to his right.
Stahl lay in a burnt crater. Flames licked the ground around him. The bodies of several Lancers lay around him. Two arrows stuck out of his chest. Burns littered his body. Parts of his armor had been blown to pieces. Robin's entire body shook as he stared down at Stahl.
"Looks…like," Stahls sucked in a sharp breath, "They got me."
Robin knelt by Stahls' side, "LIBRA!" Robin screamed till his voice went hoarse, "LIBRA!"
He saw the priest sprinting towards him. Stahl's body shuddered as a weak breath left his lungs.
"Should have… trained harder." Stahl's eyes stared to close, "Make… self… strong…"
"No, no, no." Robin grabbed Stahl by his shoulders and shook him, "Not another one. Not another!"
Libra slid to a stop beside Stahl. The priest hovered his staff for a brief moment over Stahl. The gem on top glowed green, then it died away. Robin's eyes flashed as rage filled him.
"Why did you stop!?"
"Robin-"
"Keep trying damn it!"
"He's gone Robin." Libra replied somberly.
Robin stared blankly at Libra. What he said did not register for a moment. Robin glanced down at Stahl, waiting for the knight's eyes to flick back open again. Waiting for Libra's staff to glow green as he tried to heal the fallen man. Stahl was going to get back up and ask for food. He was always hungry after all. But none of that happened.
"I need to move on Robin." Libra breathed, "And we need to get up the beach. Come on lets-"
He did not hear the rest of what Libra had to say. Something snapped. Red filled Robin's vision.
"Let me feed." A beast rumbled in his mind.
The Dark Side of the Force exploded around him. Lighting crackled between his fingertips. His gaze shifted from Libra to the Valmese mages on the sea wall. Chrom and the others were already drawing closer to them. But they were getting picked apart by devastating fire spells. Meanwhile, Ben, Dooku, and Grievous were nowhere to be seen.
He fought to keep control even as the rage built up inside of him. Fought to suppress the swell of power rising in his body.
That control failed when a fireball slammed into the ground in front of Chrom.
Robin roared. Lighting surged from his fingertips, arcing across the beach and into the first three mages on the walls. It chained between the three. Electrocuting them to the point where their skin fried on their bones.
I will kill them all.
He dropped his spellbook into the sand. His sword jumped into that same hand. Ripped free from its sheath by the force. Sand whipped up around Robin as he sank further into the dark side. All the while, the beast whispered in his mind. Gave him visions of power. Visions of what would happen if he did not surrender himself. If he did not give in.
"They will all die. And you will have let it happen."
That did it. The tipping point. The thought of all of his friends, all of those he cared about, dead because he failed to do something. Because he failed to formulate a winning strategy. Because he failed to be strong enough.
Ben and Dooku were wrong. This power was not evil. This power would save his friends. And so, he relinquished control.
Robin surged into battle. The Force gathered around his feet, propelling him up over the seawall with one massive jump. He landed among a crowd of Valmese mages and soldiers. Frederick cried out to him. Telling him to hold on. To wait for the others to help him. He did not hear.
"Feed. Kill. Drink their fear, my avatar. Revel in this power I have given you."
His blade slashed through any Valmese in his way. Their armor meant nothing to him. Their weapons and spells nothing more than a nuisance that he batted away with a swipe of his hand. The Force howled in his ears. Screamed with blood lust.
Fear radiated around Robin as the Valmese started to scatter. Some dropped to their knees and begged for mercy. Robin showed none. He impaled his sword into their bodies. Wrapped lightning around those who dared to defy him. Who dared to harm his friends. Who dared to kill Stahl and Gregor. His eyes glowed with hatred as he cut down man after man. Even as they all turned and ran from him, he did not stop. They would all die. Every single one of them would feel his wrath.
"Robin!"
He spun and jammed his blade into the next body. A short cry hit his ears.
Miriel stared back at him. Shock on her face. The shock gave way to pain. Robin snarled, then froze as blood trickled from her lips.
The glow in his eyes faded. The adrenaline that pumped through his veins receded. The Dark Side snarled as it left him. Angry that his conscience burst forth.
"M-Miriel?" Robin trembled.
His hand shook as he let go of his blade. Robin staggered back from Miriel. The mage looked down at the sword jutting out of her chest. Her head shuddered as she looked back up at him. Wordlessly, she dropped to her knees and fell to the ground. Blood pooled beneath her.
No. NO!
Robin dropped to his knees. He slowly crept towards Miriel. All around him, Valmese soldiers retreated. Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers gave chase.
Robin trembled as he reached out and pressed a finger to Miriel's neck.
No pulse.
"Gods…" He paled, "Oh gods…"
His hands raked through his hair. Tears bubbled in his eyes.
"What have I done!?"
Noire stared out at the chaos, horrified. She was no stranger to war. But the war she grew up in was between the living and the dead. A battle for the very existence of humanity against a god of death and destruction. In the waning days of the world, humanity came together to fight the darkness. To make a defiant last stand in the land of the Exalts. An honorable cause. One for the storybooks and legends if they won.
This was not honorable. This was a battle that made Noire's stomach flip. Humans slaughtering other humans on a scale she once thought unfathomable. She heard about the wars between Ylisse and Plegia. She learned about the war between Archanea and Valm. She knew they were bloody, brutal conflicts. But this was beyond anything she could have read about. This was beyond anything anyone could have explained to her.
A warm breeze swept in from the harbor. The stench of death came with it. Noire wrinkled her nose as the horrid stench of burning bodies hit her nose. She stared out at the harbor. Bodies littered the sandy beach. Burning boats washed ashore or sank beneath red waves. Blood ran down from the sea wall and soaked into the sand beneath it. A grisly scene that nearly made her retch.
She quickly turned away. Her eyes looked up at the many Pegasus Knights darting through the air. She felt mesmerized by the soaring Pegasus Knights in the sky. Each one gracefully swooping down upon Valmese soldiers manning the outer walls and main gate. Her awe turned to horror once again as she witnessed a wind spell clip the wings from one of the majestic beasts. Sending both rider and pegasus plummeting to their deaths.
Noire felt woozy. The Force ached around her. She stumbled a little bit and braced herself against a brick chimney. So much pain and death around her. She may not be able to use the Force very well, but she felt all of it. One trembling hand reached up and brushed her talisman. The wave of fear and worry vanished. She took a deep breath tore her gaze back down to the empty streets below.
The civilians of Charlet cleared out rather fast when the horns blared. Most took shelter in their homes. Prayed that the Archaneans were not monstrous conquerors. That they would not sack the city. Destroy everything they loved and take everything of value. Noire knew they wouldn't. Not with Prince Chrom and her father leading them. But still, she could understand their fear. She lived in that fear as a child whenever the Risen attacked her home.
She shook her head. Focus, Noire.
During the first moments of the battle, she lost sight of both Say'ri and Cynthia. The panicked stampede of people swept them both away like a powerful rip current. She remained on her perch upon one of the tallest buildings in the city. Blue eyes scanning the city streets. But she saw nothing. And her frustration mounted as the battle drew closer.
"Your eyes can deceive you." She remembered Luke telling her.
Noire gulped. If she could not see with her eyes, then she would have to see with the Force. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. She dipped a tentative toe in the waters of the force. Uncertain of how to go about doing this. As soon as she touched those murky waters, pain and death slammed into her. A sharp breath rushed through her lungs. Her eyes shot open and she uttered a brief, alarmed cry as pain washed over her body. Phantom pain given to her by the dying soldiers in the city.
And through that pain, she felt something. Two large force signatures working as one. Battling against a dark force in one of the nearby alleys. She wanted to find Cynthia and Say'ri. But she felt drawn to those two large signatures in the force.
Noire gulped, rose from her crouched position, and turned to face a rooftop across an alley. She backed up a few steps, then sprinted forward. Somehow, she managed to make the jump. Something propelled her through the air, allowing her to easily clear the gap. She slid along some shingles, just managing to catch her footing before sliding off the roof. She let out a tense breath then tiptoed along the rooftops towards the three signatures she sensed.
As she got closer, she heard a noise that made her pause in her tracks. A buzz. Lots of them. Like angry wasp. And whenever those buzzes clashed, they hissed and cracked. It was a sound she knew well. One that caused her to reach for her talisman once again in order to keep moving forward.
It came from an alleyway below her. In the shadows, she saw blue, red, and green lights flashing. She crept towards the gutter of the building she was on and peered over. As she soon as she caught sight of the fighters, she gasped and drew back out of sight.
Her father fought below her. Another elderly man fought alongside him. Both dueled against what Noire could only describe as a monster. A four armed, metallic behemoth that moved extremely fast for something that looked heavy and bulky.
Noire took a calming breath. She carefully reached for the arrows in her quiver, drew one, and nocked it in the string of her bow. Her breathing turned shallow. Fear penetrated her heart. She wanted to remain hidden. Freeze in place. Avoid being seen.
But her father fought a monster. She would not allow that monster to take him before she could be with him again. She tapped her talisman.
"Mother, give me courage." She breathed.
She twirled back around and took aim. One eye closed, the other eye focused on the monster.
It's lightsabers twirled in deadly blue and green wheels. Keeping both her father and his elderly ally from getting too close. The elderly man lashed out with his red blade. Catching two of the monster's blades. Ben Kenobi swung hard at the monster's hip. The monster easily parried the strike.
But they were pushing the monster back with every strike. Both men unleashed a deadly offensive that caused the monster to backpedal through the ally. Noire kept her arrow trained on the monster. Waiting for the right opening.
"Trust the force." Her father's voice told her.
The monster uttered a furious snarl and slashed at her father. Ben Kenobi ducked away. Right into one of the monster's waiting feet. Noire sucked in a sharp breath as her father flew backwards and hit a wooden crate. Dazing the Jedi Master. And leaving the older man alone to take on the four armed enemy.
"Trust the force."
The force screamed around her. A wave of darkness slammed into her mind. Pain and rage like she had never felt before radiated through the air around her. She grit her teeth. Trying to block the sensation from her mind.
The dark wave was enough to distract the elderly man. The monster laughed and sent a deadly chop at the alarmed old man. One arm fell. The old man let out a pain filled howl. Ben Kenobi rose to his feet. His attention pivoted between the monster and the origin of the dark wave in the force.
The monster raised its arms. Ready to finish off the old man.
"Trust the force."
Noire exhaled and let her arrow soar.
The shriek made Ben's hair stand on end. The Force howled in agony. The light retreated away. And the dark side chased it. Laughed at Light's futile attempts to hold it back. Pain and hatred washed over the city. Dulling the chorus of death in the force and replacing it with a black hole of darkness. A sensation and presence Ben recognized. And one that made his heart stop in his chest.
"Robin." He breathed.
Before he could do anything, before he could even get up from the ground, Dooku uttered a loud howl of pain. The wave of darkness hit him as well. And it was enough to distract him. Grievous pounced on the distracted Count. A blazing fast chop severed Dooku's sword arm at the elbow. Stunning Dooku and sending the Sith Lord staggering backwards.
Ben's eyes widened. He knew Grievous was skilled. He fought the droid general in the waning days of the Clone Wars. Bested him. It had been a difficult fight, even back then. But now, the droid general had a speed and power to him that boggled Ben's mind. He kept up with both him and Dooku for the entirety of this duel. Granted, both Ben and Dooku had the General on the retreat the entire time. But Grievous managed to not lose any hands or weapons. He matched their attacks blow for blow. Dooku even marveled at how the droid general's newfound skill.
He was no longer sure he could beat the General alone. And he certainly could not without the Force on his side. Right now, the Force screamed. The Dark Side roared over the city of Charlet. And Ben felt his own strength shrink away from the overwhelming wave of power reverberating in the force.
Grievous raised his arms. Ready to finish off Dooku. Dooku stared at the droid general. Shock written on his face. Fear mixed in with that shock as the dark side shrieked once again. A head splitting sound that made both Ben and Dooku wince.
Ben gathered the force in his hand, aiming to push Grievous away from Dooku before the final blow could be delivered. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something fast zip through the air.
A black arrow slammed into Grievous's right eye with a loud, wet squelch. The General howled and staggered back. Ben whipped his gaze up to the rooftops, where he found the archer. A thin, young woman wearing a green outfit. Brown hair fell in short waves around her head. Her hair held out of her face by a small headband. She quickly nocked another arrow and let it fly.
This time, the General swatted the arrow away with one of his metal arms. And that provided Dooku with an opening.
Blue lightning jumped from Dooku's hand into the droid General. Grievous howled in pain as Dooku poured his power into the attack. The Force picked the General up and tossed him back as lighting continued to arc through him.
Dooku let out one last burst of lightning before sagging and dropping to a knee.
"He'll run now Kenobi." Dooku breathed, "Go to Robin. Quickly!"
Ben furrowed his brow. He glanced back down the alley. As Dooku predicted, Grievous was gone. He flicked his eyes up to the rooftops. The archer was gone.
"Kenobi!" Dooku snapped, "Go! I'll be fine!"
Ben nodded, got to his feet, and sprinted back to the harbor. As he ran, he noticed packs of Valmese soldiers running for their lives. Feroxi soldiers chased after them. Leading the charge for the Feroxi were the Khans. Ben uttered a small sigh of relief. At one aspect of the plan went off without a hitch.
He turned a corner and skidded to a stop at the harbor entrance.
The battle moved on from the harbor. The Valmese were in full retreat as more Ylissean and Feroxi soldiers poured off of the warships. The third wave of rowboats hit shore. Ben saw Lucina, Severa, Laurent, Nowi, Maribelle, and Lissa rush ashore. Immediately, Laurent and the two blonde noblewomen rushed towards any wounded men they could find. Archanean or Valmese, it didn't matter. Although, very few Valmese littered the sand.
The rest of the Shepherds sat on the stone street near the sea wall. Battered, bloody, and exhausted. Anna and Libra weaved between the group, distributing vulnaries and dispensing healing magic from their staves. But something else caught Ben's attention. Something that made his heart sink.
Vaike sat on the ground, sobbing. In his lap rested Miriel's head. Her body in death's still position. A bloody hole in her chest from a sword. The other Shepherds seemed dumbstruck around the pair. All of them uncertain of how to react. Sully grit her teeth and clenched her fist. No doubt wanting something to punch. To let her anger loose on some unwitting enemy. Panne's ears drooped while Gaius gently scratched the top of her head. Lon'qu's usual silence seemed far more somber. He sat on the ground, sword across his lap. Owain did not have any cheer. And neither did Henry. The Dark Mage's twisted smile was absent despite the copious amounts of destruction around him. Kellam tried to console Vaike. But Vaike just shrugged him away as he held Miriel's body close.
Lingering away from the group, with both Frederick and Chrom near him, was Robin. Tharja had dark magic radiating from her spellbook as she knelt beside Robin. The dark mage trying to cast a hex of some sort. But judging by her frustrated expression, there was little success.
Chrom noticed Ben first. He looked rough. His silver armor scorched by fire. Blue cape burnt and frayed. A bloody gash sat on his forehead. Some blood trickled from his nose. His movements were stiff as he limped towards Ben, despite Frederick's protest.
"What happened?" Ben asked.
Chrom uttered a heavy sigh. He looked over at Vaike and Miriel. Over on the beach, Laurent remained blissfully unaware of what happened as he nursed a wounded Feroxi Lancer. The Prince bowed his head and shook it.
"We lost three." He said with a slight shiver in his voice. He choked up for a moment, "One-" He ran his hand over his mouth. Ben's eyes widened
"No." Ben shook his head, "Oh no." He pushed past Chrom and strode towards Robin.
As he got closer to Robin, Frederick reached out and stopped him. Ben pushed his hand away and drew up alongside Robin.
The tactician had his head bowed. Tears stained his cheeks. His hands trembled as he gripped his spell book in his lap. Tharja muttered beside him for a moment. When her hex failed again, she glanced up at Ben. Worry and fear filled her dark eyes.
"Robin?" Ben said, voice quiet.
Robin swallowed hard, "It-it was me." He shivered. Fresh tears ran down his cheeks, "I did it."
Disbelief filled Ben. But he also knew what he felt. The Dark Side of the Force still lingered over the city. Leftover residue of Robin's out of control rampage. And he could see the physical damage. Scorch marks snaked along the stone ground in the shape of lightning bolts. The bodies of Valmese soldiers littered the area around them. Some still had static jumping up from their armor.
In this moment, Ben did not know what to do. He just bowed his head and ran a hand through his hair.
"Who else?" Ben asked, his voice a little hoarse.
"Stahl and Gregor." Frederick replied. His voice extremely quiet, "Both casualties of the enemy."
Ben exhaled and nodded. He ran his fingers over his eyes. That is what caused Robin to lose control. He saw both men die after swearing he would not lose another. And whatever darkness hid inside of Robin burst to the surface as a result.
The sun started to set. Red rays stretched out over a smoke filled sky. Ben uttered a shaky breath.
"Later." He muttered to Robin.
Robin nodded. He looked up and stared out at the blood filled waves. Made even more red by the fading sunlight.
All of this death… Robin thought. He glanced back at Vaike and Miriel, All of it is my fault.
He watched as Ben turned away. Tharja followed him. And Robin sat alone on the seawall. Horrified at what he had wrought.
Luke stepped through the empty city streets. In the distance he heard the sounds of battle. The loud clashes of steel and flesh. Enormous cries of pain that reverberated through the air like a morbid choir. His lightsaber hummed in his right hand. Anyone that stood in his way in his search would meet their end with it. Whether they were Valmese, Feroxi, or Ylissean, he didn't care. Get in his way of finding Cynthia and Say'ri, and they will die.
He crept around a corner. The sounds of battle drew closer. Several civilians ran for safety deeper in the city. Luke heard distant explosions all around him. He noticed mages along the walls of the city when he snuck in. But he did not realize that many had been deployed to defend Charlet.
That meant this army defending Charlet from the Archaneans was not his brother's army. Chon'sin did not have many mages in the first place. Even fewer marched with Yen'fay's army. In fact, the defenders seemed mostly comprised of archers and mages. Very few foot soldiers. A couple companies of cavalry. But nothing the Archaneans couldn't fight through. Which Luke found odd.
Maybe the Shepherds really did catch the Valmese by surprise. Maybe his initial analysis of the situation was wrong. But if that was the case, why did he feel so much death in the force? Why did he feel so much darkness? Were the mages holding this city really strong enough to cause that much destruction? No, whoever commanded the defenders knew how to deal maximum damage to an enemy. They were a skilled tactician.
Which ruled out the Worm, Excellus. Luke was convinced that Worm only achieved his position because he got lucky once or twice and the Conqueror found that luck amusing. He seemed to lack basic logic. And he was a coward. Something Luke knew the Conqueror detested thanks to his conversations with Yen'fay about Valm.
His train of thought was interrupted by a piercing shriek in the force. One that sent him to his knees. His lightsaber hissed off as he dropped to his hands and struggled to breath. The Dark Side of the Force suffocated the air around him. It hung over the city like a heavy fog. Not a single light in the force could pierce this cloud. Luke struggled to even fathom how powerful the dark side felt right now. Even in his most hate filled moments, he did not command the dark side like this. Not even Maul held this much power in the dark side. This wave of darkness made Maul seem like a novice.
It felt uncontrolled. Raw and primal. A furious beast let loose off of a chain. Ready to devour anything in its path. He tried to rein in his own powers. But the dark side laughed and shut him out. Leaving Luke to remain paralyzed on his hands and knees. Teeth grit, struggling to push past the wave of hatred he felt in the force.
"Luke?"
Cynthia's voice hit his ears. Any thoughts about the force ran away from his mind. Luke glanced over at an alley. Both Say'ri and Cynthia were hidden in its shadows. When they saw him, they carefully inched out.
Luke forced himself to his feet and rushed to Cynthia. He wrapped her in his arms.
"Are you okay?"
Cynthia blushed furiously then let out a small laugh, "I'm fine, silly."
Luke broke away and smiled at her, "Thank Naga." He glanced past Cynthia and at Say'ri, "How about you?"
"I will be better once this is all over." Say'ri admitted, "For now, let's try to get out of the city and…"
She trailed off as something caught her eye behind Luke. Luke heard metal scraping against the stone road. He furrowed his brow and spun around.
"Deadlord." He hissed as he recognized the force signature.
But it was one unlike any he had ever seen before. This one had a hunched posture, but still seemed taller than any man Luke had ever seen. Its body looked like one large metal skeleton. One reptilian eye glared at him, Cynthia, and Say'ri. A black arrow protruded from the other. At the sight of the arrow, Say'ri gasped.
"Noire's arrow."
Luke's lightsaber hissed to life. At the sight of his blue blade, the Deadlord snarled.
"Jedi scum."
But it did not attack. It seemed… cautious. More anxious to leave than to fight. A strange quality for a Deadlord. Normally, thanks to Grima's power coursing through their veins, they were invincible. And that led to hyper aggression. After all, what could possibly stand against them? But this Deadlord was not only wounded, but fleeing.
Did Noire put fear into this Deadlord?
"You cannot escape that easily, General." An aristocratic voice droned. One that Luke, Say'ri, and Cynthia recognized. One that set all three on edge.
Dooku emerged around the corner of a road. One of his arms was missing. The other held his ignited lightsaber. The Deadlord's reptilian eye widened. Dooku twirled his blade.
"You and I are going to have a small discussion once I am done ripping your limbs from your body." Dooku growled.
Luke glanced back and forth.
"Is he an ally?" He wondered out loud.
"Which one?" Cynthia asked.
"You tell me." Say'ri growled, "But only one has one of Noire's arrows jutting from its skull."
"Fair point." Luke nodded, "Equus!"
Dooku glanced over at him, "Well, if it isn't my favorite little group. I didn't think I would be seeing you again so soon." He chuckled a little bit, "My dear boy, Kage, shall you help a wounded elderly man and dispatch this abomination."
"Pot calling the kettle black." Luke muttered with a roll of his eyes, "But… I have a feeling you are correct." He pointed his blue lightsaber at the other Deadlord, "Kill, or let live?"
"Let live." Dooku replied. The Deadlord glanced back and forth between Luke and Dooku as they stepped towards it, "I have a few questions for him."
Luke furrowed his brow, "Very well."
A loud snarl erupted from the Deadlord, stopping both Dooku and Luke in their tracks. Luke expected an attack. A desperate attempt at self preservation. He could feel fear radiating out of the Deadlord as it eyed both him and Dooku.
"Excellus!" The Deadlord snarled, "Get me out of here!"
A blinding yellow light erupted beneath the Deadlord's feet.
"Stop him!" Dooku cried.
Luke surged forward. He reared back with his lightsaber, ready to chop the Deadlord's head from his shoulders. The Deadlord laughed at his futile attempt, then vanished in a flash of golden light.
Luke's swing hit air. The young Sith uttered a frustrated snarl.
"Coward." He spat.
"Oh I very much agree. Grievous has always been that way." Dooku stated, "And it appears he has allied himself with Excellus. That is not a good sign."
Luke shook his head, "That means Deadlords are working with the Conqueror. The Shepherds need to be warned."
"I think they may have more pressing matters at the moment, but you are welcome to try." Dooku turned on his heel. He marched a few steps then glanced back at the still frozen Luke, Cynthia, and Say'ri, "Well, come along. The Shepherds will be anxious to talk to you three. It should be safe. The battle is nearly over, judging by the sudden lack of death and spike of terror I'm sensing in the force."
Luke slowly nodded
"Do we trust him?" Say'ri asked.
"What choice do we have? Besides, I haven't found Noire yet. She is likely already near the Shepherds." He nodded, "Come on, lets go."
Cynthia followed him without question. Say'ri lingered a moment. The explosions and cries of death faded throughout the city. Cries of retreat replaced them. The main streets would be clogged with Valmese soldiers running for their lives from the Archanean forces.
Good. She thought, Let this be the first day in the fall of the Empire.
The sun started to set. Red rays of light descended upon the city. Say'ri took a deep breath, wrapped her hand around her katana's hilt, and followed Luke. Ready to meet the Shepherds once again.
And chapter! These past two chapters were massive undertakings. I have never written any battle of this scale before. And honestly, it was very challenging and very intimidating. So many characters were involved. Which required quite a bit of juggling and jumping through hoops. So hopefully, it all turned out decent. I'll take any helpful criticism I can get of course. This won't be our last big battle in the Valm war.
I also wanted this battle to show just how dangerous this war is going to be for our heroes. The Plegian War was dangerous, but it was not on the same scale as this war. Characters are going to die. Stahl, Gregor, and Miriel will not be the only ones.
As for our characters, it seems like Robin is loosing control of whatever powers are contained within him. That will be addressed here very soon. The Shepherds have landed in Valm and suffered hard losses thanks to a stout defense put up by our infamous cyborg turned Deadlord. And now they will have to somehow regroup and push forward. And finally, both story lines on this planet have met up. Should make it a bit easier to write now lol.
Lastly, before I go, I do want to do something really quick. I have had the privilege of knowing and reading several great works by phenomenal authors on this site. If you love Fire Emblem, check them out. They are truly fantastic stories. They are: All the World's A Sale by Narwahl Lordand Aberration by RedXEagl3. Seriously, check those stories out you guys. They are absolutely worth it!
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!