The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 101
Around the Fire
A small fire crackled in the stone fireplace inside of Morgana's chambers. She rocked back and forth in a rocking chair near the fire. Allowing the flickering flames to warm her frozen bones. Her green eyes gazed into the fire. Watched the flames dance up and down, side to side. A little ballet that entranced the mind. But it did not serve as a distraction. If anything, it caused all other possible distractions around Morgana, from the open book in her lap to the many reports on her desk, to fade away. Only the thoughts in her mind gained her attention. Unpleasant thoughts, worrisome thoughts, thoughts that made more gray hairs sprout in her black locks.
Her son… he was fading. She could sense it with each passing day. Not fading in a physical sense. She couldn't feel him dying. But she could feel his control slipping. The monster contained within him was stirring. And now, she could do nothing to contain it. Nothing except pray that some miracle stopped the Fell Dragon from bursting through the Vessel's shell. Perhaps the followers of Naga would discover some way to keep the beast bound.
That is if they even recognize what is happening in time.
She doubted they would. The Fell Dragon was merely a legend now. A borderline myth. Only the Grimleal truly viewed him as a living, breathing entity. One that could return given enough time and blood. He was an unimaginable abomination.
And I saw him.
Or, a shell of him. A figment of her mind, projected in her vision. An assault on her thoughts that allowed a man simply known as the Hierophant to attack her. The mental assault when she was investigating the Artifact with Alfred brought her to her knees. At the time, she was not certain who was capable of such a thing. To be capable of mentally assaulting her, without knowing her actual location, over such a vast distance, was insane.
In order to discern who could have pulled off such a spell, she consulted the one person she knew had been in contact with the mysterious Hierophant, Aversa, her adopted daughter. At first, she had been rather… disagreeable. She remained silent, sulking in her cell despite Morgana's best attempt to coax her into speaking. Only when Morgana made certain to mention her attacker's physical appearance did she get any answers.
The fear on Aversa's face was plain as day. Her face turned ashen at the mention of white hair, yellow eyes, and a twisted grin. Her dark eyes looked at Morgana wide eyed. The Sorceress heard only three words from Aversa.
"You saw him."
Morgana ran her finger along the ink riddled pages of the book in her lap. An ancient tome with wrinkled yellow pages and faded ink. Within those yellowed pages was an ancient description of the Fell Dragon himself. A copy drawn from stone tablets found within the long lost, cursed city of Thabes. Written by the very sorcerer that spawned the Fell Dragon. A fact long lost to the Grimleal (or more accurately, long buried by their ancestors), yet known to those who sought out such knowledge. Part of why Validar now deemed her a heretic.
It made no mention of a human vessel. And what rituals it did mention, were vague theories, hardly concrete spells. And yet, she saw him. She saw the vessel teeming with Grima's essence. Wreathed in dark power unimaginable. And it was merely a small flash of power. A drop in a vast ocean. Not only did the vessel display dark magic abilities the likes of which Morgana never thought possible, he displayed draconic powers long restricted to the realm of the Manaketes. Powers that even Morgana struggled to fully understand, despite her intense study in the mysterious subject.
Robin would soon lose himself to that power. Grima would consume him. He will take over his mind and render her son nothing more than another soul consumed by his dark clutches. Nothing could stop it now. And once Grima consumed her son, the world would burn.
The Project needed to be finished. It was humanity's lifeboat. An ark to deliver survivors away from the Fell Dragon's destruction. Whether she would be on it or not, it would not matter. In the end, because of her research, and her mages' work, humanity would live on.
But first, she needed a Manakete. One was out of reach. Cut off by the Naga-spawn. But one could be within her grasp. A manakete of unknown power and origins. All she really knew about it was that it lived atop the Mila Tree in Valm. Trapped there by the Valmese. Getting to it would be extremely difficult. But not impossible.
She would have to send some of her best mages to do it. Morgana even considered leading the task force herself. But if she did, Grima would know. He would find her. He would find the project. Then all really would be lost.
No, she needed to remain here. Trapped in her cocoon of ice and rock. Her best mages would seek out the Manakete. They would take her from the Mila Tree and deliver her back to the hideout within the next moon. She could gather enough power along with several other mages to cast a hefty teleportation spell. One that would exhaust her for several days. But it would be worth it now. Their plans needed to accelerate. Grima was obviously accelerating his plans. She would have to rise and meet his vicious pace.
The door to her quarters opened.
"You wished to speak to me, Lady Morgana?" Alfred said as he shuffled into her room, shutting the door behind him.
Who to lead the mages?
She thought for a moment. It would have to be someone powerful. Strong enough in magic to handle the raw power a Manakete could toss around. Her thoughts drifted to the young woman lingering in the ice dungeons of the Heretics Hideout.
Maybe…
"Gather our strongest mages, Alfred. And fetch Aversa from her cell." Morgana's green eyes flicked over to the older mage near her door, "I have a task for them."
Alfred gulped, "Manakete hunting, my lady?"
Morgana nodded, "Yes." She turned her gaze back to the flames, "And the hunt has quite the prize."
Dooku stared at the embers of the night's fire. The small logs glowed with faint orange light. As the dying embers ate away at the last bits of wood, the logs would shift and spit hot sparks out onto the ground near his feet. What little residual heat remained from the fire drifted through the air in small spirals of gray smoke.
He had been reluctant to start a fire upon taking a break. His new body did not feel the normal needs of his old body. This undead form he now lived in did not know hunger, thrist, heat, or cold. It barely knew pain and weariness. He did not see the need for a fire until he saw Robin shivering. Then he was reminded of his pupil's weakened state.
The boy finally drifted off to sleep once they stopped. Two and a half straight days of riding. Not easy riding either. Hard riding, never slowing past a trot. He may not need the rest, but Robin and the horses certainly did. Dooku glanced across the small campsite at the brown and black steeds he and Robin took from the army stables back in Charlet.
Loyal beasts. Dooku thought to himself as he admired the powerful muscles they displayed.
He found horses to be useful companions. He certainly could see why the people of this world, in their backwards ways, relied on them so heavily. Loyal, easy to work with, easy to train, and could perform a multitude of tasks. And, given the right push and rest, hardly ever tired. Dooku now considered purchasing one once this war ended and he returned to Themis. He actually found riding to be a relaxing exercise. Even if he and Robin were riding behind enemy lines in a land where any passing Valmese soldier would have good reason to try and kill them.
Another reason for his reluctance to start a fire. A fire brought warmth, but it also could bring danger. Flames could signal to any passing patrol that two Ylisseans were behind their lines. But in the end, he allowed Robin to spark one. It helped the boy sleep. And he needed the rest. A human's body could only run for so long without sleep. And Robin had pushed the limits of his body during their ride west towards the Mila Tree. To the point where Dooku could hardly instruct him in anything regarding the force. The tactician was incapable of fully applying lessons with his body deteriorating due to lack of rest. If a fire helped Robin get even a few hours of sleep, Dooku would allow it.
Embers spat out from the dying logs. Gray ash lined the base of the fire. Hot coals still glowed a dull red deep within the small pyre. Dooku's eyes focused on those burning coals for a moment. Then he glanced across the camp at the slumbering tactician. The boy using his large coat as a makeshift blanket. Which made sense, the night did possess a slight chill to it.
Dooku's eyes studied the coat once again. He did not understand how no one else, not even Robin himself, made the Grimleal connection. It seemed so obvious to Dooku now that he got a further look at the boy. Between the Grimleal colors he openly wore and the Mark of Grima branded onto the back of his hand, the boy reeked of a previous life among Dark Mages. A life he did not remember.
Then there was the-
"Equus."
The hairs on Dooku's neck stood on end as the temperature around him plummeted. The Dark Side of the force swirled into a thick cloud in the shadows beyond the dying firelight. A humanoid form shifted to and fro in the shadows. Wreathed in darkness. Two pinpoints of yellow light showing where its eyes were.
Only one person in the entire galaxy referred to him by the name Equus. Dooku's hand drifted towards his lightsaber. The shadowy form shot towards him. It brushed past his still form, rendering Dooku motionless as it swept around him.
It clicked its tongue at him.
"If you think such a paltry little tool will harm me now, then you are not as intelligent as I thought you were." Grima hummed.
Dooku retracted his hand carefully from the curved hilt on his hip. Grima snickered low as his shadowy specter circled around him.
"It has been some time, my servant."
"I do not serve you." Dooku snarled lowly.
"Don't you?" Grima hissed, shadowy form snapping around him so that the yellow eyes stared into Dooku's, "Perhaps you are executing my will through your actions, whether you mean to or not."
Dooku gave him a smug smirk, "If that were the case, you would not be paying me a visit."
Grima's specter hissed again. Dooku steeled his mind in case the shadowy form decided to attack his thoughts. But as he brought up his mental defenses, a pain lanced through his head. A sharp pain. Pain he had not felt since his body had actually been living.
The shadow tsked.
"You think you can do what you wish? Foolish slave. You are mine. You always will be mind. I brought you back. I gave you life. And yet you try to defy me?" The shadow swirled around him, blotting Dooku's vision of the campsite. Consuming his thoughts with images that sent fear coursing through his veins.
Ylisstol burned. The entire planet set aflame. An ash riddled wasteland laden with the bones of millions. A six eyed dragon roared triumphant over the conquered carcass of humanity's final stronghold.
"Do you see, Equus. This is the fate of the world. It all shall be mine. I will take all. I will rule all. And those who do not bend to me, shall be consumed." The visions raced away from Dooku's thoughts. He blinked as the embers of the fire sparked once again. The shadowy specter was nowhere to be seen.
Dooku scowled. Nothing more than a vision. Nothing more than a possible nightmare? Had he fallen asleep.
A low chuckle reverberated in his mind. He froze.
"You can redeem yourself in my eyes, my servant."
Dooku gulped.
"H-how?"
This power… it felt like the Dark Side itself was speaking to him. Sweat pooled in the creases of Dooku's hand as he struggled to mount a meager defense in his mind. Only for that defense to be torn to shreds by a furious beast. One that prowled his thoughts and sought out whatever information it could. Another low chuckle sounded in his skull.
"So… you aim to go to the Mila Tree? Your actions will determine your fate, my deadlord." Grima said.
Dooku gulped as an iron hand gripped his mind. Suppressed his power. Made him feel drained in a horrible way. Weak and weary. All too human.
"How will I know?"
Grima's low laughter echoed in his mind. He received no answer. It appears he would have to solve this puzzle on his own.
The presence in his thoughts faded away. The fierce cold that gripped Dooku's body retreated. He suddenly felt in control of his thoughts once again. And when control returned, he fell forward, gasping for air.
For a split second, his old Master took his power away. For a split second, Grima rendered his new body useless. There was no mistaking this strange interaction. It was a threat, and a promise. Bend the knee once again, serve Grima, and Dooku would not only live, he would be rewarded. Fail to do so, and death awaited him. He recalled death's embrace. The sudden finality of it all. How he could feel nothing, knew nothing, had become nothing more than a speck in a void. Bound to the endless currents of the force. Without form or identity. Without power or purpose.
He raised a shaky gaze up to Robin's slumbering form. The tactician slept fitfully now. He tossed and turned. Haunted by nightmares of Charlet. Dooku winced as he pushed himself upright once again.
The boy had slept for several hours. If he woke up now, he would not be harmed too much. Dooku strode over and shook Robin awake. Robin gasped, sweat beaded on his brow. His eyes flicked back and forth as he was ripped from a dream.
"Wake up." Dooku grunted, "We should start riding again."
Robin blinked. A long yawn left his lips. He wiped his eyes and sat upright. Both horses snorted awake when he rose.
"How much further?" Robin asked.
Dooku furrowed his brow. He turned to the west. Hills and rolling plains lay before them. But with how much distance they managed to cover in the first two days, they could not be far away now.
"Perhaps a day." Dooku replied. He kicked some dirt over the dying embers of their fire, "Maybe two."
Robin yawned again. He placed his coat back over his shoulders.
"How long did I sleep?"
"A few hours."
Robin nodded wearily, "I should have slept more."
"But you would not feel rested." Dooku replied as he hopped into the saddle of his horse, "The nightmares would have kept your mind from recovering properly. If you need more rest, sleep in your saddle."
Robin sighed, "Fair point." He jumped up into his saddle and spun his horse to follow Dooku's. The pair loped into a quick trott away from their small camp. Robin yawned again, "Do you think this Manakete can help me get some sleep?"
Dooku glanced over at Robin. He could not shake the feeling of unease he had whenever he saw the boy now. His interaction with the Shadow of Grima had a disturbing sense of familiarity to it. And Grima's words resonated in his mind. His redemption in the Fell Dragon's plans resided at the Mila Tree. Which meant, his path back to the Master's side involved one of two people, Lady Tiki… or Robin.
Or both. Dooku mused.
"Dooku? Did you hear me?"
Dooku blinked, "Oh… yes um… we shall see, won't we."
Robin frowned, "That is not an answer."
Dooku rolled his eyes, "I cannot give an answer to a question I don't know the answer to. We shall see when we get there. I mainly hope that she can assist us in solving your little power control problem."
"It is not a little problem." Robin muttered.
Dooku did not respond. He instead returned his attention to the road ahead. Pale moonlight lit up the dirt and gravel. Eventually, the moonlight would unveil the Mila Tree, standing tall like a thin mountain in the distance. There, he sensed his fate would be decided. There Grima's will would come to pass. Whether that be the Deadlord's return, or the Deadlord's fall, Grima would have his way.
I just hope it will happen after I solve the puzzle that is Robin.
Smoke filled the air. Several fires burned in the scorched plains that stretched out from Charlet. The black plumes hid the sun. The smoke made it difficult to breath. The stench of slaughtered livestock hung thick in any air. Ben coughed and brought a hand over his mouth as he caught sight of a slaughterhouse in the middle of a once prosperous wheat farm.
Dozens of cows lay dead in the field. Their meat scorched by fire or poisoned by rot. A demoralizing sight for the army.
Three days ago, the army set out from Charlet. A slow, slogging march west towards the Mila Tree. The centermost point on the Valmese continent. Ben hoped to reach that point and then discern a plan of attack from there. By reaching the center, he hoped to cut off the northern and southern sections of the continent, thereby preventing the Valmese from marshaling their full strength against the invading Archaneans.
He would not be able to do that if the march did not speed up. And the march would not speed up if they continued running into scorched farms and sacked villages.
He grimaced at the thought. During the first day of the march the army trudged their way through a small village west of Charlet. Dozens of villagers were piled in the center square, dead. Their livestock laid in heaps alongside the road. Their homes were charred husks. The Valmese army left nothing for the invaders to use. Not a single tool, weapons, or scrap of food could be recovered from the land as the Valmese army adopted a scorched earth strategy. A strategy that wore down the Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers.
Footsteps crunched in the dirt and gravel behind Ben. Ben glanced over his shoulder. Virion strode up to the side of road. His usual arrogant smirk and bravado long gone after three days of fire and blood. He swallowed hard as he gazed at a still burning barn in the distance.
"If I had known this would happen, I would have advised against this course." Virion muttered.
Ben uttered a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry, Virion."
The archer shook his head, "War is war. I should have expected something like this. But... to actually see these horrors in my homeland is unbearable."
"All the more reason to defeat the Valmese."
Cherche walked up alongside Virion. Anger burned hot in her eyes as she stared out at the ruined farm. One of her hands rested on the head of her ax as it sat holstered to her hip. She furrowed her brow as the roof of the barn caved in.
"They are not far." She muttered.
"This farm was recently burned." Ben nodded in agreement, "We are either gaining on the retreating Valmese, or they are slowing their retreat." He turned on his heel and marched back towards the center of the army camp. Night would fall soon. The march had ground to a halt so the soldiers and horses could rest for the evening. Ben did make sure to send out scouting parties into the night, in all directions. He did not want to be caught unawares by enemy troops.
As they moved through the throngs of Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers, Virion cleared his throat.
"Which Shepherds will you have leading scouting troops tonight?"
Ben uttered a heavy sigh, "I will not have you go out three nights in a row, Virion. You need rest as well."
Virion opened his mouth to speak, but Cherche cut him off.
"The General is right, Lord Virion." Cherche said.
The archer stubbornly shook his head, "I must go out and-"
"You can't fight for your people and redeem yourself if you end up dead in a field." Cherche scolded swiftly, "You are the last of House Virion, do not recklessly throw your life away. The people of Rosanne will need you when this conflict is finally over."
The pair followed Ben into his tent. The inside had been hastily set up. Everything in the tent, from the simple furniture to the walls and tentpoles, were designed to be taken apart within a moment's notice. Ben did not even have a mattress inside of his tent like others in the Archanean leadership. Instead, he slept on a simple bedroll. The only pieces of true furniture he allowed was a table that currently was covered beneath piles of maps, paperwork, and reports; and a chest meant to hold extra clothes and his leather armor.
Ben sighed as he moved towards the table a sifted through some of the reports. He muttered to himself as he read the latest report on the cavalry from Frederick. The horses were consuming more food than they estimated. It would not be long before they would have to forage.
"I did not count on the Valmese burning their own land to stop us." Ben rubbed his eyes with one hand and let out a low groan, "How does Robin do this so easily?"
"He didn't do it easily." Virion chuckled a little bit, "He just made due with what we had. And he did so rather well."
"I'll say." Ben sank down onto a wooden stool beside the table. Virion leaned up against the main tentpole while Cherche remained near the entryway. Ben ran a hand through his hair and exhaled, "Do you really think we can win?"
"Well we have the Mad Swordsman on our side." Virion shrugged, "So who's to say we cannot?"
"Every conventional evaluation of warfare." Ben deadpanned.
"And who said we were conventional?" Cherche pointed out, "The Shepherds lead this army, along with the Feroxi Khans. Your army inspired the Rosanne rebels to be unpredictable and daring. Those same qualities will prove troublesome for the Valmese and their legions. We can win this war. We will just have do so in a different way than normal."
Ben pressed his lips together, "Easier said than done." He sighed, "What I would give for a platoon of ARC troopers. I could send them behind enemy lines and cause absolute havoc right about now."
Virion arched an eyebrow in confusion. Ben blinked. He forgot the Shepherds now knew of his true origins, but they did not know everything that entailed. To try and explain every detail of the galaxy and the Clone Wars would be an exercise in futility. There was simply too much for Ben to properly talk about.
"Special soldiers. Extremely effective." Ben explained flippantly.
"Perhaps you are the one that needs to rest more than me?" Virion replied, "You can't shoulder this task on your own."
Ben exhaled and rested his arms of his knees. His head felt heavy. Eyes even heavier. And he had a wonderful pain in the side of his neck that kept him from turning his head to the right. He winced as he tried to stretch out the sore muscles.
"You won't be going out tonight Virion." Ben sighed, "Cherche, you will go with Minerva a small squad of Pegasus Knights. Soar high, do your best to stay out of sight. If you find the Valmese army, report back immediately. I want to know their movements."
Cherche nodded, "Of course." And she left.
Once she left, Ben sagged even further into his seat.
"I'll have to get up now." Ben grumbled, "And go tell Sully, Lon'qu, and Kellam that it is their turn to lead scouting troops for the evening."
Virion laughed, "Let me do that Ben."
Ben eyed the archer.
"You won't let me fight for my country tonight, so at least let me assist in some other capacity." Virion pointed out with a slight smirk. He strutted away from the post towards the exit, "Shall I make your message sound very firm? Or should I be nice and gentle?"
Ben gave him a weary look.
"Exhausted soldier tone it is." Virion chuckled, "I'm sure that will go a long way with Sully."
Ben snorted out a laugh, "If anything, she'll take the scouting mission as a personal challenge, like she always does."
"Indeed." Virion paused at the tent exit, "If you are feeling up to it Ben, perhaps I can give your mind a rest with a chess match later?"
Ben scoffed, "Chess with you is more of a headache than battlefield strategy." Ben thought for a moment, "Why not? I'll stop by later tonight."
Virion grinned, "Wonderful. Oh and if you bring Tharja-"
"There will be nothing indecent during a chess match!" Ben cut him off swiftly.
Virion laughed his way out of Ben's tent. Leaving the Jedi Master alone once again. Ben let his hands rest limply in his lap as he stared at the tent wall. Weariness waashed over him. He reached up and rubbed his forehead.
"Kriffing headache." He muttered before rising to his feet once again.
He rolled his shoulders and walked over towards his bedroll. Through a small slit in the tent wall, he saw the sun setting in the distance. He sighed as he reached up and fumbled with the buckles to the leather pauldrons on his shoulders. A curse left his lips as his hand slipped.
I must be more tired than I thought.
A slender hand snaked over his shoulders. Delicate fingers danced along the buckles, easily undoing them. Ben smiled a little bit as he reached up and brushed his fingers along the back of Tharja's hand.
"I didn't even notice you enter." Ben raised his arms as Tharja helped him pull the armor up over his head. Once it was removed, he felt her head rest against his back as her arms wrapped around his chest.
"Little stuff like that doesn't normally slip by you." Tharja hummed.
Ben nodded, "Little stuff like that tends to slip when you are as exhausted as I am."
He turned around to face her. Tharja craned her eyes up to look at him.
"Need a sleeping hex?" She asked.
Ben shook his head, "I don't think so. Besides, if you cast a sleeping hex, I'm not going to wake up for several days."
Tharja chuckled lightly, "It might do you some good."
"But it would not do the army any good." Ben reminded her as his fingers ran along her arms.
Tharja rolled her eyes, "I think they can manage. Chrom is a resourceful enough person."
"Maybe. But it still wouldn't be right." Ben sighed.
Tharja nodded reluctantly. She let out a heavy breath as she pulled away from Ben and walked over to the tent entrance. She closed the flap and let her shoulders fall.
"Are you alright?" Ben asked, noticing her sudden exhaustion.
Tharja let out a wry laugh, "You'd think after all the traveling we have done together, I would be used to marching this much." She shook her head a little bit, "But this march feels different." She glanced back at Ben, "I can't help but have a bad feeling about all of this."
Ben furrowed his brow as she walked past him over to the small chest that contained what few personal items they both had. Tharja peeled the bracelets from her pale arms and removed the golden ornament from her hair. She placed them gently inside the chest before reaching for her family ring on her finger. She twisted the ring to and fro for a moment.
"I guess we are actually a family." She muttered.
Ben arched an eyebrow as he returned to his chair and kicked off his boots, "Noire is still troubling you?"
Tharja frowned a little bit. She let the ring remain on her finger as she turned to look at him, "I'm surprised she's not troubling you as well."
Ben pursed his lips, "I never said it wasn't." He managed to yank off one boot. His aching foot creaked as he wiggled his toes. A small wince flashed over his face as he rested his foot back down on the earth. He hesitated as he reached for his other boot, "I'm just as stunned as you are."
"It's not just surprise, Ben." Tharja huffed. She set the tomb she always had on her person inside of the chest, "It's… I don't know. I should have suspected something like this could happen as soon as we learned of Lucina's true identity. I mean, given our relationship, it should have been obvious that one of Lucina's friends would be our…" She gulped a little bit, "child."
Ben gave her a concerned look as she glided over to her own small wooden stool and took a seat beside him. He could see the tension in her shoulders. A tightness to her jaw. Her hands were flexed into small fists in her lap. Fists she quickly relaxed as soon as he noticed them.
"Tharja," He breathed, reaching out and brushing a lock of her hair from her face, "Talk to me." He gave her a small smirk, "You always force me to talk to you."
Tharja snorted, "Your situation was a bit different, in case you have forgotten, mister beyond the stars."
Ben cocked an eyebrow playfully, "Technically there is no such thing as 'beyond the stars'."
"Oh really?" Tharja hummed.
"Really." Ben replied, "And you are not going to change the subject that easily."
She sagged, "Can you blame me for trying?" She lowered her gaze to her lap for a moment, "This all feels so… unbelievable. And I know what you are going to say. It can't be as unbelievable as meeting someone from another planet, falling in love with them, et cetera." She waved her hand a little bit, "But, when I was in the Grimleal, a family was never something I even considered. I always thought I'd either be long dead, or far too detached from anyone in order to desire such a thing. And… a part of me still feels like it is impossible." She glanced over at Ben, "Noire has given me a glimpse of a future that I have never prepared for or desired. And it terrifies me."
Ben regarded Tharja quietly for a moment. He cleared his throat.
"Well, she did admit that future was quite… accidental."
Tharja gave him a puzzled look, "Accidental?" She blinked in understanding, "No wonder she gives us such strange looks."
"You and I were nothing more than a one time thing in the future." Ben explained, "At least, that is Noire's personal belief. Which, judging from what I have heard so far, may not be too far off."
Tharja snorted in disbelief, "And what caused the change? Just the presence of the children from the future?"
Ben furrowed his brow, "I've considered that. But if you think about it, Lucina actually did a good job of keeping us all in the dark for a long time. She gave us cryptic warnings of what was to come, of course. But she never gave any hint as to her true origins." Ben rubbed his chin for a moment. Then the answer hit him like a punch in the gut, "Maul." He breathed. He glanced over at Tharja, "Lucina knew Maul. Which means that the Maul we fought was from the future. His actions sparked the change." Ben gulped, "If I had not been forced to confront Maul once again, then I would not have had to… use as much of my abilities in the war. I could have stuck with my original plan of remaining hidden among the Shepherds. Maul forced me out. Maul made the others see what I was capable of. He made you see what I was capable of." Ben let out a small sound of pure disbelief, "If not for my greatest foe, I would not have this life right now."
"Funny how fate works." Tharja whispered.
Ben gave her a small smile, "Funny indeed." He leaned in a kissed her.
Clapping filled the tent. Ben and Tharja quickly pulled apart. Virion stood in the tent doorway, a broad grin on his face.
"Oh do continue. Don't mind me." Virion smirked.
Ben gave him a withering look, "I thought I told you to-"
"Already told the trio to get going." Virion replied, "And," He reached into a pack on his back and pulled out his chessboard, "I figured with how weary you looked, I would bring both the game, and the party, to you."
"Party?"
Gaius popped his head into the tent, "Is it safe? Sunshine is not going to hex me right?"
"If Lady Tharja was going to hex anyone, it would be me." Virion hummed.
"I'm tempted." Tharja grumbled, "You could have at least knocked."
"On what? The canvass?" Virion sauntered further into the tent, "A lot of good that would have done."
Gaius surged into the tent, "How's it going guys?" He smiled, dug into his own pack, and withdrew a large bottle, "Courtesy of Anna." He held it out to both Tharja and Ben.
Ben eyed the thief, "You mean courtesy of your fingers pilfering it from Anna."
Gaius cringed, "Shhh! Keep it down. Whiskers is right behind me and-"
Panne strolled into the tent.
"H-hey, Whiskers!" Gaius leaned up against the tent's center poll, "Fancy seeing you here."
"You invited me here." Panne replied.
"Did I?" Gaius laughed nervously, "Oh hey look! Benny is already got the drinks ready to go."
"I do?" Ben blinked. He did not see any glasses nearby.
A bad feeling surged in the force. Danger rushed towards the tent. Ben tensed as he sensed it drawing closer. Before he could react, a red head barreled her way into the tent.
"Who has the balls!?" Anna roared.
Gaius quickly pointed at Ben. Anna's gaze snapped over to Ben. Ben rolled his eyes.
"Do you honestly believe that I would-"
Gaius sneezed hard. Panne glared angrily at the thief. Anna's wrath turned to the other red head. Virion took a seat on the ground and watched with amusement. Ben glanced over at Tharja as the dark mage gave him a mischievous grin.
"Already taken care of." She muttered.
Gaius sneezed again.
"Gods dammit!" He cried.
"Panne," Anna's eyes blazed with wrathful vengeance, "Do I have your permission." She reached for a dagger at her hip and slowly drew it, "to beat him within an inch of his life."
"Whiskers-" Gaius sneezed, "I was just trying to-" He sneezed again, "Do something nice for Benny cause-" Sneeze, "Naga, remove this hex already Sunshine!"
"No." Tharja replied.
"I'll take care of it, Anna." Panne sighed, "For now," She walked over to Ben's chest. Virion stood up. The Taguel reached into the chest, withdrew some gold coins, and tossed them over to the merchant, "Payment."
"Th-those are mine." Ben stammered.
"Accepted." Anna sheathed her dagger. She glared at Gaius, "I catch you stealing from me again, there will be no amount of coin that can save you."
Gaius gulped, "Duly noted."
The tent opened again.
"Virion said something about a party?" Lissa strolled in. The Ylissean Princess flashed a bright smile at both Ben and Tharja. Frederick followed her into the tent. He gave Ben a stiff nod before moving towards the far wall.
Flavia strolled in behind them. A massive grin rested on her face as she adjusted two bottles of firewine in the crook of her arm.
"It's only a party when I show up." Flavia beamed. She laughed, "I hope you've got plenty of glasses, General. I suspect more are bound to show up."
Ben laughed nervously in his seat, "I'm not sure a party is the best idea for right now."
"Oh," Lissa waved her hand dismissively, "you worry too much. We're just trying to help you relax."
"And-" Virion took one of the bottles from Flavia, popped the corked and passed it over to Ben, "There is no better relaxation medication."
"Libra would argue against that." Lissa pointed out.
"He's a priest." Virion shrugged, "Of course he would."
The tent opened, "I'm a priest." Brady strolled into the tent. Walking in with him were Noire, Say'ri, and Cynthia. Brady raised his flask to Virion, "And I say, cheers."
Virion laughed heartily, "If you are one of the future children, then I dare say, you must be Lady Sully's. Only she can match you when it comes to liquor."
Brady coughed hard on his drink as Virion spoke, "Yeah uh-"
"A party?" The priest froze as both Donnel and Maribelle entered the increasingly crowded tent. Maribelle held a closed parasol in both hands while Donnel had an arm around her shoulders. The Duchess of Themis eyed everyone, "I hope you all plan on drinking responsibly tonight."
"What does that mean?" Cynthia asked Say'ri jokingly.
"I happen to agree with the duchess." Say'ri hummed. The Chon'sin princess glanced at Maribelle, "You and I will make sure they don't go too far tonight."
"At least I have someone to assist me." Maribelle nodded. She frowned as Brady remained frozen in place in front of her, "Are you going to move sir? Or shall I have to step around you? It is rather rude to block a woman's path."
"R-right!" Brady stammered. He tripped over his own two feet as he stumbled out of Maribelle's way, "Pardon me, Ma."
Cynthia's eyes bugged out her skull. Noire's sucked in a laugh as she struggled to contain herself. Donnel blinked as Brady's words bounced through his mind.
"Did ya just say-"
Maribelle stared incredulously at Brady. The priest gulped, tucked his flask behind his back, and shrank beneath her penetrating stare.
"So uh… how's it going Ma, Pa?"
Maribelle's parasol whistled through the air before crashing down onto Brady's head with an enormous thwack.
"Gah! The hell!?" Brady cried.
She swatted at him again. This time she hit his shoulder. Brady jumped back, his flask clattered to the ground as he reached up and rubbed the growing bruise on his shoulder. Maribelle reared back to deliver another blow, only for Donnel to reach out and snatch her parasol from her hands.
"Maribelle, there ain't no need for that." Donnel said quietly.
Maribelle stared at Brady red faced, "Of all the… pigheaded… brutish… drunken…" She stormed out. Both Donnel and Brady watched her leave.
"Um…" Brady bent over and retrieved his flask from the ground, "I'm gonna have to talk to her now, aren't I?"
Donnel shrugged, "I can talk to her first, if ya want."
Brady's eyes darted to and fro as he considered it for a moment, "Nah." He sighed, "I dug my grave, time to lie in it." He looked over at Noire and Cynthia, "Dig me up when it's all over."
"No promises." Noire smirked back.
Brady rolled his eyes and stepped out of the tent. Cynthia watched with some concern as the priest followed a furious Maribelle out of the tent.
"I don't remember Lady Maribelle getting that upset with him." Cynthia whispered to Noire.
"You don't remember a lot of things." Noire muttered back as she remained close to Frederick and Say'ri on the far wall. Far away from both Ben and Tharja. She shrank a little bit as Tharja's dark gaze settled on her for a moment before turning away.
"Looks like Brady is not the only one with parental issues." Say'ri said out of the corner of her mouth.
Noire bristled, "Yeah well…" She sighed and brushed her finger against her talisman, "The issues are a little different."
"Oh what I would give to hear Brady talking to Lady Maribelle right now." Cynthia snickered a little bit, "That's going to go either really well, or really badly."
"I'd say it's already gone badly." Say'ri remarked.
"That is just Maribelle." Lissa said with a wave of her hand, "She'll warm quickly enough. Especially since Brady is her future kid. Isn't that right, Frederick?"
Frederick cleared his throat, "I don't think I am in any position to comment on Lady Maribelle's relations with any future children."
Lissa pouted, "You're no fun. At least when Lon'qu guards me, I can pester him to no end and always get a laugh out of it." She turned her gaze back to Ben, "By the way, why did you pick him for patrol?"
Ben quirked an eyebrow, "Because it was his turn."
Gaius chuckled out loud, "Does the Princess have eyes on the tall, dark, and handsome Feroxi swordsman?"
Lissa's cheeks reddened, "No-well-er, he's my bodyguard normally. So it's natural for me to be worried about him too."
"Uh huh, sure." Anna snatched a bottle from Flavia and took a quick sip, "And I have some beachfront property near Themis to sell you."
Virion snorted out a laugh as he took the bottle from Anna, "Well played, my merchant friend." He sipped the firewine then passed the bottle over to Ben and Tharja, "So, on the topic of future children. We know several of Princess Lucina's friends have arrived. But how many have actually unveiled themselves to their parents?"
Ben glanced over at Noire. The archer nervously fidgeted across the tent.
"I think we can all guess who yours is." Tharja hummed, a mischievous gleam danced in her dark eyes.
Virion drew back in surprised, "Mine?"
"Inigo." Brady took a long gulp from his flask, "Womanizer extraordinaire. He always did take after you, Mr. Virion. Not in the best of ways though, in my opinion."
Virion blinked, "How could you know-"
"He tried flirting with um… with mother right as he entered the city a few days ago." Noire commented.
Virion eyes widened in surprise, "Did he now? And your mother is-"
Noire gulped and nodded across the tent toward Tharja. Virion expression remained unchanged for a moment. He flicked his eyes towards Tharja and Ben. A broad smile crossed his lips.
"Well, I cannot be upset over Inigo's ambitions." He chuckled a little bit, "Although, I hope he learned the consequences of his actions swiftly enough."
"Oh he did." Tharja snickered. Brady shivered nearby.
"Where is he anyways, Brady?" Noire asked.
The priest shrugged, "Probably trying to get into someone's pants. I don't keep track of him."
"He was flirting with some pegasus knights." Say'ri sighed, "I noticed him as we walked here. As for the other children, I believe Owain went with Henry to go check on Severa. Lucina remained near her tent. The other one… Sakura, I think that was her name? She went with Owain as well."
"And Luke?" Ben asked as the bottle of firewine reached him. He leaned back on his stool and took a small sip before handing the bottle to Tharja.
Say'ri sighed, "Luke is… somewhere. I can't keep track of him. I left him to keep an eye on Kage and instead he left Kage in the care of that mage, Laurent."
Brady snorted, "Laurent taking care of a baby? Naga, help that child."
"He was actually doing rather well from what I could tell." Say'ri shrugged, "Do you have any idea where Luke is, Cynthia?"
Cynthia shrugged, "He said he needed some time to meditate away from everyone else." Ben blinked in surprise as she spoke, "Something about needing to clear his head. He has to do that from time to time."
"Why is that?" Ben asked.
Cynthia twirled with a lock of her blue hair, "He says it's to boost his abilities. I think it's because he is scared."
"Of what?" Gaius remarked as he sat down on the floor beside Panne, "The guy is practically unstoppable, unless he decided to fight Benny."
Cynthia pursed her lips, "I think he's scared of his powers. And he doesn't exactly know how to handle it."
Ben furrowed his brow. Luke was afraid of his abilities? Why? He never showed any fear when using the force before. This had to be a new development. His heart jumped as a possibility danced through his mind. Was Luke somehow turning his back on the dark? And because of that, was he realizing just how terrible the dark side really is? But how could that be? The Jedi Order taught that once a force adept fell to the dark side's temptations, there was no coming back. The dark side corrupted absolutely. Ben had seen its horrific work personally through both Dooku and Anakin.
Ben shook his head. Perhaps it would be prudent to speak to Luke at some point? Maybe he could use some advice on the force?
As if he would listen to me. Ben reminded himself, Maul taught him to hate me.
Flavia nudged Ben's shoulder with the other bottle of firewine, "Stop looking so glum. Drink, relax a little bit."
Ben uttered a long sigh. He reluctantly took the bottle and sipped the firewine, "I do not plan on going all out tonight. I need to be up early to help Chrom, Basilio, and you, with military strategy."
Flavia waved her hand, "Bah! Unless the Valmese army decides to suddenly show up, we'll just be dealing with more skirmishes on the fringes of the march again."
"Those skirmishes add up." Ben commented.
"Enough talk regarding war." Virion declared as he opened up the chess board in front of Ben, "Let us have a night of peace."
"By playing a game of war?" Ben replayed with a slight chuckle.
"Absolutely!" Virion grinned back.
"Oh! Oh!" Cynthia slid beside Virion, "I call next!" She eyed the board, furrowed her brow, and uttered a sheepish laugh, "What game is this again?"
The warm sands of Plegia were a strange place indeed. During the day, when the blazing sun sat high in a crystal clear sky, the earth below was scorched with heat. Plants could not grow. What little water existed in the sands evaporated away as if it never existed. If someone was unprepared for the harshness of the desert, they would die. Whither away and become a mummified corpse buried in the sands. Then that corpse would turn to yellowed bones. Cracked by the sun's rays. Chewed to bits by the wind whipping up violent sandstorms. The desert harshness comforted the Hierophant. Reminded him of his origins. Of his nature.
Night in the desert rattled him. True, one would normally say night in Plegia was more tolerable than the day. The furious sun disappeared, replaced by a massive, pale moon in the black sky. Clouds would sometimes appear in the blackness. And the temperature would plummet until the Hierophant could see his breath frosting in front of his. Necessitating the need for a roaring fire in his stone fireplace in order to fend off the biting cold of the dark desert.
The Hierophant's blazing eyes followed the dancing flames as he lounged on a wicker sofa. On a table to his right was a glass of water. Condensation dripped down the sides of the glass. The liquid ice cold despite the deserts usual conditions. The room he inhabited even colder than the night air outside the open balcony doors. The chill in the air a result of his growing powers. Of him flexing his abilities to their current zenith.
Breaking into Equus's thoughts and projecting his own consciousness across such a vast distance, into Valm, proved tiring. And when he finished tormenting the rogue deadlord, he returned to his grand quarters in the Plegian palace, started a fire with a quick spell, and watched the flames dance.
Embers spat out at him, singing the small rug near his feet. He paid them no mind. His thoughts were occupied. So occupied that he did not bother grabbing a book to read or a tome to study upon finishing his conversation with Equus.
"That was a risk."
The Hierophant let an annoyed snarl cross his lips. For the first time tonight, one of the other souls decided to speak up. And of course, he would be critical.
"It was necessary."
"No." The beast snarled back, "What is necessary is eliminating Equus before he causes our plans to unravel entirely."
"A rogue deadlord like him becomes a greater liability as time passes. Honestly I am surprised you let him live this long."
"Recall him so that I may feed on his flesh and soul!"
The Hierophant raised a hand, silencing both voices. He furrowed his brow as his hand fell back to his side. The flames danced up and down, choreographed chaos. Orchestrated by the wind and the wood it fed upon.
Equus similary danced as if he were actually free. Acted as if Grima's will did not influence his actions.
"What is his endgame?" The Hierophant mused out loud.
"Equus's endgame?"
"To become my prey due to his disobedience."
But was Equus really disobeying his will? The Hierophant ran a hand on his chin as he pondered that question. Equus did fail his initial mission, find and deliver Maul's apprentice known as Kage to him. Upon that failure, the rogue deadlord fled from him. He did everything in his power to avoid being recalled to his master's side. A fool's errand. If the Hierophant truly desired to bring his deadlord back into the fold, he could have done so with minimal effort. Truthfully, the real reason he had not done so yet was due to both being occupied by other, more important matters, and being curious. He never had a deadlord go rogue before. The more science inclined side of him wanted to observe the results of an out of control deadlord.
And so far, he has allied himself with our enemy. Kindled an odd friendship with one of our greatest foes. The Hierophant scowled, And he has- He blinked.
"Wait a damn moment." He breathed.
"What is going on in that head of yours?"
"The vessel within him is stirring."
"Of course he is you brain dead glutton. That is our more tactical side, after all."
"Is it possible that Equus is actually acting in our favor?" The Hierophant wondered out loud. He rose from his seat and drew closer to the fire. The heat of the flames washed over him, chasing the chill he exuded away from a brief second.
The chill returned when the beast snarled in his mind.
"You are giving that traitor too much credit."
"No, no. He may be onto something."
"Are you two incapable of connecting the dots?" The Hierophant growled, irritated. He spun around, staring at two starkly different shadows against the far wall. One humanoid, tall, and lean. The other an amorphous cloud pulsing in the firelight, "Think about it. Use those brains you both claim to have. What has Equus done recently?"
"Actively fought back against both Draco and Tigris."
"Assist the Shepherds in their war against Valm."
The Hierophant's scowl deepened.
"He even helped defeat Draco once."
"Befriended Ben Kenobi and Prince Chrom. Two of our mortal enemies."
The beast snarled low, "I'm going to eat him."
"More recently!" The Hierophant snapped.
A long silence filled the air.
"Oh…"
"What?"
The humanoid shadow threw its head back and laughed. The amorphous cloud shifted and swirled in a puzzled fashion.
"Equus, you sly bastard. Playing both sides, are we?"
A small smirk formed on the Hierophant's lips, "It appears we may have underestimated both Equus's abilities, and our own control of his actions. Our will courses through his veins, regardless of his loyalties. By our will alone, he lives. And through our will, he acts, whether he knows it or not."
"He has separated the vessel from the Naga spawn." The amorphous shadow breathed in surprise, "He has deduced who the vessel is in the process."
"And," The Hierophant's smirk widened into a pleased grin, "He is placing the vessel and our greatest threat in the same location at the same time." He folded his hands behind his back as he strode away from the flames towards the open balcony doors. His burning gaze looked out to the Plegian Capitol city. Dark and silent in the cold night, "He is giving us the opportunity to… what is the expression? Kill two birds with one stone? Yes, that is it."
"He has made it so the vessel is easily attainable while at the same time making it so we can personally keep the Child of Naga confined to her treetop prison."
"Is he really acting on our behalf? Or is he unaware?"
"Does it matter?" The Hierophant snorted, "Either way, the vessel is far away from those that can protect him. Ben Kenobi and Prince Chrom will not be able to save him."
"... But she could."
The Hierophant's smile wavered ever so slightly, "True." He gripped the doors to the balcony and slowly closed them, "We will just have to insure that cannot happen." He pursed his lips, "How much assistance do you think we should send our rogue deadlord?"
"Send him."
The Hierophant snarled, "I cannot summon that one without sacrificing the others. And I will not summon that one unless I have no other options." He pinched the bridge of his nose, "How many times do I have to tell you? If I bring that one from the depths, the world will end. There will be nothing left for us to enjoy. I find that prospect quite dull."
"Perhaps a trio of Deadlords then? Three that can surgically strike the Mila Tree. One to handle Equus if he remains beyond our direct control. The other to handle Naga's child."
"And one other to seize the vessel and bring him back to us." The Hierophant nodded, "I'll need three bodies."
"Am I about to feed?"
An evil gleam entered the Hierophant's eyes, "Yes, you are." He glided across the cold floor towards the door. As he entered the dimly lit hall of the Plegian palace a sinister smile formed on his lip, "I think you shall enjoy this meal a great deal."
Equus had already set the stage, whether he knew it or not. Now it was up to his other deadlords to execute the final move. To bring the Shepherds and their allies into check. With one stroke, he could have his prize. He could be whole again. And he could eliminate the one person in this world that could actually overwhelm him with her power. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
I will be whole again. The Heirophant felt anticipation building up in him. I cannot wait.
And chapter! I LIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! Just barely. It has been a busy two weeks to say the least. And I did get bit by the burnout bug for a few days there. So I forced myself into taking a break (not as easy as it sounds for someone who writes as much as I do). And getting back into the groove is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. So I apologize for the delay on this chapter.
This is more of set up chapter with a smidgen of character development thrown in there. I wonder what Dooku's endgame really is? Is he playing both sides? Is he hedging his bets? And if he is, what is going to happen when he and Robin reach the Mila Tree? Oh this is going to be very fun to write! I am excited to do it!
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!