The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 110

A Tactician's Nightmare

Tiki's head throbbed. A long groan left her lips as she felt aches and pains rush over her body. Long blades of grass kissed her palms as she let her hands relax by her sides. Her eyes fluttered open. The scent of flowers rushed through her nose, forcing the fog out of her mind and causing Tiki to jerk upright. Which caused her already bad headache to grow worse.

Nothing like a pounding headache to wake me up. Tiki thought with a wince.

She massaged her forehead for a moment, then looked around. A tinge of panic shot through her as she gazed at her surroundings.

The forest surrounding the Mila Tree were gone. In their place were rolling hills at the base of tall, granite peaks. Taller than any mountains Tiki had ever seen. Snow capped the top of the peaks. Below the snow, rocky cliffs cascaded down into thin pine forests, before ending at the foot of the mountains with the terrain sprawling out into rolling hills all around her. A gentle breeze brushed over her still form. Kissing her skin with warmth that brought her a small measure of comfort in the face of this foreign land.

She closed her eyes once again and took a deep breath, calming her racing heart. With how long she had lived, Tiki knew that panicking never solved anything. Panicking often made situations far worse than they needed to be. She needed to approach this mystery with a clear, rational mind.

First, she needed to figure out where she was. There had to be clues in the environment. The presence of mountains meant she must be due south of the Mila Tree, near the borders of Chon'sin. Did Robin and Aversa take her, while she was asleep, south instead of east as they planned? Tiki frowned. Aversa certainly seemed capable of such treachery, but Tiki doubted the woman had the courage to actually go through with it now that she knew how powerful she was. And unless she was very wrong in her initial assessment of Robin, then he would not deceive her in such a way either.

Besides, these mountains were much too tall to be the Kiba-

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as warm air brushed over her body. A bright presence slowly appeared behind her. For a second, Tiki did not recognize it. Then she felt something tug on a faint bond in her heart. Her heart skipped a beat. A sensation quickly squashed by her own caution.

So this isn't Valm.

"It's been a while." Tiki breathed as she sensed a lone figure standing a few feet behind her.

"The last time you and I spoke like this, you were still growing up." A soft, woman's voice replied.

Tiki uttered a heavy sigh, "That was a long time ago."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Are you still furious with me?"

Tiki's shoulders sagged. Slowly she turned around to face her lone companion atop the grassy hill. A beautiful looking woman who glowed with a pale white light stood behind Tiki. Long flowing hair cascaded down over her shoulders. A white dress fluttered in the warm breeze. Soft eyes looked at Tiki as the Manakete frowned back.

"That's a new look for you, Naga."

The woman closed her eyes, "You are still angry."

A huff left Tiki's lips, "Not necessarily. I have made peace with your decision. But that still does not mean I agree with it. Nor do I like it. Those feelings are not the same as anger."

Naga nodded her head, "True, but… the feelings I sense do not lie."

Tiki narrowed her gaze, "Betrayal is not the same as anger."

"I did what I had to, Tiki." Naga replied, voice calm and gentle.

"Was it for my sake, or yours?"

"For everyone's, my daughter."

Tiki's frown deepened. She wanted to refute that point, and yet, she couldn't. A long sigh left her lips before she brushed some of her green hair from her face.

"What do you want?" Tiki finally asked, hoping to move this unwanted conversation along.

Naga raised her brow, "Can't I have a conversation with my daughter without wanting anything specific?"

"You were never that way before." Tiki muttered back, "Pardon me for thinking you have an agenda behind bringing me to this place." She glanced around at the hilly landscape once more, "What even is this place?"

Naga did reply immediately. Her glowing visage instead gazed out to the rolling hills that, seemingly innumerable miles away, flattened out into plains, before jutting up into jagged, rocky mountains once again. Those mountains, instead of covered in snow, were hidden behind storm clouds that rolled with thunder and lightning.

"Home." She replied

Tiki arched an eyebrow, "I do not recall Archanea or Valentia looking like this."

"That is because we are not in either of those places." Naga responded, "But you already knew that." A small smile graced her pale lips, "You are so intelligent, it makes me proud." She returned her gaze back to the beautiful landscape, "This place was known as Mortis. It was my home for thousands of years."

Tiki arched an eyebrow, "How? You could not have lived elsewhere when you had me. Ban Ban would never have known you then."

Naga let out a soft laugh, "Bantu, that old man. I am forever grateful for what he did. He took care of you when I could not." A wistful sigh left her lips, "If only I had the chance to tell him so in person. Alas, that will never happen." She returned her gaze to Tiki, "When I say this is my home Tiki, I mean that more in a partial sense."

Tiki furrowed her brow puzzled. This behavior was rather unlike Naga. The Divine Dragon normally never approached anyone, even in visions. She was more content with a policy of non intervention in mortal affairs, rather than take any sort of direct action like this. So what sparked this sudden change in her mother?

Tiki decided to take a risk. She reached out and brushed against her mother's aura. For a brief second, she was stonewalled by the pure power of the being before her. The wall quickly crumbled when Naga realized what Tiki was trying to do. When Tiki managed to slip by her walls, she gasped, sensing more than just the Divine Dragon's spirit standing in front of her.

"Who are-"

"I am both Naga, and another." The woman replied, "The other was known as the Daughter. She perished on this world, but her spirit lives on in two places. A shard of it found its way to Naga. Another shard lives in a young Jedi Padawan, hiding in the far reaches of the galaxy."

Tiki stared at the woman with both awe and extreme caution.

"What are you saying?" Tiki breathed, "When did this-" She shook her head, "You were not like this before."

"Indeed, I was not. This happened fairly recently, and only occured out of desperation on the part of the Daughter. For if she did not merge with me, she would have been lost to the currents of the Force. And there would be nothing to stand against her brother."

Tiki gave the woman a puzzled look.

"Brother?"

"Daughter of my sister." The shadowy monster from Robin's mind hissed in the back of her thoughts.

Her green eyes widened.

"Yes," Naga nodded, "The same fate has befallen the Fell Spawn, Grima." She glanced out to the storm covered mountains in the distance, "My entire family died on this world. My brother was slain, but his spirit also clung to existence. My father perished as well. As for his spirit, I know not of its fate. What I do know, is that my brother has merged with Grima. And now, he is more dangerous than ever before."

Tiki struggled to catch her breath as realization slammed into her.

"What I saw in Robin's mind-"

"What you saw was the truth." Naga interrupted, "Robin is the avatar of Grima. His bloodline was made for the purpose of carrying his spirit. Just as the Exalted bloodline was blessed by my power, so was his by Grima's fell hand. Normally, that would be the end of it. Unless awakened, Grima's spirit would remain in slumber within the boy. But… my brother has complicated matters. He is causing chaos to occur. Events unforeseen are now in motion as he aims to regain the power he lost in this world." Naga took a step towards Tiki, "He is accelerating the end of your world, Tiki. He is attempting to force himself and Grima to the surface and destroy Robin entirely in the process."

Tiki swallowed hard, "So… the powers he wields, they are not his own?"

Naga closed her eyes, "His bloodlines is gifted with magic, that much is certain. It would need to be in order to handle the raw power Grima exerts. But the Force?" She shook her head, "Robin is the first of his line to have such abilities. I suspect that to be the work of my brother."

Tiki pressed her lips together. She took a deep breath, an attempt to gather her bearings and refocus her racing thoughts. That moment in Robin's mind had been both illuminating, confusing, and terrifying all at once. She fully suspected him to be Grima's avatar after witnessing the Fell Dragon's power inside of him. This conversation simply confirmed her intense suspicions. But she did not know of this Brother. She did not know how dangerous the other presence in Robin's mind really was.

Now she had a sense of what she was up against. Her first piece of evidence regarding the danger were the Deadlords. Grima, when she last heard that Fell Spawn, had not been capable of summoning such sophisticated servants as Gharnef or the other known as Tyrannus. He was too chaotic, animalistic, to control such powerful beings, even if they owed their renewed existence to him.

But with the Brother alongside of him, Grima had grown considerably. Not only had his power waxed to a point that stunned Tiki, but his intellect far surpassed what he should have been capable of. His will had grown to the point of being able to subject a foul human as powerful and vile as Gharnef. Something even the mighty Medeus had been incapable of accomplishing.

"You know how dangerous he has become." Naga continued, drawing Tiki from her thoughts, "If Grima frees himself, with my brother's help, he will destroy your world. His ambitions will not stop there either. He will seek a way beyond your planet's atmosphere. He will seek to rule the galaxy. And all who stand in his way will be brushed aside. Slaughtered in his mad quest for power. I have foreseen it."

Any attention Tiki had been paying to Naga's words evaporated.

"Seen it?" Tiki said, apprehension building in her voice, "As in prophesied?"

Naga frowned a little bit, "Tiki-"

"Me and prophecies do not go well together, you know that." Tiki huffed, placing her hands on her hips, "What with the prophecy about me destroying the world if I were to grow to my full power and degenerate. Or something along those lines."

"It is a bit of an oversimplification." Naga nodded, "But what I have foreseen-"

"Is a possibility, nothing more." Tiki quickly rebutted, "We do not know if Grima will break free. From what I have seen of Robin he is…"

She trailed off as the image of Robin in her mind was replaced with the form of a regal, blue haired prince. A young man from a time long passed. A time when she was considered young. A kind young man with a gentle heart, but a strong sense of purpose and loyalty as well. A man who fought for others rather than himself, who sacrificed his own wants so that those he cared about could live better lives.

"He reminds you of Marth." Naga finished for her.

Tiki's chin quivered a moment. Yes, Robin did remind her of Marth. The way the young Ylissean threw himself into the fray to save her from Gharnef reminded her very much of the man she had fallen in love with so long ago. She sucked in a sharp breath, fighting off emotions she thought she had moved past many years ago.

"You need to be careful, Tiki."

Anger flashed in her as Naga spoke.

"Marth is gone. There will not be another like him in this life or the next. To think Robin could be like him is dangerous, especially given-"

"I will judge people based on my own criteria, not yours." Tiki snarled, cutting off Naga, "And from what I have seen, Robin is a good person. He is not as weak as you seem to think he is. If he was, Grima would have broken free already. Robin actively fights him on that, even if he doesn't realize it." Tiki took a deep breath, "Are you going to suggest I kill him?"

A hurt expression crossed Naga's face, "Tiki I would never-" She took a breath, "I came to warn you of the situation. And to ask you to tread lightly. I no longer know what Grima or my brother are capable of. The madness of both have bled into each other. They are not the same as the last time we encountered them."

You don't say. Tiki thought to herself.

"Tiki…"

"What?" Tiki growled back, her patience starting to grow thin.

"I need you to promise me something."

Tiki clenched her jaw tight behind her lips. She could feel her fangs growing in her mouth as her frustration mounted. She just wanted this conversation to be over. There were more pressing matters to deal with. Like an undead Gharnef, for example. That dastard was still trying to hunt both her and Robin down. If he got either of them, then Grima would be handed a massive victory they all could ill afford.

"If you have no other choice, promise me you will do what needs to be done. I can no longer intervene."

Tiki closed her eyes and let out a long exhale. Do what needs to be done? A soft way of asking her to kill Robin if he completely lost control. Oh how she wanted to say no just to spite Naga. Old emotions had welled up inside of her throughout this conversation. Feelings of betrayal, hurt, and anger that she thought she had moved past long ago. But apparently the scars were still there, and they ran deep.

However, despite her own growing agitation, she also knew Naga was not entirely in the wrong. They could not risk Grima, and whatever the Brother was, roaming Archanea freely. The scale of death and destruction was near unimaginable to her. As loathe as she was to admit it, she knew Naga was only asking her to do what was necessary.

But could she? Could she kill someone as good as Robin obviously was? It ran against everything Tiki had grown to believe. She had no qualms about killing those who deserved it. Did Robin deserve death for circumstances beyond his control though? It was a hard question that she struggled to find the answer to.

Naga's eyes saddened as Tiki refused to answer.

"If I can, then we will speak again. Hopefully it will happen soon."

Hopefully it will be much later than soon. Tiki thought to herself as the world around her started to blur, then it faded to black.

Tiki's eyes quickly fluttered open as she felt a hand roughly shake her shoulder. A soft sound left her lips as sleep attempted to reclaim her weary body. Through her cracked eyelids, she could see golden rays filtering through the thick forest canopy above her. The familiar scent of damp earth and fallen leaves filled her senses, telling her that she was back near the Mila Tree.

"Get up already." Aversa hissed in her ear.

Tiki's eyes snapped open as she became alert. Her green eyes flicked up to look at Aversa. The Witch looked very anxious. Her face lacked color. There was a rushed, panicked sound to her words as she looked around the forest. Her dark eyes flicked back down to Tiki.

"Risen." She hissed.

Tiki's heart thumped in her chest. The fell spawn of Grima have found them already? She should not have been surprised. Their small group did not cover much distance when they fled the Mila Tree a couple nights ago. But she did hold on to a small sliver of hope that the mindless creatures would either not find them, or possibly not even consider them worth the pursuit. However, with Gharnef leading them, she should not have clung to such hope.

With a quiet groan, she started to push herself upright, only to feel an arm slip down her back. She froze and glanced over to her left. Robin's still slumbering face greeted her. A peaceful expression covered his face as he snored softly beside her.

"Stop looking at the dumb puppy." Aversa snarled before spinning on her heel, "They're almost on top of us."

Aversa's urgency spurred Tiki into action. Normally, when she woke up from a deep sleep, it would take her some time to fully awaken. Exhausting herself with her magic tended to put her in a near comatose state for long periods of time. Sometimes her slumbers would last a few days, sometimes they could last several years. Once she slept for maybe one hundred years. That had been an interesting turn of events when she woke up at that time. But she had not been awoken from her slumber early, like now, in quite some time.

If I'm going to be running from Gharnef again, I'm going to have to get used to it. Tiki thought with a frown.

She slipped out from Robin's limp arm and pushed herself up to her feet. As she rose, an intense cold washed over the trail they camped at. The last remnants of their fire from last night, which was now nothing more than a few glowing coals, did little to combat the icy chill in the air. The sun's golden rays shrank away as the shadows grew around them. A shrill shriek sounded through the morning air, silencing the birds in the branches around them.

Aversa glanced over her shoulder, "You ready?"

Tiki furrowed her brow and looked back down at Robin, "Have you-"

"I tried to rouse him first, but he apparently sleeps like the dead." Aversa narrowed her eyes at her, "Unless you did something to make him that way?"

Tiki shook her head, "Not that I am aware of. But the spell I cast last night was quite taxing, for both of us."

"Great, so we're about to fight off Risen, and possibly that Deadlord, while you are not at one hundred percent." Aversa's scowl deepened, "Why do I always get the suicide missions?"

"Because you haven't died on one yet." Tiki surmised.

A dry laugh left Aversa's lips, "You know what, you probably aren't wrong."

The leaves rustled in front of them. Through the thicket, Aversa saw several points of red light wink to life in the shadows. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and balled her fists. She forced the adrenaline pumping through her veins to subside as several shambling, masked corpses emerged from the thicket. Risen did not worry her, Gharnef did. She would have to save her best for when that vile corpse showed his ugly face again.

Aversa quickly struck once she spotted the Risen. A blast of dark magic rocketed from her free hand as the pages in her spell book glowed a dark purple. The spell slammed into the closest Risen. The corpse uttered a loud scream, shuddering inside of a veil of purple flames, then crumbled to ash.

The other Risen snarled, growled, then propelled themselves towards Aversa. The Witch took a step back, surprised by their speed. But they could not match a Manakete's quickness.

Tiki stepped in front of Aversa, flames licking at her knuckles. One of her fists slammed into a Risen's mask, cracking it and revealing the rotting flesh behind it. It gnashed it's blackened teeth at her then reached back with its rusted ax. Tiki dashed beneath is swing and delivered a powerful blow to its stomach. Her fist punched through its armor, striking it's decaying body beneath it. The Risen uttered a short cry then crumbled to fine black ash.

Metal hissed in her ears. Tiki moved to duck away from a sword aimed at her neck when another one of Aversa's spells slammed into the Risen, picking it up off of its feet and catapulting it into a tree. More Risen surged from the thicket in front of them. All of them howling for blood as they raised their weapons.

Tiki grit her teeth and brought her hands together. The flames dancing on her fingertips formed into a small ball.

"Cover your ears." She warned Aversa before launching the ball of white fire at the charging group of Risen.

The small ball of fire slammed into the ground in front of the Risen. Dirt flew up all around them. Black ash mixed in with the dirt as flames engulfed the charging Risen. A small smirk crossed Tiki's lips. She did not sense anymore Risen charging at them.

A black spell shot through her fire, putting it out as it erupted through the wall of flames. Tiki's smirk ran away as the spell hammered Aversa, causing her to fly back against a tree. A loud crack rang out as Aversa's head smacked against the tree trunk.

Tiki's eyes widened as Aversa slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Is that the state of today's mages?" Gharnef's voice raced into Tiki's ears, causing a shiver to run down her spine, "I'm honestly quite disappointed."

She stared down Gharnef, chills running through her as he gazed upon his hideous face once again. The sneer on his lips made her snarl back at him. An amused expression crossed his face.

"Oh, there is still some fight in you after all? I was under the impression you overworked yourself last time we met." The black tome in Gharnef's right arm started to glow, "Then again, you always managed to surprise me."

Tiki did not immediately attack, even as she recognized Imhullu's power radiating from the spellbook. It would be foolish for her to strike right now. As soon as she charged, Gharnef would cast his spell, and he would be invulnerable. It did not matter how much raw power she tossed around, Gharnef would weather her fury, and then she would be either killed or captured. As will Robin. But for what purpose? She still had not figured that out yet.

If I cannot best him, then I can at least learn what his intentions are. She thought to herself, While I try to figure out a solution to this mess.

Aversa groaned by the tree, shifted, then went limp again as she struggled to regain consciousness. Robin hardly stirred on the ground behind Tiki. Her green eyes flicked down at him, slightly worried.

"I am surprised by you Gharnef." She breathed, returning her attention to the old sorcerer in front of her.

"Oh?" His lips curled into a mocking sneer, "Do explain."

"In the past, you were hellbent on capturing me." Tiki continued, "And yet, now that I am right in front of you, completely unable to harm you, you hesitate. Do I scare you so?"

Gharnef's sneer fell into a scowl, "Hardly." He growled back, "I am currently assessing what to do with you. My Master's instructions were rather… unclear in the case of you actually managing to leave your prison."

I would hardly call it a prison. Tiki thought to herself, If I really wanted to, I could have left anytime I wanted.

"I never took you as the type to obey a master, Gharnef." Tiki growled back, "You were always the power hungry one."

"Perhaps, but that was before I was given new life by a being that surpasses my own power." Gharnef remarked, pale fingers brushing over the pages of his Imhullu tome.

"Are you even aware of what Grima is?" Tiki asked, "You were quite dead when he first came to be. I can possibly forgive you acting this way out of ignorance."

Her comment seemed to take Gharnef aback. While he did not show any sort of surprise on his face, his pause told her he had not considered who his new master was.

"Enlighten me then, darling." Gharnef replied, his voice slipping into Tiki's ears, making her shiver with both fear and rage.

"Grima is not like Medeus. If you aim to eventually take control of him, you will fail, just as you did before. But unlike Medeus, Grima will not keep you around as a plaything for amusement. He will destroy you. Render your bones nothing but ash beneath his feet. You will be forgotten to history. An ill name never to be spoken again. Is that truly what the infamous Gharnef desires for his second lease on life?"

Gharnef's eyes narrowed at her, "Or, I could simply obey my Master's instruction. Contain you, capture the Ylissean, and… well… as for the Plegian traitor, she will die. But only after I extract some information from her." He chuckled as Tiki's lips curled back, "My sweet, your fangs do not cause any sort of fear in me. Neither does your power."

"Then clearly," Tiki grabbed a pale stone from a pouch on her hip. She channeled as much of her draconic powers through as she could. White light erupted around her form, "you haven't experienced enough of it!"

Just as she was about to transform, a war cry erupted from the woods around her. Gharnef's gaze snapped away from her towards a wild looking, blue haired man charging from the woods with what appeared to be a gang of bandits. The blue haired man shot up to Gharnef so fast, he did not have time to cast his spell. His sword drove into Gharnef's side. The sorcerer uttered a loud roar of pain. His roar was drowned out by the sound of hooves.

"Pick a god and pray!"

A group of cavalry barreled out of the thickets. At the lead, a young man in blue and white armor. His lance slammed into Gharnef's head, nearly cleaving it from his shoulders. With a shudder, the deadlord crumbled into a pile of ash carried away on a passing breeze.

Tiki's eyes remained wide as the cavalry circled off of their charged and turned towards her. The blue haired man with his large sword spun to face her as well. They did not attack her, but they were clearly wary.

Anyone who kills that vile creature is friendly in my book. She thought to herself, letting the power she built up in her stone fade away. The white glow that consumed her body evaporated. A sense of lightheadedness hit her as her powers ebbed to and fro inside of her.

The blue haired man raised an eyebrow, "I guess she's a good gal, eh Frederick?"

"Good is a descriptor I am hesitant to use in this day and age." The lead horseman replied, "Have your men fan out, Priam. I want to make sure any more Risen are taken care of before we continue to the Mila Tree."

Priam frowned, "You ain't even going to let me get a swing in at the lady?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because she's clearly strong. She's got some sort of magic thing going for her."

"And if I decided you were an enemy," Tiki breathed, trying to portray confidence through her own weariness, "you would not last very long."

Both Frederick and Priam blinked at her. Priam started to chuckle.

"Oh I like this one." Frederick glared at Priam, causing the man to sigh, "Fine, I'll do the boring work. Let you talk to the gorgeous lady. You knights always get the fun stuff."

"Quit acting like a brash, irresponsible rogue, and maybe you'll join it at some point." Frederick jabbed back as Priam stomped away, sword now sheathed in the scabbard on his back. Frederick returned his stern gaze to Tiki, "Pardon his words, my lady. We-" His eyes widened as he caught sight of Robin lying unconscious behind her. His grip on his lance tightened, "You have some explaining to do."

"Oh?" Tiki glanced back at Robin, "Do I?" She smiled a little bit as Frederick frowned, "Don't worry, he is fine, just asleep. In fact, Robin helped save my life from that very creature you and your friend just slew. I would never mean someone who did such a deed any harm. Least of all from my own hands."

Frederick seemed unconvinced. He gestured with his spear to Aversa as the Plegian Witch slowly woke up against the tree.

"And her?"

Tiki furrowed her brow, "I detect quite a bit of hostility. Has she wronged you in any way?"

"She helped kill Exalt Emmeryn." Frederick snarled.

Exalt Emmeryn? Tiki thought.

Exalt… that had to mean the exalted bloodline of Ylisse. The bloodline specifically blessed by Naga. Although, she did not know of anyone in that line by the name of Emmeryn. Then again, it had been a few decades since she heard anything about Ylisse and the Halidom that greatly concerned her.

"I was not aware." Tiki hummed as she glanced over her shoulder at Aversa.

The witch stayed still, sitting against the tree. Tiki felt waves of hatred and fear rushing out of her at the sight of Frederick and his men.

It appears Plegia and Ylisse are still not on good terms. Not much has changed over the years.

Frederick raised his brow, "Do you mean to say you have not heard of that Witch's crimes?"

Tiki frowned, "There is an entire ocean between here and Archanea, you know. News travels slow when it must go between continents." She noticed his cheeks flush a little bit as she scolded him. A light laugh slipped from her lips, "Besides, I may have been asleep for most of your nations' wars against each other. Forgive me for not being entirely aware of the world's current political state."

She turned around and stepped towards Robin. Frederick's horse snorted and stamped a foot, causing her to pause.

"Your steed is just as protective as you are, Sir." She noted, back still turned to Frederick. She stepped again and reached down to brush her hand over Robin's forehead. He was not running any fever, nor was he cold in any way. He was merely exhausted and finally getting the rest that had eluded him for several days, "You said you were on your way to the Mila Tree?"

Frederick shifted in his saddle as Tiki turned back to him.

"Yes, we are." Frederick answered stiffly, "We have a task force waiting for our arrival there."

"A task force?" Tiki inclined her chin, "So an army marches behind you then?"

Frederick swallowed, "Quite perceptive of you."

"I can be when I wish to be." Tiki folded her hands in front of her, "And if you are going to the Mila Tree, then I shall accompany you. That tree has been my home for a long while now, and I wish to make sure it is still in one piece."

Frederick furrowed his brow, "Your home?"

Tiki smiled, "Yes, well, as the Voice of Naga, I have been known to dwell there by many."

His jaw dropped, just as she intended. A flush of embarrassment rushed over Frederick's cheeks as he quickly loosened his grip on his lance.

"F-forgive my initial hostility, milady." He bowed his head, "I had no idea that-"

Her laughter cut him off, "There is nothing to apologize for, Sir Frederick. And there is no need for any sort of formalities. You killed the deadlord trying to kill me. I'd say we are far beyond the need for titles and milady's and milord's. Wouldn't you say so?"

Frederick opened and closed his mouth, unsure of how to proceed next. An amused smirk crossed Tiki's lips. Sometimes it was very fun to play with humans' expectations, especially the stern ones.

"Now then," Tiki reached down and picked up Robin with ease, "We have a small ways to go to the Mila Tree, do we not?"

Frederick cleared his throat, "A couple hours ride at least, mila-" He caught himself and Tiki chuckle again.

"Not a bad ride at all."

She flicked her gaze back to Aversa. The Witch had said nothing throughout this entire affair. LIkely due to not wanting to draw any of the Ylissean soldier's ire upon her. But now that they were about to move out, their attention would return to their former enemy.

Despite her intentions, she did save my life as well.

"I have one request before we go." Tiki breathed.

Frederick straightened in his saddle, "I shall honor any request you have, milady."

Tiki smiled sweetly as she hefted Robin up onto the back of his horse, "Aversa is allowed to leave in peace."

Frederick's face dropped, "I'm sorry I-"

"Ah, ah." Tiki wagged a finger, "You said you'd honor any request."

She resisted the urge to chuckle as he clenched his jaw tight, "I did, didn't I?" He took a deep breath, "Very well. But just this once." He turned his gaze to Aversa, "Get out of my sight before I change my mind."

Aversa stared in shock at Tiki. Tiki smiled back.

"Go on. I'm sure whoever sent you is anxious to know the results of your mission."

Without a word, Aversa shot off into the thicket around them. Disappearing in a matter of moments in the greenery and shadows of the forest. A long sigh left Frederick's lips.

"I have a feeling I shall regret that action."

"Mercy is never a regrettable action, Sir." Tiki replied, "Especially when someone has earned it."

Frederick frowned, "I hope you are right." He nodded over to one of his other horsemen. The Ylissean trotted up, "The Voice will ride with you."

Tiki easily mounted the horse and nodded at Frederick, indicating she was ready to ride.

"Priam!" Frederick called, "We're moving out!"

"I'll catch up!" Priam shouted back from somewhere beyond the forest.

Frederick shook his head. Clearly upset by the lack of military discipline the wild haired man displayed, "Mercenaries."

He snapped his reins and the cavalry took off back towards the Mila Tree.

Noire coughed as she fell to the dirt. Aches and pains littered her body as she lay still for a moment, her hand clutched tight around a blunted training sword. Her eyes squeeze shut as another wave of pain hit her. Then they flicked open as her frustration mounted. She shoved herself back up to her feet, not caring to brush the dirt off of her shirt.

Across from her, her father, Ben, gave her a worried look.

"Are you sure you wish to continue?" He asked.

Noire wiped some sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. Despite it being the early morning, and a cool morning at that, the sword training she was undergoing gave her quite the workout. She winced again as the bruises on her arms, legs, and torso throbbed. She let out a ragged breath, then gave Ben a shaky nod.

"You don't want to overdo it, Noire." She heard Lucina advise as her friend watched off to the side. Beside Lucina, Luke sat in complete silence. His gaze not focused on Noire, but on Ben.

"Lucina is correct, it is alright to take-"

Noire grit her teeth, "BLOOD AND THUNDER, STRIKE AT ME ALREADY!" She roared, fury overtaking her features, "I've got a lot of ground to make up and not a lot of time to do it so-"

She stopped speaking as Ben lowered his own training sword.

"What are you-"

"We're going to rest for now." Ben interrupted, taking a few steps towards her and placing a hand on her shoulder, "There is such a thing as overtraining, Noire. You are not going to make up for lost time quickly. These things take years, decades even, to properly master."

"I'm still working on it." Lucina admitted. She noticed Luke not say anything, causing her to nudge him with his elbow.

"What?" He remarked, "I'm damn good at what I do."

"Oh really?" Lucina replied, eyebrow raised, "If you're so good," Lucina nodded over at her master, "Beat Master Ben."

Luke raised his brow, "You serious? I've already done that."

Ben gave Luke a smirk, "Never fairly." He sheathed his practice sword then removed the scabbard. Noire took the scabbard from him as her own frustration was replaced with some excitement, "And never with a lightsaber."

Luke frowned back, "Is that arrogance I detect, Jedi?"

"More like confidence." Ben smirked back, "Of course, a powerful youngster such as yourself should be more than capable of handling me, a mere Jedi."

"Do you have to goad him, father?" Noire asked.

"Let me goad, I have fun with it."

"Enjoy that fun." Luke rose to his feet, confidently stepping forward to face the Jedi Master.

He drew his lightsaber. The blue blade hummed to life in his hands. For the first time since Ben met the boy, there was not a snarl on his face before a duel. Instead, there was a small smile of excitement.

Ben inclined his chin as Luke took the stance of Form Seven.

"You should know, that form will not serve you well in this instance." Ben ignited his own lightsaber and assumed Form Three's stance.

Luke did not reply. He charged instead. His lightsaber hummed in the air as it raced towards Ben's chest. Ben allowed a thrilled smile to cross his lips as he moved and easily parried Luke's strike to the side. His arms buzzed a little bit as Luke hammered against his defense with a second, powerful strike. Luke's third savage swing was caught by Ben's blade just over his head. As the blades locked, Ben smiled through the blue light at Luke.

"All that power, yet no control. Dooku would have a field day with you."

A frustrated snarl escaped Luke's lips as he yanked his blade away and staggered back a couple steps. Ben twirled his blade in his hands.

"Think for a moment before you strike," Ben advised, "How do I fight, Luke?"

Luke clenched his teeth, biting back some scathing words before answering, "Defensive."

"Precisely." Ben nodded, "Now, you fight aggressive, like Maul, who was a mortal enemy of mine. So would it be feasible to assume that I would know everything there is to know about how to combat your preferred form?"

Luke's eyes darted back and forth, "Possibly."

Ben nodded, "If I know how you fight, and I can easily combat it, then I can dictate the terms of this battle quite easily. With how hard you are swinging, and how much you are exerting yourself, the best strategy for me would be to simply outlast you. And it would not take long." To Luke's surprise, Ben deactivate his lightsaber, "You rely more on your physical strength than on either the force or actual technique and strategy. That is to your detriment." Ben glanced past Luke at Lucina, "Lucina, how would you engage me?"

"Other than not at all?" Lucina replied, brow raised. She thought for a moment, "I'd force you to be on the offensive. Play to what I know is not your strength. Soresu is a defensive form, I have nearly zero chance of breaking that defense barring a miracle."

"You don't give yourself enough credit." Ben nodded, "But yes, that would be a logical step to take." He ignited his lightsaber and returned his attention to Luke, "Force me away from my strengths, Luke. Make me fight on weaker ground."

Luke nodded a little bit as he took in Ben's advise. He huffed and readied himself again, this time, choosing to bide his time and wait for Ben to strike.

Ben lunged forward, swinging a hard chop at Luke's right shoulder. Luke grit his teeth and parried the blow, then sidestepped a quick stab at his midsection. He countered with a harsh slash at Ben's head. Ben ducked under the blow. Before Luke could follow up with another attack, the Jedi master flipped over him. Luke twirled around, just in time to come face to face with the point of Ben's lightsaber.

"Unfortunately for you, I can be aggressive as well if I want to be." Ben smiled a little bit as Luke uttered a frustrated groan then deactivated his lightsaber, defeated.

"Clearly all of that practice I had with Yen'fay did me little good." He muttered.

Ben shook his head, "No, it did you some good." He clipped his lightsaber to his hip, "You did not try to take my head off on purpose this time."

A dry laugh left Luke's lips, "Piss me off enough and that can still happen."

"You wish." Ben chuckled back. His laughter faded after a moment, "Luke, you cannot just rely on pure talent and brute force to win you the day. I'm sure Yen'fay has already told you that."

"He has."

Ben nodded, "He is wise then. You also need to rely on more than just strategy as well. Especially if you are going to duel someone like me."

Luke furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

Ben glanced over at Noire. She was listening closely as well as she sat on the ground near Lucina.

"You need to rely on the Force, Luke." Luke's face darkened, "I know what Maul taught you is not correct but-"

"But why the hell would I rely on the force when it has done nothing but hurt and mock me and those I care about?" Luke cut off.

Ben pursed his lips, "Because, regardless of your feelings on the matter, you have the potential to be one of the most powerful force wielders I have ever seen." Noire's eyes slowly widened while Lucina closed her and exhaled, "The force speaks to us, constantly, even in the midst of battle. Your instincts and feelings are how the force flows through you. Trust them, they will not lead you astray."

Luke let out a snort, "My instincts have been wrong for quite a while. I'd say I've been led astray."

"Were those Maul's instincts or your own?"

Luke remained silent. Ben gave him a quiet nod.

"Meditate on this." He patted Luke's shoulder, "You'll find your answers." He turned to Noire, "And you need to keep up on your exercises, or what little I have been able to teach you so far."

Noire furrowed her brow, "That time of day already?"

Ben nodded, "Chrom will be awake soon. As will Princess Say'ri, and I am certain they will want to discuss the million man army directly north of us." He ran a hand over his chin, "Force knows I haven't thought of a solution for that yet."

"I'm sure you'll think of something." Lucina reassured as she got to her feet.

"We can only hope." Ben sighed.

Just as he was about to walk away, he detected a bright signature in the force approaching. Ben glanced towards the east road. A cloud of dust slowly approached the Shepherds' small camp near the Mila Tree. At the front of that dust cloud, Ben saw Frederick riding full speed towards them. On the back of Frederick's horse, Robin sat, asleep.

"I'll be damned." Ben breathed.

Lucina followed his gaze. Her eyes widened, "Robin?"

Frederick's men slowed to a trot as they drew closer.

"Ben!" Frederick called from his mount.

"Frederick." Ben nodded at Robin, "Where in Naga's name did you find-"

"With me."

His gaze snapped over to a green haired woman riding with one of Frederick's knights. She quickly dismounted and clapped some dirts from her hands.

"I'm glad my home appears to be one piece." She said as she slowly approached Ben, Lucina, Luke, and Noire.

Ben raised an eyebrow, "Your home?"

A gasp left Lucina's lips, "Lady Tiki?" She quickly bowed her head, "I- um-"

"Ah, Marth," Tiki said carefully, "I see you are doing well."

Luke raised an eyebrow, "Why's Lady Tiki calling you Marth?"

Tiki blinked, "Oh! Well, I see that has been cleared up." She cleared her throat, "I am happy to see you are well, Lucina. No longer trying to hide your identity. That must feel nice. And I see you are in good company."

"Very." Lucina nodded. She jumped and quickly nudged Ben, "Master, this is the Voice of Naga, Lady Tiki."

Ben drew back, "You are the Voice?"

Tiki nodded, "Yes. Were expecting someone else? Someone taller perhaps?" She pressed her lips together, "Or maybe younger?"

"N-no just-" Ben noticed her pointed ears, "Yup, you would line up with Dooku's description." He brushed his hands on the front of his shirt, wiping away some sweat and grime, "I apologize for my appearance. I've been giving some of the others lessons."

Tiki furrowed her brow. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Ben, "You are Lucina's master, which means you are the one teaching others about the force." Her lips parted into a wide grin, "You and I have much to discuss later. For now, I am very curious about something."

"That being?" Ben asked.

"Why is everyone so interested in me right now?" Tiki wondered, "I mean, I'm not entirely against the attention, but it's been several hundred years since I've had both allies and enemies interested in taking me captive so-"

"Taking you captive!?" Lucina exclaimed, aghast, "We would do no such thing."

"We merely wish to speak with you, Lady Tiki." Ben stated, "Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to join me and the others in the command tent. I'm sure Chrom and Say'ri are already awake and ready to start discussing our options."

"Shall I bring Robin as well?" Frederick asked as Robin uttered a small snore behind him.

Ben thought for a moment then nodded, "He may wake up. When he does, he'll want to know what is going on."

TIki furrowed her brow. Her ears twitched as she listened to Ben, "There is an urgency in your voice, Master Ben." She started to walk by him towards the Mila Tree, "If you are so anxious, then we best not delay anymore. Like I said, my curiosity is getting the better of me. And while I know why my enemies want to harm me, I do not know why allies wish to speak to me. Beyond Robin's more personal reasons that is."

"Indeed, we better get to work." Ben glanced over at Noire and Luke, "Keep working. And whatever you do, do not talk to Dooku."

"Why not?" Noire asked.

Ben let out a sigh as he started to walk away, "Because he would be a bad influence for both of you."

Without another word, he left. Once he, Frederick, Tiki, and Robin were gone, Noire turned to Lucina.

"Dooku's really that bad?"

Lucina exhaled and glanced over at Luke, who still bristled every time Dooku's name was mentioned, "You have no idea."

Mornings in Chon'sin were always so peaceful and calming. Despite all of the hell Say'ri's life had been in recent years, between the acting and the facade of supporting the conqueror, to having to live with the man that helped condemn her parents to death, she could rely on the gentle sunrise through the morning mists to clear her mind. But for the past few weeks, she had failed to find that peace with the rising sun. Rosanne did not hold the same serenity that Chon'sin had. There was a quaintness to the rolling hills of Rosanne's countryside that she could appreciate. But there was also the ever looming threat of the conqueror's army charging through the hills, forcing any sense of peace and quiet to be replaced by slowly building dread.

The dread grew in the evenings, especially in light of General Cervantes's recent revelation. The Conqueror fielded an army of one million soldiers from his capital in the far northern reaches of Valm. The Archaneans barely had enough soldiers to effectively combat her brother's army, which combined with General Pheros's, numbered fifty thousand. She could not even begin to imagine the horrific battle that would take place if their small army of barely ten thousand met the Conqueror's in the open field.

It is impossible. She thought as she shrugged on her robes then belted on her armor plates over them. She reached up to her midnight black hair and tied it back into a tight knot. Finally, she grabbed her katana and strapped it to her hip. With a final sigh, and a once over with her eyes, making sure she looked presentable as any high ranking official should, she stepped out of her tent. Ready to face another day of dread.

The dread evaporated as she stepped out of her tent and into a golden ray of light breaking through the Mila Tree's canopy. The sound of a gentle creek bubbling nearby eased the tension in her bones. Morning songbirds sang in the branches all around her. For the first time since this campaign began, she felt some peace.

Most of the Shepherds were not awake yet. She noticed Gaius's feet sticking out from the end of his tent for some odd reason. Loud snores resonated from him before he kicked with his right leg, then set it back down and lay still once again. The Ylissean royal tent remained quiet. Both Prince Chrom and Princess Lissa were likely still asleep.

The sound of a sword being drawn caused Say'ri to jump and move her hand to her own blade. Her panic subsided when she saw Lon'qu off to the side of the camp, going through a basic drill to start his day. She did not know where Ben, Luke, Lucina, or Noire were. But she had a feeling those four were together somewhere beyond the camp. Likely doing something with their strange abilities. Cervantes remained tied to a stake in the ground, fast asleep. She detected faint wisps of pipe smoke in the air, which meant Dooku was awake and not very far away. Near the newly restarted campfire, Virion placed a skillet over the flames and started cooking some bacon. The archer gave her a suave smirk, which Say'ri ignored even as she walked past him.

There was one person missing from their camp. Say'ri furrowed her brow.

Where is Sakura?

She glanced over towards the sound of the bubbling brook.

Perhaps she went to freshen up. Say'ri sniffed the air and recoiled as she caught her own scent, I should probably consider doing the same. But first, a drink of water would be nice.

She calmly strode out of the camp towards the brook nearby. As she approached, she heard the sound of water quietly splashing. Say'ri furrowed her brow and paused near a large oak tree near the brook.

Sakura knelt down beside the water, in a very Chon'sin esque manner. Most of the Ylisseans would simply sit beside the stream, not kneel. Her hair, usually held up in a tight knot, ran in long, flowing, brown locks down to the small of her back. Her armor was removed, but not the clothing beneath it. Indicating that she was simply enjoying a quiet moment beside the stream.

Say'ri took a breath and stepped forward, her foot crunching on some fallen leaves.

Sakura jumped. Her eyes widened as she noticed Say'ri. Say'ri raised a hand.

"I do not mean to alarm you. But when I did not see you at the camp, I grew concerned."

Sakura's initial surprise turned to disgust as she tore her gaze away from Say'ri and reached for a band to tie her hair with.

Say'ri frowned. Sakura, despite being her ally, had always been quite cold towards her. She never knew why. Was it due to something she said? Say'ri doubted that because she had hardly spoken to the girl. She knew Sakura was not a sour person. The other future children spoke well of her. All except Inigo, who for some reason greatly disliked the girl. Which was even more peculiar because, according to Noire, Inigo liked all girls.

Nevertheless, Say'ri felt that this was not an issue to let go. Cohesiveness as a unit was a must in this war, especially now that they knew they were outnumbered. The Shepherds could ill afford instability and hostility within their own ranks.

So she knelt down beside the brook as well. An action that clearly surprised Sakura as she froze beside her.

"I take it the water is quite soothing." Say'ri breathed as she scooped some up in her hands and brought it to her lips.

"What do you want?" Sakura replied, venom lacing her voice.

Say'ri furrowed her brow. She wiped droplets of water from her lips before speaking, "I want to know why you feel the need to be so hostile."

The scowl on Sakura's face was easy to see. Every word Say'ri spoke seemed to infuriate the girl more and more. Say'ri frowned back.

"Have I said something that wronged you?"

"Oh you have no idea." Sakura seethed, starting to move to leave, only for Say'ri's hand to snap out and catch her by the forearm.

"Stay." Say'ri said sharply. Sakura swallowed hard, then returned to her kneeling position, "What am I to you?"

Sakura scoffed, "You haven't figured it out yet? Gods, you are just as oblivious now as you were before. Always more focused on the world and the mission than on your own damn daughter."

The declaration took Say'ri's breath away. Sakura was her child from the future? Say'ri shook her head in mild disbelief.

"I-I'm sorry I-"

"Damn, that is the first time I've heard that come out of your mouth." Sakura snorted, "I'm sorry. Dream words for me to hear. Never imagined I'd hear them in a scenario like this." She reached back and adjusted the band holding her hair back, "Why don't you do me a favor and go away?"

"Fie!" Say'ri cried, "Why would I do such a thing when I have only now learned who you are?"

A frustrated growl escaped Sakura's lips as she surged to her feet and started to march back to camp. Say'ri shot to her feet as well and followed her.

"Sakura, wait."

Sakura did not stop storming away, not even to brush her hand over the muzzle of her beloved horse. Before Say'ri could catch up to her, Chrom emerged from his tent.

"Oh good." Chrom started, "You're awake, I-"

Say'ri flashed him a dark glare, cutting off the Prince.

"Did I say something wrong?" Chrom asked.

"Everyday, brother." Lissa mumbled as she practically slept walked out of their shared tent.

Say'ri snapped her gaze back over to Sakura, only to see her disappear into her tent. Not wanting to be disturbed by anyone or anything. A heavy sigh left her lips.

"Damn." Say'ri muttered before spinning around to face Chrom again, "I apologize, Prince Chrom. I didn't mean to seem unfriendly."

Chrom shrugged, "It's okay. Most of the Shepherds aren't morning people. You get used to it after a while."

Say'ri nodded, "Understandable. I assume now that you are awake, you wish to find Ben and discuss our next move once more?"

"You mean figure out our next move? Yeah." Chrom nodded. Behind him, Lissa tugged on Gaius's ankle, rudely yanking the still slumbering thief out of his tent. Say'ri heard her mention something about a prank, which prompted Gaius to bolt upright, suddenly wide awake, "Shall we go find Ben?"

"Ben is about to find you." Virion called from the fire, nodding past them towards the dusty road.

Chrom and Say'ri glanced up the road. Ben strode towards them. Riding beside him was Sir Frederick, his knights, a green haired woman in a red dress, and-

"Robin!" Chrom exclaimed surging towards Frederick and the slowly waking tactician.

"Huh? Who's there?" Robin mumbled as he smacked his lips and cracked his eyes open.

"Ah, so your friend's voice wakes you, but a deadlord cannot." The green haired woman stated with a wry smirk, "I must therefore assume this is a very special friend."

"Chrom is married, Lady Tiki." Ben sighed.

"Very married." Frederick clarified.

"But to whom?" Tiki wondered out loud, putting a finger to her chin.

"Not Robin." Both Frederick and Ben said at the same time.

"With how often he's around me, he might as well be." Robin mumbled again, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as Frederick's horse came to a stop at the center of camp. Before he could dismount, Lissa moved towards him, healing staff at the ready. Robin waved her off, "No injuries here. Just still very tired."

"But not as tired as before, I hope." Tiki replied as she hopped down from the horse she was riding.

Robin exhaled, "I'll admit, I actually got some sleep last night. Not the best, but far better than the rest of this week. I assume I have you to thank for that?"

Tiki gave him a small nod as Robin jumped off of Frederick's horse. Right as his feet touched the earth, Chrom embraced him. One of the Prince's hands clapped Robin's back as the tactician froze, then embraced his friend as well.

"I was worried about you." Chrom pulled back, "No more running off mysteriously into the night."

"Even if I was with an ally?" Robin asked with a smirk.

"No more!" Chrom said firmly, pointing a finger at him.

TIki hummed, "Clearly a very special friend."

Frederick pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm going to go wash that image from my mind. Ben, I'll meet all of you in the command tent."

"Command tent is just my tent for now." Chrom said to him as Frederick walked away, shaking his head. Chrom chuckled a little bit before glancing over to Tiki, "Robin mentioned you helped him. May I ask who I am going to reward?"

"There is no reward necessary." Tiki replied with a wave of her hand, "Seeing my only home intact is reward enough right now."

"Only home?" Chrom furrowed his brow puzzled. He glanced behind him at the Mila Tree, "You live here?"

"The Voice of Naga." Say'ri gasped, reverence filling her voice. Chrom's eyes widened beside her. Say'ri bowed low at the waist, "It is an honor to finally meet you in person."

Tiki shifted where she stood, looking a touch uncomfortable, "The honor is mine miss-"

"Say'ri, of Chon'sin." Say'ri replied quickly.

"Ah." Tiki nodded. She glanced over at Chrom, "And you are?"

"Prince Chrom of House Ylisse." Chrom answered. Say'ri jabbed his ribs, nearly forcing a loud laugh from Lissa while Chrom winced in pain. The Ylissean Prince jumped and quickly bowed as well, "A-an honor to meet you as well, um, Miss Voice?"

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose while Tiki laughed lightly.

"You all may call me Tiki. The whole Voice title is something given to me by those who don't really know me." She took a breath, "Now that I see my home is at least salvageable, I believe I have some questions I want answered. And I know you all would not have sought me out if you did not have something specific to request of me."

Chrom nodded, "Yes um… let's step to my tent and-"

"You're married Chrom." Robin chuckled.

"With the others." Chrom clarified, glaring over at Robin, "You too, Robin. Ben's position is only temporary after all."

Robin sighed, "Damn, my vacation is over then."

Tiki chuckled beside him, "Was it at least an exciting vacation?"

"Certainly heart pounding." Robin replied as he followed Chrom, Say'ri, and Ben towards Chrom's tent.

The group entered the tent, Frederick and Dooku were already inside. The knight scowled across the tent at Dooku as the elderly man puffed on his pipe. Chrom did not seem to mind the smoke too much as he strode across the tent and picked up a small table, placing it at the center of his tent.

"Maps, Frederick." He commanded.

Frederick grabbed and unfurled a pair of maps onto the tap. The first was of the immediate vicinity surrounding the Mila Tree. The second was a map of the entire continent of Valm. Chrom sighed and dug into a pouch, withdrawing a pencil. Frederick cringed beside him.

"I forgot to pack the map pieces." Chrom admitted with a sheepish look. He cleared his throat and circled the Mila Tree on the map of the Valmese continent, "We are here. How far out is the rest of the army, Fredererick?"

"They should arrive by nightfall, milord." Frederick reported.

Ben nodded, "Good, you all made better time than I anticipated."

"You must have driven a hard pace, Sir Frederick." Dooku hummed as he ran a hand through his beard, "The soldiers will need some time to rest before moving out again."

"I'm not sure how much rest they are going to get given our current situation."

"Before going into that." Robin said, stopping Ben before he could continue. He leaned up against the table and studied the map, brow furrowed. He nodded to himself, "This is still a decent point of defense, but I doubt Lady Tiki wants her home to become a battlefield."

"I would prefer it did not, yes." Tiki nodded beside him as she glanced past his arm at the maps.

"That being said, in case we are not given a choice, what do our numbers look like?" Robin asked.

Ben grimaced, "Casualties have been high so far. The initial toll from Charlet stands near three thousand. Of which, one thousand were considered wounded. And only three hundred may be combat ready within the week." He sighed, "Since then we have only been engaged in minor skirmishes and one pitched battle along the road."

"How bad?" Robin asked.

"Five hundred total casualties. Three hundred of which were killed." Ben breathed.

Robin's frown deepened, "That cuts deep into our already small numbers. Do we have any reserve forces holding Charlet?"

"Mostly the Plegian sailors and a contingent of knights from Themis." Chrom replied, "The wounded are with the main army. We did not feel comfortable leaving them in a lightly defended area, away from the majority of our skilled healers."

"That will slow our march." Robin sighed, "But I can see the reasoning behind such a move. Besides, I don't trust the Plegians as far as I can throw one."

"With the force, or without the force?" Tiki asked.

"Without." Robin replied with a slight smirk, "Pretty sure I could toss one pretty far with the force. Most of them are thin bastards." He cleared his throat, "Back to the topic at hand, do we have any intelligence on the enemy."

Ben grimaced once again, "That is the bad news."

"It gets worse?" Robin asked, stunned.

"General Cervantes, the man tied up outside, has confirmed enemy numbers. He also has given us a general location of at least one Valmese army. Apparently General Yen'fay and another General named Pheros have linked up to the south in Fort Stieger. They are holding there for now, likely awaiting orders from the Conqueror." Ben gave Robin a grave look, "Together their armies number fifty thousand."

Robin ran a hand over his mouth, "Fifty thousand…" He exhaled through his nose, "Difficult, but not impossible. Give me the right terrain and circumstances and I can even those odds out."

"That's not the worst of it." Chrom breathed, his concern easily evident to Robin, "We also know some things about the Conqueror's army, which is to our northwest."

Robin nodded, no one said anything. He furrowed his brow and glanced at the grave faces around him. The only one who did not seem the least bit worried was Dooku. The old man continued to study the maps and puff on his pipe, blowing small clouds of smoke up over the table as he remained quiet.

"Well?" Robin asked.

"One million." Ben breathed, his voice coming out shaky.

"One-" Robin drew back from the table, stunned. He gave his head a sharp shake, "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. Must be more tired than I thought. Um, what did you say, Ben?"

"He said one million, boy." Dooku repeated, "Are you suddenly hard of hearing now?"

Robin's eyes widened. Suddenly, any strength he thought he had left him. His shoulders sagged and he glued his eyes to the maps in front of him.

"One… million." He shook his head, "That has to be a lie. A fabrication. An over evaluation. There is absolutely no way anyone can field an army of one million soldiers."

"Tell that to Kenobi. He's fought larger." Dooku shrugged.

"Droids are different than actual soldiers, Count." Ben sighed, "But, I do not believe Cervantes is lying. I did not detect any deception in him. Neither did Dooku."

Robin shook his head again, "No, it can't be. The logistics of such a force would be an absolute nightmare. Also, if what I saw of Rosanne a year ago is still relevant, most of the conquered nations would not willingly join the Valmese ranks."

Say'ri scoffed, "Tell that to my brother."

"Besides him," Robin continued, "There has to be some wrinkle to this. Something that we are not seeing."

Dooku sighed, "Clearly you all are not conquerors." He cleared his throat and pulled his pipe away from his lips, "Conquered people rarely view their conquerors in a positive light. That makes recruiting soldiers in those nations quite difficult. Force and threats are usually necessary. As such, I have a feeling most of Walhart's army is made of conscripts rather than legitimate soldiers."

"And that is where we believe you can help us, Lady Tiki." Ben continued. Tiki's ears twitched as he spoke, "Walhart seeks to conquer the world. To subjugate every living person beneath his iron rule. He already tried invading Archean. We managed to repel him. Then we came to the conclusion that the only way to permanently stave off this threat from Valm is to eliminate the threat entirely."

"So you executed your own counter invasion." Tiki correctly guessed, "A surprising move. Bold as well. Perhaps even foolhardy given the intelligence you just laid out."

Ben nodded a little bit, "I'm starting to feel the same way."

"But necessary as well." Tiki continued, "From what little I have been able to learn from atop the Mila Tree, Walhart does not have the best interest of the people at heart. I do not know what motivates this man known as the Conqueror, but I can feel the pain and sorrow he leaves in his wake. Now, not only has he subjugated an entire continent, he has decided to try and invade the land of Naga's blessed bloodline." She glanced over at Chrom, "I think, as the Voice of Naga, I should say that such a thing cannot stand."

Chorm breathed a sigh of relief, "We were hoping you would say that."

"Lady Tiki, we believe that with your support, we can draw a substantial number of Walhart's conscripts away and bring them, if not into our own ranks, then into open rebellion against the Valmese Empire." Say'ri explained, "Doing so will end his tyranny and likely end the suffering he has wrought on all of our lands."

Tiki gave her a nod, "But even with my support, not all will heed my call. You will still have a sizable force to contend with. Before you can speak of ending tyranny, you must defeat it on the battlefield." She eyed everyone, "Is there a plan for that?"

Silence. Robin rubbed his chin and he thought for a moment. Chrom gulped and shook his head, uncertain of what to do. Ben massaged the back of his neck and exhaled.

"We're still working on that. Right now-"

"Say'ri, how close are you to your brother?" Robin asked her.

Say'ri seemed taken aback, "I want to place my sword in his gut, but I doubt that is the answer you are looking for."

Robin cringed, "Okay, let me rephrase. How close is he to you?"

Say'ri raised an eyebrow, "Is that not the same question?"

"Does your brother hold the same animosity towards you that you hold towards him?" Tiki clarified. Robin gave her a thankful nod.

Say'ri pursed her lips. She shook her head, "I don't believe so. He has… always been very focused on protecting me from any harm. Even trusted me to rule our lands while he was away on one of the Conqueror's campaigns."

"Then you might be able to speak to him." Robin stated, "Perhaps even bring him over to our side." Say'ri's eyes widened as he spoke, "From what I saw of General Yen'fay's army, they are fiercely loyal to him. If we can add even half of his fighting force to our own we stand a much better chance against the Conqueror."

"I will not negotiate with him." Say'ri snarled quickly, anger flashing over her face, "That man allowed my parents to be murdered! He is a coward and a traitor to all of Chon'sin!"

"Say'ri…" Ben breathed, "We may need you to-"

"My answer is final." Say'ri snapped.

"I'll go."

All eyes turned to the tent's entry. Luke and Lucina entered. Luke cleared his throat as he approached the table.

"I'll go speak to Yen'fay."

"Luke…" Say'ri breathed.

"Will he listen to you?" Robin asked.

"I'm his brother. I guarantee he will." Luke replied.

Frederick and Chrom both gazed at Luke with uncertainty. The Knight shook his head when Chrom looked over to him for advice. A heavy sigh left Chrom's lips.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"Why?" Luke asked, "Do you still not trust me?"

"Considering what you have done in the past, I'd say we have every right not to trust you." Frederick scowled, "For all we know, you will turn coat once again and choose the side you feel will win."

Luke's gaze darkened at Frederick, "Care to insult me again, Sir?"

"Don't start, either of you." Ben said, voice stern and sharp, "We do not need division in our own ranks. Not now." He ran a hand over his face, "Say'ri if you will not go, then we must send Luke. This may be our one chance at eliminating the threat to our south while strengthening ourselves for the true battle with the Conqueror's forces."

"Do you trust him?" Chrom asked Say'ri.

Say'ri did not answer immediately. How could she? She had seen who Luke was. For well over two years now, he had lived with her family. She had witnessed both his best, and worst moments during that time. From telling Cynthia that her sister was dead and generally being an asshole to all of them, to stepping up and challenging Equus, Dooku, when the deadlord was hunting them down. She also did not miss his growth under Yen'fay's tutelage. A part of her did worry that, with the small amount of apprehension they held towards each other, Luke would choose to side with Yen'fay over her.

But, Robin's idea had some merit. She just could not bring herself to speak to Yen'fay, not anymore. Reluctantly, she nodded.

"He's our best chance." She sighed.

"I'll go with." Lucina stepped forward.

"No." Chrom said firmly.

"You all clearly don't trust him. And well… my trust is thin-"

"Wonderful vote of confidence there." Luke grumbled.

"This way, if he does lose his way again, someone is there to keep Luke in check." Lucina glanced at Luke, "Although, I hope that won't be necessary."

"It won't be." Luke growled, pushing himself away from the table, "I'll get Yen'fay on our side. And… if I fail, which I don't believe I will, I shall return. And I will fight alongside all of you."

He stormed out of the tent, the force whipping in a fury around him. Ben closed his eyes and exhaled.

"At least he is motivated." Ben said. He looked at Lucina, "Can you handle him?"

Lucina shrugged, "I've handled him before. And I don't believe he would do harm to me again."

"The key word there is again." Chrom argued back, "He already tried to kill you once before. I do not-"

"Father…" Lucina sighed, stepping around the table to stand before him. Tiki furrowed her brow in confusion as she watched, "I can handle this. Trust me. I've handled far more dangerous situations in the future."

Tiki's brow arched. The Manakete even more puzzled now than she was a moment before.

"I know just-"

Lucina wrapped her arms around Chrom, "Don't worry so much, father." She pulled away and smiled up at him, "I'll be back before you know it."

Lucina turned on her heel and marched out of the tent, ready to pack and follow Luke south towards General Yen'fay's army. A long sigh left Chrom's lips, followed by the sound of Frederick clicking his tongue.

"What?" Chrom asked the Knight Commander.

"She has you wrapped around her little finger." Frederick answered, shaking his head.

Chrom laughed sheepishly, "Yeah well, she's my grown little girl from the future, what can I say? No?"

"Yes." Both Robin and Frederick nodded.

Tiki gave everyone in the room a puzzled look. Her ears twitched as her confusion mounted. She glanced over at Chrom.

"Isn't she a little old to be your daughter?" Tiki asked.

Robin laughed a little, "There's a lot more to explain. But we can do that later. For now, Lady Tiki," He glanced over at Chrom who simply smiled and nodded, "Welcome to the Shepherds."

And chapter! Back to our Shepherds in Valm. I'm really going to crank the war into high gear now. We'll get maybe a chapter of Luke, Lucina, and Yen'fay before getting into some massive battle chapters that I am very excited to write. Mostly because I have some ideas, both fun, and devious (laughs maniacally). Let's get this war in gear!

Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!

Come join the Treehouse everyone! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a