The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 111

Divided Loyalties

There would be no campfires tonight. Just like last night, and the night before that. Lucina doubted there would be a campfire tomorrow night either. Time was of the essence for both her and Luke. With each passing day, the possibility of their friends, their families, facing off against Walhart's legions grew. Ten thousand could not stand against one million, no matter how great a strategy Robin and Ben could think up. In her heart, Lucina felt afraid. A dread that spurred her to push through any exhaustion and discomfort so that she and Luke could reach Fort Stieger faster.

But they could only push their horses so hard. The loyal steed she sat upon needed to rest at some point. After three days of hard riding, Luke glanced back at her and nodded. It was time for a brief respite.

Lucina hopped down from her horse. Her hand ran along its neck, fingers brushing through it's short fur as the beast uttered labored breaths. She patted the side of its head and muttered a quiet thanks to her loyal steed.

Luke hopped down from his horse as well. He gave the animal a soft pat on its' side before glancing around the rolling plains surrounding them.

"Nowhere to tie them off."

"They won't run. Not unless something spooks them." Lucina reassured Luke as she reached for the bedroll on the back of her saddle. Despite her desire to hurry towards their destination, she had to admit, sleep sounded lovely right about now, "Do you want me to take first watch?"

Luke shook his head, "Go ahead and rest."

Lucina furrowed her brow. She reached out with the force and sensed the weariness in Luke's mind and body. He felt not only exhausted, but extremely anxious as well. Which made sense. Not only did the success of this war possibly hinge on the outcome of their negotiations with Yen'fay, but the lives of their friends were at stake as well. She would have been lying is she said she didn't feel some anxiety over it all either.

She spread her bedroll out on the ground and sat down on it. Her hand reached into a small pack she took from her saddle and dug out a small package of dry biscuits. As she wolfed one down, she glanced over to Luke as he set up his bedroll. Behind him, both horses knelt down in the long grass, grateful for the rest.

"Gonna eat at all?"

Luke shook, "Not feeling all that hungry."

Lucina frowned, "You won't be able to do much of anything if you don't keep your strength up."

"You'll be surprised by how much the dark side can sustain someone." Luke replied as he crossed his legs, rested his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes.

Lucina slowly chewed on a biscuit as she watched him with slight apprehension. Luke had been making a massive effort to move away from the Dark Side of the Force lately. And yet, whenever he felt pressured or boxed into a corner, physically or mentally, he always returned to that well of dark power. It was a crutch for him. His way of defending himself during times of great stress.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Lucina muttered as she finished one biscuit and wiped some stray crumbs from the corner of her mouth.

Luke exhaled, "What is there to talk about? We have our mission. We have our objective."

Lucina furrowed her brow, "We'll be entering your brother's camp as enemy combatants. Doesn't that worry you?"

Luke cracked an eye open. His glowing yellow eye stared at her for a moment. As if he was trying to figure out where exactly she was going with this line of questioning. He closed his eyes once again.

"Of course it does." He admitted, "Yen'fay is an incredible commander and warrior. I have been training with him for the past year, and even with my heightened abilities, he manages to push me to my limits."

Lucina nodded slowly, "How does he manage to do that?"

She was genuinely curious about that. Her entire life, Luke had been one of the best swordsmen she knew. If there was one thing Maul did teach him extremely well, it was combat. Luke's raw aggression was normally enough to overwhelm any opponent. It took steel nerves and a special opponent in order to face down the storm of power he could conjure when engaged in a duel. Back in Plegia, when she faced him down in a life or death situation for the very first time, the amount of dark side energy he produced took her breath away. The speed and power with which he fought still boggled her mind to this day. It was difficult for her to imagine anyone beyond her Master and Dooku matching Luke's raw talent with a blade.

Luke sighed again. She half expected him to not answer. The other half of her expected a sharp barb in reply, telling her to shut up and let him meditate. To her surprise though, he opened his eyes and withdrew from his meditative state.

"I can see this is not going to happen until later." He muttered, "How does Yen'fay push me?" He tapped his fingers on his knees. Behind him, one of the horses snorted and shook its head. Bothered by some of the fireflies buzzing up out of the long grass, "Physically, Yen'fay, without me using the Force, easily matches me. Mentally…" Luke thought for a moment, "he is far more centered than I am. He is at peace with his actions. It gives him a focus I lack. He was trying to mentor me to follow such a path, but this war derailed all of that."

"As does your constant retreat back to the dark." Lucina pointed out.

Luke narrowed his eyes at her.

"You use it like a crutch." Lucina explained, "I can sense it. Everytime you feel cornered, you retreat into the darkness. Ready to lash out with raw fury. Despite how the dark side has tormented you, you still retreat to it for safety." Luke averted his eyes as she spoke, clearly uncomfortable with how correct she really was, "That's probably why you still anger so easily. It's a defense mechanism."

"Well," Luke exhaled, "when all you know is anger and fear for defense mechanism, you kind of lose the ability to figure out the other ones easily."

Lucina gave him a sympathetic look, "You weren't always that way."

Luke's gaze saddened a moment, "Maul's corruption runs deep. It probably will never go away. I've come to accept that." He exhaled, breath shuddering as he did so, "Doesn't mean I like it very much. I-" He pursed his lips, "I really do want to be better, Luci. For Cynthia, for Say'ri, for Yen'fay, for you, for all of our friends that I… that I abandoned all those years ago."

He swallowed hard and bowed his head as shame washed over his face. Lucina closed her eyes.

"I spent years trying to figure out why you did it." She breathed, voice going quiet as the stillness of the night surrounded them. Fireflies winked all around them. Above, stars twinkled in the cloudless sky, "Now that I know how monstrous Maul really was, I cannot blame you." He gave her surprise look. Lucina shifted in her seat, "You thought Maul was your best chance to become powerful. Your best chance to be able to protect all of us. Naga knows, my Master did not want a second apprentice, so he refused to teach both you and Noire." She worked her jaw back and forth, "I still question the wisdom behind that decision."

"You mean the lack of." Luke corrected.

Lucina opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Her fingers gripped a second biscuit lightly as she thought for a moment.

"You're probably right." She breathed, "As much as I idolized Master Kenobi, the further away we get from that time, the more flaws I see. And… the more I interact with this time's version of him, the more I realize just how much he may have failed all of us."

Luke nodded, "Kenobi is very different now than before. I'll agree with that." He leaned back in his seat, nearly falling onto his back as he relaxed a little bit, "He's no longer a boring stick in the mud. The guy actually gets laid regularly."

Lucina let out a quiet laugh, "I still cannot believe how much Lady Tharja has helped him considering how they were-"

"Like oil and water in our time?" Luke chuckled with her, "They came together out of selfishness in our time. But in this timeline, they hold genuine affection for one another." He pressed his lips into a thin, "It's strange how altering just a few events can have such wide ranging consequences. None of us could have foreseen any of this."

"Not even Maul?" Lucina asked, brow quirked in a playful fashion.

Luke snorted, "That horned bastard couldn't divine tomorrow's dinner, let alone an accurate telling of the future."

Lucina chuckled some more, a broad smile on her face. She saw a wide grin on Luke's face as well as he leaned back on his arm and lounged on his bedroll.

There! Right there. In that smile, she saw him again. Her old friend, not the Sith Lord that Maul created, rested across their dark campsite. All that was missing were the blue eyes that always held joy and mischief. Those yellow eyes still looked so unnatural on him.

Lucina could feel her cheeks heat up ever so slightly, and she mentally smacked herself. Despite her own mental beratement, for a moment, she could not help but think of what could have been. What if Maul never took Luke away? What if Luke never delved so far into the darkness? What if they remained side by side through all of this, both in the future and in the past? Would she be by his side instead of Cynthia? She always thought they would end up together when they were children and young teenagers. Every moment with him was always so much fun and so joy filled before, even in a ruined future plagued with death and despair. He always found a way to put a smile on her face then.

She could already see a future in front of her. Her, living in the royal palace, her father smiling as she wore a wedding dress. Luke's look of pure anxiety and tension as he waited. A family in the making. Him ruling alongside her, leading the Halidom to an era of peace never before seen in the world.

All of that will never happen. Maul stole it. Grima ended it with his savagery. And the dark side of the force tore another possible future to shreds. There was too much bad blood now. Too much betrayal, loss of trust, and sorrow for the two of them to ever overcome. Their paths diverged so far away from each other that they will never link again. She became a Jedi Knight, a paragon in the force. Meant to foster peace and hope. While Luke descended into the darkness. Into the chaos and terror his Master placed in him. While he desperately tried to break free of those chains, she knew she would not be the one to bring him back. If she was, then he would have joined her two years ago back in Plegia.

Cynthia was the one that brought her old friend back to her. Her little sister, the scatterbrained, airhead, who was so naive a puppy would think she needed to grow up. That innocence and willingness to see the best in even the worst people brought Luke back from the edge. And Lucina was forever grateful to Cynthia for it. For the first time in a long time, she saw Luke be genuinely happy. She had a feeling that there would be lots of trips to Chon'sin to visit her little sister in the future. If they managed to save that future from destruction as well.

"Hey Luci?" Luke said, tearing her from her thoughts

"Hm?" Lucina replied as she bit into her second biscuit.

"Do you ever think about what you'll do after all of this is done?"

Lucina furrowed her brow. Was he watching her thoughts just now? Naga she hoped not!

A nervous laugh left her lips, "Like, after the Valm war?"

Luke shook his head, "After all of this. After this stupid, pointless war, and after we defeat Grima; do you think about what you will do after that?"

Lucina thought for a moment. Other than just now, she never had before. And even then, her thoughts on the future had drifted to one that could never happen.

What did she want to do once all of this was over? Once Grima's scourge was cleansed from the world and she could finally be at peace. Before jumping back to the past, she probably would have assumed the mantle of Exalt and ruled her people. But now, she no longer had that responsibility. Her father, while he lived in this timeline, laid claim to that mantle, and rightfully so. This timeline's version of herself would eventually take the throne after him. And, Naga forbid, if anything catastrophic were to happen, her Aunt Lissa would be a steward in her father's place if necessary. Just like in their ruined future.

She had no responsibilities or expectations to rule in this time. Once Grima was defeated, what would her life be?

She furrowed her brow, "I never gave it much thought." She muttered. Before Luke could ask a follow up, she spoke again, "What about you?"

Luke drew back, "Well um…" he thought for a moment, "If you asked me that question a year ago, I would have had the same answer as you. But…" He nodded to himself then laughed a little, "I'm honestly looking forward to a quiet life in Chon'sin, once this is all done. I'll have a small house just outside of Koto. Maybe visit Say'ri and Yen'fay in the palace every so often. Hell, maybe I'll take up farming, who knows?"

"Ah, and my sister will keep you company the entire time. Be your little wife. Cook your meals, warm your bed-" Lucina replied.

Luke's cheeks flushed, "Yeah well… she's pretty good at that."

Lucina gagged, "I didn't need to know that."

"You're the one who asked!"

"Not about that. Naga, never about that." Lucina was torn between both laughter and discomfort. She glanced up at the starry sky above her. A long sigh left her lips, "So… how much further do you think till we reach Fort Stieger?"

Luke dug into his dark robes, retrieving a small map given to him by Say'ri.

"If we keep up our pace, maybe another day of hard riding." He said, "The horses should be refreshed after tonight, so we might even get there tomorrow evening."

"And then?"

Luke went silent for a moment.

"And then we try to speak to my brother." Luke breathed, the mirth he had long gone from his voice, "Hopefully, we are not killed before we can reach him."

Lucina frowned, "Why would you say that?"

Luke cringed, "Well…" He tapped his fingers on his bedroll, "Do you remember when we were all trying to rescue this timeline's version of me a few months back?"

Lucina nodded, "Yeah?"

"And at one point he was at Fort Stieger."

Lucina nodded again, "Of course I remember that." She took another large bite of her biscuit. Through her mouthful of food, she spoke, "I was the one that rescued little you."

"Yeah well," His fingers stopped drumming against his mat, "I got to that fort just after you did, and I-"

Lucina pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oh Naga, what did you do?"

Luke winced, "I may have killed a few of General Pheros's men. Then I threatened her and her captains."

"Goddammit Luke!"

Yen'fay always woke up before dawn. Long before the first of his captains could rise. Before the last round of the previous night's sentries had finished their assignments, even before the cooks started cooking breakfast for the army. He made waking up early a habit. A part of his routine that he could ill afford to break. Commanding an army that, combined with General Pheros's forces, now numbered near fifty thousand strong rendered his days extremely busy. Add in his previous duties governing Chon'sin for the conqueror, and he had grown accustomed to long days and short nights.

The air held a chill to it this morning. A chill he hoped would fade away as the sun rose. But that would not happen for a couple more hours. He took a deep breath of the cool air as he stood on top of Fort Stieger's walls, eyes gazing out to the innumerable number of tents and small campfires surrounding the ancient fortress.

Fifty thousand soldiers all stuck in one place. He frowned as he watched the many fires flicker in the dark before dawn, They'll grow restless soon.

He had yet to receive orders from Emperor Walhart. A fact that surprised the Chon'sin General. Normally, the conqueror was swift in his military actions. Any dissent or rebellion were quickly crushed by a brutal, swift counter attack led by one of the Valmese Generals, or by the Conqueror himself. But when the Archaneans invaded, there was no swift counter attack. Not even a mention or missive about planning a counter strike. It seemed as if the invincible Walhart had been caught by surprise by the daring Archaneans.

A part of Yen'fay wanted to smile at that thought, but the more logical side of him knew that the Archanean's boldness and daring could only last for so long. Soon the Valmese would no longer be flat footed, and the invaders' advance would grind to a halt before the might of the Empire.

Just as soon as I know what the Conqueror wishes for me to do.

"Do you always wake up this early?" General Pheros yawned as she approached him on the walls.

Yen'fay glanced over at the general. She was older than him by perhaps a decade and a half, but it failed to show. Long locks of blonde hair ran down over her shoulders. A gold, ornamental headpiece with fin like wings crowned her pale head. A red uniform hugged her thin frame, crisp and clean. Befitting of a respectable general in the Conqueror's army. Her healing staff clicked against the cold, gray stone beneath her boots.

"General Pheros." Yen'fay nodded back, "Quite early for you to be up and about."

"Hm." Pheros closed her eyes and yawned again, "Gonna need some good tea. Hell, maybe I'll indulge and break into our limited supply of Plegian coffee."

Yen'fay raised an eyebrow, "How did you come about such a luxury?"

Pheros gave him a weary look, "Like Chon'sin didn't break the embargo as well?"

Yen'fay inclined his chin. He did recall enjoying some Ylissean chocolate not long ago.

"Fair." He replied coldly.

Pheros shivered as a cold wind swept over the battlements, "Gods above, why is it so cold this morning?"

Yen'fay furrowed his brow, "I'm not sure."

"Generals!"

Both Generals turned to see one of the Fortress's guards marching up to them. He did not appear to be in any sort of hurry, but his face looked pale. As if he had just seen or heard something terrifying. The winglike crest on his armor told Yen'fay that he was one of Pheros's men. Which made sense, her men have manned this fortress for several years now. Holding the heartland of the Empire, making sure bandits did not ravage the farms that fed the entire continent. His men were just guests stationed beyond the walls at the moment.

The guard snapped to attention in front of both of them.

"I was sent to fetch you by Lord Excellus."

Pheros raised her brow while Yen'fay remained undisturbed.

"Excellus is here?" Pheros questioned.

The guard swallowed hard, "Y-yes General. Him and… some strange creature. He er- I don't know how to explain it, but the creature was terrifying to behold."

Creature? Yen'fay thought to himself.

"Lead us to him." Pheros commanded.

The guard spun on his heel and marched back towards the keep. Yen'fay and Pheros followed him. Warm air blasted into both General's as they entered the tight confines of Fort Stieger's massive, yet claustrophobic, heart. Winding corridors and narrow passages led to cramped rooms with low ceilings and small hearths. An unwelcoming place to live in. Yen'fay found it hard to believe someone like Pheros could stand to live in such a place. He did notice some attempts by her to liven up the dreary atmosphere though. A few red rugs covered the cold stone floors in the corridors. A few paintings were hung in several rooms. But there was only so much one could do with the harsh Fort Stieger.

They exited a corridor and entered the lone large room in the entire keep, the main hall. One long hearth burned hot down the center of the hall. A table sat at the head of the hearth. Maps were sprawled out across the large table. Evidence of both Yen'fay and Pheros's long hours of work formulating possible strategies to combat the Archaneans. Standing in front of the table, fat, pink lips parted into a sickly smile, was the last worm Yen'fay wanted to lay eyes upon. Beside him stood a hulking creature made of metal. It stood hunched beneath a heavy cloak that hid its body. Reptilian eyes narrowed at him and Pheros as they approached Excellus.

Whatever it was, Yen'fay did not like it.

"Ah, Generals," Excellus began, "It is about-"

"The hell are you doing here worm?" Pheros growled as she strode past him, eyes glaring at the strange creature beside him. Yen'fay swore he heard a low rumble, like a growl, emanate from it as it stared back at Pheros with an unwavering glare, "And what is this… thing?"

Excellus sniffed, "This thing is my latest creation." It growled low once again. Yen'fay noticed Excellus's face lose color for a brief second before, "He is known as Grievous, and he assisted me in the initial defense of Charlet."

"Ah, so he is just as ineffective as you." Pheros replied with a smug smirk, arms folded over her chest.

Excellus bristled, "Careful with what you say, General. You will find Grievous does not take kindly to insults."

"Is that a threat?" Pheros scowled.

"A warning, nothing more." Excellus replied, satisfied with Pheros's reaction. He turned his attention to Yen'fay as the Chon'sin general took his spot at the table, across from Pheros, "As for why I am here, the Conqueror has sent me to aid you against the Archaneans. Our orders are to march north while he marches south with his army. We will squeeze the life out of the invaders as they are caught in the middle."

Pheros hummed, "Simple and smart. Must've been the Conqueror's idea."

"I-I-" Excellus stammered, "I am capable of creating cunning strategies as well! Or do you forget my place by Walhart's side?"

"I see you standing right in front of me, so I'd say your place by his side is tentative at best." Pheros pointed out, to Excellus's chagrin, "Alright, I'd say we need to get the army ready to march. Wouldn't you agree, Yen'fay?"

Yen'fay rubbed his chin as he studied the maps, "Do we know where the Archaneans are currently located?"

Excellus frowned, "I believe they are near the Mila Tree."

Yen'fay flicked his gaze back down to the maps. The Mila Tree, a very defensible position. The massive tree was surrounded by thick forests as well as multiple rivers and streams that could easily slow down the Valmese advance from both north and south. Regardless of their own numbers, or Archanean numbers, a battle near the tree would be a bloody affair.

"Isn't General Cervantes's army there?" Yen'fay asked.

Excellus cringed, "Yes, well, he was relieved of his command and I-"

"How did you muck it up this time?" Pheros sighed, eyes closed and head hanging.

"Well…" Excellus cleared his throat, "Let's just say there is no more army at the Mila Tree. And we will leave it at that."

Before Yen'fay could ask another question, one of his soldiers burst into the main hall. Yen'fay glanced over at him while both Excellus and Grievous turned to face the young soldier. The man paled at the sight of Grievous, swallowed hard, then bowed to Yen'fay.

"G-general, we have captured two Ylisseans at the edge of our camp."

"What!?" Pheros cried, "How did they move south so swiftly?"

Yen'fay raised a hand, silencing her. He nodded for the soldier to continue.

"They did not resist us, sir. My captain bade me to come to you with all haste. He believes the Ylisseans wanted to be captured. Perhaps they are surrendering?"

Yen'fay raised an eyebrow. Ylisseans surrendering willingly, he doubted that. Tales of the recent Plegian Siege of Ylisstol reached the shores of Valm not long ago. From those tales alone, Yen'fay knew the Ylisseans would rather die than surrender to any enemy force. It was that quality that made both them, and their Feroxi allies, so dangerous on the battlefield.

"Where are they now?" Yen'fay asked.

"We took them to our main command tent, sir." The soldier informed.

Yen'fay nodded, "Good."

"Yes, excellent." Excellus grinned, fat lips curling back into a stomach churning smile, "Perhaps I can glean some information from-"

Yen'fay tapped his hand lightly against the table, cutting off Excellus.

"My men captured them." He said calmly, eyes never breaking from Excellus, "My prisoners, my interrogation." He backed away from the table and started out of the Main Hall, "I'll leave you to marshal the men, Pheros. Excellus, you and your pet are to listen to her."

"Excuse me!?" Excellus cried.

"Heh!" Pheros laughed, "Looks like I get to boss you around for a change. Why don't you go wake my captains for me. They should be in the barracks. Try not to offend them." She glanced at Grievous, "As for you…"

Yen'fay did not hear her next orders as the doors to the Keep shut behind him. To the east, he saw orange rays of light breaking over the plains and hills surrounding Fort Stieger. The distance hum of his waking army filled the morning air as he marched through the camp. As he passed through, some soldiers stopped and saluted him. Most nodded towards him and went about their work.

He preferred the latter, because he already knew the men respected him. They followed him to the bitter end, and that was evident by their valor in many battles against many petty rebellions. Why ask for salutes when you already know the army's feelings? In Yen'fay's opinion, let them give him a small nod, then go about their tasks. Their tasks were far more important than making an overt sign of respect to a commander they may not see everyday.

The main command tent sat at the center of the camp. It was the largest tent due to being the place where Yen'fay would gather all of his captains for meetings. It was also the most secure tent in the entire area, because it contained the most sensitive military information regarding his men, their condition, and the various strategies he could employ on the battlefield.

He paused in front of the large red tent. One of his captains was waiting for him. An older man, someone who likely served Yen'fay's father for several years before Chon'sin was conquered. He gave Yen'fay a stiff bow.

"My men captured the Ylisseans, General." The Captain reported, "I thought it prudent to bring them here instead of to the fort."

Yen'fay gave him a small nod, "A wise decision. Especially now that Lord Excellus is among our ranks."

The captain gave him an apprehensive look, "I'll make certain the men keep their lips shut."

Yen'fay nodded again, "Good. I'd prefer that worm not have anything to work with." He hesitated as he reached for the tent's opening, "Make certain no one disturbs me while I speak to the prisoners."

"Yes, General."

Without another word, Yen'fay entered the tent. He expected to see a pair of Ylissean scouts, maybe even deserters. But the pair he saw tied up to the center pole of the tent caused his breath to lodge in his throat. Hell, it took everything in him not to utter a loud curse. But he could ill afford the men to learn his true feelings regarding these two.

His eyes burrowed holes into both Luke and Lucina as he marched towards them. Small rays of sunlight filtered in through slits in the ceiling. A lamp burned on a table in the far corner of the tent. Most of the maps and sensitive information had been locked away in various chests lining the walls. But he did not care if these two saw any of those. Yen'fay's mind now lingered on more urgent matters.

He stopped a couple feet away from Luke. It was telling how his little brother failed to look him in the eye at first.

"Luke." Yen'fay said, voice deathly quiet as the army stirred all around them. He glanced over at the Ylissean Princess beside him. "Marth." He addressed her, careful not to say her true name out loud.

Luke swallowed hard, "Looks like it's been a boring few weeks for you."

Yen'fay snorted, "It was, until now." He narrowed his gaze at Luke, "What are you doing here? Where is Say'ri and Kage? The others-"

Luke shifted nervously against the tentpole. He winced as some of the rough wood dug into his back.

"You know I can't tell Say'ri what to do."

Yen'fay closed his eyes as he dreaded what his brother would say next.

"She saw an opportunity to take on the Conqueror, so she took it. And well, I may have went along with it."

"You completely went along with it." Lucina muttered rolling her eyes, "Quit trying to soften the blow."

"So they are not in the mountains where it is safe." Yen'fay breathed, his stress and anxiety mounting with each moment, "Instead they are with the people whom I consider an enemy."

Lucina raised her brow, "I wasn't aware we were enemies?"

"He commands what could possibly be Valm's best army, of course he's technically an enemy." Luke replied.

"Well he's your brother so I assumed maybe he'd try to stay out of this considering the slight friendship the Shepherds have with him." Lucina argued back.

"Friendships matter not when orders from a superior are given." Yen'fay interjected, "As much as I want to avoid war with Ylisse, I cannot disobey the Conqueror's will."

Luke met his brother's gaze, "Yes, you can."

Yen'fay's face hardened. A long, weary sigh left his lips. He stepped away for a moment. Through the force, Lucina sensed the emotional turmoil he was in. The General was trying everything in his power to contain himself. Fear and anger rolled through his thoughts. Luke and Say'ri disobeying him threw him off balance, and he could not even vent that frustration without giving away who she and Luke really were.

Yen'fay shook his head as he was turned away from them.

"It is not possible, Luke." He glanced back to them, "The Conqueror-"

"Can be beaten." Luke hissed quickly. He nodded at himself and Lucina, "We are living proof."

"From a future that no longer exists for us." Yen'fay followed up, "How can I know that the Conqueror can be defeated in this time? How can I know that by betraying him, I will not doom us to a fate worse than military defeat?" He stared hard at Luke, "Do you not understand why I am doing this? I know your sister doesn't. She has refused to try. She is far too blinded by her own hatred of Walhart and me to realize the severity of the danger we are always in. Walhart recognizes Chon'sin's power. That is why he actually used mages to defeat us, which is against his nature. Because he knew he could not win through conventional means against our people. During those final battles in our homeland, I saw the Conqueror's might. I pleaded with our father to surrender before it was too late. For him to think of me, of Say'ri, of mother and all those we held dear." Yen'fay let out a shaky breath. He ran a hand over his mouth and pursed his lips, "Honor, my son." He exhaled again, shuddering some more, "That is what our father told me when he refused to surrender. And when he left for battle the last time, he commanded me to protect our family by any means necessary. When he told me by any means necessary, I intended to follow that. Even if it meant forsaking my own honor, tarnishing my own name, so that Say'ri, and eventually you would be safe."

Luke and Lucina remained silent as Yen'fay inhaled deep again. His throat bobbed as he swallowed his breath, the struggle to contain his emotions growing even more difficult.

"The actions you and your sister have taken put all of that in jeopardy."

Luke's eyes widened, "You follow the Conqueror to protect us?" He shook his head, "If you truly wished to protect us you would stand by us."

"I stood by you since the day I found you weeping and screaming on that battlefield, Luke." Yen'fay growled back, letting his frustration get the better of him, "And I stood by you when you revealed yourself as my little brother from the future. Ever since Say'ri was born and I looked on her smiling face while my mother held her, I stood by her!"

"Until your fear took over." Luke spat back, "Until the conqueror stole your courage and pride."

Yen'fay's fist balled up at his sides. Lucina remained utterly silent as the brothers spoke.

"You have Valm's greatest army, brother." Luke said, voice pleading with Yen'fay, "Your force, combined with ours, can break the Conqueror."

"You cannot break a man that is being viewed as a god." Yen'fay sighed as he turned away, debating whether or not to leave the tent and come back when his head was clear.

"Unless you make him bleed!" Luke spat back, "The Shepherds have already given him several cuts. They repelled him at Port Ferox, they drove him from Charlet and Roseanne. They have even taken the Voice of Naga from him."

Yen'fay's gaze snapped back to him.

"The Voice has declared for you?"

Luke nodded, "I was there when she did. She believes Walhart has crossed a line by threatening Naga's blessed bloodline."

"The Exalted of Ylisse." Yen'fay nodded in understanding.

"You know as well as I do, that once word spreads of the Voice's stance, Walhart's army will start to fracture. He may think he has more sway than the Voice of Naga, but he is wrong, and you know that. People love Naga, and they fear him. In your experience, which is stronger?"

Yen'fay was silent as he thought for a moment.

"Your love for me and Say'ri made you do things that you otherwise would have never done. Made you forsake everything you believed in just to protect us." Luke continued, "Now it is time to finally fight back. Come with me and Lucina. Your men will follow you anywhere, they-"

Yen'fay closed his eyes, giving Luke his answer.

"I wish I could, Kage." Yen'fay breathed, "Gods I wish I could. But I cannot take that risk. Right now, as long as I remain loyal, your life… or rather, the life of your younger self, and Say'ri's life, are safe. Even though the Conqueror will view you both as traitors; because of your relationship to me, I know your lives will be spared. At worst, you will be exiled within our lands. Never to hold rank or title ever again. That is a far better outcome than the certain death fighting Walhart's army entails."

"Nothing is certain." Lucina breathed, "We are not as weak and our efforts are not as futile as you think. Besides, you swore to my sister to aid her against Grima's rise. You will need my family to defeat the Fell Dragon. What will happen when my family dies on the battlefield, crushed under Walhart's boot, and the Fell Dragon rises again?" Yen'fay remained silent, "Will this guarantee of safety matter then?"

Yen'fay remained quiet again, clearly struggling to decide which path to take. In the end, he straightened and gave them both a look that made Luke and Lucina's hearts sink.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot risk it." Yen'fay muttered, "However… I can risk saying that the trap is about to spring." Lucina's eyes widened, "Walhart is marching south with his entire host. This army is about to march north. We aim to squeeze the life out of your army."

"No…" Lucina breathed.

Yen'fay closed his eyes, "I cannot let both of you go."

"Brother please-"

Yen'fay raised a hand, silencing Luke, "One of you must remain behind. A hostage, a way for me to justify letting one of you go. The other will be the messenger to inform your leaders of what is happening." He turned his gaze to Lucina, "The hostage will be you."

"Like hell!" Luke growled, fury taking him.

"You will go back to your army, and your sister, and you will do your damndest to convince them to retreat back across the sea." Yen'fay snarled, his own calm demeanor finally breaking. The snarl startling Luke into silence, "If you fail Luke, they will all die. And there will be nothing I can do to stop it."

He reached for the binds around Luke's wrists, drew a knife from his belt, and cut them. Luke's hands balled up into tight fists as he glared angrily at his brother. His yellow eyes burned as the dark side of the force whispered in his mind, goading him to take action.

"This is all the help I can give." Yen'fay sighed, "You must leave, before Excellus learns of this arrangement."

Luke stood still for a moment. Fury rippling through him as the dark side built up in side of his body.

"I can break her out, and I can take so many of your men with me that-"

"You are better than that, Luke." Yen'fay breathed as he turned towards the tent's exit, "I know you are. I trust you to do the right thing."

To Lucina's shock, the force calmed around Luke as he heard Yen'fay's words. Luke's hands ranks relaxed at his sides. He drew in a deep breath and turned to Lucina.

"I won't leave you here long. We will rescue you." He told her, voice hushed so no one from the outside could hear him.

Lucina swallowed hard, "Just make sure you win the war first."

Luke jaw tightened, "I will." He stepped away from her and paused near the doorway, beside his brother, "I thought better of you." He told Yen'fay, "I guess Say'ri was right all along."

He exited the tent. Yen'fay struggled to catch his breath as his brother left. He took a ragged gasp then glanced over at Lucina, the mask of strength lifting to show his fear and worry.

"I will-" He cleared his throat as the mask started to return, "I will make certain food and water are brought to you."

Before Lucina could reply, Yen'fay stepped out of the tent. He caught a brief glimpse of Luke walking away before he blended in with the throngs of soldiers readying to march. Yen'fay raised an eyebrow.

How did he leave so easily without anyone stopping him?

"General?" one of the tent guards said, "Did you speak to the prisoner?"

"The prisoner?" Yen'fay replied, puzzled.

The guard nodded, "Yes sir. The woman we captured. We found her alone nearby. One of us tried to get some information from her at first, but she wouldn't talk."

They only captured Lucina? Impossible, Luke was- His mind stopped in its tracks, What trick did you pull, Luke?

"Did you see anyone exit the tent?" He asked the guard.

The guard's face twisted, as if a headache suddenly slammed into him. He winced and grit his teeth, struggling to recall the last few moments before Yen'fay left the tent.

"I-I don't believe so sir. I er- for some reason, I can't recall anything before last night. I apologize sir. Perhaps I am just that tired?"

Yen'fay shook his head, "You do not need to apologize." The lack of memory is not your fault in this instance. He noticed one of his captains approaching, "Captain Eiji!"

"General!" The Captain bowed.

"You and your men are to guard the prisoner. No one is to see her except for your men and myself. If Excellus or his creature try to gain access, you will deny them and inform me of the attempt. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." The Captain nodded.

"Good." Yen'fay breathed, "Other than that, prepare to march north."

"Yes sir." The Captain hesitated, "Sir, there are rumblings throughout the men. They say the Voice has declared for the Archaneans. I fear these rumors may cut into both our numbers and morale."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow. The news spread that swiftly? If such rumors were shaking the core of his men, he could only imagine the doubt it was casting in the soldiers of Walhart and Pheros's armies.

"We've already heard of deserters defecting to the Archeaneans from Pheros's army and what remains of Cervantes's army." The Captain gulped, "Is it just a rumor sir?"

Yen'fay shook his head, "Apparently not. The prisoner confirmed it."

The Captain grimaced, "Then… I would be careful around the older captains sir. They may swear loyalty to you, but they still hold deep senses of loyalty to Chon'sin… and to your father. It would not surprise me if many left our ranks and took their soldiers with them during the march north. The battlefield could become very chaotic very quickly."

Yen'fay nodded but did not reply. Instead, he turned and began to walk back to the Fort.

I can only hope that turns out to be the case.

Noire closed her eyes. Cool wind brushed over her as she sat in a quiet clearing far outside of the army camp. The Feroxi and Ylissean armies arrived late last night, turning the small camp of Shepherds into a city of tents surrounding the Mila Tree. When morning came, Noire found herself unable to focus on her training as instead she was dragged around the camp by Sakura and Severa, trying to accomplish as many tasks as they could. Severa's mother gave them a list of things to keep track of in the army manifest. Because, according to Cordelia, the quartermasters had trouble keeping track of supplies, and it doesn't help that Anna and Gaius are always looking to swipe anything valuable. Severa took the task with her usual amounts of enthusiasm, that being none at all. Noire got the sense that Sakura was just happy to be away from her own mother.

So, all three went about cataloging the supplies. Every sword, ax, arrow, biscuit, and barrel of water was accounted for. And finally, after a long day of staring at numbers and tedious counting, Noire escaped from the camp and found her quiet clearing to meditate in. A practice her father started to instill in her, but one she was not entirely used to yet. She desperately needed peace and quiet in order to even touch the force, let alone sink into it. So having an entire army nearby did not help her endeavors. Nevertheless, she had to try.

Her brow furrowed as she squeezed her eyes tight. So far, she felt nothing. No strange feeling washing over her. No buzz, not even the sensation of her leg falling asleep. Just a strange stillness that exasperated her. A long breath left her lips as her shoulders sagged.

Lucina and Luke make it look so easy.

She envied those two. Both had training from when they were younger than her. Lucina has been trained by her father since she could properly pick up a sword. Luke received training as soon as he accepted Maul's tutelage all those years ago. Both had so much talent, Luke more so than Lucina. Both were so far ahead of her. She felt like she did not have a chance at catching up. And Noire knew she had to catch up to them eventually. Grima would rise soon, they could all feel it. The tides of the force, during those brief moments she could actually feel it, were turning, growing darker, colder. A product of the Fell Dragon's influence rising in the shadows. Though from where, none of them knew.

She took a deep breath and straightened her posture once again. Her father's words danced in her mind.

"You cannot force the force to come to you. You must relax, breathe. Let it flow through you, like water."

Easier said than done. She thought, Why do all Jedi teachings sound like riddles?

"Because most are."

Noire's eyes shot open and she jumped in her seat as she heard a voice speak to her. An older man's voice, kind and gentle. Her gaze snapped around the clearing. But she saw nothing. No one else was near her. Another gentle breeze slipped through the trees. Above Noire, the sky began to grow dark as night fell. She narrowed her eyes.

Must've been the wind.

She closed her eyes once again and took a deep breath.

Let the force come to me.

"Well I'm here."

"GAH!"

Noire surged to her feet and reached for a dagger on her hip. She spun around, searching for whoever was speaking to her. Someone had to be spying on her. Was it Owain? Had he and Cynthia decided now was a good time to restart Justice Cabal shenanigans? Or perhaps Inigo was trying to pursue her in some odd, off the wall way? Maybe it was Laurent? He was always the quirky friend. Then again, he would not be bold enough to sneak up on her like this.

"I swear to Naga if you are trying to scare me Brady."

"I do not know this Brady. But he sounds like a decent friend for you."

Noire spun around again, "Who's talking? Show yourself!?"

"If only I could. Unfortunately, I never finished that aspect of my own training. I would love to look upon you with my own eyes. It is almost as if I am meeting a grandchild of mine."

Grandchild? Noire wondered, puzzled. She groaned and massaged her temple.

"What is going on?" She huffed, "I'm hearing ghosts."

Noire sucked in a sharp breath as the voice uttered a light hearted chuckle, "Obi Wan was just as jumpy when he first came under my tutelage. It took a lot of work to build his confidence, and strength, but he did become an incredible Jedi Master in the end."

Noire's eyes widened, "You're my father's master?"

"I was. My name is Qui Gon Jinn. I have very much looked forward to speaking to you. Unfortunately it was delayed due to the circumstances."

"That being my inability to figure out the force?" Noire remarked, still uncertain if she was hearing an actual voice or if she was going crazy.

"Only partially. And you need to be more patient with yourself, Noire. The force is difficult to understand, even for the most experienced of Jedi Masters."

Noire sighed and sat back down again, "That's what everyone keeps telling, but Lucina and Luke don't seem to have any problems with it."

"Lucina has had years of training at this point. You have only just begun your journey. To compare yourself to her would be a detriment to your own growth. As for Luke, he is nothing short of a prodigy. A rarity in the force. He comes from a line of Force Adepts the likes of which the galaxy has never seen before and likely will never see ever again."

Noire quirked an eyebrow, "A line? What do you know about Luke and his family? I mean, I know he's not related to Say'ri by blood. He's adopted and all of that. But he never speaks of his actual family."

"Because he does not know yet. But that is not the purpose of my talk with you."

"Alright then," Noire replied, suspicious of the ghostly voice, "Why are you talking to me then?"

"I simply wished to speak with you for the first time. This is an opportunity I could not miss."

Noire frowned, "Okay then? Is there... um… anything else? I'm sort of trying to do something."

"Yes you are. Perhaps I should-"

A ringing hit her ears. Noire gasped and fell forward, bracing her body upright with her hands.

"Noire!" Qui Gon cried in her mind, "S-stay- str- he's- they-"

A low, rumbling rasp hit her mind. A sharp inhale followed by a low, rumbling exhale. Unlike anything she had ever heard before. The Force slammed into her. A sensation that caught her by surprise as power surged within her. Her eyes widened as rocks began to levitate around her. The air in the clearing grew cold. Her breath misted in front of her face. Pain lanced through her head. She squeezed her eyes shut. The strange breathing rasped in her ears again, only louder.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw glossy, black, armored boots in front of her. The Dark Side of the force, a side she did not even know very well but could recognize just by the fear it instilled in her, swirled through the clearing. Her gaze shook as she raised her head.

Terror flooded her as her eyes ascended up a giant clad in black armor and black robes. At the peak was a black mask and helmet, the features of the mask twisted into a terrifying grimace. Even more terrifying than any risen mask she had ever seen. Cold sweat beaded all over her body as her breath froze in her lungs. The figure in black glowered down at her.

"You are like him." The figure boomed, its deep baritone echoed through her mind.

Noire cried out and squeezed her eyes shut.

Go away, go away, go away!

"Noire!"

Her eyes shot open. The terrifying figure in black was gone. She saw Luke rushing up to her, alone.

He skidded to a stop beside her and reached out to help her up. Noire growled and swatted his hand away.

"I don't need help from you." She snarled angrily.

Luke took a step back as she shakily pushed herself to her feet. While she stood, Luke scanned the area around them.

"I sensed something dark nearby. Is anything wrong? Has something happened?"

"You tell me." Noire snarled back, "Where is Lucina?"

Luke fell silent. Noire narrowed her gaze at him.

"What have you done?"

"Nothing!" Luke hissed, "But… I need to speak with Kenobi and Robin immediately. Where are they?"

"Where is Lucina?" Noire asked again, voice falling dangerously low as she reached for the dagger at her hip.

Luke swallowed hard.

"She's my brother's prisoner."

Flavia and Basilio's response to the dire news was not one Robin expected. At first, when he informed them that not only were they outnumbered by Valm's southern army but also completely dwarfed by the Conqueror's force, both Khan's fell silent. Robin expected them to start suggesting strategies, start wondering how they could possibly combat such an enormous force, suggest maybe moving to a more easily defensible location, or, even worse, execute a full retreat back to Archanea.

Robin did not expect Flavia to throw an army wide party.

The Feroxi soldiers broke out old war drums. Bonfires burned hot and high into the night sky, embers mixing in with the twinkling stars. As the drums pounded, they danced around those bonfires. Strange dances that, when Robin walked past some of Frederick's knights, were viewed as barbaric by the Ylissean men. Along with those drums, some of the Feroxi soldiers chanted. Deep growling chants that sparked something primal inside of Robin's northern allies. Mixed in with the gravely chants were the crystal clear, enchanting siren's song of other Feroxi soldiers. Singing in a tongue long lost to the annals of time.

All of it was a sight to behold. If he wasn't so worried about figuring out a way for them all to survive the coming onslaught, Robin would be thoroughly engrossed in the entire… celebration.

Would it be appropriate to call it a celebration? Perhaps I should ask Miri-

An ache hit his heart at the thought of Shepherd's resident scholar. Someone who was now dead. Likely buried outside of Charlet with the rest of the fallen from that terrible day. A shaky breath escaped his lips as some tears formed in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away.

I can't dwell on it anymore. Not now. Ben and Chrom cannot lead this army alone.

Before he could think anymore, the first chants ended. A bottle of firewine was tossed into one of the bonfires, causing a massive ball of fire to rush up into the sky. A loud roar of approval erupted from the Feroxi. Then the dance continued, and the chants rose up in a harsh chorus once again. Robin let out a soft chuckle at the sight. One could always count on the Feroxi to throw the rowdiest of parties, even in the face of insurmountable odds.

He caught sight of several Shepherds dancing near the flames as well. Vaike and Sully joining the Feroxi in their celebrations was not surprising to Robin. Those two might as well have been Feroxi with how they fought and drank. Lon'qu joined his fellow Feroxi in their celebration. Although, he was much more subdued than the person dancing with him, a blonde haired princess that nearly made Robin's jaw drop.

Is that Lissa!? He peered a little closer and saw her trademark, mischievous smile followed by a laugh as she nudge Lon'qu with her hand. Now Robin's jaw dropped, Since when did Lon'qu get comfortable around her!? He pursed his lips and glanced to his right as a Feroxi soldier set an entire crate of firewine down beside him. Robin opened his mouth in understanding, That must be the reason.

"Robin!"

Robin tore his gaze from the bottles of firewine. To his surprise, Tiki walked up to him, a large smile on her face. She appeared to be a little out of breath. Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Getting some exercise?" He asked.

"Oh, what, dancing?" Tiki breathed, "Well, it's been a few hundred years, you can't blame me for joining in the fun."

Robin let out a chuckle, "No, I can't, can I?"

Another burst of flames shot up into the sky. This time caused by an extremely drunk Laurent accidentally casting a powerful arc-fire. But none of the Feroxi cared. They just roared in approval, wrapped their arms around him, and raced around the bonfires together.

"Any idea why they are doing this?" Robin asked with a slight smile as he watched the antics grow even more wild.

Tiki chuckled, "How would you want to spend your last days alive?"

Robin thought for a moment, "You know, I never gave that much thought."

"Oh, so you think you can live forever then?" Tiki teased.

"Now I never said." Robin replied, cheeks flushing as Tiki smirked at him, "But maybe you know a guy that can help me out with that?"

"Ha!" Tiki remarked, "Sorry, it's in the blood. No spells required for this flawless aging."

"Damn. Well, can't blame me for trying."

"Not at all." Tiki smiled. She folded her hands behind her back, then quickly stepped to the side, avoiding Brady as he drunkenly stumbled past the pair with one arm wrapped around Donnel's shoulder.

"THIS IS LIVING!" Brady cried hoisting a half empty bottle of firewine into the air.

"LIVING!" Donnel cheered as well.

Robin cringed, "Maribelle is just going to love hearing about that."

Tiki thought for a moment, "Is she the extremely proper one?"

Robin nodded, "Yeah?"

"I saw her lying passed out by the center fire." Tiki replied with a shrug, "I don't think she's going to remember this night."

Some concern came over Robin's face, "Well is she er-"

"If I recall correctly, Khan Basilio, the big, bald one; he took her to her tent along with Prince Chrom and Queen Sumia. Those three enjoyed the celebrations for a little bit, but I think they've retired for the night."

Robin blinked in surprise, "I've never known Chrom to skip out on a party before." He said as he started walking away from a crowd growing near them. Apparently a brawl broke out between a group of Feroxi soldiers. Robin had no interest in gutting sucking into a melee like that.

He stopped walking once he felt a safe distance from the growing brawl. Tiki let out a snort as she watched Frederick try to break up the fight, only to get sucker punched and subsequently join in. He was followed by Sully and Vaike, who saw the brawl and each declared that they would be victorious.

"You're friends seem to be more Feroxi than they are Ylissean. I've noticed not many of your countrymen are joining in this raucous fun."

"Yeah well… most Ylisseans still view the Feroxi as barbarians." Robin sighed, "Even though they saved our asses in the war with Plegia."

"Even though they are your allies now." Tiki muttered, "That is a shame. All of this is quite good fun." A sparkle danced in her eye. She gave Robin a mischievous smirk.

"Now hold on." Robin said

Before he could say anything else, Tiki took his hand and dragged him towards the nearest bonfire, where they were both swept into a swirling circle of Feroxi bodies dancing like madmen around the flames. Tiki threw her head back and laughed as she kept her grip on Robin's hand. Making sure he did not get lost in a sea of drunken bodies. Robin, meanwhile, felt positively terrified as he was shoved to and fro while the drumbeat pounded in his head.

Eventually, they were both tossed out of the circle by pure momentum. Robin spun with Tiki, both clinging to each other for balance. As Robin tried to catch his breath, Tiki was laughing hard against him. Eventually, after he calmed down and realized he was still alive, he started laughing too.

"I was going to say, I don't know how to dance."

"A Ylissean gentleman such as yourself doesn't know how to dance? I find that quite surprising." Tiki smirked.

Robin's cheeks heated up as he looked at her, "Yeah well um-"

"Robin."

"Uh huh?"

"You're squeezing tighter."

His entire face turned red. Everything suddenly felt very hot as he realized just how tight his embrace of Tiki was. He quickly pulled away from her, a sheepish laugh slipping from his lips.

"S-sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Tiki smirked, "I was more afraid of hurting you actually." Robin swallowed hard as she smiled back at him, "I mean, I never said I wasn't squeezing either. I did feel a little dizzy for a moment."

Another nervous laugh left Robin's lips. He quickly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um...well er- thanks?" He pursed his lips, "And um… I never got the chance to thank you for what you did in the forest. I mean, ever since we did that little mind adventure, I've actually gotten some decent sleep. So uh… thank you."

"You are most welcome, Robin." Tiki smiled back. Her smile wavered a little bit. Through the force, Robin sensed her mind torn about something. To his surprise, despite him sensing that, she did not block him out.

"Is everything alright?" He asked as the chants from the Feroxi grew louder and more feverish.

Tiki took a deep breath and nodded, "Yes, just… dealing with some things that I never thought I'd have to deal with again."

Robin gave her a puzzled look, "Like what?"

Tiki did not reply. She just bowed her head and laughed to herself.

"What?" Robin asked, even more confused, but laughing with her as well..

"Nothing, just…" Tiki sighed, "You remind me of someone I knew long ago. I think you and him would have gotten along quite well."

Both Robin and Tiki started to walk away from the bonfires as the party started to grow out of hand. More wood was piled onto the fires. The heat made Robin sweat in his coat, but it did not seem to affect Tiki as much. He could feel it even as they made their way to the edge of the forest surrounding the Mila Tree, far away from the rest of the camp.

"How so?"

"Well," Tiki took a breath, "He was just as selfless as you are. Brave, a great warrior-"

"Ah, a great warrior. I'm still working on that part." Robin smiled.

"I'd say you have already accomplished it." Tiki replied, "The soldiers in this army revere you and your intellect. Ben has said nothing but glowing things about your prowess with a blade."

"He has?"

"Yes." Tiki nodded, "He says you have come a long way since you both first met. In fact, the only person I have met who has said anything even remotely negative has been..." A frown creased her lips. Robin knew who she was talking about just from that expression.

"Ah, yeah, Dooku." Robin nodded, "He's the grouchy one."

"How did he come into your ranks, by the way?" Tiki asked, "Last I saw him, we fought on top of the Mila Tree. And I promptly sent him plummeting to the ground with one powerful spell."

Robin snorted out a laugh, "I sort of wish I had seen that up close. It's hard to imagine Dooku being bested by anyone." He took a breath, "As for how he joined us, well, apparently him and Ben knew each other. They were… enemies actually."

"And yet they're allies now?"

"They share two common enemies, Grima, and some guy named Sidious." Robin explained, "And well, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Tiki's ears twitched, "I don't believe I have ever heard that expression before. Or maybe I have? I'd have to parse through several thousand years of memories to know."

"Several thousand… how old are you anyway?"

Tiki gave him a taunting smirk, "Quite a rude question to ask a lady?"

Robin sputtered as she sauntered ahead of him, further away from the celebration. Robin quickly followed.

"I-I ask that purely from the perspective of an academic and well… pure curiosity, nothing nefarious, or insulting and-"

Tiki spun back around, chuckling at him, "It's always so much fun doing that. Spinning you humans up into little knots."

"Ha, ha." Robin said, trying to feign laughter, but in the end betraying a broad smile.

Tiki smirked back, "But if you must know, I am around three thousand years old." Robin's eyes widened, "Give or take a few dozen years."

"Uh… wow." Robin breathed, "That's… honestly that's incredible. You must have seen so much."

"Oh you have no idea. But, tonight is not a night to focus on the past, is it?" Tiki said, "You never answered my question."

Robin raised an eyebrow. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest every time Tiki spoke to him. Every time he saw that playful smirk on her lips, his stomach would turn into knots. He was smart enough to at least have a sense of what he was feeling. But was he foolish enough to act on it. Especially given they were in the middle of a desperate war where their last day could very well be tomorrow?

Was it bad he did not know the answer to that?

"What question?" He asked dumbly.

Tiki snorted, "How would you want to spend your last days alive?"

Robin smiled a little bit.

"Oh, that one." Robin hummed to himself as he thought for a moment. He flicked his eyes up at Tiki again, failing to stop himself from staring at the stunning Manakete in front of him. Everything about her made his brain switch off. Something that thrilled, worried, and terrified him all at once. A strange mixture of emotions that he clearly had no experience in, "Well um… I guess I'd want to spend my last days alive with friends I hold dear."

Tiki's smile broadened. She walked up to him and took him by the hand. A slight pink tinge to her cheeks.

"I'm glad to hear that."

His mouth felt dry now. Robin swallowed hard and as he locked eyes with Tiki. Before either of them could move, or say anything else, the brush rustled nearby, causing Robin to jump. Instinctively, he moved to put himself between the sound and Tiki, causing the Manakete to let out an amused snort.

"I can handle myself." She said.

"Uh… well, yeah, you're right but-"

He froze as Luke carefully inched his way out of the bushes. His face was pale, sweat beaded on his brow. He caught sight of Robin.

"H-hey, Robin." He swallowed hard, "Can you tell Noire to remove the dagger from my back please?"

Robin glanced past Luke and saw Noire following him closely, a dark scowl on her face.

"Luke?" Robin finally said, "What are you-"

"He returned without Lucina." Noire growled, "Said she's been taken prisoner. But-"

"But I am telling the truth. And there is more, Robin." Luke interrupted.

Robin's stomach dropped when he heard Luke's report.

"The Valmese are coming."

And chapter! When I said I was gonna get this war going, I was not kidding. This is the last build up chapter before the action kicks off. Next chapter we will get some warfare, and it's gonna be one heck of a ride. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!

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