The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 112
Desperation
Chrom hastily buckled his belt around his waist. Sumia sat rigid in their small bed within their tent, face pale. A messenger waited outside, guarding the tent until they were both decent.
The Prince and his Queen had both retired early for the evening. While Chrom very much wanted to join in on the festivities thrown by Khan Flavia, despite the dire circumstances, he knew that he had an image to keep up now. The soldiers of Ylisse looked to him as a pillar of military excellence and discipline. While the Shepherds knew the truth, that being he could nearly drink any of them under the table if he really tried, he could not allow the facade to be cracked. The men needed to see a calm, commanding presence in the face of such terrible odds. So, after spending maybe an hour sharing a table with Khan Basilio, they both went to their tent, eager for the next day to come.
Neither were expecting the messenger to wake them in a panic, telling them Robin was calling an emergency war council. The fact that Robin was the one calling it told Chrom the matter was certainly urgent. Robin had been out of the loop in terms of the war since Charlet. Something bad had to have happened in order for the struggling tactician to grab hold of the war's reins once again.
"What do you think it is?" Sumia's asked, voice quiet, hard to hear over the sound of Feroxi chanting in the night.
Chrom grimaced as he faced away from her, carefully buttoning up a blue shirt before throwing on gray pants.
"I'm not sure."
He glanced back at Sumia. He could see the anxiety on her face. The worry in her eyes; it made his heart break. Sumia was always one of the most optimistic Shepherds. Her optimism and support helped him weather more things than he cared to admit. To see her look shaken meant that the constant bad news was starting to get to her. If she was beginning to worry and doubt, what were the others feeling?
A long sigh left Chrom's lips as he slipped his boots on, "Sumia?"
"Hm?" Sumia replied as she rose and quickly threw on a robe, tying a knot in front of her.
Chrom pursed his lips, "Do you think we should stay?"
She did not answer right away. Her brown eyes flicked back and forth for a moment. One hand tugged on a long lock of brown hair as she pondered Chrom's question.
"I don't know, Chrom." Sumia breathed.. She pursed her lips before reaching for a band and tying her hair back so that she looked more presentable for this surprise war council, "The odds of us winning now are… they're not good. And-" She swallowed hard, "Lucina is back home."
Chrom nodded. That was what was bothering her, and it bothered him as well. The more he thought about the many ways they could be defeated, the more he wanted to return to Ylisstol and hold his baby girl again. A part of him thought about doing that now. Ordering the army to march east back to Charlet, board the ships, and execute a full retreat back to Archanea. After all, they proved their point, right? The Valmese could not simply invade their lands without consequences.
Those consequences are moot if they have one million men to throw at them. Chrom reminded himself.
They could not retreat now. Too much was at stake, and too much had been lost. If they failed to defeat the Conqueror here, on his turf, then he would simply try to conquer them again. Only the next time, he won't send an advance force, he'll just send his entire host. One million men would march onto Feroxi, Plegian, and Ylissean lands. Even if they all united their armies, they could not hope to match such numbers.
We either win here, or we were never meant to win at all.
"Your graces." The messenger poked her head in, "They're here. Are you-"
"Yes." Chrom nodded as he marched over to a table off to the side and dragged it to the center of the tent. Sumia reached out and helped him.
The first into the tent were Frederick and Say'ri. The Chon'sin Princess chose not to partake in the Feroxi's strange tradition of celebrating before battle, choosing instead to spend a quiet evening reading a book Sumia gave her. When the call for an emergency council came, she put out the lantern in her tent and rushed towards the Ylissean royal tent, ready to learn what was wrong. Frederick meanwhile, entered with a black eye, a busted lip, and perhaps the sourest expression Chrom had ever seen on his face.
"What happened to you?" Chrom asked with a light laugh.
Frederick slumped into a chair off to the side, hiding his eyes with his hand, "I'd prefer not to talk about it."
Ben and Dooku followed them in. Dooku looked regal as ever, not even weary. Ben meanwhile, looked like he might have had a glass of firewine or two. His hair was frayed a little bit, and he looked quite tired. Dooku gave him a disappointed look.
"You could at least try to look presentable when a council is called." Dooku sniffed as he stepped around the table and glanced down at the maps laid across it.
"I apologize if Tharja and I were interrupted." Ben remarked. He tugged on his shirt, smoothing out wrinkles, "I was told this was urgent, and I take urgent seriously."
"So do I, but you don't see me so disheveled."
Ben rolled his eyes, "If you were ever this disheveled, Count, I'd be…" He grimaced, "Nevermind, I don't want that image in my head."
"Getting rid of bad images," Khan Flavia sauntered into the tent, clearly drunk. Khan Basilio and General Mustafa followed her in. The two older men sober as could be, "is what this," The younger Khan hoisted a half empty bottle of firewine out in front of her, "is for. Want some, Ben?"
"Unfortunately, I need my mental faculties right now." Ben sniffed and rubbed at his right eye.
"Purging the toxins?" Dooku asked him.
"As quickly as I can." Ben muttered back, letting out a quiet groan as his head began to ache.
"Suit yourself." Khan Flavia put the bottle to her lips and tipped her head back. After a long gulp, she let out a satisfied gasp and slammed the bottle down onto the table, "Alright," She leaned up against the table, nearly dragging a map off of it on accident, "What's the deal?"
"We don't know yet." Chrom replied nodding over to both Mustafa and Basilio, "Robin called this council. We're waiting on-"
The tent opened. Robin, Tiki, and Luke quickly strode in. Everyone in the tent, except for Dooku and Flavia, bowed their heads to Tiki, an action that took her by surprise for a split second. She did not say anything in return as she chose to linger near the tent wall while both Luke and Robin stepped up to the table.
Chrom's eyes widened as a clearly exhausted Luke leaned against the table.
"Where's Lucina?" He asked, worry lacing his voice.
Luke hung his head, "My brother was less than accommodating."
Say'ri hissed, "I knew this would happen."
"What would happen?" Sumia breathed, "What happened to my daughter?"
"Luke," Say'ri addressed the young Sith. He raised his gaze to meet here, "Lucina?"
Luke gulped, "Captured and currently a hostage. Yen'fay viewed her as a far more valuable piece to hold onto than me."
"What!?" Chrom snapped, fist slamming down on the table, "Did you try to stop him!?"
"What could I do?" Luke replied, "Kill my brother? Those are the kind of actions I'm trying to avoid, in case you failed to notice. Besides, even with our abilities, there is no way Lucina and I could fight our way out of that camp. There are too many of them. If I killed Yen'fay, we would have been killed as well, or even worse, captured. The fact that Lucina is under my brother's watch means she will at least be treated well."
"How do you know that?" Chrom asked, teeth clenched tight as he struggled to contain himself.
"I know Yen'fay."
"Clearly you don't because you believed this foolish plan would work." Say'ri shook her head, "Yen'fay is a traitor and a coward, those kind of people do not change."
"I did not say the mission was a complete failure." Luke quickly followed up, "Yen'fay… illuminated his reasons to me. While I don't agree with them, I see where he is coming from." He noticed Say'ri's face flash with fury. He quickly raised his hand as she opened her mouth to reply, "We'll discuss it later. The important thing is while I could not convince him to change sides, I did learn that the Valmese are marching on us. They will be here any day."
"His army?" Ben asked, brow furrowed.
Luke shook his head, "Both."
"From what Luke told me, they plan to hit us from both north and south," Robin explained, "From there, they'll either squeeze the life out of us, or encircle us. We don't have the numbers to handle either scenario. While the terrain around the Mila Tree is solid for defense, if we stay here we are doomed."
"How so?"
Robin took a breath, "I can use the terrain to our advantage, but I cannot turn it into a disadvantage for them as well. Forests are good for concealing our movements, but it can also conceal their movements. Plus it is far too easy to encircle us here."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Flavia asked, deadly serious as she slid the firewine away from her grasp, "Retreat?"
"That would be a wise decision." Dooku chimed in, "We can mount a more effective defense within our own lands."
"With what army?" Basilio asked, "Even if I was given a few months, I could not raise another ten thousand men up to fighting standards. From what we have seen of the Valmese army, any farmer or villager we hand a spear to will be torn to shreds. The army we have right now is our force. They are our best. If we cannot win here, how can we win back home? The Valmese will surely pursue us as quickly as they can."
"We decimated their fleet." Frederick muttered, wincing and reaching for his black eye.
"One million men can build ships very fast." Ben muttered, one hand raking through his beard, "We won't have any time to prepare for an invasion force. It will be just like Port Ferox all over again, except the Valmese will be prepared this time."
"We cannot retreat." Chrom said, "Not now. Not after everything that has-"
"Sometimes, your majesty, you must know when you are beaten." Dooku interrupted, causing Chrom to glare at him, "A man who knows he is beaten and flees lives far longer than a man who refused to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.
"I am well aware of the danger we are in." Chrom hissed back, "That is precisely why we cannot retreat. If we do not defeat the Conqueror here, we will not be able to defeat him in Archanea. He will invade, and we will have no force to stop him with. The war will come to our shores and our lands will burn once more. As long as I draw breath, I will not allow that to happen."
"Then we must consider alternative strategies." Ben muttered, eyes studying the maps carefully, "Less savory and less honorable methods." He flicked his eyes up at Robin, "How battle ready are Priam's men?"
Robin furrowed his brow, "What are you thinking?"
Ben glanced to Dooku, "What was the Separatists' favorite tactic when outgunned, Count?"
Dooku frowned, "Ambush and retreat."
"Guerilla warfare." Ben nodded, "Hit the enemy hard and fast, then quickly retreat before they can catch their bearings." He ran his finger towards Fort Stieger, "What we need is an even playing field. Part of creating that is cutting into the enemy numbers in any way we can. Priam knows these lands better than any of us. He can hit Yen'fay's army then disappear into the wilderness without a trace."
"It sounds cowardly." Flavia frowned.
Ben sighed, "Believe me, I'd rather not do this either, but we are left with little choice."
"Can I just say that I actually feel somewhat proud of you, Kenobi." Dooku stated.
Ben snorted, "You won't feel that way long." He muttered before returning his attention to the others, "With that strategy, we can put some fear into the Valmese to the south. Every step they take, as long as Priam is out there, will be carefully placed. It'll slow their march and buy us more time."
"But can we trust the mercenary to follow through?" Frederick asked, "What if he realizes how bad the situation is and decides to leave us to our fate?"
"That's a bit pessimistic." Flavia commented.
"Tell him he'll get a no holds barred duel with me and Dooku if he does his job and we somehow win this bloody thing." Ben muttered.
"I don't recall agreeing to such terms." Dooku grumbled.
"You just agreed to them." Ben snipped back.
"No, I did not."
"Anyways, that should buy us time when it comes to the Southern army." Ben huffed.
"What about Walhart's army?" Basilio asked.
"One million men will move slow, right Robin?" Ben remarked.
"And if what we learned from Cervantes and Say'ri is true, and they are mostly conscripts, they'll move even slower." Robin nodded in agreement, "A conscripted army is in no hurry to see action, no matter how favorable the odds. From the intelligence we have gathered, there is no love lost between the common soldier and the Conqueror. They'll attempt to resist in their own way. While it may not be the open resistance we want, leisurely walking instead of hastily marching will do wonders for us. Besides," He glanced over at Tiki, "I'm sure the rumors will spread soon. We have the Voice on our side. The peasants and villagers will hear her call. An army in doubt is less deadly than an army confident in their cause."
"Playing the mental game." Dooku hummed, "Smart play, but it will only get us so far. Eventually one of those armies will face us. We still need to find a battlefield that gives us the advantage. And as has been established, we cannot remain here."
"Then we move towards the army we have a better chance at defeating." Robin answered, "Yen'fay has fifty thousand. We have ten thousand. Give me the right terrain and conditions, and we can win against those odds."
"But where?" Chrom breathed, perplexed as to what to do.
The group was quiet for a moment. Chrom flicked his eyes up and down the maps. His eyes roved over the vast forest surrounding the Mila Tree. While an adequate place to mount a stand, the tree would not save them in this instance. He glanced south towards the hills and plains bordering Chon'sin. An even worse area to try and defend. The last thing they needed was a pitched battle out in the open.
"Demon's Ingle."
All eyes turned to Say'ri.
"Demon's what?" Ben replied, puzzled.
Say'ri raised her gaze from the map, "Demon's Ingle." She pointed to a stretch of mountains south of Fort Stieger, "At the tip of the Kiba mountains."
Luke's eyes widened, "Say'ri I don't-"
"You want an area that will turn Yen'fay's numbers against him, that is it."
"How so?" Robin asked her.
Say'ri took a deep breath, "Demon's Ingle is an active volcano. Everyday it spews out ash and fire. The terrain will be treacherous for Yen'fay's large army, but for a smaller force, we could use it to our advantage." She bit her lip, "There is one problem though."
"It is southwest of Fort Stieger." Luke muttered, "We will have to circumvent Yen'fay's army to reach it."
The council fell silent again. A pit formed in Robin's gut as he realized a solution, but one that caused great fear to form in him.
"We need to split the army."
"Are you insane!?" Flavia cried.
"We are already at a numbers disadvantage." Basilio replied more calmly, "Splitting the army will only serve to weaken us further."
"Let the man talk." Mustafa grunted, "He defeated a superior force in Plegia, he can figure this one out."
Chrom watched Robin carefully as the tactician uttered a shaky breath.
"We divide into three battle groups. One marches east as fast as possible, feigning a full retreat. If Yen'fay takes the bait, then we will have a small window in which we can move south to Demon's Ingle. From there, that army will turn and hurry back Northwest to link up with the second battle group," Robin tapped the Mila Tree, "Which will remain here to delay the Conqueror's forces." The silence was deafening as Robin took another breath, "Finally, the last battle group will go to the Volcano. There, we will draw Yen'fay to us and engage his army." He raised his eyes to look at everyone, "That is our best chance at victory."
Luke shook his head, "I-" He swallowed hard, "This is suicidal."
"Yes, it is." Dooku muttered, "The first two battle groups will certainly be on a suicide mission." He flicked his eyes up to Robin, "I shall lead the Eastern Group."
Robin's jaw fell open. His shock magnified when Mustafa cleared his throat.
"I'll go with him. With any luck, our presence will be enough to draw the enemy to us."
Robin closed his eyes in disbelief, "Your bravery is beyond words, both of you. But it won't be enough." He looked across the table at Chrom and Sumia. Sumia paled while Chrom's face hardened as they realized what Robin was about to ask them, "I wouldn't be doing this if it was not necessary."
Chrom hung his head, "March to certain death? I-"
"I'll go."
Chrom whipped his gaze to Sumia. His mouth opened and closed before he shook his head.
"N-no, you will not go! The Shepherds-"
"Will need you at Demon's Ingle." Sumia finished for him, "The main army will need you to be by their side. You cannot leave and act as a diversion."
"Sumia you-" Chrom clenched his jaw as he struggled to hold back his emotions, "Lucina needs-"
"Her father." Sumia placed a hand on Chrom's cheek, "And Ylisse needs their Exalt. Not only for this war, but for the one we know is coming." She gave him a reassuring smile, "They will need you when the Fell Dragon comes again." Her smile widened as she tried to ease her husband's worries, "I'll be fine."
"We will be by her side the entire time." Mustafa nodded, "Right Dooku?"
Dooku blinked and tore his gaze from the maps, "Hm?" He quickly cleared his throat as Mustafa glared at him, "Y-yes, well… royalty is oh so important on this planet. It would do no good for Queen Sumia to die on the battlefield."
"Way to be reassuring, Count." Ben sighed.
"Do you even know me, Kenobi? I have never been reassuring in my entire life."
Sumia shook her head and chuckled under her breath, "See, I'll be just fine."
Chrom closed his eyes and exhaled, "There is no talking you out of this, is there?" He brushed his thumb over her cheek, "Promise you'll come back to me."
"Only if you promise to do the same." Sumia smiled back. She backed away from the table and moved to grab her gear. She quickly heaved her armor over her shoulder while Mustafa grabbed her travel pack. He motioned for her to go first, out of the tent.
"I shall marshal the Pegasus Knights as well as a third of the Ylissean soldiers." Mustafa told the council and Sumia.
"Thank you, Mustafa." Sumia nodded. She cast one last glance back at Chrom, swallowed hard, then tore her gaze away. Resolutely marching out of the tent.
Once she was gone, Chrom sagged and hung his head, weight resting against the table.
"Robin, I swear to Naga-"
"I know Chrom." Robin nodded, "I just cannot see any other way forward."
Chrom closed his eyes and gave him a shaky nod, "I know just-" He exhaled, "We need to win this damn war."
Flavia slammed a hand against the table, startling both Robin and Chrom.
"Damn right, we do!" Flavia bellowed, "And we will!" She reached for her bottle of fire wine, put it to her lips, and threw her head back, taking a long, hasty drink from it. She gasped as she tore the bottle away from her lips. Then she unceremoniously smashed the bottle against the table, shattering it, "Oaf! We march to meet this Conqueror!" She declared, voice filled with fiery excitement, "Let's test his metal."
Basilio gave her a wry smirk. A low, rumbling laugh left his lips, "You'll make a good ruling Khan yet."
"Ha! I already am!" Flavia declared, spinning on her heel and marching towards the exit, "Let's gather up our rowdy barbarians. We've got an actual party to go to now." She glanced back at Chrom, Robin, Ben, and Say'ri, winking at all four, "Give em hell you guys. You know I will."
With a loud laugh, Flavia sauntered out of the tent. Basilio followed her. Through the walls and chanting, they heard her powerful voice rise up over the celebration. Ordering her men to get battle ready. To Robin and Chrom's shock, a loud roar of approval resounded from the Feroxi. Their chanting ended, and the sounds of an army stirring to life took over.
"That leaves us." Robin breathed, "The Shepherds, and a few thousand of our Knights and mages, will move south to Demon's Ingle. There, we will make our stand."
"I shall join you." Tiki said, speaking up for the first time, "You will need all of the help you can get if you intend to defeat the enemy."
Robin gave her a thankful nod. He took a deep breath, "Well, let's get this whole thing started. If this fails then… well… we were never meant to win."
The others nodded, grim faced yet determined. Ben and Dooku left the tent first, probably to prepare the few knights and mages they were taking for the march. Robin, Chrom, and Say'ri remained to do some final polishing on their desperate plan. Frederick rushed off to find Priam and deliver the mercenary his orders. Orders that the wild man was likely to enjoy. Especially once he heard the reward. He had been wanting a duel with the Mad Swordsman, Ben Kenobi, since his arrival in Charlet. Something Ben did not want to do, but had to dangle to the mercenary in order to ensure his allegiance.
As he exited the tent, he noticed Dooku linger nearby for a moment. The old man looked… strangely worried. Anything that worried Dooku worried Ben. The Jedi Master cautiously approached the Sith Lord.
"Kenobi," Dooku stated, anticipating the Jedi's worry, "There is nothing you need to be concerned about."
Ben nodded, "Maybe. But I can sense your own anxiety."
"Anxiety?" Dooku waved off Ben's comment, "Hardly. I am merely concerned with what seems to be an unwinnable situation."
Ben smirked a little bit, "Does the infamous Count Dooku actually care about others? Color me surprised."
"I am not entirely heartless, Kenobi." Dooku snarled back, "The Shepherds are certainly people to be admired. I do not doubt their courage or their conviction. I do occasionally doubt their sanity."
"You and me both." Ben snorted.
"I include you in that description." Dooku reminded.
Ben rolled his eyes, "You just choose to see me in a bad light."
"Mm… yes, someone who jumps from flying Pegasi while being shot at is certainly sane."
"I've jumped from larger heights than that." Ben argued back with a slight laugh.
"My point exactly." Dooku nodded.
Ben shook his head and chuckled some more, "Force, maybe I am crazy. I still believe we stand a chance after all."
"We always stand a chance, Kenobi." Dooku replied, "So long as the Force is on our side, we stand a chance."
Ben arched an eyebrow, "And you believe the Force is on our side?"
Dooku eyed Ben, "You are alive, aren't you? Despite all the odds, and all of the circumstances, you are living and breathing. The Force is not done with you Kenobi, and I doubt it will cast you aside in a meaningless war such as this. Not when there are far greater threats lingering both on this planet and in the wider galaxy." He noticed some doubt on Ben's face. Dooku uttered a heavy sigh, "What did I always tell Qui Gon?"
"Concentrate on the here and now?"
Dooku snorted out a small laugh, "Yes, actually. I assume he gave you the same speech as I did?"
Ben smiled a little bit, "Apparently he did." He took a deep breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Priam and his band of mercenaries race into the forest. Ready to wreak havoc on the Valmese Southern army. Loud whinnies filled the night air. Pegasus Knights soared through the sky above them, angelic wings hiding the stars from their sight.
"I suppose I better get going, before the Queen leaves me behind." Dooku muttered, pulling his cape tighter over his shoulders as a cool wind rushed through the quickly emptying camp.
As he stepped away, Ben called out to him.
"Dooku!"
Dooku paused and glanced back at Ben. He expected Kenobi to give him a warning of some sort. To tell him he better not turn his back on the Shepherds. Or perhaps, he was going to plead with Dooku to make sure Sumia survived. The Queen and Pegasus Knight had been one of the first people to befriend Kenobi when he arrived on this planet. A fact that was not lost on the Sith Lord.
"May the Force be with you."
Dooku blinked in surprise. He averted his eyes for a moment, unsure of how to respond to a phrase he never thought Kenobi would ever say to him. A phrase meant to be shared between the Jedi and their allies. While he did recoil at the thought of being considered a Jedi again, the meaning of those words weighed heavily on him.
"You as well, Master Kenobi." Dooku said with a small bow of his head.
He turned on his heel and marched towards the Pegasus Knights, where an empty steed waited for him. He placed his boot in the empty stirrup and hauled himself up onto the saddle. The angelic beast snorted and stamped as he, an unfamiliar rider, sat down. Instead of berating the animal, Dooku gently patted its side and sent a calming wave through the force. With a single snap of the reins, the beast's white wings hammered against the air, and he lifted off. Soaring east, towards a desperate battle.
It rained. For the entire, swift sprint south towards the Kiba Mountains, it rained. Sheets of water cascaded over the Valmese countryside, drowning the dirt trails that crisscrossed the plains and turning them into thick, muddy rivers. With the rain came cold. A cold that chilled the bones. No matter how many layers Cynthia put on, the cold and wet seeped through it. Throughout the march, her teeth chattered, and she dared not fly her Pegasus into the sky for fear of the lightning bolts that cracked through the dark clouds. The rain did not even end at night. It soaked the tents, the bedrolls, caused sleepless nights and made the army eat cold meals.
But hey, Cynthia thought to herself, trying her best to remain optimistic as she led her Pegasus through the mud. Her boot sank into a deep puddle. She grit her teeth as mud and muck slipped into her boot, It could be worse. We could have Grima trying to kills us.
The column of several thousand soldiers and the Shepherds came to an abrupt halt. Cynthia furrowed her brow. A gasp rushed from her lips. Through the sheets of rain and mist, she could see a massive mountain range jutting up into the dark clouds like shadowy teeth. At the tip of the range, staring down at them, was a black mountain spewing midnight smoke into the rain clouds.
"Demon's Ingle." Luke breathed beside her, "We made it." He trudged forward a little more and wiped raindrops from his eyes. More rain cascaded over his hood as he peered into the distance, "It's a damn miracle we did. The diversion must have worked."
"Yeah…" Cynthia muttered.
Worry filled her. The diversion was a desperate play by Robin and Master Ben. A way to possibly give them an opening so that they could reach Demon's Ingle and draw General Yen'fay into a trap. But… in order for it to work, someone important had to lead that diversion. Her mother and a large retinue of Pegasus Knights volunteered. When Cynthia learned about it, she pleaded to go with. But her mother forbade it. She would remain with the Shepherds. It was safer for her that way. Which told Cynthia all she needed to know about their dire situation.
It's safer for me to go fight in a volcano than for me to help my mother distract the enemy.
"Hey." Luke gently cupped her chin and turned her head to him. She looked up at his hooded head. Raindrops pelted against his hood and her forehead, "It's going to be okay."
"Bleh!"
Luke sighed as Brady snorted and stomped forward through the mud. The foul mouthed priest scratched at his backside then sniffed the air. On his shoulders sat Prince Kage, who was wrapped in a heavy coat, but seemed to be enjoying the rain.
"Save the mushy stuff for later, guys." He grumbled, "It's a small camp now. And I ain't in the mood to hear singing."
"No singing!" Kage cheered above him.
"That's right kiddo." Brady nodded.
Cynthia snickered a little bit, "It looks like you two have become inseparable."
Brady shrugged, accidentally jostling Kage, but the Prince laughed at the sudden movement, "Kid's alright. It's his grown up version I have a problem with."
Luke rolled his eyes, "You only have a problem with me because you know you can't kick my ass."
"I can and one day I will." Brady replied. A large raindrop pelted his forehead, causing a long frown to form on his face, "Hey kiddo, what'd I say about being on my shoulders?"
"I gotta catch the raindrops."
"Well ya missed one." Brady huffed before flashing a playful smirk over at Cynthia, "Gives him something to do."
"Sorry, Mr. Brady."
"Ha! Mr. Brady, that's a good one." Severa joined their small group, arms wrapped tight around her body as she shivered in the wet and cold, "He's probably the only one in this group that actually views you with some respect."
"My Pa respects me."
Severa shook her head, "He's supposed to. He's your dad."
"How are things going with your parents, Sev?" Cynthia asked, genuinely curious.
Severa rubbed her right arm, "Well… mother is getting better. She's able to sit up on her own now, so that's a good sign." She blinked and frowned, "N-not like I-"
"Oh save your breath, you care more than you want to let on." Luke sighed.
Severa's cheeks reddened, "I- you-" She folded her arms and huffed, "Screw you Luke."
"Can't, Cynthia's already doing it."
"Ha!" Brady guffawed as Cynthia smacked Luke's arm before snickering at Severa's look of disgust.
"What does screw mean?" Kage suddenly asked, causing Brady's face to twist up like he just ate a whole lemon.
"Well er-" Luke, Cynthia, and Severa started giggling uncontrollably as the Priest fumbled with his words. Brady stomped his foot, "See what yall did! Now I gotta explain screwing to the Kid."
"Oh Naga, no you won't!"
Brady's face lost all color as Maribelle approached the group, parasol open and shielding her from the rain. She frowned at Brady and glanced up at the toddler on his shoulders. Brady gulped and gave his mother a sheepish smile.
"Hey ma-mother."
"Just…" Maribelle pinched her nose and sighed, "Set the toddler down already, your father and I need help setting up the tent."
Brady glanced up at Kage, "Ride's over kid." He reached up and set Kage down on the ground. The toddler let out a disappointed sound as his feet touched the mud, "Gotta go be responsible now."
"I'd say you've been plenty responsible so far." Luke muttered, "Say'ri's been busy with the war, someone's gotta look out for me."
"Heh, ain't ya lucky I give I shit?" Brady replied.
"Language!" Maribelle scolded.
Brady cringed, "S-sorry Ma-mother." He cursed again, "I'm gonna get it right, I swear it."
Their conversation died in the rain as they moved towards the front of the column, where the tents were being set up. Severa huffed and shook the rain from her head. A long groan left her lips as stray red hairs splattered against her face.
"I swear I'm gonna cut it short one day." She grumbled as she shouldered her travel gear and started towards the front of the camp again. She paused and glanced back at Luke, "You seen Sakura? She's been in a mood lately. Figured I could try and cheer her up."
"Look for the corner that is furthest away from Say'ri and you'll probably find her."
"Thanks, I guess." Severa muttered before leaving the pair in the mud.
Luke looked puzzled as the redhead marched away, "You know, she never said anything about her father."
"That's because her dad is weird, remember?" Cynthia replied, "But in a good way."
"I always got the impression that he was batshit insane." Luke thought for a moment and glanced in Severa's direction again, "Maybe that explains her mood swings."
Cynthia shook her head and nudged him with her elbow, "Be nice."
"I am."
She sighed and laughed a little to herself. She knew Luke was trying, and for this entire trip he had been a surprising source of optimism among her and her friends. Always moving to help the others through the mud and providing words of encouragement (although those words tended to come out in an awkward mess). In a way, he had stepped into Lucina's shoes. Assumed her role as leader of their little band. Which made sense, since he was the oldest and strongest of all of them. Although, not everyone appreciated his efforts. Noire actively ignored him still, despite Cynthia and Brady's best efforts to get her to give Luke a chance.
Cynthia an a hand over her face, brushing her fingers over her eyes before a long yawn left her lips.
"We'll reach the volcano tomorrow?"
"Yes, we will." Luke breathed, "And then… well-"
"Then we fight." Cynthia gulped.
Luke nodded, "Yeah, then we fight."
Cynthia let out a shaky breath. An actual battle… that was something she had never been a part of before. In the future, she led scouting parties and joined what remained of the Pegasus Knights in small skirmishes. But when Ylisstol came under siege, Aunt Lissa, Master Ben, and Lucina told her to remain near the rear. Someone with Exalted Blood needed to survive Grima's carnage in case Lucina, Owain, or Lissa fell in battle. They chose her.
But now she was going to be in a battle. Not just any battle, but the most pivotal of the entire Valm campaign.
"Cynthia?" Luke whispered as he felt her starting to shake.
"If there is any good news to all of this, we know we win, right?" Cynthia gulped and looked at Luke again, "We win, and all of our parents and their friends make it out of this alive, right?"
Luke pressed his lips into a thin line. Softly, he took her hand and gave it a small squeeze.
"I will do everything in my power to make that happen." He breathed before leaning in to kiss her.
Their lips brushed together. Cynthia smiled a little bit, opened her eyes for a split second, froze, then abruptly jerked away from Luke.
Luke furrowed his brow, "Something wrong?"
"Uh oh." Cynthia gulped.
Luke looked puzzled. Then he sensed a particularly angry presence behind him. His eyes closed and an exasperated sigh left his lips.
"Your father is-"
"Watching? Yeah." Cynthia whispered. She looked down at her feet and squeezed his hand, "I'll set up the tent while you um-"
"Yeah, it's probably about time I deal with this." Luke nodded.
He spun on his heel and met Chrom's furious gaze. The Ylissean Prince stood a few yards away with Robin. Robin's jaw hung open while he stared at Luke. The tactician watched Cynthia quickly retreat away before clearing his throat and tapping Chrom on the shoulder.
"I'll um… I'll go do some… things like-uh- reading and stuff."
"Good idea." Chrom muttered back, eyes never leaving Luke, "Luke and I need to have a little chat."
Robin gulped, "I need him for the battle."
Chrom's head snapped over to Robin. The tactician shrank a little bit while Luke cautiously approached the two men.
"J-just saying but um- oh hey! I think I just heard Tiki call me!"
Luke gave Robin a perplexed look as the tactician rushed away. Him and Chrom watched Robin disappear into their growing campsite.
Luke glanced at Chrom, "He does know Tiki is in the other direction, right?"
"Cynthia." Chrom hissed back.
Luke looked down at his feet, "You couldn't go along with the change in subject?"
"How long?"
Luke grimaced. He took a deep breath, mentally reminded himself to not lose his temper in case Chrom did anything stupid, then exhaled.
"Just about a year."
The fist came out of nowhere. Luke reeled as Chrom punched his jaw and sent him tumbling down into the mud. Stars danced in his vision for a brief second. Then the force howled to life within him. His vision snapped into focus and he raised his hands, ready for Chrom to pounce and rain down more blows.
But none came. Chrom stared him down. Then the Prince winced and shook his right hand.
"That's for keeping it from me." He growled, wincing again as his hand throbbed.
Luke raised his brow, "That's what you're mad about?"
Chrom flexed the fingers on his right hand and winced, "Did anyone ever tell you that you have an iron jaw? Naga above." He reached a hand out to Luke. Luke looked at him, surprised, then reached out and took his hand.
"Well, when you have an animal like Maul as a teacher," Luke grunted as Chrom hauled him to his feet, "you tend to get very tough."
Chrom nodded, "Noted." He huffed and rolled his shoulders.
Luke let out a heavy breath as well as the two stood in the rain while the army set up camp around them. A few soldiers glanced in their direction when Chrom decked Luke. But no one moved to intervene, which did not surprise Luke in the slightest. Most of the Ylisseans still viewed him as a traitor and a villain.
"Luke," Chrom breathed, "I'm not going to pretend to be completely okay with this. I may not know Cynthia as well as I know Lucina, but she is still my daughter. Albeit from the future."
Luke nodded in understanding.
"And…" Chrom took a deep breath, "And I also know that she is a grown up. I wouldn't want my parents hovering over my relationships." He snorted to himself, "If father ever found out I married Sumia, Naga… I bet he is rolling in his grave right now. He always wanted me to be with a noblewoman like Maribelle."
Luke blinked in surprise, "Really?"
Chrom nodded, "But Emmeryn did not force me into anything, and I am forever grateful for that. I'll do the same with Cynthia, but only to a fault." Chrom pointed a finger at Luke, "You so much as harm a hair on her head and I swear-"
"I'll point Falchion at my heart myself if that ever happens." Luke said calmly.
"Good." Chrom nodded, "Then we are at an understanding." He started to walk past Luke, but paused beside him, "Luke…"
"Yeah?"
"You know how this battle is going to go, don't you?"
Luke was quiet for a moment. In the future, the battle went extremely well for the Shepherds. The entire war went well for them. None of the Shepherds died, they all came home to start or take care of their new families, it had been a resounding success for them. Of course, they had an army in the hundreds of thousands during that time, not the pitiful amount they fielded now.
"I know how it went in our future." Luke replied, "But that future is no longer certain. I won't pretend to know what is coming."
"But we won, right?"
Luke nodded.
"What were the odds?"
"Nearly even." Luke replied, "Your army stood toe to toe with both my brother's and the Conqueror's."
Chrom cursed, "I was afraid you were going to say that." He started to walk away again, then stopped, "Luke, if this goes poorly, I want you to promise me that you will get Cynthia out of here, and that you will rescue Lucina."
Luke's eyes widened, "I-you-" He cleared his throat, "That's surprising coming from you."
"I'm only asking because I know that if anyone can do it, you can. Ben will be in the thick of the fighting with me and Robin. Dooku is with Sumia. The only one I know that can fight off a whole company of soldiers single handedly after them, is you. Besides, you care about them. Despite what your previous actions showed."
Luke grimaced as he realized Chrom was referring to the Plegian War.
"I'll do what I can." He answered.
"Good." Chrom patted his shoulder, "Get some rest. And-" Chrom grimaced, "Are you and Cynthia-"
Luke's cheeks reddened, Chrom immediately let out a heavy sigh.
"Should've known. Cynthia's impulsive like that. Only known her for a few weeks and still…" He shook his head and walked away. As he walked away, Luke heard Chrom grumble a few more things, "Crazy girl of mine. Gonna drive me up the wall when she is born, I swear."
He disappeared into the camp. Luke let out a heavy breath and rested his hands on his knees as he realized he had been holding his breath the entire conversation.
"How the…" He stared down at the muddy ground and laughed to himself, "Chrom just made me nervous, what the hell?"
"Luke!" Cynthia called to him.
Luke glanced towards the edge of the camp, where the rest of the future kids were setting up their tents. Noire had hers set up perfectly. Inigo was fumbling with his tent. Owain shouted he would come to assist Inigo as soon as he completed his own tent. Sakura had already disappeared into her tent. He could hear both her and Severa whispering fervently inside. Say'ri and Cordelia's names were tossed back and forth, giving Luke a good impression on what they were talking about. Laurent kept his tent to the edge of their little corner of the camp. Luke could smell the stench of vulneraries and elixirs being brewed inside of the bigger tent Laurent possessed.
Good, we'll need them. He thought.
Brady was the only one that was not staying near them. His mother demanded he stay in the Themis tent with her and Donnel. Something about nobility and noble customs and whatnot.
Then… then there was Cynthia and what she called a tent. Luke chuckled a little as he stopped in front of the hopelessly lopsided construct. Cynthia stopped a foot and folded her arms, causing Luke to keep laughing.
"It's not that bad!" She cried, "You can't blame me! You were always the one doing this stuff before. And now you won't stop laughing and I'm cold, tired, my feet hurt, and they're full of mud and-"
Luke shook his head, wrapped an arm around her waist, and smiled.
"Want me to fix it?"
Cynthia rested her head against his chest and pouted.
"Yes." She muttered.
Luke laughed lightly again then kissed the top of her head.
"Just give me a second."
Naga above that was awkward. Robin thought as he trudged through the rain and mud. He stumbled as his feet landed in a deep puddle along the side of the road. Mud and water soaked his legs up to his knees. A long groan left his lungs as he let his head fall back in exasperation.
First I tell all of them this suicidal plan then the weather turns on us. Robin huffed and yanked his heavy, mud soaked boots out of the muck, What's next? Is the Volcano going to erupt while we're near it?
Robin shook his head as the rain started to come down even harder. Not even his coat could save him from the downpour. He shivered, mood now completely sour.
What am I doing? Robin thought to himself as he drifted towards the edge of the small camp.
Behind him the few thousand Ylissean soldiers and the Shepherds hastily finished setting up the camp. It will be another night of cold food and cold beds. Another miserable night for everyone on this damned march. A march he ordered, believing it to be the best course forward. But was he wrong? And was Dooku correct? The elderly man advised him and Chrom to execute a full retreat, and they ignored him. Ben remained mostly undecided, but supported his and Chrom's decision in the end.
However, Robin could not miss the worry Ben exuded every moment he was awake. The Jedi Master seemed off since they started marching. He stuck close to Tharja and Noire, spending as much time with them as he possibly could. He did not do that before Charlet, or the battle at sea, or even before Port Ferox. Ben was always in front of the army, ready to lead them into whatever the hell they were facing. But now, he lingered behind. Did he believe Robin's plan was impossible? That this war was out of reach and they were now doomed?
He let out a heavy breath and hung his head, rain running down the back of his neck, soaking into the shirt beneath his coat. He ran a hand over his face, wiping as much water away from his eyes as he could.
"Have I doomed us?"
"What are you muttering about?"
Robin snapped his head up. Tiki approached him, a concerned look on her face as she tiptoed her way around muddy puddles. Even in the rain, she looked positively stunning to him. And for some reason, dryer than they all were.
Am I seeing things, or is there steam coming off of her?
Tiki noticed Robin's perplexed look as she drew up alongside him.
"Warming spell." She shrugged, "Little thing I picked up a long time ago. Back when I lived someplace quite cold. Bonus to it, it makes raindrops evaporate."
Robin's eyes widened, "When can I learn that?"
Tiki chuckled, "One day, Robin. One day." She folded her hands in front of her and glanced over his shoulder to the camp behind him, "I would think you would be with Prince Chrom and Princess Say'ri, planning our next move."
"W-well I was on my way to do that but then I- well- actually- Chrom got sidetracked."
"Oh?" Tiki remarked, curious, "Sidetracked by what?"
Robin blushed. A mischievous gleam entered Tiki's eyes.
"Now you have to tell me."
"I think it might be a bit of a private thing."
"Tell me." Tiki said again, smiling wide.
"Uh-"
"Please?"
Robin sighed, "Luke was kissing Cynthia."
Tiki narrowed her eyes in confusion, "And that is a bad thing because…"
"Luke tried to kill Cynthia's sister, and the Shepherds, two years ago."
Tiki blinked, "Oh! Well," She cleared her throat, "I've heard of youthful rebellion but that is… wow."
Robin nearly choked at what she said, "Youthful rebel- no, no, no. I doubt it's anything like that. From what I have seen, Cynthia and Lucina adore their parents." He furrowed his brow, "Which makes Cynthia and Luke an even more confusing relationship than I previously thought."
"Maybe they bring out the best in each other?" Tiki shrugged.
Robin thought for a moment, "Come to think of it, he has been less of an asshole since she came around."
Tiki laughed a little bit, "Well, there is your answer. A relationship doesn't have to make sense on the outside. So long as it helps both parties be better people, then it is a good one."
Robin bobbed his head back and forth, "I guess you're right." He took a deep breath as worry filled him again.
If Luke and Cynthia really cared for each other that much, then they were sacrificing everything because of the plan. His heart sank as another thought hit him. Sumia and Chrom could end up dying away from each other, condemned to lonely deaths on a rain soaked battlefield. Tharja and Ben… the rest of the Shepherds…
"Robin?"
"Yes, Tiki?" Robin exhaled as thunder rolled over their heads.
"What troubles you so much?"
Robin stammered in surprise, "Wh-what makes you think something is bothering me?"
"I can sense it." Tiki responded, "Your aura is very out of focus and off balance. Not quite to the extent as it was when we first met, but still enough to concern me."
Robin paled, "You don't think I'm about to lose control of the Force again, do you?"
She did not shake her head or deny the question. Tiki uttered a heavy sigh before finally responding.
"Robin, do you recall what happened when we entered your mind?"
Robin furrowed his brow. What happened when they entered his mind? He remembered bits and pieces, but nothing concrete. He recalled a cluttered room filled with dusty books and tomes. The only organized thing in the entire room was a desk with a few tactical journals and a spellbook on top of it. He recalled a fuzzy picture of an older woman within one of the dusty books he plucked from a large stack. Then everything started to grow hazy. The images faded and he could only recall feelings. Feeling terrified, then horrified, exhausted, followed by… by thrill. A sudden rush of power that excited a dark part of his mind. Relief as something had been freed before fury as it was shut away once again by an outside force, by Tiki.
"Inside of your mind were not just your thoughts," Tiki said, "There were two… entities within you as well. I-I was not certain what they were until recently, after much reflection."
Robin looked at her, suddenly very apprehensive, "What are you talking about?"
Tiki closed her eyes, "The voice in your head whenever you lose control of your powers, it is not your own. But at the same time, it is."
"That makes no sense." Robin breathed, "How can whatever it is in my mind be both me and not me?"
"Because it was born long before you were, and you were born specifically to house it." Tiki gulped as she thought hard about whether or not to continue. Was it a good idea to worry Robin further right now? No… she had to. Robin needed to know the danger that was present in every breath he took. He needed to know what he was, so that he could resist it. "You know how the Exalted bloodline happened, right?"
Robin thought for a moment, "I read something about it once. The history books say that Naga herself blessed Chrom's ancestors. She gifted them not only with her blessing but with symbols of her power. Or something along those lines."
"Mostly accurate. Not very detailed though." Tiki breathed, "Well, Naga is, in this instance, the good. The one fighting to keep humanity safe, through her anointed followers. Her enemy has done something similar. I only discovered this after we went into your mind."
Robin looked at her, confused, "After you went into my-" Realization dawned on his face. He fell silent.
"The opposite of Naga, at least nowadays, is the Fell Dragon, Grima."
Robin's hands started to shake. As they shook, he turned them, and saw the faded Mark of Grima emblazoned on the back of his right hand. Dooku suspected he was Plegian. The mark of Grima not only backed his suspicions, it also meant he might have ties to the Grimleal in a life he no longer remembered.
"It would make sense," Tiki continued, "for Naga's enemy to react to her actions, by creating a bloodline of his own. One that he not only blessed, but gave power to. Or even inhabits if the host becomes strong enough."
His mouth felt dry as sandpaper. Every limb, every toe, every finger, felt numb. Even though his hands were shaking, Robin could not feel them moving.
"Robin… I fear you may be the host for the Fell Dragon."
"No!" Robin snapped suddenly, "N-no I-" He raked a hand through his hair, "That is impossible. I mean, how can a literal deity inhabit me!?"
"Grima is not a deity, merely an abomination, albeit a powerful one." Tiki replied, voice quiet, "Again, I just suspect this but there are too many things lining up for this to not be the case. The biggest piece being Grima's presence in your mind."
Robin struggled to catch his breath, "But- but I'm fighting against him, aren't I? I-" He shook his head, "No, that is not true! I refuse to believe it! I refuse to believe that I would put my friends in such danger, even if I am supposedly ignorant of it!"
"Robin-"
"I mean," Robin ran a hand over his mouth, "If I am Grima incarnate, why have you not killed me?"
Hurt flashed through Tiki's eyes, "Do you think me so detached from the ways of the world that I would kill someone based on a suspicion?"
Robin pressed his lips into a thin line, "Why?" He asked again, his tone less accusatory, less panicked and angry.
Tiki closed her eyes, "A loaded question. I don't know the answer myself, not yet at least. I-" Tiki took a deep breath, "Robin, regardless of what we may be, or who we are born to be, it is our actions in the moment that define who we are, not our circumstances." She placed a hand on his shoulder, "You are you, now and in the future. So long as you continue to fight for good and fight for the light, you will remain that way. Chrom will be by your side, so will Ben, every Shepherd, and… and so will I."
Robin stared stunned at Tiki. If what she said was true, then he was everything she stood against. The very enemy they all feared would rise again could possibly be inside of him. While he did not believe it, refused to believe it, it did unsettle him to think that someone as intelligent and wise as Tiki suspected it. But despite her suspicions, she believed in him.
"Why tell me this?" Robin asked, voice shuddering.
"Because you deserve to know. I do not believe keeping such information from you to be wise or kind. And well… you've been kind and helpful to me since we met. I figured it would only be fair if I did the same."
Robin exhaled. He hung his head and nodded to himself.
"Please don't tell anyone else about this. I don't want there to be any-"
"It will stay between us for now." Tiki nodded in agreement, "I do not want to cause a fuss over a hunch that may or may not be true. But when this war is over, we will investigate it together."
Robin sniffled, "Th-thank you."
Tiki gave him a soft smile, moved forward, and wrapped her arms around him, trying her best to comfort the struggling Tactician. As they embraced, she could feel her own heart hammering in her chest. Even when confronted with such disastrous news, he thought of his friends. He thought only about protecting them. Feelings she had not felt in millennia sprang forth inside of her. And she had no idea what to do with them.
Robin closed his eyes and reluctantly ended their hug. When they pulled away, Tiki flashed him a small smile, and Robin's cheeks heated up.
"I um…" Robin gulped, "Better go make sure Chrom didn't kill Luke. Or vice versa."
Tiki chuckled, "Yes, you better go do that. I'll um… if you need any more help or anything, do not hesitate to come find me."
Robin nodded, "Of course."
As he walked away, Tiki let out a heavy breath. She inhaled, then exhaled again. Trying to steady her racing heart. But for the life of her, she could not calm herself down. Her mind raced as she thought not only of Robin's predicament, but also just about him as a person. She found herself admiring him. Even when given devastating information that could have shattered him, he pressed forward. His first priority was to make sure Chrom and Luke were alright. He did not go and wallow in self pity, or retreat away and hide from those he called friend. He threw himself into his work, into bettering the lives of those around him. Into making sure they would all live to see tomorrow.
I will fight for you, Robin. Tiki thought, We all will fight for you.
Say'ri lay awake on her bedroll, thin blanket tucked tight around her shivering body as the rain pelted the roof of her tent. She usually kept a lantern burning by her bedside late into the night. A way to comfort herself before the darkness set in. But they could not afford any Valmese patrols to see them. So there were no fires, no lamps, not a single flicker of light in their camp. It led to a dreary evening. One where Say'ri found herself struggling to fall asleep.
She tossed over onto her side, resting her head on her hand. Beside her bedroll was her sword. A gift she received from her father before he died. A katana forged specifically for her. The scabbard was even engraved with beautiful cherry blossoms. The very flowers she loved going out and looking at when she was a little girl.
Her heart ached as she thought of her father, her mother, the family she once had. They had been so happy before the Conqueror came. Chon'sin had been a land at peace for generations. She had begun learning how to run a royal household from her mother and various servants when the Conqueror's ultimatum came to her father. Surrender and pledge fealty, or die. The ultimatum was delivered with severed heads from a border outpost.
Her father chose to keep his honor. He chose to fight back. As a result, he died, just as the Conqueror promised. Meanwhile, her brother, the one her father trusted to hold Koto, to protect her from the Valmese, and to lead Chon'sin upon his death, gave up his honor so that he might live.
Damn him!
She sat upright. Sleep would elude her once again tonight. With a heavy sigh, she reached for a heavy cloak and threw it over her body. She rose to her feet, slipped her boots on, then grabbed her katana and stepped out into the rain and cold.
It was not a downpour anymore. A light drizzle descended onto the camp now. But the temperature had fallen, and she could see her breath misting in front of her lips. Faint moonlight attempted to penetrate the dark clouds above her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw a lone figure emerge from one of the Shepherd's tents. Glowing yellow eyes blinked sleepily over to her.
"Uh…" Luke gulped in the darkness as he caught sight of Say'ri, "I really hope you didn't hear anything."
Say'ri sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Naga, Luke…"
"We were as quiet as we could be and-"
"I didn't hear anything, don't worry."
"Oh." Luke muttered back. He rocked back and forth on his heels as he stood across from Say'ri. No cloak or hood rested over his body. He seemed completely unaffected by the rain and the cold, "Then what woke you up?"
"I haven't fallen asleep yet." Say'ri muttered back as she marched towards the center of their camp, where she knew Anna's tent was located. Hopefully the merchant wouldn't mind some late night small talk. She was usually up quite late anyways.
"Off to find something to do?"
Say'ri paused, "Yes."
"You should talk to Sakura."
Say'ri closed her eyes, "I have already tried to speak to her but she-"
"Is difficult?" Luke snorted, "You have no idea. I grew up with her, I should know."
"She acts like she hates me."
"She doesn't hate you, Say'ri. She…" Luke sighed, "She hates what you did in the future."
"And what did I do exactly?" Say'ri asked, "Doesn't she know that who I am now is the same person as who I was in the future?"
Luke pursed his lips, "For some it is difficult to differentiate. Noire is still flabbergasted by her parents in this timeline. I know Severa remains very standoffish with Cordelia. We all have responded to this strange situation in our own ways. I have a feeling that if you just speak with Sakura, this can be resolved."
Say'ri shook her head, "I wish I had the time. But I do not. We have a war to worry about. When it is over, I will speak with her. Maybe I can build some sort of relationship with her." Say'ri turned to walk away again.
Luke grimaced in the darkness, "Say'ri."
"What?" Say'ri snarled spinning back around.
"We have no guarantees now." Luke breathed, "I do not know if we win anymore or not. Please, just go speak to her."
"You don't think we can emerge victorious?" Say'ri asked, "You don't think that when Yen'fay comes to us, I will be able to defeat him?"
Luke's gaze hardened, "By defeat, do you mean kill him?"
Say'ri's grip on her Katana tightened. Luke let out a heavy sigh.
"He's our brother, Say'ri."
"He was my brother." Say'ri spat back, "He ceased to be when he betrayed my father and mother." She strode towards him, anger rising in her voice, "Do you have any idea what it is like? To live with the man who helped kill your family? To be around the coward that condemned everything you held dear to death?"
Luke's eyes blazed, "Maul."
Say'ri gulped as his eyes tore through her. She averted her gaze and kneaded the grip of her sword.
"Well… this is different. And it is rich of you to warn me against seeking vengeance when you did so before."
"And I was wrong."
"Were you?" Say'ri asked harshly, "You killed Maul after he harmed Lucina. Was that not vengeance? If you did not act that way then, would he still be terrorizing our allies?"
Luke remained silent.
"He would." Say'ri nodded, "Sometimes, vengeance is necessary. I will strike down Yen'fay and restore honor to both our house and Chon'sin."
"You will tear our family apart in the process."
"Our family!? How long have you been here? A year and a half at most?" Say'ri spat back, "Half of that time you were antagonizing me and Cynthia. What family do you think you have!?"
"You have Sakura, Kage, and like it or not, Yen'fay." Luke replied, voice shaking as rage started to fill him. He quickly inhaled, closed his eyes, then exhaled, "Vengeance will not bring you peace, Say'ri. When I killed Maul, I became more lost than I had ever been before. And it took… a lot for me to find the right path again. Don't make the same mistake I made."
Say'ri grit her teeth. How could her brother say this? He had finally seen Yen'fay's cowardice for himself. Seen how he cared only about his survival and not their own freedom. How could he side with him!? How could he be such a hypocrite!?
"Say'ri-"
She did not bother to stay and hear him speak anymore. His voice called out to her one more time as she marched away, delving further into the dark camp, but she did not turn around. Her boots sank into the mud as she stomped away.
As she drew closer to Anna's tent, she noticed a lack of tables and merchandise sitting out. Which meant the merchant with the red beret had closed up shop for the evening and had gone to sleep. Say'ri cursed under her breath.
What now?
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a faint light flicker in a tent far off to the side. Say'ri furrowed her brow.
Who in the hell thinks that is a good idea?
She marched towards the tent just as the light winked out. Say'ri did not stop her march though. She stormed right up to the tent's entry and threw it open.
A sharp breath rushed into her lungs as she saw the mop of brown hair sleeping hard on a bedroll. Sakura slumbered peacefully, with a recently extinguished lantern to her left, and a-
Her eyes widened when she saw a broken scabbard to her right. A scabbard with faded cherry blossoms carved into the wood. Say'ri swallowed hard and looked at Sakura's peaceful face. Right then and there, she could feel her heart swell with pride and love for the teenager in front of her. And for the first time, she desperately felt like speaking to her.
Say'ri opened her mouth, then snapped it closed as Sakura let out a soft snore.
No. Say'ri thought, closing her eyes and smiling a little bit, She needs rest.
Say'ri back out of the tent. A shaky breath left her lips. She put her hands on her hips and bowed her head. Luke's words lingered in the back of her mind.
If I kill Yen'fay, I will tear our family apart?
Doubt filled her. What if Luke's words were true? Was that the action she took that turned her daughter against her in the future? Or was it the first of many decisions she made? Say'ri ran a hand over her head.
I cannot linger on this. I must… I must do what needs to be done.
Weariness slammed into her as the events of the past few days finally caught up to her. Say'ri slowly trudged her way back to her tent. When she got there, Luke was nowhere to be found. The young Sith likely back in Cynthia's embrace in her tent, sleeping peacefully.
She entered her tent, took off her cloak, and placed her Katana by her bedside. With a long sigh, she lay back down on her bedroll, sleep washing over her. As she started to drift away, the look of hurt and anger in Luke's eyes as she spat hideous words at him haunted her thoughts.
Am I already tearing us apart?
Rain pelted the battlefield. Dark clouds rumbled high over Flavia and Basilio's heads. The sound of armor clanking drowned out the rolling thunder after each flash of bright lightning. The plains of Northern Valm were cold. Dead grass drifted in frantic waves along an icy wind. If Flavia did not know any better, she would have sworn she was back home during the summer months. Visiting some area to the far north in Ferox. The cold rain and dreary sky certainly reminded her of home.
But she was not home, she was standing on a field in Valm, staring at an army clad in red armor. It was like looking at an entire colony of fire ants swarming over the hills before her. Red flags flapped violently in the breeze. A nervous breath escaped her lips as her dark eyes roved over the endless sea of Valmese soldiers waiting across from her. She glanced over to her right, locking eyes with Basilio.
"You think that's all of them?"
Basilio frowned, "Only one way to find out." He rolled his shoulders, gripped his battle ax in one hand, and gave her a nod, "Care to address the men?"
Flavia shook her head, "They already know what we must do." Her lips curled into a smile, "I'm going to enjoy every second of this. Sound the horns!"
Horns blasted through the air, ripping through the night sky like a roaring beast. Battle cries erupted from the Feroxi around Flavia. Her grin widened as she drew her sword and sprinted towards the Valmese lines. Her army charged with her.
The Valmese lines did not so much as move an inch. As the Feroxi moved forward, their war cries grew in volume. Flavia noticed some shields shift in front of her. The Valmese exchanged some nervous glances.
That was all they had time for. Flavia hit the enemy lines first, sword cutting a hideous arc up through the paper thin armor of some poor villager conscripted into the Conqueror's army. Her steel slashed through metal, flesh, and bone. Her body slammed against the poor sod with a shield behind the first man. He did not last long either. Behind her, the rest of her army slammed into the Valmese lines.
Cries of death, anger, fear; hellish screams surrounded her. Blood rushed through Flavia's ears, drowning out the noise. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, delivering to her the thrill of battle that she always craved. A broad smile covered her face as she bashed away a wayard lance with the flat of her blade, then brought the guard right into the face of that same soldier, shattering his cheekbone.
The soldier howled, fell back, then was impaled by one of Flavia's Lancers. Her elite force surged into the sea of red. Heavily armored soldiers that, in her opinion, were worth at least twenty of these pitiful Valmese.
Basilio roared nearby, swinging his ax down and nearly cleaving a man in two.
"How about a competition, oaf!?" Flavia called before slashing through two Valmese spearmen, "I have four now!"
"Seven!" Basilio barked back with a smirk.
"Bullshit!" Flavia bellowed, spinning around and slashing through another Valmese, "Five!"
Her second wave of Lancers hit the broken Valmese front line. All around her, Valmese soldiers, if she could call them that, threw their weapons down and ran. A mocking laugh erupted from Flavia's lungs as she gave chase.
"Is this it!?" She roared, cutting down a fleeing soldier, "Is this the mighty Conqueror's army!?"
"Don't get too cocky, Flavia!" Basilio shouted over to her, "We still have the rest of them to take… care… of…"
It sounded like thunder slowly building through the ground beneath them. A low rumble that made pebbles tremble and puddles ripple near Flavia's feet. Her boisterous army's war cries died in their throats. Flavia's eyes widened and her smile withered away.
Thousands of horses charged over the plains. The retreating Valmese parted like a red sea in the face of the charging horde. At the lead was the most imposing figure Flavia had ever seen in her life. A mountain of a man clad head to toe in red plate armor. He appeared as big as his horse. An enormous ax was raised over his head as he led the cavalry charge towards her stunned forces.
"B-Bas-"
"Lancers form a line!" Basilio bellowed over Flavia's stammering, "Interlock shields, lances out! Make them crash into our iron teeth!"
The Lancers rushed past Flavia. Two rows formed. The first knelt down, driving the butt of their lances into the soft earth, then interlocked their shields. The second row locked their shields then drove their lances out through the gaps.
"Archers, fire at will!" Basilio bellowed, "Slow their charge." He marched up to a still stupefied Flavia and gripped her arm, "Flavia."
"Y-yeah." Flavia gulped.
"We aren't winning this. That was never our goal anyways." He took her hand roughly and smacked a cloth covered ball, hard as a stone, in her palm, "Take this, go with Raimi's company, and regroup south with the Shepherds."
Flavia's eyes widened, "And leave my men here they will-"
"You let me worry about that, now go!" Basilio barked, startling Flavia, "Commander Raimi, fall back with Khan Flavia! Inform the Shepherds that we will hold as long as we can!"
"Yes, my Khan." The blonde Feroxi replied, rushing up to Flavia and nodding for her to follow.
Yes, my Khan. Flavia thought, swallowing hard. In the heat of battle, when the odds suddenly turned and death was nearly certain, she wilted. Basilio roared to life for her, and the soldiers saw him as their Khan. No wonder you always beat me.
"Khan Flavia!" Commander Raimi shouted over the ever growing cavalry, "We must flee, now!"
Flavia nodded. She glanced down at the hard cloth in her palm, gripped it tight, then cast one last glance back at what remained of her army. One last glance at the man that mentored her.
"Farewell Oaf." She whispered before turning and running.
The battle did not last long once the cavalry descended upon the Feroxi barbarians. The effort of their lancers were admirable, but in the end, they were futile. Blood soaked the dead grass and soaked soil beneath his boots as the Conqueror stepped down from his stallion. Rain pelted against his armor, but the water did not bother him. His milky eyes surveyed the battlefield.
Thousands of dead Feroxi littered the battlefield. Thousands more of his own army lay beside those corpses. Before he intervened, the Feroxi delivered heavy losses to his light infantry. An alarming prospect given how outnumbered the barbarians were today. Discipline would have to be reinstilled within the conscripts.
He was not a fool. He knew where the sudden reluctance to engage in battle came from. Walhart's fist clenched as he marched through the mud and guts soaking the battlefield. The Voice of Naga turned on him. Declared her allegiance to the weak, pitiful Archaneans. Even after he spared her life and allowed her to live peacefully on her perch in the Mila Tree, she dared to defy him.
She will be dealt with. But first… the barbarian.
His brow furrowed as his men dragged a bloodied man towards him. He was still conscious despite the many wounds littering his body. A torn eyepatch lay in tatters over a scarred left eye. His one good eye glared up at Walhart. Defiant despite being at the Conqueror's mercy. The mark of a warrior ready to die instead of surrender. He would not even have to ask the barbarian if he wanted to live or die. Walhart already knew the answer.
Walhart nodded at one of the men holding down the barbarian. The man grabbed a sword from his belt and tossed it into the mud in front of the man. A loud snort came from the Archanean barbarian.
"You expect me to fight with that piece of crap?"
Walhart glowered down at him, "You want to live? Prove you have earned that right."
The barbarian scoffed, "Prove it eh?" A bloody hand reached down to the sword, "I'll prove it to ya then."
Walhart's eyes widened as the iron blade flashed in front of his vision. He staggered back and swiftly drew his ax, raising it to block a vicious swing from the barbarian commander. The bald man's eyes widened as Walhart stood his ground, then pushed against him, easily backing the warrior down with a few powerful steps.
"Almost." Walhart growled.
He yanked his ax, ripping the sword from barbarian's hands. With one savage swing, he buried the ax head into the man's stomach. A sharp gasp left the man's lips, a long groan followed as Walhart tore his ax free. The barbarian fell to his knees once again, blood dripping from his lips.
"You made me back up." Walhart muttered, "And you lived after my first strike. Impressive, only one other can claim such a feat."
The barbarian let out a dry wheeze. It almost sounded like a laugh.
"Glad... I could... impress."
Walhart frowned back, "Your name?"
"Eh?"
"I wish to know the name of the warrior that stood their ground against me."
The barbarian winced, "Basilio, West Khan of Regna Ferox." He glared defiantly up at Walhart, "And I'll be the last warrior you defeat."
Walhart's face twisted into a scowl, "We shall see about that."
He raised his ax once more, Basilio smirked up at him. The ax fell… and so did the Khan.
And chapter! The war has gone into full gear everyone! The first major battle since Charlet has begun, and it is only going to get deadlier. The odds are very much against our heros, hopefully they can pull out a victory. 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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