The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 119
The Storm
Dooku strolled through the strangely empty streets of Koto. He thought a city of this size would be bustling at this time of the day. After all, the sun was already high in the sky. Obscured by storm clouds, but still up and bringing small amounts of light to the land below. The streets should be choked with people. There should be vendors in the markets selling their wares. Bakers and other cooks making their food. Smiths pounding on their anvils. Instead, there was only silence and the wind whipping through the empty streets and alleyways.
His boots clicked against the ancient stone streets. As he walked, he found himself looking at the many buildings around him with great interest. Unlike Ylisstol, Port Ferox, and Charlet, this city was built very compact. The streets were narrow, the alleys even narrower. He doubted a speeder could pass through some of the places he walked.
Then again, speeders are non existent here.
Normally, he would not bother with exploring a city like Koto. Why should he? He had no personal stakes in the city, unlike Themis. The Skywalker brat and his adoptive brother were the ones focusing on fortifying the city, and they were better for such a job. So he had no tactical need to know the many details about this place. Under normal circumstances, he would have remained in his quarters and enjoyed a good book, or even meditation.
But this time, he had to move through the city and get to the market district that was located near the main gate. Earlier in the morning, he received a message from a certain, red haired merchant. His materials were finally all gathered together. Much later than he would have liked, but beggars could not be choosers on this planet. Platinum, gold, and silver were exceedingly rare elements for this world, which was why the primitive humans on this planet placed such a high value on those metals. Honestly, Dooku was impressed Anna had managed to gather what he requested at all, especially given the heavy fighting recently.
Her tent was the only one set up in the square. As always, Anna's table out in front of the tent was laden with all manner of wares. If this were any normal town on a normal day, she would have dozens, if not hundreds, of customers coming to inspect her stock. After all, apparently her new identity as the Red Beret Seller was picking up steam throughout the land. But this was not a normal day. The citizens of Koto had boarded up their homes and locked their doors. They knew what was coming. All the more reason why Dooku was mildly irritated with Anna's timing.
The merchant was leaning against her table, head in her hands, a bored expression on her face when she spotted him.
"Oh thank Naga, a customer. Even if it is only you, you are at least someone." She said, eyes lighting up upon seeing him, "I already wrote the bill up for Maribelle. You sure she's okay with this?"
"She will have to be. And if nothing else, I'll fix some numbers for the Themis rebuild." Dooku replied as he stopped in front of her table.
Anna arched an eyebrow, "A little books scheming eh? Unethical, but then again, I got a bunch of my stuff in the not so ethical way so… " She shrugged, "I didn't hear it from you."
"Very good." Dooku remarked, "Do you have what I require?"
Anna raced back into her tent for a moment, then emerged with a small chest. A note with his name on it was attached to the chest.
"In the amounts you asked for." Anna smiled as Dooku opened the chest and glanced inside, "Like I said, I'm the best at getting you the best."
Most impressive. Dooku thought to himself. Anna got him exactly what he was looking for. All of the correct materials rested within the chest in the amounts he required. He closed up the chest and lifted it from the table.
"Mind if I ask what it's all for?" Anna said, leaning up against her table once again, red beret cocked to the side of her head. Her fingers tapped against the tabletop as she stared at Dooku, curiosity on her face.
"I plan on making an arm for Princess Lucina." Anna's jaw fell open. Dooku sensed her confusion, which he knew would be followed up with a flurry of inane questions that he did not have the time or patience to answer, "If you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it."
Dooku spun on his heel and marched as fast as he could back towards the royal palace. Since the streets were utterly empty, he made good time. When he arrived back at the palace, he asked one of the guards for directions to the palace smith. Then he made his way there.
Thankfully, the blacksmith was doing his job this morning. Dooku did not want to venture to the military camp beyond the walls unless he absolutely had to. There was no telling when the Valmese army would arrive to lay siege to the city, and he did not want them to arrive while he was working on this important project, otherwise he would be forced to abandon it quickly. That would be a waste of both good material and money, something he was loathe to allow.
The blacksmith, the largest Chon'sin man Dooku had seen so far, took one look at him and his chest of materials and shook his head.
"Sorry, blades only."
Dooku motioned with his hand, "You will assist me with my project."
The smith's eyes glazed over as Dooku hammered his mind with the force.
"I… will assist you in your project." The smith muttered absently.
Dooku smirked, "Very good." He set his materials down, "We need to smelt this down, except for the copper wire, quickly." He flicked his eyes to the forge and blasted it with some force lightning, igniting the coals to a white hot temperature, "Let's get to work."
Dooku paused when he noticed one of the palace guards strolling by on patrol. He snapped his fingers in the man's direction, drawing his attention.
"You will remain here." He drawled.
The guard stiffened, "Sorry, milord, but I-"
Dooku reached into the man's mind with the force, "You will remain here and do as I command." He shrugged off his cape and neatly folded it onto a bench off to the side, "It's been a good many years since I've done work like this, and my skills may be rusty."
The guard's eyes glazed over, "I will… remain here and do as you command."
Dooku nodded, "Very good." He grabbed an iron ingot and prepared it for the forge, "At least the mind tricks have not gotten rusty."
The rain started around noon. Drops tapped against her window like soft, musical notes, creating a soothing aura within Lucina's room. As a Ylissean royal, Luke and Yen'fay both made sure she was given her own quarters, just like her parents. It still made her mildly uncomfortable to be singled out and given special treatment like that. Growing up, such luxuries were fleeting. By the end of the war against Grima in the future, several of her friends shared her quarters with her due to how decimated Ylisstol became. She preferred to be among her friends anyways, but she also knew it would be rude to turn down a generous offer from another royal household. Even though Luke was technically in charge, she considered Yen'fay the chief royal in Chon'sin, and treated him as such. Something she had a feeling Luke was grateful for. He did appear rather awkward and uncomfortable in his new position as General of Chon'sin's army.
Her eyes remained closed, legs crossed, hand resting in her lap as the soft sounds of rain tapping against the window and wall calmed her mind. The Force flowed through her like a gentle stream. Easing her worries, allowing her thoughts to be clear and concise. Ever since she lost her arm to Maul and was forced to rely on the Force more than her martial skill, she had grown in her meditations. The many lessons Master Kenobi taught her in the future regarding the spiritual nature of the Force resonated in her now more than ever, and she embraced them fully. Meditating, resting in the Force, kept her sane and focused during these difficult, desperate times. It helped her still grieving heart from aching too much.
Her mind wandered to the friends she had lost during this war. Ricken, Miriel, Gregor, Stahl, Say'ri… Robin; she inhaled, forcing back tears as she slowly exhaled. In the future, she lost many people close to her. Most of whom raised her. The death of her parents lead to her life as Ben Kenobi's pupil. The death of Aunt Lissa was one of the ones that hit her the hardest. When that terrible event happened, her master reminded her that her Aunt was now one with the Force. He let her grieve, but he reminded her of her duty. A duty she still had to uphold today. Sorrow could wait until Grima was gone. Mourning could wait until the Fell Dragon became nothing more than a horrible note in history. She cast all of her sorrows into her meditations and allowed them to wash away, only to resurface another day.
Lucina swallowed hard as her mind drifted away from those morose thoughts to a far more worrisome one. After the meeting she had with her friends last night, she realized that they had yet to find many of their fellow comrades. Yarne, Kjelle, Gerome, Nah, and Morgan were all still missing. Given how far she and her friends had now traveled, she wondered if Laurent might be correct. That they were now all on other worlds. If so, then she feared for them. None were prepared for what was beyond the stars. She could not even fathom what lay beyond the sky, in the deep reaches of space. Ben had not been the most forthcoming, even now, about what the stars held. That probably had to do with him being more concerned about the war than about enlightening her, but she still worried.
The only one who might do well is Morgan. She thought to herself, inhaling deeply and letting her mind sink into the currents of the Force, She's always been extremely adaptable.
"Well, now." Lucina inhaled sharply as a voice she had not heard in nearly three years spoke to her, "I don't exactly know who you are, but I thank you for the compliment."
Her eyes flew open, and her heart lodged in her throat. Her room was gone. The floor mat that served as a surprisingly comfortable bed had been replaced with a cold, hard, jet black metallic floor. A strange hum filled the air, a noise she could not place. The air felt very cold. Not cold like Regna Ferox, but cold like… like the future. Like how the air felt when Grima descended upon Ylisstol and destroyed her home. Sinister and dark, it was an invisible shadow that hung in the air. Other than the Fell Dragon, only two others felt like this to Lucina, Luke (when he had been hopelessly lost), and Maul.
"Who are Maul and Luke?"
Lucina whipped her head around. Her eyes widened. Morgan sat in a sleek, black chair behind her, legs crossed, fingers steepled in front of her face as… as yellow eyes studied her. She still wore the same, old, weathered purple and gold coat that she loved. But beneath that coat were black robes that looked out of place for the usually bubbly tactician. The black haired girl tilted her head to the side, both curious and amused with Lucina's shock.
"You know who I am, don't you?" Morgan muttered, a perplexed look crossing her face, "I'm anxious to ask you some questions but first I want to know, how the hell did you get by Deathy One?"
Deathy who?
Lucina winced as she felt something strange burrowing into her mind and thoughts. Before she could figure out what was going on, Morgan shrugged.
"My personal bodyguard. One of them at least. I kinda like her. Silent type, but I'm sure I can get her to open up and joke around soon. We've only known each other for a few months." She waved a hand, "Useless information for you, fun little facts for me." She hummed to herself as her hands fell into her lap, "Speaking of you, who?"
Lucina gaped at her, "I-I-" She reached up with her one hand and wiped at her eyes, tears threatening to form in them as she stared at her friend, "Is it really you, Morgan?"
Morgan's unnatural, blazing eyes narrowed at her as she bristled at the mention of her own name.
"You know that name… unfortunately." She sighed, "Call me, Ragana." Lucina stared at her, puzzled, "Now, I've introduced myself. I think it's only polite that you do so too."
Lucina could not believe what she was seeing. Morgan was in front of her. But how? Where as well? What in Naga's name was going on? She quickly sank into the force and reached out to Morgan, hoping to glean some answers.
Instead, she ran into a steel trap. Morgan's eyes narrowed as Lucina slammed against a solid, dark wall in the force. Seemingly unbreakable upon first glance. A sharp gasp rushed out of Lucina's lungs as she felt the dark side of the force flare to life inside of Morgan, making her already burning eyes blaze bright.
"Oh, now that's interesting." Ragana smirked, "Do I detect a little force sensitivity there? Ohohohoho!" Ragana rose to her feet, sauntering over to Lucina with the same excitement a child had when they were about to receive a present. She stood in front of a still sitting Lucina and bent at the waist, gaze meeting Lucina's, "Who taught you?"
Lucina blinked, "Y-you know who did, Morgan."
The Dark Side snarled, making Lucina closed her mouth. Ragana exhaled and shook her head.
"That name again?" Lucina's mouth fell open, stunned and confused, "I've moved beyond it, can't you see? Now for the last time." The force gripped Lucina by the throat and hoisted her in the air, "Your name?" Ragana blinked, "Oh right… magic words, my mistake." She cleared her throat as Lucina struggled to breath, "Please."
The pressure around Lucina's throat lightened, "Lucina." She gasped out, "Your… friend."
Ragana blinked and let Lucina fall back to the floor. Lucina gasped for breath as she rested on her knees. Loud coughs erupted from her lungs as air rushed back into them. She shakily raised her gaze up to Ragana. The black haired girl stared at her even more puzzled than before.
"I was not aware I had friends." Ragana muttered to herself. The fire in her eyes faded a little bit as she stared at Lucina with wonder, "You have answers for me." The force tightened around Lucina as she was hoisted in the air again, "You're going to answer my… wait… why are you fading?"
Panic surged through Lucina as the world around her faded to black. Her heart beat fast in her chest as her breathing felt uneven. When light returned again, she was back in her room in Chon'sin. The light tapping of rain had turned into a heavy pounding as the storm grew in intensity. Her body suddenly felt weak, and she pitched forward, catching herself with her hand as ragged gasps rushed from her lips.
Morgan… Morgan was… Lucina shook her head, No! I refuse to believe it. That had to be a trick. An illusion. Morgan would never allow herself to go that far. She saw what it did to Luke, so she would never… would she?
So much about the vision, the illusion, made no sense to Lucina. What kind of place was that? A place with no windows, a metal floor, and an intense cold the likes of which she only ever felt in the presence of the Dark Side. Things Morgan said puzzled her. It was as if she did not remember Lucina; did not remember that they were close friends. That she used to advise Lucina on battle tactics during the last days of Ylisse, in the future.
She shook her head, drawing in a deep breath as she pushed herself back upright. That vision could not be taken in a literal sense. Hell, Lucina was hesitant to listen to it at all. If it was not a trick of the Dark Side, then it had to be something more symbolic. Perhaps it meant that Morgan was lost to her and her friends entirely? That she was far beyond their reach and would never be found. But in her heart, Lucina felt uncertain about that explanation as well.
Someone as good, kind, and fun loving as Morgan would not fall to the Dark Side. It just couldn't happen.
You said the same about Luke when Maul arrived. She reminded herself, rising to her feet. Tired of meditation for today, I'll have to consult Ben. He might have an idea of what is going on.
Yes, she needed his wisdom on this matter. She could not see this vision clearly. So much of the Force felt clouded recently. A shroud of darkness had fallen over the Force ever since this terrible war in Valm began. It worried her, but she did not bring her worries to either Dooku or Ben yet. Not with this war in full swing. Perhaps it was just a matter of her own inexperience leading to such fogginess?
A knock on her door snapped her attention from her thoughts.
"Come in." Lucina said quietly.
The door slid open. A Chon'sin guard stepped inside, brow and body caked with sweat and rain. Despite being red in the face and clearly exhausted, he bowed at the waist to Lucina and moved with the urgency of a man under duress.
"Princess Lucina, Count Dooku requires you at his quarters." The guard informed her.
Lucina raised an eyebrow, "May I ask why?"
The guard did not reply. He turned on his heel and left before she could say anything else. Lucina remained in her room a moment longer, confused. Dooku never asked to speak with her, not on her own at least. The man hardly recognized her existence. The last time she had a genuine conversation involving him was in the wake of the battle at Port Ferox.
Naga, that already feels like a lifetime ago. Lucina thought.
So much had happened in the span of a few weeks. So many battles fought, triumphs witness, friends lost, it felt so overwhelming. She took a deep breath and moved to her door, sliding it open and stepping out into the rainy day. If Dooku wished to see her, then it had to be important.
Ben massaged his temples. A splitting headache lanced through his forehead as he paced to and fro in his and Tharja's room. A loose fitting shirt rested over his shoulders and simple pants covered his legs. Comfortable clothing that allowed him to somewhat decompress. Or at least try to. But with the reports the scouts have given him recently, he could not even force himself to sit still.
He found that to be both concerning and odd. During the Clone Wars, he never felt like this. There were times where he was worried, Mandalore being the most poignant of those times. But there were never instances where he felt so consumed with anxiety as he did now. Despite the savagery of the Clone Wars, there was a calm in him during that chaotic time that he knew he lacked now. Maybe that was due to his suddenly young biology mixed with a more wizened mind, the two fighting for control over his actions? Or perhaps it was due to his slow walk away from the fallen Jedi Order's philosophy of detachment. There were people he cared about in the Clone Wars. If anything happened to Ahsoka or Anakin, before the Order's fall, he would have been beyond devastated. Each death in the Jedi Order hurt his heart in different ways. But now, here in Valm, if he lost another Shepherds, if he lost a close friend like Gaius or Chrom, Naga forbid if he lost Tharja, he would likely be consumed by his own grief. That realization gave him flashbacks to his state of mind in the wake of the Jedi Purge.
Perhaps that is why I'm on edge. He wondered as he paced back and forth, the pattering of raindrops doing little to ease his mind, I'm afraid of falling back into that bad state of mind.
"Ben?"
He glanced over to a small desk in the room. Tharja had been sitting at it for some time, reading by candlelight. The shades were drawn in their room. Not that it mattered too much, the clouds were too dark for much sunlight to break through.
He stopped his pacing as she glanced over her shoulder at him.
"You're pacing again." She said with a soft smile.
Ben snorted, "Yes well…" He wiped his eyes with his hand and uttered a long groan, "So much that can go wrong."
Tharja arched an eyebrow, "Did command always bother you this much?"
Ben quickly shook his head, "I've always been aware of the responsibility of command, but I never had to deal with this amount of… worry. Somehow, commanding thousands of Clones on a battlefield against tens of thousands of droids with advanced technology is easier than commanding a battle where the most advanced weapon is a bow and arrow." He slumped into a chair near the window and massaged his eyes again, "I've got a splitting headache."
Tharja gave him a sympathetic look. One hand closed the tomb on the desk. She rose and quietly padded towards him, taking a seat in his lap and pulled his hand away from his eyes.
"You are overdoing it again." She smiled a little bit before brushing some hair from his forehead, "Should I put a little sleeping hex on you so that you can rest?"
Ben thought for a moment. It wasn't a bad idea, but he also could not afford to fall into that deep of a sleep. Not with the Valmese due to arrive on their doorstep at any moment.
"No, that is not necessary."
Tharja quirked an eyebrow, "It seems very necessary. Perhaps a more potion-esque remedy then?"
Ben shook his head and Tharja frowned.
"Are you going to let me help at all?"
Ben smiled a little bit, reaching up and brushing his hand against her cheek.
"You being here is help enough."
A dry laugh slipped from Tharja's lips, "Always the smooth talker." She placed a soft kiss on his lips, "Hard to believe it'd take someone like you to make me such a softie. Anyone else and I'd hex them to oblivion."
"I'd save that pent up aggression for the Valmese if I were you." Ben chuckled, feeling some tension in his body subside as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Oh, there is plenty for them." She muttered, "They must pay for what they have done."
Ben closed his eyes, softly exhaling as she said that. Tharja did well at hiding it, but he knew she mourned Robin greatly. When he first met the dark mage, she had an intense infatuation for the tactician. Neither of them really understood why exactly. Tharja pinned the blame on her being drawn to powerful people, which Robin absolutely was, as well as being drawn to mysteries that need solving. Ben tended to agree with her. After all, the reason why they wound up together was because her curiosity and infatuation shifted from Robin to him due to his own force powers and enigmatic past. He had been more forthcoming about it all than Robin, which led to Tharja solving the mystery of Ben Kenobi.
Despite the loss of her initial fascination, borderline obsession, with the Shepherd's tactician, Tharja never lost the desire to be Robin's friend. Close friend even. Eventually, over the course of their travels as a group, Robin grew to not be as nervous around Tharja and Tharja grew to be a good friend and confidant. His death hit her just as hard as it hit any other Shepherd. Ben could feel her grief through the force, as well as her fury. Any Valmese that dared stand against her on the battlefield would be annihilated, and she would relish in it.
"Don't get too carried away." He whispered to her, one hand rubbing her shoulder.
Tharja sighed, "Ben-"
Ben met her dark eyes, "There is a distinct difference between delivering justice, and seeking vengeance."
She furrowed her brow, "Don't you want to avenge Robin?"
Ben sighed, "Part of me does. Another part of me also knows that if I allow my emotions to run rampant, I won't be able to command effectively. I have to control my own grief so that we stand a better chance at winning. I-" He took a breath, "I believe you must do the same, since you will be leading our mages on the battlefield. They will be looking to you for a level head in the chaos to come."
Tharja's frown deepened a bit as she listened to Ben, "That's going to be difficult for me to do."
Ben nodded, "I know. It'll be difficult for me as well."
"You have your Jedi training to fall back on." Tharja rose to her feet moving back over to the desk, where her spellbook waited for her, "I have Grimleal training. Needless to say, if someone pissed me off back then, I would incinerate them with the most insidious, slow burning flame I could conjure."
Ben nodded, "But you have also come so far from that place." He got to his feet and followed her over, gently placing his hands on her waist as she stood next to her chair, "Don't give in to that darkness, Tharja. It never ends well."
Tharja's jaw tightened. She knew Ben was right, but she also knew he was coming from a perspective she still barely understood. From what little she had learned of Jedi philosophy, revenge was very frowned upon. It was seen as a dark path, unnecessary to a person's life. But if it was unnecessary, why did she feel the need to extract it? Why did she feel the need to destroy the Valmese for killing Robin? Old Grimleal teachings raced through her mind as she contemplated the many hexes she could implement on her enemies. Teachings that, instead of making her feel powerful, now made her feel a little wary.
I've become soft because of you, Ben. She thought to herself.
He placed a soft kiss on her cheek, chasing her doubts and thoughts away.
"I'll be there with you on the battlefield. If you need help, I'll be there." He breathed in her ear.
"And vice versa." Tharja replied with a small smile, "We face everything together, right?"
"Absolutely."
An aristocratic voice clearing its throat interrupted the couple, causing Ben to rest his head against Tharja's shoulder and utter a long groan.
"Kenobi, I don't think this is the type of thing you should have an audience for."
Tharja snickered lightly as Ben pulled away from her and turned to face Count Dooku. Ben raised his brow as he saw the Count's appearance. The old man looked far more disheveled that he would normally allow. Sweat stained his dark brown shirt. His white hair was soaked with rain and more sweat, and his face was red with strain.
"There's such a thing as knocking." Ben replied.
Dooku shrugged, "I didn't hear any strange noises so I assumed the situation was relatively appropriate." He regarded Tharja, "Then again, her attire makes any situation borderline."
"You were around Twi'leks before, Count. So you shouldn't be so offended." Ben sassed back, "What do you want? And why do you look so… so…"
"Well, I've been working on an important project, Kenobi."
"Oh?"
"Yes." Dooku nodded, "And in order to finish it, I require both yours and Tharja's assistance."
Ben narrowed his eyes, "You're asking me for help?"
"And me?" Tharja echoed, suddenly very curious, dark eyes once again ripped away from her spellbook.
"As much as it pains me to do so, yes." Dooku droned, "Now we don't have much time. Please follow me to my quarters."
The Count quickly marched away, leaving both Ben and Tharja puzzled. Ben glanced over at Tharja.
"Bring your spellbook." He told her as he used the force to call his lightsaber over to him.
Tharja raised an eyebrow, "Why?"
"Because this is either something very strange, or very deadly. And when it comes to Dooku, I'd rather not take my chances."
"I thought you two were working towards a more friendly relationship?" Tharja asked as she picked her spellbook up and followed Ben out of the door.
Ben slid the door shut behind them. Rain cascaded down the tiled rooftop over their heads and crashed down onto the soaked ground and courtyard.
"Friendly is a very relative term for us." Ben replied as they strolled down the open corridor towards Dooku's quarters at the far end, "We're more antagonistic friends at the moment. Who knows when that old Sith's switch will flip."
Tharja gave Ben a confused look.
"Figure of speech."
"Star speech, got it." Tharja nodded, "You meant to say you don't know when his loyalties could shift?"
Ben nodded, "Precisely." They paused in front of the Count's door, "Now, unlike the oh so rude Count, I'm going to be a good neighbor and knock."
Tharja snickered as Ben rapped his knuckles against the door.
"Confound it all, Jedi! Get in here already!" Dooku shouted from inside.
Ben rolled his eyes and slid the door open. Tharja quickly stepped inside, sheltering herself from the rain and cool air. Ben followed her in. Both were surprised when they saw Lucina waiting for them inside with Dooku.
Ben glanced at Dooku as the count threw a clean white sheet over a long table he somehow managed to find, "What exactly are you doing?"
"I'm curious about what is going on as well." Lucina muttered, "He asked for me personally."
"Why?" Ben wondered out loud.
"Looks to me like he is preparing a ritual of some sort." Tharja suggested, flicking her dark eyes over to the table with a white sheet over it.
"What gives you that impression?" Ben asked.
Tharja shrugged and gestured at the table, "The sheet is good for keeping blood off the floor."
Lucina paled. Ben sighed and shook his head.
"I doubt that is what this is all about."
"Actually she is correct, Kenobi. I'd rather not get blood on my floor." Dooku muttered as he swept across the room and lit a torch.
Ben pinched the bridge of his nose as he sensed some panic flare to life inside of Lucina, "Really, Count?"
Dooku glanced over his shoulder as he shuffled away from the torch to a small chest on his desk, "What?" Dooku replied, "I'm not going to lie to Lucina. This procedure will be painful."
"I knew it was a ritual." Tharja nodded.
"I'm not interested in whatever you have planned, Sith." Lucina quickly spat.
"Quite frankly, I agree with Lucina." Ben said, hand twitching ever so slightly towards the lightsaber on his belt.
"You'll both be interested once you see," Dooku opened chest and pulled something out of it that made Ben's eyes widen, "this."
An exceptionally crude cybernetic arm rested in the Count's grip. Exposed copper wires ran up and down the length of the arm while the protective iron shell was thrown open, revealing the rough inner workings.
"Is that what I think it is?" Ben breathed.
Dooku nodded, "It is very, very crude. Personally, I'm hoping it actually works. It was a hasty build, unfortunately. I'd prefer to have a few weeks to construct one, but our preferred merchant chose now to finally gather the materials I required."
Lucina eyed him carefully as Dooku moved to the table, "What exactly is it?" She asked.
Dooku raised the cybernetic arm for her to see, "Your new arm, Princess."
Lucina's blue eyes widened, "New-" Any other words were lost in her throat as she stared completely stunned at the strange contraption in Dooku's hands, "That's… that's not possible." She whipped her gaze to Ben, "Right?"
Ben sighed, "Actually, such things are commonplace in the rest of the galaxy. Although, the good ones are extremely expensive."
Lucina's throat bobbed as she swallowed hard, "And is that a-"
"No." Both Dooku and Ben said simultaneously, doing little to ease Lucina's wariness.
"But," Dooku continued, "if it works as I intend it, you will be able to fight with two hands once more. Something I'm sure you are more used to than trying to fight one handed."
Lucina's eyes brightened at the mere mention of being back to her old self. But as quickly as that hope entered her eyes, it was replaced with wariness once again.
"What do you have to do to make that happen?"
Dooku grimaced, "It will not be pleasant."
"What will happen," Ben began, turning to Lucina, "is he will have to reopen your wound in order to access the various nerves, tissues, ligaments, tendons, and muscles left in your arm. From there, he will attach all of that to a socket, which will then attach to the cybernetic." Lucina's face lost color as she began to understand what Ben was telling her, "It is not pleasant. Even with the best pain killers, it is an excruciating procedure."
"And that's why I'm here." Tharja sighed, closing her eyes, "You require my numbing and clotting hexes."
Dooku nodded, "Normally I would not give a damn. But with the Valmese bearing down on us, I'd prefer the Princess to be back on her feet as quickly as possible. If she chooses to go through with this procedure."
"I'm not sure this is a very good idea, Dooku." Ben stated, "This is a procedure normally done under very sterile conditions with trained doctors and droids-"
"Are you saying us force wielders are lesser than droids, Kenobi?" Dooku remarked.
Ben flinched, "Well, no, but-"
"I'll do it."
Ben snapped his gaze to Lucina. The fear in her gaze disappeared. Determination replaced it as she stared down the table as well as the cybernetic arm in Dooku's hands.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ben asked, worry etched on his face.
Lucina nodded, "If it helps me help everyone else, then absolutely." She marched up to the table and carefully removed her shirt. She hesitated as she unwrapped the cloth wrapped tight around the stump of her right arm. With a long sigh, she finished unwrapping her old wound, jaw tightening as he looked at the scarred flesh once again.
"Lie down." Dooku instructed, "Kenobi, I will need your assistance in attaching the socket. Tharja, please do your thing."
Tharja raised her brow as she followed Ben to the table, "He's even saying please now. You two are making progress."
"Don't jinx it." Ben muttered as Tharja thumbed through her spellbook.
Lucina's chest rose and fell in hard, heavy breaths as she watched Dooku grab a knife and place it over the torch, heating the metal up to prevent infection.
"Even more crude." He grumbled, "But unfortunately, decontamination does not exist here."
"There is such a thing as soap." Ben deadpanned.
"Does it look like I have the time for that?" Dooku snarled back.
Tharja muttered near Lucina's ear. Dark tendrils of magic spilled out of her black spellbook and coiled around Lucina's body. Her sense of touch evaporated as the dark magic sank into her flesh, seeping into her muscles and bones. Rendering her completely numb and immobile. Tharja then directed her magic to the stump and waited for the surgery to begin.
"Will she feel this?" Tharja asked, sweat beading on her brow as she conjured powerful magic to negate the pain, "Because if the pain is as terrible as you say, I'm going to really be straining myself to contain it."
Ben gave Tharja an uncertain look, but said nothing. Lucina sucked in three quick breaths as Dooku moved to her arm.
At first she felt no pain as Dooku reopened the wound. Ben remained nearby, readying to attack a metal socket around the stump.
Maybe this won't be so bad?
White hot pain ripped through her mind and body as cold metal was slipped over her stump. She could feel it. The sensation of nerves, ligaments, and muscles pulling and squeezing as Ben and Dooku quickly worked to attach the new arm. It made everything else fade around her. Spots filled her vision even as more dark magic plunged into her from Tharja. The dark mage strained herself as she struggled to negate the painful effects.
A nerve tweaked, and Lucina's body arched. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as her eyes widened in pain.
"Careful Kenobi!" She heard Dooku's muffled voice in her ringing ears.
"You act like I've been trained to do this!"
"Surely you helped Skywalker once or twice?"
"He was more mechanically inclined than me!"
"Both of you shut up and work." Tharja snapped at them, "I'm fighting wave after wave here!"
Their voices faded away as more surges of pain shot through Lucina. It rushed from her stump up her shoulder, into her neck and head. She bit her tongue as she fought off a loud scream. But it was too much.
She could not hear herself scream, could not hear Ben and Tharja's worried reactions, or Dooku's annoyed comments, but the amount of air escaping her lungs let her know she was screaming loudly. As she screamed, all sensation left her. Her vision blacked in and out. Her hearing fluctuated. Through the muffled noises of her friends around her, she heard another voice. One that made her heart hammer even harder in her heart.
"Call me Ragana."
Her eyes went wide. Another scream ripped out of her throat as the nerves were attached to the cybernetic limb.
Her vision blacked out. When it returned, she saw a strange world covered in massive buildings. There were towers so tall she could not even see their peaks. Strange vehicles whizzed through the air around her as she knelt on the ground. She was on a platform of some sort. Master Kenobi and Luke were across from her. She felt weak, helpless, terrified, and injured. The Dark Side howled in her ears.
"The circle is now complete." A voice thundered in one ear, "When I left you I was but the learner. Now I am the master."
Maniacal, sadistic laughter followed, "Oh? More Jedi!?" A second dark presence joined the first, "Time to even the odds."
"Lucina!"
The image shot away from her mind. Ragged gasps rushed in and out of her lungs. She expected to see Ben, Dooku, and Tharja looking at her. Instead, she stared up into the eyes of her father as his hands cradled her shivering head.
"Look at me." He breathed. Fear and worry covered his face, "Can you hear me?"
"I-" Lucina gasped.
"Out of the way!" She heard her Aunt Lissa snap, "What in Naga's name are you three doing!?"
"I'm about to ask the same thing." Chrom snarled.
Lucina's delirium slowly faded as warm, comforting healing magic flooded through her body.
"What were you doing to my daughter, Dooku!?"
"Helping her, of course."
"Helping her!? I heard her screaming all the way across the palace!"
The door to the room slid open. Lucina's gaze shifted over to see Luke storming in with Cynthia right behind him.
"What the hell is going on!?" Luke demanded, glared moving between Dooku and Ben. His eyes landed on Lucina. Anger flashed through him and he immediately reached for his lightsaber.
"Luke, don't." Cynthia said quickly, snagging his wrist.
"You better explain to me what is going on, Ben." Chrom demanded angrily.
She could not see Ben, Dooku, or Tharja. That's not what she was focused on anyways. Her attention was drawn to the sudden sensation of movement returning to her right arm. Trembling still, she raised her right arm. Her eyes went wide as she stared at a cybernetic arm, covered in iron plates. It moved when she wanted it to move. Twisted when she wanted it to twist. She wiggled her new fingers, watching with amazement as they danced awkwardly before her eyes. The others seemed to notice as well as the angry arguing died around her.
"I don't believe it." Lissa breathed, staring stunned at Lucina's new arm. The green glow of her healing magic faded away from her healing staff as she watched Lucina's arm in amazement.
Dooku gave Chrom a smug look, "I told you I was helping."
Chrom moved quickly to Lucina's side, "Lucina?" He brushed a hand over her sweaty forehead, "Talk to me."
She smiled as she tapped his arm with her new hand, "It works." She whispered painfully. A happy laugh escaped her lips, "It actually works."
Chrom's lips parted into a wide grin, "Yeah." He nodded. He looked up at Ben, smile still on his lips, "I guess it does."
Lucina tapped Chrom again, "Don't get mad at him. It was my decision."
"I'm not mad." Chrom quickly replied, "Well, I was at first but… now… I think this is one of the few times I've ever seen you smile this big."
Lucina let out another small laugh, "Let the Valmese try to stop me now!"
The smile on her face evaporated as a strange sound burst through the air. Chrom's smile raced away as well. Her eyes widened as a sudden burst of fear erupted within her. Warhorns blasted through the air. A long, booming sound that signaled the early arrival of their enemy.
"Kriff." Ben breathed.
Lucina propped herself up on her elbows.
"They're here."
Noire plucked her bowstring as she sat on the cold stone floor of one of Koto's towers. A soft twang reverberated through the air every few moments as her finger played little notes along the string. A small distraction for her already anxious mind. The tower she sat in was mostly empty, save for a few watchmen, Laurent, Inigo, and Virion. Three people she had not had the chance to talk to very much in recent days.
Not that she was particularly interested in talking to any of them. The more she was around Virion, since he commanded the Ylissean archers, the more she understood where Inigo got his womanizer ways from. While Virion did not stoop so low as to be flirtatious with her, likely due to his own fear of her mother's wrath, that same fear did not stop Inigo. Everytime she stopped plucking her bowstring in order to glance at those two, he'd wink at her. She'd roll her eyes back, but it did nothing to end the stupidity.
Laurent meanwhile, was the opposite. He hardly said a word to her at all. Preferring to instead have his face buried in his spellbook rather than interact with the outside world. He had been like that a little bit in the future, but the death of his mother in this timeline amplified his already quiet nature. She just hoped he would pull himself free from the melancholy at some point once this war ended. He had a brilliant mind, and it would be tragic if he locked it away forever. His father did try to help him, but Vaike struggled to relate to his son. He was always friendly and comforting to the kid, but at the same time, he was not Miriel.
I can't blame Laurent though. Noire thought, When my mother… disappeared, I was quiet for weeks too.
And she did not have time to mourn her father from the future. She slipped through the portal shortly after Grima's hordes ended his life, then she arrived in Valm, hiding from Risen and saving Luke and Cynthia from slavers. Life has been such a whirlwind for her recently, that she never had the time to properly think about what had occurred. It all was nearly beyond her belief. If she was not living this fantastical tale, then she would have though none of this to be possible. She was not just the daughter of a man from beyond the stars, she was a time traveler. A last hope from a lost future, along with the rest of her friends.
Now this timeline is in peril. She thought, stopping her plucking and letting her hand rest limp over the bowstring, So much has gone wrong already.
What if this siege goes horribly wrong? What if this is the end for all of them? If it is, then Grima was sure to rise again. From the sounds of things, Walhart was not going to take prisoners. If the Exalt's line died here, there will be no one left to oppose the Fell Dragon. All hope will be lost.
Then there was her more personal worries. Her father and mother were extremely powerful people, but they were only two people. A million men could easily overwhelm them, despite their skills and strength. Their army might be bolstered by Chon'sin manpower and some Valmese deserters, but they were still hopelessly outnumbered, and now they were cornered. Their entire strategy for this battle hinged on Walhart's behavior. If Walhart was smart, he would starve them out. Set up camp beyond the walls and have dinner right in front of the gates every night. Demoralize the army to the point where all hope would be lost and there wouldn't even be a fight.
She shivered as she recalled the last days of Ylisstol. Those dark days were similar to this. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, all she and her friends could do was wait for the enemy to come to them. All they could do was wait for the end. An end that seemed completely beyond her control and understanding. Those days had been hard, hungry days. Once again, she feared the same thing happening now. Except this time, it was not an army of mindless Risen storming the strong walls Ylisstol. Instead, it was humans, trying to break a ragtag army of loose allies taking shelter behind ancient stone walls that had been conquered once before by the Conqueror.
A hand gently patted her shoulder as she hung her head. Noire glanced up at Virion as the archer gave her a confident, reassuring smile.
"Fret not." He said, "Your father has helped us out of closer scrapes than this."
Noire snorted, "I want to believe that." A long sigh left her lips as she rested her head back against the damp, cold, stone wall, "I should believe that. But-"
"But you look at the odds and doubt?" Virion's small smile did not leave his lips, "It may not be equivalent to this, but your father and I are avid chess players."
Noire arched an eyebrow, "What's that got to do with anything?"
Virion smirked, "I once reduced your father's side of the board to his king, his queen, a knight, and three pawns while he barely put a dent into my own side. I thought I had him defeated there and then. And yet somehow, he pulled out a stunning victory over me at the last moment. Checkmating me without me even realizing it until it was too late." He took a seat beside Noire, "Then there was that time where we had to fight our way through the Longfort, the time where he negotiated us out of a desperate situation in Plegia, the final battle of that terrible war, even the battles of Charlet and Demon's Ingle. All terrible odds for us. And yet, all victories. Do not doubt your father, Noire. I made that mistake in chess once, I never will again."
"Remember in the future how many times he pushed Grima back?" Inigo reminded her as he paced back and forth across the room, chest puffed out, an easy grin on his lips as he sought to impress her, "I recall him defeating wave after wave that crashed against Ylisstols walls. Against all odds as well. And those were monsters that were difficult to kill, not mere men that are-" He grimaced, "Well-"
"Oh, don't hesitate my good boy." Virion chuckled, "Living humans are much easier to defeat than the walking corpses, I agree." He nudged Noire again, "Head up, Noire. You are only defeated when you believe you are."
"Well said!" Inigo nodded in agreement, "That is why I never admit defeat when I-"
"You'll admit defeat with me." Noire said with a wry smirk, causing Inigo to sputter. Off to the side, Laurent chuckled softly as he turned a page in his spellbook.
"Well…." Inigo sniffed, "we'll see about that, won't we."
"Careful, or she will unleash her mother upon you." Laurent muttered behind his tome.
Inigo paled, "I-I'm aware. I've already had that happen."
"Not with me though." Noire snickered, "You made the mistake of flirting with her."
"Bold decision!" Virion declared as he laughed at Inigo's mild embarrassment, "The pursuit of such a beautiful, yet deadly flower is to be praised. But the manner of which you went about it could use some work. Why, deadly flowers are often the most beautiful. And while I am now going to settle down with the most beautiful of them all, the lovely Olivia, I will say I felt drawn to deadly flowers for most of my adult life."
Noire rolled her eyes as Virion regaled her with tales of his many conquests. Usually she drowned these out with her own thoughts. But just as he was about to really get going, horns blasted through the air, rendering his speech mute. His mouth hung open for a moment as the horn blast cut off.
Inigo appeared tense across the tower. Laurent stopped reading and raised his gaze from his spellbook. The silver haired swordsman swallowed hard.
"Do you think that was one of our-"
Virion raised a hand, silencing his future son. An eerie silence hung in the air, broken only by the steady patter of rain hammering against the stone walls and wood roof of the tower. The steady patter crescendoed as the slow, methodical pounding of drums joined it's chorus, roaring louder and louder until Noire's ribs rattled in her chest. Stomping armored feet stormed against the ground, making the floor shake. A blast from a horn sounded again. Virion and Noire burst to their feet, racing up the rickety wooden steps to the top of the tower.
Noire nearly slipped on the slick wooden planks at the top, but when she recovered, she wished she had gone back down the steps. A sea of red armor and banners spread out before Koto's main gates. A sight so vast it boggled her mind, and was only matched by the dark hordes of Risen she witnessed in the future. Her chest rose and fell in worried gasps as the drums continued to pound, drowning out the calls of Chon'sin soldiers and commanders as they scurried along the walls and in the town.
More archers joined her and Virion on top of the tower. Laurent followed them, spellbook sheltered from the rain by his billowing sleeves.
"Naga above…" Noire breathed as they all gazed upon the Valmese army.
Her breath lodged in her throat as the sea parted down the center. A lone rider, a mammoth of a man covered in dark scarlet armor resembling blood, rode to the front of his army. The poor horse looked small compared to the giant of a man as it stopped its slow walk to the front.
"The Conqueror." Virion breathed, grip tightening on his bow as he stared down at the man that decimated his home.
The drums suddenly stopped. Silence hung in the air once again. Noire heard more footsteps rushing up to the top of the tower. She sensed her mother join her at the top. She sensed her father moving along the walls nearby with Luke, Dooku, and Lucina. All of their eyes were glued to the riding mountain on a black horse, glowering at Koto's walls as if they were an insignificant obstacle rather than an ancient fortress.
The Conqueror inclined his head, dismissive of his opponent. Noire sucked in a sharp breath as Valmese horns roared in the air, drowning out even her thoughts with a thunderous noise.
"Draw!" Virion barked as the horn's monstrous cry ended.
Noire fumbled with one of her black arrows. She dropped it on the ground, cursed, and quickly drew another. Her arm shook as she drew her string back, feeling the tension of the bow grow as the arrow rested on the string.
Magic pulsed in the air. The mages on top of the walls and towers charged their spells. Purple energy flared to life beside Noire as her mother charged a devastating dark spell. Fire burned beside her as well as Laurent brought flames to life in his free hand.
The Conqueror stopped riding along his ranks and turned his horse towards Koto's main gate. Noire could see a snarl slip over the giant's lips. With a nod, he turned his horse and rode back to the center of his ranks.
One more horn blast. Noire shivered as the cold rain pelted against her, the storm growing in intensity. A loud cry erupted from the Valmese ranks, somehow louder than the horn blast.
The front line of red charged. She heard Virion shout for the archers and mages to hold. He shouted to hold again. Noire grit her teeth as a terrified feeling entered her gut. Something was very wrong. Was the Conqueror so callous about his own men that he would send them to die in needless waves against the walls?
Chains groaned. The stones beneath her shuddered as something massive began to move. Cries erupted behind her as steel clashed against steel. She sensed the sudden surprise from her father and Luke. Both flew from the walls down to the main road into the city. But why? What was going wrong?
Her eyes widened as the center section of the charging Valmese narrowed into a thin column, heading right for-
"The gate."
"FIRE!"
And cliffhanger! The battle has begun everyone! Lucina is nearly back to her regular self thanks to Dooku's quick, but admittedly rough, work. We'll see how she fares in this battle. Our heroes are in a tough situation now, we'll see what happens next chapter! It's gonna be big, that's for sure. 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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