The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 120
The Siege of Koto
Priam snorted in his sleep. A loud noise that rumbled from his throat. That rumble was followed by another, this one from his stomach. Part of his brain told him to wake up and find some food. He had a big day ahead, after all. But before the other half of his brain could relay the message to his body, a hand roughly shook his shoulder.
"Boss."
Priam grumbled and shifted in his sleep.
"Wake up, Boss."
A low groan slipped from his lips as his groggy mind woke up. A pounding headache vibrated in his skull, reminding him about why he managed to sleep so well last night.
Went a little overboard. He laughed to himself as he tasted the alcohol lingering on his breath.
He cracked his eyes open and blearily looked up at one of his younger mercenaries. A kid from Ylisse named…
Shit, what's this kid's name again?
"I don't smell bacon, Alan." Priam grumbled, deciding to just call the young man whatever name first came to mind.
"It's Alex." The kid replied.
Oh right, Alex. The kid who… who… didn't he lose a hand last week? I'm gonna have to get that fixed. Wonder if he wouldn't mind a metal one?
"Whatever." Priam yawned, sitting upright and stretching his arms over his head. He smacked his lips together, grimacing at the stench coming from his dry mouth, "Bleh." He glanced at the blond kid still staring at him, "What?"
"It's late."
Priam snorted, "Yeah, so?"
He rose to his feet, grabbing his belt as he stood and cinching it around his waist. He tapped Ragnell with his sword hand, smiling as he felt the familiar pommel against his fingertips.
"We're late, boss."
"Listen, boy scout," Priam grumbled as he stumbled over to where the bonfire burned last night, "It ain't late till I've had my breakfast. Who's cooking?"
He glanced around at the rest of his little band of battle hardened mercenaries. All of them joined him in the revelry last night. A little pre battle celebration. They had been tailing and harassing the Conqueror's army for several days now, all the way down to the outskirts of Koto. Where Priam guessed the Archaneans were planning to make a stand. Personally, he would've gone into the mountains. Fought using guerilla tactics against an army way bigger than his. But he wasn't the general, and as long as he got both coin and a good fight, who was he to complain?
He arched an eyebrow as no one moved to stoke the fire, or even grab a skillet to start cooking for everyone. Instead they all stood there, watching him… in full armor… grim faced...
Prima squinted his eyes and glanced up at the sun.
Oh, it really is late.
He yawned again. Then his eyes bugged out from his skull as he saw-
"Shit!" He spun on his heel and started sprinting east to Koto. He heard his men chase after him, some of them laughing good naturedly. Hell, he joined their laughter. Not because he liked laughing at his own forgetfulness, but because be was excited.
"I am not missing this one!"
The time had finally come. Time to finally cast off this wretched deception she had been forced to put on. Time to no longer be a weak, sniveling war prisoner to these damn Ylisseans and Feroxi. Time to put the traitors Yen'fay and Cervantes in their places. To watch her Emperor, the mighty Conqueror, Walhart, smash these insignificant flies once and for all. Pheros could hardly contain her own excitement as warhorns blasted through the air, signaling the long awaited arrival of his excellency.
The Ylisseans would not know what hit them. Her message managed to leave in secret. She simply made a more sympathetic Chon'sin soldier deliver a message to an old contact she had within Koto. A contact she made back when she was the general in charge of making sure this land bent the knee completely, in the wake of their subjugation.
She knew this city well enough. Knew that the old walls were sturdy and strong. A siege would be deadly. The main objective for the Conqueror will be the main gate. Throw those ancient stone doors open, and the city will fall. Meager walls surrounded the royal palace, but those were not meant for military defense. Rather, they were designed to separate the royalty from the general populace. A way for the Chon'sin royals to seem higher than the common folk.
They will not be that way much longer.
She made her way towards the gatehouse. Four of her most loyal soldiers flanked her. Her staff clicked against the cobblestone road as she weaved by anxious enemy soldiers. Each Ylissean, Feroxi, and Chon'sin was blissfully unaware of what she was about to do. A slight smirk graced her pale lips. They thought they were so clever, having that old man keep tabs on her. But old men do not have the attention span of youngsters, nor are they as quick of thinkers. They are set in their ways, uncreative and predictable. It made deceiving him oh so easy. And now, instead of being seen as a traitor alongside Yen'fay and Cervantes, she would be seen as a valuable asset to the Conqueror. A loyal soldier that executed the brilliant deception leading to a decisive victory for his excellency. Her place by his side would be secured forever. Not even that worm, Excellus, wherever he had slinked off to, would move her now.
Two Chon'sin soldiers guarded the gatehouse door. The rest of the soldiers were busy rushing to their posts as more horn blasted through the air. Drums pounded all around her, the war beat of the Conqueror.
Koto will not just fall, it will burn. And Yen'fay will watch as the last things he holds dear: his city, his people, and that blonde brat he cares so much for, will die. Even that toddler will be cast to the wayside, either slaughtered or orphaned. Never to rise up against Valmese might. Pheros stopped in front the gatehouse, noticing the suddenly wary gazes of the Chon'sin guards, Then, Yen'fay will join his sister in death… if my lord feels merciful.
Her staff snapped out like a viper, cracking one guard over the head and denting his helm. Her four other soldiers quickly pounced on them as well, jabbing knives into their throats without any of the panicked men scurrying around them noticing. Her soldiers quickly opened the gatehouse, dragging the two bodies inside. Two of her men waited outside, acting as guards while she entered the gatehouse.
A pair of levers were inside, attached to an intricate system of chains and pulleys. As she approached the levers, she felt thunder rumbling through the earth. The signal that the million man charge had begun. She could feel magic humming in the air as the Ylissean mages and their allies prepared to repel the first wave.
They will fail… because of this.
She gripped the levers and gave them a sharp yank. Her eyes widened in mild surprise as they took more strength than she anticipated to activate the ancient chains. Then she heard the metal running through the walls around her groan and creak. A rumbling ran through her body as the gates swung open.
"THE GATE!" She heard soldiers shout in alarm outside of the gatehouse.
A victorious smile graced Pheros's lips.
"GET IT CLOSED!"
Her guards outside of the gatehouse, two of her best soldiers, drew their blades and began to repel any attackers. Some of her other soldiers joined her side, creating mayhem before the charging legions of Valmese soldiers. Steel clashed violently beyond the door as soldiers who once thought they were allies were drawn into a battle from within the city, and soon to be the victims of a massacre from outside of the city.
"Let it burn." She breathed, "The Conqueror falls to no one. The Conqueror allows no quarter to traitors."
She moved towards the doors. Magic crackled around her as spells roared from the stone walls above her. Explosions reverberated through the gatehouse walls, signaling the start of the savagery. Some of her men would die in the carnage to come, but that was the nature of conquest. Sacrifices had to be made in order for her lord to dominate the world. These men and women, these loyal soldiers and dishonorable traitors, were just the latest lambs placed on the altar.
They are not Shepherds. She thought smugly as she reached for the doorknob, They are cattle to be slaughtered now. Beasts to be fed in order to fatten the glorious Empire.
Her fingertips brushed against the doorknob. Ice filled the air. Her breath misted in front of her face. The sound of steel clashing against steel faded away, replaced with screams of terror and a strange buzzing noise. As if a million angry hornets had descended upon the doorway. Static crackled through the air, lancing over the brass doorknob and forcing Pheros to jerk her hand away.
A pair of heavy bodies slammed against the door. Pheros jumped back. Something was wrong. Her men had stopped fighting beyond the door. The air should not feel this cold. It was not wintertime. Chon'sin did not have true winters like the lands in the northern portion of the continent. Why was she seeing her breath? Why did she suddenly feel so afraid even though this was her moment of triumph?
Her guards took nervous steps back as blue lighting danced briefly over the doorknob. Then it zapped out of existence. Pheros felt cold sweat beading on her brow as the doorknob turned.
"General?" One of her guards gulped.
The doorknob stopped turning. Pheros held her breath as she stepped to the side, wondering if whoever was on the other end was distracted by something, or someone, else.
Or maybe they were killed?
The door burst off of its hinges, flying across the gatehouse. It slammed into one of her guards, smashing him against the back wall. The other guard raised his blade to defend his general, only to be hoisted into the air by an invisible force. Pheros's eyes widened as she saw his metal armor crimp up like paper. Blood spurted out from the poor man as the armor was crushed tighter and tighter. With a final wet snap, the man fell into a bloody pile on the cold ground.
A tongue clicked in the air.
"It has been a good many years since I have been deceived like this."
Pheros's eyes widened. The old man, he was doing this? How?
What is he!?
She gripped her staff tight and readied herself for a fight. She may not be the best warrior among her comrades, but she was a general for a reason. She had cunning, and a talent for exploiting the weaknesses of her enemies. The old man would be no different. She was physically younger, sprier. Her mind was sharper and clearer. He may exhibit unnatural abilities, but so did mages, and she killed many mages in her day.
A dark chuckle came from the doorway. Pheros grit her teeth as the old man known as Dooku stepped into the gatehouse. She briefly glanced behind him and sucked in a sharp breath. Bodies littered the street behind him, most of them Valmese. Flames licked the cobblestone street. What Valmese soldiers still lived were sprinting back out of the gate as two men wielding blue blades slashed them to ribbons. Their mages followed them, hammering the red armored soldiers with devastating spells. Finally, Feroxi Lancers held a phalanx before the wide open gates. Daring the enemy to crash into their iron teeth and steel bodies. She could see the Feroxi Khan screaming as she buried a lance into the gut of another charging Valmese before drawing her sword and cutting down another fleeing Valmese man.
How was this possible? The cavalry should've charged into the fray already and decimated those pathetic lancers. What was holding them up? What was keeping them from entering the city and annihilating these pathetic excuses for soldiers?
"You are never going to learn the answers to those questions." Dooku snarled, a glowing red blade ignited in his right hand. Pheros's fear filled eyes flicked to the blade as it hummed in front of her, "You made a very grave mistake today, General."
Pheros tried to show confidence. A nervous smirk crossed her face, "A mistake? I've ended this battle before it has begun. The cavalry will smash your pathetic line of Lancers. Then you will be crushed beneath the Conqueror's might."
Dooku smirked back, "Perhaps."
Menace filled his eyes. More men screamed behind him as the Feroxi Khan bellowed out orders. Another charge was coming, but the old man did not care. Pheros's eyes widened as his irises flickered from a piercing blue to a deadly, glowing red. An unnatural color that gazed upon her like a hungry predator.
"I sense your fear, General." Dooku took a deep breath through his nose, "You should know, it only makes me stronger."
He snarled out the last word as lightning ignited in his free hand, dancing along his fingertips. The temperature plummeted around Pheros. The shadows inside of the gatehouse deepened. She felt like she was shrinking before the menace in front of her. In that moment, she realized she was not facing down an old man, an old warrior beyond his prime. She was looking into the eyes of an apex predator. One she managed to provoke.
She struggled to form words as fear filled sounds slipped from her lips. Any confidence she tried to portray died as the one guard stuck behind the door screamed. The door slammed into him again, crushing his body against the wall and leaving him nothing more than a bloody smear against the stone. Pheros squeezed her eyes shut as she started to shiver.
"Oh where is that bravado, General?" Dooku snarled, "Where is that arrogance? Did you really think you would survive this little stunt? Did you really think I did not suspect? I figured you would consider treachery. I just did not believe you were actually capable of doing it. I thought you smarter than that. Cleary I was wrong. And part of me is oh so disappointed."
"You will die." Pheros shook, teeth clenched tight as she opened her eyes once again. Tears brimmed in them as the predator stood over her, "The Conqueror will-"
Any words she had died as an invisible hand gripped her throat. A squeak left her lungs as she flew towards the old man. Her eyes went wide as pain unlike any she had felt before ripped through her chest.
Dooku's red blade protruded out of her back as he impaled the General. As her body went limp on the red blade, Dooku leaned close to her here.
"I thought you to be intelligent. Such a waste."
He watched the light leave her eyes. A permanent expression of fear and pain etched forever on her pale face. His blade deactivate, letting her body fall limp to the floor. Dooku sniffed and kicked her staff away from her lifeless grasp.
"Such a waste indeed." He muttered.
Dooku turned on his heel and marched out of the gatehouse. Over the loud crash of battle, he heard Flavia's powerful voice ring out, warning her Lancers of a coming cavalry charge. Dooku turned to face the thrown open gates, no longer able to close thanks to the sheer number of bodies attempting to funnel through them. His eyes continued to burn as he allowed the Dark Side to flow freely through him. He noticed the Skywalker whelp joining Flavia at the front of the Lancer line, staring defiantly at the coming cavalry charge.
Time to show this boy the true nature of the Dark Side.
He grit his teeth, gathering power to him. The massive hinges on the gate groaned as the force grabbed the great stone doors. Rock cracked as he closed his eyes and drank deep from the dark fountain within the force. The dark side snarled and gnashed its teeth in defiance, but he beat it back into submission. Forcing its immense power to bend to his will.
The gates broke free from their hinges. Tremors ran through his head as he lifted the heavy objects into the air and pointed them directly at the charging cavalry. With a final snarl, he opened his blazing eyes and propelled them forward with the force.
A smug grin crossed his lips as he watched Luke's eyes widen with both shock and fear. The stone doors shot across the open rice fields and slammed into the cavalry charge, stifling it before it could reach the line of Lancers holding the open gate. The boy's eyes flicked over to him, and Dooku's smirk widened.
"Now you know."
Noire felt like she was watching an entire colony of fire ants charging at her. A sea of soldiers clad in red armor, broken free from their disciplined lines and charging in a mad dash towards the walls of Koto. And with them, a contingent of cavalry gathering into a thin column, ready to crash through the slowly opening gate. Her heart stayed lodged in her throat as she nocked another arrow on her bowstring and quickly loosed it into the red mass bearing down upon the walls.
It did little good. She could see her black arrow sink into the gap of some poor conscripts armor, but then his falling body was swallowed by the growing mass. All she could do was keep firing arrows. Do her part in stemming the tide and taking as many of the enemy to their graves as she could before they could get to her.
"Arrows!" Virion barked.
Noire drew back another black arrow, ready to fire when she realized what Virion meant. The Valmese were returning fire. She uttered a startled cry and pressed her body against the stone wall in front of her, on top of the tower. Her eyes squeezed shut as the enemy arrows sailed through the air. Some hissed over her heard, a few narrowly missing the hairs on top of her head. Many clattered harmlessly against the stone she took shelter behind, falling uselessly back to the ground far below. Then there were the ones that made it over the wall and hit their mark. Her eyes shot wide as she watched two Chon'sin archers beside her slump to the ground, several arrows with red and gold feathers protruding from their bodies. Their eyes stared lifeless over to her.
She squeezed her bow tight in her hands as another volley of enemy arrows hissed over her head.
"Return fire!" Virion roared, "Tharja!"
Her mother snarled, conjured a fireball in her hand, and sent it crashing down upon the enemy ranks. A fiery explosion erupted in front of the gates. But it did little to stem the charge. More disposable soldiers replaced their fallen comrades, and they surged into the open gate.
Noire swallowed hard. The enemy numbers needed to be cut into. That would not happen if she hunkered down behind this wall and allowed others to do her fighting for her. Her fingers reached up for her neck, searching for the talisman that gave her both courage and confidence throughout her brief life. When she did not find it, she squeezed her eyes shut.
You are a Kenobi. She thought, taking a few quick breaths. Father and Mother aren't hiding. You can't either.
She clenched her teeth, reached up to her quiver, and drew another black arrow. As quickly as she could, she poked her body up over the wall and fired an arrow into the mass of red soldiers. She didn't even think as she nocked a second and took aim. As she took aim, the Valmese ranks parted to allow ladders up towards the walls around the tower.
"Noire!" Virion shouted at her, "You and Tharja remain here, rain hellfire down on them." He smirked and patted Laurent's shoulder, signaling the mage to follow him down the wooden steps to the walls, "We'll focus on those ladders."
Noire nodded. Virion turned and rushed away with Laurent. The others were probably on the walls too. A quick dip into the force, and she sensed Lucina moving towards the walls. Her presence felt tired and in pain. Was she wounded? Noire gulped. Had an arrow hit one of her friends already?
Her father was down near the open gate with Luke and Dooku. Those three combined could hold off the enemy for a time. She also knew Khan Flavia and her Lancers were down there as well. That was where the heaviest fighting would be. She needed to concentrate her arrows on the enemy soldiers moving towards that spot.
She tilted her arrow towards her mother, "Fire!" She barked.
Tharja smirked, muttered under her breath, and set the arrowhead ablaze with purple fire. Noire quickly drew back, took aim, and shot the arrow. As soon as the black arrow hit its target, it exploded into a ball of dark magic. Purple flames leapt across several ranks of soldiers, clinging to them and rendering them burning on the wet ground. Even the rain that cascaded down from the sky failed to put out the dark magic Tharja cast.
Noire smirked a little bit, "I've gotta learn that one."
"One day." Tharja snickered back.
Loud bams rang through the air as ladders slammed against the walls. Noire rushed to the side of the tower and peered down. Valmese soldiers rushed up the ladders, surging up onto the walls. Her friends and the Chon'sin soldiers desperately tried to shove the ladders down. But for every ladder they knocked down, another replaced it.
A loud roar filled the air above her head. Noire snapped her gaze skyward. A smile graced her lips as Queen Sumia dove down at the head of the Pegasus Knights. Sweeping down into the rows of Valmese soldiers as they tried to scale the walls. Several Pegasus knights, including Cynthia, flew close to the walls. Using their lances to knock enemy soldiers, or even entire ladders, free from the walls. They were a blur as they shot past Noire's.
The symbol of Ylissean might soared through the air faster than the enemy archers could keep up with. Some were still shot down, but their presence managed to make many Valmese soldiers hesitate. With that hesitation came a roar from the Archanean ranks. Noire's voice joined their chorus, even as the Pegasus Knights soared back towards the clouds in order to avoid enemy arrows.
Her roar died in her throat as her attention returned to the enemy below her. A column of horsemen burst through the Valmese infantry, surging towards the open gate. Noire gulped and reached for another arrow. As she drew it back on her bow, her eyes widened in shock. Both stone doors to the main gate shot out and slammed into the cavalry charge, smashing several rows of Valmese horsemen and breaking the charge before it could reach its destination.
Her mother uttered an eerie cackle when that happened. Noire could not help but smile when she heard it. It had been years since she heard her mother laugh like that. Even if it was at something as morbid as men being crushed beneath massive stone doors, it gave her confidence knowing her mother was not afraid right now. The Dark Mage laughed in death's face, and Noire was tempted to do the same.
Tharja's laughter started to die when another column of cavalry joined the first, barreling towards the open gates. Her dark eyes hardened and she rushed towards the edge of the tower. Dark magic billowed around her as she conjured a powerful spell. She muttered under her breath and sent jagged barbs of dark magic shooting from her open palm down into the enemy ranks. Screams erupted from below as the dark magic exploded on impact, sending plumes of shadowy smoke up into the air. Still, the cavalry charged through, bursting through the columns of smoke. Hooves hammered against the soft ground, causing ripples to form in puddles along the walls.
If they hit the gates, it's over. Noire thought, heart hammering in her chest.
It would not matter how many soldiers her father and friends had at the gate. It did not matter if they were lancers, knights, men at arms, mages, or even manaketes, the sheer speed and power behind this cavalry charge would shatter the lines and rip the belly of their defense open. The city would be breached, and no amount of fighting would stop the red tide.
Father is down there. She stepped back from the wall towards the stairs, He'll need my hel-
Five bright golden lights erupted in front of the cavalry charge, blinding Noire as she cast one last glance back at the enemy. Horses screamed as the golden lights started them. Their screams were replaced by human cries of pain and agony.
The dark side of the force erupted on the battlefield. Washing over the rice fields and city like tidal wave. Shivers ran up and down Noire's spine as she sensed the oppressive wave, drawing fear and anxiety out of her and crushing the scant confidence that remained within her.
Her mother leaned over the wall as the lights faded. Noire saw her face pale.
"Grima above, no." Tharja breathed.
"MONSTERS!" Soldiers screamed from the gates.
Noire's heart stopped in her chest.
"Risen." She whispered, rushing back to the tower wall and looking over. What she saw made her fears grow exponentially.
The lights were not from simple Risen being summoned. They were Deadlords. She recognized three of them from Demon's Ingle. The four armed metallic monster that shredded enemy soldiers with reckless abandon, the green skinned woman in black robes that cut through both Archanean and Valmese soldiers like a scalpel, and the young man wielding a red lightsaber that savagely butchered both sides of the battlefield; all three made fear pump through her veins.
"How did they get-" She locked eyes with a fourth Deadlord. One she did not recognize. An elderly looking man with greasy, long, black hair and a hideous face. Red eyes blazed up at her from beneath a dark green hood. A lump formed in her throat as she watched him crack open a black tome with a skull on its sinister cover. Dark magic wrapped around him like black tendrils, shielding him from any soldier that tried to harm him. Then he raised a hand, pointing his palm right at her.
"Get down!"
Tharja tackled her, throwing both of them down the wooden stairs as a ball of dark magic shot from the Deadlord's hand and hit the top of the tower. An explosion rocked the tower as both Noire and Tharja fell down the stairs, landing in a heap on the bottom floor. Noire quickly ducked her head as large chunks of wood and stone fell around her. Several bodies followed them down as the top of the tower was obliterated.
"Mother!" Noire called, wiping dust from her eyes.
She swept her gaze around the ruined floor. The tower shook again, causing more rubble to fall down around her. Noire shoved herself up onto her hands and knees, shook her head as bells rang inside of her skull, then got to her feet. Her legs wobbled as she took a couple steps, forcing her to brace herself against a nearby table.
"Mother!" She called again.
A hand grabbed her shoulder. Noire started to scream, but stopped when she saw her mother behind her, spinning her around. A massive gash sat beneath her dark bangs. Blood ran in a scarlet river over her nose and right eye. She kept her right eye closed as dust and grime covered the rest of her face.
"Are you alright?" Tharja hissed.
"Me? Are you-"
"I've had worse." Tharja winced, gripping her spellbook tight in her scrapped hands. She glanced up at the ruined peak of the tower.
"That deadlord-"
"Is a powerful sorcerer. I could tell just from the amount of magic he just put out." Tharja said quickly, "I need you to find your father. We'll need his help against those monsters."
"And you?" Noire asked.
"I'll-"
Another explosion hammered the tower, ripping the outside wall apart and exposing Noire and Tharja to the Valmese army. Noire screamed as the shockwave slammed her against the ruined stairwell. Her shoulder cracked against a wooden stair, sending waves of sharp pain shooting throughout her left arm. Tharja flew through the air, landing on the stairs over her head.
"It appears two have avoided my initial spell." A snake like voice slithered into Noire's ears, making the hairs on her body stand on end. She stared at the destroyed wall, watching as the robed Deadlord rose through the air and landed softly across the room from her, "You two are more resourceful than the common grunts." He snickered, "Good, intelligent prey is always so much more fun."
Noire's fear filled gaze shot over to Tharja again. Her heart stopped in her chest as she saw her mother's eyes closed, knocked unconscious by the blast. A large welt grew on her jaw from where she hit the stairs.
Noire scrambled up the few intact stairs, kneeling beside her mother and shaking her shoulder.
"Mother. Mother!" She cried, "Wake up! I need help!"
"Oh? She seems a little young to have had you, doesn't she?" The Deadlord eyed Noire, "Oh wait," He chuckled, "you must be one of those little Shepherds that have been giving my master such trouble. I'm still puzzled by the parentage. Then again, that beauty appears to be a mage, like myself. Perhaps she discovered some secret to not aging that I do not know of?" His gnarled fingers ran over the spine of his spell book as he stalked towards Noire, "I'll have to ask her when she wakes up."
"You won't touch her!" Noire snarled, reaching for an arrow, only to grasp air instead.
Kriff!
Thinking quickly, she gripped her bow with both hands, ready to use it like a club. Noire grit her teeth, swallowing her fear as she stood between the Deadlord and Tharja.
"Out of my way, little one." The Deadlord sneered, "I may want to kill many of you, but I cannot kill all of you. Grima's orders."
"Grima can go to hell." Noire charged at the Deadlord, "I'll send you there to warm a seat for him!"
Dark runes crawled up her bow. It exploded in a violent burst of splinters. Several small shards of wood dug into her hands, making them bleed. Noire cursed and recoiled backwards as the Deadlord snickered.
"Foolish girl. Thinking you can hurt me with such a pitiful weapon." He waved his hand. A tendril of dark magic shot out from his fingers and smacked Noire. She twirled off of the stairs, landing hard on the main floor, nearly sliding out of the tower entirely.
Her entire body ached. Outside of the tower, she could hear screams and explosions. The battle turned into pure chaos as the Deadlords churned through both the Archanean and Valmese lines, killing indiscriminately. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the fifth Deadlord hiding in the shadow of Koto's walls. The only indication of his presence being the sun glinting off of his silvery armor and helm.
"Oh yes." Noire froze and her eyes widened, "This little mage is an excellent prize." She rolled over, head trembling as she watched the Deadlord grab her mother's limp form and raise her up by her arm, "So much to glean from such a powerful body." His red eyes flicked over to her, "Wouldn't you agree?"
Something inside of Noire snapped as she gazed upon her Mother's unconscious form at the mercy of one of Grima's monsters. The Force roared to life within her as anger and fear collided with desperation.
"BLOOD AND THUNDER!" She bellowed, "UNHAND HER!"
A violent force push slammed into the Deadlord, forcing him to drop Tharja as his body was pinned to the back wall of the tower. The push died as Noire reached for her hip and drew her father's old lightsaber. The sapphire blade burst to life in her hands. She gripped it tight, grit her teeth, and charged at the Deadlord.
"Interesting." The Deadlord mused.
He ducked away from a wild slash. The stone in the wall turned to slag as Noire's lightsaber cut through it like a hot knife through butter. The Deadlord cackled as he gathered a ball of black magic and pressed it against Noire's side.
"All for nought." He sneered.
The ball exploded against her hip. Pain shot through Noire's entire body as she flew across the tower once more, this time hitting the door with a hard thunk. Her head snapped back, smacking against the hard wood. Stars shot through her vision as her head swam. She slumped down to the ground, unable to find the strength to get back on her feet. A warm sensation covered her left side, from her hip to her armpit. Her shaky gaze glanced down and saw her flesh torn up by the dark spell.
"A valiant effort though, girl." The Deadlord continued. Noire looked at him, terrified again. Her father's lightsaber lay by her limp left hand as he approached her, "What is your name? I'm curious."
Noire grit her teeth, refusing to answer. She tried to grab the deactivated lightsaber with her right hand, but the Deadlord reached it first, snatching it up from the ground and inspecting it as he towered over Noire.
"Quite the strange weapon." He said, "I've never seen anything like it. And there are not many things that I, Gharnef, have never seen before." He snickered darkly, red eyes boring down into her, "Did you get it from a friend?"
Noire spat at him. The only defiance she could muster as more strength left her body. Gharnef seemed unperturbed as he looked at her father's lightsaber.
"I wonder what it does, when applied to the human body?" Noire's blood froze as he stared down at her again, "Shall we find out together?"
Noire tried to surge to her feet, but froze when Gharnef tossed the lightsaber up in the air and held an open palm out to her. A dark smirk graced his lips as he muttered a word that made Noire's blood run cold.
"Nosferatu."
Dark magic slammed into Noire, exploding in her face and destroying the door behind her. She kept her eyes squeezed shut as she rolled along the wall, slick with blood and rain. She could hear more fighting around her. Could hear steel clashing against steel as her friends desperately tried to fend off the Valmese. Both Valmese and Archanean soldiers screamed as she sensed more dark magic billow out of the tower and consume them.
"There. No more distractions." Gharnef said as his voice drew closer.
Noire rolled onto her back. She tried to open her eyes, but for some reason the world remained dark. She shook her head and reached up with both hands, ignoring the pain she felt. Her fingers brushed against her eyes, and came away with a wet, warm substance on them. Her hands started to shake as her vision stayed black.
Wh-what?
A hand grabbed her by her hair, hoisting her up. Noire yelped in pain as she blindly tried swiped at the hand grabbing her, to no avail.
"Let's test this weapon, shall we?"
She heard a lightsaber ignite, then braced herself.
Lissa yelped, ducking her head beneath the walls as a volley of arrows soared towards them. Her hands squeezed her staff tight as she heard the Valmese arrows whistle over her head. Thousands of them soared through the air before hitting a target. Once she heard the first screams, she bolted towards them.
Chrom wanted her to remain in the palace. He wanted her to take care of the wounded brought there by other healers. Lissa knew her brother expected her to be there; not here, on the walls, healing staff in hand ready to do her work. Little did Chrom know that she decided to tap in to her more stealthy ways and sneak out. Wounded soldiers needed help immediately. Not after being stretchered across the city. They were more likely to live if she treated them where they fell. So, never one for half measures, Lissa set out of Koto's palace, and found herself rushing towards the closest soldier suffering from an arrow wound.
She skidded to a stop beside the Chon'sin soldier. Blood dripped from the woman's lips. The arrow punched through her armor, likely hitting a lung.
Punctured it more likely. Lissa thought as she quickly broke the arrow shaft and reached into a bag for a vulnerary.
"Keep those eyes open." Lissa ordered, her voice calm and gentle despite the chaos surrounding her.
Soldiers dove for cover again as another volley of arrows hit the walls. More soldiers fell to the stone floor or off of the walls entirely, arrows sticking out of them like they were pincushions. Lissa ducked her head, hearing one narrowly miss her.
She raised her head again and put the vulnerary to the woman's lips.
"Drink up." Lissa helped tilt her head up, watching as the blue liquid entered the woman's mouth, "Good job. You're gonna be alright."
Once the Vulnerary was half gone, she yanked it away, jamming the cork back into it and stuffing it back into the bag slung over her shoulder. She grabbed her staff and held it over the bleeding wound, closing her eyes and willing healing magic to resonate out of the green gem atop the staff.
After several seconds, she opened her eyes again. The wound was still bleeding, but she could sense that the lung had been saved. Lissa placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder.
"Stay down, someone will be along to get you out of here soon."
"LADDERS!"
Lissa whipped her head beyond the wall. A lump lodged in her throat when she heard that warning. The Valmese were about to scale the walls. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lucina, Chrom, Vaike, Lon'qu, and Frederick scaling the stairs near her. Weapons drawn, all of them ready for battle. Crimson already painted Vaike's axe and Frederick's blade. She noticed Lon'qu glance over towards her, stopping his mad dash.
"Lon'qu!" Frederick barked, "We need to-" He noticed Lissa next, "Milady!"
"I'll get to her." Lon'qu replied, sweeping past both Chrom, Lucina, and Frederick, and racing up onto the walls right as the first ladders impacted the stone.
The loud crash of a ladder hitting the wall near her spurred Lissa into action.
"Looks like I'm the one getting you out of here." Lissa breathed as she grabbed the wounded soldier and slung her arm over her shoulders.
Oh Naga, you're heavy! Lissa winced as she struggled to haul the woman to her feet, How much does this armor weigh!?
Her legs wobbled as she struggled to bear the woman's weight. To her credit, the soldier tried to help out and walk. But she had lost too much blood already. Her face looked as pale as a ghost as she struggled to move and breath.
"We just gotta get to those stairs." Lissa told her. She whipped her head back as she heard swords clashing.
An explosion rocked the walls, causing Lissa to lose her balance and fall over. The soldier landed on top of her, knocking the wind from her lungs. Hard coughs erupted from the Princess's throat as small chunks of stone rained down around her.
"Lord Virion! The tower!"
"I know!" She heard Virion shout back.
He did not even notice her as he sprinted past her, bow in hand. Inigo and Sully rushed towards the explosion with him. Before they could get halfway to the wall, Valmese soldiers surged up a pair of ladders, cutting them off. She heard Sully roar as she engaged the enemy. Watched as Inigo clashed blades with two Valmese men at arms before quickly cutting them down. Virion drove an arrow through one Valmese soldier's face before drawing it against his bowstring and firing it into another enemy soldier further away.
They really want to get to the tower.
She shifted the wounded soldiers off of her.
"Alright." She breathed again, "Lets-"
Her patient did not move as Lissa got to her hands and knees. One look told Lissa why. A large, bloody, shard of stone stuck out of her back. Death's vacant stare filled the woman's eyes, and tears filled Lissa's.
"No, no, no." Lissa swallowed hard, ducking her head as a ladder slammed into the wall, right beside her.
She quickly got to her feet, staff in hand, and sprinted for the stairs. Near the tower at the other end of the wall, she saw Lon'qu. The Feroxi swordsman made quick work of two Valmese soldiers as he quickly moved towards her. Lucina covered his back. Cutting down soldier after soldier with her own blade. Lissa's eyes widened when she saw Lucina use the force to shove a ladder off of the walls, sending the soldiers scaling it crashing back down to the ground.
I just need to get to them. She breathed, stumbling as another explosion rocked the tower behind her. She spun around to look back. Horror rushed over her face as she saw dark magic billowing out of the tower.
Sully… Virion…
"Aunt Lissa!" Lucina shouted across the wall.
Lon'qu did not say anything. Instead, he fought even more ferociously. Churning through Valmese soldiers as if they were nothing more than the straw dummies he practiced on.
Lissa turned back to them and started running again, only to be cut off by two Valmese soldiers. She skidded to a stop. One swung his sword at her. Lissa screamed and ducked beneath the wild slash. The other Valmese soldier kicked her to the ground before she could back away from them. Her healing staff clattered out of her grasp as she fell backwards.
Her blue eyes stared up, fear filled as the second Valmese soldier stood over her, blade raised over his head, pointing down at her heard. Lissa squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the final blow. But it never came. She carefully opened her eyes. A katana jutted through the Valmese's chest. Lon'qu stood behind him, a snarl on his usually emotionless face. Lucina swept beside him, cleaving her blade through the other Valmese's stomach then force pushing him off the wall.
Lon'qu yanked his blade free, reached down, and took Lissa by the hand. Under normal circumstances, Lissa would've been stunned. Lon'qu did not allow any woman to go near him, let alone touch him. Yet here he was, in the middle of a horrific battle, taking her by the hand and hauling her to her feet.
"I've got your back." Lucina said as Lon'qu's grip tightened around Lissa's wrist.
Lon'qu simply nodded, spun on his heel, and sprinted with Lissa towards the stairs. As they ran, Lissa noticed Chrom and Frederick fighting desperately near the far tower. The Prince was doing everything in his power to move towards her and Lon'qu. Falchion cut savage arcs through the air as he dismembered enemy soldiers. Frederick protected him against any soldiers the Prince might have missed.
Another ladder hit the walls, and another explosion rocked the tower behind Lissa, causing her stumble again. As she regained her footing, she noticed the true extent of the carnage around her. Chon'sin bodies lined the stone around her. Rainwater mixed with blood, making the smooth stones beneath her feet slick like ice. Her boots were stained a sickening crimson color as she hopped over a dead Valmese soldier and raced with Lon'qu to the stairs.
"We're almost there." Lon'qu told her, letting go of her hand in order to kill two soldiers that got in their way.
Lissa could feel some relief starting to fill her as they got closer to the stairs. Nowhere in the city was safe, but she would be safer away from all of this. She flicked her gaze back to the destroyed tower, heart thumping in her chest as she saw black and purple smoke billowing out of it. She could not see where Virion, Inigo, or Sully were. Part of her wanted to rush back and see if they were alright, but she also knew she would just get in the way. She wasn't like Chrom or Lucina. She did not know how to fight, or wield a sword, she could barely manage to get herself away from a battle, let alone be involved in one. Moments like this made her feel utterly useless.
"Hurry." Lon'qu said, snapping her attention away from the ruined tower back to the stairs.
"What is that!?" A Chon'sin soldier cried.
Two sharp shrieks hissed through the air, chasing after two bright bars of red light. The Chon'sin soldier didn't utter a sound as the two red lights slammed into him, burning through his armor and leaving charred holes in his body.
A dull roar followed the two shrieks. Lon'qu shoved Lissa to the ground. A fiery explosion hit the ground near her, sending Lon'qu flying backwards while rubble flew up around Lissa.
"Lon!" Lissa cried, scrambling to her feet and rushing towards the injured swordsman.
Before she could reach him, someone… no… something landed in front of her. A man, or what she thought was a man, wearing silver and purple armor blocked her path. A helmet with a dark, T shaped visor, covered his face. She froze as the thing leveled two strange, blunt weapons at her.
A pair of bright red lights flashed from the weapons in his hands. Before Lissa could blink, the lights shot across the spaced between her and the enemy. Pain ripped through her stomach as they slammed into her. The force of the impact caused her to double over immediately, falling to her knees.
The initial pain was replaced with an intense burning sensation. Lissa squeezed her eyes shut. A ragged gasp left her lips as she cracked an eye open and looked down at her stomach. Two charred holes were burnt through her dress. As she looked down she felt a hot trail of blood sputter from her lips.
"Lissa!" Lon'qu roared, trying to rise to his feet as she started to fall forward. Body weak, mind in a daze.
The strange soldier twirled around, faced Lon'qu, and pointed his wrist at the swordsman. A white cord shot out from his wrist and wrapped around Lon'qu as he tried to get to his feet, tangling his legs and rendering him useless on the ground. Lon'qu cursed as he tried to cut himself free, only to freeze as the enemy aimed one of his weapons at his head.
Lissa fell onto her stomach, wincing as more pain erupted through her. The cold, wet stone did little to ease the intense burning she felt. It was as if someone had stabbed a torch directly through her, and it continued to burn instead of being put out. Her vision started to turn blurry as she watched the Soldier point his weapon at Lon'qu.
"No…" She weakly whispered, "Please… don't…"
A blur of blue leaped over Lon'qu, tackling the Silver Soldier to the ground. Lucina quickly wrenched one of the man's strange weapons from his grasp; elbowed his helmet with her new metal arm, cracking the visor, then used her sword to slash into the man's other hand. The man snarled, dropping his other weapon to the ground. He launched a savaged punch at Lucina's head, landing it against her jaw with a loud crack.
Lucina flopped back, dazed by the blow. She quickly dove into the force, clearing her mind and allowing her to recover quickly. With a snarl, she leaped back to her feet and faced off with a familiar foe. One she now had a name for.
"Fett." She snarled, recognizing the Deadlord from their encounter in Port Ferox.
She flicked her gaze behind him to Lissa. The Princess's eyes were closed, but she could sense her still clinging to life.
"Lon'qu! Get her to Frederick. Then get you both to a healer!" She twirled her blade and willed the Force to gather around her. She grit her teeth as she stared down the Deadlord, "I'll take care of this one."
Without any word or warning, she charged. The Deadlord activated his jetpack, blasting off of the walls. Lucina snarled, using the force to propel herself off the slick stone and into the air. She reached out with her cybernetic hand and grabbed hold of the Deadlord's ankle, throwing his balance off and causing both of them to crash through a window in the far tower. Lucina rolled over as she landed and jumped to her feet again, ignoring the cuts and bruises on her body.
The Deadlord rose with her. She could see one, red eye glaring at her from behind his cracked visor.
"You think you can win, Jedi?" The Deadlord snarled, voice fluctuating between a strange, muffle clip, and a very human growl, "My master has won once before, he will win again. Your fate is already sealed. You will die. Just like all of the others."
Lucina grit her teeth, raised her blade over her head, tip pointed at her enemy, before pointing two fingers at her enemy with her cybernetic hand; Soresu's battle stance.
"Then I challenge my fate!"
The Force ebbed and flowed like a river. The light side was akin to a gentle stream. Flowing at a reasonable pace as to not drown those who dipped into its waters. A calming, serene place meant for reflection and peaceful meditation.
The Dark Side was more like a raging river. Weak force adepts, weak willed men and women who dared to test its waters, were swallowed whole by the chaos. Rendered mindless beings, consumed by their more animalistic tendencies. Weak willed creatures sought out the light so that they may feel at peace in a universe ruled by chaos. The strong sought out the dark side, and subjugated it. With that subjugation came power beyond the wildest of imaginations. The Hierophant knew this truth all too well.
He took a deep breath as he meditated beneath the boughs of the Mila Tree. A strange place for him to decide to delve into the force, but one that had a unique connection to it. Two very powerful Manaketes called this place their grave. Due to their nature, it allowed the force to be more accessible here. A minor nexus, in a way. It was no wonder Lady Tiki felt drawn to this place as well. A home with such a wellspring of power was an attractive place for a creature with a natural connection to the Force. The pitiful humans may view this tree as sacred for being the grave site of two beings who nearly ascended to godhood, but the Hierophant knew this place was sacred for an entirely different reason.
It amplified his powers. Allowed the waters of the force to rush through his mind like a flood. Consuming his conscious self and allowing his presence to drift along the force's currents. An advantageous thing for him. He wanted to monitor the battle far to the south, in the ancient city of Koto. But he also could not go near that place. After all, Lady Tiki, that insufferable spawn of Naga, was there, assisting the Shepherds and their allies.
Very unlike the future. He mused as he took another deep breath, letting the dark side pulse out of him.
In the future where he had nearly been completely victorious, Tiki did not join the Shepherd's ranks until it was too late. His moves had been made, the game had been set, and check had been called against the Naga-spawn. All she could do in the end, was watch as those belonging to her mother's blessed bloodline fell in battle. Consumed by the Fell Dragon's hunger and destructive nature. In her last desperate moments, she tried to unleash. Tried to undo the chains she placed on her own power.
He killed her before she could. Showed her his face, rendering her too stunned to fight anymore. A small pang hit the Hierophant's heart as he recalled the look of utter betrayal he saw on Tiki's face that day. When she saw the face of her love, and could not bring herself to strike, he knew he had won. When her blood stained his hands, he knew the Naga-spawn were defeated.
Of course, Naga had one last trick of her sleeve. A damned ritual designed to send individuals back in time. A pesky nuisance that, thanks to a tenacious Princess and her friends, became a glaring problem for him.
Events were no longer on their intended course. Obi Wan Kenobi had revealed his true nature and fought alongside the Shepherds with the confidence of a true Jedi Master. The Shepherds have no doubt been warned of what is to come already, and they were undoubtedly making plans to counter his rise. A rise that would now be delayed thanks to the worst deviation in course, the loss of his Avatar.
The Son assured him his vessel survived the fury of Demon's Ingle, but that damned creature refused to divulge how. Just that his spirit was drawn to a powerful nexus in the force. One beyond the Hierophant's reach. Because of this snag, any plans he had for executing a quick takeover were now delayed. He could not hope to combat Tiki without his full strength. To do so would be suicidal, because she would unleash just at the mere sight of him. After all, she had not fallen for Robin the Tactician, yet. Every move he executed now would have to be carefully done.
The first move was to decimate both Valm and Archanea. As far as he could sense, this move was having mild success. The Archaneans were making their stand within Koto's walls, correctly predicting Walhart, in a rare moment of foolishness, would rather take them by storm than starve them out. Many Valmese would die on those ancient walls. But would Walhart's arrogance and the Archanean's defiance prove enough. From what he sensed at the moment, he doubted it.
It appears I have underestimated the Conqueror.
"You did that last time too." Grima snarled.
An exasperated breath left the Hierophant's lips, "Robin did that last time, not me."
"We sensed something in your heart when you recalled Tiki's death." The Son said, "Are you certain you are not Robin?"
"Is the vessel still living?"
The Hierophant opened his eyes with a snarl, "Yes, he is in me. Robin is me! I am Robin. There is no separation. We are one, and his will is my will. His desires, my desires. Tiki is nothing to me anymore. She'll either be a corpse or a trophy when this is done!"
The Son chuckled in his mind, "Very good. But that won't happen with the way this battle is going."
"The Deadlords are doing their job, but there are still many souls against them. Many to feast upon…"
"We cannot go near, you know that."
"Then perhaps it is time for another Deadlord to join the battlefield?"
"Or two?"
The Hierophant thought for a moment, "I'm surprised you two aren't suggesting him this time."
"You have made your stance in regards to him clear. He may turn out to be difficult to control due to his… more voluntary submission to our will. This battle requires a more surgical approach."
"A more delicate approach, you mean." The Hierophant replied. He thought for a moment as he considered what to do next. "Delicate for this battle… surgical for our enemies."
"What do you mean?"
"We destroy the Conqueror with these two," The Hierophant's lips parted into a sinister smile, "And demoralize the Naga spawn at the same time."
"Who do you have in… oh."
Grima's dark chuckles rumbled in his mind.
"I like this."
The Hierophant took a deep breath, willing his powers to flare to life around him. Shadows deepened in the forest. The wind whipped up around him, cold and relentless. The boughs of the Mila Tree groaned as the Dark Side of the Force merged with the blackest of magic. Two pillars of dirt and clay emerged from the ground. The Hierophant inhaled deep, body trembling as the Dark Side coursed through him. He opened his eyes, gazing upon the pillars of clay, eyes blazing with power.
With a loud cry, he threw his hands out, blasting the pillars with black mist and ash. Breathing life into the dirt. A shudder ran up his spine as he reveled in the feeling of power it gave him.
The ash and mist billowed in and around the pillars, molding them into shape. With a final draconic roar, the Hierophant finished his spell. The clay cracked, unveiling his two newest servants. The first a regal woman wearing black and purple robes that were once white and pure. Her face remained gentle, and upon her forehead, instead of the Exalt's brand, rested the Brand of the Defile. A glowing red mark, showing the six eyes of the Fell Dragon.
Beside her stood a more ancient soul. Green hair, once vibrant and bright, now appeared dull and muted. Pointed ears sat hidden beneath those mossy locks, while once bright, cheerful green eyes glowed red with his power. It was a face that nearly took the Hierophant's breath away as he gazed upon it for the first time in years.
She was always so beautiful.
He quickly drove that thought from his mind. This was not her. This was one of his servants.
"Anguilla." The green haired woman inclined her chin at him, "Lepus." The more serene soul bowed her head.
Time for the Tyrant to fall.
"I have a task for both of you."
And chapter! The siege has begun, and it is looking bad for the Shepherds. Gharnef has his eyes set on harming Noire, Lissa has been grievously wounded, Lucina is engaging an old foe in Deadlord Fett, and the Valmese continue to pour onto the walls and through the gate. But… the Hierophant has another trick up his sleeve, and it is a devious one. I wonder if you all can guess who these two new Deadlords are? The conclusion to this battle should happen next chapter, and it's gonna be a big one! Hope you all are ready for it!
Also, we've hit 1,000,000 words! HOLY CRAP! That is insane to me. I never thought I would write something this massive and it is all thanks to all of you, reading and reviewing my work. All of your support and criticism is so greatly appreciated and I am so happy to be writing a story that is this much fun. Here's to the future of this story folks! Let's have some fun!
Anyways, let me know what you guys think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!
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