The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 122
In the Wake of War
The battle ended a few hours ago, and still the magnitude of the carnage and devastation was still sinking in for Ben. Tens of thousands lay dead within the city, on top of Koto's walls, and in the shadow of the main gate. Tens of thousands more lay within the flooded rice fields, their blood poisoning the waters they lay in. Multiple towers were destroyed, innumerable small fires still burned even as what soldiers could still stand rushed to put them out.
All of this horror really hit the Jedi Master though, when he walked into the palace and saw his daughter lying still on a cot within his and Tharja's chambers. Heavy bandages covered her eyes. Dried blood was still plastered to her pale skin despite Tharja's best efforts to clean it all off. Noire's chest rose and fell in soft, weak breaths. But they were steady, and they would grow stronger. Tharja assured him as much. She was seeing to her well being personally. While Ben would have liked it if she allowed Libra to assist her, he was still reassured to know a mage as skilled as Tharja was making sure Noire lived and recovered.
He leaned against the doorway and watched Tharja work. His lover was hunched over a small table near Noire's bedside, mortar and pestle in hand as she ground a magical ingredient down to a fine powder. Her fingers snapped across the room, drawing the attention of the two people she allowed to assist her.
"Henry, turn that newt's eye into paste." She ordered.
Henry snickered, "Yes, ma'am." The disturbingly cheerful dark mage grinned as he plucked a jar filled with small eyes and plopped one down into his own mortar and pestle. As he ground it down, Ben heard him humming a happy tune to himself.
"Laurent," Tharja continued, "Glasses."
Laurent glanced over at Tharja as he turned away from a pair of bubbling alembics, confusion on his face.
"I am indeed wearing glasses but-"
"Glasses." Tharja reiterated, "Fill them with water. I'm thirsty." She returned her attention to her work, "And if Noire wakes she will be thirsty too."
She then noticed Ben leaning against the doorframe. For the first time since they both returned to the palace, Tharja let some vulnerability show on her face. She looked exhausted. Dark rings circled her already shadowy eyes. Her posture remained slouched even when she turned away from her work to face Ben. Through the Force, he could sense her body's labored efforts to keep pushing onward. It was enough for Ben to quietly walk up to her, take her by the hand, and place a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"You need to rest." He whispered.
Tharja's contentment disappeared. She narrowed her gaze at him before yanking her hands free.
"I will not rest, not until-"
"You said so yourself when we brought her here, Noire will live." Ben swallowed hard as he glanced over at Noire. His heart ached every time he saw her in this condition. If he had only been there sooner, this could have been avoided.
No… don't start. That's a road you've been down before, and it nearly destroyed you. Ben chastised himself.
"Doesn't matter." Tharja huffed, spinning back around to focus on the plants she was grinding down, "I will not rest until I know for certain that she-"
"Tharja-"
"What would you have me do, Ben!" Tharja whirled around, raising her voice. Off to the side, both Henry and Laurent paused in their work.
"I think I shall go fetch some aloe leaves." Laurent muttered, "Her eyes received severe burns from whatever spell hit her and-"
"We don't need the details, Laurent." Ben interrupted, "Just… do what you need to do."
Henry's grin wavered a little bit before he returned to focusing on his work while Laurent quickly stepped out, sliding the door shut behind him. As the door clicked, Tharja took a deep, shuddering breath.
"I apologize." She breathed.
"You have nothing to apologize for." Ben replied gently, "You're scared, and you have every right to be."
Tharja pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded, arms folded over her chest. She rubbed her arms with her hands as more anxiety filled her.
"I don't get why I'm like this." She sighed, taking a seat on a small bench she placed beside her table. She wrung her hands in her lap as she sat, "I hardly know her. I shouldn't care at all."
"You're her mother." Ben reminded her, "Noire is your blood, even if she is from the future. It is natural for you to be worried and scared right now."
Tharja sniffed and wiped at her eye, doing her best to hide tears that threatened to form. She swallowed hard, bowing her head as she tightened her fists in her lap.
"I should've fought harder." She muttered, "Been stronger, then she-"
"You don't know what would have happened." Ben said, brushing some of her dark hair from her face, "We need to focus on the here and now. Right now, she is wounded… but alive. I am forever grateful for that. You saved her life, Tharja."
Tharja squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, still fighting tears, "Yeah…" She croaked. Her head turned to look at Noire, "Hopefully I'll be able to save more than that."
Ben gave her a sympathetic smile, bent down and placed a soft kiss on top of her head, feeling the tension in her body release as he did so.
"Like with everything, we'll face it together."
The door to their quarters slid open, letting in a rush of cool, damp air. The sound of rain falling softened, signaling the end of the storm. As the rain drizzled down, Ben heard someone clear their throat in the doorway.
"Um… Benny?"
Ben took a deep breath, "Yes, Gaius?"
Ben furrowed his brow as he looked back at the thief. Unlike how he normally stood, there was no confidence in the thief's posture. Instead, it looked like he had seen a ghost. He seemed especially twitchy. As if he were nervous to be talking to Ben and Tharja. His eyes shifted to and fro a moment before he took a deep breath.
"You're um… you're gonna wanna come see this."
Ben shook his head, "It can wait. I'm needed here."
"Yeah uh, this ain't a military thing, I think?" Gaius folded his hands behind his back, reached into a pouch, and yanked a lollipop from it. He jabbed the candy into his mouth, and twirled it into his cheek, "It's a… damn, I don't know how to describe it. But you're gonna want to come see."
Ben furrowed his brow. Not a military matter? So he was not being summoned by Chrom or the other royals. Then what was so important that he had to leave Tharja and Noire immediately?
Ben uttered a heavy sigh and glanced at Tharja.
"Go ahead." Tharja nodded, "I'll be fine here." Her dark eyes glanced over at Henry as a wet squelch sounded from his table, signaling that he popped an eyeball. The other dark mage uttered a light snicker while Ben grimaced, "I've got him to keep me company."
"Fun company." Ben remarked with a slight smirk, "I won't be gone long."
"Mhmm." Tharja hummed back, returning her entire attention to her mortar and pestle.
Ben quietly stepped out of the room with Gaius. Soft raindrops pattered against the palace's tiled roof. Muffling the sound of wounded men groaning within the walls. The entire palace had been converted into an emergency hospital. As the two men strode down the corridor alongside the courtyard, they passed healers hurrying between rooms; soldiers with minor wounds wrapped in bandages, sitting outside for some fresh air; a few healthy soldiers that milled around as guards, or just as company for those that were injured. It was a familiar sight for Ben. The Republic hospitals and infirmaries operated in a similar manner. Oftentimes, Clones would wander in while they were off duty to check in on their wounded brothers.
Amazing how, despite the vast difference in technology, and the distance between stars, humans behave in a similar way in such situations. Ben thought to himself as they neared the palace exit, where they noticed Maribelle pacing back and forth, and Donnel trying to calm her down.
"For the last time, Donnel, I am perfectly fine." Maribelle growled, hands wringing against her parasol as she paced in front of the doors, "My best friend may be seriously wounded and not in my care at the moment, but I will be fine."
"Ya don't seem all that fine." Donnel replied.
"I said I'll be fine. I mean, it's not like I could assist Libra or anything. I am a perfectly experienced healer who can handle a wound such as Lissa's." She bent her parasol as she finished her sentence, nearly snapping it in two.
Donnel raised his brow, "I'm starting to see why Libra kicked ya out, Mari."
Maribelle stopped pacing and wheeled around on the farm boy, jabbing her parasol against his chest.
"What have I said about calling me that in pub-" She blinked when she finally noticed Ben and Gaius standing there, watching her fret. The Duchess quickly pulled her parasol away from Donnel and took a deep, dignified breath, "General," She eyed Gaius carefully, "Gaius."
Gaius snorted out a laugh, "Mari eh, Twinkles?"
Ben shook his head and sighed, "Antagonize her at your own peril, Gaius."
Gaius feinted offense, "Me? Antagonize? I would never."
"You would." Ben grumbled back before turning to Maribelle and Donnel, "How is Lissa?"
He had heard about her condition as soon as he reached the palace with Tharja and Noire. The Princess had received a strange, grievous wound the likes of which Libra had not seen before, but was confident he could treat. Apparently, Lissa remained conscious when she arrived with Lon'qu and walked Libra through what had harmed her, seeing as how she was somehow familiar with her strange wound. Ben had a feeling one of the Deadlords was responsible for harming the Ylissean Princess, but which one?
It doesn't matter now. Ben thought to himself, The battle is over, and they haven't overtly attacked… yet.
"I wouldn't know. Libra won't let me assist him." Maribelle huffed, throwing her parasol over her shoulder and popping it open, "If you'll excuse me, I need to go for a walk."
The Duchess quickly strode out of the palace and back out into the rain. Donnel uttered a heavy sigh and shrugged at both Ben and Gaius.
"Ain't able to do much in this case." He admitted.
"The best thing you can do for her is to be with her." Ben nodded, "Go on."
Donnel smiled, "Ya always know what to do, don't ya?" His eyes turned to Maribelle as the Duchess marched down the palace steps and made her way towards the stables, "Guess I'll go make sure she don't make a horse mad or something like that."
Gaius snorted, "Maribelle could make anything mad, except for you."
"Alright, enough antagonizing." Ben remarked, gripping Gaius by the shoulder and steering him towards the exit, "Take me to what I need to see."
"Oh, right." Gaius's mirth faded, "That."
The duo marched down the palace steps, boots splashing in small puddles as they walked. The streets of Koto, beyond the palace walls, were slick with rain. Some citizens emerged from their homes, still wary about the situation they found themselves in, but also aware that somehow their army was victorious. A few even joined what remained of the army in cleaning up the devastation. The rain took care of most of the fires, even as the storm fizzled out. All that remained for clean up was clearing the debris and the bodies.
There are bound to be many bodies.
Ben furrowed his brow as he passed a pile of black ash on the side of the road, near the main gate. The dark side of the force swelled to life as they passed through the gate's shadow, making him throw up his mental barriers on instinct. Beneath the gate, more piles of ash mixed in with bodies littering the cobblestones. Only one thing left black ash in their wake on the battlefield: Risen.
Both Ben and Tharja exited the battle as soon as they rescued Noire and determined she needed immediate medical attention. He was not there for the battle's conclusion, deciding to trust Luke and the others to handle the Valmese army. When the enemy failed to break through the gate and walls after hours of fighting, Ben knew he was right in trusting the young Sith and the other commanders. But he was still puzzled as to how they managed to fend off Walhart's forces.
As the piles of ash grew more numerous, he was starting to figure out the answer to that puzzle.
Gaius glanced at him, face pale as he nodded.
"Yeah…" Gaius breathed, "There were a lot of them."
The pair made it out onto the main road leading into Koto, where even more ash and bodies lay. Broken lances, shattered shields, dead horses, and discarded swords littered the rice fields and the road. A few red Valmese standards lay in tatters in the flooded, bloody fields. In all of that destruction, Ben failed to see how Risen managed to arrive on the battlefield.
He raised his gaze, and his heart stopped beating in his chest.
Gaius moved a few paces ahead of him as the Jedi Master froze in his tracks. He saw Tiki and Chrom standing a little ways in front of him, and standing before them were two beings wreathed in the Dark Side of the Force. One of them Ben recognized immediately, even if the aura she exuded was completely unrecognizable.
It was Emmeryn. She was… she was alive. Ben felt a lump for him his throat as he looked at her. The Brand of the Exalt had been replaced by a strange, crimson seal with six eyes on her forehead. Her once gentle, white and tan robes were now a shadowy purple and black. Her skin looked almost translucent. And her eyes, once a soft, kind blue were now a shocking, intense red. Around her were a ring of Risen soldiers, acting as bodyguards. Preventing both Chrom and Tiki from getting any closer.
"It can't be." He breathed.
Gaius stopped in front of him, "I thought the same thing, Benny."
Ben did not say anything back as he brushed past the thief and moved towards Chrom and Tiki. He stopped walking beside them, swallowing hard as Emmeryn's blazing eyes locked with his.
"Ben," Chrom croaked, "you can sense weird stuff right? Is it really her?"
He reached out with the force, just as anxious as the Prince to discover if what he was seeing was real or an illusion. When he brushed against her in the force, he felt nothing. There was no free will in there. No independence, but a wellspring of power that stole his breath away. It gave him little information on who exactly was standing before him, but it allowed him to gauge just what he might be dealing with.
His eyes turned to the many bodies littering the battlefield. The road was slick with rain, blood, and ash. A place Emmeryn would have never set foot in unless she could bring healing and comfort. This thing in front of him did not exude an aura of serenity like Emmeryn. He sensed carefully reined in rage and intense sorrow.
Ben shook his head, his shock at what he saw dying as he realized the thing he was looking at could not possibly be her.
"No, it is not." He answered Chrom, jaw tightening as he felt a twinge of anger within him. Whatever this thing was, it was taking on Emmeryn's form. Perverting her legacy by causing suffering on the battlefield.
"Astute observation." Tiki nodded.
"But…" Chrom shook his head, "It looks just like-"
"Appearances can be deceiving." Tiki interrupted, "One look at her aura and I know this is not your sister, but a fell demon instead. What I am curious about is how is she and her friend are here?"
Ben glanced away from Emmeryn to the other creature beside her. While the thing that wore Emmeryn's appearance had carefully contained emotions, this one's anger ran wild within her. In fact, this one looked exactly like Tiki. The only differences between the two were the ghost pale color of the creature's skin and the intense, crimson eyes instead of vibrant, green eyes. Ben could sense Tiki's distress every time she glanced at that one.
"Deadlords?" Ben asked her.
"Definitely." The Manakete replied, "But like I said, unless they were around and hiding in the shadows, I am confused how they are here. Robin is dead so they shouldn't exist right now."
Chrom snapped his gaze to her, "How does Robin's death have anything to do with this?"
"Hush." Ben hissed as the green haired deadlord stepped forward, parting the ring of Risen so that she could see the three Shepherds, unimpeded, "It looks like one wants to speak."
A low growl emanated from Tiki as her dark doppelganger stepped forward.
"Greetings." The Deadlord started, red eyes roving over the three Shepherds for a moment, "It has been too long since I have seen you three together. What is the human emotion attributed to this feeling?" She hummed for a moment, "Ah, yes… nostalgia. Forgive me, but I must gaze upon this a while longer, I'm feeling quite nostalgic at the moment. I believe the last time you three were together like this, facing me, was when my Master declared open war on you Naga-spawn."
"Declared?" Chrom repeated, brow raised in confusion.
Tiki stepped forward, a snarl on her lips as she confronted her doppelganger, "Who are you?"
The Deadlord put a finger to her chin, "Hm… well, I wouldn't exactly be telling the truth if I said I was you. But if you must know my name, it is Anguilla."
"And what about her?" Chrom asked, nodding his head at the other Deadlord, "Is she going to talk or-"
"Her voice is only used when necessary." Anguilla interrupted, flashing an evil grin, "As I am sure you witnessed this day, your majesty." Chrom swallowed hard as she grinned at him, "A forewarning for all three of you, this will be the only time my Master shall assist you."
"Assist?" Ben parroted.
"Why would Grima assist us?" Tiki asked, eyes narrowing at her doppelganger. She let some of her enormous power ebb to the surface, "And how is he even alive? His vessel was killed."
"Mmmm… perhaps the vessel is dead, but my Master is still very much alive." Anguilla replied, a sneer crossing over her face, "And if you think you can intimidate me, Child of Naga, you are sadly mistaken. Your power is my power as well. I am already very aware of your limits. I mean, I helped kill you once already." She shuddered, "I'll admit, I'm a little anxious to do so again."
A hiss snapped Anguilla's attention back to her comrade. The shrill hiss lingered on the wind, reverberating like a high pitched echo. Some of the Risen surrounding Emmeryn tensed. Anguilla rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by whatever her comrade did.
"Right, right." She grumbled, "Master's orders. Those annoying little commands. It would be so much easier to just ignore them and-"
A staff lashed out and rested against Anguilla's shoulder, silencing the Deadlord. An irritated snarl left Anguilla's lips.
"Fine, Lepus." Anguilla growled, "We'll leave them for now." She flashed a smirk at Tiki, Chrom, and Ben, "Farewell, Naga-spawn. Enjoy your hard earned peace while you can."
Tiki grit her teeth, showing her fangs as golden light enveloped the two deadlords. Chrom's hand gripped Falchion tight as he prepared for treachery. Ben, meanwhile, remained motionless. No warnings came through the force. The Deadlords were not their enemies today.
With a bright flash of light, both Deadlords disappeared. As soon as they were gone, the few Risen that remained crumbled into piles of black ash.
Chrom exhaled, shoulders sagging as all of the tension in his body left him at once.
"I need a drink." He admitted.
"You and me both." Ben agreed as he massaged his forehead, "But Tharja and Noire need me. We should-"
"We all need some time to rest and… figure stuff out." Chrom said, reading into where Ben was going, "Sometime tomorrow, I'll convene a war council. We'll have to figure out what to do with all of the prisoners of war. Then we'll have to draft a treaty with whoever leads the Empire."
"If it hasn't already collapsed with Walhart's defeat." Ben nodded.
"I'm sure it will." Chrom muttered, "But we can't worry about that right now. Go to Noire and Tharja, I'm sure they need you more than I do. I need to go be with Lissa, but first I need to speak with Tiki about something."
Ben smiled gratefully at Chrom. He patted the Prince's shoulder and strode away. As he walked away, Chrom took a deep breath and turned his attention to Tiki.
"So," Tiki's ears twitched as Chrom addressed her, "What does Robin have to do with those Deadlords?"
War councils… so many war councils. These meetings had become a regular part of life now for Lucina. She never really had war councils in the future. What was there to council about? Despite how devastating the future war against Grima was, it was a pretty straightforward conflict. Master Kenobi handled most of the strategy for that war along with Sir Frederick, and she sat by and learned as much as she could. They were always brief meetings that allowed her two mentors to go over how they could best delay or retreat away from the Risen hordes.
The strategy meetings she now sat in, here in the past, were much more complicated. They involved multiple different parties, each with their own ideas and agendas. Each with their own problems and their own solutions for both their problems and everyone else's problems. It felt more like a game of politics than of strategy, especially with Robin's passing. Thankfully though, most of the people in the Archanean war council had been in agreement on how to conduct the war against Valm.
But will we be able to figure out how to handle the aftermath?
In the days following the Siege of Koto, word spread throughout the Valmese continent that the Conqueror had not only been defeated in battle, but had been captured and forced into surrender. Dynasts throughout the land tore down the red Valmese banners and replaced them with their old standards, declaring their sovereignty from the suddenly weak empire. Without their best generals or their once invincible leader, Valm's armies were paralyzed in the face of the growing resistance.
Lucina rounded the corner and made her way towards the Palace's main hall, where the War council would be held, since most of the palace's rooms were still being used as infirmaries for the severely wounded. The doors to the main hall were thrown open. Two guards stood beside them. Both were Feroxi Lancers, due to them being quite possibly the most imposing soldiers from any army in the city. Lucina gave the two guards a small nod as she stepped into the main hall.
Unlike the palaces in Archeanea, and certainly unlike the Exalt's palace in Ylisstol, the palace in Koto had a rather small main hall. It was more like a small sitting room, with a simple throne up on a small pedestal. There were no grand tapestries portraying the deeds of previous kings and queens. No statues of great leaders that once dominated the land of Chon'sin. It was a fairly bare room with the exception of long table and chairs brought in for the other military leaders to sit at. Soft beams of sunlight filtered through windows along the walls, making fires and lamps unnecessary. It gave the entire space a much more modest feeling.
Most of the other military leaders were already in attendance. The first one she noticed was the old Plegia, Mustafa. He lingered near the door, away from the others. Perfectly content with his solitude.
Next, Lucina spotted her father and mother sitting near the Chon'sin throne. Both wore their formal wear instead of the usual armor she had grown used to seeing them in. Sumia looked radiant in her green dress, sporting Ylisse's traditional colors, while her father looked positively regal in his blue suit. Although, Chrom looked a tad uncomfortable in the suit. Lucina had to laugh a little bit as he squirmed in his seat. They both smiled at her as she entered the hall.
She spotted Maribelle and Dooku off to the side, near one of the windows. The pair were talking fervently about something, likely the ongoing rebuild of Themis. Or more likely, how to expand Themis's power in western Ylisse. They were the dominant power in the region, and Dooku was probably advocating for keeping a standing army loyal to Themis, just in case Plegia decided to try something again. Judging by the expression on the Duchess's face, she was seriously considering it.
Lady Tiki sat near the at the end of the table, near the door, a weary look in her eyes as she rested back against the soft cushions in her chair. Every so often, her ears would twitch and she'd perk up a little bit, before sinking back into the cushions.
Khan Flavia sat beside her, a broad grin on her face as she kicked her boots up on the table. She winked over at Lucina.
"How's it going, kid." She grinned.
"Well, thank you." Lucina nodded.
"Good." Flavia nodded, "Hey, if you ever get Dooku's ear, tell him if I ever lose a limb, I want one of those arms. But steel instead of iron. I ain't gonna let somebody else's limb be better than mine."
Lucina snorted out a laugh, "Hopefully you'll never need one." She looked down at the iron limb. The knuckles were still dented from when she fought Fett, but otherwise it held up remarkably well in the battle. Although it felt heavy as it sat against her shoulder, "It's not the most comfortable thing in the world."
Flavia shrugged, "Comfort ain't my concern." She nodded over at Chrom and Sumia, "I'm sure you're gonna be seated by them."
Lucina nodded and made her way around the table over to her parents. Sumia rose from her seat and quickly embraced Lucina. Lucina's breath hitched as she felt both of her arms wrap around her mother.
"Did you sleep well?" Sumia asked.
"As well as I could. There's still a lot going on, and it kept me awake late."
Chrom nodded beside Sumia, yawning a little bit, "Same here." He muttered, "This is going to be one busy day. Lots to figure out in not a lot of time."
As Lucina took her seat, the doors to the main hall opened again. Ben quietly walked in. The Jedi Master smiled over at Chrom and made his way to the empty seat beside Lucina. Flavia barked over at the Jedi, drawing his attention.
"About time you showed up, Ben!" Flavia crowed, "And the hell are you doing over there with those Ylisseans. You're my General, aren't ya?"
"He's my tactician too." Chrom chuckled.
Flavia blinked, "Well damn, I don't think I've ever had a man stolen from me by another man." Chrom's cheeks flushed while Sumia giggled beside him. Flavia smirked over at Ben, "Fine, go sit by your new boyfriend. But know I'll be waiting for ya later."
"I'm very taken, Flavia." Ben sank into the chair beside Lucina, "And Tharja, I can confirm, is absolutely the jealous type."
Lucina furrowed her brow, "I've never noticed that."
"Neither have I, but I wouldn't put it past her." Ben chuckled lightly, "She places a runny nose hex on Gaius for the slightest inconvenience he gives her, imagine what she would do to the Khan?"
"I think she just hexes Gaius for sport now." Frederick cut in as he entered the room, choosing to stand against the wall behind Chrom instead of taking a seat. Chrom motioned for him to sit, but Frederick shook his head, "I am not a decision maker in this, milord. Just an observer and advisor."
A loud cackle rang out through the room. Henry burst into the room, broad grin on his face as he pushed Cordelia forward in a rolling chair. Cordelia uttered a loud laugh as Henry yanked on the chair, spinning her into a spot next to Ben.
"And thus, the ride end!" Henry bowed to the Pegasus Knight, "No further injuries, unfortunately."
"I would call that a good thing, Henry." The Wing commander remarked as she reached for the table and pulled herself closer.
"Not for me, cause then I'd have to stop taking care of you." Henry grinned, making Cordelia blush a little bit. The Dark mage quickly spun on his heel and walked out, offering a small wave to everyone else, "Gotta go. There's corpses that need examining."
"Have fun?" Flavia remarked, brow raised.
"It is a lot of fun!" Henry smiled, then he left.
As he walked out, the last three major leaders walked in.
Luke strode in first. He wore simple, blue formal robes. Traditional garb for Chon'sin nobles. His long blonde hair was pulled back into a tight knot. Beside him, Cynthia hopped along, giddy with excitement since this was the first time she was going to be a part of a war council. She also sported traditional Chon'sin wear, this time a green kimono with a beautiful floral pattern stitched into it. She looked stunning to Lucina, and it made the older sister smile wide. Cynthia excitedly waved to Lucina as she and Luke made their way up to the three seats at the head of the large table.
Finally, Yen'fay entered. His robes were more muted in color than Luke and Cynthia's. As he walked up towards the Chon'sin throne, he paused when he noticed Luke not sitting in it.
"You're in the wrong seat." He said to Luke as his younger brother sank into the chair to the throne's right.
"Not at all." Luke replied with a shake of his head. Yen'fay opened his mouth to reply, but Luke cut him off, "I'm not cut out to rule a country, brother. I don't have… the…"
"Patience?" Ben smirked.
"We'll go with that." Luke nodded, "Besides, I'd say you've more than regained the right to rule."
"That is not for you to decide." Yen'fay replied.
"Actually it is." Luke lounged back in his chair, "I recall that I was given power to rule over Chon'sin by you. Well, as ruler, I hereby name you my successor. And now that is done, and since we have all of these wonderful witnesses, I hereby step down. As my successor it is your duty to both me and your nation to step up and rule."
Yen'fay blinked down at Luke in surprise. Luke shrugged, letting a wry smirk cross his lips.
"I did some light reading on Chon'sin law."
"You've had too much free time you mean." Yen'fay said with a quiet laugh. He took a deep breath, "Very well then. If that is what you decree, then I will follow."
Yen'fay ran a hand along the backrest of the Chon'sin throne. With a heavy sigh of resignation, he sank down into the chair. The doors to the main hall closed, and a heavy silence descended upon the hall. Yen'fay cleared his throat.
"Let's get this started. We have a lot on the agenda today. From figuring out how to repair this once besieged city, to dealing with prisoners of war, to deciding the fate of the Conqueror." He took a breath, "We also need to start drafting treaties. Especially a new one with our allies from Archanea. That is, if Prince Chrom and Khan Flavia feel up for that?"
"Eh, you proved yourself out there." Flavia shrugged, "Takes strength, and gigantic balls, to challenge one million men. I'd say we could make a Feroxi outta ya if you ever pay a visit to my icy home."
Chrom chuckled at that, "Ylisse would be thrilled to become allies with Chon'sin, your majesty."
There is the formalities father has been working on. Lucina smiled to herself, recalling how tales of her father's not so graceful ways in court. Mother and Frederick must've had a hand in that.
"Wonderful." Yen'fay nodded, "But… before we do any of that. An assessment of the battle, and war, I think is in order. Casualty lists will be compiled in the coming days, and I'll make sure reparations are dispensed to the families of the fallen from my territories, and to those who were killed by my actions at the Battle of Demon's Ingle."
Both Chrom and Flavia gave grateful nods to the Chon'sin king.
"As for what occurred during the siege here… well, what is there to say?"
"We probably should've lost." Flavia admitted.
"It took a miracle for us to pull out a victory." Chrom nodded in agreement. He glanced over at Ben and Tiki, "A miracle facilitated by a third party."
Ben furrowed his brow, as did Lucina.
"You're talking about those two new deadlords?" Lucina asked, "The ones that-"
"That looked like both Lady Tiki and Exalt Emmeryn," Chrom nodded, taking a deep breath as he mentioned Emmeryn's name, "Yes, I am. They referred to themselves as Anguilla and Lepus respectively." Dooku shifted uncomfortably where he stood near Maribelle, "In case anyone failed to notice, these two were significantly stronger and far different from the other Deadlords we have encountered."
"The ones we have encountered so far have mostly been warriors or assassins." Ben pointed out, "Grievous, Luminara, and Xanatos are skilled in many things, but they are primarily soldiers. As for Jango Fett, his role seems to fluctuate. These two new deadlords are different though. Anguilla appears to be a powerful… something. It's hard to say what it is given it did nothing but guard Lepus throughout the battle. As for Lepus… well, we all saw."
"That thing literally raised an army of the undead with a scream and a fancy staff." Flavia said, her voice devoid of its usual carefree tone, "Where the hell are these things coming from?"
"We aren't sure." Chrom stated, "I learned quite a bit in the wake of the battle, thanks to Lady Tiki."
Lucina saw Ben's gaze snap over to Tiki. Lucina followed suit as well, curious about what revelations Tiki gave her father. Tiki sat upright in her chair, accidentally letting a small yawn slip from her lips before blinking herself awake. She took a deep breath, then spoke.
"What I am about to reveal cannot leave this room." She said, "Most of what I am saying can be tossed aside as mere conjecture, but it is also a worst case scenario. In this case, it would be prudent for us to assume the worst and prepare for it. That being said, I would rather not tip off the enemy that we are aware of his survival."
Lucina furrowed her brow, "His survival?"
Flavia raised a glass of water to her lips as Tiki started to speak again.
Tiki nodded, "The enemy that I speak of, for those of you who are not aware yet, is the Fell Dragon Grima." Flavia choked then sputtered on her water, coughing hard as Tiki's words hit her, "We know this because of the courageous efforts of a group of time travelers that have come to warn of us of his rise." She nodded over to Lucina.
Lucina folded her hands, "I'm still puzzled, you said Grima's survival? Do you speak of when he was last defeated centuries ago or-"
"I speak of Robin's demise at Demon's Ingle." Tiki sighed.
It felt like a fist slammed into Lucina's gut. Her breath was stolen from her lungs as she stared stunned at Tiki. The others in the room, except for Chrom, Dooku, and Ben, seemed equally stunned by what Tiki was insinuating. Yen'fay leaned forward in his seat, brow furrowed.
"What does Robin have to do with the Fell Dragon?" He asked, "From what I am aware, he was simply a tactician and a powerful mage."
"That is what I thought when I first met him as well. And that is what he genuinely was." Tiki explained, "However, when I first met him, something was ailing him, as some of you are aware. His powers would frequently lash out beyond his control. Both Robin and Dooku sought me out for assistance in the matter." She shifted in her seat, slightly uncomfortable with what she was about to say, "I entered Robin's mind using an advanced scrying technique, and he was aware and with me the entire time. Within his mind, I discovered that the Fell Dragon personally inhabited him."
Lucina shot up from her seat, "What!?"
Cynthia gasped. Her hand clenched tight around Luke's hand while the young man's brow furrowed, one hand rubbing his chin.
"Lucina." Chrom said quickly, warning in his voice.
Lucina swallowed hard, "S-sorry. That is just… difficult to fathom." She returned to her seat, "Please continue, Lady Tiki."
"Grima was sealed behind some exceptionally advanced and powerful magic, the likes of which I have not seen in a very, very long time." Tiki said, "Under normal circumstances, unless someone knew how to break those seals, Grima would have been kept at bay. Those seals seemed to have a hand in Robin's amnesia as well, since it basically locked up his mind and thoughts. However, there was a second entity within Robin as well, one that identified himself as the Son. This entity is one not of this world. I was not aware of who or what he was. But, with his assistance, Grima was starting to crack the seal on Robin, causing these enormous lapses of control."
"This Son sounds dangerous." Yen'fay said.
"He is exceptionally dangerous." Ben began, "I have encountered him once before."
"Another old enemy of yours, Ben?" Frederick chimed in.
Cordelia gave her fellow commander a withering look, but Ben waved off Frederick's comment.
"I thought him to be very, very dead." Ben huffed, "Apparently I need to stop assuming people from my past are dead." He glanced over at Dooku, causing the old man to smugly smirk back, "The Son is… a very difficult person to explain. It involves going into the nature of the Force, the power myself and others use, as well as much of the mythology behind it. The short version is: the Son is a cosmic entity, beyond most of our understanding. He can take physical form, but the best way I can describe him is as the Dark Side incarnate." Lucina paled beside Ben as he spoke, "Several years ago, myself, another Jedi named Anakin Skywalker, and his student Ahsoka Tano were transported against our will to his realm in the force, a planet called Mortis. To make a long story short, we discovered a way to destroy the Son, so we did. At that point, we were transported away from Mortis and the planet was never seen or heard of again. So you can understand why I would think him to be long dead. I watched him pass on after all."
"He should've died." Tiki agreed, "But a shard of his spirit survived. That shard made its way to Grima and inhabited the Fell Dragon. I'm not sure of the nature of their relationship, but they appear to be of the same mind and goal: domination of this planet. I'm not sure where a vessel factors into Grima's plans, there is much research I will have to conduct on the matter, but needless to say, when Robin sacrificed his life at Demon's Ingle I thought that to be the end of Grima as well." She tapped her hand against the table, "But the appearance of these new deadlords throws that assumption into question. It is entirely possible they were created before Robin's passing, but that is a dangerous assumption to make."
"Tiki and I are in agreement." Chrom spoke up, folding his hands on the table, "Until we are one hundred percent certain the Fell Dragon is dead, we operate as if the ill fated future Lucina warned us of is still going to come to pass. We continue to prepare, and we continue to keep a wary eye out for the Fell Dragon and those that serve him."
"The Grimleal." Frederick snarled.
"Exactly." Chrom nodded, "Keeping tabs on them and Plegia is going to be a delicate political game. I'm not going to start a crusade like my father did. Especially since we barely have a standing army anymore."
"Wise decision." Dooku nodded.
Tiki nodded in agreement, "Remember everyone, this does not leave this room. No one is to speak of this to anyone. If Grima really is still alive, we don't want him knowing we are aware." Her green eyes roved from Cynthia and Luke, down to a still shocked Lucina, "Am I clear?"
Every head nodded as Tiki exuded an authoritative aura. If her words were crossed in this instance, severe repercussions were in order.
Lucina felt conflicted on the matter thought. On the one hand, she understood the need for secrecy. But to not tell anyone beyond this room meant she could not let the others know about Robin and Grima. Surely there had to be an exception made for her friends, who had been fighting for nearly their entire lives.
Lucina exhaled and closed her eyes.
I need to speak with Master Ben. There is a lot that is bothering me now.
"Well," Yen'fay cleared his throat, "Now that is concluded, we can get down to other business. Starting with the Conqueror."
Lucina hardly paid attention to the deliberations regarding Valm and the Conqueror's fate. The brute was defeated, that is all that mattered. Grima's machinations were more important to her. The revelation that Robin was a vessel for Grima shocked her to her very core. A lingering question plagued her mind.
If he was the vessel in this time, was he the vessel in the future?
A sick feeling entered her stomach. She remembered the day her father died all too well. He died in a titanic battle in Plegia, fighting to prevent Grima's resurrection. Robin, a man she looked to as an Uncle, was with him and supposedly died during that very same battle.
He died… and Grima rose from the ashes.
Robin did not die… he became Grima. Lucina swallowed hard. Her heart hammered in her chest.
My father was betrayed by his closest friend.
"Lucina?" Ben whispered over to her.
Lucina whipped her gaze over to him. He sensed her sudden distress and was obviously concerned.
"I need to leave." She whispered back, quickly rising to her feet and exiting.
As she left the hall, she was surprised to sense Ben following her. The doors shut behind them both.
"Lucina-"
"Do you have any idea what Tiki's information means, Master?" She asked Ben, voice shaking with both sorrow and anger. She exhaled and pursed her lips, "My father was killed by his best friend."
Ben gave her a sympathetic look, "Yes, it appears he was."
"And… and you were killed by the one person you called a friend in the future too." Lucina raked a hand through her blue hair, "Naga above, Grima was under my very nose this entire time."
"And what would you have done about it?" Ben asked.
Lucina's eyes flashed, "What was necessary."
"You would have killed Robin even though he was innocent."
Uncertainty filled her gaze as Ben bluntly confronted her on the matter. Lucina's gaze shifted back and forth.
"I-I don't know." Lucina gulped, "But… something would have to have been done."
"You heard Tiki in there. Even with Robin's death we don't know if Grima has been stopped." Ben reminded her, "Do not try to take fate in your hands, Lucina. If you react to a future, you will inevitably create one you are not prepared for. The future-"
"Is never certain." Lucina snorted, "I learned that one the hard way." She gestured with her cybernetic arm.
"Exactly." Ben nodded, "You must live in the moment. The future will take care of itself. The will of the force will handle it."
"And if the will of the force told me to slay Robin?" Lucina asked.
Ben was silent for a moment, "I'm not sure." He finally answered, "But that did not happen. We cannot dwell on what could have happened, or what we should have done. We can only deal with what we can do now. It is a difficult thing to learn and put into practice. Believe me when I say, it is difficult. Especially for us force sensitives. But it is a necessity if we are to follow the force's will."
Lucina nodded, "I think I understand."
Ben gave her a small smile, "You don't. But in time you will. Understand that is part of a Jedi's long journey, and few reach the end destination before they become one with the force once again. I certainly am not there yet. We will both have to be patient with the force and with ourselves."
Lucina smiled a little bit, "It's been a while since I've gotten one of these wise speeches from you."
"We'll have to make a better habit of it in the future." Ben remarked with a smile, "Now, I can sense there is more you wish to speak of, but we lack the time at the moment. Perhaps on the return journey, or when we get home, we will speak." Ben moved to return to the war council, "I think when we get home would be better. I could make my famous vegetable soup then."
Lucina chuckled, "I'm looking forward to it."
Ben nodded, "Me too."
The door opened and shut, leaving Lucina alone outside. The Princess took a deep breath. Ben was right, he almost always was when it came to stuff like this. She ran a hand over her forehead and started walking back to her quarters.
The time was coming to go home, and she still needed to pack up. She glanced down at her cybernetic arm.
I doubt the sea spray will treat this well.
Noire woke up a few days ago, and she could not see anything. It made her panic. Made her scream and cry, without feeling any tears come from her wounded eyes. Thankfully, her mother had been by her side. A fact that surprised her, since Tharja often would have nothing to do with her since Noire arrived in the past. But her mother hardly left her side as she lay in a cot, recovering from her injuries.
After a day or so, she was able to get out of bed. Her blindness meant that she needed someone to guide her through the room and the halls. Whenever she tried to move around by herself, she would bump into walls, furniture, and trip over her own two feet a times. All of her senses had been thrown out of balance by the sudden loss of only one, and she felt utterly helpless.
She struggled to remember how it even happened. She could recall firing her arrows into the legions of Valmese attacking Koto. She remembered the tower exploding. But after that, it was a blur of images and feelings that felt too painful to dredge up. So she let them sit, alone in a dark corner of her mind, never to be touched again. It may not have been the healthiest thing to do, but it helped her try to get a grip on her new reality.
Thankfully, she still had her other senses, otherwise she would not have known she was at a port. She could feel the warm sun kissing her skin. The salty scent from the sea filled her nose, making her think of foamy waves and sand filled beaches. She could hear dockworkers moving all around her, as well as large amounts of armor and soldiers marching up gangplanks and onto boats she thought floated nearby. She leaned against a wooden railing, which she guessed was at the edge of the docks and let the sea spray from the waves gently touch her face, reminding her of what the ocean looked like.
"Oh my gosh!"
If Noire could blink, she would have. Before she could react, a body slammed into her and wrapped arms tight around her.
"Is that you, Cynthia?" Noire asked, lightly laughing.
"Of course it's me silly! Can't you hear?"
"It's hard to mistake your loud voice." An annoyed girl stated next. A voice Noire recognized as Severa, "How are you feeling, Noire?"
Noire exhaled as Cynthia stopped squeezing her and back away, "Better than before but… still not sure if this is real or not."
"It is real, silly!" Cynthia's happy voice replied. Noire heard Severa smack Cynthia on her shoulder, "I-I mean, I'm sorry it's real."
"Gawds, your dumb." Severa huffed, "So who's with you Noire?"
"Mother is around somewhere." Noire replied, "I think she is trying to find my father. He had to run off and do some last minute things with Yen'fay and Chrom before we set sail."
"It probably had something to do with that Wally guy." Cynthia replied, "Do you know what we voted to do with him?"
"Hang him by his entrails, I hope?" Severa remarked, showing a hint of her father's influence.
"Gruesome." Noire deadpanned.
"Very." Cynthia shivered, "But no. He's going to be in the dungeons of Koto for a long, long time. Yen'fay called it pen- pena- point is it's a big word that means punishment."
"She means penance."
Noire's mood dampened a little bit when she heard Luke's voice. Unlike the others, she could at least sense where he was at. He stood in front of her, likely with one arm wrapped around Cynthia's shoulders.
"I'm surprised they aren't executing him." Noire muttered.
"I think many hoped Yen'fay would, but… Yen'fay says that if they exact revenge on Walhart, then we are no better than him. He also said he could not deny any of the good Walhart did and attempted to do. He helped end many petty wars that were killing peasants by the thousands throughout the continent. Granted, he killed many in his own conquest but there was an attempt at reforms. Plus, Yen'fay also learned that Excellus killed Say'ri on his own volition. Walhart did not order it."
"So that stayed your brother's hand?" Noire asked.
"For now." Luke replied, "I think it allowed Yen'fay to be more impartial regarding Walhart."
"Speaking of that fat toad," Cynthia butted in, "Do we know where in the world he ran off to?"
"No one really knows." Luke replied, "After the battle at Demon's Ingle he just vanished. I know Yen'fay ordered a detachment of soldiers, commanded by Priam of all people, to go to Walhart's capital and raid it for relevant information. Maybe the worm is hiding out there. He was a coward, so it wouldn't surprise me."
Noire nodded in agreement, "Hopefully he is just gone for good. But I do hope we catch him. He needs to answer for his crimes."
She felt Luke's darker signature flare in the force.
"He better hope my brother gets to him before me."
Noire drew back a little bit, "Get to him before… you aren't returning to Ylisse?"
She had a feeling Luke nodded his head. That feeling was confirmed when she could practically feel Severa roll her eyes.
"She can't see, dumbass." Severa remarked, "Gawds, you and Cynthia are both airheads. Definitely deserve each other."
"I know right!" Cynthia cheered.
"S-sorry." Luke stammered, "Yeah, I'm not going to Ylisse. It isn't my home." He uttered a wistful sigh, "Chon'sin is where I'm needed."
"But that doesn't mean we won't visit." Cynthia finished for him.
"We!?" Both Severa and Noire exclaimed.
"Well yeah." Cynthia said, "You don't think I'm going to let Luke get away from me that easily do you? He's stuck with me."
"Oh joy." Luke droned, making Noire snicker.
"I am a joy to be around, and you know it." Cynthia leaned close to Noire, "In more ways than one for him."
Noire felt her cheeks heat up, "O-okay then." She cleared her throat, "Where is Mother at?"
"Hey! There she is!"
A heavy arm slung over Noire's shoulders, startling her before she smelled alcohol on someone's breath.
"Brady." She sighed, reaching up and removing his arm from her.
Brady blinked, "How did ya know it was me?"
"You're charming accent." Noire sassed back, folding her arms over her chest.
"Ya think my accent is charming?"
"She smelled your breath, idiot." Severa deadpanned.
"I ain't even had that much today." Brady dismissed, "So, Noire, is it your ma or pa walking ya around-"
"Mother." Noire answered.
"I'll be going then."
She heard Brady quickly walk away. As his footsteps faded, both her and Severa broke down laughing. Noire bent forward and clutched her stomach as her laughter grew.
"He's still that scared of your mother?" Severa exclaimed, laughing.
"About as scared of her as he is his own mother." Noire snickered, "And he must've had a lot to drink, because he should know that both Mother and Father will be with me on the boat."
Severa sniffled and chuckled some more, "Yeah, probably. But no one ever accused Brady of being very observant either."
"He can be, when he isn't inebriated." Noire replied, her snickers fading with Severa's laughter. Noire cleared her throat, and turned her head to where she thought Luke was standing. She didn't hear any correction, so he must be there, "So, is Sakura staying too?"
"Noire, you're talking to the ocean." Luke deadpanned.
Noire whipped her gaze back over to Luke's voice, "O-oh! Um… whoops."
Luke uttered a small laugh, "No worries. And yes, for now Sakura is staying in Chon'sin. Her and Yen'fay have sparked a niece and uncle relationship. It's actually kind of sweet."
"This uncle is jealous." Cynthia stated, patting Luke on the shoulder.
"Oh that's right you're technically her Uncle." Severa pointed out.
"You don't have to remind me." Luke sighed, "I'm sure she will point it out with her wonderful sarcasm many times in the future."
"She better." Noire snickered.
A pair of footsteps approached Noire. Through the force she detected her father's bright signature coming up from behind her. As he approached, Severa cleared her throat.
"Boats are loading up. I'll see you there, Noire." Severa said, patting her friend on the shoulder before quickly walking away, her boots clicking against the wooden planks beneath their feet.
She then heard her mother's voice as one of her slender hands tapped her right arm.
"Are you ready, Noire?" Tharja asked.
Noire did not reply right away. For the first time in over a year, she was going to go home, back to Ylisstol. This time, it was not going to be under seige or crawling with Risen as Grima declared victory. It would be like how she remembered it was in her early childhood. A place filled with life and happiness. She was about to have an actual life again.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to see it.
Despite her own excitement about going home, she did feel some pain in her heart. She had called Chon'sin home for more than a year now. Despite the animosity she held towards Luke, she could not imagine not being around him, Cynthia, and Yen'fay. It would certainly be a strange thing to not hear Cynthia's loud, rambunctious voice everyday; or hearing Yen'fay's calm words of wisdom whenever she was dealing with a problem. It would even be difficult to not sense Luke lingering nearby, in spite of how she felt about him.
But he has made an effort to be better. Noire thought, We can thank Cynthia and Yen'fay for that.
"Yeah." Noire breathed.
"Good." Tharja said, "Help me get her to the ship, Ben."
"Absolutely."
She felt her father's warm hand take her own. As she walked away, she heard Cynthia shout after her.
"See ya soon, Noire!"
Noire turned her head to the sound and smile back.
"See you soon." She replied, much quieter than Cynthia.
The gangplank up to the boat made her nervous as it wobbled beneath her. Her father gently and slowly guided her up until the wooden planks beneath her feet leveled out, signaling that she now stood on the top deck of a ship.
"Hey Benny! There you are!" Gaius chirped, "How's Snickers doing?"
"Snickers?" Both Ben and Noire asked.
"Yeah, heard her snickering with Little Blue and Little Red, so I'm calling her Snickers."
Noire covered her mouth as she laughed, "Severa is Little Red. Naga she won't be happy about that."
"I don't care. Right Whiskers?"
"You're penchant for giving idiotic nicknames is both endearing and annoying." Noire heard Panne drone.
Ben chuckled at that, "You heard the lady, Gaius."
"Doesn't mean I'll stop." Gaius replied as Ben, Noire, and Tharja moved along the deck, avoiding Plegian sailors as they walked.
A door creaked open in front of Noire. She cautiously threw a hand out in front of her, grasping at the air until she found the railing to the set of stairs that led below deck. Her father gave her other hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Just take your time."
"Nay, there is no time waste!"
Noire yelped as her father's hand slipped from her grasp. She felt a pair of arms scoop her up and rush her down the steps.
"Behold! The brave slayer of Deadlords has arrived!" Owain cheered.
"About time!" Brady called from somewhere in the boat, Noire could not tell where.
"Owain, you can put me down now." Noire muttered.
"Noire!" Her mother called, "Are you alright? Who am I about to hex? It is the particularly flamboyant one?"
"Oh!?" Noire heard Laurent utter to her left, "Flamboyant, an excellent way to describe Owain."
"Oh, so Owain it is." Tharja growled as she drew nearer.
Owain quickly dropped Noire without warning. Noire hissed as she hit the deck hard.
"You're digging a deeper hole, Owain." Inigo called from across the hold, "Just take the hex now before it gets worse for you."
"Please hex him. Gawds, please do it." Severa pleaded, clapping her hands together.
"No need, mother." Noire sighed, shakily rising to her feet and putting her hands out, feeling a wall nearby for her to lean against, "Owain didn't mean any harm. He just got excited."
Tharja hummed in disapproval. Noire knew she was glaring at the bombastic swordsman as she stopped walking by her side.
"Very well." Tharja leaned close to Noire, "Do you want to stay with your father and I?"
Noire furrowed her brow. She heard more chit chat between her friends, likely Severa giving Tharja's retribution to Owain for her. She did hear the word Venator thrown out there once and a snarl erupt from where she heard Severa's voice. Brady was laughing loudly. She could hear Laurent chuckling softly as he turned a page in his spellbook. And she could hear Inigo flirting with someone just now approaching her.
"I think I'll stay here for now." Noire told her mother.
A cold but reassuring hand squeezed hers.
"Alright." Tharja breathed, "But if you need anything-"
"I'll call for you." Noire smiled back.
Tharja uttered a heavy sigh, turned, then left just as the last set of footsteps reached Noire.
"Good to see you up and moving." Lucina said, wrapping Noire in a warm hug.
Noire smiled and returned her embrace.
"It feels good to be moving." Their embrace ended and Noire took a deep breath, "And it feels even better to be going home."
"Home… shit, that's right." Brady gulped, "I gotta live with Ma again."
"Good luck with that!" Inigo hollered.
"Which means I can't look at Inigo's hot ma." Brady clicked his tongue, "Such a shame."
"Y-you- you-"
Noire covered her mouth as she started to snicker. The others laughed as well as Inigo sputtered then gave up with a huff. In that moment, it occurred to Noire that the only two people to have seen Ylisstol this entire time were Laurent and Lucina.
"So," She breathed, glancing towards where she sensed Lucina through the force, "What is home like nowadays?"
A wistful sigh escaped Lucina's lips.
"It's… paradise."
Noire smiled. Paradise? That was hard to fathom given what she remembered from Ylisstol's last days. But after everything that has happened, she was looking forward to some peace and quiet in paradise. She may be blind now, but she would not let that hamper her from living. She knew her friends and family would be there to help her along the way.
"Let's enjoy it then."
Space is usually cold and dark. One would be surprised by how empty the galaxy could be at times. Hyperspace often warped Thrawn's perception of how vast the universe really was. After all, hyperspace made the galaxy a much smaller place than it was during the days of his ancestors, millennia upon millennia ago. Traveling between worlds as often as he did meant that much of the majesty of seeing a new planet was lost with each subsequent journey until now it had all become routine for him.
That feeling of routine was why he felt particularly thrilled about this search and expedition he had embarked on at the Emperor's orders. The Deep Core was an uncharted mess of black holes, asteroid belts, derelict worlds, and unknown planets. The latest map was tens of thousands of years old and belonged to the mythical Rakatan Empire, meaning that is was basically useless.
As a result, him and his crew aboard the Chimaera were literally discovering, or rediscovering, an entire portion of the galaxy. They were charting a new course for ships to travel through. If their end destination really lay within the Deep Core, as both Lord Vader and the Emperor believed, then they were about to make contact with a new world, filled with new species, and opening up an entire wealth of knowledge and trade to the rest of the galaxy. Exciting prospects indeed.
But first he had to find the unknown planet first. It had been nearly two years of fruitless searching so far. Sure, Thrawn and his crew had charted, and re-charted, many lost worlds, including the mythical planet of Tython, which many history books from before the Empire claimed to the homeworld the Jedi Order. Thrawn was not certain how accurate those texts were. Hearsay when it came to history had a tendency to be exaggerated or inaccurate. But it was still fascinating to think that he was responsible for uncovering an ancient secret like Tython. The Emperor had been most pleased with its discovery. Vader, not so much.
But that had been the most significant of their discoveries up till this point. Beyond Tython were a myriad of asteroid belts, derelict planets wrenched free from long dead suns, rouge stars without any systems around them, and the black hole that currently projected bright light right into the Chimaera's bridge. A stunning, majestic sight to behold… from a safe distance. It was the first black hole the ship had encountered on this journey, which meant both Thrawn and Vader were getting closer to the more wild portion of the Deep Core. Where any and all expectations were no longer valid and anything was possible.
Hopefully the map stays somewhat relevant and we do not accidentally jump into a black hole or dense nebula. Thrawn thought as he folded his hands behind his back and observed nature in its most powerful state.
The black hole was immense, and yet, only visible thanks to the disk of light surrounding it. It blotted out the Chimaera's bridge, hiding nearly all stars and empty points of space with it's sheer majesty. Thrawn had to admit, the sight of it nearly stole his breath away. He knew it left most of his crew in awe as well. To be so close to the most dangerous thing in the known universe had a way of making a living being reflect on much in their lives. It showed many people's true nature.
Thrawn could instantly tell which officers he could rely on in a crisis. They were the ones who observed the black hole, marveled at it briefly, then returned to their duties with calm dedication.
He knew which ones were the more creative thinkers. Those he could turn to in times where he would need assistance in strategy. They were the soldiers and officers who spun tales about the black hole. Who speculated on its origins and came up with wild theories as to what lay within, or even on the other side, of the singularity.
And finally, he knew which officers he would have to dispose of once this mission was finished. These officers were cold, uninterested in the supernatural, and yet, constantly fretting about a power they could not hope to understand. Panicked by the mere sight of the black hole, yet incapable of formulating a proper plan for dealing with it.
They'll be reassigned to a less demanding station upon my return. Thrawn thought to himself as he folded his hands behind his back and looked out of the bridge.
The blast doors to the bridge hissed open then closed. A hush fell over the soldiers and officers within as Lord Vader strode onto the bridge. The imposing figure stopped beside Thrawn, lidless eyes looking out at the black hole.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Thrawn stated.
Vader said nothing. Thrawn was used to that. The Dark Lord had treated him as if he didn't exist ever since the cunning Chiss deduced his true identity and managed to get the Emperor to scold Vader.
Lord Vader may want to seem like an imposing giant, but he does love his petty grudges, doesn't he?
"It has to be one of the most powerful things in the universe." Thrawn commented, "Not even light can escape its clutches. Could you imagine what it would be like to wield such power?"
"I can." Vader thrummed, "The Force makes such a thing look insignificant."
Thrawn raised his brow, "Does it? I'll admit, I have my doubts when it comes to that. The Force may be impressive, but compared to nature's raw fury in its purest form?" Thrawn shook his head.
"It may be nature's fury, but the Force is nature itself." Vader rumbled, "Never underestimate it."
Thrawn sniffed, "Very well. Has the Force revealed where we must travel next? You have been quite reliable in that regard."
Vader glowered at the Chiss, no doubt detecting the barbs lacing what on the outside seemed to be a compliment.
"We must move past the black hole." Vader pulled out a holographic disc and pressed a button, bringing up the ancient Rakatan map, "Into the area even the Rakatans failed to chart."
Thrawn furrowed his brow, "The risk of making a jump like that is great."
"Your risk of disobeying the Emperor is even greater." Vader growled.
Thrawn's face remained emotionless, "A fair point." He nodded, "Yes, we have lingered long enough. Helmsman!"
"Yes, Admiral!?"
"Set our course for the edge of the empty section of the Rakatan map." Thrawn ordered.
Vader did not say anything as the helmsman followed the orders. The hyperdrive generate whined loudly as the engine flared to life. The Chimaera turned away from the black hole and faced empty, uncharted space.
"Let the search continue."
Stars became bright streaks of light, and the Chimaera thundered deeper into the core.
And chapter! The Valm arc is officially over! This was a very fun wrap up chapter to write, but also a challenging one. There was so much to wrap up and cover and not a lot of time to do it. I think this was the best way to go. It focused more on the characters than the events, which I always liked better in stories I read. I hope you all thought it was good too!
Now… I will admit, this arc was exhausting lol. In total, the Valm arc was nearly fifty chapters long (it started all the way back at chapter 75, like what the hell?). There were many moments where I felt completely drained and burnt out on this arc. But you all were so amazing as readers, reviewers, and critics. And it made this endeavor totally worth it in the end! I had a blast writing this arc and I'm excited to get to the next one! We will have a few interlude chapters before we reach arc 3 of this story. One that I hope will blow you all away!
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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