The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 134
Imperial March
Sleep utterly eluded her. Lucina lay in her bed, inside of the royal palace. As soon as the Ball ended, and Thrawn was escorted out of Robin's old study, she retreated to her room and quickly shut herself inside. She lit a single candle, set it down on her nightstand, stripped out of her gown, and quickly dressed herself into clothes that were far more comfortable. As much as she liked the dress her mother gave her, she needed something cozy, because right now, she felt very on edge.
They were real. The soldiers in white armor weren't just machinations of the Dark Side. Those very soldiers slept in the Shepherds' barracks now, compliments of her father and mother.
She sat upright and tucked her knees close to her chest, wrapping her arm around her legs. Even in the comfort of her bed she did not feel safe. If those soldiers were real, that meant the coming assault on Ylisstol was real too. That meant the monster in black armor was real too, wasn't he?
She swallowed hard, head turning to look out the window that led to her personal balcony. Her window looked out to the Ylissean countryside, with its rolling plains and fields of waving grass that shimmered with faint silver light due to the full moon. If her visions were correct, they would be illuminated by fire soon. The city she loved, the city she sacrificed everything to save, would be destroyed.
The fear settled in her gut, then was quickly replaced by sharp determination. Resolute defiance filled her, and she surged to her feet, marching across the room to her wardrobe. She threw it open and reached for her usual travel clothes: a black bodysuit to go beneath her blue clothes that hid small leather plates. Once those were on, she grabbed the red cape she always wore and tied it around her neck, draping it over the stump that was her right arm.
These clothes were similar to the ones she wore when she left the future and retreated to the past. Similar to the ones she wore when she dedicated her life to defeating Grima, and creating a different future than the hellscape she knew.
Out of the corner of her eye, sitting in the back corner of the wardrobe, was her old blue mask. A thin film of dust rested over the blue metal, making it look dull in the faint candlelight. She reached out and plucked it from the wardrobe, hand shaking a little bit as she gazed upon the relic of an old life.
Memoires flooded her mind. She recalled the day she first donned the guise of Marth, the descendent of the Hero-King. It was a way for her to bring hope to her people. A beacon of light in the darkness that Grima spread during the last days of her Halidom. That hope remained even when she returned to the past. She kept the persona, kept the mask, and used it to try and fulfill her mission. Did her best to keep her true identity hidden, until she couldn't do it anymore.
She swallowed hard, grip tightening around the mask. Was this her fault? Did she upset the course of events too much? Was Ylisstol going to burn earlier because of her? Because she decided to reveal who she really was to her parents and her Master? It felt like a fist embedded itself in her gut at that thought. She bowed her head, keeping the mask in sight.
If she was going to figure out Thrawn's true motivations for being here, she would have to don the persona of Marth once again. He knew her real name, knew what she looked liked. She had to protect herself and her family somehow. Just as she was about to place the old, familiar mask over her face, a knock sounded on her door, freezing her in place.
"Luci?" Cynthia called from the other side of her door, "Luke's um… kinda upset, and he needs to talk to ya."
Lucina furrowed her brow. She hesitated, set the mask down in her wardrobe, then strode to the door, opening it for Cynthia. She expected to see just her sister in the doorway, but was surprised when Luke barged in, pulling Cynthia inside with him. Lucina quietly shut the door behind them.
"What is it?" She hissed.
"Luci, Luke's been saying some freaky stuff and-" Cynthia's eyes narrowed, "Why are you in that? You should be sleeping."
"Can't sleep." Lucina said with a shrug.
"Me too." Luke muttered as he passed by her wardrobe, eyes focused on her window. Using the force, he quickly drew the curtains closed, turned around, and noticed the mask sitting on the shelf in her wardrobe. He reached for it, and took it gingerly in one of his hands. His sharp glare turned back to Lucina, "Planning on going somewhere?"
Cynthia gasped before Lucina could respond, "Luci, you can't just leave."
"I didn't plan," Lucina marched over to Luke and snatched the mask from his hands, "on leaving." She huffed, tossed the mask back in the wardrobe, then shut it, "I planned on spying."
Luke furrowed his brow, "Spying huh?"
"You're not sneaky, Luci." Cynthia pointed out.
"I-" Lucina grit her teeth, trying to keep her frustration and anxiety from exploding out. Her entire body felt shaky due to how much fear she felt. Her visions were true. They were all true. She needed to stop them.
"Sit down." Luke ordered her.
Lucina felt his presence in the force, and she scowled at him.
"Don't you dare try to read my thoughts." She warned, "We may be on much better terms, but that is still a boundary."
Cynthia's gaze whipped back and forth between the two, "You can read minds?"
"You knew that already." Luke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "And that's not the point. I don't have to read your mind to know how on edge you feel, Lucina." He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he ducked his gaze down to his feet, "I feel the same way."
Lucina nodded, "Yeah… it's happening. The Visions are coming true." She grit her teeth, marched over to the chest that rested at the foot of her bed, opened it, and withdrew two blades. The first was a simple steel sword. A common weapon among the Ylissean military. The other were the shards of her Falchion, still resting within the battered scabbard she had worn since she inherited the divine weapon, "But only if we let it."
Luke furrowed his brow at her, "Lucina, I'm not one to bring up Maul but-"
"Don't then." She replied coldly. She marched past both Cynthia and Luke towards her door.
Luke spun to keep speaking to her, "He tried to change the future too." He sighed as she stopped walking at the door, hand wrapped around the doorknob, "Maybe in a more personal way, but he still tried. We both know how that ended."
"So what about us?" Lucina argued back, "Have we made things worse by trying to change the future? If we know something is for certain going to happen, don't we have an obligation to change it?"
"How could either of you think we've made it worse." Cynthia finally piped up, her voice quiet in the night, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful volume. She marched a few steps closer to Cynthia, getting between both force wielders as her eyes remained wide, tears bubbling in them, "H-how could either of you-" She sucked in a deep breath, "Have we lost people, yeah… we have. But… we have our families again. Do either of you have any idea how- how happy that makes me. How happy that makes all of us. Laurent lost his mom, yeah. But he has his father again, and he had his mother for a time. That's better than not having either!" She stomped her foot, "A-and I have my mom and dad again, and I have a second family now with you Luke! And you all want to say things have gotten worse!?"
Lucina swallowed hard, eyes failing to meet her sister's. Luke glanced down at his feet, lips pursed as some shame filled him.
"We've sacrificed so much for this." Cynthia breathed, "I refuse to believe we've sacrificed all that for… for worse results!"
"Cynthia…" Lucina breathed, she finally looked back over her shoulder at her younger sister, "If I don't do what I'm about to do, it will be far worse."
She pulled the door open, and all three froze inside when they saw Lissa standing in front of their door, knuckles raised to start knocking. A long candle burned in her free hand. She was clearly still sleepy, or just woke up from being fast asleep. Her hair was not held up in its usual twin ponytails, but instead sat down in long, lazy blonde locks. Her half open eyes widened quickly when she saw Lucina staring back at her.
"Oh!" She said with a start, "Good, you're up. Um…" She rubbed a hand over one eye, "Chrom needs to see you."
Lucina's heart stopped in her chest. She had a feeling she knew what this was going to be about. Her father knew about the visions. Now that they were seemingly coming true, he would want to talk about them in much more depth than before. She glanced back at Luke.
"You should come too." she told Luke.
Luke nodded and proceeded to follow Lucina. Cynthia and Lissa trailed behind both of them, the usually bubbly royals eerily quiet this evening.
They all strode quickly through the dark corridors of the Exalt's palace, easily navigating their way through the deep shadows and pale moonlight towards her parent's quarters. When they neared their door, Lucina could see light flickering from the crack beneath their door.
"Do they know?" Luke asked as they reached the door, his voice hushed.
Lucina drew in a deep breath, "My father knows." She knocked on her parent's door, "Mother is about to find out."
Silence, for a moment, then the door cracked open. Chrom peeked out at both Lucina and Luke. His brow furrowed a little when he noticed Luke, but when he saw Lucina his expression softened and he opened the door for them.
"Come in." He muttered.
Lucina and Luke stepped inside. Once inside, Lucina realized that multiple candles were burning in the room. Her parents have not tried to fall asleep at all. Her mother sat still on their bed, hands wringing in her lap. Chrom uttered a heavy sigh as he walked back over to her. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. His way of trying to ease the tension she felt, but it did not work, only managing to elicit a shuddering sigh from his wife.
Chrom raised his gaze back to the two children from the future.
"She knows?" Lucina asked.
Chrom nodded, "Yes. I told her as soon as we had time after… after Thrawn was shown to the guest quarters." He took a deep breath, "I need to know what exactly happens in these visions. Every detail. Nothing held back." His eyes flicked over to Luke, "From both of you."
Lucina nodded. She opened her mouth to start explaining when a knock sounded on the door. Everyone in the room froze. Sumia stiffened where she sat. She gave her husband a fear filled glance. He gave her a gentle rub on her back before rising from where he sat next to her and striding to the door. A guard was on the other side, waiting for the Prince to answer.
"Y-your majesty, that um… the blue man wants to speak with you."
Chrom furrowed his brow, "I told him we would speak in the morning."
"His comrade, the normal looking man," The guard continued before Chrom could close the door, "said it was urgent. He looked a bit afraid, milord."
Chrom uttered a heavy sigh, "No rest this evening…" He muttered, "Not that I could get any given what is going on. Very well, lead the-" he stopped talking as boots clicked against the floors behind the guard. Chrom peered into the darkness and saw both Thrawn and his human comrade striding towards his door. He grit his teeth, and Lucina gripped her steel sword.
Thrawn paused behind the guard, "I apologize for the intrusion, your majesty." He began, voice as monotone and emotionless as ever. There was something about it that unnerved Chrom. No one should be able to talk like that, "But this is urgent, and your guard was taking his time."
Chrom frowned back, "It better be good."
"It…" For the first time, some emotion flickered on the blue alien's face. Lucina's grip tightened on her sword, "It depends. May I come in? It may be best for us to speak without any other ears hearing. At least, those you may not be able to trust."
Chrom glanced at the guard, "Thank you. Back to your post."
"Yes, milord."
As the guard walked away, Chrom nodded for Thrawn and Vanto to enter. Lucina's heart thumped in her chest as Thrawn walked in. His pupiless eyes shifted, making it look like he was glancing at her. It only made her want to draw her blade and impale it into his unfeeling heart. Something about this man, if she could even call him that, made her feel afraid. He was dangerous, the force told her as much. The way he moved and spoke so calmly told her that even in the presence of an entirely foreign situation he would not be disturbed.
Sumia rose at that point. She hid her own fear well, as a Queen should. But not as well as Chrom. She swallowed hard, giving Thrawn and Vanto a stiff nod.
"Good evening." She muttered.
"Good evening, your majesty." Thrawn nodded back.
"What's the meaning of this?" Chrom asked, voice curt.
Thrawn drew in a deep breath, "My superior is on his way down from our ship beyond your atmosphere. He is going to be here within the hour."
Lucina's eyes widened. Luke's brows furrowed beside her. Through the force, she could feel his senses immediately stretch out. An attempt to figure out who, or what, was coming their way. Meanwhile, Lissa and Cynthia lingered near the door, apprehensive about this late night visit from the Imperial Admiral.
"Superior?" Chrom echoed, puzzled, "I thought you were an Admiral. Who could outrank you?"
"The Emperor's right hand." Thrawn answered bluntly, "He accompanied me on my mission. His name is Lord Vader, and he is anxious to speak with you about a specific topic."
Chrom furrowed his brow as Thrawn slowly walked away from the door towards the balcony. As he walked, he brushed something on his gray sleeve. A button of some sort. Lucina could not tell what it was.
Maybe he's adjusting his sleeve?
"What topic?" Chrom asked.
Thrawn paused by the balcony doors. His red eyes peered out into the night sky. One bright light grew brighter as it drew closer to the city, signaling that it was definitely not a star. As it drew closer, Luke's face blanched. He glanced at Lucina.
"He's stronger than Maul." He whispered to her, causing her to pale.
"The topic is one that is… personal for Lord Vader." Thrawn began, "You see, before he was assigned to assist me on this mission of discovery, he was known as the Jedi Hunter."
Lucina's mouth was dry. Sweat formed on her brow. Her heart hammered so fast in her chest that she feared it would burst due to fear. Not even Luke's familiar presence in the force could stem the terror she was feeling. A man known as the Jedi Hunter was descending to her world, to her home, and she knew why.
Master…
Chrom seemed to pick up on what Thrawn meant as well. His brow furrowed and he scowled, "Whatever your people think of Ben, it is no longer any of your business."
Thrawn seemed surprised by Chrom's quick realization of where the conversation was going. He turned to glance at the Prince. Vanto remained near the door, hands clasped in front of his body as his gaze shifted nervously between everyone in the room.
"So…" Thrawn said, voice cutting through the night air like a dagger, "There is a Jedi hiding amongst you?"
Lucina's heart froze in her chest. It was a test. The question, the mention of the Jedi Hunter, was a trick. A way for Thrawn to deduce if her Master really was one of the most wanted men in the entire galaxy. He did not know Ben was actually a Jedi. He suspected, but he was not certain. After her father's reaction, he knew for sure that Ben was a Jedi.
Chrom was caught off balance, "I- I didn't-"
"Oh, but you did." Thrawn tapped his wrist with two fingers again. Vanto's eyes widened briefly near the door, "Do you have any idea how dangerous a Jedi is, your majesty? There is a reason why the Emperor has designated them as outlaws of the highest degree." He spun around to face Chrom, "However, given how close you and your family seem to be to this Jedi leads me to believe that you are entirely aware of their prowess." Thrawn stared directly at Chrom. An unblinking, red stare of judgement, "Which means you have been sheltering an enemy of the Empire."
Chrom glared right back, his own stare unwavering. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucina could see him reaching into the sleeve of his left robe.
"We are not a part of your Empire." Chrom growled back.
Thrawn sniffed, "Neither is Hutt Space, but they know their place. You will know yours as well."
"Is that a threat?"
"It is a promise, your majesty." Thrawn replied, even toned and unfazed by Chrom's growing anger. He turned his body to look out the window again, his reflection distorted by the night sky filtering through the glass, "A promise that will be kept if certain concessions are not made. Make them with me now, and worse consequences will not come to you."
Outside, drifting down even faster from the stars and the inky night sky, was a set of bright lights and a ship with three short, triangular wings. A shuttle that was identical to the one Thrawn arrived in. Lucina's throat bobbed as she reached out with the force and sensed the occupants of the shuttle.
Ice flooded her thoughts. The most unbearable cold she had ever experienced shot through her veins. A blizzard filled with rage raced towards her home, and she felt powerless to stop it. All she could do was wrap one hand tight around her Falchion's weathered grip, and pray that somehow this was only another nightmare.
"You will not extort anything from me." Chrom growled, "This conversation is over and-"
A low whine filled the room. Lucina spun around and saw Thrawn's companion, Vanto, holding a strange weapon to Lissa's head. Chrom's eyes widened and his face paled. Rage contorted over his face and he balled up his right hand into a tight fist. Sumia was pale with fear as well. Sweat pooled in Lucina's palms. Luke reached up his sleeve.
"Listen to the Admiral, or the girl dies." Vanto threatened.
Thrawn uttered a sigh, "It really came to this…" He said with a slow exhale, "I would much rather it not be this way-"
"You made it this way." Chrom snarled.
"Hardly." Thrawn snapped back, catching Chrom off guard, "You made it this way when you knowingly sheltered a Jedi. You made it this way when you failed to inform me of such a thing yourself. Instead, you hoped that I would fail to notice the mention of Obi Wan Kenobi by one of your soldiers."
"I don't know an Obi Wan Kenobi." Chrom snarled back.
"Oh right, my mistake. Ben Kenobi then." Thrawn frowned, "But does it matter? They are one in the same."
Light flooded the windows to the royal chambers as the second shuttle landed beside the first. Thrawn flicked his gaze back to Chrom and Sumia.
"These are my terms. Answer correctly, and your city, your lives, will be spared. On that, you have my word." He took a deep breath, "Surrender the rogue Jedi Obi Wan Kenobi to Imperial custody. Allow for a garrison to be stationed beyond your walls as a way of opening mutual relations between yourself and the Empire." his eyes drifted to Lucina, "And she is to come with me back to the capital of Coruscant."
Before Chrom could open his mouth to protest, a shot of cold entered the room. This cold did not come from the shuttle, but instead came from the young man beside Lucina. Luke swooped towards Vanto, ripped his hand from his sleeve, ignited a sapphire blade, and lopped off Vanto's hand with one clean stroke. The Imperial Captain howled as his hand fell to the floor, still gripping his blaster. His screaming ended when Lissa buried a fist beneath his jaw, knocking him out.
Chrom twirled, reaching for a dagger he had in a nightstand by his and Sumia's bed. Thrawn reached for a holster on his hip, but Luke growled, staying the Chiss's hand.
"Draw it." Luke growled, lightsaber humming in front of him, a sapphire glow washing out the candlelight in the room, "I dare you."
Thrawn eyed the young Sith Lord carefully, "So…" The Imperial Admiral took a small step back, towards the balcony doors, "Another Jedi is here."
"I'm no Jedi." Luke growled.
"But I am." Lucina snarled, drawing her steel blade, "And you are in no position to make demands."
A dangerous sparkle crossed Thrawn's red eyes, making them glisten like vibrant rubies. For the first time that evening, he showed emotion. Not fear at being threatened, or concern for his unconscious comrade. Instead, the corner of his mouth twitched up. He gave them all a small, smug smirk as he folded his hands behind his back.
"I think I am."
Several red lights flashed against the glass windows, shattering them. Shrieks followed the red flashes, making Sumia, Cynthia, and Lissa duck their heads as two red bars of light slammed into the walls near the chamber doors. Four more bars of red light followed, peppering the bedroom with shrieks and fire.
Lissa screamed and ducked her head. Luke's lightsaber buzzed as more blasts screamed into the room. Four soldiers in white armor climbed over the railing on the balcony, training their strange weapons on the royals as Thrawn took a step back and allowed them to go in front of him.
The firing did not stop. Luke jumped in front of Cynthia and Lissa, blue lightsaber blazing bright streaks of light as it deflected red bolts away from the two Princess's. Chrom tackled Sumia, flipping her over the bed. Lucina hopped back towards Luke.
"Go!" Luke bellowed.
Before Chrom ran, he grabbed Falchion next to the other nightstand, grabbed Sumia by the wrist and sprinted out of the room with Lissa and Cynthia. Sumia tried to bolt to another room, but was cut off as soldiers in white armor rushed them from that end of the corridor. A terrible cry emerged from Sumia. Chrom was about to rush towards the room, but when red bolts shrieked at them, he yanked Sumia down a different corridor, away from the room she was desperately trying to reach.
Lucina hesitated to follow as Luke desperately fended off the enemy onslaught. Three more soldiers climbed up onto the balcony and took aim. Lucina grit her teeth, gathered the force to her hand, and sent a massive pulse directly at the blue skinned Admiral.
The push lifted Thrawn and his men off of their feet. They crashed through what was left of the balcony doors, bodies cracking hard against the stone railing on the balcony. Luke grit his teeth, deactivated his blade, spun around, and raced with Lucina out of the room.
"GUARDS!" Lucina heard her father roar, "TO ARMS! TO ARMS!"
Frederick was already surging down a flight of stairs. He lacked his armor, wearing only a night shirt, a pair of black shorts, slippers, and a nightcap. A blade rested in his hands, drawn and ready for battle. Lon'qu emerged from another flight as the royals raced down the corridor towards the doors that led to the Palace's main hall.
Blaster fire shrieked after them, scorching the once spotless walls with their heat. Frederick briefly turned to face the enemy, only for Luke to spin around and yank him back with the force, through the door Lon'qu opened for them.
"Not one you'll win." Luke warned the Knight Commander as he helped him regain his balance.
"TO ARMS!" Chrom bellowed again as he raced through the halls.
Lucina drew her weapon as well. Not that she thought it would help much. Whatever weapons these soldiers used were similar to what the Deadlord Fett used. Her sword could not do much against something like that. Their only defenses now were Luke's lightsaber, and the Force.
Donnel and Maribelle came careening around a corner as they neared the main hall. Donnel looked half awake, but he had his sword and scabbard strapped around his body. The rest of him remained half dressed. A pair of fuzzy slippers were on his feet, he had on his small clothes, and that was it. Maribelle managed to be in a silky nightgown, and she had her staff in her grip.
"What is going on?" The Duchess cried.
"The enemy is in our midst!" Lucina called to them.
"Grima!?" Donnel asked, suddenly wide awake.
"Thrawn!" Luke snapped back as they all rushed through the main hall doors.
Palace guards were gathering in the main hall. All of them were haphazardly outfitted. Some were still struggling to get their armor on. Others barely managed to cinch their belts over their waists as the royal family barged in.
"The Offworlders!" Chrom roared, "They are the enemy!" The guards drew their weapons as he raised Falchion in the air. A warning ripped through the force, slamming into both Lucina and Luke, but too late, "We must defend our land!" He turned towards Frederick, "My daughter is still-"
An explosion rocked the main hall. Fire and stone rushed towards the guards, burning and slashing those who were closest to the fiery inferno. The blast the next row off of their feet, sending their bodies flying through the cavernous hall. Before the third row could spin around and face the threat, red blaster bolts shredded their ranks. The fourth row of guards turned, and began to backpedal as soldiers in polished white armor stormed the main hall, blasting away at the Ylisseans in the room.
Luke and Lucina moved in front of Chrom, Sumia, Cynthia, and Lissa. Lucina gathered the force into her hand, ready to deliver another devastating push in order to create an opening. She launched it, and waited for the impact.
Through the smoke and fire, a gloved hand reached out. To Lucina's horror, it caught her push like a wave crashing against a rocky shore. Some of the soldiers were knocked off balance, but none were taken out of the fight.
The screams of dying men, the sound of her father barking orders as he called for a retreat further into the palace, the crackling of flames licking against the stones and royal blue carpet on the floor, became muffled. A slow, sharp inhale echoed through the main hall. A slow, low exhale, followed; making Lucina's spine crawl as she recognized the sound.
Naga no… She thought, eyes widened in terror as a black boot stepped through the smoke, No!
He emerged through the smoke like a demon being summoned in the darkness. A towering monolith of black armor that radiated fear and fury. The Dark Side of the Force was wrapped around him like a thick blanket. Utterly impossible to see through, and impossible for Lucina to even fathom. Not even Maul felt this way in the force. The presence felt controlled, menacing, and forceful; not wild and unpredictable like Maul's.
Black, lidless eyes, on a grotesque mask glared at Lucina, Luke, and her family behind her. More guards died around her, blinking out like candles being snuffed out in the force. Lucina grit her teeth, feeling terror grip her heart as she stared at the visage that had haunted her nightmares.
No… no, no, no!
Luke gave her a glance.
"Get Cynthia out of here."
Before she could stop him, he charged. Her heart stopped in her chest as a red lightsaber ignited in the monster's right hand.
"Retreat!" Frederick bellowed behind her.
She should have stayed. Wanted to stay and fight alongside Luke against the monster. As his blade clashed with the blood red blade of the monster, all she could do was turn, wrap her arm around Cynthia's waist, and yank her through the second exit towards the palace wing that once housed Robin's quarters. She did not dare look back, not even as more lives were snuffed out in the force. Not even as the Dark Side roared violently in her ears, echoed in her mind, like a beast let off of its leash.
She just ran, with her family. Ran as fast as her feet could carry her, to the safety of Robin's study.
Dooku uttered a heavy sigh as he took another step down the road away from Ylisstol. The time that he had long warned would come, had arrived. As the night air wrapped around him, bringing a chill to his old bones, he could sense the Dark Side stirring in the force. A powerful Sith approached this place, trailing behind the first Imperial arrivals to this planet.
The elderly Sith took a deep breath as he stopped walking at the edge of the woods, south of Ylisstol. He looked up to the dark boughs and thickets in front of him. A long, lonely walk through the shadows awaited him. His warnings were not heeded; not by Skywalker's brat, barely by Princess Lucina, and certainly not by Kenobi. Not until it was far too late. All three of them could hope for a peaceful resolution to this, but Dooku knew better. He knew Sidious, and he knew the kind of people Sidious enjoyed having near him. There would be no peace for this planet, not anymore. War had arrived, whether Prince Chrom and his family liked it or not.
And this was a war they could not win.
Better to leave than to get caught up in the mess. He thought, taking another forceful step towards the woods.
The familiar sound of blasters shrieking in the night stopped him from taking another step. He heard the hum of shuttles descending down from the night sky, bringing more imperial soldiers down to the surface. He could sense a torrent of the dark side whipping through the Halidom's capitol. Two dark presences collided, one significantly weaker than the other.
Skywalker's idiotic spawn is acting just like him. Dooku snorted, taking a cursory glance back at Ylisstol, How predictable.
The second dark presence seemed… familiar? He could not place what he recognized about it, but there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind that told him he knew this person. He sensed this dark presence before. It was not Sidious, but who else could it possibly be?
His eyes widened, "A new apprentice…" He muttered, temporarily surprised.
He did not think his old Master would have found a new pawn in such a short time. When he heard Skywalker had fallen to Kenobi's blade, he assumed Sidious would take his time to search out a new, unwitting fool willing to follow him. However, the initial surprise he felt was replaced by shock when he discovered the depths of power this apprentice wielded.
He was too much for Skywalker's brat. Luke did not stand a chance. Lucina would certainly crumble to his might. Ylisstol was going to fall, swiftly too.
… Donnel and Maribelle were still in there.
The Count's jaw clenched tight as he thought of those two idiotic children. The peasant farmer and the noble duchess; two people that somehow always managed to grate on his nerves. Whether it was Donnel's seeming inability to properly grasp life as a noble, or Maribelle's inability to have some understanding of the poor boy's plight. Honestly, she needs to learn some proper patience, otherwise she will never rise to the potential Dooku knew she had.
But she won't live through the night. He thought, eyes staying on Ylisstol as horns blasted through the night, calling the city guard to arms. Not that they could do anything against Imperial soldiers, None of them will.
He lowered his gaze, dropping it down to the curved hilt on his hip, then to the grass beneath his feet. He recalled what Lucina informed him and Kenobi about during the Valm War. How she had encountered Sidious in a strange realm in the Force. How Sidious reached out to her, trying to grasp her and take her. She was the target behind all of this, Dooku could feel that.
But he did not care. She had thrown her lot with the Jedi, foolish girl. If she had only realized the power the Dark Side commanded, she would have surpassed Luke, even Kenobi, already. She even had a ready and willing teacher waiting for her to say something.
Instead, she stayed loyal to Kenobi. Stayed loyal to her code, to her morals, to her friends, and her family. Stayed loyal to those that loved and cared about her. He knew she would die fighting to save them from the hell that landed on their doorstep.
There was a time when he would have done the same.
A voice whispered in the wind. One that he had not heard in decades. One that sent a shiver down his spine and brought an involuntary, stray tear to his eye.
"Help them."
Qui Gon.
His throat bobbed, he raised his gaze again. An explosion rocked the palace district. Screams broke through the night. The Dark Side howled through the force, declaring dominion over Naga's city. Another explosion shook the earth, and those screams of battle turned to screams of dying men and women. Stray, red blaster bolts streaked out from the city before fizzling out.
He took a deep breath, glanced back at the woods behind him, then took one step forward. Another step forward. His boots sank into a patch of mud, but he did not care. His next footfall rose up onto the stone road that led to Ylisstol. His blue eyes flickered, and a yellow glow filled his irises.
Count Dooku will not flee… not anymore.
Morgana watched with great interest as the Ylissean from another world, Ben Kenobi, inspected the Ark. She watched him circle the immense ship, casting his eyes up at the vessel every so often in order to observe the finer details of the ship. The young ex-Grimleal, Tharja, remained by his side as he inspected. Meanwhile, Lady Tiki and Nowi followed Alfred into the ship, where they would be told how the ship functioned, and how their immense magical reserves would be used to power the ship.
Under normal circumstances, Morgana would be alongside Alfred, helping him explain their great project. But these were not normal circumstances. Ben Kenobi possessed dangerous knowledge that threw every scenario she had in her mind into total doubt. The Ark was no longer a means for humanity to possibly survive an onslaught from the Fell Dragon. It was now a vessel meant to help their civilization escape an invasion from an otherworldly Empire.
She kicked herself for never considering the possibility that the Artifact, which helped them construct the Ark, was not from her world. She long assumed it was a relic of a lost ancient civilization. A civilization from a time before the Great Hero King, perhaps even before the two dragon rulers of Old Valentia. One of whom's namesake graced the largest living organism known to her, the Mila Tree.
How could such an advanced object come from a civilization predating the Hero King and the mighty Mila? For so long, nothing added up about the artifact. For even longer, Morgana relegated interpreting the Artifact's origins as a side project, rather than her main focus. After all, what did it matter that the Artifact's origins were an enigma? So long as it helped her in her goals, it's past could remain a mystery to be solved later.
Oh how she wished she had dug further into the myths and legends surrounding the histories of Archanea and Valm. Perhaps then, she would have realized that the Artifact, the Probe Droid, could not be from this world. Such a revelation revealed sooner would have caused a myriad of new variables to enter her mind, like the one they were all facing now. The upcoming arrival of an advanced civilization with abilities and technology she could barely fathom.
I must learn more, and quickly.
She strode to catch up to Ben and Tharja as they paused near the Ark's ramp. Ben rubbed his beard as he glanced up into the Artifact's cabin for the first time.
"Quite a lot of exposed wires." Morgana heard him mutter with a tsk.
"Steel is hard to come by at times." Morgana interjected, drawing both Ben and Tharja's attention.
Ben nodded, "That may be so, but the more put together a ship is, the more likely it's not going to break apart."
Morgana furrowed her brow, "Break apart?" She asked as Ben and Tharja both ventured into the cabin.
She watched the outworlder grimace at the cramped nature of the space within the Ark.
"Kriff, it's… rough." He muttered, glancing up and down a narrow corridor barely wide enough for one person to walk through, "The Consular Classes I flew in were much more advanced. Then again, given your limitations, the fact that you even managed this is beyond impressive."
Morgana arched an eyebrow, "Thanks?"
That elicited a small snicker from Tharja, and a quiet laugh from Kenobi, "You're definitely Robin's mother." Morgana's heart hammered in her chest, "He would say the same thing about my comments. Mostly they were about his progress in training with the Force."
Morgana's confusion grew as they neared the cockpit of the small cruiser, "The Force?"
Instead of explaining, Ben reached out with the force, lifted a stray metal panel off of the floor, and placed it in it's appropriate spot over a bundle of wires on the wall.
"The Force." Tharja nodded back to Morgana as all three reached the cockpit, "That is merely a small sliver of what I've witnessed it do."
Morgana's eyes remained glued to Ben Kenobi as he stepped up a small stair into the cockpit. He arched an eyebrow as he saw a pair of wooden chairs bolted down to the steel floor. He tapped the back of the chair in front of a crude set of controls.
"Whatever works…" Ben muttered, sinking into the chair and studying the various controls put haphazardly in front of the pilot and co-pilot's chairs, "How exactly do you plan on getting this thing airborne?"
"A group of powerful mages can get it airborne, but providing it with enough power for a sustained flight of decent speed requires at least one Manakete of sufficient magical strength." Morgana explained.
Ben gripped the yoke in front of him and grimaced at how loose it felt, "You may want to tighten that up." He suggested before standing from his seat, "Flight with these smaller cruises requires quick reactions, and a loose console will not help with that."
Morgana blinked as he brushed by her, Tharja quietly followed, her own studious eyes taking in the cramped space as they continued down the main corridor.
"Small cruiser?" Morgana asked, stunned by Ben's description of the Ark, "This ship took nearly a full decade to construct."
"That is a testament to you and your follower's persistence, skill, and ingenuity, but in regards to what lumbers through the cosmos, this is a small cruiser. I've been on ships that could house thousands of soldiers and crew, along with cargo and large contingents of starfighters."
Morgana's shock grew. There were bigger ships beyond the stars? That seemed so impossible to her. Then again, the idea of someone living on this world that came from another seemed impossible just yesterday, so perhaps she should start considering the impossible possible. Although, most of what Ben described sounded like a foriegn language to her. Starfighters? Just what were those?
"In case you are wondering," He said, as if he read her very thoughts on the matter, "Starfighters are like… like… think of a metal pegasus. They're meant for individual combat, both within and beyond planetary atmospheres."
A metal pegasus!? Morgana thought. She knew the outworlder had to be simplifying it for her, but that still seemed far too ludicrous to be true.
The trio passed by the small living space for whoever flew aboard the Ark. It was designed to hold perhaps just a hair more than half a dozen comfortably, and around a dozen uncomfortably. Most of the space aboard the ship was dedicated to fortifying the exterior carapace, immense bundles of wire to route power to the various systems in place, and enchanted areas that would keep the entire ship sealed as well as providing a flow of constant fresh air. Everything was utilitarian by design. This vessel was not meant for comfort. It was meant for survival.
A pair of small offshoots from the main corridor caused Ben to pause. Morgana cleared her throat.
"Defense spheres." She explained
Ben glanced back at her, surprised, "Turrets?"
Morgana furrowed her brow, "If that is what you call them?"
"Don't tell me you figured out how to make blasters." Ben peered down one offshoot and saw a small sphere made of enchanted glass and steel. There was no evidence of any canons, not even a blaster pistol, within.
"They are meant for a mage to cast spells from, however we ran into a problem of-"
"Can't cast if that sphere isn't open." Ben correctly assumed.
Morgana nodded, "It's only useful if there is enough air to breath outside of the Ark."
Ben pursed his lips, but did not seem surprised, "Consulars normally aren't meant to be assault craft anyways. They were typically diplomatic vessels in the Republic. So I don't blame you for encountering that hurdle."
Morgana nodded, "Noted."
All three stepped away from the small offshoot then continued down the corridor. All three passed by a small area with a set of stairs that led down to what Ben assumed to be a cargo hold. If it wasn't all the way full, then the cargo hold could possibly hold a few more crew. A good thing to remember. He'd slept in worse spaces than a ship's cargo hold during his life.
Finally, they arrived at the part of the ship that took up the most space, the engine room. A gargantuan area of the ship that somehow felt extremely cramped. Wires and cords snaked along the metal floor towards two central pedestals with steel handholds built into them. That is where they found Alfred, Tiki, and Nowi as the elderly mage finished explaining the function of the pedestals to the two Manaketes. Tiki was frowning, and Nowi looked ill, both bad signs for Morgana.
"Ah, there you are." Alfred chirped when he saw Ben, Tharja, and Morgana enter, "I was beginning to wonder if we lost you in the chaos outside. I was just finishing explaining how the Ark will tap into-"
"It makes me not feel good." Nowi complained as she looked at the two pedestals with great apprehension.
"I'll admit," Tiki muttered, brow furrowed as she studied the two pedestals as well, "it does not sound very pleasant."
"What is not pleasant?" Ben asked, concerned.
Tiki sighed, "These pedestals are basically magical conduits. They are enchanted, and therefore operate on a similar principle as the tomes you humans enjoy concentrating magic spells through."
"Only bigger!" Nowi chirped.
Tiki uttered a laugh, but it did not sound good natured. To Ben, it sounded nervous.
"Yes, much bigger in scope." Tiki exhaled, "This entire ship is basically a massive tome, with its sole function being… well… flying away from wherever it is at."
"A simple explanation, but not incorrect." Alfred acknowledged, "You sound very apprehensive, Lady Tiki."
"I should be." Tiki muttered, eyeing the pedestals carefully, "Exactly how much magic will it take to activate? For that matter, lose too much magic, and even a Manakete risks dire consequences. It's dangerous for us to exhaust ourselves in such a manner."
"It is?" Nowi asked, eyes bugging from her skull as fear gripped her.
Tiki nodded, "This has to be used as a last resort."
"It is our last resort." Morgana stated, "Believe me, if we could have found a different power source, we would have used that instead. Unfortunately, we are out of time to conduct proper research. It could be months, even years before we make another breakthrough."
"And we don't have that kind of time." Ben stated, "Depending on where this planet is in relation to the rest of the galaxy, the Empire could have an envoy here very soon."
"How much of a chance do we stand against this Empire?" Morgana asked, folding her arms as she stood in the engine room entryway.
Ben shook his head, "None."
"None?" Even Tiki blinked in surprise at Ben's certain reply, "There must be some sort of chance?"
"This planet lacks the firepower." Ben replied as he took a seat on a wooden crate resting near one of the engine room walls. He laced his fingers together in front of him as he rested his elbows on his knees, "I don't care how much magic we may have, if you can't hit your enemy, you won't be able to defeat them."
"Can't hit?" Morgana asked.
Ben sighed, his face turning grave, "I would not put it past the Empire to, if you cause them enough problems, execute what is called an orbital bombardment."
"What does that mean exactly?" Alfred inquired.
Ben swallowed hard, "It means a Star Destroyer, a class of ship specifically meant for warfare, will hover over a target from beyond the atmosphere and blast it into oblivion, killing everything below it." Morgana paled, Tharja's eyes widened, Nowi whimpered, and Tiki's lips curled into a defiant snarl, "It would be like Demon's Ingle erupted and consumed an entire city in fire and ash."
"So how can we fight back?" Morgana asked. Ben shrugged in reply. Morgana furrowed her brow as she tried to puzzle out a solution, "I already planned on sending a group beyond our atmosphere as an insurance in case all hope fails. The Empire's arrival is a moot point if Grima rises first."
"How could he rise though, his vessel is dead." Tiki muttered.
Morgana's eyes widened. She whipped her gaze over to Tiki, "How could you know that?" She breathed.
Tiki turned somber, "I-" She lowered her gaze, "Robin left… quite the impression." She took a deep breath, "If you'll excuse me um… Tharja, please keep an eye on Nowi."
"Huh?" Tharja sputtered, but before she could protest, Tiki marched out of the engine room and off of the Ark.
"Tiki?" Nowi called after her, brow creased as she watched her mentor leave in silence.
Ben glanced around at everyone else in the engine room. All of their faces looked grim, and he could not blame them for that. Not only were they facing down a threat of enormous scale with the Fell Dragon, they were now learning of a new threat that was bearing down upon the entire planet with each passing moment. A threat that they had no hope of countering. Sidious was too powerful for anyone to fight alone. He certainly could not fight the Dark Lord of the Sith. Yoda said as much when the Grand Master ordered him to kill Anakin.
Yoda lost. Ben thought, a frown on his lips as he remained seated for a moment longer. If he lost, what hope do any of us have against Sidious and his entire army? His gaze returned to the corridor leading out of the engine room, Tiki…
He rose to his feet. The Manakete was still hurting from Robin's death, that much was clear. Oftentimes, Ben thought it would be a good idea to let someone grieve alone for a while. But then, he recalled his own moments of intense grief when he arrived on this planet several years ago now. If it hadn't been for the Shepherds, for Robin, Tharja, Cordelia, and Lucina, he'd likely have fallen down a dark path. Not the path of the dark side, no, he would never let himself drift that far. It would have been a path of deep sorrow, grief, and depression. A pit he probably could not crawl out of. Noire told him tidbits of his future self that made his blood boil, and his heart ache.
If not for the Shepherds, I would be long gone. He thought.
Perhaps, solitude was not the best environment to grieve in.
He started to follow Tiki when Morgana swept past him.
"Pardon?" Ben stated, one eyebrow raised.
The powerful sorceress glanced over her shoulder at him, never breaking stride, "He was my son, and she clearly held something for him. I shall speak to her."
"But you-" Ben sighed as Morgana disappeared down the corridor, "You didn't know him recently."
"They are both grieving, young man." Alfred stated as he shuffled up beside Ben, "It might be good for them to grieve together, even if it is only for a moment."
Ben uttered a heavy sigh. He did not want to leave Tiki alone in a place like this, not when these people wanted something from her that clearly made the powerful Manakete nervous. Anything that made Tiki nervous, put Ben on edge. He had witnessed the raw strength Tiki wielded during the battle at Demon's Ingle. She was able to hold her own against Deadlords that were once both enemies and allies of his during his old life in the Jedi Order. Being able to hold her own against the likes of Grievous, Xanatos, and Luminara was nothing short of impressive. Very few Jedi in the old Order could ever make such a claim.
The last thing they all needed, was for these people to fool someone as powerful as her. Despite their claims of wanting to help, the fact that all of these mages; Morgana, Alfred, their followers; were former Grimleal and had mostly unknown motivations, made Ben wary of them.
Alfred patted his shoulder suddenly.
"Fret not. Morgana is a kind soul," He said with a gentle smile, "Quite the rarity in our line of work."
Without another word, the old man shuffled out, leaving Tharja, Nowi, and Ben alone in the engine room. As he left, Ben finally allowed himself to show some weakness. He sank back down onto the crate. Shock, exhaustion, and fear rolled through his thoughts. He brought a hand to his brow and rubbed it. Everything had become a whirlwind, just as life was starting to slow down and be peaceful.
As if someone like me will ever know true peace.
Tharja sank down to a seat beside him, her right hand falling into his left. Their fingers locked together, and she let her head rest on his shoulder.
"You're brooding." She said, a light smirk on her lips.
Ben snorted, "I'm thinking."
"You must be thinking pretty hard, Ben." Nowi chirped as she continued to study the pedestals in the engine room with great apprehension.
Ben uttered a small laugh, "I am…" His mind drifted off again as Tharja's calm, steady breathing steadied his own heart, "I am…"
He turned his head and placed a small kiss on Tharja's head. The dark mage hummed, but said nothing, knowing that right now, Ben just needed her by his side. He was coming to grips with the events of the past few hours. Everything they had all fought for, the peace that some of their friends died for, was about to be gone.
Dooku, in the end, was right. Sidious had found them, sooner rather than later. Ben ran a hand through his hair as he inhaled a breath.
"What do we do now?" Tharja asked him.
Ben pursed his lips, "We have to prepare. I'll somehow get a message back to Chrom and… and…"
Pain lanced at Ben's heart. He shot up to his feet as the Force cried out in agony. Something was very wrong, but he could not place what it was. He could sense Tharja's concern as he immediately dove into the force, trying to decipher the tremor he felt.
The Force… had gone still. The Dark Side's turbulent waters had calmed. Something moved through them, slowly and silently stalking the light.
"Ben?" Tharja whispered, picking up on the sudden worry lancing through Ben's heart.
"W-we need to go." Ben breathed, "Something is wrong back home and-"
"LADY MORGANA!" A mage screamed outside of the ship, "LADY MORGANA!"
The stillness in the force broke. Ben sensed Tiki's power flare to life, followed by the dark presence of Lady Morgana. He worried that they were about to come to blows, but then sensed more dark powers entering the cavern. They blasted through any magical defenses put in place.
Tharja sensed it too. She took Nowi by the hand, and raced with Ben out of the Ark. When they got outside, they saw Morgana and Tiki standing in front of the ark. Staring back at them were two figures. Ben recognized Jango Fett. His old foe glared at him briefly before returning his attention to Moragana and Tiki.
The other was King Validar, of Plegia. Dark power radiated out of him like a black fog. His yellowed eyes glared hatefully at Morgana as the pair eyed each other. Aversa emerged from a tunnel off to the side, freezing where she stood when she spotted Validar and Fett. Her eyes widened, and Ben sensed terror fill her. She shot the Ylisseans a desperate glance, then carefully inched her way towards the Ark.
"Master Kenobi." Morgana stated, voice firm and powerful, "Are you capable of flying the Ark?"
Ben swallowed hard, "Shouldn't be too difficult."
Morgana nodded slowly, never breaking her staredown with Validar, "Lady Tiki, they will need your power to-"
"You will need help." Tiki warned as a third dark presence entered the cavern.
A few dark mages cried out as their lives came to an abrupt end. Grievous jumped down from an icy balcony, moving to Validar's other flank. Xanatos emerged next, rushing down the tunnel alongside Luminara. A puddle of black liquid bubbled near the tunnel that contained the probe droid, and Gharnef, the monster that blinded Noire, emerged from the ground, a long scowl on his grotesque face. Ben felt an emotion he had not felt in a long time bubble to the surface when he saw that monster, fury. It took all of his willpower not to draw his lightsaber and attempt to hack the Deadlord to pieces.
"I don't need help." Morgana replied, removing her eyes from Validar briefly to glance back at Aversa as her adopted daughter stepped on the Ark's ramp, "They do."
Tiki eyed the woman for a moment. A flash of understanding washed over Tiki's face, and she nodded to the sorceress.
"Good luck." Tiki muttered before turning and rushing towards the Ark.
"Go now, Master Kenobi!" Morgana called. She raised a hand as Xanatos snarled and threatened to give chase, "Your friends need you."
Ben hesitated a moment, allowing himself to steal one last glare at Gharnef. The Deadlord met his stare, and gave him a sneer. Ben's blood boiled, but he could not attack. The Force did not feel right. He could sense something was very wrong back home. He needed to get back, needed to find Noire, the Shepherds, and make sure they were all safe.
A bad feeling rested in his gut, and he knew it had nothing to do with flying a barely functioning machine.
He raced up to the cockpit, Tharja close behind him. Tiki and Nowi moved to the engine room to take their place at the pedestals. Aversa closed the ramp behind them, then shot to the cockpit, looking out the window as Ben studied the controls.
"Familiar enough." He muttered, flipping several switches.
A low groan emanated from the metal around them. Tiki's voice hollered up to them.
"Ready!"
Ben took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing."
He took the yoke, and flipped the power on. The ship whined. The engines flared to life. Arcs of electricity rocketed through the metal and the wires running through the walls of the ship. Ben grit his teeth, silently praying that it would start.
He pulled on the yoke, and the ship began to rise. As it rose, he noticed a wall of purple flames rise up behind Morgana, blocking the Deadlord's and Validar's advance towards the arc.
"She's not going to make it." Aversa breathed, watching with wide eyes as Luminara and Xanatos launched their first attacks at the Sorceress.
Ben grimaced as he powered the engines to life, "She never intended to." He grit his teeth, "Brace yourself."
He spotted a small tunnel dug into the ice roof, just big enough for the Ark to slip through. He found the throttle, and slowly pushed it forward, accelerating the rickety craft out of the cavern. With a roar, it rocketed out of the Heretic's hideout, blasting into the Feroxi sky with a thunderous boom.
Ben thought the bad feeling in his gut, the worry sitting in his heart, would recede as they raced away from the hideout and headed back to Ylisse. But as the Ark lumbered through the air, rising higher into the twilight sky, the bad feeling grew worse.
The sun began to set. The stars came out. A pale moon rose high into the dark sky. The Force remained still, like glass.
Then it exploded in violent fury. The Dark Side uttered a triumphant roar the likes of which he had not heard since the dying days of the Republic. Ben's heart stopped beating in his chest and his eyes glazed over as he realized a horrifying reality.
The Empire has arrived.
And chapter! This was a massive chapter for this story. These next few are actually. I have been planning and thinking these out forever! For-freaking-ever! They are finally happening and now I'm so excited and nervous at the same time because I want to do a good job with them. So here goes nothing! The Empire has arrived! Vader has begun his march! And Ben is on his way to save the day… maybe? Or is he too late? Finally, Morgana is staring down the Deadlords and Validar. I think we're about to see why Grima was nervous about her. Ohohohohohoho! This is going to be good!
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!
Also, come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a