AN: I don't own Star Wars or Kuroinu
Warning; this chapter will contain blood, gore, suggestive themes, minor sexual content, mentions of rape, misogynistic slurs, and strong language!
Reader's discretion is advised!
Chapter 6
The Beginning Of A New Monarch
Far from the kingdom of Feoh, the dark woods were filled with hooded figures, their identities hidden beneath their cloaks.
Things were progressing smoothly as long as they kept moving forward without hesitation.
"Think they followed us?" Anna questioned, concealing her identity underneath her dark cloak.
Her friend, Grace, replied gently. "No, I don't believe so."
"Good... Hopefully, Sir Vader has distracted them so we can make our way out," Anna hoped, silently praying that there wouldn't be any issues with their escape.
Grace nodded to her friend's words. "I pray to the Goddess that Hugh's okay too," she said, hoping her lover could make it out in one piece.
Ian glanced back at the two elves, a smile spreading across his face.
"Hey, don't worry; if I know the guy, it's gonna take more than a few mercenaries to take him out alive," he reassured them.
Grace immediately smiles after hearing those words. "Ye-yeah, I hope you're right, Ian."
Ian delivered a big smirk in return. "Course I am! Come on, we'd better get these women to safety."
The women being escorted in tattered clothing initially appeared worried but gradually began to regain a sense of relief.
Still, they needed to ask questions, just to be sure.
"Do you know where you're going?" One of the women asked Ian as he rubbed his head in response.
"Away from this shithole. That's for sure." Ian commentated with a smug expression.
"Do you think Sir Vader has delivered enough time to stall for us to escape?" Grace asked out of concern.
While Grace hadn't known the masked man on a personal level, even she was worried about his well-being.
"Knowing him, I'd say the dogs are the least of our worries," Ian said reassuringly, aware that those bastards would need to pray before meeting their end at the hands of the human embodiment of death.
Ian smirked at that thought alone, hoping to see how that would go in his eyes.
Grace nodded, knowing it would be the wrong time to be part of The Black Dogs.
Ian was correct; prayer before death was necessary to the Black Dogs, as a human incarnate would savor their final moments of vitality.
Still, that didn't stop Grace's concern for others, particularly her husband. The dark elf expressed her concern for her husband, saying, "I just hope Hugh's okay. I'm worried about him."
Other than Anna and her husband as her good friends, Grace knew that Hugh was the only remaining family she had left in this cruel world.
Orphaned as a child, she was left to fend for herself in the shadowy corners of Eostia. She had little hope that her life there would ever improve.
Everything in her life remained the same until she met Hugh, the one who would change it all.
That's why Grace hoped to see him soon after the war ended.
While walking their way in the dark forest, still dressed in their dark cloaks, one of the women, recently freed from captivity, looked at her companion with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "How do you even know that man? You know, the one with the black mask?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Honestly, we're just as surprised as you are." Ian voiced his thoughts. "Even we don't even have a clue where he's from."
Grace sighed, glancing away for a moment before meeting her gaze. "It's a long story," she said, his voice tinged with regret. "He saved us back in our village. From those mercenaries." Grace began to remember; that horrifying moment when the Black Dogs almost raped her and Anna.
"But trust me, if it weren't for Sir Vader, Anna and I wouldn't be here at this moment." Grace assured the women kindly.
This reminded Grace that she needed to express her gratitude to Sir Vader for his assistance that day.
Maybe she will bake a cake for the masked man as a token of appreciation for his bold actions.
"There they are!" A voice shouted as the group looked in surprise, turning to face where the voice came from.
Suddenly, cloaked figures emerged from the shadows, encircling the group and aiming their spears menacingly at them.
Grace and Anna glanced back as Ian brandished his axe, trying to protect the two elves. "Damn it! How did they find us?!" Ian shouted angrily, holding his axe firmly while shielding Grace, Anna, and the women behind him with his body.
"Shh, it's okay," Ian assured his wife gently, knowing he wouldn't let anything happen to his beloved one.
Turning his attention away from his wife, Ian raised his axe, demanding to know who these figures in black cloaks were.
"Wh-Who are you?" Ian asked demandingly.
"We should be asking that question!" One of the cloak figures shouted. "Are you with the Kuroinu Army?!" They questioned in a demanding manner.
Ian appeared to be nearly offended by that statement. "No, of course not! We're trying to take down those bastards!" Ian spat out of rage.
The figures didn't appear to be convinced, refusing to believe the words of this suspicious commoner. "Why should we believe your words? For all we know, you could be a spy in their infiltration." they began to accuse.
Anna stood in front of Ian; the high-elf woman began to defend her husband as a way to stop these ridiculous accusations. "Please, we're not with The Black Dogs! We're just trying to escort these women away from the kingdom!"
"Sir, it's true! They rescue us from those treacherous dogs!" One of the rescued women defended out loud.
Upon closer inspection, the cloaked figures observed the women clad in tattered garments, looking as though they had emerged from Hell itself; they gradually lowered their weapons, recognizing that there might indeed be virtuous individuals within this nation.
"Well, I'll be. Looks like not everything in this nation is corrupted now!" The central figure, dressed in a cloak, declared out loud.
Removing the cloak, it was revealed that it was a woman with light-brown hair and hazel eyes; underneath her cloak was the extremely revealing bikini armor, her attire mainly belonging to a Shield Knight of all people.
Ian blushed a bit, not expecting to see her appearance, before quickly shaking his head before Anna could chastise him.
Coughing into his right hand, Ian narrowed his eyes to the light-brown hair woman as he proceeded to ask a simple question. "Who are you?" Ian asked cautiously.
"I am Annabelle Celsa, Commander Celsa, Shield Knight of the Seven Shields Alliance, and her Holy Majesty, Celestine Lucross." The light-brown-haired woman introduced herself, her tone filled with pride. "May I ask who you are, sir?" she inquired.
Ian lowered his axe, beginning to introduce himself alongside his good companions. "My name is Ian Florence. This is my wife, Anna Florence, along with her good friend, Grace Campbell. We were escorting these women away from Feoh, away from the Black Dogs."
"I see." Annabelle simply said. "May I ask how did you escape from the kingdom in the first place? Since the kingdom of Feoh is clearly heavily guarded with many mercenaries and guards on the frontline." she inquired a bit suspiciously.
"Yes, well…" Ian stuttered a bit before coughing into his throat. "It wasn't just us, Miss Celsa, we had help from a stranger… You could call him a wanderer, perhaps."
Annabelle appeared cautious by the mention of this… wanderer. "Who is this stranger?" she asked curiously.
With a bit of hesitation, Ian cleared his throat once more before revealing the name loudly.
"His name is Lord Vader."
"Lord Vader…" Annabelle spoke, her expression changing from a serious one to one of curiosity. Almost as if she was familiar with that.
"Did I say something wrong, Commander?" Ian asked, hoping he didn't say anything wrong.
Annabelle quickly snapped out of her thoughts and turned her attention to Ian, her eyes focusing on the blonde-haired man. "No, nothing at all, Mister Florence. Just have a lot on my mind."
"In the meantime, Lady Salman, Sir Rooke," Annabelle called up to her soldiers, one light blonde-haired man and a brunette woman who walked up to their commanding enforcer. "Yes, Lady Celsa?" The woman named Salman inquired.
"Please help escort Mister Florence, alongside his wife and friend, and, of course, the rescued women here. We need to send for more backup if we wish to reclaim Feoh."
"Yes, Lady Celsa!" Both Lady Salman and Sir Rooke replied with obedience.
Annabelle nodded, glad to see the initiative in her warriors. "Alright, we'll take it from here, Mister Florence! Before we head to Feoh, is there anything else you want to tell us?"
Grace quickly walked past Ian and Anna, surprising them with her movement. "Yes, if you see my husband, Hugh, please let me know if he's okay."
"What does he look like, Miss…" Annabelle quickly tried to remember the dark elf's surname.
"Campbell. Grace Campbell. He has brown hair, wears a red headband, and carries an axe with him." Grace explains the physical description of her partner in marriage.
"Alright, we'll make sure we'll find him. When was the last time you saw him, Miss Campbell?" Annabelle inquired.
"The last time I saw him was with Lord Vader when we went to escort these poor women out of Feoh. Just please, if you do see him, along with Lord Vader, tell him to be careful." Grace said out of concern.
Annabelle stood silent. That name… Lord Vader. She had heard of that name before. She quickly shook her head before replying to the dark elf who was concerned for her spouse.
Annabelle, then, nodded at the dark elf's concerned words. "Alright, Miss Campbell. We'll make sure your husband is safe. For now, my knights will escort you, your acquaintances, and these women out of here. They'll escort you to a safe location that's not too far from here."
Grace nodded, giving the light brown-haired woman a hopeful look before turning to face her friend Anna and her husband. They began to depart, accompanied by the rescued women and two knights who were ensuring their safe passage.
Once they were gone, Annabelle was left alone with her team to strategize their next move.
"Commander Celsa, what do we do next?" asked one of her Shield Knights, a dark-haired woman, with curiosity.
Annabelle faced the dark-haired knight, her expression stern yet her smile confident. "We plan to reclaim Feoh. We cannot allow those damn mercenaries to triumph by transforming this land into a den of vice. The time has come to retaliate! The Black Dogs shall not survive this day!" She declared, her voice resonating with authority and pride, rallying her warriors to battle and reclaim their homeland from the grips of the mercenary invaders.
The Shield Knights, except for Annabelle, of course, began to nod, quickly cheering for the reclamation of the proud domain that was once Eostia.
Annabelle couldn't help but let out a confident smirk. "Indeed, the path ahead is fraught with danger, my brave knights. We must move with stealth and precision, avoiding detection at all costs. Our preparation will be our greatest weapon. No matter the challenges that lie ahead, we shall overcome them and emerge victorious!" All of Annabelle's warriors let out a cheer, raising their weapons as they continued to cheer over and over again due to the motivation and pride of fighting the evils of this nation.
Annabelle declared, "Fellow Knights, it's time to rescue Princess Alicia and her cousin and bring justice for our fallen comrades!"
The cheering around them grew louder as Annabelle's confident smirk revealed her pride.
"ONWARD! ON WE GO!"
Once Annabelle made her declaration, the voices of her comrades erupted into a chorus of cheers.
Annabelle stood proudly before her Shield Knights, aware that leadership had its challenges but knew that she was damn qualified for the job.
As she was lost in thought, something struck her deeply. It was a curious and intriguing question, one that demanded her attention.
That name… That odd but familiar name.
Lord Vader.
It was familiar indeed.
Annabelle's eyes widened, finally realizing where she heard those two words before.
"Goddess Celestine, it seems you were right about your predictions," Annabelle muttered to herself.
"Is that the person you saw in your dreams?" Annabelle said to herself.
Whatever it was, it just offered more questions for the Shield Knight Commander.
And she was beginning to get paranoid at those thoughts.
She will have to see this for herself once she has the opportunity to meet the individual in person.
Dawn was near.
The Battle of Feoh remained at its peak intensity. Nearly twenty minutes had elapsed, and the invasion was ongoing.
Despite the treacherous Minister's demise, the conflict continued to escalate as time progressed.
There were many civilian casualties, their bodies littering the bloody streets due to falling victim to the mercenaries' wrath.
Beastly's troops were stationed to fend off the rebels from attacking each of the royal guards' posts. Thousands of men and women from both sides continued to fight multiple mercenaries, including Orcs and goblins, as some of the executions of these animals were the most brutal.
The clash of swords, the whistle of arrows in flight, and the shouts of soldiers echoed as they fought to reclaim their kingdom. Flames roared from the burning buildings, turning the scene into a raging inferno.
The Shield Knights and their fellow Guild Members pressed on, overpowering the guards and surmounting their defenses; the citizens also supported the cause.
Alicia, now wearing a new blue armor covering her upper chest, continued to run through the chaotic streets of her former city. Her face formed into a snarl expression, tugging her sword closely on her left side, knowing she couldn't let her guard down.
So much death was everywhere. And she allowed this to happen.
Her ears perked up as she listened to the cries and shouts of her soldiers, mingled with the curses of those detestable mercenaries.
"Damn it! We can't allow them to win!"
"Spread out! There are too many of them!"
Both forces on both sides collided with one another.
"Here they come now!" one rebel soldier cried out, quickly embracing the enemies in their waves.
In the end, this was all her fault.
And she vowed to make things right.
"Lady Alicia!"
Alicia narrowed her eyes towards an ex-royal guard.
"My Queen, I thought that dreadful man captured you." one of the commanders let out a voice of concern.
Alicia was glad, too, but this wasn't time for a lovely reunion; there were bigger things on the matter.
"Commander, what's the status here?" Alicia questioned, getting to the point.
Alicia's attitude surprised the female commander, who then promptly began to explain the current situation. "Y-Yes, Your Highness." she stuttered at the beginning of her sentence before explaining it professionally. "Right now, the Kuroinu are lowering their defenses. But for now, they are calling up back-up."
"I see." Alicia simply said. "Then, we'd better get to it as soon as possible. For now, if you see any innocent people, get them out of here. We can't let those treacherous dogs commit any more of their crimes against this nation."
"Yes, my lady!"
Alright, she was getting somewhere.
Yes, she would own up to her mistakes.
For her people.
For her kingdom.
For her father's legacy.
She felt overwhelmed, the persistent pressure and guilt haunting her. It infuriated her. How could she have been so foolish?
All of them. Traitors to her country. Hours upon hours, his men would violate her with no end in sight. Alicia wanted to vomit at those atrocious thoughts, her mind growing angry as she knew that this was all her fault from the start.
Unpleasant memories lingered of her city being overtaken, the Kuroinu Army kidnapping her cousin, breaking her, and reveling in the suffering of others.
The experience had devastated her psyche. They stripped her of everything, leaving her feeling utterly devoid of dignity. The mercenaries and the Prime Minister reduced her to nothing more than an object of their desire, a shameful whore to the minister and mercenaries. Tears streamed down Alicia's face as she struggled to hold her sword, filled with regret for not making the right choice from the beginning.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
Why? Why didn't she make the right choice sooner?
How could she even call herself a warrior or a proud leader to her people?
How would her father and mother see her like this? How in the hell could she honor her proud family's legacy like this?
As Alicia was lost in her thoughts, she felt a prominent figure approaching her, an orc dressed in the same attire as the Kuroinu mercenaries. The giant creature brought his weapon down as Alicia, with a quick reflex and instinct, brought her sword upward, deflecting the attack as she continued to stand up, deflecting the other attacks from the sizable green-skinned creature.
Due to her sad emotions, Alicia was having a hard time; gripping her weapon again as she had a hard time, trying to process what was going on at the moment.
How could she?
She said so herself.
She was no warrior and didn't deserve the title of being called a warrior. She was a filthy harlot only suitable for the bedroom; she couldn't be called worthy on the battlefield.
Alicia's tears continued to fall as she thought to herself, would it be better if this orc just killed her? She wouldn't have to suffer anymore, she wouldn't be a burden to anyone before.
Alicia lowered her weapon down, waiting for the kill at any given minute.
That's right, what are you waiting for, you damn green-skinned monster. Do it.
As her blue eyes noticed the orc preparing to bring her weapon down, Alicia began to have last-minute thoughts, remembering the last peaceful moments she had before the kingdom of Feoh became nothing but chaos.
Her final conversation with Prim.
How she made a promise to keep her safe from harm's way.
Oh, by the Goddess!
Prim!
Other memories began to flash inside her mind, remembering the unfortunate times of Alicia surrendering the kingdom to the mercenaries; the innocent women and nuns being raped in front of her eyes, and she couldn't do anything but watch in horror.
The time when she was captured and locked in a cell, spending those horrible minutes with Beastly forcing himself on her body, his kisses being marked everywhere on Alicia's body, and his bodily fluids of lust staining her as a sign that she lost her title as a proud Princess Knight to a fuckdoll.
Then, when she walked in on that traitorous bastard, the leader of the Kuroinu Army, forcing himself onto her poor cousin, that was the moment she lost her innocence.
"You… You lied… to me… Alicia."
Those words would further haunt the former Princess of Feoh, knowing that was the day she lost everything dear to her.
It made her sad. That was until she thought of the last moment with the Prime Minister, the one who had taken everything from her.
Before he was killed by the one who saved her from her terrible fate.
That masked man.
Lord Vader.
She vividly remembers his harsh words.
How he called her a coward… How she failed to save her people and her cousin. The utter humiliation of being called out for being nothing but a defiled cum bucket to these scumbags. She remembers all the times Beastly used her, violating her body without her consent. The mocking image of her cousin being forced by the commander of The Black Dogs haunted her in her dreams, and she couldn't do one damn thing about it.
She then recalls the blunt yet significant words spoken by the masked individual.
"If you continued to dwell on the past, nothing good would come out of it. So, I would suggest you wipe your sorrows, pick yourself up, and act like a truly competent ruler for once. Because if you continue to go this route, all you are doing is delaying your justice against these scoundrels. So enough of your grieving and do something worth the courage for your domain."
Courage? Domain?
Those words… She had heard those words before.
Wait, it sounded familiar. Those sounded like the words her father spoke to her once when she was just a child growing up.
No, the words struck Alicia with even greater force upon a second reflection.
In that instant, she realized she was committing a terrible mistake.
As the former Princess of Feoh saw the orc raise its weapon high in the air, ready to strike Alicia, she knew she couldn't let it end this way.
Alicia grits her teeth in frustration. She gripped her sword tightly, taking deep breaths as she had a moment of clarity.
No… No more.
She refused to die like this.
Right as the orc brought his weapon down from the air, Alicia let out a scream as she got her sword upwards, silting the green-skinned creature's throat as the orc proceeded to choke on its vital fluid, dropping its weapon on the ground as the orc perished from Alicia's quick attack.
No more!
No more of this nonsense!
Alicia screamed as she rose from the ground, fully aware of what her next move needed to be.
Oh, Prim! From the very beginning, Alicia knew that she was being foolish.
'Prim, I regret almost giving up on myself. I vow not to repeat that mistake!' Alicia reflected, her mind heavy with remorse as tears streamed down her cheeks, a testament to the sorrow she endured.
The blonde-haired Princess Knight wiped her tears away, realizing that now was not the time to feel sorry for herself.
There will be time for grievances later.
For now, she had a war to win.
Screaming out of rage, Alicia stabbed another mercenary, this time a human, by thrusting her sword inside the man's throat as the mercenary continued to choke on his blood, convulsing as the mercenary expired from life.
There was neither honor nor justice in this. She had been a fool from the very beginning.
But not anymore. She vowed to take back her life. She would fight like she had never had before. She would slaughter them like cattle.
"Charge!" Alicia cried, pointing her sword at the remaining foes. Her soldiers followed her from behind as they proceeded to combat the enemy.
With an upward swing of her sword, Alicia decapitated a Kuroinu mercenary. Her fury intensified on the battlefield. Her people were mounting a solid defense, storming into the capital of Feoh. She knew she had to stay strong.
The former Shield Princess began to grow a smirk on her face. It'd been a while since she contributed in battle.
The former Princess of Feoh noticed most of the Black Dogs and Monsters running from the palace to get back up on their forces; other mercenaries began to deal with intruders.
In the midst of a lesser skirmish, Alicia observed countless soldiers, especially from her faction, engaged in combat with various beasts; one warrior was decapitating an orc, while another was crushing a diminutive Imp underfoot, with blood scattering across the terrain.
As she ran, Alicia witnessed a towering orc seize one of her soldiers, tearing him in half as he emitted a harrowing scream of pain.
"NO!" Alicia screamed, charging forward with her blood-stained sword. With a mighty swing, she severed the orc's head, avenging her fallen warrior in combat.
The orc's headless body collapsed to the ground, its head rolling to a stop a few inches away, as Alicia regarded the defeated green-skinned creature with a look of contempt.
Alicia gazed upon the fallen soldier, her face etched with regret and sorrow. 'Damn it! I couldn't save him!' She reflected with remorse and a sense of responsibility, wishing she had been quicker to save her beleaguered soldiers.'But I swear, your death won't be in vain. I'll avenge you and all my fallen warriors,' she vowed silently, burdened with regret and guilt.
She gripped her sword with anger, allowing her to redirect those emotions on the following mercenaries that were coming in her direction.
Alicia let out a blood-lusted scream, delivering a kick to a scarred mercenary as she raised her weapon. Her sword met the man's flesh; blood spurted from his mouth, the sword being coated with his lifeblood.
Alicia proceeded to stomp on the corpse, staining her boot with blood, screaming out loudly as she made contact with the body. The head was nothing but matter and bone across the ground.
A shout caused her to spin around, and Alicia found herself confronting two mercenaries whose faces were familiar to her.
Those were the ones who had betrayed her, the very ones who had first violated trust as the memory darkened in her mind. Alicia snarled, the ex-Princess of Feoh charging at the mercenaries with astonishing speed.
She moved so swiftly that she landed cuts and blood sprayed, staining her armor with the literal red of her enemies.
She would never forget those horrible memories. Those monsters, those damn mercenaries who betrayed her kingdom, slaughtered her innocent people, took away her dignity, raped her and her beloved cousin, and destroyed every minute of peace they had before the day of the invasion began.
No more.
No more would anyone suffer due to her careless mistakes.
She was going to fix it!
She would become the ruler she was destined to be when she was young.
She would show to Lord Vader that she was still a leader worth following.
She would be the one who takes control of her destiny.
"Lady Alicia!" Another feminine voice called out to the blonde-haired Shield Princess.
Alicia snapped out of her stupor, turning her attention to who was calling her. Alicia's eyes widened, realizing who was calling her.
Iris had appeared with two guards dressed in white-fur armor.
"Ir-Iris…" Alicia called out gently, lowering her blood-coated weapon down. "Is that you?" She questioned; her lips began to quiver at the sight of her old friend.
Iris offered a slight smile to the blonde-haired Princess Knight, relieved to find her still alive.
Iris nodded before saying. "Yes, I'm glad to see you're alright, Your Highness," Iris quickly embraced the blonde-haired Princess Knight, Alicia. They shared a heartfelt hug, and Alicia couldn't have been happier to see one of her faithful companions and childhood friends. 'Thank the Goddess Laurentia,' she thought, feeling a wave of relief and joy.
"It's good to see you too," Alicia admitted, and Iris responded with a relieved nod.
"Alicia, did you do all this?" Iris questioned.
Alicia appeared confused; what did her friend mean by that?
It took a few seconds for Alicia to catch what Iris meant by her words as she took a look at her sword.
Her bloody sword.
She turned her gaze around her as Alicia turned in the other direction, away from Iris, as she noticed the sight in front of her eyes.
By the Goddess, she couldn't believe it.
There were dozens of Black Dogs; mercenaries such as humans and orcs were all butchered, laying all the ground like piles of meat. There were limbs, guts, intestines, and heads disassembled everywhere, evident that Alicia was the one responsible for her mental slaughter.
Iris was visibly stunned. Although she had always known Alicia to be a formidable warrior, the sight of her friend single-handedly challenging nearly half an army was beyond her wildest expectations.
This was beyond her comprehension.
The revelation stunned Iris and the two White Wolves behind her, but Alicia was the most astonished of them all.
Did… Did she do all this?
Alicia took a second to swallow it all. She took one and stared at her bloody weapon. The bloody sword was nearly coated in red, so much so that not even expert swordsmiths couldn't recognize the metal.
A grin began to settle on her face as she felt the adrenaline once more.
The power.
The determination to bathe in the enemies of her blood.
"Lady Alicia, are you alright?" Iris asked in great concern.
Alicia shook her head, snapping out of her mild daydreams as she turned to face the dark, pink-haired general who was staring at her in concern.
"I'm fine, Iris. I have just been through a lot." Alicia said, avoiding discussing the abysmal nights she spent with the Prime Minister.
Iris nodded, understanding how much her friend, Alicia, had been through. "I am aware, Your Majesty. I'm glad you survived those terrible times in the war."
Iris took another look around the environment, noticing that Alicia was alone. "Where's Prim?" Iris asked, concerned. "Is she not with you?"
Alicia had a grim expression upon hearing those words. "No, unfortunately not. She's being kept in another kingdom." Alicia explained calmly, knowing getting angry at this moment would not help her situation.
No, she would save that anger for those who dare come in her way.
"What about the Prime Minister?" Iris asked.
"H-He's dead…" The former Princess of Feoh answered hesitantly, and Iris raised a brow. "He was killed… by the man in the black mask," Alicia confirmed coldly, not giving a damn about the old man's demise.
Black mask? Iris was skeptical upon hearing those words. Wait, did that mean he did it? Did he already kill Beastly? Her mind raced with possibilities, each more intriguing than the last.
"Lord Vader…" Iris paused for a second.
That caught Alicia's attention. "You know him?" Alicia asked with a raised eyebrow.
Iris narrowed her eyes at her old friend with a grim expression. "Yeah, you could say we had an… "interesting meeting" before he found you."
Before Alicia could ask another question, she noticed the war around her was intensifying. Warriors from her side were struggling to keep the fight going as more mercenaries from the Kuroinu Army appeared, bringing with them increased firepower.
More enemies were coming in their direction.
Both of the Shield Knights proceeded to get through a couple of the mercenaries. Their swords were coated in the blood of their enemies; Alicia and Iris continued to run through several mercenaries as they continued to watch their backs as more bodies fell to the ground.
While Alicia wasn't an expert in combat like her older friend Claudia from the Seven Shield Alliance, she did recall the lessons Claudia had taught her. These lessons provided valuable insights into improving her combat skills through training and swordplay against her enemies.
As a result, Alicia was performing better this time, being more focused and having a clearer understanding of how to handle combat effectively.
Iris came from behind, cutting a goblin in half while Alicia sliced another man's throat open; her face turned into disgust as she continued onward.
Being overwhelmed, more Black Dogs lost control of their posts, gates being pried open by more rebels from The White Wolves, catching them by surprise.
Alicia smiled at the support as she continued to hack through her enemies, with Iris and her army helping her from behind.
More mercenaries have fallen on the ground, heads and arms being dismembered as Alicia grew a severe expression, knowing that she had awakened something inside of her.
Her spirit.
Her determination to not give up during these desperate times.
Fight.
Everyone needed to fight for once.
"Everyone!" Alicia shouted at the top of her lungs, immediately capturing everyone's attention.
"Fight for your kingdom!" The former Shield Princess chanted proudly. "Fight back to take your kingdom. No more will women be slaves to these dogs! No more will women suffer from the Minister's wrath!"
Alicia knew it was going to take more convincing than that.
"Prime Minister Beastly is dead!" She confirmed it to her soldiers as Alicia raised her bloody sword high in the air.
All of the spectators stood in shock, some in denial while others were ecstatic about the news. Was it true?
Was Lord Beastly dead?
Alicia grew stern, continuing to speak the truth to all of her warriors on the battlefield. "Because of his death, it has given us hope for the kingdom of Feoh! We cannot let this tyranny rule over our lives while these bastards are terrorizing the innocent everywhere in the land of Eostia!" She continued to chant. "Death to The Black Dogs!"
Alicia hoisted her blood-stained weapon aloft once more, leaving the surrounding warriors in a state of shock. She persisted in reciting the same incantation repeatedly. Convinced that it was not too late to act honorably, she recalled her late father's teachings, which served as a guide to uphold the Arcturus family's esteemed legacy.
This was her kingdom, people, honor, and family, and she wouldn't make the same mistake again.
This was the time to take everything back!
"DEATH TO THE BLACK DOGS!" Alicia chanted over and over again.
The entire crowd of civilians and soldiers alike continued to cheer proudly.
"DEATH TO THE BLACK DOGS!"
"DEATH TO THE BLACK DOGS!"
"FIGHT!" Alicia screamed, pointing her sword towards the incoming enemies in their directions.
The bodies of numerous Black Dogs mercenaries, orcs, imps, and assorted beings from the Kuroinu Army's ranks were strewn about like fallen leaves on the street.
Alicia gazed at her weapon, smeared with the blood of her foes, a smile creeping across her face as the rush of adrenaline surged with every conquered adversary.
She felt like a warrior again.
If her father and mother were still alive to witness her achievements, there might be an opportunity to restore her family's honor.
It was a taste of freedom.
'Prim, I promised I'll see you again after this.' Alicia reflected, wishing she had made wiser decisions from the beginning.
It didn't matter. She had no time to grieve at that moment.
For now, she had a job to do.
The time was now—the domain—the lands.
The kingdoms of Eostia were unprepared for this moment. It was his method of correcting injustices.
Lord Vader stood at the center of the Kingdom of Ur.
So this is where they were keeping the Princess.
He arrived swiftly, harnessing the expansive power of his Full Potential's infinite possibilities.
Force Speed was not an ability Vader frequently utilized from The Force; however, he considered it essential at this particular moment since the Chosen One needed to reach his destination quickly.
It was successful.
The ex-Dark Lord of the Sith clenched his right fist, the stretching leather of his glove audible to Vader, who understood the need to test his boundaries.
He would need to channel his negative emotions once more, yet this time, he would maintain control over them.
The Dark Side would no longer dictate his actions; instead, he would master it, demonstrating who indeed commands its power.
Undertaking the task would be challenging. After all, harnessing the Force was not simple, particularly for one whose mental state was delicate. He had forfeited all from his previous existence: his cherished spouse, his old master, his allies from The Clone Wars, his youthful Padawan, and the potential family bonds with his two offspring. His heart broke on the day Sidious deceived him, the day he was told that he had slain his wife and unborn offspring.
It was only his hatred and fear that kept him alive in The Force. It was the same man who had poisoned his heart and nearly corrupted him.
He would never forget the untapped power he had unleashed upon the Prime Minister. Despite the temptation, he was aware it could send him into a trance, causing a loss of self. The Dark Side of the Force was emerging from within, swirling like a whirlpool, like a wild beast on the verge of awakening.
Beneath his mask, his predatory grin revealed an understanding of The Dark Side as an aspect of his manifestation.
He was ready to wake the beast again.
He now understood the experiences of his former apprentice, Starkiller.
With a single lift of his non-mechanical arm, Lord Vader released a deadly red surge, electricity flowing from his veins as the red Force Lightning left his organic hand, reaching the blue skies as it began to change colors due to the pragmatic effects of his power within him.
The sky was now blood red.
Meanwhile, in Feoh.
In the abandoned church, while Hugh, Drol, and Eiroki begin to escort the poor, former nuns out to a safe location, they notice the sudden change in the sky.
It may have taken a while to convince these women to leave with them, but with some convincing, they managed to do so in hopes of saving them from an unfortunate fate. Hugh knew that he was making the right decision here.
He hoped to see his wife again soon.
He promises he'll make it out alive soon.
As the three continued to walk to a secure location, Hugh noticed an abrupt change upward in the bright sky.
"What?!" Hugh let out.
"What is it, lad?" Drol inquired from the young man, who had a look of concern and curiosity.
Hugh pointed his finger up in the bloody red sky. "Look, the sky! It changed colors!"
Drol and Eiroki looked upwards; their eyes widened out of shock.
What was even happening?
"What the hell?!" Drol shouted out of shock, not expecting to see the bloody sky change colors out of nowhere.
"What is this?" Eiroki asked in both awe and shock.
This couldn't be. How was this even happening in the first place?
There was no magic or any power that could do this.
Unless… no, it couldn't be.
It had to be so; there was no one else to hold accountable. That is unless the responsible party was a newcomer to the land of Eostia.
Hugh knew this had to be the work of a particular masked individual.
'Vader, how are you doing this?' Hugh asked himself in morbid curiosity.
As the conflict persisted, the situation began to deteriorate.
"What the fuck?!" one Black Dogs mercenary cried out.
"Why is the sky red?!" a white wolf member questioned out of great worry.
The dark skies loomed over many soldiers, among them The White Wolves and the Kuroinu Mercenaries, driven there by fear, of course.
Alicia and Iris looked up at the dark red sky, each of their eyes widening at the unexpected change.
"Wh-what's happening?!" Iris questioned frantically.
Alicia remained silent, not responding to her comrade's inquiry. An ominous sensation unlike any she had experienced before was overtaking her, making her feel ill, as though it were the antithesis of her goddess's name. It was a feeling that seemed all too similar to that associated with her adversary, The Dark Elf Queen.
But that was impossible. She had been seized and vanished, never to reappear.
While she was diminished to merely a toy for the Minister, she remembered glimpses of the Dark Queen and her underling, also reduced to mere objects for the mercenaries. This affirmed her weakened state. At least, while not her sinister adversary, it was an entity of far greater power.
Even more potent than the Goddess of Ken. And that terrifies her to her core.
She didn't know why this was even happening in the first place. She couldn't even describe it in simple words.
She only had one thing on her mind.
'Lord Vader… Is that the power you mentioned earlier?' Alicia thought to herself with morbid curiosity as her only prevailing emotion at the moment.
Standing on the top balcony, Mistiora Arte was watching the whole spectacle.
Oh my, oh my.
This was the best time she was having by far.
It was… stimulating. Her body grew hot just thinking about the entire dilemma. She knew that her predictions were correct. Mistiora knew there was more to this man than she initially thought.
She raised her hand as she wished she could touch the dark, red sky, her eyes appearing in awe this entire time.
This was becoming intriguing for her. How right she was. Mistiora loved this power. She was beginning to get a kick out of it.
Her Messiah…
Her dear Messiah…
Oh yes, she found herself increasingly captivated by his mysterious aura.
The chaos and the slaughter of the men and warriors who fell by his hand were riveting, and Mistiora couldn't be more astonished by his sheer presence.
Mistiora had not yet encountered her Messiah, but she was already prepared to devote herself entirely to him. Her heart pounded vigorously within her. Her smile remained unwavering; she found herself increasingly captivated by his aura and might.
She wanted him. She wanted him to be hers. She knew she was right about him.
"Interesting. Perhaps there is more to you, my dear lord." Her voice filled with lust and a speck of curiosity.
Her thoughts confirmed another thing. "Queen Olga, if you were here with me, you would have found this interesting as well."
She wished that she would see her again soon.
Mistiora lamented, knowing that if only her Queen were here, she would have loved to meet him.
All she wanted was to find a way to earn her peace.
There was no end.
She longed for it to end. She no longer wished to engage in her self-destructive roles. The more she dwelled on those repulsive memories, the more disgust she felt. Her body ached from the activities, and her mind was on the verge of breaking, threatening to become numb.
Ever since Feoh fell, her kingdom, Ur, followed. The Black Dogs invaded on that day, the day when she lost everything.
The last day where she had peace to herself and she was with her family.
The visions of her loved ones being mercilessly killed, the women assaulted, and the same horrors befalling her and her cousin tormented her. She felt entangled in a waking nightmare; this couldn't be reality. It shouldn't be reality.
Consequently, the entire city fell, Beastly became the new "king" of Feoh, and her childhood friends treated her like an object to use.
She didn't deserve the title of Princess anymore. She was just a play doll to those "literal pigs!"
Prim wanted to cry at those memories. She couldn't take it anymore. She just wanted it to end. All she knew was that it was futile to resist.
And she didn't care about that if she was being honest with herself.
However, Prim knew she had to be brave. She did the very best she could.
All she cared about was seeing her beloved cousin's face.
Her sweet cousin's face.
Alicia…
Alicia…
Alicia… please come back home.
Before Prim could have a second thought, she overheard footsteps approaching her cell chambers.
No! Please… not them… Anything but them.
She struggled to hold back her tears; her expression was almost emotionless as if she had given up on life.
In the dark hallways of the palace, behind the cold bars of her cell chamber, Prim could make out two pig humanoids dressed in purple, noble outfits. These two humanoid individuals began walking with two small weapons she could assume to be daggers as they started smiling at her previous sight.
Ponti and Conti, her two childhood friends, stood in front of her cell chamber.
Prim covered herself with the dirty blanket, not wanting to face the two she dearly referred to as "friends."
"Little Prim, are you happy to see us?" Ponti asked, wondering what was wrong with the pink-haired Princess of Ur.
Prim remained silent. Her face was devoid of emotion, just as it had been in the days prior.
"Little Prim is upset with us, brother," Ponti spoke out to his other brother who nodded in response, agreeing with him on his words.
"Indeed, she is, brother," Conti said.
"Should we cheer her up?" Ponti suggested.
"I think we should, brother. And I think I know how." An evil smile appeared on both pig brothers as the pink-haired Princess' eyes widened out, afraid of what was going to happen next as she continued to cover her half-naked body underneath the old, raggedy blanket.
Before either of the Mortadella Brothers could get a chance to enjoy their exciting moment, a disturbance occurred outside.
"What the?!" Conti screamed out of shock, turning his attention away from the pink-haired, noticing a shocking sight in the prison cell window.
"What's wrong, brother?!" Ponti asked concernedly.
The sky was not a serene blue but a furious shade of red. The brothers stood in shock, and even Prim, who rarely showed emotion, was intrigued by the phenomenon.
Prim found herself in agreement with the brothers on this occasion despite feeling a sense of disgust in doing so. What was happening outside? The sky had shifted colors suddenly, even though it had been a crystal, bright blue just moments before when she was asleep in the prison cell.
This was odd; Prim wanted to know what was happening.
Before she had a moment to think, her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Ponti's gruff voice.
Feeling a growing sense of fear, Ponti decided to voice his concerns to his brother with a question. "Brother, what is happening?! Why is the sky red?!"
Conti shook his head sideways, not sure what the fuck was even going on. "I don't know!"
Ponti, then, thought of a reasonable solution. "Brother, we need to alert the old man! The human needs to know about this!"
Conti nodded, knowing that it was a good idea. "Agreed, brother! Let's find the stone to speak to him!" Conti uttered.
Conti swiftly seized the communication stone from the counter and shook it vigorously, eager for the minister to answer at any moment.
"Come on, answer, you damn human!" Conti uttered aggressively.
Conti was beginning to grow impatient with the current results.
"He's not answering, brother!" Conti spoke out of anger, resisting the urge to throw the damn stone on the ground.
Ponti was shocked at his brother's words. "What?! Where is that damn human?!" he demanded to know.
What the hell could the minister be doing at a time like this? Was that old fool fucking Alicia again? During such a terrible time?
The Mortadella Brothers understood the joy of being intimate with a woman, but they also recognized that there were more pressing matters to address than giving in to their fantasies.
This was their survival. Their lives were at stake here.
They knew that they can't fuck up at this moment.
From here, they needed to depart to prevent any dreadful events from befalling them both.
"I don't know, brother! We need to leave!" Conti yelled advisedly.
The other Mortadella Brother nodded, knowing they would be sitting ducks if they stayed here another second.
"Bring the Princess with us! We can't leave her behind!" Conti insisted, aware that they could not allow their cherished Princess to be confined in the cell.
"Right, brother!" Ponti nodded, heading over to where the damaged Princess was.
"Come on, Little Prim! We need to get going! The sooner we're out, the sooner we can play our fun games together later." Ponti said, wishing he and his brother would have more private time with their special Prim.
Prim didn't say anything. She knew talking wouldn't get her out of this one.
All she can do is obey. She didn't like it, not one bit but she knew she had to be brave.
For her kingdom.
For her people.
For her deceased parents.
For her dear cousin, Alicia.
Prim held out hope for one final thing.
'Alicia, please stay safe out there.' she thought with a heavy heart as she pondered those words.
Darth Vader smiled grimly underneath his mask.
This was becoming amusing to him.
Twenty minutes had elapsed, and Vader had swiftly dispatched half of the security and royal guards in Ur, advancing towards the palace's location.
Utilizing a few mind tricks and obtaining directions from the inept mercenaries prior to eliminating them, Vader already had a notion of his destination. The Second Fortress, or more accurately, the primary palace, was not too distant from his current location.
He was nearing his destination, the place where the cousin of the princess from the neighboring kingdom was being held.
Vader relentlessly pressed on through the domain, dispatching additional men and green-skinned creatures in his quest to locate the Princess' cousin. The ex-Dark Lord of the Sith effortlessly twirled his crimson lightsaber, which met the head of a royal guard.
If this persisted, more soldiers would soon perish. To be honest with himself, he didn't mind in the slightest. Such were the consequences of waging a collateral war.
After all, he spoke from experience.
Dismissing the fallen foe with a kick, Vader advanced towards his quarters, deftly deflecting the barrage of weapons and arrows that sought to impede his progress.
Finally reaching the palace entrance, Vader raised his right arm, clenching it with focused intent; he brought down the entrance door, reducing it to shambles. The former Dark Lord of the Sith strode past the broken rubble, making his way inside without anyone's permission, as if he needed it anyway.
Of course, after making that grand commotion, more guards appeared with their weapons, standing in defense against the masked intruder.
"HALT!" shouted one of the guards. "In the name of Ur, who are you?!"
Forbearing a verbal response, Vader swiftly employed a Force Choke with a flick of his right hand, silencing one of the guards permanently, his actions speaking volumes about his current disposition towards the conversation.
With that, Vader activated his crimson lightsaber as the masked Force wielder observed the guards advancing towards him, weapons drawn, ready to challenge his intrusion.
The glowing tip of the luminous weapon seared through the flesh, and the skin singed in two as the body dropped away from Vader's feet.
With a single thought, Vader harnessed the Force within him, mastering its spiritual energy and releasing it in a powerful wave that exploded outward, rivaling the force of a hurricane.
Many of the guards were sent flying in the air, their bodies either dying on impact when they touched the ground or were sent flying to a wall, their bodies getting splattered, the blood of the guards staining the walls with their vital fluid.
Other guards kept succumbing to Vader's lightsaber, losing their heads and limbs. Simultaneously, a sporadic Force Choke would efficiently dispatch them without causing disarray in the room.
The former Sith Lord spun around, sensing a gaze piercing through his helmet. Before him was a man teetering on the edge of death yet clinging to life. He had lost an arm and a leg, and his eyes were bloodshot. Without hesitation, Vader turned back and strode menacingly toward the injured soldier.
"St-stay away from me, monster!" the man screamed viciously.
Vader dismissed the man's babbling. "Where is the Princess?" he demanded menacingly, weary of these senseless diversions. "Where is Princess Prim?"
"Fu-fuck you! I ain't telling you anything!" The man cursed harshly at the masked individual from The Force as he began to make another harsh accusation in his tone. "Why, so you could have the princess to yourself? Keeping that slut for your pleasure!"
"So you claim," Vader remarked indifferently, compressing the man's throat and scanning his thoughts as if flipping through a book. The fallen Jedi Knight released the man's body, abandoning him to a futile demise.
Another critical piece of information is that the man needed to be working for Beastly or any of the other corrupt nobles. Instead, he was working for the Mortadella brothers. These humanoid beings resemble Gamorrans with similar hulking bodies, but they are more appalling due to their questionable actions—traitors to their country. There may be two more to add to his agenda.
Vader suspected they were colluding with the minister and responsible for atrocities.
Once Vader was lost in his thoughts, underneath his mask, he noticed more guards approaching him. Vader briefly looked at them for a second, realizing that these men were scared by his alarming presence.
He didn't blame them.
He was a symbol of terror and fear. His crimson lightsaber matched the tone of how he was feeling.
A person designed to spread a message, to show them what the Dark Side is truly capable of.
Vader's cold voice cut through the tension. "I assume you've been tasked to stop me. The Prime Minister of Feoh is dead. I was the one responsible for his demise." He pointed his lightsaber at each of the men. "Consider this your warning: Don't get in my way, or you will join the Minister in the afterlife."
The men didn't move, having already made up their choice.
Hmph, so be it.
"Then you will die bravely, more so than most, on the battlefield." Vader forcefully declared with an icy tone.
As the men charged at the former Dark Lord of the Sith, their fate was sealed. The corridors echoed with their dreaded screams, marking the end of their conquest.
The man they faced was destined to end their tyranny today.
"Are we almost there, brother?!" Conti questioned.
"Almost. It's only a few hallways from here." Ponti responded.
In the dimly lit dungeon of the Ur castle, the Mortadella Brothers continued their conversation, pondering whether they would ever find an escape from this accursed place.
Prim noticed the dialogue exchanged between the two pig brothers. Her expression was empty and cold as before.
It had been over twenty minutes, nearly thirty minutes, and The Mortadella Brothers thought it would never end. They just wanted to find an exit, somewhere that led to their freedom.
Most frustratingly, the Mortadella Brothers persisted in their attempts to reach the old minister through the accursed communication stone. And the most infuriating part? The stubborn fucker wasn't responding!
Attempts to communicate with other nobles in Feoh yielded the same result.
No one.
No one was fucking answering.
This was becoming frustrating for the Mortadella Brothers to handle.
What the fuck was even going on over in Feoh?!
An hour had elapsed since the pig duo and the pink-haired princess commenced their quest to find an exit from the palace. The dungeon was riddled with corridors stemming from entrances that invariably looped back on themselves.
This was getting to be quite a handful for them.
Prim, adorned in her barely intact pink dress smudged with stains from her previous escapade, struggled to walk as she was still sore from her recent intimate encounters.
"Hey, come on, little whore! We gotta get going!" Conti scolded the former ruler of Ur, roughly dragging the timid Princess across her feet.
Prim didn't say anything. She was used to hearing insults like this.
Whore, slut, harlot, floozy, she has heard it all before.
They weren't wrong, of course.
She was one indeed. It wasn't just these pigs; many mercenaries had forced her to partake in various activities that involved intercourse. It was one of her uses, after all.
It made her feel like that was the only thing she was suitable for.
Just a toy to these men.
She believed that this was what the future held exclusively for her and her dear Alicia.
Prim and the Mortadella Brothers were in the hallway, both of the pig brothers noticing the exit wasn't too far from them.
"There is it, brother! We're almost out of here!" Ponti pointed at the backdoor.
"Right, brother! The sooner we leave this place, the sooner we can have more fun with our little dear friend, Prim. This little slut right here is good at something after all!"
Prim remained silent, her face expressionless. What more could happen to her? The worst had already occurred, so this was of little consequence to her.
"Princess, don't worry. Once we find a place, we're going to have so much fun together," Conti promised. "After all, we are best friends. That's what we do for each other." A smile of anticipation appeared on Conti's face as both of the Mortadella Brothers began to lick their lips in excitement, eagerly looking forward to spending precious time with their beloved Prim.
Prim didn't reply; she was silent this entire time, knowing that this would always be the same luck for her.
As the pig brothers were indulging in their fantasies, a sound in which one that they never heard before as both of their bodies began to feel cold.
"Brother, do you feel cold?" Conti shivered.
Conti nodded, attempting to shake off the shivers. "I do. But why?" he wondered.
A sense of dread was starting to set in. Both Mortadella Brothers felt like they were trapped with something scary coming their way. Both of the brothers began shaking, having trouble carrying the miniature daggers in their hands.
They heard footsteps coming in their direction as they held up their tiny daggers on who was coming here. They assumed it to be rats; this was a dungeon, after all. Rats were a fairly common thing in most dungeons.
It didn't help that the dungeon was too damn dark for them to see anything. Even the tiny lantern they had at the moment was barely getting through the darkness. It wasn't even helping with the sudden cold temperature in the room.
"Khooh Phuur."
"What was that?!" Ponti asked dreadfully, hearing the ominous noise.
"I-I don't… know, brother! I… I can he-hear it this… way!" Conti stuttered out of fear.
"Khooh Phuur."
Conti swallowed hard, shifting his gaze slowly toward the source of the ominous breathing. He was frightened, yet he refused to acknowledge it to his brother, particularly with a young woman present with them.
This had to be in their imagination. Right? Right?
"Khooh Phuur."
The clamor persisted; Conti and Ponti started to rub their arms, drawing Prim closer to them. As they lingered in the dungeon, the temperature dropped further, and their expressions became increasingly alarming.
The Mortadella Brothers were not the only ones growing fearful.
Prim herself was starting to get unnerved; despite the neutral expression on her face, she knew something was this way, and it was not for the faint of heart.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Wh-Who's there?! Show yourself, monster!" Conti demanded to know, bringing his dagger forward.
"Khooh Phuur."
The only reply was the same steady breathing, which heightened the fear and tension among the Mortadella Brothers, as they were uncertain if they were even addressing a man, much less a person or a being.
A chill went literally down their spines; the Mortadella Brothers were at a loss for words to describe the sensation. It was as if a dark presence, like a lion or some creature, was caged with them.
Unaware of what lay ahead, they only knew that they were on the brink of confronting something even more terrifying once again.
This was unlike anything they ever encountered in their whole lives.
For the first time, they sensed themselves as the prey, ensnared in a space with their predator.
Just then, they came in contact with what was in front of them, blocking their entrance to freedom.
It bore the visage of death.
The image of someone who has both witnessed and caused suffering everywhere.
At that moment, their eerie prediction proved true. It was not a man, but rather a demon in human disguise.
"Khooh Phuur."
As the final breath was taken, a burst of red appeared from the void, and a blade materialized.
The extinction of the Mortadella Brothers is underway.
AN: Hello Everyone! Chapter 7 is finally out! Enjoy the little evil cliffhanger at the end of the chapter… an evil smirk ensues.
Jk, anyway, special thanks go to Meraj Alimi (King101), my beta reader for checking the grammar!
Sorry after the long hiatus for this fic but recent stuff has been happening like personal issues but once again, I've got time to finish publishing this chapter for you guys!
I would like to hear your thoughts in the reviews, like how Vader is being handled well in the story, hoping I'm capturing the tragicness in his character because let's face it, dude has gone through one hell of a character progression arc from a sand slave to a cyborg Sith Lord.
Also, as I stated in the earlier chapters, pairings are a bit ambiguity at the moment since I'm hearing mixed reception about it; at least in the time; it won't be like other Kuroinu fics; this will be a more refreshing take on a "fix-it-fic" and hope that's being handled very well at the moment.
So things are finally coming to a close for the Feoh arc in this chapter! Sorry if there wasn't enough Vader screen time in this chapter but moreso, this chapter was more focused on Alicia's perspective.
I mean, come on, for a girl who has been nothing but a plaything for the past days in the minister's clutches, she deserves a character arc for once. And no, if you're wondering, I am not bashing Alicia since I know a lot of authors like to do so in various Kuroinu fics.
I don't blame them since I did hear she is the punching bag due to her stupid mistakes of surrendering the kingdom and allowing them to capture everyone as their s*x slaves.
But here, she's getting a break so she will have her time in the spotlight.
Not only that but considering this is a dark fantasy series, it does deal with weighty topics. These topics are not easy to write so that's why I hope this chapter was well-written in explaining the tragedy behind the kingdom and the characters' arc on what they're going through.
Thankfully, it does get better from here from what you read and will devolve into more explaining other things in the subject. It's better than the original series, that's for sure!
Other characters will also appear, such as the other Shield Knights/Princesses, and don't worry—a certain Dark Elf Queen might make a special cameo in the next chapter, so stay tuned for that!
Overall, let's just say Vader's got a "special" execution planned for the pig brothers. Thanks to a few authors and readers on Discord, I was informed that they were Prim's bodyguards. However, their backstory with Prim will be a bit different here, as it will be explained in the next chapter!
All I know is that writing the execution scene is going to be fun, so get hyped for that!
Please leave a review, favorite, and follow for the review! Of course, no flames. Constructive Criticism is always welcome.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about future updates for my fics you wish to see updated in the future!
I have an AO3 account if you are more comfortable reading fanfiction on that site. You can find me by the name of Potterheadfan7 on Emerald Library or other fanfiction servers on Discord, such as AizentheGoat, Yagami, or my friend, Berserker Jeanne.
Code for Emerald Library- gg/elibrary
Code for AizentheGoat- kurn7Fm3hZ
Code for Yagami- Rb4kNPEKQm
Code for Berserker Jeanne- bmRdBfHFGa
Stay safe, stay awesome, catch you guys next time, and enjoy Deadpool & Wolverine as a way to end your summer break! Adios!