AN: I don't own Star Wars or Kuroinu
Warning, this chapter will contain strong language, blood, descriptions of gore and torture, disturbing imagery, mentions of pillaging, adult content, and suggestive themes!
Reader's discretion is advised!
Note, that this chapter might be longer than the previous ones!
Chapter 3
The Rebellion's Awakening
It was strange.
So strange that the former Sith Lord hadn't considered it.
At first, he was used to being alone for the last days he had been in this strange world.
The fact that he didn't even consider bringing others into his journey is what took the cake.
But now, here they are.
At the current moment, Vader and his "acquaintances" if he could call them that, were walking in the dark woods, on a full moon no less.
Only located in the outskirts, outside of the kingdom named Feoh. His company was wearing brown cloaks with hoods, covering their identities, thanks to the dark shadows from the luminous light of the moon.
For a moment, it was reminding Vader of the various groups he commanded during The Clone Wars.
The 501st Legion was one example. A proud squadron of clone troopers out of strength and unwavering loyalty. One that he will never forget and the last time he felt comfortable during his past years in the Jedi Council.
While the former Supreme Commander didn't regard the troopers and other people he worked alongside, it was weird for him to have a few travelers accompany him to the kingdom where slavery was being held at the moment.
Vader began to remember the traits of his companions if he should call them that.
The brown-haired man with the red headband was the first traveler he encountered on his way to Feoh.
The man named Hugh reminded him of his younger self, especially during his teen years. The desire to protect his loved ones and eagerness to put his life on the line, and while that was admirable, it was also reckless as well.
In a way, it'd managed to bring the former Sith apprentice a trip down memory lane, recollecting the past from his early childhood to his young adulthood after being free from his years as a former slave.
As well as having a loved one to protect with his own life.
According to his words, he was married to the dark-skinned… elf if Vader remembers her species correctly.
Grace Campbell. That was her name.
Out of all the companions Vader was traveling with, she was the most curious one of the bunch. Always the one asking questions and being concerned for her friends whom she'd brought alongside.
Recalling his memory, it reminded him of the archaeologist, Doctor Aphra. A former comrade of his that worked with him during the years of the Empire.
There was also her friend, Anna Florence. A friend that she's had for a long time from what the dark-skinned elf informed her during their travels to the corrupt kingdom.
As well as her husband, Ian Florence. A good man he supposes. One who takes care of his spouse in horrible situations. Vader to an extent respected that in a person.
Vader did hope these affairs wouldn't complicate the mission.
Overall, it would be interesting to see how it all plays out.
"Sir Vader. Are you alright?" Grace called out, grabbing the masked man's attention.
Sir? That was new to him. Now, she was reminding him of Aphra. One of the few people to refer to him as sir.
"What is it?" Vader asked calmly, turning to face the dark elf.
Grace hesitated for a minute before responding. "Pardon me but do you think… can we rest here? It's just… we're a few minutes away from the kingdom and this could be a good way to strategize our way into the kingdom."
Vader stood silent for a minute, waiting to respond to one of his companions. "Yes, I was getting to that."
Vader turned around, his lens narrowing towards the group. "First of all, how well do you know the entrances and where the guards are kept?" Vader asked.
"Well, after Feoh was taken over, mainly corrupt guardsmen have been keeping watch of it on each side of the entrances," Hugh said, remembering all the details of the security on the front lines.
"Hmmm, then we'd better make do with it," Vader agreed in a neutral tone, continuing to walk to his journey's end.
Around the witching hour, the group set up camp near the entrance, hidden from the defense forces.
Both of the couples went to bed, preparing a strategy to combat all the defenses in case it went south for them.
Anna and Ian quickly set up a tent, wishing their friends a good night, who replied with the same wishes as well.
It would be a long hour of darkness before the set of conflicts would happen.
Hugh Campbell was tired. Tired of the same shit happening over and over again.
The war was the same news he heard since it began.
He thought the next day would be different, with a different perspective on life, hoping for a silver lining in this mess but that was a false declaration.
In his old village, he was considered to be one of the best warriors. He left his old home in pursuit of adventure and finding freedom out there.
It was how he met his beloved wife. But alas, that was a story for another time.
First, he went out to get intel from the plans of The Black Dogs around The Spider's Nest, then what do you know, the first people he encounters out in the woods are those half-assed pigs who ambushed him, threatening him if he didn't give intel on the whereabouts on his other half.
Right before he was on the verge of death, this mysterious man came in at the last second, massacring the bastards. As well as saving his ass in the process too.
How convenient.
And now here they are.
"Hey. You okay?" Hugh asked his wife who began to lie on her sleeping bag.
Grace turned to face her husband who sat on his sleeping bag. "Yeah… I am. It's just… so much has happened recently. Back in the house… I was… scared and I thought I would never see you again." Grace confessed her fears to her other half.
Hugh smirked at his partner. "Hey, you already know me. Nothing's gonna get rid of me easily. Not as long as I keep waking up to that beautiful face of yours." Hugh attempted to charm her.
Grace blinked for a few seconds, before laughing completely, her right hand covering her mouth.
"Wh…What's funny?" Hugh asked with a flustered expression.
"Nothing. It's just… you always find a way to cheer me up. It's your humor that's one of the things why I fell in love with you." Grace spoke warmly.
"Really? Not my determination or willpower?" Hugh asked, sulking at her words.
"Yes, those too. But it's your kindness and concern that drew me to you." Grace spoke, beginning to smile at the endearing traits of her loved one.
"Really?" Hugh pouted.
Grace nodded her head in response, causing her betrothed to chuckle in response.
"By the way, what do you think of Vader over there?" Hugh asked, curious about the man's unknown history.
"Honestly, I'm… not sure. Sir Vader did come at a good time."
Hugh looked a bit unsure, at the same time, this was the same man who saved him from those assholes and saved his wife of all people.
"Yeah, no argument there. I'm gonna be honest with you, he kinda does give me the creeps." Hugh confessed. "Still, we do owe him. Especially after he gave those bastards a run for their money."
"No argument there." Grace agreed with her husband. "I do have to ask, why does he seem so… determined to go to Feoh? Not just Feoh but he seems to have a goal to end the war in general."
"Yeah, maybe… maybe he wants to end the corruption and wants to put an end to all this hell going around."
"Yeah but there's something about him that gets my attention," Grace confessed.
"Really? What's that?" Hugh asked.
"He… seems… I don't know the best way to describe it but… he seems…unwanted. Like… he's lost someone before." Grace tried her best to explain the mysterious man's background.
"You think… someone… close to him?" Hugh implied
"I don't know… But that's what I choose to assume." Grace spoke, and a sense of empathy was heard in her voice.
'Who are you, Vader? Are you really our last hope in this land?' Hugh questioned himself as he and his friends continued to follow the masked man in hopes of finding something worth fighting for besides his loved ones.
'Did you really lose someone important?' Hugh had one last thought before he went right to bed with his spouse.
If only they knew.
There it was. From what the fallen Chosen One has heard from these commoners, this was the area where the invasion set into plans.
At the edge of the cliff, Vader stood, taking a very good look at the kingdom.
To think that's where it all began. The fact that many unfortunate souls became unpleasant toys to a bunch of immoral deviants.
Didn't surprise the fallen Chosen One not one bit. That's what you get for having such an incompetent rule over the kingdom.
Recollecting his thoughts, Vader remembers it was the same domain, ruled over by one of the Shield Knight Princesses, Alicia Arcturus, and her cousin ruling the other domain, known as Ur.
Vader was slightly surprised that she had family, someone close to her viewed in a sibling manner.
Alas, even her family wasn't enough motivation to be a worthy ruler to your people. The fact that she surrenders, allowing her people to be hostages and become concubines for a sleazy brothel to happen, causes his thoughts to be incensed for allowing your stupidity to get the better of you.
A true warrior would make sacrifices on the battlefield, making choices for the greater good. She couldn't even get that task right for her domain.
In Vader's personal opinion, the woman was an unskilled warrior who lacked the proper training and mentality when it came to making the right decisions for the good of everyone.
Some part of Vader did want to feel sorry for her but couldn't do so in the end. Though, if it's one thing Vader cannot stand, it's slavery. Slavers to be exact.
One thing he should have done back when Sidious' Empire was when his former master began to subjugate servants for his despotism.
Hearing footsteps from behind his back, Vader didn't need the necessity to turn around to see who it was.
Grace stood behind the former Commander, curious about why he was up, late at night.
"It's late. Aren't you going to get some rest soon?" Grace asked, worried about the man's being.
Sleeping. That brought back an unpleasant memory.
The lack of sleep he got during his former years as a Jedi Knight was one of the few weaknesses he'd shown.
The nightmares didn't help either. He remembers his anger getting the better of him, snapping at various people, his former wife included. A dragon inside him, a Force of unbridled power, constantly attempting to break his will.
It is pointless to him.
Besides, Vader didn't need to sleep. Thanks to the pressurized chamber from the Empire days, allows the former Supreme Commander to go days without sleeping and instead, rely on mediation to allow his sleep deprivation to cease for better health.
"No. I do not require rest. My… abilities allow me to go for days without slumbering." Vader spoke, his eyes still facing the direction where the kingdom was located.
Grace grew curious, pondering if the masked man meant those words. "Excuse me… if this sounds personal but… do you ever take off that mask of yours?" Grace asked, curious about the masked man's image.
When Grace asked that question, a different change in tone began to shift across the former Sith Lord's expression underneath his mask.
That was a troubling question.
How should he explain this? Could he even tell… this girl about his former look and why he'd choose to keep it a secret in the first place?
No, while Vader was no longer the bane of the galaxy or the most powerful weapon in Sidious' command, seeing a part of his past self irked him, causing his hate for himself to nearly burn like the fires on Mustafar.
While he had been redeemed in his son's eyes, it didn't erase the war crimes and bloodlust he had carried out, becoming nothing more but a killing machine filled with hatred and rage.
To him, Anakin Skywalker was no more, therefore, the mask he bestowed on his face was his new identity.
He was no longer the chosen hero of The Clone Wars but he wasn't the dark lord of the Empire either. He was just your average Force user who was given a second chance by The Force. A chance to redo his wrongdoings.
So at this moment, Vader had decided to tell an untruth to hide his previous existence from a woman he had just met not too long ago.
"I cannot," Vader said simply, his ominous breathing continuing to create a gloomy atmosphere.
Grace raised a brow, unsure of what was the reason keeping Vader from taking off his mask. "May I… ask why? Surely, I won't judge on your looks." Grace ensured.
"Khooh Phuur."
"No, I physically cannot take off this mask," Vader confirmed his answer.
Grace blinked in surprise. "Wh…Wh…Why not?" Grace asked, wondering why Vader would say such a thing. Was he that embarrassed about his physical appearance?
The mechanical breathing coming from the dark mask continued to create an uncanny atmosphere both foreboding and unsettling, giving the former Sith apprentice a chance to explain the "injuries" he earned in his past battles. "Because the armor I'm currently wearing is what permits me to live. This mask… allows me to breathe the air around here. If my mask was removed whatsoever, I will die and you cannot have that for the incoming affairs we have planned tomorrow."
"Really? Is-Is that so? Were you injured perhaps? Maybe we can find someone to heal once this is over." Grace said in concern.
"Khooh Phuur."
"No. My pain is the only that grants me the power I need to dispose of these demons in your land."
"I see… Then, I will respect your wishes." Grace said, walking back to her resting area, wishing the former Sith apprentice a good night and not to push himself further on his future endeavors. "Have a good night, Sir Vader."
"You as well, Miss Campbell."
There, it happened.
While Vader was nowhere near the manipulated level of Palpatine, he wasn't exactly a touchy person with his subjects.
His past was dead and he alone would keep it that way.
For now, he had bigger things to worry about.
There was a war occurring and Vader knew he had the power to stop it. It was his destiny after all.
In the palace room of Feoh, a room filled with pillars, elegant paintings on the wall, and statues where the main throne was located.
An older short, chubby light dark skinned man appearing around his late fifties to early sixties, dressed in a dark green long-sleeve shirt with dark blue pants, brown boots, and a small noble hat.
This is Beastly, the Prime Minister of Feoh, who "ran" things in his kingdom.
Someone who thinks of himself as the man of the hour, the one who would decide what was right for his people and kingdom.
Unfortunately, it was for a loathsome cause.
For him leading would lead to the downfall of the kingdom, by bedding the women and separating them from their husbands and family, turning them into nothing but inbreeders for their house of ill fame.
It'd have been one hour after his lovely session with the former Princess of Feoh. The Prime Minister was wearing a new batch of clean clothes to wash the feeling of coitus away, it'd help with any kind of irritating stress he was dealing with now.
Finally, it'd been worth it! No one would dare oppose him and this was it. Vault was right. The Kuroinu would capture the rest and a new order would be created here.
Beastly grinned in joy! The kingdom would be his and he was prepared to fulfill his role again.
Unfortunately for the man, a tired-out voice rang in the Prime Minister's ears.
"Lord Beastly!"
Oh boy… this better is good.
A skinny advisor wearing glasses approached the minister with both a tired and fearful expression.
"What is it, boy? This is supposed to be my time off." The old minister reprimanded, displeased with the presence of his advisor.
The advisor clumsily pushed his glasses back on, attempting his best to explain the news to the mature minister. "Yeah, about that, sir, we… have reports from The Spider's Nest. The team… that was… sent there to… retrieve the… dark elf." The advisor spoke, having trouble uttering his words.
"Yes… What about it?" Beastly inquired, wondering what was so damn important by this news.
"Well… sir, this is where the bad news comes in… they were found dead." The advisor spoke the truth, causing Beastly's eyes to widen in surprise.
"What?"
"Sir… It's true. According to statements from witnesses who were traveling there, their corpses were found. All murdered by an unknown perpetrator."
That caught Beastly's attention. No one knows how they were killed, let alone the identity of their assailant.
He began to growl, causing his delightful mood to be ruined by anger, souring it very completely.
"Grrr… Does anyone know the identity of this killer?" Beastly demanded to know.
"No sir, all… I can tell the descriptions of how they were killed. Their corpses were… found cut off. Some of their heads were twisted and their bones were shattered completely. Some speculated it could have been orcs behind it but to everyone's surprise, the next victims to fall were the same creatures I just mentioned, meeting the same fate as well."
Beastly looked at his advisor, both in anger and shocked at the news.
No… No… No… way! This was not supposed to happen… HOW IN THE LIVING HELL DID THIS EVEN HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE?!
Who could have done this?! What could have done this?!
Were the other Seven Shield Princesses involved in this?! Were they even capable of this type of execution?!
Ha! The thought of that alone gave Beastly a slight chuckle, doubting these trollops were responsible for delivering this type of bloodbath. Still, it wasn't helping with his current predicament.
The old minister continued to contemplate his howling situation. If not those despicable tramps, then who… Who did this in the first place?!
Rubbing his temples and taking a deep breath, Beastly knew he had to keep his composure calm, ready to respond to his advisor with enough patience he had left in his mind.
"Find me… the one who is responsible for this." Beastly began to order his advisor, causing the man to stutter in surprise.
"Lord… Lord Beastly…"
"Find me… the one who did this… I will not let this… individual ruin my plans!" Beastly screamed in anger, furious at the fact that a random warrior managed to slaughter two mercenary teams from the Kuroinu.
The cowardly advisor shook his head, preparing to do his task. "Yes sir! I will send another team to locate this unknown warrior, I could ask around the kingdom to make sure no one escapes our clutches."
Beastly smiled after hearing those words. "Good. The sooner they're gone, the sooner we can continue running our affairs here."
"Yes, my lord." With that, the advisor left, leaving the short elderly man in his upset thoughts.
Beastly began rubbing his forehead out of irritation.
"Damn it!" Beastly cursed to himself.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! This was not what the Prime Minister asked for. All he wanted was to have the Princess of Feoh all to himself and yet, bad news had come at an unfortunate time, right when he thought his problems were beginning to go away.
Thankfully his recent visit with Alicia didn't cause too much pressure on him at this moment. If not, this would be a whole another story.
It doesn't matter. He will find this… thing, no longer in his way of him rising into power. He could continue pleasing himself with Alicia.
Same with those disgusting brothers, the ones that had a thing for their lovely Prim; he would have to ask them for another favor, hunting down the man responsible for killing the mercenaries.
Still, he had to ask himself, who the hell was responsible for massacring these men?
At the time when asking himself that question, he didn't know why… but he got a cold feeling running down his shoulder.
Whatever it was, Beastly did not like it.
If anything, it began to terrify him for the next seconds.
The day has finally come.
Vader knew there was no going back after this. The former Jedi and his company continued to walk directly where the kingdom of Feoh was.
During his meditation early, Vader memorized the general direction of the main entrances, located in the kingdom.
Thanks to the connection of the Force, Vader sensed there were about fourteen men, guarding the massive entrance of the domain.
At the outside fortress of Feoh, Vader had an idea of what was going on behind those walls and he was not amused in the slightest.
Thankfully, since he could turn off his respirator due to his lungs being in a healthier condition, it allows the former Supreme Commander a boost in stealth, concealing his movements in the shadows, and stalking his next unfortunate victim.
However, Vader didn't need stealth. If Vader was going to make his presence known across the land of Eostia, it would be in a grand spectacle.
A good way to make a clever entrance.
Looking around the environment, Vader in preparation held onto his lightsaber holster in case someone would come to strike.
When scanning his surroundings, a few blurs in the distance began to reflect on the former Jedi Knight's lens.
How intriguing. Reaching close to the area, preparing to examine what was in front of their eyes, the whole group minus Vader gasped in shock, witnessing a gruesome surprise.
Dead bodies, corpses laid to waste. Most presumably, these were the bodies of the Shield Knights, mainly resulting in males.
Blood and entrails, the smell was rancid confirming this massacre happened a while ago.
It wasn't just the knights but small red creatures appearing like little devils had their heads bashed in, tissues of their brains splattered across the ground.
Severed arms of the knights were on the dirt, the mud-stained with red. Their weapons are covered in their red vital fluids. Many of these soldiers have perished due to protecting their proud environment out of valor and heroism.
Grace and Anna were horrified at the sight, and both of their husbands quickly comforted them.
Tears began to fall on both of their cheeks, questioning what cruel fate these poor souls had to go through. While comforting their wives, Hugh and Ian attempted their best to hold on to their lunch, due to the rotten and decomposed smell of the corpses in front of them.
It was a damn grisly sight and not for the faint of heart.
In the daunting background, Vader heard the bitter sobbing of the two elves, the calming words of their husbands telling them it was going to be okay.
His right hand was beginning to clench, his dark side coming back to him, these villagers were witnessing a sight they should never have seen.
While Vader wasn't an oversensitive person and didn't give much comfort to the grieving victims, the Force did help him understand what kind of pain they were going through, similar to when he found his mother's injured and tired-out body in the camp of the Tusken Raiders.
Or when he woke up after his confrontation with his former master in the battle of Mustafar, learning about the death of his wife, causing the former Galactic Sith to unleash an overwhelming power, distressed by hearing the news of his recently deceased loved one.
Vader slowly closed his eyes, underneath his mask, wondering what would have happened if he arrived early before the war began.
It wouldn't have mattered anyway.
There was nothing he could do about it. No point crying over spilled milk. Once someone is dead, they're dead. No second revivals this time.
This is war after all. People gave up their lives for the greater good and another day where people can live because of their heroic actions.
Seeing death everywhere was a normal routine for Vader. Especially for one who has sent many people to die at his hands.
During his thoughts, a gasp broke the dead silence.
"Urg-Urgh… Hey…" Spoke one of the injured Knights on the ground, shocking the entire group minus Vader who remained stoic the whole time.
"He's alive!" Hugh exclaimed.
The entire group behind the masked Force user quickly walked over to where the injured man was, getting a look at his injuries.
Scars and bruises. It was a more similar way to describe his wounds.
The knight had a huge gash across his face, his cheek reaching down close to where his neck was. His right leg had a bone popped out while his other leg was gone completely, ripped apart from his body and his chest had a hole near his ribcage, exposing parts of his organs.
"They… They've killed us… An ambush happened… Thought they were on our side… " The injured Shield Knight explained, blood continued to flow out his body.
"Who did this to you?!" Grace questioned urgently, a little nauseous at the man's injuries.
Coughing blood from his mouth, causes most of the group to feel extreme sorrow for the man. "It-It was those damned… mercenaries…" The injured Shield Knight spoke, groaning in agonizing pain. "Th… Th-They… blew up… the… ga-gate to… to the…kingdom. It… It was because… because… th-there was a-an… inside job. So-Someone… be-betrayed the Princess and it-it caused them…. to-to swarm all… over the kingdom… They've ki-killed all… of my… men here… and t-to-took the ladies… who were part… of the Sh-Sh-Shield… Knights." The injured Shield Knight struggled to speak, pain erupting from everyone in his limbs.
"Where have they been keeping them hostage?!" Hugh inquired. "Is there a way we can find them?!"
"I'm-I'm not… sure. If I… had t-to… guess… most… urgh… likely i-in… the chambers… wh-where they k-k-keep the prisoners…" The wounded man continued to speak, nearly choking on his blood.
"Y-Y-Yo-You have t-t-to… get… the fuck… out of… this… h-he-hellhole… Y-Yo-You can't fight… these demons… urgh… There's… too many… of them…" The injured Knight continued to struggle in pain as Grace and Anna felt empathy for the man trying to speak.
Vader stood silent, taking the man's words into question.
"Khooh Phuur."
"It was the Prime Minister," Vader confirmed the answer, a melancholy tone in his voice.
Everyone appeared shocked, their eyes widened, as well as the injured Shield Knight who gave a skeptical look, realizing what the dark-masked man just said.
Vader continued with his explanation. "He was the one who betrayed your ruler and caused the kingdom to fall into despair, being the one responsible for this bloodshed to happen."
"But… that doesn't make any sense… From what I heard from him, he was very loyal to the Princess and took care of her like a daughter." Anna pointed out the history between the Princess and the minister.
Daughter? And yet, he has her enslaved as his unwanted paramour.
"Khooh Phuur."
"It was a pretense. That man was pretending to be an ally to the Princess, causing a few of these nobles to break her trust."
"But… How do you even know about this?" Ian asked.
"On my way to where you once resided, I encountered a team of these dregs. One of them had reliable information, thanks to them, they serve no use to me anymore."
"It-It… It… doesn't matter… My time… has… co-come anyway…"
"Hang in there, we can find someone to help!" Anna shouted, tears continuing to stream down her eyes.
The injured Knight chuckled lightly, his eyes becoming heavier, his voice getting lower in his tone. "S-S-Sss…Sorry but in… war… you can't save… everyone… If-If… you… se-see the…the Princess… tell her… tell… tell her… I'm…I'm… sorry… we weren't strong… en-enough to de-de-defend her… home…" The injured Shield Knight drew one last breath, his injuries finally succumbing.
With that, the Shield Knight has passed away, free from his pain.
Vader sensed the Force was mourning, another poor soul had left, entering the afterlife. Vader did sense it was necessary and was the only way this man could be free from agony.
Even if Vader had intervened, even with his healing abilities, this man was closer to death, he would have already expired before he could get a chance to use it.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Let us continue forward," Vader said calmly, commencing to his calling destination.
Everyone was left flabbergasted. "Wait! That's… That's it?! We're… just gonna leave him here?" Anna questioned.
"Khooh Phuur."
"The man is dead. There is nothing we can do about it. The only thing we can do is continue our journey, putting a stop to this indecency." Vader spoke, not bothering to turn his back to answer that question.
"Hold on! But… shouldn't we at least give them a burial?" Grace asked, wondering why the masked stranger was in a hurry. At least let them pay their respects first.
"You can do that after we complete today's task. We cannot waste further time heading to our next location." Vader clarifies, not bothering to turn around to face the dark elf grieving over the deceased warriors.
"But… But… what about…" Before Grace could finish her sentence, a reaching hand grabbed onto her arm, calming her tone down.
"Let it go, Gracie." Hugh let out a solemn expression on his face. "There's nothing we can do about it."
Grace wanted to say something, even to the one she loved but couldn't find the right words to express it.
"Come on, Grace. Let's get going."
Failing to find her words, Grace reluctantly agreed, nodding her head, and beginning to walk alongside her husband.
Turning around where the corpses of those warriors were, Grace gave one last look, full of solemn sorrow, wishing these men could've had a better fate.
Unfortunately, that is not how the real world works these days as fate can be a cruel mistress.
Arriving where the outside entrance was, two guards, most presumably Feoh's, were patrolling the main entrance.
"Halt! Who are you?!"
No longer having the will to any patience, Vader held his right hand, and both of the guards began clutching their necks in pain, fighting back the urge, attempting to free themselves from his invisible grip.
With one clutch from his right hand, the guards fell to the ground dead, courtesy of a simple Force choke.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Hello. And Goodbye." Vader spoke in a dark tone, stepping over their corpses.
The company of the former Sith apprentice stood in shock, in disbelief at the witchcraft that just transpired.
"What the hell… was that?!" Hugh questioned, alarmed at the sudden use of magic if he could call it that.
A small smirk was displayed underneath Vader's mask.
"A gift," Vader said simply. "The same gift that I used to dispose of those vermin at your previous domain."
Thankfully, The Force Choke didn't just affect the guards at the bottom of the gate but the ones guarding on top of the gothic architecture fell victim to his deadly grasp. Four have died in his hand so far at this time.
"Sir… Sir Vader. Don't take… this the… hard way… but what is your plan here exactly?" Anna asked.
Vader didn't answer the High Elves' questions right away. He had bigger things on his mind. And that being the high-quality security this domain exhibits in front of his eyes.
For a "kingdom" that has a lot of soldiers and multiple defenses from the inside, the fact that they only had four guards at the front of the gate made Vader question if they were truly competent at doing their job.
It's the kind of stupidity that gets your kind killed around these parts of the land. But alas, it's why The Force sent him in the first place.
"Sir Vader?" Grace asked.
Focusing further on his untapped power, Vader lifted his right hand, the spiritual energy coursing in his veins, awakening its raw power, further igniting it with an overwhelming connection.
With one movement from his right hand, the gate was open with tremendous power as the door to the entrance was demolished, showering debris around the secluded environment.
Everyone stood silent, not speaking a word about what spectacle happened in front of their eyes.
"Khooh Phuur."
"It is wise that you stay here," Vader proclaimed, walking towards the mistiness of the debris of the ruined gate.
"What… What the hell is he doing?!" Hugh asked in a furious tone. "There's… There's no way he's going in there on his own!"
"But he is… he's going in there all on his own," Ian commented, not sure what to expect at this moment.
"Then we better follow him. We can't let him get all the glory." Hugh spoke out, preparing to follow after the dark-masked warrior, his colleagues joining in as well.
From the inside of the gate, a large pile of smoke began to fill the streets of the kingdom, catching the attention of city guards patrolling the city.
"Holy shit!" One guard commented.
"Everyone! Check the gate! Be sure to alert the other patrols around here!" One of the guard captains commanded, getting his men aboard.
In an abrupt moment, a shadow behind the smoke began to appear, walking calmly, alerting everyone to its ominous presence.
A storm began to approach, and from a distance, multiple guards began to surround the figure, unsure how to handle the situation.
"Khooh Phuur."
"H…He… Hey! Who are you?! Were you the one responsible for this disruption?!" One of the city guards demanded to know, fury shown in his voice.
"Khooh Phuur."
All that replied to him was a ghostly sound that caused his heart to beat rapidly, each of the city guards started to feel a sense of dread every time that… sound got louder, and sweat slowly dropped from each of their faces to their necks.
"HEY! ANSWER ME!"
At that moment, the temperature around the area dropped to a cold degree, one by one each city guard shivered, heartbeats increased rapidly and hands started to shake, unable to hold their weapons properly.
"Khooh Phuur."
Right away, one guard slowly began to clutch his neck in pain, his hands pressing into the flesh as a choking sound was heard.
CRACK!
A loud thud was heard as a corpse fell on the floor, further alarming the men in battle.
"Wh…What the hell?!"
"He's dead!"
"Grr…argh!"
Another choking sound was heard, and gargles grew louder as another loud crack was heard, followed by another thud.
"Khooh Phuur."
Two city guards were lying on the ground, dead.
"Khooh Phuur."
"He… Hey, what's the meaning of this?!" One of the few remaining guards inquired, demanding an answer.
All he got was the same breathing, continuing to raise his anxiety to a higher level.
"ANSWER ME!"
With that, another guard fell victim to the invisible sensation, choking themselves to death. One by one, struck down by this unknown curse.
"Khooh Phuur."
Only one guard was left alive as the shadow figure finally emerged from the smoke, covering his appearance, that damned noise in the background was still there, creating a sinister sight to behold.
"Khooh Phuur."
The final city guard had a hard time, hanging on to his weapon which was a spear, his hands shaking, and underneath his arms, sweat appeared around his body, confirming his fear was real.
"I-I'm warning you! I'm… pl-placing… you… u-un-under… arrest!" The final city guard stuttered, having a difficult time, trying to speak in a firm tone, only for his voice to come out like a frightened child.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Please… I'm… giving you… one last chance! Surrender… or I'll… I'll alert the… minister of your trespass here… I'll-URGH!"
Dropping his spear on the ground, his right hand being controlled violently, bones were almost cracked due to the fast movement of his arm.
"URGH…" The city guard began to choke his neck brutally.
"Where is your minister?" The man in black questioned in a calm tone, his grip tightening causing the city guard to yelp in pain.
"Wh-Who… are… you?!"
Vader ignored the man, his right hand clenching tighter as it caused the guard's hands to become more rigid.
"Khooh Phuur."
"I'll ask again, tell me… where your minister is and I shall give you a painless execution," Vader warned, his grip tightening on the pitiful guard.
"Nev-Never!" The guard shouted, struggling to speak. "I'm dead... an…anyway… even… if I… tell you…"
"Khooh Phuur."
"Hmmm, such a shame. No matter, I have other successful ways of inquiring about information." Vader led on.
"Wha…What… are… yo…you… talking about… ARGH!"
A sudden pain shot through the man's head, his head in shambles, thrashing underneath Vader's invisible grasp.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Hmmm, I see. Your minister is located on his pathetic little throne, cowering while he sends his stooges to do his work for him." Vader begins to analyze the mental images from the feeble guard's head.
Said mental images were a short man wearing green, royal clothing, located in a grimy area that appeared to be some sort of dungeon, confronting a blonde-haired woman in silver and gold armor which appeared to be the Princess herself, who seemed to have an odd choice in her wardrobe.
The man displayed a perverted smile on his face, appearing like his eyes were gazing at a piece of meat like a wild Nexu hunting a bark rat.
At that point, Vader decided he had seen enough. This was the man they were protecting. A man who delighted himself in his debauchery.
"No matter, if your minister will not confront me himself, I shall head towards his feeble tower." Vader threatened, another loud cracking sound, music to the former Sith Lord's ears, dropping the deceased guard with no emotion.
Afterward, all the guards lay dead, nothing but waste from a simple command using the Force.
"Holy shit…" Hugh commentated, following in the entrance.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Now, let us continue forward," Vader said, ignoring the trash that lay on the floor.
Peasants and civilians who were noticing the abrupt commotion began to run away, terrified at the image of being murdered by this mysterious intruder.
Vader ignored the peasants running down the street in the opposite direction as they meant no harm to him and his company.
While walking, Vader caught sight of a silhouette, multiple silhouettes showing the grim walls. The fallen Jedi Knight continued to walk, curiosity slowly wandering in his mind. Upon approaching what the shadows were, Vader was in for a gruesome sight.
A large group of women, dressed in tattered clothes, tied to poles with injuries and scars across their bodies from their legs and wounded breasts.
A sense of disgust and empathy went through Vader's mind. It was worse than how he originally envisioned it.
All of these women were being used, for sordid reasons nonetheless, further reminding the fallen Jedi Knight of the past subjugations in Tatooine.
Just like him.
Just like his mother…
His blood boiled at the sight.
At least Anakin was saved by his former master and Padawan before he could succumb to the hardships of slavery. But none of these lost souls had the same fortunate luck as he did in his past.
If anything, Watto was at least fair with him.
Once Vader began to walk close to the group of women, each of their eyes widened out of surprise, afraid of the masked man's tall presence.
"P-Puh… Pl-Please d-don't hurt… us… We promised… we'll be good girls!" A brown-haired woman in ruined clothes stated, tears falling down her eyes.
A part of Vader felt appalled, thankfully, his mask was able to hide those facial expressions.
Another reminiscence flows through the fallen Chosen One's mind.
"I had a dream that I became a Jedi and I came back and freed all the slaves." A small boy in ragged clothes declared, the utter determination shown in his voice.
Just because his past self was dead, it doesn't mean his former ambitions were gone.
"I mean you… no harm. I am… here to help with your unfortunate circumstances." Vader spoke calmly, his breathing further alarming the girls with his voice and appearance.
"Who… Who… are… you? Are… you with… the… Seven… Alliance?" One of the injured galley slaves asked.
"No. My loyalties are to myself." Vader stated calmly.
As Vader placed his right hand on one of the poles, Vader carefully used The Force to remove the bondages on each of the women, freeing them from their abuse.
Each of the women was started by the sorcery that transpired in front of their worn-out eyes.
"Are… Are… you… a wizard?" A black-haired woman asked, mystified about the man's origins.
That also brought back a somewhat pleasant memory to the former Jedi Knight. "No, it is something much greater than that."
Grace and Anna quickly ran behind their husbands, beginning to cover their mouths at the graphic sight.
"Jeez, these bastards were sicker than I originally thought." Hugh expressed in pure disgust.
The former Sith Lord didn't say anything to reply but he couldn't help but mentally agree with his words.
"You… Grace Campbell." Vader said, his back behind the hooded dark elf.
"Y…Y…Yes." Grace stammered, wondering what Vader required from her.
"You and your companions help escort these girls. In the meantime, I shall deal with the rest of these animals." Vader expresses in words, clear vexation heard in his tone of voice. "Your spouse will aid me in finding the location of the minister."
"What? And leave you and my husband alone to fend for yourselves." Grace questioned, wondering if that was a good idea in the first place.
Hugh narrowed his eyes, facing his wife. "Grace, listen to me." Hugh placed his right shoulder on his other half. "Maybe it's best if you and Annie, along with Ian here find a shelter, get you and the rest of these poor girls to safety. This is not a safe place for obvious reasons. Ian and Anna can help you and the girls get to a safe location. Get somewhere far, far away from here and I'll come and find you once we're done here." Hugh assured his wife, a confident smile slowly manifested on his face.
Grace rapidly shook her head, disagreeing with her loved one. "What?! No, I am not leaving you behind! I… I can't lose you again." Grace choked with tears, refusing to leave her husband's side. It wasn't fair for them to be reunited only to be separated once again. It just wasn't fair.
"Grace, it'd be okay. Look, we can't have more unfortunate tragedies happen here." Hugh said, knowing what he was talking about.
"Alright. Just be careful." Grace said, giving a quick kiss to her beloved before they made their separate ways.
"Don't worry, Hugh. I'll take good care of them." Ian ensures his friend.
Hugh nodded in response, glad that his friend agreed.
"Go. I'll make sure your spouse comes back in one piece." Vader spoke.
"Right. Come on, let's get you out of here before more trouble arrives." Ian said as Grace and Anna lent a hand to each of the mistreated women.
Each of the abused women continued to be escorted by Grace, Anna, and her husband, Ian, getting the poor women towards the open gate.
Thankfully since the front guards were disposed of, no one stood in their way and carried on with the plan.
Before they could leave completely, the same black-haired woman from before narrowed her eyes at the mysterious masked man, in an attempt to ask one last question.
"Who… Who are you?"
"Vader… Lord Vader." And you do well to remember those words from me."
"Thank you…" The black-haired woman shows one gratitude, leaving with the rest of the galley slaves, far from the fallen Jedi's vision.
Once they were out of sight, Vader continued with his salvation plans.
With his sudden intrusion, the sound of a blowhorn was heard, causing an eruption in the environment, many of the watchmen who were previously guarding their posts were alerted, sprinting into action.
Soon enough, more of Feoh's Guards, weapons in hand began to prepare to combat the mysterious foe.
From a large line of numbers, hundreds of Kuroinu mercs consisted of humans, more of those gray-like creatures called Orcs and small devil-like creatures that Vader recognized from early when he spotted their garbage corpses on the ground.
"KILL HIM!"
Many of these "warriors" ran forward, before welding their weapons in the air, hoping to immediately kill the man in black.
How foolish.
A red blur ran through the Orc's neck, melting into the creature's flesh, its head flying across the twilight of dawn.
Placing his control in the Force, Vader held one of those little grotesque red devil-like creatures in his telekinetic grip, flung its child-like body on the brimstone wall, head crushing on impact, the remains of brain and bones painting a gory splatter all across the walls.
More of these brutes continued to swing their axes and swords, urging to get a strike of the former Hero with No Fear.
The sound of a lightsaber was heard, slashing through the heads and each of their bodies fell causing a hill to topple over the army.
The fallen Jedi Knight wasted no time, delivering his hatred, decapitating his opponents with a single strike of his crimson blade.
Vader struck his lightsaber into a human mercenary, and a long sizzling hole was left on the soldier's chest as a scream of agony shouted in the skies.
Archers from the top parts of the building continued to line up, aiming their arrows to shoot the masked man in dark clothing.
"ON YOUR MARK! BE PREPARED TO AIM!"
Sensing the incoming projectiles in his way, Vader reached out in his free hand, grabbing four corpses of the Kuroinu mercenaries which consisted of three orcs and one human.
Vader used their bodies as shields, arrows continued to pierce the rotting flesh of these lowly animated beings.
Hmmm, it seems even garbage had its uses after all.
Concentrating on his power, Vader used a powerful Force push sending the corpses to each of the archers, knocking them like a set of dominoes, falling to their poor demise.
Be careful not to fall on your aspirations.
Many Orcs, humans, and Imps fell, meeting the demise of the dark side user's adroitness.
A small Imp on the ground began to crawl away, whimpering from its pain due to its bottom limbs being cut off by the glowing lightsaber.
Before it could get a chance to escape, its body froze, unable to move freely. Calmly using a Force Statis, the fallen Jedi Knight proceeded to walk slowly towards the small devil-like creature as it began to panic and scream, yearning to be spared from the masked man's towering wrath.
Vader placed his foot on the top of the Imp's head as the armored boot slowly pressed the back skull of the Imp and the Imp began to scream, wanting the pain to stop, its childish screams giving the former Sith apprentice contentment.
In one attempt, Vader crushed the feeble swine's skull, the red matter of its encephalon spattering across the gray stone ground, staining Vader's armored boot with the creature's red liquid.
With all of this carnage and this limitless power he had in his hands, the experienced Force user refused to hold back, continuing his rampage on the battlefield.
In a way, it disappointed the former Sith Lord. The challenge they posed was nowhere near close to the enemies of his original galaxy.
Vader had faced more ferocious beasts in his previous time in the Galaxy. These brutes came nowhere near as close as the Krayt Dragons or that Sando Aqua monster he had slain during the Empire's wrath.
And with that, the fallen Chosen One continued his way finding a worthy challenge, unlike these supposed demons.
From a near distance, Hugh continued to swing his battle axe, cutting the head off another Orc, for revenge for nearly taking away their home.
"Come on, everyone! PICK UP YOUR WEAPONS AND FIGHT! FIGHT THE BASTARDS OF THE NATION!" Hugh roared, holding his axe in the air, his attempt to inspire the bystanders and civilians who chose to stay.
The crowd stood still after hearing the man's words, unsure what they should do at this moment. They have been living in fear this entire time. Everything that they desire, the freedom they want and long for is on the other side of fear.
"FIGHT! FIGHT BACK!"
While in the commotion, a mercenary, sword in hand, began to slowly walk behind the man with the red headband while giving his inspiring speech, preparing to deliver a killing blow on him.
Before he could get a chance to strike his opponent, a small stone was thrown directly at his face, causing the merc to shout in pain.
Hugh turned to see the wounded mercenary shout in pain, in a heated moment, Hugh swung his axe directly at the mercenary's head, killing the bastard soldier out of indignation.
Once that was done, Hugh turned around the other way, his eyes narrowing at the crowd behind him.
One of the peasants, who turned out to be a young male raven-haired man around his early to mid-twenties, was the one responsible for that action.
"Fight!" The young man screamed, grabbing a small dagger on the floor, thanks to one of the corpses of the dead mercenaries.
Everyone began to chant, repeating the same words, grabbing whatever weapons they could find, and shouting the very same war cry.
"Fight!"
Hugh smirked, knowing he had a knack for delivering his speeches.
Narrowing his eyes, Hugh continued to watch the dark-masked man, slaying more of the mercenary bastards in front of his eyes.
Hugh was impressed, witnessing the current abilities the masked man was using in the front of the battle.
Suddenly, his eyes caught a particular intruder on the battlefield.
A small goblin-like creature with a dagger in its right hand had begun to sneak across the battlefront, aiming for a deadly blow.
Hugh moved, and his adrenaline increased reaching a high level of a rush as this was his moment to show his flame.
At that same moment, Vader was already aware of the creature, attempting to perform a sneak attack on him.
How pitiful. Were they this desperate for attention?
Before Vader could toss his lightsaber to murder the dull creature, a small blade had come in contact with it, and a loud shout was heard in the background as well.
"Look out!" Hugh shouted, who had a small knife from his pocket, throwing it towards the small goblin-like creature.
The pointing tip of the knife met the left eye of the goblin-like creature, a small scream was heard, and pain arose from its voice. The creature had become blind in one eye, continuing to scream in agony, dropping the weapon.
Hearing the screams from behind, Vader used the Force, picking up one of the weapons from the dead orcs which turned out to be a curved sword.
With a simple Force push, the sword was sent to the goblin-like creature's neck, ending its pathetic life in an instant.
Guess you can say Vader was "ahead" of this imbecile.
"Let us move forward." Vader casually stated, leaving the red-headed man with a bland expression.
"You're welcome…" Hugh said, before sighing to himself.
Before Hugh could follow Vader, his eyes narrowed at the sight behind him.
"COME ON! LET'S GO! FIGHT THE BASTARDS!" A gray-haired man with a robust physique continued to chant, lifting his sword in the air, repeating the same words over and over again.
"CHARGE!" Another peasant screamed, stabbing another human mercenary in the stomach.
Men and women continued to pick up weapons and scattered equipment across the streets, filled with the dead bodies of Orcs, Imps, and human mercenaries from the Black Dogs, continuing their liberation in the kingdom.
A relieved smile came back on Hugh.
So this is what it feels like.
This is what victory feels like for the first time.
Shit.
That was the one word to best describe it.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Well, it depends on what side you're on.
A man who was in his mid-thirties, who had dark brown hair and a light beard who wore an open white shirt underneath a dark brown cloak and black pants was sitting on a bar stool, enjoying a drink to himself.
He was a short-statured man but did have handsome features across his face. A Dwarf, the official name of his species. Not just that but a former mercenary from Feoh.
Drol Strongbrow despised the damn dominion here.
He had a squad of men in his former mercenary team but what do you know, they turned on him. Humans no less. The comrades he thought he had as close friends were just traitors to this proud nation.
The ones that were loyal to him and rebelled against the mercenary team were executed in public, forced to strip their clothes down, and hung their bodies for the entire domain to witness in front of their unholy eyes.
The only reason why Drol wasn't executed was that he'd agreed to live by their "customs."
BAH! Disgusting… As if!
A month or two has passed after the unfortunate downfall of Feoh.
Since then, he'd been off the radar, coming to the bar, dressed in a hood, covering his appearance. Unable to bear witness to all the poor civilians and peasants enduring a fate that was down on one's luck.
Thankfully, the bartender here was no snitch and did recognize Drol as a good friend. This bar led to a secret entrance to the last hope of Eostia.
If there was one. There was nothing he could do himself but consume liquor to forget about his past frustrations.
Yep, here he was drinking his sorrows away. What else could he do? This place was no longer the paradise he knew visiting here but a dump, no scratch that, it was a shithole.
These bastards repulsed him due to their heinous actions. These were not soldiers of honor, let alone warriors. There were parasites, and worse than that, they were the scourge that led this country to fall.
He remembers the day of the invasion. The bridge was blown, and demons including those slow-witted orcs and those little hellion shits called Imps began to conquer left and right, pillaging women and killing honorable men who died tragically in combat.
It was worse than that, his respect for the former Princess was lost due to failing to save her civilians. She didn't deserve this fate, that's for sure but the poor choices this woman made weren't wise for her and her beloved ones.
Still, he had to question himself, was there even a point in fighting for the good of humanity?
"DROL!"
The former mercenary's ears perked up, hearing a shout from behind him.
Drol Strongbrow turned around to face his comrade. A light-skinned and hazel-eyed man with jet black hair, tied in a ponytail and wore dark leather armor with brown metal scales from chest to legs with an arrow and bow equipped behind his back.
The most notable feature was the pointy ears he bestowed, confirming his species.
Eiroki Mabo was the name that belonged to this man.
The High-elf in front of the Dwarf's ears started panting, in clear evidence he had important news to share.
"What is it, lad?" The dwarf-like man spoke, turning in the opposite direction from the High Elf and continuing to drink his cold beverage.
"Drol… I have… some news… to share with… you." Eiroki spoke, taking a breather.
Drol scoffed. "If it's about the daily life of those bastards, then I won't hear none." Drol spat out, continuing to take a sip of his cold beverage.
"No… It's something… much more important than that." Eiroki continued to explain.
"Well, whatever it is, I'm busy. Come back when yeh tell me good news." Drol spoke, sipping his drink, not caring what his friend had to say to him.
"Drol, listen to me! It's about… the Black Dogs. Something has happened at the front gate of the kingdom." Eiroki exclaimed.
Drol shook his head, already exasperated with the news. "Oh? Let me guess, they have more poor girls serving as unwanted concubines. Do we have to hear more from that damn minister bragging about how much he's been having intimate moments with that unfortunate lassie?!"
"No, someone… has invaded the kingdom. And the unlucky victims so far have been those damned mercenaries." Eiroki spoke with a venomous yet satisfying tone, a small smile was curling up on his face.
Drol immediately pauses from taking another sip of his drink.
"Ye lying to me…"
The High-elf shook his head, portraying a serious expression on his face. "Wish I was but this is what truly happened. I am speaking the truth to you."
Drol was honestly flabbergasted. Someone was… out there… massacring those wretched varmints.
At that moment, Drol began to approach with a smile on his face. "Well, I'll be a breaded ne'er-do-well, you do speak the truth to me!"
Eiroki nodded, affirming the Dwarf's response.
"Drol. What if this is a sign? A sign to fight back against these bastards who pose as the scourge of the land?" Eiroki implied, aspiration rising in his voice as the High-Elf proceeded to place his right hand on the dwarf man's shoulder, urging him to rise in arms.
Hmmm, was that even a possibility? Was this truly their chance to fight back against the monsters of this country?
Drol wanted to believe so. At least that's what he yearned for.
"You know, we should tell the others about this. The Captain would welcome this news. Unite the wolves once more. That way, we can aid the strangers that began this in the first place." Eiroki declared.
At that point, Drol looked up, a surge of hope was beginning to rise in his emotions. This was their calling card.
"Bartender. Put this me tab. It's time for me to go."
The bartender nodded, took the empty mug, and began cleaning it, saying his farewells to the male Dwarf and his High-Elf companion.
"Well then, let's see what all the fuss is about then," Drol said as the small dwarfish man and the High-Elf next continued to walk out of the tavern, unaware the bartender was watching them.
"Well, it looks like the Revolution has begun. May the Goddess have mercy on them."
Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap!
The advisor of Beastly quickly sprinted, accidentally bumping into a few guards on his way to where the minister was located.
Beastly sat on his throne, discussing his plans with other nobles.
"SIR!"
"What did I tell you about interrupting my meetings, boy?!" Beastly screamed, annoyed with the man's presence. "Somebody better be dead!" Beastly spat out.
"Sir! Feoh is under attack! Someone destroyed the gate and began invading the city!"
"What?" Beastly surprisingly spoke calmly by the advisor's words.
"Sir… We sent hundreds of men to deal with this siege. It would appear rebels are the cause at this source." The cowardly advisor continued to ramble, causing Beastly and the other nobles to go white.
The other nobles in the throne room were starting to get tense, knowing their city had been breached.
Beastly on the other hand was becoming enraged by hearing this accursed news.
"Grrrr… Did you at least find out who it was?! Is the Shield Alliance behind this invasion?!" Beastly demanded an answer.
"That's just it, my lord… We don't know… The only thing we do know is the physical description of these intruders."
"Well, spill it, boy! Who is it?!"
The advisor took one gulp, preparing for his explanation. "Well, from sources who did… survive… barely at least, there were two men. One with a redhead band, dressed in civilian clothes, holding an axe. There were also reports of a Dwarf and a High-Elf opposing the mercenary forces. As well as a Dark-Elf and another High-Elf escorting the women far away from the kingdom."
"That's it?! Just a couple of country buffoons and fairytale creatures giving my men a hard time?!" Beastly questioned, flabbergasted at the information.
"I wish it were that simple, sir… But that wasn't the only witness seen on the battlefield. There was a man… no a… demon stated from peasants and slaves on the street. He had some kind of black armor and wore a dark hood, along with a mask, covering his identity. Some of the villagers even said it'd appear like the living embodiment of the Grim Reaper, due to his false face looking like a skull. He… was the one responsible for destroying the gate in the first place. He displayed some type of magic, levitating objects and killing you without leaving a touch."
Beastly was shocked. A stranger who dressed similar to the personification of death itself but the fact that this… man, if he could call him that, managed to massacre most of his men, let alone overpower most if not all of his defense forces.
No… No… No… No… No… NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOO!
Gritting his teeth, Beastly was pissed… no, scratch that, Beastly was enraged that in a month or so, he had everything. He'd made Alicia his bitch and became the ruler of his kingdom, only for it to crash down like a stack of bricks crumbling down.
Beastly stood up from his throne and he began to shout for everyone in the room to hear his wrath. "FIND ME THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ORDEAL! I WANT THIS MAN'S HEAD SHOWN IN FRONT OF MY EYES! THE SAME GOES FOR THAT HALFLING AND ELF, ALONG WITH THOSE ACCURSED REBELS!"
"S…Si…Sir…"
"I WANT THE IDENTITY OF THIS MAN! I DEMAND TO KNOW WHO IS THE ONE UNDERNEATH THAT MASK!"
"I think I can aid you with that, my master." A feminine seductive voice spoke out, breaking the silence.
A long white-haired woman with olive dark skin and pointed ears, dressed in a revealing black veil, showing her bottom chest and belly button, along with a black veil mask and a gold necklace around her neck and gold bracelets wrapped around both of her arms walked calmly into the room, evoking each of the nobles with her seductive presence.
She displayed a forehead necklace with a ruby in the center of it, completing her clothing appearance.
Her violet eyes began to study the room she was in, both out of curiosity and oddity.
Mistiora Arte was interested in explaining the subject in front of each of the nobles, especially to her master.
"You…" Beastly said, noticing the intruder in the revealing clothing. Normally, if Beastly saw a woman dressed like that, especially if it was his lovely Alicia, it'd have caused him to act aroused, having a treat to himself. But in this case, he wasn't having any of that. Not when his kingdom is on the verge of chaos. "Who said you were allowed to leave your post?!"
Even with the veil covering half of her face, Mistiora still displayed a neutral expression on her face, appearing not to be offended at all. "Forgive me for intruding, my master but I think I can help you with the identity of this man you're looking for."
"Really?" Beastly asked intrigued, calming his attitude down a bit. "How so?"
"If you would allow me to explain, I can happily discuss it with you." Mistiora offered, causing the minister to sigh out of irritation, rubbing his temples once again.
Beastly let out a loud groan, as he facepalmed with an annoyed expression. "Fine… You got five minutes." Beastly spoke with an exasperated tone, getting up from his throne, and preparing to accompany the white-haired dark elf.
"Yes, my master. I promised this won't take longer than it needs to." Mistiora promises grateful to her master.
Well, that was one stirring entrance.
There were no words to describe this outcome.
The former Dark Lord of the Sith was beginning to get a thrill from this. He could not deny that feeling.
Behind his trail were the corpses of those loathing heathens, dismemberment of limbs from both human, orc, imp, all the scum in this repulsive filth they call a "holy kingdom."
Men and women who were not a part of the battle continued to flee from the domain, finding means to escape from this catastrophe.
Some even stay behind to fend for themselves, participating in this revolt.
No matter, Vader managed to prove a point to these commoners. He had managed to show them the true nature of his untapped power.
"I know that you are behind me. Come out." Vader said.
Emerging from the grimy walls of the city, two people came out from the shadows, slowly approaching the fallen Jedi Knight.
From Vader's perspective, he was able to get a good look at the two newcomers beneath his lens.
The first man was a shorter one. He had a unique appearance with his short structure, reminding him a bit of the Jawas and the Ewoks as well.
The second man had removed his hood, revealing his pointed ears, sharing the same species as the two women Vader saved a day ago.
What did these two even want from him anyway? Were they affiliated with these animals?
From what Vader could sense, The Force didn't alert him of any hostile intentions. Still, the former Sith Lord couldn't let his guard down.
"Hello there." The pointed elf presented himself. Why did those words seem familiar?
"Khooh Phuur."
"I sense that you inquired something from me," Vader assumed, his right hand close to his holster in case these two attempted any quarrel.
"Oh! Right yeh are! We just wanted to ask yeh a question. Might you be the one who started this chaos in this city?" The Dwarf-like man inquired in a calm tone, curious about the nature of this strange man.
"Khooh Phuur."
"That depends. Who are you?" Vader questioned, his right hand suspending midair, still suspicious of these two foreigners if they were affiliated with these animals.
"Oh! Right to the point, eh? Me name is Drol. Drol Strongbrow. The lad next to me is named Eiroki Mabo, a High-Elf mercenary." The small dwarf named Drol let out, appearing not to be frightened by the fallen Jedi's menacing tone. "And I know what you're thinking, nae, we hate the bastards as much as you do."
Vader raised a brow, so far the Force was right, confirming that the duo in front of his eyes didn't have combative intentions.
Hmmm, still though, Vader knew he couldn't trust these two interlopers.
"Khooh Phuur."
"What exactly are you trying to say to me?" Vader questioned.
"I'm saying it's thanks to ya that these scum are finally getting their dues. Ye started some sort of a rebellion here." Drol spoke, stating the truth to the dark-masked man.
"No one else was planning an invasion on this domain so I decided to take matters into my own hands," Vader spoke menacingly.
The Dwarfish man started to grasp his beard, chuckles coming from his mouth, seemingly agreeing with the masked man's words.
"And right ye are!" Drol concurs. "What is yer name, stranger?" Drol asked politely.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Vader. You will call me Lord Vader."
Drol felt his beard, stroking, growing more intrigued by this masked being. "Vader… It is a strange name I suppose but I don't judge of course." Drol said, letting out a small smile in the process. "Still, that's not why we're here. My comrade here has something to ask of ye. Tell him, Eiroki."
Vader moved his head to face the pointed ear elf, preparing to address a moment of words.
"Excuse me, Mister Vader… But Drol and I have been looking for someone like you. Someone who can rebel against the menace of this scum. We wished to bring you back to our base where we can discuss the next of the plans to exterminate the tyranny in the kingdom." Eiroki explained the secret plans to the former Sith Apprentice.
Rebels? That caught Vader's attention the most. Tilting his head at the information he had just received, Vader began to envision what those words meant.
These two wanderers are part of a rebellion? How long were they a part of it?
Vader did grow suspicious that these two strange characters knew about a rebel base around these parts of the domain. Vader knew he couldn't waste further time, he had to find the minister as soon as possible to end the sordid enslavement around this domain.
But then again, it would appear that fate had other plans for him.
One thing that Vader didn't understand is why it took them so long to rise against the savages of this land.
Unless… did they know they were coming? There did appear to be one upside to this predicament. And that was intel. The former Sith apprentice of Sidious thought about it and this could be a reasonable way to gain information on the military and status from the types of government and republics in this domain.
Either way, Vader had to see this "rebellion" for himself.
"Khooh Phuur."
"Very well… But if I find out this is a trap for me and my… acquaintance, I won't waste an effort to display my raw capabilities across your settlement." Vader threatened.
"Hehehehe! Now that's why these bastards will fear your presence with that attitude of yours! Come, let's introduce you to the wolves. They are glad to meet yeh and your comrades!"
"Vader!" Hugh yelled, running towards the masked Sith Lord, catching his breath.
"Who the… hell are… these… two?" Hugh asked harshly, taking another breather.
"Oh, well aren't you full of fire, lad? Forgive us for not introducing ourselves. Me name is Drol Strongbrow and this here is me comrade, Eiroki." The Dwarfish man introduced as his High-Elf companion bow out of respect. "I was telling your boss here that me comrade and I know of a base in hopes of overthrowing that bastard of a minister," Drol said.
"You… mean like an uprising?" Hugh asked.
"That is correct. A way to rise against the scum of this once proud nation. We could use your help. Especially yours." Eiroki pointed to Vader.
"Do you hear that, Vader?! Maybe there is a way to end this madness once and for all." Hugh said, hoping for a silver lining to happen.
"Alright but as I stated my words from before, if I find out that this is a ruse, I will not hesitate to put you all down like dogs." Vader intimidates.
"Vader!" Hugh let out.
"Don't worry, I assure you it won't be like that," Eiroki promised, still displaying a calm demeanor.
"Very well. Show us where this base is." Vader said.
"Alright, let's get going now! The wolves are going to love this sort of news." Drol proclaimed, leading the masked man and his acquaintance to their secret base.
"Wolves?" Hugh questioned, wondering what the dwarf meant by that word.
"Aye, The White Wolves. That is the name of our alliance." Drol expressed, proud of the title, knowing it was their last hope in the land of Eostia.
"Now come on, let's go over there before things go south," Drol stated, walking to their next destination.
"Yes, before it is too late," Vader declared, knowing he couldn't waste any more time, knowing others were trapped in their unfortunate bonds.
With that final saying, a change in the regime was set in motion.
Beastly and Mistiora continued to walk into the next room, located near the dungeons.
"Well, what is it, whore?! Tell me the truth behind this man!" Beastly demanded as the female dark elf stood with a neutral expression, not appearing offended in the slightest.
"Yes, my master. The first thing I can do is inform you that this is no man." Mistiora confirmed, catching the old minister's attention.
"What? Do you mean to tell me that my bumbling advisor and those peasants were right about a description of a demon?" Beastly questioned, refusing to believe that information was true.
"No, he's much more than that…" Mistiora teased.
Beastly was now getting pale at the tone of her words.
"He is the Dark Messiah."
AN: Hello Again Everyone! Chapter Four has finally come out! Special thanks go to Meraj Alimi (King 101) for helping me beta and co-write this chapter! Once again, they have been a big help in writing the story! Really couldn't have done this without them!
Sorry for the long wait, everyone but school has been a hassle to deal with but I am glad I was able to get this chapter out for you guys!
Oh boy! That ending I bet got you to hype up for the next chapters to read.
Also if you guys are wondering who that character was at the end of the chapter, she's a character from one of the spin-offs of this series. Not sure which one but my beta reader told me that she's from another installment, separate from the main series.
Again, I am not knowledgeable on this series minus the SW subjects so if you know any interesting characters or side plots to use, feel free to PM me if you get the free chance.
But yeah, once again, writing the Vader scenes was fun as hell and I hope the OCs were enjoyable to read too, considering this series does lack a lot of decent characters to use who are not complete scumbags.
Overall, this was the longest chapter I've ever written for this story but I hope it did its job entertaining you guys! You can tell a lot was put into it!
Next chapter, Vader will meet the rebels of this world and without much spoiler context, let's just say he won't be alone on his self-discovery journey across the land. Also, yes, before someone asks, pairings are still ambiguous, most likely to be platonic situations but we'll see in the future.
Please leave a favorite, follow, and review this story! As well, follow me on Discord with the link I have on my profile and I started an account on SpaceBattles if you guys want to check it out there. The link to my SB account is also on my profile, along with the link to Emerald Library.
Please tell me your thoughts on this chapter and I hope you guys look forward to more of my future content and stories I got planned later on! Feel free to PM me if you just want to chat about future content. As well, follow me on Emerald Library on my Discord!
With all that said, I hope you guys have a nice week and I'll see you next time! Stay safe, stay awesome, and have a good rest of your day! Adios!