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The light hangs low in the war room, casting it in the pale yellow light of the lanterns. There's a group of figures huddled around the table in the centre of the room. All donned in Greek armour. The general, a man of great importance called Yagi Toshinori, sits at the head. A map in front of him and his top advisors. Sorahiko Torino, an elderly gentleman who still moves as fast as the wind. Shouta Aizawa, a master of marksmanship from long distances. Hizashi Yamada, a man who has long blonde hair that he keeps tied back into a complex set of braids and is often by Aizawa's side. Enji Todoroki a domineering man who vied for Yagi's position until he realised the toll it would take on him. Sekijiro Kan, a big brute of a man but is really a giant teddy bear. Shinji Nishiya who keeps his face covered in a wooden mask to hide the mottled flesh under it. Then there's Tenko, an orphan of war. Found in an abandoned house with the rest of the family slain. Trying to shake his mother awake. They had taken him in on the spot to try and keep him safe.
"Alright, my brothers, listen closely." Yagi says, stabbing his knife into the table. The men all stop their various mutterings and musings and fix their gaze on Yagi. "Tonight we make the Villains pay." Yagi continues, flicking his eyes over each and everyone one of the men in front of him. "Ten years of war, they've killed us slowly." He spits, thinking of all the men who've lain slain on the battlefield. Men and boys, all felled under cold villain's steel. " But now we'll be the ones who slay!" Yagi says, throwing his hand up into the air. All his men look at him with varying levels of conflict, disbelief and stone cold fear. " Think of your wives and your children." Yagi says, his voice growing soft as he thinks of his own wife and child back at home. He often wonders how they are. " Your families wonder where you've been," He says, wondering what his son thinks of him. He left when he was merely an infant. He doubts his would have any memories of him and that fills him with white hot anger. " They're growing old and yet you're still here!" Yagi shouts, which causes the men too stir and mumble their agreements. " Do what I say and you'll see them again!" He says.
"Yes, sir!" All the men cry out in unison. Invigorated by the speech.
"Todoroki will lead the charge." He says, looking at the burley muscled wall of a man with a large battle scar over his right eye... a war reminder. He shifts in his seat and nods grimly.
"Sorahiko will flank the guards." Yagi continues turning to the older man who grins ferally at him in return.
"Kan will let our men through the gates, to take the whole city at large." He says, looking at the man who gives a solemn nod. He understands what it may mean but he's willing to accept them.
"Aizawa will shoot any ambush attack." Yagi says, looking at the surly man with unkept hair. Who nods at him. A man of very few words.
"And Little Tenko will stay back." Yagi says and he doesn't miss the way he deflates at the statement. But he has too keep him safe. He's been through too much already at his young age.
"Nishiya, secure Helen and protect her." Yagi says and Nishiya nods at the statement. It's an important job to do.
"Yamada, avenge your father, kill the brothers of Hector." Yagi says, relaying his plan in full. All the men know their jobs. All these men are willing to die.
"Yes, sir!" The men all say in unison again and as they go to grab their gear, swords, bows and arrows and clubs.
"Find that inner strength now!" He says, grabbing Kan's arm in his hand. " Use that well of pride!" He says to Enji. " Fight through every pain now!" He says to the whole room as they start to get pumped up. " Ask yourself inside, What do you live for? What do you try for? What do you wish for? What do you fight for?" He asks to them. They all get lost in their own reasons, all of them signed up to keep their loved ones safe back home... but they don't know how they're doing... it's a terrifying thought. Their families could all be dead. And they won't know until they get back.
"What do you live for? What do you try for? What do you wish for? What do you fight for?" He asks again, his voice growing softer as he thinks of...
Inko. Dancing in the rain. Kicking it up and letting herself get soaked as she dragged Yagi out into the rain and dances with him. Laughing the whole time.
Inko. In the early morning light that flitters thought the curtains of their shared bedroom. A coy smile on her lips and her hair spooled out around her, so dark it looks almost green in the early morning light.
And his son. His little man with the fluffiest hair and biggest smile as he giggled and babbled nonsense happily to himself. A sunny baby... he wonders if he's still as sunny now. Years later.
"I fight for us." Yagi whispers, grabbing his sword and sheathing it into his scabbard. " I fight for us." He says, voice stoic as he wipes a small tear from his face.
"What do you live for?" Yamada whispers to himself as he grabs necklace his father gave to him on the battle field. It was the last thing he did before he drew his last breath.
Inko. Laughing like no one is watching when everyone is watching her at a banquet.
"What do you try for?" Tenko asks, wiping his tear stained eyes as he curls up knees to chest in his bunk.
His son. Grown and happy. A strapping young man.
"What do you wish for?" Kan whispers into the mirror.
"I am on my way." Yagi says as he spurs his horse off, behind Enji and Kan on their own horses.
"What do you fight for?" Yagi whispers, looking at the city of Villains. It's made of slick black bricks and seems to have lightening constantly cracking in the background. How? Yagi doesn't want to know. But they're wheeled inside the city inside the giant wooden horse. A truly genius move on his end. They stop.
"Attack!" Enji shouts and all the men drop down out of the horse and start attacking people close to the horse, killing them. They're winning until a man shrouded in lightening itself drops down to the ground. The power can be tasted in the air. He watches as the man tears through the army with ease, stopping at Yagi. A blade running through his body.
Yagi sits up in bed, sweat dripping down his face. Breathing heavily as he touches his side. Phantom pain of being stabbed still present. He's already at sea so there's no Inko to ask him what's wrong. He flops back into his bed, arm over his eyes.
"Who was that?" He asks to himself. Slowly steadying his breathing.
"A vision." A voice says from his doorway. Yagi jerks back up and pulls the covers up over his bare chest. Standing in the doorway is a pale and sweating Mirai. He's still in his sleeping clothes and he slowly lowers his hand, so he must have broadcasted his vision into Yagi's head so he could share it... annoying but useful. "Of what is to come, cannot be outrun." He says, sounding choked up and very upset. "Can only be dealt with right here and now." He says, sitting in Yagi's room. Yagi nods and sits up, rubbing his eyes to wake him up.
"Tell me how." He says, with his voice still gravelly from sleep.
"I don't think you're ready." Mirai says, biting his lip. Yagi shoots him a deadpan look of 'so you woke me for nothing?' And Mirai quickly continues. "A mission..." he trails off, taking a deep breath, "To kill someone's son. A foe who won't run... unlike anyone you have faced before." Mirai says, his voice trailing off as he finishes the sentance. Yagi sighs and gets out of bed... getting his clothes ready for a stealth mission.
"Say no more, I know that I'm ready." Yagi says, grabbing his sword and putting it into his scabbard.
"I don't think you're ready." Mirai whispers as they head to a boat. They row towards the Villain's territory. Under the cover of night, sneaking into an unsuspecting house. Mirai points to the door he needs and Yagi draws his sword, ready to strike. He takes a deep breath and opens the door.
Into a nursery. A richly decorated nursery with lavish furnishings. In a bassinet in the middle of the room with net curtains surrounding it. Yagi puts away the sword and creeps closer. Asleep in the bassinet is a boy with a head of lavish green curls. He yawns and opens his big green eyes looking up at him. His face is covered in small dots... freckles... even at this young age. He looks up, blinking at Yagi and giggles happily.
"It's just an infant." He says, picking the child up and holding him close. "It's just a boy." He whispers to himself. He turns to Mirai who's entered the room with a sad look in his eye. So he knew. "What sort of imminent threat does he pose, that I cannot avoid?" Yagi asks, looking at the innocent babe in his arms.
"This is the son of none other than The League's very own All For One." Mirai says, looking at the boy in Yagi's arms. Yagi looks down at how cute and innocent he is. "Know that he will grow from a boy to an avenger," Mirai says, as if sensing Yagi's thoughts. "One fuelled with rage as you're consumed by age, if you don't end him now, you'll have no one left to save!" Mirai says, holding out a dagger for Yagi to use. Yagi takes a step away, holding the infant close to his chest protectively.
"You can say goodbye to Lady Inko." Mirai says, waving the dagger at him again. Yagi closes his eyes and turns his back on his old friend. "You can say goodbye to
Lady Inko!" Mirai says again, more desperately.
"I could raise him as my own!" Yagi says, desperately as he turns around. Keeping the sleeping infant close to his chest.
"He will burn your house down!" Mirai says, looking resigned to this fate.
"Or send him far away from home!" Yagi says, he has friends everywhere. They'll take the child! Raise him right!
"He'll find you wherever you go." Mirai says, voice serious.
"Make sure his past is never known!" Yagi says, desperate to save this innocent life. Nothing is set in stone after all. He can change his fate!
"The gods will make him know!" Mirai snaps, his patience wearing thin at his reluctance.
"I'd rather bleed for you!" Yagi says, tears in his eyes.
"They're making you!" Mirai snaps again. Yagi sinks to his knees in front of Mirai. Head bowed and the once again sleeping infant held close to his chest.
"I'm on my knees for you. Down on your knees for you. I'm begging, please." Yagi says, tears in his eyes. He looks up at Mirai who's also crying. Thick tears running down his cheeks.
"Oh, this is the will of the gods." He says. Yagi looks up at the sky, pleading to the Gods that he won't have to make this choice. That he won't have to do this. A mist like figure appears in the large window. Unearthly. Godly.
"Please don't make me do this, don't make me do this." Yagi says to him. His voice cracking. The figure walks forward, it looks remarkably like his mother... The Late Queen Nana. She drops into a squat and looks sadly down at the infant in his hands.
"The blood on your hands is something you won't lose." She says, giving a sad smile to the infant. She kisses Yagi's forehead and visions of his wife, Inko. Bloody and dead. "All you can choose is whose." She says, disappearing.
Yagi looks down at the infant in his hands. He bites back the scream in his throat at his choice... either his wife or an innocent life. He stays there for hours, kneeling. She takes a deep breath.
His choice is made.