The Aggressor Apprentice’s battle with the Guardians on his homefront could be considered both a win and a loss. Many events took place in the short lived battle, Guardians had not only traveled with the Aggressors back to Ariosto, one had was left behind, and the others soon followed to rescue their own. Alistar couldn’t prepare for the complications that would arise from a few Guardians being on his home planet.
A miscalculation from Rive, Alistar’s Master, in the battlefield on Earth had turned to a problem on Ariosto. Rive’s Mistake had cost him the lower half of his body and had him cutting in front of others on Death’s List. The Dark Apprentice’s admiration for his Master had drawn his attention away from capturing the fugitive Guardian. The way Alistar allowed his decisions and leadership to be dictated by his fear of losing Rive that day, was a prime example of his inexperience as a leader and maybe even his incapability to be the ruler that Ariosto needed.
In the midst of the battle between Guardian vs Aggressor, a new enemy was planning to rebel against the New Aggressor Empire, that consisted of Alistar’s Ariostan Empire and Rive Drakesis’ Drakonid Empire. Force Wolves as they so proudly called themselves. Mostly made up of Ariostans bent on fighting against the the Aggressor Empire, even if it meant overthrowing Alistar in the process, as they felt him to be a puppet for the same empire they fought long ago.
Alistar had tracked down the Guardian himself, which led him straight to the dwelling of the very animals that seeked to strike him and those around him down. He engaged in battle with several of the wolves as his reinforcements arrived and even engaged with the Guardian Apprentice, before being face to face against her, The Scarlet Wolf. As the two battled one another, their forces started to fall around them. When their battle finally began to test the two warriors’ limits, each side began to fall back. The Force Wolves did, from the realization that they could no longer hold their base without a substantial loss in their people, and the Imperial Guards knew that the Ariosto Emperor being surrounded by all of this was too big of a risk, a risk the Aggressor Empire was not willing to take.
The two warriors did not hesitate, each of them were focused on the other, knowing that if they lost focus for a split second the other would have the upper edge and could result with one of them ending up like Rive. Finally their combative Force dance was interrupted by an explosion between the two. Alistar shielded himself as did Devika, causing both of them to bounce back and away from each other. As their feet slid to a stoppage, their eyes met piercing through all the chaos, until the battleground around them began to settle into reality for them. The sounds of their soldiers feet retreating, the sounds of the dust and debris settling, and the sound of chaos of the battlefield turning into the peace of an old warzone. The Scarlet Wolf and The Dark Prince each took a step forward, before retreating in unison, knowing they would meet again in due time.
The Guardians had escaped, The Wolves had made themselves known to Ariosto by putting a dent into the Aggressor Empire, Rive’s status and whereabouts were unknown. Although the Ariostan Empire was still strong with Alistar alive, which could be considered a win, in Alistar’s mind the Ariostan homefront battle was a complete loss. As soon as they returned from the battle, Alistar isolated himself in his study.
Emotions once again ran rampant in his mind, and his Force powers soon followed on the outside.
Frustration soon rushed through his mind causing a force shield to pulsate all around his body, until the outer edges of of the shield were only being confined by the walls of the room.
Anger, a familiar emotion to Alistar, shattered the shield completely and induced electricity around the Dark Prince’s body.
The feeling of Loss from the loss of his men’s battle and the loss of Rive, simulated the draining of his Force Powers, first the Force Lightning ceased, then Alistar himself began to physically feel the drain. He stumbled to his desk, pulling a drawer open as if he was pulling a 25 ft high stone gate open with two fingers. He reached in to grab a syringe and filled his body with the serum, in a desperate need to negate his emotions completely. The serum didn’t rid the emotions completely, but Alistar could feel the strength in his legs come back as he rose to his feet.
Alistar walked slowly in order to not push his limits of movement at the moment. Opening his closet, he removed his usual black battle attire and donned a grey robe uniform. A much more pleasant attire to see rather than his battle suit. Before closing his closet, the Ariostan King held his helmet at arm’s reach, something he had donned to help calm his emotions like the serum he had taken moments ago. Alistar closed his eyes, breathed in and out, before placing the helmet on his desk, before exiting the room. He felt no need for it, at least for now, not when he was venturing out of his palace to see the rest of his kingdom and its people.
Alistar ventured out of his palace with only one Guard with him, his trusted Captain, Sara Carrick, sister of the Alpha Wolf himself, Jordyn Carrick. The two stepped out of the Imperial Cruiser, Sara winced slightly when she stepped out of the cruiser, but just enough for Alistar to be aware that she hadn’t completely healed from the injury she had sustained in battle.
“Sa--Captain, I do appreciate you coming out here with me.” Alistar wanted her to know he really was grateful for her coming along with him to this impromptu trip.
“Well, I can’t just let the King be wandering out into the wild by himself can I?”
“This isn’t the wild Carrick, not even close.” Alistar said as he remembered the Radiant Forest on the night of the battle.
“I know that sir, but it is unfamiliar territory to say the least, after we found out about the little rebellion I’m actually surprised you would want to come out here like this.”
The Ariostan King began to walk closer and closer to other people.
“These are my people Carrick, if they’re unhappy enou---” Alistar lost his train of thought when he began to see his people’s different reaction to him.
Some cheered as he walked by and Alistar in return greeted them with smiles and waves. This was the response he not only enjoyed, but expected to see when he came face to face with his people.
The reaction he didn’t expect was men stepping in front of woman as to protect them and mothers rushing their kids inside as to shelter them from the King.
“Carrick, do you have your weapon pointed on someone?” Alistar tried to make a reason as to why the civilians were acting this strange way towards him
“No sir. Why? Should I?” The Captain raised her gun up a bit.
“No, I just didn’t know if you were pointing it at these innocent people.”
“Sir, you do remember I’m a Captain right? I’m not a private, I know better than to point my gun at innocents.”
Alistar stopped the conversation right there as he tried to not let the reactions get too him too much, as to not upset his mental state. The King of Ariosto could feel his emotions starting to act up, he was happy which was no problem, but the negative reaction to him was starting to invoke negative emotions.
“Carrick, let’s turn right here.” Alistar said as he rushed towards the nearest alleyway.
“Is there a problem sir?” Carrick raised her gun up.
“No, it’s just...give me a second.” Alistar bent over, sweat began to drip from his forehead. His breathing was short and fast as if each breath was a struggle to take in and even harder to hold inside.
“That’s not going to help.” Sara said as she had seen this before from Alistar and she popped her palm against his chest to prop him up against the wall. “ Look at me, pay attention to nothing else, try to match my breathing,” She said as she inhaled and exhaled a couple times followed by her saying, “Breathe in….Breathe out….Breathe in….Breathe out....”
Slowly and with effort Alistar was able to sync his breathing to the Captain’s. “Breathe in...Breathe out…” he repeated back, then his eyes drifted to the end of the alley.
“I just..don’t understand Sara, why do these people fear, why do they hate me?”
“Ariostan weather can make people cranky sometimes.”
“I’m being serious. I am their king, I should be adored like my father when he held the crown.”
“Your father was a great man..”
“I know that, don’t you think I know that?”
Sara sighed looking around them to check the perimeter and then looked down.
“Ali...I mean...Sir, I..you know in the heat of the battle my brother told me. That he was fighting for his people…”
“I’M FIGHTING FOR MY PEOPLE!”
”I know that sir. That is why I fight alongside you, that is why I fight as a Captain for the Ariostan Army...My brother continued by saying that he would not allow Ariosto to be taken over by the same Empire that once sought to destroy it.”
“The Aggressor Empire has helped our homeworld grow not only in power, but it’s given us powerful allies, allies we can use against any enemy of Ariosto.”
“When you see your people’s reactions to you, ask yourself if they see it that way.”
The two waited in silence for the other to continue the conversation, but everything that needed to be said, had been said, and neither one had anything more to add to the subject. Moments passed before Alistar spoke up, “I think it’s time for me to go back to the palace, I have things I need to...think about.” Before the two had even took their seats in the cruiser, Alistar had already realized that he put the needs of the Aggressor Empire, over the needs of his people, and his alliance with the Aggressor Empire had only caused his people loss, destruction, and fear.
Emotions that Alistar would wish on none of his people….
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