The Horse and the Infant
Izuku lit a match inside the Wooden Horse. His eyes met all of his soldiers awaiting his orders. He took a deep breath as the outside men started to move the Horse past the gates.
“All right my brothers listen closely, tonight we make Shie pay.” He said lowly.
“Ten years of war, they’ve killed us slowly.” Keigo muttered loud enough for all to hear.
“But now we’ll be the ones who slay!” Miruko shouted while pumping her fist in the air.
“I still don’t know if this is a good idea. A wooden horse? How are they even bringing this inside without any thought to it? What if we fail?” Mirai looked up at the wooden ceiling, small murmurs of agreement throughout the crowd became louder. After being settled down Izuku continued, despite to get his fleet on track.
“Think of your wives and your children, your families wonder where you’ve been. They’re growing old and yet you’re still here…” His eyes scanned the crowd, he had gotten all of their attention, putting a hand on Mirai’s shoulder he raised a fist in the air.
“Do what I say and you’ll see them again!” He shouted. Morale restored within the group, they all said in agreement.
“Yes Sir!!” Izuku nodded and brought out a map from his bag, laying it on the ground and using the small match, he began to explain the plan.
“Miruko you’ll lead the charge, Ken Takagi will flank the guards.” Both readied their weapons before moving to stand near the front of the horse.
“Aizawa will let our mates through the gates to take the whole city at large. Snipe will shoot any ambush attack and little Nezu will stay back.” Nezu frowned with his small sword but stayed behind Snipe who followed to the side of the horse.
“Mirai, secure Yu Takeyama and protect her. Keigo, avenge your father, kill the brothers of Shie.”
“Yes sir!” Mirai took a deep breath and held his sword close to his chest. The wooden horse stopped jerking suddenly as they felt the horse slowly start to stop moving.
Izuku ran to the very front of his fleet, taking a deep breath and making sure his voice carried without alerting others outside.
“Find that inner strength now, use that well of pride.” He puffed out his chest, as a few others in the crowd did the same.
“Fight through every pain now, as yourself inside…What do you live for? What do you try for?” He looked at the men above him in the head of the horse.
“What do you wish for? What do you fight for?” He asked as the group murmured amongst each other.
“What do you live for? What do you try for?” Aizawa asked Izuku, however before he responded, Mirio also repeated the earlier question.
“What do you wish for? What do you fight for?” Izuku reached into his coat, in a small pocket near his heart he gently took out a small picture. A hand drawn picture of his wife and their small son.
“Katsuki…” He whispered, he looked at the group and said it louder so he could make his men understand. They were not the only ones fighting for their lives, no, he was too.
“Katsuki!” He held the picture up higher so they could see it.
“And Kota! I fight for us! I fight for us!” He shouted. The questions ringing in his head as all prepared for battle. The horse had stopped and he could faintly hear the gates closing. It was now or never, save all now and make it home. There is no other option.
‘What do you live for?’
“Katsuki..”
‘What do you try for?’
“Kota” he whispered.
‘What do you wish for?’
Izuku looked up, he heard small footsteps outside the horse. It was quiet besides that, his heart was beating faster and faster.
“I’m on my way.” He said only to himself. As Miruko and Takagi grabbed the chains that open the various doors throughout the horse. Raising his sword in the air, he shouted.
“ATTACK!!!!” The gates opened as a flood of soldiers rushed out, each going to their respective positions.
Any guard going drawing a sword was struck before even touching their sheath. The screams of many fallen, ambushed and killed filled the air. All 600 soldiers fought as one giant man, in sync with each other not one member was left alive of their enemy.
Takeyama was safely taken and hidden away by Mirai, Keigo was finally able to get the justice he deserved, and even the fake horse had burned as well.
In such a short time, many of the kingdom had fallen. Izuku slashed and cut his way through the gates of the castle, his men carrying on with their fighting.
Soon all that was heard was the sound of his men, Izuku looked up at the large castle. It was finally over, all of the enemy’s were dead or severely wounded.
An ambush done in their sleep, cruel? Maybe, however this pain they brought upon themselves. The sky began to thunder as Izuku waked down the halls.
Its flags were torn, the rugs were burnt and it looked uninhabited already. He saw a closed door and promptly ignored it, but before he moved on he heard thunder.
“Thunder?” He turned to the window and saw a large Eagle perched upon the window seal, seemingly unbothered by the coming storm. He approached the window seal as the thunder grew louder and louder, he stood a stones throw away from the eagle yet it didn’t move.
“Are you perhaps a pet?” He questioned, the eagle turned it’s head seemingly just as curious as Izuku was. As he began to reach out to try and pet it, a large blinding crack of lighting went through the window causing Izuku to fall back onto the ground.
In an instant Izuku saw two sights, something wrapped in a blanket, and an angry monster killing someone. He shouted as if in pain, at the same time the eagle took off but not before screeching, it seemed to fly off to another part of the castle.
“What was that?” He rubbed his eyes, before hearing a low crack of thunder.
“A vision…of what is to come.” A large booming voice said, Izuku had heard of the Gods talking to mortals before, hell he had even witnessed it in his own case. But something about this felt different, he was going to ask but wisely remained silent.
Turning to look at the blank wall, he waited until the booming voice continued.
“Cannot be outrun, can only be dealt with right here and now.” It stopped, Izuku felt a small shiver go down his spine but ignored it. Gods don’t like to be kept waiting, so he answered promptly.
“Tell me how.” The voice seemed to almost chuckle.
“I don’t think you’re ready.” A challenge in his voice, not a threat no. Almost a mocking tone was taken towards him, as if the task was going to be difficult.
Just then that same eagle landed back at the window perched, flapping its wings to get Izuku’s attention. Despite the voice’s mocking tone, it continued.
“A mission to kill someone’s son, a foe who won’t run…” The eagle flapped its wings and flew into the castle, slowly flying towards the closed doors.
“Unlike anyone you have faced before.” The voice finished, Izuku chased after the bird, smiling wide at the challenge.
“Say no more! I know that I’m ready.” He nearly laughed. However not one, but two voices responded as Izuku watched the eagle land very gently near something.
“I don’t think you’re ready.” He approached the eagle and reached out, but the eagle flew away, never to be seen again. He looked down at the bundle, sword outstretched until he heard a very soft noise.
“What..?” He dropped his sword instantly and picked up the bundle of blankets, holding it gently in his arms he softly removed the top blanket and gasped.
“It’s just an infant, it’s just a boy..” The baby cooed gently in his sleep slowly waking up and babbling. Izuku only used one finger to hold the baby’s hand, laughing as he began to suck on it.
‘What sort of imminent threat does he pose, that I cannot avoid?”
He looked at the thundering sky, cradling the baby closer in his arms. His stomach twisted with anxiety, he didn’t know but something was wrong. The voice returned, a sick sort of softness to it.
“This is the son of none other than Shie’s very own prince Hasaikai. “ Izuku looked over as lighting covered the wall, showing the baby in his arms growing into a large soldier.
‘Know that he will grow from a boy to an avenger.” He saw the boy’s white eyes turn red as the sword suddenly went red with blood.
“One fueled with rage as you’re consumed by age.” Izuku saw a trail of red leading behind the solider, various corpses shaped like his fellow men were littered behind him like trash.
The light on the wall stopped and seeped back into the cooing baby as if nothing had happened.
‘If you don’t end him now you’ll have no one left to save.” The voice warned before showing the same on as a soldier, stabbing a blurry figure.
‘You can say goodbye to Katsuki.” Izuku shuddered as he saw Katsuki’s dead body become clear. The voice repeated it again, as this situation was dire in Izuku’s case.
“You can say goodbye to Katsuki…” Izuku turned away from the wall and looked up at the sky.
“I could raise him as my own.” He offered, holding the baby close to his chest. The wall lit up and showed his own kingdom burning.
“He will burn your house and throne.” Izuku shook his head and thought harder.
“Or send him far away from home.” The wall showed the boy as a large solider, chasing after Izuku and his men.
“He’ll find you wherever you go.” He turned away from the wall once more.
“Make sure his past is never known.” The thundering slowly got louder in response.
“The Gods will make him know.” Cursing Izuku hugged the baby tightly.
“I’d rather bleed for you..” He shouted.
“He’s bringing you-“ The voice started but Izuku shouted louder.
“Down on my knees for you, I’m begging please-!”
A unusually loud crack of thunder rung in his ears.
“Oh this is the will of the Gods.”The word was final, but Izuku refused to accept it, as he fell down on both knees, crying at the ground as the baby began to whine.
“Please don’t make me do this! Don’t make me do this!!” His heart begged, but it fell upon deaf ears. The thundering voice suddenly became mockingly soft.
“The blood on your hands is something you won’t lose…” and as if trying to bargain with him added:
“All you can choose is whose.” Izuku shut his eyes as he held the baby softly, rocking him back and forth as he began to cry.
He couldn’t lose his wife or son, no, not after leaving them alone for so long. He promised after this war he would head home and they are waiting for him, no amount of love would change this baby’s destiny either.
Izuku looked down at the baby once more.