Chapter Text
War was coming.
And it was no one’s fault.
After King All Might had vanished, the kingdom had been left reeling. Ochako was surprised that it hadn’t crumbled completely. That King Endeavor had been able to take over at all. That the kingdom even allowed such a thing.
But they did.
Perhaps the new king’s fire was what reeled the people in. Glued them back together. His passion and determination to keep the kingdom going. His openness about how different he was to King All Might, and his admittance that he was never going to be as great a king, and his vow to do his best anyway. To vanquish beasts and threats without backing down. Without care for his own life. His willingness to sacrifice himself, put himself in harm’s way for the people—that was what drew the kingdom back together, Ochako thought.
But.
Regardless of how the kingdom felt, how the kingdom saw the new king, others believed his taking the reins to be an opportunity.
A weakness to exploit.
They’d sent a monster to test the new king. To feel out his power.
To start a calling of war.
And the king had met the challenge directly. Faced the beast head-on, without backing down.
To the surprise of the monster—and the whole kingdom, really—their new king was victorious.
King Endeavor won.
He’d been in a mess when he’d returned from his battle with the beast. A nasty scar still remained on his face. And, although Ochako had offered to do something about it for the king, he’d insisted she leave it be.
“A reminder of how far I need to go,” he’d told her. “I will never be my cousin. All Might was too grand a king, nothing will compare. But, I’ll try anyway.”
Ochako didn’t quite understand the sentiment, but he was the king, so she did as he asked and left the scar intact.
It was strange to her though. She could feel the tension between the king and his youngest son whenever the scar was brought to attention. Prince Shoto seemed to take some sort of satisfaction from the scar on his father’s face. A satisfaction that also seemed to humble the king, or shame him. Which Ochako thought was strange, considering the prince also had a scar on his face.
It was all a bit odd.
The new royal family was…
Strange.
Very different from King All Might’s rule, that was for sure. Being his mage was leagues different than being King Endeavor’s.
For one thing, King All Might was so powerful, in and of himself, that Ochako’s services were hardly ever really needed. King All Might tended to be a solo act—king, knight, conqueror, beloved of the people—all of it, anything the kingdom needed him to be, he was it. He did everything with his own power. Leaned only into his own might.
Ochako didn’t know if that was a good thing or not.
For the people, it seemed to be terrible.
Not at the time, but, since his absence it had become clear:
The kingdom could not rely on one man alone.
That was foolish.
Because, when that man disappears…
Well.
THIS happens.
War.
It was not a threat, it was real. It was happening.
There was no stopping it.
War was coming.
King Endeavor leaned heavily on the advisors King All Might had assembled during his reign. Leaned heavily into the knights, and the mage, and the dukes that had been spread out throughout the kingdom. Called on them often.
Needed to, really.
He could not win this war alone.
He’d made that very clear.
“We must pull together, stand united. That’s the only way to beat those villains in the North,” King Endeavor had told Ochako one day as he began plotting ways to defend the kingdom.
It was something he did often—have the mage follow him around so he could bounce ideas off her, monologue out loud with her as the audience. It happened quite a bit.
Strangely, it seemed he relied on her a lot.
As well as Iida, the knight, Prince Shoto, his son, and a young peasant nicknamed Deku that King All Might himself had brought into the castle.
For some reason, he relied on them a lot. Young as they were, he saw that they had potential.
And, Ochako had to admit:
She rather enjoyed it.
It was an honor to be recognized by two different sets of kings. Made her feel that her magic was not as useless as her home village claimed.
But that was another story entirely.
“We must gather more,” King Endeavor was saying. Slamming his fist on the throne’s arm, conviction throwing his voice across the room.
He looked to the young group he’d assembled. Satisfied with their talents, he addressed them, as he often did. Called upon their growing wisdom and talent.
First was the knight.
“Iida, I need you to gather all the men and women you trust with your life. Bring them here to me. Convince them to fight alongside you in the upcoming battle.”
“I’LL LEAVE AT ONCE YOUR MAJESTY,” Iida announced, saluting.
When the king nodded, he dashed off. Moving at impossible speeds. Breathtaking, as always. His magic was very intense.
The king moved on quickly though, looking to his son.
“Prince Shoto, I want you to approach all the dukes of the kingdom and ask for them each to lend me their ear. I’ll need their support, and the support of their people, if we are to keep the kingdom together through this war. You’re the next in line for the throne, chosen by your father. Additionally, you’re quite skilled in combat. You have proved yourself, time and again, as a strong leader and a level-headed fighter. You wield authority, whether you know it or not. They should reply to you, at the very least, if they don’t readily agree.”
The prince—much to Ochako’s surprise—seemed to feel an odd brand of disdain at his father’s approval of him. Throwing a look of barely hidden disgust at the king as the king spoke. But, in the end, he nodded. Inclining his head toward his father the king, he said, “Yes Father. I shall go right away,” and then walked briskly out of the throne room.
An awkward silence filled the room as the king watched his son go. Something about it—Ochako’s gold was on the disdain—seemed to pain him. But that was another issue for another time.
Turning back to the task at hand, the king gave more directives.
“Deku, I want you to gather those that you know as well. People of integrity and strength. Anyone who has a skill, I want you to bring them to me. I want the nameless, those with hidden potential, bring them to me so they can aid us. Any who you think might benefit us in any way, bring them immediately. We will forge them into a weapon, or a defense, for the sake of this kingdom’s safety,” the king instructed.
“At once your majesty,” Deku replied, bowing deeply. “I will not fail you,” he vowed, and then left the throne room with his head held high.
Ochako couldn’t help but be a little proud of him. He’d come a long way since King All Might had first introduced him to the castle’s tenants. The first day he was invited to a meeting with The King’s Council, he had nearly fainted.
And now?
Now he was taking orders. Trusted by not just one king, but two. His judgement proved itself clear, time and time again.
Ochako was… impressed.
“Young mage.”
The king addressing her snapped her attention back to the present.
Bowing slightly, she replied. “Yes, my king?”
Ochako couldn’t help but realize that, whenever the king addressed her, his tone changed. His authoritative tone was replaced with one of respect. Reverence, almost. As if he really did recognize the power she had, even if others didn’t.
It’s why she was more than willing to serve the new king, just as well as she’d served the old one.
“I have saved you for last on purpose. The others would have wanted to stop me, or, otherwise, accompany you. But I think that would be unwise. There is something difficult I must ask of you. A task that I think no one else could accomplish,” he told her, his tone burdened, heavy.
Nerves struck Ochako fast, like lightning. Sending shivers into her bones.
What could she do that the others couldn’t? Was this task dangerous? Impossible?
What was the king going to ask of her?
“If the king believes I am suited for the job, then I will do my best. What would you ask of me, my king?” she asked, head still bowed—a good way to hide her anxiety.
He gave a hefty nod. When he spoke, his tone was heavy again. Though there was something underlying it. Something Ochako didn’t quite know.
“I must ask that you venture to the south. To the place where the mountains graze the sky. Where the beasts are less amicable. I must ask that you go to that place and find for me the one who calls dragons, who fights with fire and might. Find him, and bring him back to me.”
Ochako’s head snapped up, shocked.
“My king, you don’t mean—”
King Endeavor nodded gravely, affirming her suspicions.
“The Wild King.”
Her jaw dropped, and she could see why the king had saved her task for after the others had left. They all would think the same thing she was thinking:
She was probably going to die.
Great.