My Medieval Hero Academia (AU)

Iida Orgins II: Thou Ascertain Thy Justice?

~~~~~

In that moment, I remembered my brother.

"I'm so proud of you, Tenya. Mom and Dad are too. One day, I'm sure you'll even surpass me as a knighted guard." He said with a smile.

That was the last thing he said before going on his last mission.

It was three weeks ago. My brother was escorting a noble from the neighboring kingdom, Okoite, to Altera. For what reason, I don't know. But in the process, they were ambushed by bandits. They said his masked leader wielded many blades and fought with the devil's sorcery. One taste of anyone's blood and the wounded would be paralyzed.

Just the thought of it sent shivers down my spine.

Even still, my brother stood firm, protecting the noble's carriage with his life. Though the noble was able to escape from the scene on foot, my brother received a laceration that would disable his legs beyond repair in the process.

My brother was my hero and his mere presence of strength was snuffed by a cowardly bandit. On that day, I swore on my family name that I would rise in the ranks and become a great knight like he was. I refuse to let his dream burn out like the fire.

I would return grace back to the name Iida!

~~~~~

"Agh, what the hell has this world come to since All Might in the battle of Westlake? Even then, it used to be so easy." The voice said. I could hear the eyeroll in his tone.

"West...lake?" Uraraka breathed with a shutter.

I felt the sharp end of the blade bare down on my gullet. It was getting harder to breath. "What is it that you want?" Iida asked in a strained tone. "You want money, food? Why attack us if not for that?"

He definitely wasn't looking for directions if that sense directed a weapon at my throat. "Deku." Uraraka said with a quiver of fright. Iida was tense but in this moment, he could only wait with my life in danger.

"Gee, kid, you sure are compliant for an adventurer. Just like all the other ones, traveling to only benefit themselves instead of the world." The man hissed, hot breath jabbing my neck as I tried to keep calm. "Everyone wants to travel these days. But why is that? Just to say they've been on an adventure? To say they've seen all the kingdoms of the continent for the better of others? NO. Like hell they do! It's just a bunch of happy-go-lucky parties of naive brats running around, trying to make it big and become a legend." He scoffed as my neck began to sweat. No, it wasn't sweat. He'd cut me. My throat was dripping blood.

He flipped the knife in front of my face. "And that's where I come in. I take those doe-eyed 'adventurers' I see fit to rob of that desire. Anything goes. With a face of mine, no one could possibly make a normal living. This...has become my market! From nobles to little farmboys like this kid, I test if that want for 'adventure' should be extinguished." He was insane. I could hear him grinning as he went on and on. His ugly looking tongue emerged from the dark. Two beady red eyes of bloodlust focused on me. "You'd think there'd be a fighter among them but they're all just a bunch of disappointments. Let's see how much you want to be a legend like All Might, shall we?"

This was my chance. He didn't notice it, but while he was monologuing, my foot had inched toward the campfire in front of us. One charred log would do it. My boot would no doubt burn, but I didn't care. If it helped my friends act then it was a small price to pay. I slipped my foot under burning log and sent it back behind me. The fire distracted him enough to flinch into a guarding stance. I quickly swiveled my way out from between the man and his blade and somersaulted toward my blade. "Uraraka, Iida, run now!"

But as I said this, I felt a stinging sensation hit me. I landed, sword in hand, but I couldn't move. My leg had a sprain. By his blade? A tree branch? I wasn't bleeding, but it hurt like hell. "Augh!" I yelled in pain as I tried to move without result.

"YOU FIEND!"

Iida zipped past me and began to engage our attacker. Hard cuts were baring pressure on the cloaked bandit. He was fast, faster than any swordsman I'd seen. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CRIPPLED MY DEAR BROTHER!" Iida shouted. The spark of their weapons lit right and left, exploding with light all around behind me. It was like a light show in the dark. Sparks of iron shredding the ears before my eyes. Wait, what did Iida say?

Uraraka ran to me. "Hang in there, Deku!" She said before seeing a nasty welt on my leg that glued me where I was. Or was it the wound? I couldn't move my body. I grit my teeth. "This is nothing, Uraraka. Right now, we need to move!" I exclaimed, trying to figure out why my arms weren't working. She nodded, touching my shoulder, levitating me. "Iida, move!" Uraraka yelled, running toward the fight. What was she thinking, running into a quarrel like this? Was she crazy?

"Forgive me, Deku." I suddenly felt myself falling. I landed on the attacker. Uraraka threw up, but recovered quickly with staff in hand.

"Damn brats. I don't have time for this." He grumbled beneath me as Iida held his sword point to his throat. My fingers twitched.

"You're the one who started, monster!! You are a stain on this country's peaceful name, you felon. We're taking you in. Dead or alive." Iida said coldly.

The man laughed. "You are a feisty party. You'll need that. But I'm afraid I'm out of time." I heard the sound of a blade. Not knowing where it was being unsheathed cost us dearly, as a small blade lodged itself in my calf. The man kicked Iida's sword back into his neck. And as I rolled on my side in agony, our attack sped off into the night, growing:

"Stain knows your name, Iida. We will meet again one day, foolish wanderers!"

"GET BACK HERE, COWARD!" Iida shouted, preparing to shoot off in pursuit.  

"Iida, STOP!" Uraraka took his arm. "We need to go. Deku's been hurt!"

"But, my brother's attacker is right THERE! I'm fast enough. I know I can grab him and—"

"There's no time!" Uraraka stated, pulling out the small blade in my leg, splashing water on it and our dying fire. She picked up our belongs. The loss of blood was making me fade in and out of consciousness. "Iida, you need to carry Deku. He can't walk like that and I can't levitate him anymore today. Not like this."

Iida was shaking. He looked like he was about to explode. That man...attacked his brother? I could only imagine the frustration. Could it have been why he was out here training..?

It took a lot of effort, but Iida sheathed his sword with care. Uraraka wrapped my wound with bandage, but we all knew it needed more than just that. "Where do we go from here?" I forced out, deliriously feeling around for my map as a cold sweat rain down my forehead. "We aren't...close enough to Spruce or Hickory. Dang it, if...only I brought my needle and thread..."

"Don't worry, Deku." Uraraka said, running ahead of us. "Elm Shire isn't far from here. We can fix you up there before we leave the forest."

What a rough start for only two days out and away from home. All we did was hike some, set up camp, and get jumped by a bandit. Where did Uraraka say we were going? Elm Shire? Wait, wasn't that...her hometown?

*****

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