"Hear my words, Awakener! Grima's servants will beset you to no end. Dispatch him as soon as you are able! Once the fell one is weakened, a choice will await you... If Chrom lets fall the final blow, Grima shall survive but return to his slumber..."
"So be it."
"If Robin strikes in Chrom's stead, both her life and Grima's are forever over. Only in this way may the fell dragon be destroyed for good and all. The final decision...is yours."
"...RETURN TO ME... COME... WE ARE ONE...AND THE SAME...YOU CANNOT SLAY...WHAT MAY NEVER DIE...I AM...GRIMA... I AM...DESPAIR..."
"Now, Robin! This is our chance! I'm going to finish it!"
Time slowed down, and Robin stood on the back of Grima, overlooking what seemed to be herself. Her husband, Frederick, stood next to her on horseback, with their son, Morgan, behind him. On the other side was Chrom, who smirked as he was slowly readying his sword. Her hazel eyes returned to Grima, who was almost finished, one more blow, and Grima would be no more. But by how much?
"Robin," the woman heard Nagi's voice echo in her head, "what is your decision?"
She looked back, and saw Lucina, standing there, always looking ready for a battle, but this time her eyes shined differently. They shined with hope inside them, for her future, for the one that will never be once Grima is gone. But what if a new generation has to defeat Grima? Would they be able to then, or would the world result in ruin, like Lucina's and the rest of the future children's lives were?
"I know what I must do," Robin said.
Time rushed forward once more, and Chrom swung back his sword, ready to strike Grima, end this once and for all and put the bastard into a thousand years slumber once more.
"ARCTHUNDER!"
Grima was suddenly struck with lightning, clearly having been caught off guard by this. "...WHAT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"For once, I'm glad you and I are the same. Now I can give my life to protect those I care for..." Robin said, stepping forward with the lightning tome in her hand.
"Robin!" Chrom shouted, but his shout fell on deaf ears as Robin walked closer to her look alike.
"...YOU WOULD...NOT DARE!" Grima roared in anger and seething rage.
"I would and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable... In some way, I—we share the blame. It's only right we meet our end together!" Robin called out another spell, once more Grima being struck by lightning, and the body began crumbling into a black mist, until it finally disappeared. The future, and everyone who lived in it from this point on, would be safe, and allowed to live freely and peacefully and however they chose. Robin smiled a little, as she fell.
"ROBIN!"
Chrom rushed over and caught her around the waist, before she fell and hit the ground. Frederick and Morgan followed behind.
"Robin!"
"Mother!"
Frederick took the woman's body in his arms, who slowly began crumbling away, light coming off of her instead of the darkness that Grima turned into. The brunette haired woman smiled weakly at the people gathered around her, her husband, her child, and her best friend. "Stop crying... We won, right?"
"What were you thinking?!" Chrom shouted angrily, his voice cracking a bit as he shook his head and tears streamed down his face. "I was to finish off Grima! We were all supposed to live!"
"I wanted to give... the children.. a better life.." Robin said weakly, starting to feel heavy, and tired, and her body crumbled away bit by bit. "I wanted everyone... t-to have a better life... and all the children after ours..."
Frederick held her closer, trying his best not to start crying, but that was hard to do when you watch your loved one dying right in your arms.
"M-mother you... you can't l-leave..." Morgan choked, shaking his head as more tears streamed down his face.
Robin smiled weakly, and lifted her arm to set her hand on his cheek, and wipe away a fallen tear from his face. "My son... my dear... I'm sorry... B-be good.. for your father, all right?"
"M-mother...!" He took her hand in his own, holding it there on his face, hoping if he held on tight enough she wouldn't fade away, that she'd stay there with them.
"F-Frederick, my love..." she said, turning to him next. "Please... promise... you'll try to be h-happy.. without me..."
"I... cannot promise.. such a thing..." He said, his voice cracking a bit as he tried to compose himself.
"..For me.. please.."
"My heart... if yours only.." Frederick leaned down, and softly kissed Robin's lips, hoping this wouldn't be the last time. The last time to hear her voice, to see her face, to feel her skin, her everything. Just some hope that this was only a dream, a mistake, that it wasn't real. However, as that was not to be, as he pulled away, and the scene was still the same, and the woman was almost gone.
Tears that had previously only blurred her vision now ran down her face, and she turned back to Chrom, forcing a smile once again.
"Thank you, Chrom. For...everything... Tell the others...my last thoughts were of them... May we meet again, in a better life..."
And she vanished.
"MOTHER!" Morgan gave off a cry, his eyes widening when the hand on his face suddenly vanished, and he tried crawling towards the direction the crumbled pieces of her body had drifted off to.
"Robin! No! Ah gods, NO!" Chrom shouted, trying desperately to grab onto something before she disappeared, hoping it'd make her stay, but she slipped past his fingers and was gone.
"N-no..." Frederick muttered, his hands closing into fists, angry that he hadn't tried hard enough to make her stay, angry that he watched his loved one slip right through his arms and vanish.
The dragon which they stood on started to crumble apart as well, and Nagi used her powers to teleport the Shepherds off of the dragon and to safety on the ground.
"The war is ended, my friends. Never again will the fell dragon trouble our world. I owe you all far more than words can ever repay. Especially Robin, who gave herself to save us all. To save all the worlds to come."
"P-poor Robin... After everything she did for us..."
"Don't cry, Lissa. We'll see her again. I'm sure of it. Remember what Naga said? That Robin would survive if our ties were strong enough. This isn't over. I believe Robin is out there...somewhere... And I'll find her. If it takes me the rest of my days, I'll find her..."
"You're right! She has to be out there somewhere... And we'll find a way to bring her home. Even if we have to search every open field in this whole stupid world!"
"Robin has secured for us all the most precious gift: a future. Now it falls upon our shoulders to protect what was given. I vow to give my all to healing the damage this war has wrought upon the realm. When Robin returns, I want her to see what her sacrifice bought. Robin...if you can hear me... You will always have a place here with us. Remember that. Always."
A year later...
The halidom of Ylisse has mended its wounds from the war, helping Plegia along the way after it was left without a ruler after the death of Validar, their previous ruler. Months after it crowned a new king, who swore a peace treaty with Ylisse, Ferox and all of its neighbors. An age of peace and prosperity overcame the land. Crime was still a common thing as most people were still left poor and homeless, but the Shepherds and the kingdoms, with their combined strength, healed the land and its people the best it could.
Chrom and Sumia ruled Ylisstol as best they could, trying to rule with the same kindness as Emmeryn once did, and become a becon of hope and light for all people. The Shepherds continued to serve the royal family, some taking on jobs provided by Chrom and live inside the castle with them. Most started families, or planned on starting a family, with the help of their children from the future.
"Frederick, no one has seen you smile since she left..." Lissa said to the knight, looking at him worriedly. Everyone had noticed, but no one had said a thing about it until now.
All the man said was, "My apologizes, milady.."
Clearly, this wasn't the answer the girl wanted as she puffer her cheeks a bit and frowned at him. "Frederick, this isn't healthy... How's Morgan?"
"He is... coping.." He winced a bit, ashamed to admit his son was doing much better than he was, as they boy was actually smiling, even though he was still heavily effected. The boy was emotionally fragile, everyone knew this.
"This can't go on!" The princess suddenly shouted, putting her hands on her hips disapprovingly. "You know she wouldn't have wanted this!"
"...Perhaps.."
"Huuu...!" Lissa huffed angrily, crossing her arms over her chest, clearly not satisfied at all with how this conversation was going.
"Lissa, Frederick," Chrom called, walking over to the two, "we have to make our trip to Plegia. Frederick, is your son coming?"
"Yes, milord." The man replied. "He should be here shortly."
Chrom smiled and nodded in response. "Ah, is Lucina not joining us?" Lissa asked, looking around. Chrom shook his head. "She decided to stay with her mother and help out those living in Ylisstol. There are still quite a few homeless."
"S-sorry for the wait!" Morgan shouted, running over to the older persons and huffing from the running. "It's no problem, Morgan. Glad you could join us." Chrom said, smiling at the boy. "Shall we go?"
"Are you all right, Morgan?" Frederick asked his son, seeing how out of breath he was. "Yup!" The boy replied back happily, and the group started walking, knowing it would take some time to reach Plegia.
Frederick couldn't help but feel a bit envious of his son and how well he was managing without Robin. He couldn't bring it in himself to succeed in the same thing as his son, who continued to smile and laugh, even though he knew how effected by this he was.
The familiar pang of hurt hit him when they walked through the field where they had found Robin the first time, a little over four years ago, when she first became their tactician and a Shepherd. It was all Chrom's idea at the time, and he hated how he was so rude to Robin during their first meeting, and for months after.
"Chrom, I'm tired!" Lissa complained, which caused a chuckle from her older brother. "You'd think a simple walk would be a breeze with what we've been through! All right, I suppose a break can't hurt."
"Working is important, but so are breaks!" The girl said cheerfully, and run forward, spinning around. "Lissa, slow down! You'll get hurt!" Chrom called after her.
However, it was too late. The girl tripped and landed face first on the ground. "Wh-what was..." Her eyes widened, and she gasped. "Ch-Chrom! CHROM!"
The older brother panicked and rushed over. Morgan and Frederick exchanged looks and followed somewhere behind the exalt.
There, laying on the ground in the grassy field, was a person. She had long, brunette hair, and wore distinct Plegian clothing, which included a dark hooded coat. Time seemed to stand still to the Shepherds, unable to understand what was going on in front of them, or if this was just a trick of the mind, a very nasty trick someone was playing on them, for this was no laughing matter.
"Chrom, we have to do SOMETHING."
"What do you propose we do?"
"I... I dunno..."
...
"I see you're awake now."
"Hey there!"
"There're better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know. Give me your hand." Chrom held his hand out to the awoken female, who gladly took his, and he helped her stand up.
Standing there, smiling widely, looking just as she was a year ago, was Robin, looking over at the Shepherds who had gathered happily. Just like the first day they met, but even more touching, even more meaningful to them all.
"Welcome back. It's over now."
"Mother!" Morgan cried, and ran towards the woman with open arms. She opened hers, and the the two embraced tightly. "My dearest Morgan.." She said into the boy, holding onto him tightly, and smiling widely, doing her best to keep from crying and lightly stoked the boys head lovingly.
"I th-thought we'd n-never see you again!" The boy choked and started sobbing happily, hiccuping every now and again.
"It's good to have you back, Robin." Chrom said, resting a hand on her shoulder and smiling at the girl widely, glad to once more be able to talk with his best friend. Lissa sniffed and nodded in agreement, and Robin looked up and smiled at them. Her hazel eyes fell on Frederick, who was a ways away from the group, staring wide eyed, and clearly not believing what he was seeing.
"Freddy bear." Robin giggled, staring at him, and started crying some more, more than happy to see him and her child once more. Slowly, Frederick walked over, until he was face to face with the woman. Morgan had been coaxed out of the way by Lissa, and was still currently hiccuping and crying.
Frederick looked her over, shaking his head every now and again. "Is it.. truly you?" he asked, moving a hand to touch her, but stopped before doing so, afraid that if he did she'd shatter as easily as a wing of a butterfly, and he would've gotten his hopes up for nothing.
"Indeed, it is me.." Robin answered back, nodding in response.
The man put a hesitant hand on her cheek, still afraid. Robin laughed, and placed her own hand over his, entwining her fingers with his, and he finally understood this wasn't a dream, or an illusion, it was real. Before him was his love, his wife, his everything, his Robin.
"Robin.." he breathed out the familiar name, as her quickly embraced her tightly in his arms, remembering the last time he did so she had been dying. Robin once more laughed, and put her arms around him as well, hugging him tightly, the two never wanting to part again.
Frederick pulled away a bit, and leaned down and kissed her fully on the lips, missing the taste and feel of them on his. Missing her everything. And she missed him.
"Let's head back to Ylisstol." Chrom finally said, smiling and heading back in the direction of his kingdoms capitol. "What, but wait! What about Plegia?!" Lissa called, confused. "We'll send word that we shall meet as soon as possible. Some important matters came up that has delayed us. I'm sure all the Shepherds will want to know that Robin is back. Besides, she has a lot of catching up to do."
The couple parted, and Morgan joined in on the hug, still sobbing, though not as bad as it was a moment before, and for the first time since Robin had left, Frederick smiled happily, and the world seemed to have healed more now with its beloved tactician back on its grounds.