Requested by Fireminer

Ignis

It was a quiet day in Valm as the Shepherds continued to match in these strange lands. The war was going better than expected and casualties were low. When there was injuries, Maribelle would handle the worse traumas and Lissa would take care of the small cuts. Lissa asked Maribelle why she always shoved her out of the way from the grave injuries, and she replied with.

"My dear Lissa, I could never let you suffer to see such a volatile sight. It is my duty to make sure my friend doesn't have to deal with such horrific duties."

The words rang in her mind all day. Lissa appreciated her concern, but she could handle treating the wounded. Now that she thought about it, there was a lot of things people were doing for her. Chrom would make sure that she was the first to get food at lunch and dinner. Someone would always check on her if she was gone for more than three hours, and everyone treated her like a delicate princess. Whenever she offered to clean the dishes or help cook, someone was always three steps ahead of her.

"No wonder I am so Bored! No one is letting me do anything to help!"

She paused and started to think about we she could do to help out around camp.

"Hmm, I could ...no, I am afraid of that...what about if I...Maybe...I could...If there... .. ...I got it!...No... they wouldn't let me do that." She sighed and kicked a rock on the ground. The rock soared through the sky at full speed until it stopped abruptly.

"Ow!" The man grabbed the back of his head as he felt the sharp pain. He quickly turned around to see his attacker and sighed seeing who it was. "Ugh...Lissa!"

"Hee hee, sorry Robin, it was an accident."

"Like the frog down my back and the time you tried to suffocate me in my sleep?"

Lissa did everything she could to hold in a laugh, "Those were intentional accidents."

Robin's pain in the back of his head subsided and was replaced with a vicious stinging in his forehead. "...I am not even going to ask what the difference is."

"Hee ha aha...hoo..." A thought struck her mind as she nearly collapsed from laughter. "Hey Robin, can I ask you for something."

Robin sighed as he put his hand on his head and closed his eyes. "...What do you want?

"Well you see, I want to start helping more, and I figured that you cloud help me with it."

"...You want me to help you...help people?"

"Well it sounds weird when you say it like that, but let me explain. I don't get to do very much when the battles take place, I heal a scar or bug bite, but that is it! ...I am useless."

Robin continued to keep his guard up for the inevitable prank she would have. "Your not useless, your warm smile and your...'intentional accidents' help bring morale to the camp."

She shook her head, "But Olivia can do that just as easy, I want to actually be able to help!"

"...What do you have in mind then?"

She grinned, "I want you to teach me how to use magic! That way I can help fight on the battlefield too."

Robin's minor migraine just turned into a giant sledge-hammer that smacked him in the face. "No, no, no, ugh a thousands time no."

Lissa frowned, "Whyy nottt?"

Robin laughed hysterically just thinking about it, "For one, Chrom would murder me if you ever were in danger. Two, my heart cannot handle your practical jokes."

"Intentional Accidents!"

"...Three, I don't want to. And the most important reason of all, I really, really, don't want to!"

"Hmph." She crossed her arms around her waist and turned her face away from him,

"Heh, now if you will excuse me, I have to go see Chrom and talk to him about tonight's campsite."

"Fiinne, I can always ask someone else anyways. Who needs you!" She kicked another large rock and it went flying into the air. It hit Ricken and he immediately fell to the ground. Robin groaned when he saw the rock collide with Ricken's temple. The poor kid would be unconscious for hours.

Lissa spent the next week irritating the mages in the group. All except Tharja, she never bothered her again after she threatened Lissa in a very unpleasant fashion. Henry did show her a couple of things about magic, and about 500 things she never wanted to see in a thousand years. Ricken...well he ran away whenever she was near. Miriel made her brain hurt, and now she knew what Robin meant when he said he had a splitting headache. Lissa even tried Libra, but she could never break his impeccable meditation. Or at least she thought he was meditating. There was only one person she had left to approach.

She walked over to the tent and loudly shouted, "Robin!"

Lissa heard a groan come from the inside and a bunch of papers fall. "Ung, just give me a second."

She patiently waited outside completely still. A full 100 milliseconds passed before she shouted, "Your second is up!"

Robin started mumbling inside the tent and picked up the papers that fell off the table. He brushed off a few pieces of dirt from his cloak and exited his home. The bright sun nearly burned his eyes as he braced himself for today's prank.

"Robin are you okay? You look very tired."

"It's nothing, now you wanted to see me?"

"I am here for my lesson in magic!"

Robin turned around and walked back to his tent.

"Hey wait! You have to teach me!

He shrugged his shoulders, "Because?"

"I talked to Chrom and he told me that it was okay!" She couldn't hold a straight face, but Robin's back was turned.

He took a deep breath as he tried to stay away, "I highly doubt that."

"It's true! He said that I should be able to defend myself in case a surprise attack came!"

Robin knew something wasn't right, but he was too sleep deprived to call the bluff. "Then have someone else teach you, I'll see if Henry is busy after I get some sleep."

"No! It has to be you!"

"Because?"

"Because I said so! I am a princess after all!"

"Then chop off my head, I am sure Chrom would agree with your decree."

She put her hands on her hips and pouted, "If you don't help me, then I will make sure you will not sleep for the rest of your life!"

Robin shuttered just thinking about it, "... ...Okay fine, I'll show you ONE spell."

"Yay! What is it? Lightening? Blizzard? Oooo tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"It's a ward spell, it counter reacts weakening."

"What?! That is a defensive charm! I can't do anything with that!"

"It is safer...for everyone."

She gave Robin the evil eye and bit her lip."Looks like Robin is not sleeping tonight!"

"Argh... ...fine, but not here, you will burn down my tent."

…

"Robin wake up!"

He raised his head as he saw the rocky plateau he was standing on. "Erg, sorry I must have dozed off, now before I teach you, I have to give you a lecture...which you probably won't listen to..."

"So why give it?"

"Because it is important."

"Fine, but make it quick! I want to shoot fire from my fingers!"

Robin deeply inhaled, and closed his eyes. "...Magic lives and breathes just as we do. If used properly, it can give great joy and jubilation. If misused, it can violently go out of control. As summoners, we bear the burdens and consequences of its actions. You either destroy or preserve with this tool... You are obviously familiar with healing, and from the exploits that I have heard around the camp, you have a novice introduction to dark magic."

"Rriiight...I learned that dark mages are really creepy!"

"...I'll save that argument for another time, but let's focus on the element you will be learning today."

"Which is?"

Lissa followed Robin as he stepped to the edge of the cliff base. He chanted a few words and fire rained from his finger tips. The large stream of fire reached the clay surface 25 feet below and turned it to brick.

"...Wow!" She gasped in amazement

Robin was even more tired after the performance, but he tried to keep his eyes away. "...Do...do you know why mages learn such powerful spells Lissa?"

"To fry the enemy to smithereens! Oh I can't wait! No one will think I am fragile anymore!"

Robin frowned and started to walk away from the cliff when he said, "...I cannot teach you."

Lissa watched as he started to head back for camp and she ran in front of him to make him stop "What!? WHY!?"

"Today you mentioned your concern for self-defense. However, those are not your true intentions."

"But I want to protect the Shepherds...I want to HELP! How is that not a noble intention?!"

Robin moved out of her way and continued to walk back to camp, "I am not going to argue with you Lissa. I will let you figure it out yourself" Robin felt a slight breeze as the clouds covered the sun. Hmm It is a nice day today...*Yawn* A perfect day to sleep.

Lissa stood there motionless as Robin went back to his tent. "But, but... … but!"

Robin had never been so exhausted in his life. He had planned the siege of Walhart's castle for weeks now. On a good day, he averaged about four hours sleep, and today was not a good day. He was sitting at his desk struggling to find a way to keep everyone alive.

"Erg, this work never ends." He looked at a stack of papers that Frederick just dropped off for him.

Some of it was research, other espionage information, but one piece of paper captured his attention the most. According to his scouts, Valm's royal guard were the only people on the continent to have 30 or more kills in combat. They also were equipped with more armor and advanced weaponry then the Ylissean and Feroxi army combined. Robin slammed his head down on the desk and tried to find a solution, but nothing would come. He was so tired that the instant his head hit the wooden table, he nodded off to sleep.

...

Robin slept through breakfast, and lunch. The sun was starting to set at is was past three, but it was still high in the sky when Robin finally woke up. He raised his head and groggily open his eyes. His vision was extremely blurry and he had to blink a few times. The first thing he saw was not a stack of papers, or the drool that had puddled around his quill, but a frog inches away from his eyes.

"AH!" Robin gasped and threw his arms behind him. It was enough momentum for the chair to topple over and Robin crashed into the ground.

"Hee Hee aha aha ha ha. Oh that was priceless!"

Robin desperately tried to get up from the ground.

"Let me guess? Another intentional accident?"

"Hee Hee, can you blame me? Your were sleeping like a baby!"

Robin felt another headache coming along, "Well you had your fun, now let me get back to my work."

Lissa smiled, "Perfect! I'll be right outside so you can train me."

Robin let out a deep sigh, "I have told you already-"

"I know, I know! But I thought about what you said. You were right...I wanted to learn magic for other reasons than to help the Shepherds... ...I wanted to learn magic so no one would consider me delicate and fragile anymore. "

Robin did not say anything but left his tent and walked outside. Lissa was confused at his behavior and promptly followed behind him.

Lissa wasn't sure where she was going, but before she could say anything, Robin strolled through a field and motioned for her to follow.

"...Out of all the elements, what do you think is the most destructive?" Robin said calmly.

"Hmm...Fire obviously. You were there when the risen attacked us in the forest. The whole place went ablaze! All the trees died and the place was completely scared a dark black! Also, there is a ton of books about how deadly fire is...Oh and Hell too! The place where Grima lives...and about a thousand other things!"

Robin stepped over a small rut in the field and continued, "So what element do you think brings life?"

"...Um...water, I mean that is how plants grow! ...Then again it could be earth...because that's is where the water goes to the plants...but doesn't wind carry water from the ocean which makes it rain?...Augh my head!"

"Did you know that wind is created because of a shift from hot and cold air? In a manner of speaking, fire's heat is responsible for wind."

"Huh? ... I guess so, but what does that mean?"

...

"What happens when it is really cold Lissa?"

"Well, when Chrom and I were little, we would go sledding in the snow!"

"Heh heh, ...Water, our life giving element...the water freezes into ice or turns to snow. How many plants do you see grow in the frigid cold of Regna Ferox?"

"Um...not very many...So the answer must be Earth ….right?!"

"What would you call a place where it never rains?"

"...A desert!"

Robin picked something up from the grass, but Lissa could not see it. He held it in his hand before concealing it in his cloak.

"Good, but isn't sand just rock that has been refined and lacks water to create soil."

Lissa put her hands to the sides of her head. "Gah! Robin you are confusing me!"

"Heh, one last question Lissa. That orange thing in the sky. What is that?"

"...You're kidding right? I know you have amnesia, but that is obviously the sun!"

Robin chuckled, "I am not an astronomer, but Miriel and a few other scientists believe it is one giant fireball in the sky."

"...And your point is?"

"What gives you heat during the day? What brings light so we can see? What prevents water from freezing and causes the wind to circulate to give us rain?

"...Fire?"

Robin did not respond and let her think it over. He walked over a few stepping-stones as he crossed a river and headed to a barren rock base up ahead. A few minutes later they were back to the top of the plateau.

"Robin? Why are you teaching me philosophy?"

"Hmm? It is not philosophy, it is science. Those are facts correct?"

"...I suppose, but why are you telling me this?"

Robin pulled something out of his cloak and showed it to the young princess. It was a freshly picked orange lily, and it was in full bloom.

"Because it is important for you to know that fire is not just a tool for destruction. It is responsible for creating life just as much as the other elements...If you have to cast fire in battle, I want you to realize why you are you using it... Is it to destroy the enemy? Or is it to preserve life?"

Her mind finally connected the idea and she raised her hand in discovery, "...So that is why you wouldn't teach me earlier!"

"I never wanted to drag you into this war Lissa. I still do not wish for you to risk your life by participating in combat. And I could never let you learn such a formidable attack without knowing its purpose. Fire may create life, but it is still a dangerous and a difficult thing to master."

"It is okay! I can handle it! Besides, after a long speech like that. I would die of boredom if you did not teach me!"

"... … I guess we better begin then."

Robin held his hands behind is back as he faced his pupil. "First, Take a deep breath and don't exhale."

"Okay!"

...

"Do you feel the blood going to your brain?"

"mmhm."

"Keep holding it...keep going..."

Her cheeks were full of air as her lungs protested from the lack of oxygen."

"Just keep holding the air."

She held it for a full two minutes before she gasped for breath. "*cough, wheeze*

Robin gave a stern look at her, but he couldn't hold it and started bursting into laughter.

"What...*huff* is...so...funny"

"Ha ha aha ah, the look on your face! You were turning blue, I can't believe you fell for it!"

"Wuh?"

"Ha ha, oh that is classic. The whole 'Breathe deep trick!' Ah, that is rich."

"Y-you tricked me?!"

"Heh, it was sorta of an accident." He grinned "An intentional one."

"What!? No Fair!"

"Ha ha, just returning the favor, *Ahem* but let us begin." Robin waved his hand in the air and held a book in the other. "...You might want to stand back"

…

…

Robin demonstrated a few moves, and Lissa tried to duplicate them. However, she was having no luck and an hour passed by without any success.

Lissa stomped the ground in frustration. "Dang it! I did everything you told me! Why isn't it working!?"

"It just takes practice, you can't expect instant success."

"Gah, if only they made an item that makes you immediately an expert!"

"Heh, then there would be no fun in overcoming the obstacle."

"Meh! What fun is there in constant failure!?"

Robin put a hand to his chin..."Hmm, maybe we are just approaching this wrong... Here take my hand."

"...Okay."

…

"Now, just imagine you're in a warm place, and that you're completely relaxed."

She eased the tension in her shoulders and exhaled. "Okay."

"Now raise your other arm, and feel the energy flow from my hand, to yours."

She paused and focused all of her strength and watched as a small idle flame shot from her hand and it lasted for almost a second.

"...I did it! Did you see that Robin! Did you see the fire come from MY hand! Wow I did it! YAY!" She jumped up and down in the air.

Robin chuckled, "Congrats Lissa, you are one step closer to being a Sage."

She smiled and tried to contain her joy, "Phew, that was invigorating! My body is still on fire! All that energy you gave helped tremendously!"

"Heh, I had nothing to do with it, that was all you. I just gave you confidence"

"...But I felt so warm and tingly when I touched you. You had to have helped me!"

"I swear I didn't do anything Lissa. You did it all by yourself."

"R-really? Wow! To think that fire came from my hand! WEE!" She threw both of her arms in the air in jubilation.

"Heh, Lissa?"

"Yes!?"

"You can let go of my hand now."

"Oh...Hee hee, sorry."

Two weeks passed, and Robin spent many sleepless night planning the final confrontation. Gregor gave him some sort of wake up juice, and he manged to stay awake for 21 hours a day. In three days they would fight Walhart, and Robin quadruple checked his maps and plans. He had preset every miscellaneous detail, and of course prepared for something drastically wrong to happen. After all, no plan lasts two minutes in a battle field before something unexpected happens.

"Robin!"

"Huh?" He turned to see his pupil and she was a little worried. "Oh, sorry Lissa, I can't teach you today, just practice Arc Fire like I showed you. You have progressed so quickly that I think you can manage...just don't burn anything...or anyone.

"I am not here for that! I am here to make sure you relax, I don't want my new partner to be tired for our big mission!"

"Oh don't worry, I tripled the dosage of the wake up stuff Gregor gave me...Whatever is in there."

"Are you sure it is wise to drink that stuff?"

"Well...no, but I trust Gregor, if he recommends a drink that is not alcohol based, then it has to be good."

"Hee hee, you have a point."

...

"...Lissa, are you sure you want to fight? You don't have to, and Maribelle could always use a hand with healing from the back lines."

"I will be fine Robin! You have been coaching me, and I know what to expect."

"...Okay, but if anything goes wrong, then don't hesitate to fall back."

"And abandon my partner in the middle of battle? Never!" She protested while her voice cracked.

"Just take care of yourself out there Lissa. I could not bear to see you hurt."

"I could say the same about you! You have been tired ever since we docked at Valm!"

"I think insomnia came with my amnesia, I will have to find a way to fix that after everything else is over."

"Still, if you don't take better care of yourself, then I might have to teach myself while you are in a coffin!" She looked concerned as she saw the bags around Robin's eyes.

"I will take care of myself...in a couple of days, but I just need to hammer out the final details of our plan." He looked back at the map and noticed one of his pieces was off its target by one-sixteenth of an inch.

"Ugh, you never stop working! You know there is still time to have fun even in tense moments like these right?"

"You will have to teach me about that sometime."

"No time like the present!" She cheerfully grabbed Robin's arm.

"What? No...I need to fix-"

"WE need to fix your work ethic! It is terrible! How can anyone work all the time? I feel shivers running down my spine just thinking about it!"

…

….

"Where are we going?" Robin asked as the two walked through a grassy field.

"We are already here!"

"What?"

She sat down on the grass and then fell down with her back hitting the ground. "Join me Robin!"

"...For?"

"Cloud watching!"

"...Cloud what?"

"Cloud watching! It's step number one to being lazy! Don't worry Robin, I will teach you all of my tricks!"

"I don't want to be lazy."

"Of course you do! Everyyyone wants to be lazy! Now lay down and watch the clouds with me! Your teacher demands it!"

"I think I will declin... Whaa!" *Oof* Lissa swiped her legs and collided with his feet. The unexpected force sent Robin tumbling down to the ground and Lissa giggled watching.

"Hee hee, sorry, it was an accident... But since you are down here! Tell me what that cloud looks like!" She pointed to a large puffy white cloud right above her.

Robin wanted to get up but his while body was compelling him to stay down, he reconciled and told himself it would only be for a minute. "It looks like a fortress under siege."

"Wrong! Try again."

"...A war ship."

"Nope!"

"... … a ...ballista?"

"Not even close!"

"...I don't know..."

"Hee hee, maybe we are just approaching this wrong... here take my hand."

Robin hesitantly grabbed her hand, and he felt a little tingly. "... ...A triangle?

"Your getting closer!"

He stared at the cloud and gazed in observation, "...Um...a...heart?"

"Bingo! You got it right! Now for round 2." She smiled.

"...How many round are there?"

"Oh I dunno, 300 or so."

"What?!"

"It's my turn!" Lissa said cheerfully. "Lets see...that cloud looks like...A clown riding a unicycle while playing the trumpet!"

"... … Where?"

"Right there in front of you, silly." She raised her arm which caused both of their hands to point to the sky. "Oh I almost forgot! There is an important rule to this game Robin!"

"What is that?"

She smiled, "You can't let go of my hand the entire time!"

..."I think I can live with that."

Robin sigh and slammed the desk with his fist. They were hours away from the siege and the new information he had received was not good, and it required a grave decision for the plan to succeed. He had already talked to Gregor about it, and he agreed saying 'Gregor is willing to do dangerously icky mission! Gregor has one question though, can Gregor get double rations of favorite drink for volunteering?'

...

Chrom would not approve of the plan so he elected not to tell him, however he had to tell one other person about the idea, and he sighed while walking to her tent.

"...Lissa."

She turned around smiling and dropped her fire tome on her table. "Hey Robin! I have studied hard all day so we can be lazy tomorrow!"

"Riight...about that. I'm going to have to swap partners for today's attack." He said while scratching the back of his head.

"What...Why?" She said confused.

"Gregor and I have an important mission that requires both of our talents...I am sure that Cherche wont mind fighting with you."

Lissa was disappointed and lowered her head until she came up with an idea. "I can go with you two! Three heads are better than two right?"

Robin let out a deep sigh, "No Lissa, it is too dangerous for-"

"But that is why you taught me magic! So I can handle the danger!" She raised her hand in the air.

"I will not put you in harm's way if I can avoid it."

"But...but what has changed since yesterday?"

"Nothing...I just realized the severity of the mission."

"You are a terrible liar!"

…

"...There is a reason why I am fighting with Gregor... he doesn't have a wife or children to mourn for him..."

She gasped in shock, "Robin! Are you saying-"

"..There is a small chance that we will not return."

"...How small?"

"About 65%...And a 3% chance that things might go critical."

"...So if I was to come along then the odds would be improved right?! I can guard your back and heal you at the same time!"

"No, it is too dangerous."

"Quit saying that! I can handle it. Please let me come!"

"I will not."

"Fiine! Then I will have to follow you then! I am coming if you want me or not!"

"...Then I will tell Chrom your intentions and he wont leave your sight."

"And I will tell him your intentions!"

"...Please don't make this harder Lissa." Robin lowered his head to hide his sorrow.

Lissa hugged Robin and cried. "Please, I don't want to lose you!"

"And I don't want to lose you either... … ...I love you too much."

"Y-you... love me?"

Robin felt a frog in his throat and struggled to talk. "...That is why I refuse to see you hurt."

"R-robin!...Hold my hand please!"

"...Lissa.."

Tears ran down hers eyes, "Just do it!"

Robin felt the warmth and tingly sensations of touching her hand, and his body felt like it was on fire.

"Now! promise me you will never let go!"

"Lissa..."

"PROMISE!"

"...I...I promise."

"Good, now!" She began sobbing again. "Now I am going with you. Gregor can come too, but we are doing this together!

Robin sighed, "Okay...here is the plan. I want you to use arc fire when we reach the main corridor, and then we will..."

…

The plan was risky and dangerous, but with Gregor's fierce blade, and Lissa's new ability as a Sage. The plan went off without a single loss of life. The next few days were some off the least productive days of his life as his teacher taught him about how to avoid working. There would be more perils in the future, but they would overcome them.

...

Many wrote of Avatar's legendary exploits, but accounts of his origins and character varied. Scholars, poets, bards, and writers agreed on one thing alone—he loved his wife, Lissa, above all else. The Sage and Tacitcian could be seen lighting the night sky with fantastic displays of fire and other tricks as they practiced their skills. It was rare that the two were ever separated, and they had two kids to continue their legacy. Morgan and Owain always mentioned how their parents played practical jokes on each other everyday. And they lived Happily ever after.

Fun fact (Well it is not particularly fun, but it is informative!)

Ignis means fire in Latin.

Also, some ideas about how fire can bring life was inspired by Avatar the Last Air Bender.