A/N - Hi everybody! With school really starting to hit me full force, It's been harder and harder to find writing inspiration. So, in the hopes that this will help soothe my writer's block, here's a quick mini-series for you! I'll be using this as a writing exercise to get a hold of my writing style a little better and to get some more content up on the site. Anyways, obvious spoilers for the end of Fire Emblem: Awakening are ahead, so proceed at your own risk. Hope you enjoy!

It was a pain unlike anything he had ever felt before.

As the hilt of his blade pressed against Grima's stomach, an immediate and searing pain pierced his own.

"You... you..." Grima stuttered, a blackish purple liquid beginning to drip out of his twisted mouth as he feebly gazed down at Robin's hand, knuckles white around his killing instrument.

"I could never let you hurt them. I could never let myself hurt them, " Robin seethed through clenched teeth, staring his counterpart dead in the eyes.

"The world... is is safe without us. If I must go, so be it- but you're coming with me."

With his free hand, Robin grasped Grima's shoulder, holding him in place. In a quick and violent motion, he twisted his blade further against Grima's stomach, doing as much damage he possibly could to ensure his death, disregarding the fire inside of his own stomach as he did so.

"Robin! No! Stop!"

A mixture of sadness and happiness overtook him as he closed his eyes.

Memories of his friends flooded his head. Not only had they let him in as one of their own, he felt so much more about them. They were family. They were all he had.

They will be safe, he reminded himself. They will be safe.

Opening his eyes, he turned to the source of the noise. Chrom, Lucina, Lissa, and the others were in an all out sprint towards him. As twisted as it was to them in the moment, he couldn't help but smile.

His muscles began to relax, his grip on his blade loosening. All noise seemed muffled as he focused on the searing pain in his abdomen.

Just before they reached him, his eyes rolled into his head and he crumpled to the ground.

Peaceful.

He felt peaceful. He couldn't quite pin it, but he hadn't felt anything quite like it; he felt the absence of anything.

He looked down at his arms, comforted that around his wrists were the cuffs of his signature coat. Satisfied, he surveyed the scene in front of him, an ocean of white and grey, somehow so empty, yet so vivid.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" he said aloud absentmindedly.

"I'm afraid it's a slight bit more complicated than that," a woman's voice answered from behind him.

Robin felt his heart ache in his chest. He didn't need to turn around to know who the voice belonged to.

"I..." he began, fighting back tears. Slowly, he turned around to face the figure, who was smiling softly back at him.

"I never thought I would see you again, Emmeryn. I... I always wanted.. I'm so sorry."

Emmeryn reached her hand towards his face, brushing her thumb against his cheekbone to wipe away a stray tear.

"You need not apologize, Robin," She said, softly pulling him in for a tight embrace. "Besides, we mustn't waste our time on such matters. Your time in this place is limited."

Sniffling, he raised an eyebrow against her shoulder. "How do you mean?"

"My sister is working to rouse you as we speak. You haven't disappeared from this world quite yet. Naga willing, we were allowed to show ourselves to you, one last time."

Robin smiled at her as he reluctantly pulled away from her warm touch, his tears still flowing.

"Wait. We?"

As if on cue, two more figures appeared in front of him. The sight alone nearly brought him to his knees.

Robin looked the first figure, a red-armored woman, up and down. A sorrowful twinge filled his eyes.

"Sully? Is it really you?"

"You know it! I always knew you were one tough bastard. The Shepherds were always in good hands with you around," Sully said with a mischievous grin on her face.

"But... I let you down. I let you die."

Sully rolled her eyes. "If I wasn't already dead, I would whoop your ass right now. You know it wasn't your fault."

Robin chuckled lightly. Yep, that's Sully alright, he thought to himself.

He looked to the next figure. He was a taller man, topped with scruffy, dark brown hair and dressed in an elaborate swordsman's outfit.

Robin smiled, wiping his eyes. "Lon'qu."

Lon'qu nodded with a slight bow, giving him as much of a smile as could come from a man of his demeanor. "Robin."

Without skipping a beat, the two met in a firm embrace, Robin clapping his hand against Lon'qu's back. Pulling away after a few moments, Robin met his eyes with a playful grin. "You really gave it your all, buddy. Not unlike you to be fighting right until the very end. I'd hate to see how the other guys ended up."

"Of course. It was my duty to serve Lady Lissa. I would gladly give her my life a hundred times over."

Rolling his eyes, Robin put a hand on the man's shoulder. "She really got to you, didn't she?"

He simply blushed slightly, averting his gaze above Robin's shoulder. "Think none of it."

Giving the man one last pat on the shoulder, he looked back to his three fallen friends before addressing them all.

"I have... so much I wish to say to you. I wish I could have done more to help you; done more while I still had you."

Emmeryn simply smiled at him. That smile never ceased to calm his nerves.

"You've done everything, Robin. You have saved the world from an endless nightmare. Grima is dead- the world will forever be released from the Fell Dragon's foul clutches. You did that. You, Chrom, and the others have secured a future for countless generations to come. Naga, I can't express how proud I am of you two."

Returning her smile, he took her in for another embrace. "You always know exactly what to say, you know that?"

"Of course. It was my job, after all."

Laughing into her shoulder, Robin was reminded of simpler times when he had first met her and the Shepherds in Ylisse. No wars, no crazy campaign against an ancient dragon. Just honest people and honest memories.

His thoughts were interrupted by an echoing voice from above him.

"...ut up! I can't work fast if you're yelling at me."

"We can't let him die! After all he has done for us?"

Sighing, Robin pulled away from the hug, but stopped himself with a hand on her shoulder and another around her waist. He looked her over several times, cherishing the last few moments he would have with her, not wanting to let go. He had almost forgotten how indescribably beautiful she was. Shaking his head and returning to his senses, he finally spoke.

"I, uh... take it that's my cue, huh?"

"I'm afraid so," Emmeryn responded, a slight blush covering her cheeks. "Now that Grima has fallen, so will you. Naga's power has only granted us this one window to your mind, thus I can't guarantee that we will see you again once you fall. However, she has given you enough strength to share one final moment with your friends. I think it's time for you to use it."

Robin nodded, releasing her with a sniffle.

"Emmeryn?"

"Yes, Robin?"

He fiddled his thumb and forefinger at his side, color filling his cheeks as he thought of the proper words to say to her.

"I.. never had a chance to tell you how much you truly meant to me before you left. I just.. I can't think of another way to say it. Emmeryn, I lo-"

Before he could finish, a tugging sensation filled his chest as he felt himself being pulled upwards. The last thing he saw of that place was Sully, Emmeryn and Lon'qu, smiling up at him as he passed the threshold into the physical world.