Chapter Title: Man in the Ruins

Chapter Length: 1,234 words

First Published: 31 March 2015

"To think we would find something like this here." Chrom commented with awe.

"Wow! No one ever mentioned having seen this, Chrom! You think it's unexplored territory?" Lissa waved her arms in excitement. Finally, something different from her monotonous clerical training. "Let's explore what's inside!"

The siblings were exploring the forests just outside the capital out of boredom and the sight was wholly unexpected. In front of them stood a strange structure, weathered over time and covered with moss, ferns, and all sorts of flora. Its style was something they had never seen before, even with their intensive royal studies. Chrom wondered if Miriel would recognize it.

"I don't know, Lissa." Chrom furrowed his brows in concern. "It looks like it would crumble any moment."

Lissa pouted. "Come on, Chrom! I'm pretty sure it's sturdy enough!" the young princess even smacked a wall of the ruins a few times. "See? It's holding up pretty well!"

Chrom felt his heart stop a bit at the groaning sound of the ruins. Steeling himself, he tried to convince his sister.

"There could be unknown dangers inside, like traps. Maybe wild animals have taken to this place as their home. We would not want to be mauled by a clan of bears, now do we?" Chrom tried to exert his dominance.

"Ohoho~!" Lissa smiled mischievously. She saw right through her older brother. "You want to go in, don'tcha? You do, right? Right?" she pressed really closely to Chrom, eyebrows wiggling.

Chrom tried to hold is ground against his sister's prodding, but his will was already weak to begin with.

He sighed. "Fine. Just stick close to me, alright?" an adventurous smile graced his lips. Maybe there would be something interesting inside.

"Exploration time! Woohoo!" Lissa raised her hands in the air, her dress fluttering with her movements.

"It smells in here." Lissa grumbled, diligently following her brother.

"It's a ruin, Lissa. What do you expect?" Chrom fondly smiled at his sister.

"Still! It smells. At least there's some light inside. I don't know what I'd feel if it was dark and it smelled."

The ruins had many sections of it missing, letting the light from outside seep in. Chrom could observe that it wasn't made of the usual materials like stone that they were used to. It had many doors with what looked like labels on top, written in a language long lost.

Frankly, aside from it's initial mystery at being an unknown area, it was a rather boring place. After a few minutes of walking, Chrom decided it was enough.

"Let's go back, Lissa. I don't think there is anything else in this place."

"But it's only the first floor! There could be other things deeper in!"

"Come on, Lissa. We can't stay here any longer. That's enough adventure for today, I feel."

"But Ch-!"

A very prominent pained groan cut Lissa off.

"Lissa." Chrom was suddenly very serious. "Stay close. We'll slowly make our way outside before whatever made that sound can hurt us."

"But, Chrom, that sounds like someone's in pain. They could need our help!" Lissa, being a healer, was intimately familiar with pained voices of all kinds.

"We don't know what it is, Lissa. It's dangerous!"

But Lissa wouldn't have any of that. She was positive that it was a person! A person in pain needs a medic! Her soul was telling her to go, and go quickly. It was practically screaming at her to go and help. She gripped her Heal staff tighter and ran towards the voice's origin. Out of the royal family, it was only Emeryn who had any semblance of restraint. The rest were more reckless than what their position demands them to be.

"Lissa!"

Turning around the corner and descending a flight of stairs, Lissa ran with reckless abandon. Sometimes, she stumbled in her very impractical dress, but she always clumsily righted herself and continued on. She eventually got to the bottom and found herself in a dark room.

Focusing on her magic, she lit up her Heal staff. It was a waste of healing magic, she knew, but she needed the light. The groaning was really strong now. She was very sure the person was inside the room.

What she saw shocked her.

"CHROOOOOOOOMMMM!" the young princess screamed, almost dropping her staff and cutting off her light source. She stumbled back and fell on her bum.

Chrom was immediately in scene. Hearing his sister's scream quickened his pace even more, until he made his way to where Lissa was sprawled on the floor, clutching her glowing staff like her life depended on it.

"LISSA!"

Chrom took a stance in front of his sister, ready to protect Lissa. What he saw caught him off guard.

In front of them was a barely clothed, extremely bone thin man crucified in the center of the room. At first, he looked like a corpse, with how thin he was, but the groaning was obviously coming from him. Lifting his head with enormous effort, he looked to the royal siblings with hazy eyes through his long and grimy hair. He opened his mouth to say something, but with his condition, they couldn't make out what he said. They assumed it was for help.

"He's alive!"

Moving quickly, Chrom went to remove the man from his bindings. The aged chains were no match for Falchion. Lissa was right behind him, the Heal staff's calming glow eased some of the man's discomfort.

They stayed in silence, Lissa healing the stranger as much as she could with the weak staff and her beginner skills. Chrom watched over them with serious eyes, and at some point, his eyes narrowed even more. Once the man was as stable as he could be, Lissa looked up at her brother.

"What should we do with him, Chrom?"

"We should get him to the royal healing chambers. Quickly." He went to pick up the man. He was much lighter than Lissa. Much much lighter.

"Huh? Why there? Well, I guess with his condition, he needs the best treatment he can get. But I'm pretty sure the general hospital is can handle him, or more like, Frederick won't like it if we bring an outsider into the royal healing chambers." Lissa's brow was scrunched in confusion.

"Because, apparently, he's a royal."

"HUH?!"

With some difficulty, Chrom directed Lissa's gaze to the man's bicep. It was hard to make out with how dark it was and how loose the man's skin was on his body, but Lissa could see the Exalt's Brand. She idly noted that it was on the opposite arm of where Chrom's Brand was.

"I noticed it earlier while you were busy with healing him."

"Holy Naga! He really does have the Brand! How?! Why?! What's going on...?"

"I don't know, Lissa. But we won't find out if this man dies. We have to get him to the healing chambers immediately." Chrom's eyes hardened.

Who was this man? What was he doing here? Why was he in such a terrible condition? Chrom could only hope to Naga that this wouldn't bring trouble upon Ylisse.

AN:

My goodness. I have no idea where I'm taking this plot bunny but eh, I think I have a general idea of what I want to do. I hope you guys enjoyed reading, at least. Wish me luck!