She could see it now. On the horizon, her mother was coming back. She'd known that she would – after all, her mother was a hero! She was the strongest Pegasus Knight ever, and nothing was going to stop her. She ran outside, and started to call and wave.

"Mother!" she called gleefully. Even though she KNEW that she'd make it back, she couldn't help but feel a little worried. Seeing her here now though, she that she'd been worrying over nothing. Wait, hold on a second.

There was no rider.

But that was her mother's Pegasus – Cynthia recognized her! She was just sending her back early, to let her know that they were okay, right? That she, father and all of the others had made it out – and that the heroes had triumphed over the villains! They'd be back in no time, and everything would be okay. After all, heroes never died.

But what if they didn't come back? "No, don't be stupid." she thought. Her mother's Pegasus had landed, and then it shattered her world.

She could understand everything that the Pegasus told her. But she couldn't make the connection. Cynthia knew what she was being told, but refused to believe it. Her mother had told her mount, no, her friend to flee. "Please, return to Cynthia. Look after her and protect her." She couldn't keep lying to herself, couldn't keep telling herself that everything would be okay. She couldn't keep telling herself that her mother and father were on their way home, and that they could all go and live happily ever after. No. It didn't work like that - because her parents were dead.

She broke down and wept. How could this have happened, when her mother and father were so strong? They'd told her, they'd assured her, that they'd come home safety. Her parents were heroes – they always had been, but even that wasn't enough. But if they'd lost, who would stop Grima? There was no one else left, and they were the strongest fighters in the world!

When she realized the answer, her heart dropped, just as Emmeryn had done. Her mother had told her all about the former exalt, and the sacrifice she made. When she had asked her mother about who the greatest hero she'd ever known was, it was always Emmeryn. Not her, not her husband, or even Chrom. Cynthia began to realize that her situation was parallel to that of Emmeryn's death.

Except Grima wasn't just a mad king. He was a dragon. The fell dragon. She knew that only a hero could hope to slay a dragon, and they were out of heroes. If her mother couldn't have stopped him, then what hope did anyone else have?

"No. Quit it with the tears Cynthia." the voice was barely audible at first, over her sobs. Quit it with the tears…

Just sitting around and crying wasn't going to solve anything. The voice was right. A new feeling washed over her, wiping away her sadness, and replacing it with fury. Grima and his Risen were going to pay for what they did. The fire in her eyes had been reignited, her burning hatred fuelling her to stand.

She thought about the others, about her friends. How were they reacting? Probably just like her – fuming, dejected, desperate and alone. They all needed someone now. Someone who they could depend on to keep them safe, and to stop the baddies. What they needed was a hero. And she needed her vengeance. It was the perfect fit. She'd be the one to surpass her mother, Chrom and Emmeryn, as the hero who slew Grima.

She glanced at her mother's Pegasus – wait, her Pegasus, and then at her mother's ring. She spoke into it softly: "Watch me mother. I'll be a hero."