Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem.

A/N: Wow... it's been quite a while since I've posted an FE fic. My roots are in this section since I posted some romantic one-shots here when I was barely an amateur. I've been playing Fire Emblem: Awakening nonstop, and I've been browsing the FE fanfic section lately to see what fics the game has inspired and I've found some pretty quality fics. I remember years ago when the material was... lacking in taste, and the recent stuff I've read has been a great encouragement to me along with the game itself. It inspired me to write this, and I'm dying to share it with you all. I hope you all enjoy.

Prologue: A Future of Despair

They had all fought so hard. Each and every one of them. Together with friends and lovers fighting side by side they had attacked. They had gone to stop the resurrection and the madman who would bring about the world's destruction with their prince leading them. It had been a tough, lengthy battle that had taken a toll on all of them, but eventually the evil sorcerer was cut down. They had won.

Or so they thought.

In the throes of death, the sorcerer had let loose one last attack that should have taken their leader's life. But the prince was pushed away by the one who had always been at his side, taking the magic attack for him. The prince had rushed to his fallen companion's side, and smiled when he helped the person up. The attack hadn't been fatal.

Relief suddenly transformed into shock and horror when another attack struck the prince in the heart. It had been a fatal magic attack, dealt by someone whom everyone had trusted with their lives.

The remnants of magical energy gutted out as the prince's lifeless body fell to the stone cold floor. His closest and most trusted companion, who had been with the prince since their journey began, did not break down or cry as one would expect. Instead, that person had laughed in the face of such tragedy.

After all, why would that person cry when they had been the killer?

The soldiers and friends close by were overcome with shock as they watched the spectacle. Immediately, confusion mounted, tempers soared, and questions spilled forth from the lips of their companions, demanding why their trusted friend had killed their beloved prince.

They wouldn't get an answer to the unbelievable act they had all witnessed, however. A roar strong enough to shake mountains echoed through the temple that had become a battlefield. More laughter from the betrayer followed the dragon's cry.

And that's when the slaughter began.

The night sky stretched out into forever above the heads of the weary soldiers. Another hard battle had been fought under the dark clouds that covered up the stars and moon, and they had emerged victorious.

None of them were celebrating. How could they, when victory had become so hollow?

They had started with an army. Of course, to describe their forces as an "army" was using the term quite broadly but it had been one of the largest forces that could be gathered nowadays, at that said something. They assaulted one city, catching their enemy in a surprise attack and retaking the ruined city. It was a rare accomplishment, but now they no longer had the element of surprise. When they tried to push farther into enemy territory, they had lost approximately half of their soldiers. Not wanting to lose more, they had retreated back to the city they had recaptured. They had held their position for days, and while their numbers kept decreasing, the number of enemies remained large and consistent. Another retreat had been ordered, and they lost the city after being whittled done to barely a fifth of what their former force had been. As they escaped, their enemy dispatched a sizeable force to pursue and finish their company off. They had managed to fight off the battalion that was sent after them, but at a hefty cost.

"It hurts…! Someone…!" One soldier cried. A medic rushed over to him, raising a staff to heal the man's wounds.

"C'mon, stay with me!" One of the soldiers with minor injuries ordered his companion as he cradled him in his arms.

"I-I'm sorry… I… I ca…n't…" The man croaked as blood seeped through his bandages despite the efforts made to keep the wounds closed. The man's head lolled to the side as the light left his eyes. The soldier that had failed to save him bowed his head in remorse and helplessness. Another one passing by was shouting for help.

"We need a healer over here! He's bleeding out!"

"Anyone got a vulnerary? Just one! She's not going to last much longer at this rate…"

"Damn it! He's gone…"

Now, their party consisted of only a handful of small platoons. Many of which were hurt and on the verge of death. They had gone into battle hopeful and optimistic. Now they were broken and depressed, and only the promise from their leader vowing to see them back home safely kept them going.

Said leader stood near the edge of their camp, looking out over the barren wasteland that she thought might have been a meadow once if the patches of dead grass littering the field were any indication. Now it was just decorated with her fallen comrades and the creatures they had slain.

Lucina turned away from the scene to look back at their encampment. Her eyes swept over her weary knights and soldiers, lingering on the ones who sustained heavy injuries and were clinging to life as those around tried to help them. They were only a day's march from one of the cities that hadn't yet fallen. There, her soldiers could rest. Their injuries could be treated. Some may even get to see their families again…

She shook her head, expelling any doubts that were creeping into her head. She WOULD see these men and women home safely. She'd do better than her best to protect them. They had followed her into this battle, and she would make sure that those who remained would not be left behind.

Lucina's eyes widened when she caught movement from across the landscape just beyond the darkness. Several bodies rose from amongst the corpses, though they had the appearance to match a corpse.

Fitting, seeing as the Risen were just the undead soldiers to their enemy.

Lucina drew Falchion, sweeping it in front of her as if she were cutting away the darkness in front of them. Soldiers lingering near the borders of their camp closest to her witnessed her drawing the holy blade and knew what it meant. Lucina turned to address the soldiers, announcing her orders in a loud voice.

"Give the signal to march! I want at least two attending to every one person injured! We've already lost too many in battle and I don't want anyone dying while they're moving! Pack only what supplies we need and leave the rest of it! I won't force any of you to stay, but those well enough to draw their weapons can join me if they wish!"

Lucina's lips twitched upwards for a brief moment as the soldiers that could still fight drew their weapons. Despite how tired they were and even against everything that had been thrown at them, they still had that determined fire in their eyes.

She wasn't arrogant enough to believe it herself, but their drive came from the one who inspired and led them through every battle and hardship they had been faced with. Even the injured wished they could fight alongside Lucina, but promised themselves that they would retreat with the others and hold out until they got back home. Even if the situation was dire, each one felt hope well up inside their chest knowing that they were led by Lucina. Her courage and determination in the face of despair was their beacon of light that gave them hope.

People were already moving, unloading weapons and supplies from the transports so they could carry the injured and packed them on the horses instead. Dented and broken swords and spears were discarded and healing supplies were packed away into the pockets in their armor to help make space. Lucina felt encouraged just watching them. They would survive.

And she would follow after them once the Risen were dealt with.

Turning her back on the party, she raised the sword that had been passed down to her and charged towards the bodies that lumbered towards them from across the field. Dozens of soldiers followed after her, raising their own weapons in the air. Their shouting voices accompanied the charge, letting the Risen know that though they were exhausted, their will to fight was nowhere close to being extinguished.

Lucina met the first Risen, swinging Falchion and swiftly decapitating the zombie. Following up her attack she pivoted around the body as it fell, impaling another Risen that had followed after the first. She tore her sword from its body, pulling its body to the ground with the force she withdrew her blade from its chest. Jumping over its body, she brought her sword down on another Risen, carving a deep gash in its side before swinging her sword back around and bisecting another that had tried to strike at her from behind. Around her, the men and woman that had joined her charge were striking down the Risen that were suddenly swarming around them. They kept together in a group to support one another, striking and defending simultaneously with combined attacks. Even if their group was small, they fought hand in hand and cut ferociously into their enemies.

However, like most battles, their remarkable skills and teamwork would only take them so far. All Risen, even the weak revenants that they were facing, only fell when a decisively fatal blow was dealt to them. Sever an arm or a leg, it didn't matter, they would crawl and hobble in order to rake their claws into their targets. The most annoying thing about Risen groups were their numbers, an advantage the creatures boasted in nearly every battle. Lucina grimaced to herself when she found that they were boxed in, having miscalculated in determining the number of Risen in the field. There were a lot more than she had initially thought, and they were closing in. The fire the soldiers had shown before was beginning to dwindle out as dozens of Risen came closer, moaning and growling as their claws reached forward to draw blood from the humans they were fighting.

Lucina only gripped Falchion tighter in her hands as she pressed forward, cutting into Risen after Risen and advancing with her troop who followed behind her, covering her back. They would get out of this. Maybe if they struck at a small cluster they could break through and…

Over the moans of the undead and the sound of iron tearing through rotten flesh, a shrieking cry came echoed from above. A voice that Lucina recognized followed it.

"Lucina!"

A cluster of Risen were torn apart as a wyvern swooped down and raked its claws over their bodies and heads. Lucina smiled victoriously as their ally carved a hole in the mass, reducing the number of Risen by at least a quarter in a single sweep. Lucina turned to her soldiers and shouted words of encouragement.

"Forward! Just a little more and this battle will be over!"

Her soldiers replied with their own battle cries, displaying their renewed vigor and tearing into the remaining Risen with everything they had. The wyvern from above swooped down again, and Lucina glanced up at in just in time to see a figure jump off of the mount, though it wasn't the rider. The figure landed right on top of a Risen, sword carving the undead creature right down the middle.

"Hmph. You're looking pretty tired, Lucina." Severa scoffed as she lifted steel blade up. "I'll be very disappointed if you drop dead from exhaustion in the middle of battle."

"You know me better than that, Severa. I never rest until all Risen in my sight are vanquished." Lucina returned to her friend with a slight smile, the two warriors going back to back as they stared down the Risen that were closing in.

"Just saying. It's embarrassing when I imagine you meeting your end out here." Severa replied with a huff. "We can't have you dying out here amongst the dead and decaying. Not while I'm around at least."

"Well then… help me finish the rest of these things off?"

Severa gave a fierce smile at that.

"Gladly."

The two females swung their swords together, felling entire clusters of Risen in seconds as they stepped around each other. The ones they missed were taken out by Lucina's soldiers while the wyvern and its rider made sure the Risen stayed scattered, allowing the troops on the ground to pick them off more easily. Within minutes the undead were routed, their bodies fading away into black smoke as the magic that had pulled them out of their graves was released.

"Finished…" Lucina muttered, sweeping her eyes over her assembled party and was relieved to find that not one soldier had fallen during their battle. It was rare achievements like that, where precious life wasn't lost, that gave victories substance. She turned to her ally and bowed her head. "Thank you for your assistance, Severa."

"You don't have to thank me." Severa said, turning her head away. She smirked as she gazed at Lucina from the corner of her eye. "Though taking down Risen is much easier when I'm around, right?"

"Indeed." Lucina smiled. She turned as the wyvern landed a few feet from them. "I'm grateful for the two of you lending us your aid."

"We received word from your messenger a few days back detailing the orders of your retreat." Gerome reported as he dismounted from Minerva. "We gathered up a small force to come and meet you since we figured you'd need help carrying supplies and transporting the injured."

"We went along with the troop that was dispatched." Severa picked up for the wyvern rider. "When we met up with the remnants of your army and didn't find you among them, we assumed that you might've run into a little trouble. So I had Gerome fly us over here to lend a hand."

"I'm glad I had the good sense to send a messenger as we retreated." Lucina gave a relieved sigh. "And I'm glad you two responded so readily. So the troops…?"

"Getting attended to by the best healers we had back in the city. We couldn't bring all of them, but we brought enough to make sure everyone would get back in one piece. Along with them we brought enough reinforcements to make sure any more Risen that show up will give us no trouble at all." Severa grinned.

Lucina nodded in satisfaction. In this world of despair, she was truly blessed to have reliable companions such as these.

She turned to back and smiled at the brave soldiers who had followed her into battle, who all gave their own smiles in return. Again, she was blessed to have such loyal soldiers who were determined to fight.

"We should get moving. The longer we remain here the greater the risk of more Risen showing up." Gerome said as he mounted his wyvern. "I'll scout the area to make sure we won't have any surprise attacks. The two of you rejoin the troop and make it back to the city in one piece."

"The same goes for you." Lucina ordered him. "Don't drift too far away."

"I'll fly where you can see me." Gerome replied before taking off into the skies that were beginning to brighten as the sun rose.

Lucina returned Falchion to its sheath and Severa mimicked the action with her own sword. Lucina finally felt herself relax as the dawn of a new day finally came.

"Let's get moving then." Lucina said.

"You got it." Severa nodded and turned towards the troops. "Alright people, get going! If you had enough energy to fight all those Risen then you've definitely got enough energy to make it back to the city! C'mon, let's start moving!"

Despite the haughty tone Severa was giving orders with, the soldiers followed them. Each one of their faces was relaxed and carefree now, confident that the battle was over and their journey had come to an end.

"For now…" Lucina thought to herself. "This was just one battle. One that took many lives and still ended in our defeat. Even though we managed to escape… there are still more battles to come. More lives will be lost. How long that will last is…"

She had been fighting in this hopeless war since it began, so Lucina knew better than anyone that there would be more battles in the coming days. They might win some, but always at a cost. More lives would be lost and cities would continue to fall. They were faced with an indomitable enemy, and even Lucina recognized how fruitless their endeavors were…

But she couldn't voice such thoughts aloud. When she took up her father's sword she had vowed to lead the people. To protect them. She would fight for them with everything she had even if it ended in defeat. They might now win, but they would survive. They would survive for as long as they had to until one day, maybe… just maybe… they found a way to win.

…Until that day came, Lucina would keep fighting. She would wear the mask of leadership and hope to guide those who looked up to and followed her. Someday she would make up for all the lives that were lost, and chase away the darkness that threatened to swallow up their world.

"Someday…" Lucina murmured to herself as she followed after her soldiers.

There would come a day where they didn't have to live in despair. Someday in the future they would all live happily. That was Lucina's sincerest hope. Her deepest wish. To no longer live in a world of despair.

A/N: And there you have it. This was fun. I forgot how much fun writing Fire Emblem stuff was.

This won't be a particularly lengthy fic I don't think, but it's just my attempt to tell the story of the children before they went back in time through the Outrealm Gate. To paint a picture of the life they all lived in a world overrun with Risen and with Grima looming over them and how they eventually found a way to the past to change it all. Kinda wanted to get this out before the Future of Despair DLC was released...

I just want everyone to know that I LOVE Fire Emblem and promise to do my best writing this to give the series, the Awakening game, and its characters justice. For those of you who decide to stick around for more, you won't regret it. Any feedback helps, so drop a review if your up for it. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Have a good one.

Kiiam