Prologue
...up...
Why...
...up...
My head throbbed unbearably. I could feel the rough ground shaking, crying. My eyes were pried shut as if a cement had held them captive. I'm just so tired...
...up..!
I just want to sleep...
"Get up!"
ZAP!
My eyes shot open. My body moved on its own accord, rolling to the side as a new scar was created in the displaced ground. The field was dusty, few allies in sight. I looked down at my armor. The blood, oh God the blood... It took all of my energy, my concentration and will not to puke on the spot and give up. I tore my eyes away and almost instantly sand from the storm stabbed at them. I swore and fell to my knees, the wobbling unendurable. The nausea that crept up my throat had to be forced down by a shuddering swallow again. I pawed at my eyes until I realized that it was only getting worse due to my gloves.
'My gloves...' I thought. Oh, the memories they carried, the pain and sorrow we've been through together. Another gust from the arenaceous landscape and I knew I had no choice. I ripped off the glove from my right hand, and somehow, even through my eyes couldn't see much if not anything at all, I could see the tattoo with vivid clarity that marked the end.
I shoved the glove in my mouth, ignoring the revolting taste and crunch of the sand on it, and wiped at my eyes again, having much more success than before. ZAP!
My body froze, and I realized that I was gripping my sword's handle in my left hand painfully tight. An instinct I had picked up from fighting, I guessed. Peering into the maze of dust and smoke, I saw no friend nor an ally. Just screams of fighting. I still lay on my knees; I was just so tired... Tired of it all! Why couldn't I just...
"Chrom, get up!" a familiar feminine voice cried out somewhere in the boisterous storm. "Get up!"
I don't know how, but those words from that mouth made me get up. I stabbed at the ground-sand at this point-to get a steady footing, rising off my knees. ZAP!
A flash of light before I was flung into the air again, an unheard cry escaping my lips. I seemed to be flying for a while, drifting in the air like the particles of the sand.
Thump!
I slammed hard onto my left shoulder and cried out in agony. I was no longer in a dizzy state. I was back to the real world.
"Milord!" A voice yelled, and suddenly I was being hefted up by a pair of strong hands. "Allard?" I could barely hear myself, a low mumble if even that.
"Milord, are you alright? Have you been injured? Are you hurt?"
I smiled. It was Allard, his friend. He had been there so often for him. He was even here now...
"I'm fine," I stood on my own feet, pulling myself together. Grabbing the hilt of my rapier, I gently let it slide out of its scabbard. I looked to my comrade. The general's brown hair was stained with a dirty tan, and on his armor lay smeared blood. His eyes, though steely gray and almost emotionless in the field, held deep concern for me. His quiver had over a dozen arrows left. I guess that quiver really didn't run out of arrows.
"Where do we stand?" I asked, not in the commander-style voice I held before, but in a comrade-to-comrade way, a way that brothers on a battlefield could understand.
"I do not know. It all happened so quickly. Have you heard from Liliana?"
"No, not-" 'Chrom I've grouped with Vulpine and Tybalt.' a voice intruded his head. Allard stared. "I'm guessing that was her, milord?" His stern face held no sarcasm. The same ol' Allard...
'I'm with Allard,' I spoke back, the action still awkward, 'We can't see anything. Let me add Allard to the link.' I grabbed his wrists and his eyes shot open. 'He's in.' I said.
'Alright. I've got the spell to remove all the smoke. Are you two ready? That beast, that thing will be able to see us once I remove it. I need to know that both of you are ready to face it.'
I looked at Allard, and he at me. It seemed like we went back in time at that moment, that we were teens about to go into the shop and steal again. That same nervousness, the same unsure feeling. We nodded at the same time. 'We're ready.'
'Alright.' She sighed.
I let go of Allard's hand. In this, we couldn't tell where the beast would be looming. In fact, he could be right behind us and we wouldn't know. But just like that feeling, there was always that other feeling deep inside that cascaded past all the other emotions to stand tall above all.
It was the thrill of fear.
"Aero Fluctus!" Liliana spoke from somewhere. I heard it before I felt it. It was a loud rush, and thundering roar. Suddenly a wave of air swept the field. I threw my arm over my eyes to shield them.
A nasty growl came out that spooked me to the bones. I froze again, and suddenly I was the same child backing away from the door. Allard patted my shoulder. "I'm here."
I blinked. "Right."
I moved my arm and peered at the devastated field, now devoid of its luscious green fields that attracted people from all nations to see. Bodies lay scattered, giant scars in the shape of bolts and holes the size of a gigantic round hoof imprinted in the ground. The land caved in at placed, and at others rose high. Spiderweb cracks in the crumbly, scrapped floor led to the middle of the field. A cold sweat ran down the back of my neck and down my spine, my already dry mouth becoming an arid zone where saliva had abandoned.
A gigantic beast that bore little resemblance to a rhino stood, producing a roar that shook the very core of the world. It stood above 20 feet in height, and had black reptile-like scaly skin. It stomped huffily on its four legs, its huge head sporting six hords that curved to form a circle of sorts. Its massive size along with its height made me want to give up.
But I couldn't.
I peered the field for our three comrades. Far away they lay, a giant piece of rock sticking out over them, providing a sort of shelter. My eyes caught Liliana's.
It was time.
I charged. Liliana had said that our weapons were enchanted to fight magical creatures. "Near them," she said, "Magical powers are amplified. Striking the beasts with these weapons will actually affect them. The fight feels different with these, the slayers used to say. It's like you're fighting as a god."
Well right now, I was hoping I could just fight. Allard was behind him. From the side of his eye he could see Tybalt dashing at the beast also, Vulpine and Liliana falling behind.
This is it.
A large roar launched a shockwave sending them all flying back. The beast had sensed them. I struggled to stand back up. I glanced towards my friends. Each of them in their cloaks, hoods over their heads, looked in one peace. He could tell Lilliana by her long brown hair escaping from the hood, and Tybalt by his silver hair that peeked through his. His two swords lay at his waist, and Lilliana's book was clasped firmly in her hand. They were ready. He turned his head to his friend Allard who was readying his bow. He nodded firmly at me.
So were we.
- Chrom -
Allard ran to group with Lilliana while Vulpine, Tybalt, and Chrom charged at the beast. We were the close-offense, he realized with a sly chuckle to himself. He held his rapier in his left hand, and drew it back just as his master had taught him. "Haaaahh!" He screamed and suddenly there was a change.
Entering around 10 feet of the beast, he felt lighter, stronger, more aware. He silently thanked Lilliana for this. It had to be her work.
He reared in on the best and struck haughtily at its feet. Schink!
A blast of light appeared at the tip of his sword as he yanked it out the beast's foot, a dark green, reddish slime oozing out of the creature's wound. Chrom looked with disgust before slashing a line horizontally across its flesh. The beast roared and lifted the foot. Chrom ran as fast as he could before the foot was brought down, causing a huge tremor the sent Chrom rolling to the floor yet again. A smaller growl went out and he realized that Vulpine must have transformed. He peered beneath the monster's giant belly and saw that she was in her half-wolf form this time, scratching its leg with ferocious speed and velocity. Tybalt was nowhere in sight. He had no time to worry about Tybalt's whereabouts, however; He had to attack the next foot.
Chrom switched hands with the blade, sweat streaming down his face, his breath rushed and ragged. He made quick notes from his first strike: Deep was good, but it took too long to get the blade out. For effective damage, he'd have to do quick slices and finish off with a thrust.
While running, Chrom had a brilliant idea. He lifted his sword up to slice the belly of the beast. It roared again as he persevered, the beast's inside so heavy and thick that he had to use both hands to continue slicing the beast. Nearing the leg, he yanked the blade forward, and as soon as he was about to pierce the flesh of the monster, its legs grew more limbs, launching itself higher. Too stunned to believe it, Chrom watched as the beast launched itself forward in a rush.
Catching himself, he quickly dashed and stabbed the bottom of its foot. His feet were soon off the ground and he was afraid he hadn't planned this very well.
Being practically carried before the force going up, he realized then when its hind legs came crashing down, Chrom would be flatter than a pancake. He grabbed onto the scales of its flesh and began to climb quickly along its foot, using his left, gloved hand to dig into the skin, and his sword in his right hand to stab at it and progress. The beast seemed to be charging with a purpose. Chrom climbed faster until he reached the top of the beast where-who would've thought-Tybalt stood, both of his swords dug deeply into its flesh to keep himself from flying off.
"Tybalt!" Chrom called over the deafening roar of the wind, "Tybalt!"
The silver-haired devil looked at Chrom and smiled. Chrom couldn't see how his friend could be laughing like that at a time like this. "What's going-"
THUMP!
The beast practically flew backwards a couple of feet at the impact of something. Chrom stay put, worried what had happened. Tybalt held no such caution; he pulled his swords free from its back and ran to its head.
"Tybalt! Have you gone mad?" I screamed.
"I have only found fun, your highness." He yelled as he began the decent up its giant head. THUMP! Another hard yet invisible blow to the monster's front made the monster stagger. Chrom was wondering what the behemoth was going on. He saw something silver glint in the pale blue sky that seemed to be growing paler by the minute. An arrowhead, Chrom realized. The arrow plunged directly in front of Chrom's face, and a pulse went through the monster's body. It shuddered uncontrollably, and almost fell down. It was if the arrow alone had enough force of a whole army of brute barbarians.
Sensing the creature could move freely no longer, Chrom got up to search for where Tybalt was climbing. Tybalt seemed to be waiting for Chrom, making a exasperated face as Chrom climbed up the giant swine's neck.
"About time, your majesty." Tybalt yawned, "You see those cracks in its giant horns?" He pointed. As he had said, two of its eight horns had been severely damaged, parts of them chipping away and falling to the ground. "Guess what archer did that?"
Chrom sighed irritably. Making conversation on top of a demon rhinoceros was not something Chrom liked to do. Chrom squinted to see that the rhino was headed directly for where Lilliana and Allard lay. Allard had his hand back and his bow held high. Though Chrom had to admit it was impressive what a little magical enchanting could do to arrows, they needed to take down this beast. "I have no need to guess," he panted. He imagined his face was a sweaty mess. Almost getting stomped twice will do that to you. Tybalt shrugged and looked down to its eyes. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" The corner of his lip curled into a devious smirk.
"Slice its eyes?" Chrom asked incredulously.
"Any better ideas? We need to take this thing down. This seems like the best tactic."
Chrom had to admit, this time he was right. Though Chrom was usually skeptical about using Tybalt's cheap tactics, this was no fight of honor. He made an audible gulp sound as he thought about how this was battle, real battle; and that someone, or something in this case, had to die.
"Fine," Chrom said reluctantly, "I'll take the left. You take the right."
Tybalt nodded solemnly, becoming serious suddenly. He sometimes had a habit of doing that, Chrom noted.
It's what made working with him difficult.
"Go!"
They slid down the monster's forehead and down to it's eye. It was a rush of air, and the horrid odor produced from the monster's mouth could be smelled. The putrid scent made Chrom's eyes water, but his sight was straight and clear regardless of the tears at this moment. He had only one aim.
Sliding down on the rough and scaly skin, his pants had gotten damaged somewhat, and now the scales were digging into his flesh. He ignored the pain and leaped into the air, twisting himself into a downwards spiral. He chucked his sword back and made for a straight, violent thrust into the beast's eye.
A screech went out that could be heard throughout all the land. It practically shattered Chrom's eardrums. He yelled in inaudible yell and let go of his sword, slamming his hands on both of his ears to avoid going insane. He closed his eyes from the pain as the sharp and prickly ground went from underneath him.
Almost instantly Chrom slammed into something that almost glass-like, the impact knocking the air out of his lungs. He coughed for breath and after a state of disorientation, looked to see the damage: His blade was missing, probably skidded off to the ground 15 feet below them. The beast's eyes were closed, but the same colored liquid as before was pouring down them like a stream of water. Tybalt was still clinging to the beast, his swords now struck through a horn to keep from falling off. His amazing reflexes saved his life countless of times, Chrom is sure.
Now Chrom was exhausted. He sat panting like a hyena that ran a mile full sprint, the ringing in his ears slowly coming to an end, his right hand-the hand that he used to pierce the beast's eye-lay completely numb and useless, and his back hurt from the impact of flying into the horn. He wondered if the battle were over now, with distant curiosity.
His questions were answered mere moments later when the creature growled pompously. Chrom cursed weakly. His body was in no shape to continue fighting. Why wouldn't this thing just go down?!
"Chrom," Tybalt called, "Look at Lilliana!" Chrom wearily turned his head to look at his two comrades on the ground. His eyes widened at sight of Lilliana.
Her hood was off, and her long brown hair flowed elegantly in the wind. The wind was actually flowing around her in waves that you could visibly see, as if she were the orbit of air waves. Her book was open and her eyes closed, her mouth moving at incomprehensible speeds.
"What is she doing..?" Chrom muttered aloud.
"I think she's about to kill us..." Tybalt whispered. Tybalt's eyes finally went to Chrom and they became alerted and very alarmed. He wrenched one of his swords out of the tusk and threw it towards his raven-haired fellow.
"Hurry up!" Tybalt yelled, "Whatever she's doing she's about to do it now. Don't get blown away, prince."
Chrom lay stunned for a minute before picking up the blade. He looked to Tybalt, no, his friend one more time. "If I don't make it-"
"Shut up and stick the damn blade in!" He interrupted rather irritably. Chrom couldn't help but smile. He threw his arm back, and plunged it into the giant horn made of bone. He hung on tightly and peered around the tusk. Even from here he could see Lilliana's eyes open and her hand fly forward. The visible air around her flew forward in a straight arch towards the beast-and them.
It came upon them with amazing speed, like a bullet made of pure air. "God, I hate witches.." Tybalt screamed before it was on them. Wham!
It crashed into the front of the beast, slamming the horns in front to shred and flipping the beast in the air. Chrom couldn't describe what it was like in that moment.
Air itself was coming to kill you, dragging at your legs, your arms, your torso, your hair, your eyes! The wind pulled at the very tusk he clung so desperately to for dear life. Though it came from one direction, it seemed to be dragging everything apart from every direction. Chrom closed his eyes for a long while, the whipping air lashing at his clothes and body. It seemed to last forever, then it all stopped.
A resounding crash broke the earth into pieces as the beast plummeted. The tusk broke, and Chrom was thrown. He screamed for his life, louder, harder than he ever had before. A growl sounded beneath him before he landed into something hard with a lot of fur. The creature that caught him tumbled and rolled, until it untransformed into a woman with short dark brown hair. She panted heavily next to him.
"Chrom," she said, between a sigh and a pant, "You are not the lightest prince, you know that?"
Chrom smiled at Vulpine. "I am forever in your gratitude, Vulpine." He smiled.
"I know." She slyly. Chrom could imagine the smile on her face. He struggled to look up, then moaned in pain as his neck began to hurt. He heard the shuffle of movement, and suddenly Chrom's head was in Vulpine's lap. "I got ya, princey." She smiled. The pale sun's light suddenly grew intensely strong. But Chrom didn't mind; it felt nice.
"Vulpine! Chrom!" Lilliana called. Suddenly Allard and Lilliana appeared by Chrom's side.
"Milord, are you okay? Can you see me?" Allard began waving his hand in front of Chrom's face.
"He's not blind, Allard." Vulpine teased. Lilliana giggled at this.
Allard blushed and turned away.
Suddenly Chrom flung himself up.
"Where's Tybalt?" He said alarmed. Vulpine pointed towards the giant rhinoceros that lay limp on the ground. From the top of its oddly bent back-which was once straight, Chrom remembers-stood a familiar figure waving frantically.
"Hey guys!" He called on the silent field, "I'm okay!"
Chrom smiled and leaned on Allard.
"Milord are you okay?!"
"I'm fine Allard, thank you." Chrom smiled modestly.
"We did it. We actually did it." Lilliana said, stunned. She flopped to the ground. She began laughing hysterically before eventually beginning to sob slightly.
"Aww, it's okay." Vulpine comforted her, "It's all over now. Poor girl." Vulpine hugged her as Lilliana wiped her tears. Tybalt had finally made his way to the group and skid to a halt. He shoved between Allard and Chrom, swinging his arms over their shoulders. "So, where to next, gang?" He grinned, "I don't know about you guys, but that was thrilling!"
Lilliana looked up. "I don't know where to now," she looked at the leader of the group, "What do you think Chrom?"
Everyone looked to him. Chrom stuttered to find the words. "I think that we should..," as his mind stuck a blank, Chrom realized the whole point of their journey; of each fight before this, leading to this huge one.
"I think we should go and search. Yes, we should search to find our own home."