For the few people who read what I had before, I read through them myself much to my disgust and found it pretty disgusting how stale my writing was, so now I decided to redo this from the very start. If you're new to this, great! Ignore everything I just mentioned. Also I don't own any of the fire emblem games or characters, but the story and idea are pretty much mine. Thanks for bearing with this message and peace out.
Prologue – Endgame
Robin
"Alright everyone! Let's finish this!" Chrom yelled as he held his empowered Falchion in the air, it was shining a magnificent yellow which seemed to illuminate the dark and foreboding sky.
He looked directly back at me with a confident smile. "Are you ready Robin?" he asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be Chrom... let's end this..." I drew my weapons, a blade as dark as night and a tomb which drew color from the light glistening a faint white. "It's now or never!" I stood by my friend's side to face the horror which stood before us all.
"I believe in your power Robin, I shall do my best to see things through alongside you." Cordelia said grabbing my hand.
"Thank you my love." I whispered enough for her to hear.
"PITIFUL! YOU WOULD STILL DARE TO STAND AGAINST ME?!" Grima hissed causing me to flinch. He was standing in my body after all. "YOU SHALL ALL FALL INT DESPAIR!" Grima screamed as he held his hand in the air. Dark aura surrounded him causing me to step back before realizing what it was he was trying to do.
"Everyone! Get down!" I yelled backing away from Grima.
"IT'S TOO LATE! FALL INTO DARKNESS!" Grima threw the dark aura in his hands at us striking us with powerful lightning.
"Gah!" I could feel the pain coursing though my body forcing me to my knees. My body refused to react to anything I wanted it to do, I couldn't move.
"R-Robin!" Chrom cried out gasping for air. He wasn't looking any better, he and all the sheperds looked as though they were on the verge of passing out, as if I were the only one to be spared.
"D-damn you Grima!" I cursed.
"Hurgh!" Chrom struck his sword into the ground in hopes of helping himself up, "W-what manner of magic- Gah!" Chrom winced as he hit the ground again.
Basilio barely was able to lift himself to his elbows, his breathing out of rhythm and parched. "Magic?" he groaned. "That... that was a damned catastrophic. H-he's weakened us all... H-he's too strong..." Basilio was hardly able to hold himself up as his arms gave away letting his body limply fall onto the ground.
Frederick grasped the weakened body of his steed in a futile attempt to help himself up. "It... cannot end like this. I-I won't have a-all of this struggle... be for naught!" he roared before collapsing to his knees.
"R-Robin I-ugh!" Cordelia yelped as she weakly fell to the ground. "I-I'm so sorry..." she cried as her legs gave out.
Lucina was barely holding his ground, she looking almost in pain as she tried her best to help herself up, she was doing her best not to fall into despair. "F-father... No... The future is upon us!" she whimpered in the face of Grima.
Grima laughed at everyone's attempts to pick themselves back up. "And so it ends Robin, all with this foolish struggle. Don't you see how frail these people are? How short lived their lives are? How utterly pointless? In the end, you have all thrown your lives away, for nothing!" Grima held his head in an attempt to contain his laughter.
Is this where it ends?A futile attempt which only ends with the same result? No... I won't accept that. I've been through too much to accept that. I...
"Hmm?" Grima's laughter halted as he saw me rise to my feet.
"We're... We're not dead yet!" I screamed with all my might, barely keeping myself from collapsing.
"Ugh, details, details." he sighed while waving his hand dismissively. "But yes, I suppose it's time for me to get you off my back... and I meant that both literally and... whatever." he laughed.
"N-no, we can't..." I coughed as I fell to my knees.
Grima looked amusingly at my defeated form. "Oh, that's right. You don't want this do you? Tell you what, I'll give you a chance to spare their pathetic lives." he said optimistically. "BECOME ONE WITH ME, OR WITNESS ME REND THE FLESH FROM THEIR BONES!" he laughed.
"...I." My breathing was heavy, my life for my friends? Would it be worth it?
"No! Robin, don't do it!" Chrom coughed out.
"He's lying!" Lissa cried out from behind us, "It's... a trap..." her voice was audibly getting weaker.
"Now is the time for you decision Robin, WILL YOU SAVE THESE PATHETIC WORMS?! WILL YOU JOIN ME AND BECOME A GOD?!" he screamed causing the dragon we were all on to roar.
Like I'd fall to you... I won't ever let my friends down again! I did it once in the future! I won't let it happen again!
"Do you think me a fool! Knowing you, you'd kill them anyway!" I yelled back.
"..." Grima stared quietly at me before breaking into a horrendous laugh. "Well of course I would!" he scoffed. "I just thought that maybe you would want to leave your comrades with them remembering you in a heroic, selfless light. Well then so be it! Leave them with their final memory of you being their undoing!" he laughed as he held his hand in the air, covering it in a dark aura.
All of a sudden I was thrown off my feet and sucked into a black vortex. "Aaaaarrrrgh!"
"Robin!" Chrom screamed.
It's so dark... a sea of darkness. I don't... have a final strategy... no wild card left to play... Grima... is he too strong to beat? I-I'm so sorry... everyone...
"Y- -ve – -i—t b-ck!"
Huh? Is that... a voice? Who?
"You -ave to fig-t back! K-ep f—ht—g!"
Is that... Chrom? Chrom... I...
"Dammit Robin! Fight back! You swore to do so didn't you! Don't you dare quit now! Keep your damn word! Can't you hear it! Everyone's calling out to you! So listen you damn fool!"
Huh? My... my friends? Ah yes... I-I think I can...
"Come back to us Robin!"
"I know it would take more than this to stop you, sir!"
Lissa... Frederick... I can hear you two
"You gonna let that ugly snake get the last hiss? Come on!"
"History is watching, Robin! The bards would sing of your triumph!"
"On you feet, soldier! Don't make ol' Teach give ya a lecture!"
You're right... I can't give up now can I, Sully, Virion? ...And I'll pass on the lecture Vaike... please...
"Wake up Robin! Only I get to oversleep!"
"Arise from your hypnotic state! You are sorely needed here!"
"Hello? Can you hear me? …Perhaps if I shout? AAAAAH!"
"Robin, remember all of the days we spent together!"
Stahl, Miriel, Kellam, Sumia... That's right. I can't just give up now. I need to wake up. Everything we've done, we've done together!
"Answer us Robin! Would a true warrior fall here?!"
"Please Robin! You're too important to us!"
"Get up right this instant, or suffer a swift smack of my parasol!"
"Do not rob the Taguel of one of out last true champions!"
"Up and at em Robin! One dragon oughta be a piece of cake to ya... mmm cake."
Like hell I'll fall here Lon'qu. Ricken, Maribelle, Panne, Gaius, you're right. A fell dragon isn't enough to bring me down!
"Gregor will snap you out of it! Gregor does good with the YELLING!"
"I thought I was your favorite dragon! Forget about that gloomy guy Grima!"
"The gods gave you to us. I do not believe they wish you to be taken away!"
"Get up Robin! No one goes down without my say so..."
"Please Robin! I still haven't shown you my new dance!"
"Minerva wants you back... and so do I!"
"I know the darkness is warm and delicious... But too much of a good thing is bad!"
Grego, Nowi, Libra, Tharja, Olivia, Cherche, Henry... I guess? I get it... I still have someplace to return too don't I? I've got people waiting for me.
"Aye awaken! You cannot leave now, with my debt to you unpaid!"
"You don't bow to dragons, you break em!"
"I need ya to come back sage now, y'hear?!"
"Robin! You can't close up shop on us now! We still need you!"
"Heed not to the dark's eerie call friend! Summon forth the strength inside you!"
"I can think of nothing worse than dying alone... I... seriously can't..."
"Come on bud! No givin' up now!
"This is a test, and by the damn gods who made it! You're gonna pass it!"
"Come on! You can do this! You need to fight with us!"
Say'ri, Flavia, Donnel, Anaa, Owain, Inigo, Brady, Kjelle, Cynthia, damn it, you're right! I'll beat the crap out of this guy! There's still time, and hope!
"We lost to the fell dragon once, Do not grant fate a second victory!"
"You're going to be okay, right? …We still need you to keep the Taguel safe!"
"It is inconceivable that our rollicking adventures might end at this juncture."
"Blood and thunder! Return to us now!"
"You'll return, I know you will, so get out of there already!"
"You are not Grima, nor is he you. Remember that Robin as you determine your own fate!"
"True champions find victory in the darkest hour! Show us your worth Robin!"
My "own" worth huh? That's right... We're not bound by our own fate, we shall forge it ourselves!
"Dad! You can't give up here! That'll make me sad, and if you make me sad you'll officially be the worst daddy ever!"
"Father, please come back, I don't think I can handle much of Morgan's enthusiasm by myself... I'll die."
"You better come back right this instant! I won't forgive you if you don't!"
"Please dear, you can hear us can't you? Show him what the grandmaster of Ylisse can do, what my husband can do in action!"
Morgan, Marc, Severa, Cordelia... Hah... that's right. I... I can't leave you all just yet. I still have something to do... I'ts time... to tip the scales!
"That's right! You can hear them can't you! So get out of that damn hole damn it!"
...Y-you... You're right... I can't give up here! Not when we're so close! This time... I'll finish this!
"Chrom! I can hear you dammit! Don't you dare think I'm going to quit now you dastard! Just watch me!" I yelled into the darkness forcing Grima to appear before me.
"What!? No! Impossible! You should be mine now! The grip I have on your soul cannot be broken!" he roared in pain.
"That's enough!" I raised my black sword and swung hard, much to my surprise it tore through the sea of black that surrounded me, revealing the familiar grim place on Grima's back.
"Hah! So you did make it back you dastard! I knew you could!" Chrom chuckled as he rose to his feet
"What, did you doubt me?" I smirked.
"No not at all! I just thought you needed a little push is all." he joked as he rose his sword at Grima. "And now, let's beat the crap out of this bastard, what do you say?"
"Sounds good to me, I've been waiting for a chance to pay him back in full for that initial attack."
"Impossible! How could you have broken free!?" Grima gasped in disbelief before plastering it with a menacing smile. "Well, that's no matter. After all, it doesn't matter once you're all dead! Haahahaa!"
Grima disappeared from in front of us as Risen came grew out of his dragon's back.
"Damn... the odds don't look to good for us... but I won't give up!" I declared as everyone stood.
"Damn straight! We'll win this battle, we have to!" Chrom took up his blade and enveloped it in an orange light.
"Children of man, your ability to stand against adversity has given me the power to change the tides of battle here and now. Take my power, and face the fell dragon!"
"N-Naga?" I looked around as a bright green light enveloped every single one of us.
"Alright! My wounds have healed!" Basilio laughed.
"Amazing, is this Naga's power?" Frederick wondered as he patted himself down.
"Now it's our turn for a counter attack wouldn't you say?" Chrom brandished his blade.
"Yea... it's time to tip the scales!" I yelled as I charged up a Thoron spell.
"Robin, I shall inform you of this and you alone. Once you reach Grima you will be given a choice."
A choice?
"Have Chrom set Grima to slumber and preserve your being, or to finish him with his own power and put him to an end, once and for all. The decision is yours and only yours to make."
I see, well then that's simple... my choice is...
"Alright! Set up circular formations! Everyone, attack!" I yelled as I charged the enemy with Chrom at my back.
Around me, Chrom ran at Grima alongside me at the head of the charge, Cordelia and Sumia followed while taking out any stragglers. Basilio and Flavia where taking the Risen forming at our rear and sides along with everyone else. Lucina along with Owain, Inigo, and my daughter Severa were cutting down Risen in a patterned sequence. Morgan was hovering over the Risen from above flinging all kinds of spells left and right with Marc remaining on the bottom wiping out any stragglers.
"Thoron!" a spear of light escaped my hand, impaling any Risen unlucky enough to have been in its path. Running past the Risen the few who tried to stop me and Chrom were immediately parried and cut down with ease.
A Risen with an intricate mask and bulky figure wielding and axe rose out of the ground in front of me with it's weapon raised high for an attack.
"Ah shit!" I flinched as it swung down hard giving me just barely enough time to parry, the force sending me back a few feet. "Hey Chrom! You're up!" I called out as I was sent back.
In my place Chrom soared down out of nowhere spinning vertically from somewhere in the air, striking the Risen general in the chest. Unhindered by it's wound the Risen once again raised it's axe in an attempt to cut down Chrom who was now open from the swing of his attack, or so he thought.
"Thoron!" I casted the lightning spell piercing the Risen general's head, leaving a cloud of black dust in its place.
After killing it, I ran over to Chrom to help him up. "Man we're good, aren't we?" I joked.
Chrom chuckled and we fist bumped. "Of course, I would at least hope so after everything we've been through, you're my other half after all."
"Y-yea... that's right." I said as I analyzed the situation. So far everyone was still alive as far as I could see, with me and Chrom holding down the front.
Hearing the flapping of pegasus wings, Chrom and I turned our heads to the source.
"Daddy!"
"H-hey! Slow down a bit! Wah!"
"Morgan, Marc, what are you two doing here?" I asked.
My daughter Morgan elegantly landed near me and Chrom while Marc... well at least he has an excuse, being afraid of heights and all...
"Graaaagh!" newly emerged Risen groaned as they emerged from Grima's back brandishing their weapons.
"Begone ya filthy ****s" Morgan laughed while casting bolganone, burning the majority of them to ash.
In both relief and disappointment I sighed, "Morgan... language please..."
"Oh alright..." she said dejectedly. "I just wanted to try out some new words I learned from Severa is all..."
"You probably shouldn't use her as the ideal role model y'know," Marc groaned as he fell of Mimi, Morgan's pegasus. "She's not really a... proper grown up."
"I'm telling her you said that." Morgan threatened.
"P-please don't, I'll die." Marc begged.
"What are you both here for? I thought you were dealing with the Risen to the left." I asked.
"Mother and Mrs. Sumia took our place, and Severa shooed us away even though Lucina said she was fine with us helping... so yea, this is pretty much the last place where we can actually do anything..." Morgan declared.
"God I feel like I'm gonna throw up." Marc said clutching his stomach.
"Man up little bro! We're in the middle of a battle right now!"
"I'm the older one, and don't argue it!"
"Nuh uh!"
"You were the difficult one according to mother anyway! She said you took forever to leave the-"
"Enough!" I yelled loud enough to shut them both up.
"We're in the middle of a battle right now, so... just go and... say hi to those nice friendly Risen over there ok? Hi friendly Risen!" I started shoving them both in the Risen's direction.
"Aren't we supposed to fight the Risen though?" Morgan asked confused.
"That's what he meant Morgan..." Marc stated.
"Exactly! So get going, ok?"
"Ok..." they both complied dejectedly.
I sighed as I watched them both hurry on over to kill the remainder of the growing number of Risen appearing. Morgan's powerful magic paired with Marc's excellent swordsmanship made them an excellent team after all.
"W-wow... you and your children... how do you-"
"Please don't... They drive me crazy sometimes..."
Chrom and I both stood in silence for a bit before bursting out into laughter. "Well we shouldn't be wasting time here should we? We've still got a dragon's ass to beat after all!" Chrom declared.
"Of course!" I responded, following him as he sprinted towards Grima.
Duck, parry, stab, dodge, this repetitive sequence of fighting continued through the daunting number of Risen blocking our way to Grima. Due to the sheer number of them, I found myself pushed back, right against Chrom who was also backing away from their numerical power.
"We're in a bit of a pinch, aren't we?" Chrom asked me jokingly.
"Heh, nothing we haven't handled before." I responded in kind.
The Risen seemed fed up with waiting and dashed towards us with their weapons held up high. "Here they come!" I grunted.
"Hraaagh!" an incoming Risen mercenary hit the ground along with a massive gash on his chest. "Father! We have arrived!" Lucina declared as Owain, Inigo, and Severa jumped in with their swords in hand, cutting through the crowd of undead.
"Heh, you're looking pretty hopeless right now daddy." Severa smirked.
"Don't give me that sass young lady," I grumbled.
"Thank you Lucina." Chrom grinned at the appearance of his daughter.
Chrom and I jumped back in to help the children of the future take down the surrounding enemy.
"By the forbidden strength empowering the force within my sword arm! Come forth! An abyssmal body blow!" Owain monologued as he cut down another enemy Risen.
"Hraagh!" Inigo grunted as he elegantly cut down his opponent.
"You annoy me!" Severa declared as she... beheaded the poor Risen, sheesh.
Along with Lucina and Chrom, I ran through massacring as many of the Risen as I could with every step getting closer to Grima.
"Robin, look out!" a voice cried out from above, but before I could realize it, multiple fell creatures found their way around me and surrounded me.
"I won't let you!" the same person yelled from above. Almost immediately, the group of undead that found their way into my blind side were cleanly beheaded by an all too familiar pegasus knight.
"Nice one Cordelia!" Sumia cheered as she descended with her fellow pegasus knight.
"Thank you two for that." Chrom quickly acknowledged them before looking towards the enemy.
I looked at the newly arrived pegasus knights and back at Grima, who summoned forth multiple mage class Risen. "Cordelia, Sumia, I need you two to take those mages out, Chrom and Lucina won't be able to resist many of their attacks."
"Alright, be safe dear." Cordelia quickly responded before taking off.
"Come back in one piece!" Sumia yelled as she followed.
"Lucina, Chrom, you guys take him from the side, I'll take the front." I ordered as I charged my Thoron spell in my hand. Chrom and Lucina took their positions getting ready.
"Let's finish this!" I shot the Thoron bolt directly at Grima's copy of me.
"FUTILE!" Grima raised his hands and a dark spire emerged in front of him, blocking my shot.
"Die!" Chrom yelled as he appeared to the left of Grima and swung downward. Grima hastily swung his arm to his side, catching the blade.
"ArRoGaNT MortAL! I ShaLL EnD yOU!" Grima cried as he threw Chrom backward. Chrom spun through the air and tumbled when he hit the ground.
"Damn you!" Lucina came in just after while Grima was open, landing a hit on his upper body.
"GRAaaAH!" Grima grabbed his newly opened wound and stumbled back.
"I lost to you once, you monster. I shall not lose again! Die now, so that our future may live!" Lucina raised her blade straight up in the air and dashed at Grima.
Grima sparked a malicious grin and caught Lucina's blade as he did with Chrom's. "YoU CanNoT SlaY... WhaT mAY NevER DIE!" He screamed. With one hand guarding against Lucina's blade, Grima took his other one and covered it in a dark aura.
"WiTHeR aWAY!" Grima cackled. "Grima's Truth!" he blasted the dark magic straight into Lucina, who was shot backwards as a result.
"Dammit, Lucina!" I yelled out.
Grima looked forlornly at me and hissed. "RETURN TO ME... COME... WE... ARE ONE... AND THE SAME!" he ordered deep into my mind causing me to shudder. My hands were clenched and covered in sweat.
"I-I..." I stammered.
Suddenly, a hand clasped itself on my shoulder firmly, garnering my attention.
"R-Robin, don't worry. We're all here with you, so... let's finish this." Chrom smiled as he reassured me.
"Y-yea... I won't give in," I whispered to myself. "I won't let you win Grima! I will not join with you!" I yelled back.
"GRAAAAGH!" Grima charged up his hand with a similar dark aura as before and shot it at the two of us forcing us to jump back.
"Chrom, take point!" I yelled with another Thoron spell charging up in my hand. "Give me some time!"
"Got it!" he raised his blade and just after disappeared in a flash, appearing before Grima, his blade surrounded in a brilliant blue flame.
"Take this!" Chrom yelled with his blade raised. "Aether!" the Exalted Falchion came crashing down on Grima with the blue flames singeing his body.
"...NNGH... GRAAAH!" Grima screamed in pain, but quickly retaliated and hit Chrom back sending him flying and out of commission.
"Gah! D-dammit..." Chrom cursed weakly. Grima still not fully recovered from Chrom's strike, fell to his knees cursing under his breath.
The conditions have been met... Sorry Chrom, but this... this is my decision. FOR THE FUTURE!
The Thoron spell I charged up, now complete was surrounded in an ominous dark flame, causing Grima's and Chrom's eyes to widen.
"N-NGRAA! Y-YOU WOULDN'T D-DARE!" Grima howled.
"Robin, don't! It doesn't have to be this way!" Chrom pleaded.
I looked at his trying helplessly to rise to his knees only to fall back down.
"Chrom... us sealing this bastard away won't solve anything." I said.
"B-but... w-we can s-still-"
"Sealing him away isn't defeating him Chrom!" I yelled, surprising him. "It's only pushing our problem onto those in the future, it's not a real victory!"
"..." Chrom kept silent, likely looking for something to say.
"Chrom you once told me you wouldn't leave a single life behind in this war, and I, your tactician, did my best to meet those standards... but now it's time to make a choice." I sighed.
"My life... for the lives of thousands... no millions..." I smiled back to him. "I think you should know which choice I would take. I'm sorry." I turned back towards Grima who was giving me a grim stare.
"N-NOoOoo! I-I, Y-YoU WoULDn'T DarE!" Grima cried out, obviously scared.
"I would... and I will. The horrors you would, no 'have' placed upon my friends, those I care about. This gives me more than enough reason to put you down you monster!" I raised my hand up high, ready to strike him down.
"Y-YoU WoULDn'T! Y-YoU Won'T LiVe ThrOUGH ThIS!" he tried to remind me.
"I know... and I've accepted that." I declared. "Every life you destroyed... every life you'll take in the future, If you think about it, a lot of that is also my sin isn't it... so for the lives of everyone, I'll take you with me to Hell! Die Grima!" I sent the dark purple Thoron bolt directly through his chest enveloping everything a bright white light, blinding my vision.
When everything cleared Grima stood on his knees with his very being fading away, his eyes closed, and a smile on his face. I couldn't hear him properly but he moved his mouth in an attempt to say something to me, before completely fading away, leaving nothing behind.
"Hah... we did it..." I chuckled before feeling the strength in my legs disappear, causing me to collapse.
"I... I guess this is it, isn't it..." I sighed, my hand was already becoming transparent.
"Robin!" Chrom yelled as he ran over to my crippled body. He kneeled down ad held me up with his arms. Behind him everyone who was fighting followed.
"N-No!"
"Dammit!"
"Robin, no!"
I heard all of my friends coming closer, all denying the inevitable. My face plastered a smile, hoping to alleviate their worries just a little.
"D-dad..."
"Father."
"Daddy!"
I heard three people run through the shock struck crowd and kneel down beside me.
"Morgan... Marc... Severa... your future... I kept my promise..." I weakly said.
"N-no... daddy..." Morgan buried her face in my tactician garb and started sobbing. With all the strength I could muster I placed my hand in her scarlet hair and rubbed her head to try to comfort her.
"It's okay Morgan... It's okay..." I whispered.
"Father... why, were we not good enough? Dammit!" Marc cursed himself and punched the ground.
I sighed and shook my head. "Marc, this was a choice I decided was necessary for us to truly win, you should understand my thinking, one life... for the lives of many, right?"
"I-I know but still, I don't like it... no, I hate it. Why must these choices be so difficult?" A tear escaped his eye.
"It's these choices... that we make, that make every life... worth so much. That... is a tactician's duty..." I answered.
I looked to Severa, who also seemed unable to hide her tears. "I-I hate you... I hate you so much, damn you!" she threw her face down.
"I know, I love you too, Severa. Please, take care of your younger siblings and your mother for me... I-I won't be here to watch over them for much longer... after all." I could feel my eyes starting to droop.
"I... fine! But you owe me when you get back! Got that!" she declared, tears streaming down her eyes.
"You got it... anything for... my daughter..." I weakly chuckled.
I could audibly hear a person's footsteps hurrying over to where I was, running thorough the crowd.
"Robin!" Cordelia yelled as she broke through the barricade of people.
"Cordy... looks like I did it anyway, huh? I-I'm so sorry, no amount of time could probably make you forgive me for this... but-"
"Shh." she kneeled down and put a finger on my lips.
"I knew." She cried. "I knew that you would make this decision, I'm your wife after all." she said. "Just... promise me, promise me that you'll return to us... to me."
"I... I promise, so until the day I come back, wait for me... my love..." I smiled back at her streaming face. In response she came in close, and for that one time, our lips connected in what seemed like an eternity. My eyelids struggling to keep open, finally closed.
That's the first chapter, or prologue of this redo version of the story, so I don't really care if you review cause most of the time it helps, but if you do, think about what you post before you do it! If it's just hate and nothing else, It doesn't really help if all you do is complain as I've seen in a lot of fellow fanfic writer's works. So don't flame if you don't have any idea what you're talking about. Anyway, if you have something "Helpful" to say, then please do so, I'll appreciate any efforts to help me improve my writing.