It's just like the video game. Everything's on fire. I see a few enemies here and there, who now appear to have taken notice of us. I don't see the big baddy anywhere, though, and it looks like there is a large group of enemies emerging from a building in the distance.

Bad day for a hangover…

…Did I seriously just quote Devil May Cry?

Chrom appears to be having the conversation in which Robin learns that he can use magic and swords. A myrmidon jumps at him, and Robin suddenly pulls out his sword, and blocks the attack. Chrom comes and stabs the myrmidon.

It seems that Robin will be using swords from now on.

"Hey," I tap him on the shoulder, "Could you lend me something?"

He pulls out a tome, and looks at it. "Do you know how to use magic?"

I grab the book, "Guess we'll have to find out."

I have no idea how these work. Do I just flip to a page and read what's on it? If so, which page? And how the hell did these break?!

There's a small group of enemies headed for us. I open the book, and prepare to use magic, but I hesitate and pick up the dead myrmidon's sword, just in case, and put it in the belt-holding-thing in my jeans.

I decide to flip to the first page. Let's see… What does this book say? I honestly cannot read this crap. It looks like just a bunch of random noises that I have to say. I say them, and stick my hand out in the manner I've seen so many times in the game.

A large ball of lightning comes out, and knocks down a barbarian.

OH SHIT THAT'S A MYRMIDON – I quickly block with the sword. I try to slash back at him, but he dodges. I try to stab him, and this time, I make contact.

I take a good look at what I've just done. The man is coughing up blood. I slowly watch as the life drains from his eyes. He falls over on my sword. I quickly drop it, and the myrmidon falls on his back. I stare at my hands, and fall on my knees, shaking.

What have I done?

I start to question whether this is a dream. This feels so… real, and that man I just killed… It was all just so gruesome. My mind has never come up with thoughts this dark before.

I know one thing, however. Dream or not, this memory will haunt me forever.

I hear Lissa's voice call out, "Lucas!" I look up from my hands. There's some barbarian swinging an axe at me. I look around. I left my sword in that myrmidon. With nothing to protect me, I don't even try to fight back.

The axe takes me in the side. I fall over, my head hazy, my vision blurring, and my side bleeding like crazy. The barbarian is standing over me, holding his axe above his head, ready to finish me off. I close my eyes.

Make this quick…

Nothing comes. I open my eyes, to find the barbarian lying on his back, blood coming from his chest. I've been saved by the over-powered god-send that is Frederick.

All of a sudden, Lissa's at my side, healing me.

I'm bleeding. I'm bleeding. Shit, that's a lot of blood.

"You okay?" Lissa asks.

An axe was just put in me, giving me and extra hole in my body, and causing me to spout out blood like a fountain! Do you think I'm okay?!

"Never been better…" I groan. "SHIT, THAT HURTS!" I scream as Lissa begins healing me.

"Well, stop struggling!"

"Will that make it feel any better?"

Lissa looks at me. "No, but it makes things easier for me."

I shrug. Well, I would have, but, frankly, I can barely keep my head up. "Fair enough."

A sudden realization comes to me.

I'm not dreaming.

I am definitely not dreaming.

This is the real freaking deal.

Shit.

I guess that part of me already knew this, but now that the actual thought has come to me, it only brings up another question.

How the hell am I going to get out of this?! Oh well, never mind that. There'll be more time for that later. Right now, just focus on staying alive.

Finally, I get some feeling going in my arms and neck. I look up. There's Chrom, chopping up some mages… And some myrmidon is rushing at him from behind.

God, I hate the myrmidons…

I try to yell something, but I know that he wouldn't be able to hear me in time. I take a look at the dead body of the barbarian that almost ended me. There's his axe, but I don't really know if it's one of those throw-able ones. Nonetheless, I push Lissa off of me, which I'm sure I'll never hear the end of later, pick up the axe, get up as much as I physically can, and throw it at the myrmidon.

Please hit, please hit, please hit…

It hits. I fall back in relief. Chrom takes a glance at the screaming myrmidon that I just killed, and then looks at me. He nods. Hooray, acknowledgement.

Something punches me in the arm. I don't need to turn around to know that it's Lissa.

She hits like a girl.

"What was that for?!"

I moan. "I just saved your brother's life, you're welcome. Could you please just get to healing me? I'd like to help stab these people!"

Lissa mutters some words, but still decides to heal me. I take a look around, not being able to do anything.

There are definitely more enemies than I remember in the game. That probably compensates for the fact that they're so easy to kill. This probably means that fighting isn't going to be as easy as I thought.

Crap.

I stop feeling the tingly sensation filling my body.

"Are you done healing me?"

"Yup, you're all better."

"Good," I say as I shove her out of the way, again, and shoot a lightning bolt at a barbarian who was about to decapitate her.

"Okay, what is with you and shoving me?!" Lissa cries at me.

"Your welcome," I smirk. I'm only into the first actual level (I don't count that Validar fight), and I've already made a running gag. "Look, I've saved both you and your brother, so I think you can stand a little shoving."

She gets up, and puts on her pouty face.

"Come on, let's go see if we can find anyone else for you to heal," I say, punching her shoulder playfully.

I pick up the previous barbarian's axe. Stealing weapons is going to be a useful and addictive habit in this world.

A myrmidon jumps out of nowhere.

Oh, shit – BLOCK!

I swing the axe at his neck. I turn away, and close my eyes, not wanting the see the gruesome image. I feel the blood splatter on me, and I hear the head hit the ground. I swallow the feeling to throw up, and just run away. I don't even steal his sword.

A man who appears to be a mercenary spots me and Lissa. He gets killed quickly, and in a considerably less gruesome manner. I put his sword in my belt-holding-thing, and run off again.

The enemies seem to be running low on numbers. I can't see any.

That's good.

On the other hand, I can't see Chrom, Robin, or Frederick.

That's bad.

I hear fighting from in some restaurant named "Mick & Donald's" (I try not to laugh), which I'm pretty sure was the building that had enemies running out of it. With no other leads as to where they could be, I dash in there.

Sure enough, there are Chrom and Robin, fighting off some brigands. I think I see the head baddy somewhere in the back – he's dressed the fanciest.

Frederick's probably helping some citizens evacuate, or something, because I can't find him anywhere. It's a shame. We could have used his over-powered-ness.

I take a look at my axe. In the game, you could throw it, and somehow it would always get back in your hand. It didn't work last time, but it couldn't hurt to try another time, could it? That is, assuming my aim is as good as it was last time.

I pick my target – some mage – and throw the axe at him. Sure enough, it makes contact, but, unfortunately, the axe doesn't return to my hand. It might need some type of magic, or something.

I try to recite the incantation for lightning, but I can't seem to get it right, like I did a few minutes ago while saving Lissa. I reluctantly pull out the tome, and recite the incantation, sending a few bolts into the crowd. Okay, I think I've got that memorized, by now… I turn around just in time to see a barbarian running at me.

Oh shit, dodge! Hit its head with the book!

That was… surprisingly effective. I smashed his head into the wall, knocking him out cold.

I pull out my sword, and finish him off.

So much blood.

I try not to think about that.

I turn to Lissa, "You may want to get out. You know, wait outside or some other place that's safe until we take care of this."

"Sure thing!" she says, hurrying out of the restaurant.

I run into the crowd, sword ready.

I wonder how this place isn't on fire. The rest of the buildings seem to – don't get distracted, Lucas! There's probably some magic or something. Besides, why would they want to set this place on fire, if they're just going to – I SAID CONCENTRATE!

Great. Now one of my worst enemies is my brain.

I cut a mage. And a mercenary. Another mercenary. An annoying myrmidon. I slash at another myrmidon, but he is actually a half-decent fighter, and doesn't get killed right away by the hung-over teen that just picked up a sword a few minutes ago. He strikes back, and I block. I kick at his legs, and he's down. I impale him.

I barely feel anything, this time when I kill.

I wonder if that's healthy.

I look up, and see the guy who appears to be the boss. He's just sitting in some chair, like it's a throne, watching the whole fight. He looks up, and sees me approaching. He gets up, and picks up a huge-ass axe.

I point my sword threateningly, and say, "Last chance to walk away."

Really? Dante, again? And it's a quote from that PlayStation All-Stars game, too! And, besides that, what the hell are you doing?! You can't beat this guy!

The man laughs. "Are you threatening me, you little worm?!"

I shrug, "I admit that it's probably unjustified. Which is why I'd prefer it if you'd decide to walk away. Still, if you won't put down your axe, I'll at least try to stop you."

What are you doing, man?!

He laughs again, "You're not selling yourself very well, boy."

"I like to be honest."

NOW IS NO TIME TO BE A COCKY PRICK!

"Let's just get this over with!"

He jumps at me, swinging his axe down at me.

Roll out of the way – and headfirst into the wall. Shit.

Relax, relax, just try to compose yourself. Wait – don't relax, he's running at you right now shitfuckrolloutoftheway!

I roll out of the way, and this time, not into anything, giving me an actual amount of time to counterattack. I swing my sword at him, and he blocks. I swing again – he blocks.

I actually prefer this type of combat, wherein I'm the one striking, and he can't do anything about it. I definitely have a better chance of living!

This feeling of contentment is very short-lived.

He takes a heavy swing at me, and I just barely block it with my sword.

God, where are Chrom and Robin when you need them?!

Now it's my turn to repeatedly block blows. I'm panicking. What am I going to do? When I notice the tiniest opportunity to strike back, I rush into it, worried that I won't be able to make it. I panic so hard that I accidentally speak the lightning incantation spell right before I strike.

I freak out. My sword is electrified, and knocks the axe out of the man's hands. He's stunned. I'm stunned. But I do a pretty good job at hiding it.

Not passing up the opportunity to look like a badass, I point my sword at his neck. There's panic in his eyes.

"Told you to walk away," I say, just before I run him through.

AN: This chapter is definitely darker than that last one. I guess that's what happens when you start stabbing people.
Glad to hear that you guys seemed to like that last chapter! Again, any suggestions, don't hesitate to tell me. The next chapter's going to be really short. See ya!