I don't own Fire Em- do I really need to repeat this every time? I'm not Nintendo, like, at all.
Book One - Chapter I: Naga's Promise
?
So, you've finally awoken haven't you? How... troubling.
To think after everything everyone of us went through to seal you away, you'd find another way back...
It doesn't bode well... who and what brought you back? You foul abomination...
It seems more than just his power is required... I must do my best to see to it that he is defeated, no matter the cost...it seems, I have need to interfere... I need to bring him back.
Return to us, Robin!
Robin
"Gah!" My eyes shot open and immediately I pushed myself up straight.
"Where am I-holy..." I spaced off, captivated by the mystical scenery. From above the sky was a clear ciel blue with only small tufts of clouds decorating its surface, everything seemed as though it were in stasis while underneath the still and unwavering sky. The ground was covered in water, as it had soaked my back upon my awakening, but even with that small hindrance, the way it sparkled as it reflected the scenery in the air made up for it.
"-Well the view is nice and all, but where am I?" I asked out loud. "The last thing I remember at all is the... ah that's right. I'm dead aren't I?" I sighed and looked towards the near still sky.
This must be the afterlife huh? Cordelia's gonna kill me for breaking that promise... oh wait. I'm already dead aren't I?
"Impressive to see you have risen already, Awakener."
"What?" I turned around, surprised to see someone besides me here.
"It is truly a surprise to see you again, Robin." the same person said, a woman most likely from the way she sounded.
My mouth nearly dropped agape when I saw who was speaking. By the gods... or god right in front of me, it was Naga!
"N-no way, is that you Naga?" I asked stupefied.
Naga's closed eyes slanted a little in amusement, "Indeed, I reside over the people of your world from here."
"So this is where... what does that mean for me?"
"It was a bit sudden for me too, Robin." Naga responded. "Your physical form was not meant to recover so quickly and so suddenly. Even I wonder as to what this foretells"
"So I wasn't supposed to come back yet? Then what am I doing here?"
"That I do not know, however... I wonder..." Naga's expression turned grim as she spoke.
"What seems to be the problem?" I asked.
"Two events have certainly sparked my interest." she responded. "First was the battle with Grima that took place only one year ago in your world, when he was defeated it would only make sense for him power to take residence in your soul, would it not?" I nodded in agreement.
"But only one of the fell dragon's power can be sensed in your soul right now, any trace of the fell dragon of the future has simply been... erased, gone, without a trace. Strange, is it not?"
"So he's... not here..." I rested my hand on my chest.
"And, there are the recurring events in that of other worlds."
"You mentioned that before, what do you mean other worlds?" I asked.
"It is just as I said it Robin, yours is not the only realm in existence, there are many others, governed by those who preside over them such as myself."
"Interesting," I replied. "Are they anything like the outrealms?"
"Similar, yet so different, for each realm houses legends, destined to conquer their oncoming despairs."
"Like... Grima?"
Naga nodded, "Yes, Grima was your world's despair, yet your adventure remained unhindered, yes?"
"What do you mean by unhindered?" I asked.
"There were no outside forces other than myself and Grima involved in that battle, the wheel of fate was left untouched by those of any outside force." Naga replied.
"Well if you put it like that... I guess there really wasn't anything that disturbed the fight we had with Grima, or any other war for that matter..."
"Indeed, yet and unknown presence has begun to interfere with these worlds, creating imbalance and threatening to spread the influence of darkness all across the spacial realms."
"That's... not good," I cursed, "What does this threat want, I wonder?"
Naga shook her head in disappointment, "I do not know myself, yet it is clear that they mean harm upon us. What they plan on doing likely will bring doom and destruction to us all..."
"Damn, so even after all that, there's still another threat out there? What do we do? Should we bring together the Sheperds?"
"I cannot fully rely on those of a singular world to interfere with that of another, it would break an oath made by us dragons long ago." Naga shook her head.
"Well who says I can't break the rules? It's not like I'm currently bound to your realm right now am I?" I asked.
Naga seemed hesitant to accept my conjecture.
"If there's already someone interfering with these other worlds, wouldn't the laws already have been broken? So "I'm" just going there to fix what the original intruder is trying to ruin, right?"
Naga sighed, which was scary, since I've never seen her move out of the "holy being" image before. "Your logic proves soundly, much to my regret, it would seem I've no choice but to forego the ancient rules we set in place..."
"Don't worry Naga, I'll do what I can to stop this force. I swear it." I promised.
"What of those who await your return? Could you really resist the urge to meet them once again?"
That surprised me, didn't think Naga would bring my family into this...
"I think... If I were to leave the fate of the spacial outrealms and not do anything... they would be severely disappointed in me, wouldn't they?" I reasoned. "Cordy wouldn't leave me be for quite a while..."
"... I see, so this is your final decision then?" Naga sighed, most likely to my stubbornness.
"Yea, I won't leave this force alone, especially if he's causing problems in other worlds, who's to say he won't bring harm to my friends?"
"Very well Awakener, you have shown your resolve, take this with you." Naga held up her hand and surrounded it in a warm green aura, forming a small green stone in his hands.
"What's this?" I asked as I took it in my hand.
"It is a stone holding my power over the boundaries of time and space. It shall provide you with a way to traverse the spacial boundaries between the different worlds. It shall be a key of sorts."
"So this thing..." I held the stone in awe, it looked like the kind of gems they put in jewelry... hope I don't get robbed...
"Thank you Naga, for putting your trust in me, I won't let you down!" I clenched my fist.
Naga showed a small smile on her face. "It seems you are willing enough to make yet another sacrifice aren't you? I thank you for your selflessness Robin, and ask for your forgiveness."
I shook my head. "This was a decision of my making Naga, don't concern yourself with that, I just happen to be a magnet when it comes to trouble is all." I said with a sigh.
"Regardless, I must award you for many of your efforts... I see, yes... hmhm." Naga laughed quietly, which gave me the creeps, never seen her do that before.
"I will leave with you a gift once you reach your first destination, this is something I believe will be a gift worthy of your sacrifices. Have you checked your cloak for whatever you still have from the last battle?" she asked.
Realizing I hadn't done so, I quickly searched the pockets of my cloak, pulling out an all too familiar white tome and black sword.
"Huh, I maybe should have checked myself earlier, huh? Well there does the weapon problem though, these two never seemed to wear down or break ever since Chrom found me..."
"These weapons..." Naga's eyes, well slanted harder upon inspection of my weapons of choice.
"Yea, these things." I said holding them up. "The sword is actually really light, but sharp, kinda like Chrom's, but the tome on the other hand, is capable of letting out spells I've already used once before, so basically all magic." I said.
"I should have known..." Naga whispered.
"Huh?"
"With these weapons at your side, I presume your adventures will be much swifter indeed, yet it would be wise to let those you fight alongside grow as well, remember that." Naga warned.
"Yea, it always is best to let your comrades do what they can in the fight, helps in battles where numbers matter later." I reminded myself. "I better use fairly weak magic for now, huh?"
"That would be wise, Robin." Naga said. "I wish you luck on this journey, and hope that after this is done, you will truly make your way back home." Naga snapped her fingers and the green stone I'd been holding grew brighter in my hand.
"Wh-whoa!" I winced as the growing light completely surrounded me and swallowed me in its light.
Before my vision went out I heard Naga say one last thing. "Good luck, -."
...What? Who's, -
My vision went dark, along with my consciousness.
?
"How are the experiments progressing?" I held the new report in my hand. Walking along with a man in a white cloak, most likely from the research department.
"The data collected from the Hol and Nul stones have provided us with a spectacular jump in progress! I believe the development of the two keys you told us to work on will be completed in time!" the scientist exclaimed excitedly.
"Have the catalysts been prepared?" I asked looking up.
"Indeed, the tome crafted from ancient magics and a sword forged through the most tenuous metal, yes? They have been completed and been set in for you to check before we begin, sir."
"Alright, that's good. We're once step closer to what we wish to achieve." I said. "Show me the fruits of our labor, will you?"
"Of course! It's just past here!" We stopped and he gestured to the door in front, guarded by that of two knights. He gave them a not so subtle nod and they stepped aside to open the door.
"Feast your eyes upon them sir! The white tome named after a sorcerer of countless magics, the unlimited - Mataru, and the black sword named after a warrior of peerless skill, the empowerer – Maraku. Fitting name for weapons such as these, are they not?"
"Indeed, no name could possibly be worthier. From here on, every step we take in this department will remain under strict safety protocol, understood? No one knows what could happen now that the two keys have been created." I ordered.
"Understood sir!"
"I turned around and headed back to my office with a smirk, everything was going just according to schedule."
Robin
"Ugh..." I groaned as I opened my eyes. I was greeted by the unfamiliar feeling of fur under my head. "What a dream... those weapons though... they looked familiar..."
"Where... am I?" I asked myself, I seemed to be asking that question quite a bit now.
I took a long look around hoping to understand exactly where I was, "Looks like a hut, but who found me?" I asked aloud as I pushed myself off the bed.
My eyes darted around the room until the fell upon my tactician robe handing off the wall. I hurried over to it and hastily put it on. "Thank goodness I still have this, I feel kind of naked without it." I joked.
Feeling something moving around in my cloak I rummaged through my pockets analyzing what I had.
"I knew I saw those weapons in that dream before, it's these two." I said holding up my tome and sword. Each looking strikingly similar to the same ones in my dream. "The white tome, Mataru and the black sword, Maraku, huh?"
I quickly sheathed them, "What else is there?" I started checking every pocket. "Huh? No way..." I gasped as I pulled out an intricate silver locket.
Hoping it was what I thought it was, I opened it, a smirk escaping my lips. "I-it really is... this must be Naga's gift to me... isn't it?" I sighed.
Inside of the locket was a photo, one taken a bit before the battle against Grima, when every one of my children from the future were found.
Cordelia and I stood in the center with me holding a two year old Severa over my shoulders, her face bore a smile much different in contrast to her future self who gave barely even a hint of a smile in the picture. Cordelia looked over the overwhelmed Marc and Morgan who were each holding their younger selves. Morgan showing the goofiest smile she could muster in an attempt to make them laugh, while Marc showed the utmost caution in holding his past self, afraid he was going to drop him.
"Thanks Naga, this... is a wonderful gift. I thought I left this back at camp..." I sighed and looked through my inner pockets and pulled out a bag of... vials filled to the brim with green liquid. "And what the hell is this?" I asked as I inspected them.
Giving up I shoved them back into their pouch and back into the pocket I found them in. "No matter, anyway, let's get a good look at myself, shall we?" I hovered over to the mirror at the far corner of the house, near the bed where I woke up.
When I saw myself, I let out a painstaking groan. "I know we had to go to strenuous measures to ensure that I fit in, but... did she have to make me look even younger than when I first met Chrom?" I asked the mirror as I pinched at the remaining baby fat on my cheek. "I look about... seventeen at the most, so I guess I'll go with that." I said as I inspected my jawline.
I wandered around the place for a bit before lugging myself back onto the bed I was resting in. "This is nice and all, but... who lives here?" I wondered.
And to speak of the devil, the sound of the curtain entrance being flapped open caused me to sit up.
"Oh! It seems you're awake now." the girl who entered exclaimed.
The girl looked about sixteen if I used my new age as a reference (Using Japanese game for reference btw) and had some of the most breathtaking green hair that I had ever seen. In fact I was pretty sure the only one I know of to have green hair was Naga.
"Y-yea... sorry for intruding." I laughed awkwardly as I scratched my head.
"Do not concern yourself with that, I found you on the plains unconscious. It would have been dangerous to have just left you there." she responded maturely.
"Regardless, I must thank you, miss..."
"Lyn." she hastily responded. "I am Lyn, of the Lorca tribe. What is your name traveler?" she asked.
"My name is Robin, I'm a traveling tactician of sorts." I responded.
"Your name is Robin you say?" she grinned. "What an odd-sounding name, you clearly must not be from around here."
"H-hey, I take offense to that," I complained.
Lyn laughed. "Pay me no mind sir Robin, it is a good name." she took a few deep breaths. "But I can see by your attire that you are a traveler. What brought you here, to the Sacae plains?" she asked.
"I-is that where we are? The plains of Sacae, huh?" I sighed. "If that's the case, then... I'm probably lost. I have no idea how I got here to be honest with you Lyn."
"I see... that is quite unfortunate, for you to have forgotten how you got here that is..." Lyn sighed.
Just then, the two of us stopped in our tracks as we heard the sounds of yelling outside.
"Hmm? What was that?" Lyn asked. "I'll go see what's happening. Robin you should wait here."
"I don't know, maybe I should come with..." I said concerned.
"Do not trouble yourself, I'll be right back." She said as she darted out the hut.
Immediately after she came running back in. "Oh no! There's bandits!" she exclaimed as she started rummaging through her cabinets. "They must have come down from the Bern Mountains to raid the local villages!" She hastily pulled out a katana from the very interior of a closet.
"How many?" I asked as I got out of the bed.
"About two, but if it's just that many, then maybe I can handle them on my own." She said as she turned to leave. "You'll be safe if you stay in here Robin." she declared before setting out.
"W-wait... and she's gone. Dammit she's just like Chrom!" I groaned to myself. I quickly took out my sword and set out after her.
"Hey Lyn!" I called out.
"What? What are you..."
"I'm going to help, I can fight."
"But didn't you say you were a-"
"Tactician? Yes, but that doesn't mean I like to just stay back and let others do the fighting for me." I hastily interrupted.
"I-I... very well, I would appreciate the assistance Robin." she nodded.
"Alright!" I grinned as I looked around. One bandit was to the far side from where we were, while the other was trying his best to get inside the village.
"Lyn, I'll take the guy over there out! You deal with the guy trying to get into the village!" I ordered.
"R-right!" She said as she ran over to the village.
I ran at my own pace until I got in view of the bandit I was heading for, who, once he saw me, started trudging over to me himself.
"Haha! Found a straggler o'er here!" He laughed as he raised his axe high.
"Easy does it big guy!" I joked as I dodged his fairly slow and easy to read attack.
"Graaa!" he yelled as he swung again. "Not even a challenge I sighed."
Deciding to end it quickly I parried his attack and quickly shoved the length of my blade deep into his stomach, pulling it out just as quick to hear him fall to the ground with a thud.
"I told you... easy does it..." I sighed in boredom as I head on over to where Lyn was.
Lyn and the big guy near the village were quite equally match, a little too much for Robin's taste.
Lyn looked to be on her last legs, but so did the other guy. I quickly headed on over as fast as I could to take part before anything drastic happened.
But just before I was able to make it over, the big guy attacked. Lyn sidestepped it much to my relief, and took a stance I was sure was Astra formation. She separated into three different afterimages before disappearing completely and reappeared immediately after with her sword sheathed. The bandit's chest exploded in a stream of blood from three simultaneous sword wounds.
"That... was mighty impressive..." I whistled.
Lyn, now satisfied with her results headed over towards me.
"That was really impressive!" I exclaimed. "H-how did you do that?"
"I-it was nothing." she said, flustered. "It is an ancient Sacae sword technique used only by the swords woman of our tribe."
"I see, it looked really similar to a different sword technique I've seen before is all." I said impressed.
"I-Is that so?" she asked interested.
"To be honest though Lyn." I said seriously, which changed the mood. "That was dangerous, I underestimated that guy's strength, should have been more careful bringing you to fight him alone." I apologized.
"N-no," she said. "It just means that I'll need to get stronger if I'm going to survive, is all..." she clenched her fist. "Strong enough so that no one can defeat me!"
She looked over back at me. "Thank you Robin, let's head back shall we?"
I simply nodded in response.
A Day Later
Lyn and I were having breakfast together, today was also the day I had decided I was going to set out. I was intruding enough with my stay from yesterday anyway.
"U-um..." Lyn started, which got my attention.
"Say, Robin. There was something I had wished to speak with you about." Lyn said. "You have some experience in the ways of war as I could see from yesterday."
"Oh, you have no idea." I quietly murmured, enough so that she couldn't hear.
"In order for me to improve... would you allow me to accompany you on your travels?" she asked.
My eyes widened a little. I wasn't against it, but it definitely took me by surprise.
"I don't mind," I said. "But, would your parents approve?" I asked, immediately regretting my decision once I saw the saddened look on her face.
"My mother and father... died six months ago." she whispered. "My people... the Lorca... they don't... I-I'm the last of my tribe." she said, tearing up. "Bandits attacked, and... they killed so many people. The tribe scattered... I-I wanted to protect everyone... but... I was so young... and the tribe was so old fashioned... no one would follow a woman." she cried. "No one... would follow me..."
Somberly, I headed over to the sobbing Lyn and patted her head bringing her closer to mine. I leaned my head forward and bumped our foreheads together. "It's ok Lyn, I'm here with you..." I whispered.
We stayed like that for a little while until she calmed down, she was only a young girl after all, I didn't blame her for crying after everything she'd been through.
"I-I'm sorry." she sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "I've just been alone for so long... I... No." she shook her head. "No more... no more tears." she reassured herself.
Once she had recovered, she looked me in the eyes. "Thank you, Robin. I-I must become stronger, so that one day, I may avenge my father's death, and bring back my people." she declared. "And to do that, I cannot stay here, the battle from yesterday has taught me that, so I ask again. Will you allow me to travel with you?" she asked once again.
I smiled. "Of course, you're my friend now Lyn, and after hearing all of that, how could I refuse?" I held out my hand. "Here's to our partnership." I declared.
"Indeed." Lyn said as she shook my hand. "To our partnership."
We looked at each other after breaking the handshake and laughed.
"However," Lyn interrupted as she caught her breath. "What was that... thing you did to comfort me? Is that normal?" she said referring to the light headbutt I performed on her.
"Oh that?" I smiled. "It was... a way my friend used to comfort me. Whenever things never went my way, I felt useless sometimes and blamed myself for it. But he would always come over and do what I did to you... albeit a lot harder, so much so that my head hurts thinking about it." I sighed rubbing my head.
"Pfft, that must have been one interesting friend." Lyn laughed.
"Yea... he certainly was. God I have so many stories about him, there was the time in the kitchen, then there's the posters, and don't even get me started on the baths." I reminisced.
"He sounds like an interesting person." Lyn commented. "I would love to meet him one day."
A small smile formed on my face. "Yea... I'm sure the two of you would be great friends." I said.
"Anyway let's head out shall we?" Lyn suggested. "We'll be better off working together don't you think? You'll be my master strategist! And I'll be your peerless warrior! We can do it, right?" she said reassuringly.
I held my head in my hands in the nostalgia. "This... is oddly like..." I shook my head. "You know what? Never mind, wait for me Lyn!" I cried out as I set after her.
?
He has finally set out... yet I fear as he is now, he stands no chance against -
He must gather new allies, and accumulate newer strength. Such is the power, those weapons of his holds...
Please Robin, you must not fail. No matter what.
I felt pretty ok about this one, not as confident as the cooler one in the prologue, but I think I'm making Robin and Lyn's personalities out pretty well. And if you're worried about the reemergence of Morgan and Marc, don't worry. They are just as prominent in this story as Robin's gonna be. So stay tuned til the next one! I'll be posting more after finals!