A/N: These are not my characters. A review, like, and/or favorite would be greatly appreciated.
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Robin had seen the attack coming.
Ever since he had received word of the parley with Validar, the thought of a trap was at the forefront of his thoughts. And although the two of them had met less than three times, Robin knew how twisted that man was. The memory of their last encounter was still burned into the back of his mind – Validar had almost taken control of him. Robin knew what he was capable of. But even so, Validar was his father. Wishful thinking or not, Robin had some false hope that just maybe the parley would work out. He wanted to believe that the arrangement would be completed peacefully. He wanted to believe that his father wasn't truly evil - that his father would change, that Robin could salvage what was left of that man. And so he guided the Shepherds to the throne of Validar, making sure that they were well-armed and ready for combat.
Give me the Fire Emblem.
All too quickly, the tides started to shift. Ten minutes had not passed before the Shepherds knew that any chance for a peaceful agreement was gone. To say they were cornered would have been an understatement - at Validar's command, hundreds of mages blocked all places of entry and exit, surrounding the group. Robin anticipated a trap, not an army. For a country crippled by war, the sheer size of Plegia's army was mortifying.
To Robin, it seemed as though time itself had become twisted. In the span of just a second, the Plegians had cornered them. But for what seemed like an eternity, both armies stood head-to-head, glowering at each other in burning silence and heated still.
"RUN!" Chrom bellowed, breaking the stare down. And all at once, everything started to snap back to reality.
The Shepherds didn't have to be told twice. The soldiers fanned out, quickly and efficiently eliminating most of the surrounding Plegians before racing down and out of the central corridor. Arrows rained down from above, impeding their progress and injuring those without shields. Mire tomes boomed at all sides, threatening to tear apart their ranks. But never once did they stop, for stopping meant certain death.
Robin gritted his teeth as a tomahawk grazed his leg. He casted Arcthunder in response, causing his aggressor to drop to the floor. The battle had drawn on for too long. Validar's palace was looking more and more like a madhouse – the whole floor itself became a maze, making it nigh impossible for the Shepherds to advance in the correct direction. And out of every corridor, staircase, and room crept more and more Plegian reinforcements. This wasn't about Sable anymore. This was about making it out alive.
Robin's ears throbbed from the deafening blares of explosions, and his throat ached from the lack of water. Limping, the tactician pressed on to the next room, exhaustion pushing his body to its limits. Beside him, Chrom was having similar issues, finding it difficult to clash blades with a large gash on his arm. Robin stole a glance back at the Shepherds. All of them were wounded: Lissa, Maribelle, and Libra simply couldn't keep up. They all desperately needed healing and rest.
But they couldn't. Not with the best Plegian archers aimed at their heads. Not with all of the sorcerers firing off bolts of magic. Not with all of the swordsmen at their tail, relentless in pursuit.
"ALMOST THERE!" Chrom yelled over the fighting.
Never in his life was Robin so overjoyed to spot an exit. His spirits rose as escape seemed just strides away. A good portion of the Plegian army had been eliminated, and the distance separating the Shepherds and the pursuing soldiers became greater and greater. Beside him, Lissa made her way to the frontlines with the war report – none had died, but all had been wounded. Victory was drawing nigh.
And then everything happened in an instant.
In a blinding flash of light, Validar materialized and casted Arcwind, sending Chrom spiraling backwards onto his knees.
"FATHER!" Lucina cried out, before being knocked to the ground by the same spell.
The palace turned to an eerie quiet. Robin stood, slack-jawed, at what had just happened. Quickly, he unsheathed his own sword before-
Give me the Fire Emblem.
Robin dropped the blade, sending the metallic sound reverberating throughout the passage. He suddenly clutched his head, his ragged breath reduced to short, desperate gasps. It was as if Validar's armies were within Robin's brain, waging war on his entire being.
Give me the Fire Emblem.
The words screamed again in Robin's head, infiltrating all of his thoughts, memories, and desires. Mustering the last ounces of his strength and willpower, he resisted. Robin couldn't afford to lose now. The Shepherds were counting on him to stay strong.
GIVE ME THE FIRE EMBLEM.
The words screamed louder this time, louder and louder until Robin could no longer think. Until he could no longer control his body. Until he was no longer aware of Chrom, desperately pleading him to stop the madness. Streaks of red started to engulf his eyes as dark energy began to course through his veins. And at that moment, the Robin that the Shepherds knew was gone. He had simply ceased to exist.
The tactician handed Validar the Fire Emblem. But the orders in his brain didn't stop. Instead, the words screamed louder than ever.
SLAUGHTER THEM ALL! LEAVE NONE REMAINING!
None had died, but all had been wounded – they were all weak, tired, and powerless.
All were wounded, and now all will die. Before anyone could stop him, Robin casted a beam of Thoron in an arc, felling every last Shepherd.
And he turned to back Validar, who was still cackling madly.
The Plegian king stared at him straight in the eye, before sudden realization shocked him.
Before Validar could warp away from the room, Robin killed him too.
It was over.
Game Over.
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The end is never the end. Questions? Feedback? Concerns? Feel free to PM me - I will try and respond to as many as I can.