Chapter 2

Two sides...

Far ahead he ran, ahead of the group and away from the town. His legs carrying him far and fast without any real reason. (Why am I running?) he thought to himself, his legs finally stopping in front of a large tree. "You flee because it is best." he heard in his head. (You, what or who are you! Who am I?) he thought to himself, slumping down resting on the tree. The bark pricked into his back, making him wince a bit. "You are something glorious child, In time I will tell you who you truly are, until then heed my words. I will tell you your name."

(You didn't tell me sooner because?)

"There was no opportune moment, you chose to ignore my warnings and proceeded to make work for me." the voice continued.

(So those flames were your-)

"Ours, those flames are ours, you can use them as well afterall, we're the same, you and I."

(My name is?) he thought impatiently.

"My my, boy I tell you this by choice, not because I must, you knowing your name changes not a thing." the voice continued ending in a small chuckle.

(Please, just tell me. I want to know at least my name.) he thought, looking down again at his book.

"Your name is Robin." it said.

"Robin." he mused aloud, inspecting the name. Hearing it he felt nothing, no warmth or emotion, his name was his name nothing more and nothing less.

"Are you displeased by your name? You seem unhappy." it asked him.

"I now know my name, and for that I thank you, whomever you may be. Or whatever in this case." Robin said.

"You'll know my name soon enough, stay here for now, we'll have a guest in a couple of minutes, simply stand, do not attack." the voice said, fading.

"What?" There was no response, the voice had gone silent. Robin waited, sitting by the large tree, he looked around seeing nothing, hearing nothing. Crick*, a stick or twig was broken nearby. (Was that the guest? I didn't hear any footsteps till now, how could they be so close?) Robin thought, standing at attention book in hand. The breaking sound grew louder, the earth near Robin began to quake and rumble and rupture, releasing one ashen being before his very eyes. Its skin grey and eyes glowed crimson, jet black hair spewed from its scalp, looking parched. armed only with an axe.

"By the gods what demon is this!?" Robin cried out. He frantically turned the pages of his book, hoping to cast his fire spell. It let out a guttural roar charging at him axe in hand ready to swing and split him in two. Robin's book did nothing, he fumbled it before dodging barely as the axe cut where his head would have been. The creature stared at him with its soulless eyes, yanking the axe from the tree's trunk. "Help someone!" Robin called, trying to flee, the monster charged once more after him, axe in hand swinging violently cutting down all obstacles in its path. Robin dared not look behind as he keep running, weaving in between the trees, he understood the sound of them falling meant he was no further from it as it was before. For just one moment he turned back, seeing the beast charging toward him, he slammed head first into a tree in his path falling over onto his back. The beast loomed above him, ready to cleave him in two. (So this is where it ends. I learn my name and now I die.) Robin closed his eyes, waiting for the blow.

"Don't just stand there, fight!" he heard called toward him. He opened his eyes and saw the creature's attention diverted, focusing instead on a young man in a mask adorned in dark blue clothing holding the axe back it's with an odd sword.

(That looks familiar.) he thought getting up off the ground.

"Don't just stand there, help!" he called out, jumping backward as the creature used it's force to overpower him.

"Right!" he yelled, flipping through the pages once more. ( I really wish I knew what I was doing.) he thought, focusing on the creature.

"I will not help you. Such would give away the nature of us. Use that stick there." He heard clear as day. Without question Robin closed his book throwing it to the side and grabbed a sharp stick created from the monster's rampage.

"Keep it distracted!" Robin yelled, preparing to charge.

"Fine!" the masked boy yelled, deflecting each of the creatures attacks away from his body. Robin charged forward, leaping into the air onto the creature's back.

"DIE!" he yelled, jamming the stick into the bulky beast's neck.
"URHG" it moaned, the red glow from it's eyes vanishing, it's body faded into a puff of purple smoke sending Robin falling onto the ground.

Robin stood up looking around for some instance of the creature's presence, but he found none save for the damage caused previously. "I didn't just imagine that did I?" he asked the masked boy who approached him.

"No, you did not." he replied calmly, sheathing his sword.

"Do you know what that was?" Robin asked, tossing his stick aside.

"A sign of worse troubles to come." he said, turning around. "You're welcome for the assistance, but I have other matters to attend to.

"Er, yes, thank you for that, had you not arrived earlier I'd have been cut in two by that thing. Might I travel with you?"

"They are Risen."

"Risen?"

"They are creatures created by the Fell Dragon Grima, his minions, whose only purpose is increase the dead, thus increasing their numbers." the boy added.
"So this Grima is nearby then?" Robin asked.

"There's no way of knowing for sure, Grima is currently not awakened, at least not fully, the Risen merely mean that Grima's will is active and reviving them to do his bidding. He may awaken soon, which would spell disaster for not only Ylisse but the world as well."

"Just who or what is this Grima?" Robin proceeded to ask, his curiosity peaked.

"As I've said before he is a dragon, one whose call is a deathknell to man, he exists solely for the purpose of ending mankind and casting all into despair. And to answer your previous question, you may not. I suggest you get some practice with that spellbook of yours, it doesn't do much good if you don't know how to cast from it." he added, beginning to walk away.

"I'm Robin, what might I ask is the name of my rescuer?" he felt a small amount of anger toward him for that comment, the reason eluded him.

"You may call me Marth." he added, before finally disappearing behind the foliage in the distance.

"Marth… I'll remember that name to be certain." Robin said aloud. looking over at his book on the dirt. Walking over to retrieve it he saw an orange glow in the distance, he carefully approached it trying to make as little sound as possible.

Chrom and his ally Frederick sat on logs by the fire, meat roasting over it. "Do you think we'll find him?" Chrom asked, staring into the flame.

"We will, for certain milord. No one would be mad enough to wander the forest at night." Frederick added.

"But he's not necessarily in his right mind you assume."

"I doubt he has amnesia, and I also doubt that he is as friendly as he states. He may have saved the townsfolk from the brigands but we've no way of knowing what he planned to do to them afterward. Not to mention he was needlessly cruel when dealing with them. Were it you or I we may have killed them, but no doubt not in front of a child." he said calmly, reaching for a piece of meat from over the flame.

"Yes, I suppose, and if we don't find him ourselves certainly this meat roasting will draw him near." Chrom and Frederick both laughed a bit. Robin's stomach grumbled in the distance, neither seemed to notice.

"Milord, I'm going to foray ahead, perhaps I'll find some clues of his whereabouts that we might not find otherwise during the day."

"Very well, be safe."
"Milord, please remember who you speak to." they both heard a rustling in the bushes beside their camp.

"Show yourself." Frederick called, grabbing his lance.

"Calm down, it's just me!" A small girl with blonde hair walked into camp, twigs and leaves in her hair.

"Lissa, we both told you to stay in town, it's too dangerous, we've no idea the things that man is capable of."

"Not to mention he never gave us his name. If we don't find him tomorrow we'll have no choice but to alert the border guard to not allow anyone with white hair into or out of the land." "How hard could it be to notice a man in a Grimleal cloak with white hair? If he even goes close to any towns he'll be noticed for sure." Lissa laughed.

"Perhaps, but what if he were to make it to Plegia, or even manage to find his way off the continent by ship, we can't post border guards along the entire nation." Frederick added, before taking a bite of his skewered meat.

"What is that? It smells like an old boot."

"Bear." Chrom replied frankly, grabbing a piece of meat for himself. "Would you like some?"

The conversation continued back and forth, Robin was beginning to grow impatient.

"You don't need their food. You can just as easily find your own." the voice said to him.

"How?" Robin whispered back to the voice.

"Use our book, we'll cook whatever you find with it."

"The book isn't very reliable, I nearly died if you recall."

"You were never truly in any danger."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"If you were in any danger obviously I would have stepped in to assist you, you handled yourself well enough even without using our power." the voice quickly responeded.

"Theoretically, what would you do if I turned myself over to them?" Robin muttered, awaiting a response.

"Nothing." the voice said.

"Alright then." Robin whispered back. He continued to watch them as they laid under the stars, putting the fire out and dozed off to sleep. Robin then set off, seeking his own food.