PRIMUS LIBER FUTURAE TESTIS
Act 1: Peace Deterrence
"Here the truceless armies yet
Trample, rolled in blood and sweat;
They kill and kill and never die;
And I think that each is I.
None will part us, none undo
The knot that makes one flesh of two,
Sick with hatred, sick with pain,
Strangling—When shall we be slain?
When shall I be dead and rid
Of the wrong my father did?
How long, how long, till spade and hearse
Put to sleep my mother's curse?"
Ylisstol - Four Years After Dragonfall
"Cordy!"
Cordelia smiled. In truth she found this word disagreeable, but the Captain of the Pegasus Knights, guardians of Ylisse and the Exalt himself, was careful to be gentle in her correction. "No. Say Cordelia. Say Cordelia. Can you do that for me?"
"Cordy!"
Again Cordelia attempted a correction, and again the erroneous attempt at her name was repeated. This brought her little in the way of frustration. The smile on her face grew wider with every passing moment, as the veteran knight actually found the exchange quite adorable. The subject of her attention, held tightly yet gently in her steel plated arms, was the youngest of the Exalt's four daughters. Cynthia, branded with the title of "The Younger" from the moment her mother's pregnancy became known to differentiate her from her time displaced instance, was in her third year of life now. While an observer could see the features of her older self beginning to manifest, the princess was still barely more than a frail thing, half alive as it were. As the poet would say, her parents were strong and she was weak, but one day she would be strong and they weak.
The Captain of the Pegasus Knights made one last effort to correct Cynthia's attempt at her name, but again she repeated the same two syllable response. Giving up, Cordelia nuzzled the toddler as she spoke indirectly to her mother. "Oh. She's adorable, Sumia. She's three right?"
Sumia, a Pegasus Knight made Queen of Ylisse, gave a smile of her own as she watched her longtime friend playfully bounce the youngest of her daughters. "Yes. She just turned three. She's growing so fast isn't she?"
"It seems like just yesterday she was born. Severa's the same way. I swear she gets bigger every time I see her. Oh, a part of me wishes they'd stay little forever."
Sumia nodded as she looked down to her dress, an elegant blue and gold garment adorned with jewelry. As Queen she was bestowed with many such dresses, all extensive displays of splendor, and truthfully she had little connection to any of them. About the only thing notable to her about the diamond pendant she currently wore around her neck, for example, was that it gave her something to fiddle with when she was bored or deep in thought. The Queen now found herself doing just that as she thought about Cordelia's words. As a strange feeling took her. She too felt a twinge of sadness as she thought about her babies aging before her eyes, but her heart warmed when she remembered her eldest daughters—proof of what they could someday be. "Yeah, but at least we know what strong young women they'll grow into."
Cordelia set the younger Cynthia down on the ground, smiling as she watched her assume the standard squatting position of a toddler; feet wide apart with the bottom close to the ground. "It's odd, isn't it? We knew what they would be like before they were even born… although we didn't learn the truth about Lucina until her younger self was brought into the world."
Sumia's smile returned as she heard the sounds of little footsteps behind her. "Speaking of Lucina-"
"Aunt Cordelia!"
Cordelia quickly knelt down and scooped the young girl in question into her arms as she ran, almost leapt, into them. The third born of the Exalt's daughters, and yet the one destined to inherit the throne, Lucina "the Younger" was four years old now. While one may feel tempted to simply describe all small children as just that and little else, more dedicated observers could see that there were many differences between the two younger princesses. Though she had just a year over Cynthia, the younger Lucina had grown quite rapidly. A toddler no more, she could now walk, jump, skip, and sprint. Never did she crawl anymore, nor did she assume the crouching position of toddlers as her sister was currently doing. As her motor control developed, so too did her psychology, and the young girl now combined these in ways babes could not. Whereas Cynthia and the other young children of the Shepherds would cry and scream when upset, Lucina could now vent her frustrations in tantrums. She could grab and throw, and she could strike and slap. Though she was growing out of her "It's mine" phase, Lucina now had the intelligence to steal, and she could scheme to acquire things not immediately within her reach. Sumia could even recall a time she'd stolen a noblewoman's unattended necklace before blaming a hapless servant (much to said servant's chagrin when Chrom initially took her word). In terms of language, Lucina could now speak coherent sentences and possessed a vocabulary of about fifteen hundred words. She could follow two step commands (such as "Bring the ball to daddy") without fault, and more complex problems could be grasped if they weren't overly contrived. Not all of this development in language was positive, as Lucina now had the ability to lie. Sumia noted that while she wasn't very convincing with outright fabrications, she was becoming quite proficient with lies of omission, and she had a tendency to assign blame to anyone but herself when criticized. For their part Chrom and Sumia made sure to take the time to teach her right from wrong as she continued to grow and learn, but it wasn't always easy. Lucina was head strong and determined, and it wasn't easy to change her behavior once it had become a pattern.
Though she was becoming a handful, Sumia was proud of her daughter. While her current accomplishments amounted to little more than becoming a healthy young girl, Sumia was confident from the examples set by her father and older self that she would grow into a kind and just leader.
"Did you bring me a present, Aunt Cordelia?! Did you bring me a present?!"
Cordelia lifted the future sovereign above her head and playfully spun her around. Cordelia and Sumia were so close that they'd become a regular part of the lives of each other's children. The princesses grew up thinking of Cordelia as an aunt, and it helped that her Captaincy generally had her stay in Ylisstol. Cordelia in turn showered them with affection whenever she got the chance, but it was the occasional gift that Lucina would most remember. "Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm here on an assignment, but I'll make sure to bring you something as soon as I can."
"Come on, Aunt Cordelia!"
Cordelia set the princess down, only for her to step forward and cling to her leg. "I'm sorry, I don't-"
"Come aw-hah-haaaawwwwn!"
"Lucina!" Sumia shot. "Cordelia gets you those gifts to be nice. You don't get one every time."
Lucina kicked at the ground in frustration, covering Cordelia's boot in dirt. "That's not fair!"
"LUCINA!"
The princess became pacified, and she looked up to Cordelia in remorse. "I'm sorry, Aunt Cordelia."
The Captain smiled to show there was no anger on her behalf. "Hey, next time. How about that?"
"But that's not a promise, Lucina. She doesn't have to bring you anything." Sumia stated as she picked up her daughter and set her down by her sister. "Now be good or I'll send you back to the palace."
"But I want to see my big sister!"
"And you can, but only if you're good." Lucina nodded and pulled two carved figurines from her clothing to entertain herself as her mother turned back to Cordelia. "Chrom is having you meet her here then?"
Cordelia reflexively straightened her posture, as she now spoke of matters pertaining to her duty. "Yes. I actually suggested Chrom allow me to take a squad of Pegasus Knights to investigate the Southtown incident a few days ago, but milord agreed with Robin when he suggested Lucina, the one we fought beside I mean, would want to help. I think he just wants to see her again, but I certainly don't blame him."
"I miss her too. I love seeing her again." Sumia became solemn. "I don't love that she only comes when there's a problem. She's become something of a knight errant. Wandering the land. Jumping to help anyone that needs it. Cordelia… Chrom and I have seen her less than ten times in four years." Cordelia's gaze fell, and Sumia quickly spoke up again. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't meant to suggest that it's any easier for you. Wherever Severa is, I'm sure she's safe."
"I'm not sure why she'd just leave with this Anankos… but I'm sure she did it for the right reasons. All of our children were wandering heroes in a way, weren't they?" Cordelia brought her eyes back up, but she stopped midway as she noticed Lucina playing. Sumia stopped too, and the women became disturbed as they listened to exactly what Lucina was saying.
"Argh!" The little Lucina spoke in an attempt at a grown man's voice. "The future is unchangeable! I will win, because Grima says so!" "No way!" Lucina said in a different voice as she held up her other figure. "Anything can change!" Lucina proceeded to produce sound effects as she repeatedly bashed the two figures into each other, her younger sister watching with great interest as she suckled her own thumb. Lucina's imagined adventures were infinitely less interesting to the grown women than they were to her, but it wasn't hard for Sumia and Cordelia to infer what she was emulating.
"Lucina! Are you playing 'Validar vs Shepherds' again?"
Lucina tried to push the "Validar" figure away as she looked back to her mother. "Noooo?"
"Lucina."
"But bigger Cynthia told me all about your adventures!" Lucina responded as she adopted a defensive tone. "Mom, they're coooool! Dolls are more boringer."
Sumia sighed. "I don't like how violent that sounds, Lucina. Why don't you play with your sister? Cynthia looks up to you, you know?" Lucina audibly groaned, but she seemed to relent as she offered the other figurine to the younger Cynthia. "Sorry about that." Sumia said as she turned back to her old friend. Cordelia softly giggled at the exchange.
"Don't worry too much, Sumia. They're just children. She's just playing."
"Perhaps, but I don't know. I'm not sure I like how Cynthia tells those two about the Shepherds. I remember a conversation I had with her when we first encountered her. She told me she was raised on stories about the Shepherds, but some of those tales were completely ridiculous. Cynthia grew up thinking me a raging mad berserker who would strike down friend and foe alike when Chrom was in danger!"
Cordelia smiled. "Well, that certainly is a dedicated Queen."
"I just think tales like that wouldn't be a good influence on these two. Lucina plays rough as it is. Sometimes I feel like I have three daughters and a son."
"So she takes after her father. We already know what a refined young woman she'll become. I'm sure it's nothing… uh, Sumia?"
At Cordelia's gesturing, Sumia turned to see that her daughters weren't exactly getting along in a courtly manner. Lucina had briefly set down one of her small figurines to monologue to herself about the imagined exploits of the other. Cynthia, thinking very little of her sister's potential objections, then decided to explore the potentially interesting/edible object mouth first. Lucina had responded with a torrent of insults and protestations the instant she noticed, but Cynthia was quite content with where the toy was at the moment, and so Lucina had struck Cynthia to the ground before her mother could spring forward and restrain her. Cynthia did not start to howling and fussing until she was sure her mother had seen the incident, but once certain Sumia's attention was on her, she was inconsolable. Sumia took her youngest daughter into her sympathetic arms in one instant, and in the next she turned to find Lucina already arguing in her own defense. "She started it!"
"Lucina, we do not hit! You're bigger than your sister! You could have hurt her!"
"She's just crying to get me in trouble!"
"Lucina, be quiet!"
"This wouldn't have happened if you'd just let me play with my toys!"
Sumia's anger was subverted by exhaustion as she questioned whether the argument was worth continuing. "Fine… just be quiet over there, okay?"
"... Can I still see big sister?"
"Just go over there!"
Lucina grabbed her two figurines and stormed off, leaving Sumia to awkwardly continue the conversation with Cordelia while simultaneously trying to calm her youngest daughter. "I'm sorry. These girls! I love them, but they drive me crazy sometimes! Do you ever feel that way with Severa?"
"Well, you know Severa. Her younger self can be a handful, but I can't imagine what it'd be like with two girls. Heh, hang in there Sumia."
"We do have a small army of handmaidens, but I try to be there for the girls myself whenever I can. Besides that, I honestly feel bad for the handmaidens when they have to handle these two by themselves."
Cordelia looked to something behind Sumia, and a smile formed on her serious visage. This wasn't the childish smile that she wore when watching her own daughter or her "nieces". This was a smile that only accompanied the Captain when she was making progress in a task the Exalt himself had given her, and meeting with his eldest daughter was reason enough for Cordelia to wear that smile now. "You know what they say. The stronger the child, the stronger the adults they grow into. Speaking of which-"
"Big sister!"
The Queen and the Captain both turned to see what had so gripped the younger Lucina's attention, and in an instant they were both as excited as she was. Stepping into the palace courtyard, the eldest (and at this time most famous) of the Exalt's daughters knelt down and lovingly seized her younger self into her arms as she sprinted to her. This woman, now the center of the unconditional, uncritical adoration of everyone present, had come to be known by many titles since the Fell Dragon's defeat. To those interested primarily in her battles against Grima, or in her connection to Naga, she was the Future Witness, the Warrior from a Doomed Future, or even the Hero of Time. To those who primarily cared about her birth and her connection to the royal family, she was Lucina "The Elder", or even the Twice Born.
To the future Exalt, she was simply "Big Sister", sometimes even "Bigger Me", and that was all she needed to be to earn her younger self's unselfish love. The Future Witness herself returned it tenfold.
"Oh, you've gotten so big!" Lucina hoisted her sister into the air and spun her around in bliss. Sumia and Cordelia were warmed at the sight, as they could never recall a time Lucina had ever been so tender in the Shepherds. The younger Lucina never knew that, as her elder self had fawned and doted on her for as long as she could remember. Notably, the younger Lucina's childish desire for material things was temporarily waived in the presence of her elder self, as the rarity of her appearances made them gifts in their own right. "I haven't seen you since your fourth birthday, and already you've grown."
The younger Lucina smiled with pride. "I'll be as big as you one day, Big Me! You'll see! Then we can go on adventures together!"
Lucina gave herself a soft kiss on the forehead before setting her down. "Don't be in such a hurry to grow up. How would mother and father get along in the palace without their very own hero to watch over them?"
"But… the people of Ylisse need a hero too?"
"Well-" Lucina's voice became more serious as she seemed to stare off into the distance. "Perhaps it is in their service that my life may yet offer something of note."
"Huh?"
"Nothing." Lucina tousled her younger self's hair before standing up. Though rather toned and muscular under her clothing for someone of her size, Lucina was a slender woman, often appearing as a thin blue streak in the corner of your eye before you could get a solid look at her. At first glance she looked like a typical young woman, but her exact age was hard to determine. Lucina's years, like her relationship with spacetime itself, were non-committal. Biologically she was sixteen when she travelled through the Outrealm Gate, and was eighteen when she joined the Shepherds in the fight against Walhart, Validar, and the Fell Dragon. Now she was twenty two, still a young woman by the account of most people, but Lucina had seen a lot of hardship and trauma in her short life, and it showed. Lucina's face still held the soft features of youth, but you could see where wrinkles would soon be. Her body seemed traditionally feminine and unstrained, but she reflexively held it tensed as if ready to spring to action in an instant. Her voice carried a power and weight to it, and in the depths of her blue eyes was a seriousness that most young women did not possess nor want to possess. The paradoxical committal of her physical appearance to both youthful innocence and battle hardened experience was also reflected in the complexity of her distinctive outfit. It was a seamless combination of both cloth and metal. Regality and practicality. Most of all, it was hers. With but a glimpse of it, you immediately knew which of the three Lords said to lead the Shepherds you would soon be meeting. Of course, there were other aspects of Lucina that emblazoned her identity; the Brand of the Exalt on her left eye, being the only female of the three Lords, her non-involvement in the current Ylissean government, and the fact that she now wandered the land while Chrom and Robin lived in the royal palace. Like a true knight errant, Lucina had walked off into the sunset following the Fell Dragon's defeat.
But she'd always return if her father needed her.
Finally bringing her eyes up from her beloved younger self, Lucina gave a warm smile as they fell upon their mother—biological in the younger's case, and happily accepted in the elder's case. Still she did not fully stand, but instead spread her arms wide and readily embraced her youngest sister as she toddled out of Sumia's grasp and into her own. Apparently having forgotten the allegedly severe injury her other sister had given her, Cynthia smiled as she too was hoisted into the air. "Lucy!" She would exclaim, her small hands affectionately grasping at her sister's cheeks and hair. Lucina made no effort to correct her or stop her uncoordinated fondling. She only bounced her younger sister up and down and smiled at her until Sumia approached, and the two women then embraced as tightly as they could without squishing Cynthia.
"You're here at last! Oh, how we miss you."
"Forgive me, mother."
"You don't have to apologize to me. Chrom and I know how you don't like to stay in any one place for long. We just worry is all."
"I was only gone a few months this time."
Sumia let go and gave the stern but kind glare of a parent. "Hmph. If you were a mother, you'd know just how long a few months can be. Mmm, let's just focus on being able to see each other again now."
"Of course. I missed you too, mother." Lucina's voice faded. "Perhaps more than you'll ever know."
"Hmm?"
"It's nothing. This is a happy time." Lucina smiled at Sumia and Cordelia before looking back to Cynthia. The youngest princess had grown disinterested in the talking, and she'd taken to pulling on Lucina's hair. "I would say that of any moment that could be spent with my family-OW! Heh, strong grip."
Lucina transferred Cynthia to Sumia as Cordelia stepped forward. She tried to give a smile that matched those of her friends, but her more serious demeanor betrayed her true feelings. "Lucina, as joyous as it is to see you again… Chrom and Robin didn't ask for you to come back just because they missed you."
"The Southtown Incident?"
"Something is very wrong, and we may well need your help."
The younger Lucina tugged on her elder self's clothing. "Psst. What does 'incident' mean?"
"My Queen… this conversation isn't appropriate for children. Perhaps Lucina should follow me to the palace now."
"I'll meet you there soon." Sumia nodded to Cordelia as she pulled the younger Lucina away. "Come on, girls."
Lucina slipped away from her as she rushed to her elder self's leg. "You're going on an adventure already?! You just got here!"
Lucina didn't speak until she'd knelt down again to be at eye level with her much disheartened self, and her voice was gentle. "I'm sorry, but father needs my help. Hey, as soon as I get back I'll spend the whole day with you. Just us sisters."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
The younger Lucina finally released her elder self back into the responsibilities of her adult life and allowed their mother to scoop her up and carry her away to the palace. Cordelia nodded towards an area much distanced from where the Exalt's family lived. Towards an area where matters of the Halidom's security were discussed. "I didn't mean to rush things, Lucina. It really is good to see you again. It's just that I don't want to keep Robin or Chrom waiting."
"Of course. I'm eager to see them again too."
Cordelia nodded and began to walk off, but Lucina glanced down and noticed that her younger self had failed to collect both of her figurines. Deciding Sumia was too far away to run after, Lucina slipped the one she'd neglected to take into her pocket with a shrug before following.
The royal palace in Ylisstol lorded over the rest of the city. Standing from its walls, you could look down and see everything going on in the capital with ease. The soft light of an Ylissean sunset now flooded over the land, laying out the world the Exalt ruled before Lucina as she occasionally glanced out the palace windows. Below her, several armed soldiers were gathered in the courtyard. Some of these soldiers were knights that Frederick, now a Knight Captain under the Exalt, had trained, while others were part of Cordelia's Pegasus Knights as the order slowly rebuilt. Looking further into the city, Lucina could make out individuals. She saw children playing in the streets. She saw two affluent looking men arguing over a horse. Merchants were beginning to close their stalls, and a few monks could be seen tending to the poor. A man chased after a pig that had gotten loose in the streets, and a donkey began to give its musical concert for the coming night. In the sky was a wyvern rider of some kind, and said wyvern occasionally punctured the stillness of the sky with a roar. All of these various noises combined and made their way to the palace where they came as quiet and distorted, as if Lucina and Cordelia were on the wrong end of a megaphone. It would all seem normal to most people, but as Lucina could vividly remember the city ablaze in her timeline, the sights and sounds were blissful to her.
Lucina and Cordelia eventually made their way deeper into the palace. There were no windows here, but this area was well protected by the stone fortifications. This area was not where the Exalt lived, nor was it where he would receive guests and nobles, but it was one of the most important parts of the palace to him. This is where the Exalt and his trusted advisor would meet to discuss matters of security. At least, that was how they were known to the people of Ylisse.
Lucina knew them as Chrom, and Robin. Lucina loved her father, the Newly Exalted, and would do anything to protect him. Though she'd wandered the land after the Fell Dragon's defeat, she would return without hesitation if her father ever needed her help. Robin, the Fell Vessel, was Chrom's right hand. Chrom trusted him with his life, and that was all the reason Lucina needed to do the same. Their actual relationship was considerably less straightforward.
"I see you had no problems getting here." Chrom and Lucina had embraced within moments of her walking through the door, and Chrom seemed to beam with pride as he slowly let go of her. "Know that I'll always be glad to see you again."
"And know that I'll always be there to answer your call, father."
"You know, Lucina, you're always welcome here. You don't just have to visit when the people of Ylisse are in danger."
"I'm sorry, father. I… lose track of things out there."
Chrom chuckled. "No need to apologize. That was my attempt at a joke. It's always good to see you again, regardless of the circumstances."
Still, I wish it could be under better circumstances." Robin said as he stepped forward. "Welcome back, Lucina."
Chrom and Robin contrasted each other greatly in appearances. You wouldn't think by looking at them that they'd be inseparable, but the two were almost always together. As Exalt, Chrom hadn't taken to wearing robes as Emmeryn had, but he didn't wear the attire of his younger self either. Chrom was adorned in plate armor with gold and blue trimmings, and a white cape flowed behind him. The Falchion was by his side, but he had little reason to draw it anymore. Though this armor looked imposing, it was really designed with regality rather than practicality in mind. Lucina had first met her father as a warrior on the battlefield, but now he was Exalt. He was no longer surrounded by comrades in arms, but by landed aristocrats. Some of the Shepherds had taken positions in the Ylissean government, but most had gone home to enjoy the peace they'd all fought for. Chrom was now largely in the company of nobles, and they didn't want him to be a warrior or a hero. They wanted him to be a noble, same as they. He was Exalt because of simple birth. Chrom had earned his position in the Shepherds through valor and heroism, but he had his position as Exalt through divine right. The nobles wanted his attire to reflect this, but ultimately Lucina thought that what he wore now was a good compromise. Then again, it was hardly the only outfit in the King's possession.
Physically, Chrom was twenty five years old now. His youth was leaving him, but he was in the prime of his adulthood, and he had many long years of good health to look forward to. Chrom had a rather dull face, but that was not to suggest anything about his looks. Many people, including the Captain of his own Pegasus Knights, would attest otherwise. Rather, his face had a lack of cunning. It was an open face, with kind eyes and a warm expression. Plotting and planning seemed alien to Chrom, and deceit wasn't in his nature. He was trusting and kind. He would help other people without question, and his very presence was inspiring. People trusted him, and they wanted to follow him.
On the other hand, Robin still wore the dark purple robes he had worn as the tactician of the Shepherds. Were it not for his youthful appearance or the fact that he always stood at Chrom's side, Robin's robes would be rather intimidating. The six eyes of Grima on the sleeves, a common design to robes of Plegian mages, didn't help.
Physically, Robin was a pale wisp of a man. He wasn't scrawny, but he didn't really impose. He always seemed to be watching. Analyzing. Scanning. Seeing things in an instant that others wouldn't see in a lifetime. He looked fairly young, but his hair was an unnatural stark white. His features were handsome enough, but even a quick look into his light brown eyes made light his cunning. He wasn't so easy to look at as Chrom, not because he was ugly, but because of the depth of the intellect that would stare back into you if you did. In some ways, Robin was everything Chrom was not. Especially now with Chrom in his white armor, the two seemed like opposites. Two sides of the same coin; never facing the same way, but forever connected. Perhaps this was why they got along so well.
Coming back to the present, Lucina smiled at Robin, but her heart would always flutter at the sight of him, and she felt uneasy. She'd felt like that since realizing he was the one who killed her father in her timeline, and she hadn't bend able to shake it. Why did she still feel this way? Was it because of his connection to the Fell Dragon, even after he'd seemingly sacrificed himself to stop it? Was it guilt for trying to strike him down in cold blood? Lucina didn't know, but she told herself time and time again that these feelings weren't fair. Robin had done more than enough to earn her trust. "It's good to see you too, Robin. So, there is a danger to Ylisse?"
Chrom became more serious as he walked over to a small table with a map of Ylisse on it. "I've asked to see you for many reasons over these past four years, Lucina. I've asked you for advice. To help train new generations of knights. To assist Cordelia and Frederick. To be there for Cynthia's birth, and for some of the princesses' birthdays. This time, however, there truly is a great danger to Ylisse."
"What has happened?"
"That's just it. We have no idea."
Robin approached the map and gestured for Lucina to join him. He then took his finger and drew an imaginary circle around a particular part of the map. This was Southtown, near where Robin and Chrom had first met just before Lucina herself arrived in the timeline. "Two weeks ago, all contact with Southtown was lost."
"What do you mean?"
"We haven't heard from anyone there in over a month, actually. No one has visited Ylisstol from there, and other Ylissean cities are saying the same thing. Two weeks ago is when we first tried to investigate. A small group of volunteer town watch agreed to travel there. They never came back. We then sent a small group of knights. They haven't returned either. Once word began to spread, people living here who are from Southtown began to travel there to see what was going on. As far as we know, none of them have returned either. The town was just wiped off the face of the Earth, and anyone who goes near it vanishes."
"Gods. How is that possible?"
"Something is there. We sent Cordelia to see if the town itself was fine. She flew around it at high altitude and reported that physically everything is still there. It hasn't been razed or anything."
"But what about the townspeople?"
"Gone. It was a ghost town. We told her not to get too close at the time, so she returned and suggested we send her and a whole squad of Pegasus Knights to enter the town. That's when I got the idea to request your help." Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "We didn't drag you away from anything important, did we?"
"Of course not. I enjoy seeing everyone again, but even more importantly, I'll happily give my time for the people of Ylisse."
Cordelia stepped forward and stood at attention. "My Pegasus Knights are ready to go at a moment's notice, Lucina. I'm sure the elder Cynthia will be happy to see you again."
"Wonderful. We'll go at once."
Chrom looked surprised. "Already? You… just got here."
"Is Ylisse not in danger, father?"
"Yes, but… it's been two weeks. What harm would come from waiting until morning? Do you need something to eat? Somewhere to rest?"
"I'm sorry, father, but I don't think I could get much rest knowing what you've just told me."
Chrom couldn't hide his disappointment. He seemed to want Lucina to stay longer, and it even looked like he'd regretted immediately telling her of the danger. Ultimately he managed a smile. "You've become such a diligent young woman. I couldn't be more proud of you."
"He's right, Lucina." Sumia added as she stepped into the room, Lucina's younger sisters no longer in tow. Mother and daughter shared one last hug. "You were already grown when we first met you, but we still can't believe how strong and brave you turned out. We just worry about you. It's our right as parents."
Cordelia smiled. "The Pegasus Knights will bring her back in one piece, my Queen."
"Of course. Just… keep an eye on Cynthia, you two. Make sure she doesn't run out into danger or anything."
"It's a promise, mother."
Cordelia and Lucina prepared to leave as quickly as they'd entered, but Chrom caught their attention one last time. "Wait… Lucina."
"Father?"
"As Exalt… I thank you for your service. As your father… you don't feel like I'm forcing you to do this, do you? I enjoy every opportunity to see you again, and you've done a lot for all of us, but you're a grown woman. I'd never dream of simply ordering you around."
"Father, no! I would happily fight in your name. Face any obstacle in your path. I will happily protect the peace we worked for."
"I… I thank you."
Robin noticed that Chrom had become solemn, and he stepped forward. "Hey, this is probably nothing anyways. How about we all do something more relaxing after this is over? When there aren't any problems to worry about?"
Lucina nodded. "I'd like that. Goodbye, father. Mother. Robin. I'll see you soon."
"Good luck."
Chrom watched as the two departed, and a depressed mood took him as Sumia moved to be by his side. Robin glanced between the two. "You guys aren't happy to see her?"
Chrom shook his head. "Robin, it's a blessing to see her again. It's just that… I mean, we're so proud of her. It's just that… that…"
"We wish she wouldn't just visit when there was a problem to deal with." Sumia answered. Chrom nodded as he went back to looking at the map.
"The only times she's come to visit that didn't involve military matters were for her younger sisters. I can tell she loves them, but it's like she doesn't really consider herself a member of our family. When we were in the Shepherds, she told me she didn't want to get in the way of her younger self. I told her those feelings were unfair. She was my daughter, and she'd always be welcome with her. Sometimes… I wonder if she still thinks that way. Most of the Shepherds have settled down since then, but Lucina has always returned to the battlefield. I wonder if she knows how to live a life of peace."
"Chrom…" Robin gently grabbed his shoulder. "She'll come back, and we can spend time with her then. She loves being with her family. I know it."
"Yeah… it's just… yeah, you're right. Besides, I'm more than just a father. I'm the Exalt, and I should get back to my duties."
Sumia glanced longingly back at the door. "We just want her to be safe."
The group moved quickly, and the sun hadn't even finished setting when they were airborne. Lucina had ridden on a Pegasus before, but not enough to be entirely used to it. The squadron of Pegasus Knights that made their way to Southtown now cruised at a little over fifteen hundred meters in altitude, allowing them to easily avoid the landscape and the suspicions of locals while taking advantage of wind currents. The air at this altitude was cold and thin, but not enough to seriously affect the body. A fall would certainly be fatal, but Lucina was used to the height at this point. She tried not to look down, but the occasional glance to the land below didn't bother her much.
What she did need getting used to were the massive cumulus clouds that hung over the countryside. From the ground these billowing, cotton like clouds seemed solid. Edifices that rose into the heavens, forever out of reach by humans. Pegasus Knights and wyvern riders knew better. These clouds were made of water vapor, and being in one was no different than being in a fog. Still, their vacuous nature wasn't readily apparent until after you'd flown into one, and Lucina still tensed up whenever the Pegasus Knights charged through them. The rider that she sat behind noticed, and she wasn't above teasing her over it.
"Relax, Lucina. It's like you think we're going to smash into it."
The Pegasus Knight in question was the second born of the Exalt's daughters, and the one Lucina had known the longest. Like their younger sisters, Lucina and Cynthia were only about a year apart, and yet there were a number of differences apparent between them. Cynthia wasn't nearly so serious as her sister. She'd been infatuated with stories of heroism ever since her girlhood, and she'd spent her life trying to be a hero in her own right. Of course, to Cynthia this meant superficial things like poses, the names of attacks, and entrances. She was often considered clumsy and ditzy. No one disliked her, but few people actually admired her. However, Lucina had fought beside her since they were children. She knew how much of a hero Cynthia truly was.
For all that, Cynthia had done well for herself. She had done much for Ylisse, and she now served as a kind of lieutenant in Cordelia's Pegasus Knights. She didn't lead them as Cordelia did, but her combat experience was indispensable in training them.
"Are we almost there? I thought I was used to flying, but I guess I am still getting accustomed. Actually, I'm starting to feel a little queasy."
"Is the Future Witness afraid of heights? I thought it was only bugs that were too much for you to handle?"
"I am not afraid of heights! Or bugs for that matter. I just don't like big, hairy, squirmy ones with long, spindly legs. So… gods. So many legs."
"Eww. Don't describe them!"
Lucina shook herself back to the present. "Anyways, I'm not afraid of them, or heights. I would just appreciate it if we land soon. Besides, why call me that?"
"Future Witness? It's what they call you isn't it? Actually they call you a lot of things. Lucky. I wish I had that many titles."
"I'd prefer it if you called me by name. That's how it's always been."
"I don't mean anything by it. You can call me by my title if you want. Know what they call me now?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm the Hero Chaser!" Cynthia's smile faded somewhat. "I kind of wish they'd just call me a hero. I mean, your title is so cool. Future Witness. I was in the future. I witnessed things." As the Pegasus Knights emerged from the cloud, Cynthia looked over to see Cordelia giving the signal to lower altitude. Sure enough, Southtown could be seen in the distance, and the sub-orbital sentinels would soon be upon it at their current speed. "Well look at that. We're almost here. You got your wish, and Lucina?"
"Yes?"
Cynthia turned to her as she instructed Belfire, her Pegasus, to land. "It's always good to see you again."
"You too, Cynthia."
The Pegasus Knights came down in the middle of Southtown with a crash. One of them weathered an exceptionally forceful landing, and her Pegasus bucked as if annoyed at the rider. "Ferris!" Cordelia snapped as she rode along the woman. "Your angle of descent was too steep! This isn't a combat landing."
"Yes, Captain."
One of the first women to join the rebuilt Pegasus Knights, Ferris was a young woman, fairly dull in her physical appearance save for her silver hair. Her combat skills had impressed Cordelia, even if her skill in riding her mount left much to be desired, and so she was a kind of sergeant in the Pegasus Knights. She deferred to Cynthia and Cordelia, but could lead the rest of her sisters in their absence. There was little else of note about her, but she could be taken as a microcosm of the recruits that Cordelia had found over the past four years.
Cordelia and Cynthia were the only Pegasus Knights left after Grima's defeat—especially when Sumia retired. They alone had to shoulder the task of rebuilding the order, and yet in just a few short years they'd recruited forty women, and more were ready every year. The majority of these women had never held a weapon in their lives when they volunteered. They came seeking an alternative to being apprentices or farmer's wives, or at least for a few years of excitement and notability before settling in those roles, and they had no idea what war was like. They seemed hopeless. Even a town watch wouldn't have taken them.
Now, clad in their plate armor, short skirts, and long knee high boots, they seemed as regal and disciplined as the Pegasus Knights had been under Phila, Cordelia's own mentor. They'd never actually seen a major engagement, but they were willing to give their lives for Ylisse, and perhaps that was enough. Cordelia scanned all twelve of the recruits that had accompanied her to Southtown, checking for any mistakes to correct, but deep down she was proud of them. She also greatly admired Cynthia for her role in training them, but as it dawned on her that Cynthia hadn't landed with the others, she was reminded of qualities she didn't admire about the princess. The other Pegasus Knights looked up in confusion as flower petals rained down from the air, but Cordelia just rubbed her face in frustration.
Cynthia herself finally came thundering down a moment later, the petals dancing around her in a whirling vortex. It was an awe inspiring sight, or at least it was for the few moments before they embedded themselves in her clothing and hair. "Ha, ha! Beware, evildoers! The graceful heroine swoops down… wait. Where are the evil doers?"
Lucina herself had to brush petals out of her hair. "So that's what the bag by your side was for. Anyways, I was told this place was abandoned."
"Well that's what we're here to find out. Come on, girls! Less talk, more work. First flight, with me! Stay airborne to cover more ground. Second flight, stay with Cynthia. Dismount and search the buildings. We're looking for any signs of what happened here."
"Captain!" The women all responded. Cordelia had her Pegasus hover just above the ground, and Lucina dismounted with her sister as they began to walk down the streets. Southtown was a small and unassuming town. It had paved stone streets and a number of stone buildings, but there wasn't much else notable about it. Lucina looked carefully for signs of battle and struggle. There were broken street stalls and places where fires had long burnt out, and some buildings had damage to them. Most alarming were splotches of dried blood that could occasionally be found. Beyond that, there wasn't any evidence of battle. There were no bodies. The buildings were intact, and it didn't look like they'd been looted. None of it made any sense.
Then the voice of Ferris, who had been part of first flight, pierced through the stillness of the air. "Captain!" She called to Cordelia. Sensing something had happened, Lucina ran back to her, and Cynthia followed. The recruit landed, softly this time, by Cordelia and gestured towards the outskirts of the town with her lance. "We found something, Captain. Survivors. They look like the original residents of the town."
Cordelia nodded and turned to the princesses. "Cynthia. Stay here with second flight. I'll investigate."
"I'll come too." Lucina insisted. Cordelia allowed her to mount Aurora, her Pegasus, and the two flew after Ferris before landing by a house just outside of the town. Several other Pegasus Knights were gathered around the door, and they pointed their lances to it as if trying to keep something in. Cordelia wasn't in agreement with this, and she forcibly lowered a recruit's lance as she stepped forward.
"There's no need to scare the people inside!"
"Sorry, C-Captain." The recruit responded meekly. "Ferris ordered us to keep them here."
"Is this true, Ferris?"
The more experienced recruit nodded as she walked towards the door. "I know it may seem extreme, Captain, but I didn't want them to leave before you got here. They weren't overly willing to cooperate with us." Ferris pounded on the door, and it opened to reveal a handful of civilians. Their clothes were dirty, and an unpleasant smell wafted out from the building, suggesting that they'd been there for some time. "Here they are, Captain. The woman here says something in the town killed her son."
"Something?"
The woman in front had ragged blonde hair, and her face was taken by shock and anger. "Like a man… but not. It was like a black silhouette, even up close, and it had glowing red eyes."
A shiver ran down Lucina's spine. "No. Gods no…"
"It's alright now. You can come out. We can get you to safety, and you can tell us everything that happened when you're ready."
The woman retreated further into the perceived safety of the building, and the other survivors were content to stay behind her. "You don't understand. You're not safe. You're doomed now. You'll die just like the other Ylissean soldiers they sent."
"What?"
"A black and red cloud will come. When it disperses, you'll already be gone. You don't get it. The monsters haven't left. If you really want to help us, then don't talk to us anymore. Don't lead them to us!"
The woman slammed the door shut, and no amount of pounding or shouting from Ferris convinced them to open it. Cordelia and the other Pegasus Knights stood around the house in confusion, but Lucina felt someone's gaze fixated on her, and she turned to find a woman perched on a nearby rooftop. Cordelia noticed a few seconds later, and soon all of the Pegasus Knights had their lances trained on her.
The woman adorned herself in a red outfit, with plates of armor reminiscent of what Valkyries wore. That said, horses were also crucial to Valkyries, and but there wasn't any horse in sight for the woman to have ridden. The woman herself had actually seemed to materialize out of thin air, as the airborne Pegasus Knights hadn't seen her before. Little else about the woman's appearance was immediately notable, as she covered the bottom and left side of her face with a strange mask. The mask gripped her head perfectly despite its strange shape, and it left only her right eye visible. For the most part this mask, colored a dark red with no features that could be made out from this distance, prevented the woman from having a proper face. It hid her human features, making her more of an entity than a person. It was almost impossible to tell what she was thinking or looking at.
Almost.
Only the woman's right eye was left visible by her mask, but it was enough to show how she felt. The woman's eye, deep and clear, was a blue so light that it was almost slate in color. In that eye, that seemingly soft eye, was a fearsomeness and a hatred. The woman's iris, so piercing that it could be made out clearly even several meters away, burned with a radiant blue, as if actually giving off light. For a second, Lucina thought she was staring into some inhuman thing, but she turned away to regain her nerve. Looking back, the woman's eye was normal again, but her hatred still radiated from it. It seemed to be a hatred directed at the Pegasus Knights, and at Lucina in particular. "I see the Exalt has sent soldiers to enforce the feudal system's repression. Women, all of you. How… patriarchal of him."
Cordelia tightened her grip on her lance. "Excuse me?"
The woman seemed to ignore her, instead continuing to glare at Lucina in particular. "I wondered who they would send next. Lucina herself. I'm flattered."
Lucina slowly stepped forward. "Who are you?"
The woman's voice choked with barely contained rage, like a child throwing a tantrum, but obviously with a far deeper voice. "I? I am a testament to your strength. To your power. To your control. I am the depravity of your sins made light."
"Are you responsible for what happened here?!"
"All things in time, Twice Born… assuming you survive."
And then the civilian's warning was proven true. A fog began to surge forward from behind the woman. At first glance the vapor was pitch black, like a particularly severe thundercloud, but wisps of blood red were there too. Lucina looked back to the woman to find that she was gone, enveloped by the maelstrom of mist. Lucina then turned to see Cordelia still by her, but the fog was so thick now that she couldn't even see the house or the Pegasus Knights that were presumably still nearby. "Everyone regroup!" Cordelia commanded. "Get back to the town with second flight."
Lucina followed Cordelia closely as they mounted Aurora, and the two flew back to where Cynthia and the others still were. It took almost an entire, agonizing minute for all the other Pegasus Knights to follow them. They'd all been but a few meters apart before, but so severe was this strange fog that many struggled just to find their mounts again. Ultimately every woman did regroup with Cordelia, but Ferris' landing once again left much to be desired. She brought her Pegasus down hard, having not realized where the ground was, and the animal cried out in pain and frustration. As if driven to spite Ferris, her Pegasus then bucked her right off, sending her slamming into the wall of a nearby building. Normally this would have only been an annoyance to the armored woman, but once again the civilian's warning proved true.
There was something in the town.
"ARGH!" Lucina, Cynthia, and Cordelia couldn't initially see exactly what had happened to Ferris, but the princesses' worst fears in particular came true before their very eyes as the Pegasus Knight stumbled into view through the fog, grappling for her life with a humanoid figure. The only features that could be made out through the fog were the entity's glowing red eyes, but that was enough to tell the three former Shepherds what it was, and by extension what had happened to the town. Ferris herself had paid attention to her history enough to hazard a guess, and, if for no other reason than to calm herself, she yelled at it as they fought. The abomination eventually brought its axe down upon her, and she spoke to it as she desperately pushed against her lance to block it. "Argh! You monsters are supposed to be gone! You, you don't have any souls!"
And then this all too familiar monstrosity, this Risen, did something that even Lucina and Cynthia had never seen before. It spoke. Clearly. Fluently. "And that is why they don't have any fear."
Lucina sprinted to the Pegasus Knight's defense, but help had come from an unexpected place before she could even reach her. Though frustrated at Ferris, her steed apparently refused to see her killed, and the Pegasus charged forward and kicked the Risen to the ground. Lucina arrived just in time to see its corpse dissipate, as all Risen did when defeated. Cynthia followed just behind. "No! No-no-no-no-no-no-NO! There aren't supposed to be anymore Risen! We vanquished them! We kicked their undead butts and sent them to Risen heaven, or wherever it is they go. Why?! Why is this happening?!"
Even Lucina couldn't stay stoic. "Gods no! An entire town… this is what we fought to stop. They can't be back! Is everything we did for nought?! No, gods NO!"
"Lucina! Cynthia!" Cordelia spoke to them as she helped Ferris stand and catch her breath. "Just calm down!"
"Maybe you don't understand what this means!" Cynthia countered. "We spent our childhoods fighting these things! We thought we'd stopped this!"
"Well… let's think about this. We know dark mages can summon and control Risen. Algol did it. Henry even did it once. This is probably just the work of brigands, maybe trying to cover their trail."
Lucina took deep breaths. "Perhaps… perhaps you're right. Maybe we're overreacting. It's not impossible that dark mages would use the Risen for all manner of purposes now."
Cordelia nodded to Ferris as she managed to stand on her own again. "See what I mean? Take care of your mount, and she'll take care of you."
"Yes, Captain."
"Now where did that thing come from?"
"The building, Captain. It grabbed me through the glass. I broke free, but it kicked down the door and followed me out."
Lucina frowned. "Then… why didn't they make themselves known when we entered the town? Were they… luring us in?"
Cordelia thought about it. "Risen aren't that smart."
Then yet another recruit cried out. "Contacts!"
As if on command, the fog began to fade away. It was still there, obscuring the view of the land outside the town, but everyone could see for several meters around them now. Then the rest of the Risen came. They threw themselves out of doors and glass windows. They crawled up from the water, and some literally dug through the streets. Some just materialized out of nowhere, as if the fog had created them. Within seconds there were over thirty of them, outnumbering the Pegasus Knights two to one. Cynthia and the rest of the second flight had been on foot as Cordelia instructed, and the Risen now cut them off from their mounts. The other Pegasus Knights had their mounts hover just above the ground, but they didn't want to leave their comrades alone there, so they all formed a circle and pointed their lances towards the monsters. Lucina herself drew the Parallel Falchion and prepared for the all too familiar fight against the Risen horde. It was a fight she'd hoped she'd never have to be part of again, but it was familiar to her all the same.
Then she noticed that the Risen weren't advancing. They were all staring at her, and she could tell too. Some of the Risen hadn't just aimlessly looked her way. No. They were looking right at her, like intelligent beings. Then one stepped forward and spoke with the same voice from before. "Lucina." The princess didn't think she could be afraid of Risen anymore, but that haunting, echoing voice shook her. Lucina had spent her whole life fighting Risen. Even the Fell Dragon itself had once taken the time to taunt her personally.
But no Risen had ever called her by name before.
Lucina aimed her sword at the abomination. "You don't scare us. Risen don't speak, and they don't hide like that. We know you're just some dark mage, and this has nothing to do with Grima. You may have terrified the people here, but we are not frightened. If you've committed crimes against the people of Ylisse, then you will face justice."
The "Risen" spoke with a deep, unnatural voice. Lucina and the others had no way to describe it, but the modern ear might say it sounded mechanical. "Your pathetic minds fumble in ignorance. Your bestial intelligence desperately grasps, trying to understand. There is a realm of existence so far beyond your comprehension that you cannot even begin to fathom it."
Cynthia looked between Lucina and the Risen. "Wow… I got to learn to talk like that."
Cordelia flew over by Lucina's side, but she didn't stop pointing her lance at the Risen. "Take this seriously!"
"Cynthia, please." Lucina lowered her sword, but only slightly. "Did you attack this town, whatever you are?"
"The settlement fell to human agency. I was simply the instrument."
"Why?"
"Because violence is the only thing universally recognized by your race, but I am more than willing to converse in that language. In the final analysis, I would wade through a river of corpses, drowning in blood, filth, bones, and slime, just for the opportunity to take a single human life. I would do this to rid this world of your mouth breathing race, but even more than that, I would do it because I enjoy it. Yet, I have a beautiful plan for humanity. If only you could live to see it. I will drag your kind into greatness, whether you want it or not, Lucina." The Risen began to spasm and twitch, but still it spoke. "I will direct this personally."
The Risen violently shook and convulsed, much to the apathy of its companions, until it inexplicably thrusted itself upward and hovered in place. Cracks appeared along the Risen, as if it were fracturing, and light spilled out from these like magma. With a final burst of purple light, the Risen straightened itself and was lowered back to the ground. Purple energy radiated outwards from the Risen's warped form, and Lucina noticed it was actually continuing to hover just a few centimeters in the air. The Risen had also dropped its weapon, clenching its fists instead. The women all took several steps back, even if this put them closer to some of the regular Risen. "All units, focus on the minions. I will deal with the Lord."
Cynthia readied herself. "I think you have an admirer, Lucina."
"Wonderful."
Without further warning, the enhanced Risen extended its arm and let loose a blast of dark magic. The attack arced into Lucina's body before she could even begin to react, sending her hurtling past her comrades. She came to rest almost ten meters away, and it was almost a minute before she could bring herself to stand again. The other Risen had descended on the Pegasus Knights the moment their "leader" had attacked, and none could break away to help the princess. Ferris almost did, but a Risen rewarded her courage by burying its axe in the left side of her face, and the other women barely struggled to keep up. The flying Pegasus Knights swooped around and stabbed downwards with their lances, while their grounded comrades tried best they could to hold their positions.
Lucina herself wasn't able to see this chaos, as the enhanced Risen was upon her as soon as she rose to her feet. It had simply floated past the battle that was erupting behind it. It wasn't that it'd let her get up. Rather, it only seemed capable of hovering at a certain speed. Still the Risen was inexorable, and it continued to move towards Lucina even as she readied her Falchion. "Your minions cannot save you, Lucina." The princess decided she was finished talking with the entity, whatever it was, but it didn't share the same feelings. Summoning a weapon made entirely from magical energy, the very same spell that a Grima possessed Robin had used to kill Chrom in Lucina's own timeline, the enhanced Risen spoke to her even as the two exchanged blows. "You stand with Robin and Chrom, Lucina, but you are not like them. They command. Lead. You do not. You take their orders without question. Lords arise in times of conflict to save humanity from a great threat, but they don't just fight. They lead. They would never fight without their allies by their side. You are different. You are willing to fight by yourself. Even if your time traveling companions had refused to accompany you through the Outrealm Gate, you still would have gone alone without a second thought."
Lucina didn't want to listen to any of this, but the Risen had skill beyond any she'd faced. Its strange magic was strong enough to resist the Parallel Falchion, and the entity could match Lucina blow for blow. "What is this?! Don't speak like you know me!"
"You're not like any other Lords, Lucina. The other heroes of legend, Sigurd, Seliph, Marth, Alm, Celica, the First Exalt, and even Robin and Chrom, they all fought for humanity, but they also lead armies. They depended on them. You've never depended on anyone but yourself. The other Lords lived in peace after their conflicts were over, but you, Lucina, continue to seek battle. Friendship, love, peace, the bonds between people, these things are championed by other Lords, but you don't care about those as much as you care about conflict. You're unique, Lucina. You don't quite fit the mold, and that makes you interesting."
"Why are you speaking to me?!"
"You've attracted the attention of a being infinitely your greater. I will not underestimate you. You will die with the other Lords of the Shepherds." The two continued their duel, but still the Risen spoke. "Why do you continue to fight? Why won't you settle down? A husband? Children? Land? Power? Do these things mean anything to you, Lucina?"
"Enough!"
"Perhaps you truly cared about preventing your future, and about saving your loved ones, but what do you want, Lucina? What desires do you have for yourself in the depths of your heart? Don't tell me you don't have any. All humans are selfish. Do you even know how to live without a war to fight? Fighting is the only thing you've ever known. Your struggle against the Fell Dragon has defined your entire life. You don't know how to coexist with peace. You're a living weapon. You don't want peace. You want your family to be happy, but you don't want that for yourself."
"Enough of this!"
"Surely you've realized over the years that your proclamations of peace have seemed pointless. You love the smell of battle. You love conflict. At the very least, it's the only thing that's ever given you purpose."
Gritting her teeth and focusing all of her frustrations into her movements, Lucina finally managed to exploit an opening in the abomination's defense. It was brief, but it was all she needed, and the Risen staggered back as Lucina's Parallel Falchion made its way through it. It was clear that the Risen was going to die, so to speak, but it didn't simply fade away. Light poured from the cracks on the thing's form with increased intensity, but still it spoke until the very end. "Kill one, Lucina, and a hundred more will take its place." Ignoring the taunt, Lucina rested against her sword, having still not recovered from the attack that sent her there in the first place. Her muscles eased and she allowed herself to accept the brief moment of respite, but as she turned her head to check on her friends, she came to immediately regret it. Yet another Risen, seemingly no different than its companions, keeled over in a seizure as the first one had, and before long it had also taken to hovering. "Returning to the battlefield."
"... Oh."
The enhanced Risen broke off from the brawl and began to hover towards Lucina, but not before gesturing to the others. "The minions are irrelevant. Kill the Lord."
With that simple command the Pegasus Knights went from fighting for their lives to completely ignored as the Risen, all of the Risen, charged towards Lucina. They swarmed, stumbling and tripping over themselves in a fury to be the one to strike her down. Those attacks quickly became uncoordinated and chaotic, and Lucina was able to weave out of harm's way, but it was everything she had to avoid that many strikes all falling on her at once. Lucina was also realizing that she hadn't pushed herself in the past four years like in the fight against Grima. It was possible these Risen were faster than the ones back then, but it was more likely Lucina herself was a little out of practice. She could still move as quickly as she needed to, but not without something in her body talking to her.
And as that haunting voice boomed over her, she realized it wasn't getting any easier. "I will not be gentle, Lucina." The enhanced Risen created another weapon from thin air and tried to come down directly on top of Lucina as it hovered over her. Lucina didn't react in time to fully block it, and the two became locked in a grapple as it tried to unceremoniously impale her. The very same fate that had befallen her father. Her skills with her blade fell away to reflexive kicking and striking as their forms intertwined in struggle, but Lucina at least kept the Parallel Falchion in between her and the spell. She still wasn't strong enough to hold back the undead fully, and it moved to push down on her while trying to actively force the Parallel Falchion into her own face. "This hurts you, Lucina."
"Hrrg! Of all the Risen I've ever faced-"
Resigning herself to being overpowered, Lucina desperately let go of the Falchion as the enhanced Risen cruelly shoved it into her. The divine blade was blunted as soon as her hand left it, and so Lucina was knocked backwards with a bloody nose rather than left dead with a head wound. Thinking quickly, she took advantage of this momentum to further throw herself backwards and finally worm free of the monster's grasp. She then retrieved the Falchion, quickly blocked attacks from two regular Risen that tried to kill her while she was down, and slashed off the enhanced Risen's legs. Light began to flood from its cracks, and she could tell it was going to die as it crumpled to the ground, still trying to hover and still trying to speak. "Your actions justify my hatred of mammals, Lucina."
Lucina let out a brief sigh of relief as that Risen disappeared in a flash of purple light, and another took advantage of this time to clip her in the shoulder. Mentally kicking herself for the mistake, Lucina spun around and struck it down, but over two dozen more Risen awaited her. Whatever private fears and doubts she may have harbored in that moment were instinctively repressed as she readied her blade and prepared for yet another bout with them, but in truth she was deeply grateful as the Pegasus Knights stormed forward and began to cut them down. Cynthia and her recruits had taken the time to retrieve their mounts after the Risen left them, and now the younger princess grinned from ear to ear as she struck down another of the attackers in front of the elder. "She's not the only exalted princess you need to worry about, villains!"
Cordelia came to her side. "Lucina, you're hurt!"
"It's nothing."
"Are you sure?"
Lucina angrily wiped the blood from her nose as yet another of the Risen began to convulse and shake. She slammed the Falchion into the ground in fury, but not without thinking about the situation. "Nothing. Just a stupid mistake. Now, whatever is controlling these things, it's not physically here. If you can destroy all of the regular Risen, then that thing won't have any left to possess. We can end this."
Cynthia and Cordelia nodded, though the Captain still couldn't hide her concern. "You'll be okay?"
"I can handle this. I'm the woman it seems to want anyways."
"I am overriding the sovereignty of this unit." The entity began its attack on Lucina, but this time the Pegasus Knights worked diligently to cut down the other Risen before they could mob her. Once more the two entered into a duel. This time Lucina could hold it off, but she had to take care not to strike it down. It would simply come back if she did. She had to focus on defending herself, and as such she was forced to listen to its endless, monotone comments.
"Submit to me, Lucina, and I will ensure that you die before your beloved father."
"You cannot harm me, Lucina. You only damage the vessel."
"Feel me, Lucina."
"Surrender, and your younger self may yet be spared, Lucina."
"Cynthia need not die here, Lucina. Submit and she may be spared."
"Resist if you must, Lucina, but I will have you in time."
"You only delay the inevitable, Lucina."
"You should have died with your primogenitors, Lucina."
When finally the last Risen fell to Cordelia's lance, Lucina allowed herself some pleasure in striking her strange admirer through the chest. The enhanced Risen stumbled back, but it also blasted Lucina with light from the wound like some kind of rudimentary, medieval fantasy flashbang. Lucina furiously tried to regain her constitution, but the Risen struck her in the head to knock her down and prepared to impale her with its spell. "I expected better from you, Lucina."
"And we expected better from you, creepy dark mage creep!" Lucina looked up to see Cynthia and Belfire swoop down. The Risen fell as a lance tore through it, and it spoke one last time as it crumpled to the ground.
"These forms are fragile. You've changed nothing."
Lucina breathed a long sigh of relief as the enhanced Risen disappeared in a flash of purple light. The black and red fog around the town faded soon after. The battle was finally over. Cynthia landed nearby and raised her lance in the air. "Great plan, Lucina! We really are a good team, huh? Oh, and uh… it's too bad about what happened to the town."
Cordelia approached Lucina and began to dab at her bloodied nose with a cloth. "Lucina, sweetie, are you sure you're not hurt? I can get something for this."
Lucina tried to step back. "Hey! S-Stop! I'm fine, Cordelia. Really."
"Heh, sorry. I guess I'm used to talking to your younger self now." Cordelia smiled warmly at her lord's daughter, but she was filled with sorrow as she looked at her recruits. Many were visibly shaken by the fighting and had minor injuries, and three women were gathered by Ferris as she held the left side of her face and bit down hard on a piece of wood to cope with the pain. "Gods. Oh my gods. This just got a lot more complicated."
"I guess the Risen missed you, Lucina. Heck of a welcoming back, huh?"
Lucina turned to Cynthia and sheathed the Parallel Falchion as the sun finally slipped below the horizon. "Maybe that thing was right."
"What?!"
"Maybe I can't coexist with peace."
(To clarify on how this story will be written, both Lucinas will be featured as the protagonists of story acts. Set just a few years after Awakening, this first act will show the elder Lucina facing obstacles independently of Robin and Chrom while finding her role in a world without Grima. I haven't decided on character pairings yet, and I don't know whether I'll have the Spotpass characters be alive or not. Let me know what you think would be better.)
