The two Princes washed up in a dark forested area, Damon being the first one to crawl out of the muck.
Second time this has happened!
Shad rose up from the river, gasping for air as he followed his brother to shore, spitting out water. "Okay... not my brightest idea..." He coughed, wiping his hair from his eyes. "But hey... it worked... and bonus... we're alive..." The Hoshidan prince rolled onto his back and looked to the sky, panting for a moment before catching his breath and sitting up. "Okay... so... first thing's first, where the fuck-"
*Wham!*
Damon punched Shad in to the mud. "That was for hurting my Noka..." Damon coughed out water.
"Ow!... Fuck!" Shad swore, his eyes flashing red for a second before going back to green. "I... won't lie. I deserved that one."
"You deserve an ass whooping is what you deserve, honestly code morals of not hurting ladies!" Damon seethed climbing up on top of the hill.
"Woah! Time out!" Shad shouted, grabbing his brother's wrist. "Where are you going? Do you even know where we are?"
"Yeah... if I'm right, Azura will be here soon." Damon growled fixing his gauntlet.
Shad nodded his head. "Right... Annnnd you were knocked out and near death last time. Do you have any idea how much time passed?"
Damon's eyes shot towards Shad as he flung his sword at the middle of his feet, distracting him as he gripped him by the collar and raising him with his right arm. "What did you just say?" Damon asked him shaking him. "Answer me!" Damon barked.
"Easy, easy! Gods, give me a chance to answer first..." Shad grumbled, taking out a familiar book from his cloak. "… Uh... yeah... might want to encode sensitive stuff like this."
"You went through my stuff?" Damon asked Shad, his eyes narrowing on him through his helmet.
"Technically, Camilla took most of it when father garrisoned me to Northern Fortress... this was thankfully-"
Damon shook him roughly again. "How much do you know?" He demanded, while his voice was stern Shad could see he was a geyser ready to burst.
"… I want to tell you the truth... but I know you're going to kill me for saying it... BUT!" That shout was enough to stall Damon's next punch. "But... imagine what would have happened if the twins found this? Or Camilla? Or, gods forbid, father... I kept this safe."
"Don't be an idiot, that book is blood lettered and blood locked, no one could see the ink but me...and someone of my blood..." Damon sighed dropping him on to the ground.
Shad blinked twice. "… So... out of all my family, you're the only one who's of actual blood..." He let out a hollow laugh. "Of fucking course you are... why wouldn't you be?"
Damon grabbed his sword and sheathed it. "I have to wait for Azura, and Felicia, they bring me back to camp and then I have to move quickly and save Flora..." Damon said with heavy heart.
"Uh... Azura I'd agree to... But Felicia may not be coming... and, gods willing, Flora should be with her." Shad popped his neck, moving past his self-loathing for a moment to focus on the task at hand.
"What did you do?" Damon asked turning to his brother.
"Nothing bad! I swear!" The light armored prince sighed and sat on a nearby rock. "Look... before anything else, what's different and what have you changed that wasn't in here?" He raised Damon's journal at the end of his sentence.
"I don't want to talk about it, I tried to deviate off course and..." Damon stopped talking, as he sat on a stump, as the rain began to pour down.
Selena...
Shad smiled and looked to the sky. "Oh hey... it's raining... great." He noticed his brother's state and moved his rock to the ground nearby. "Look... I don't know why what happened... happened, whatever it was, but... I'm here for you."
"It showed that I deviated off course, and if you did something involving Flora, Felicia, then their children will suffer for it..." Damon began to say, seeing as he was not in the mood to think about what could happen.
"Damon... I seriously doubt anything bad outside of what's in here already will happen," Shad assured him. "Look... I don't know much about this, but I have a guess as to how this works." The prince was about to go into detail before reality hit him again. "Or... you probably don't want to hear it, huh? What else is new?" He turned his head down, not looking at Damon in his shame. However, his ears pricked as a sound rang clear to him over the rain. "Oh... looks like Azura's here." Damon turned to the direction of vibrations in the ground as he spotted Azura running through the rain, trying to locate the two Princes. "Oi! Sis! We're over here!" Shad waved to the songstress.
Damon slapped Shad upside the head throwing him off his rock. "Sis my ass!" Damon snapped at Shad, while he got up from his stump.
"Damon... Shad... it's so good to see you're both alive," Azura smiled, embracing Damon then his brother, who had just gotten to his feet.
Damon was stunned from Azura's touch, seeing as he long awaited to hold her in his arms again. "Good to see you too, sis," Shad smiled, returning the hug. "Hey, uh, weird question... but did you have a sister from where you're from?" And then he noticed something missing from his brother's belt. "Uh... hold that thought... Damon?"
"Yeah?" Damon asked.
"Where's the Yato blade?"
Damon paused remembering no explosion at the capital... no sword. "```Fuck!```" Damon hissed kicking a rock in to the tree line.
"… Azura, where are we?" Shad asked, pulling out his map of the continent. "Just in the general vicinity." The moment his sister pointed to a certain point on the river, Shad rolled up his map and stowed it. "Stay here. I'll be back in an hour or so." He pulled out his Soldier's Knife and ran into the forest. "Whatever you do, don't leave without me!"
Damon just blinked in confusion. "Riigght..." Damon sighed as he hanged his head down in defeat, sitting back on his stump. Azura sat beside him on Shad's rock, enjoying the sound of the rain as it fell around them. Quite literally actually, since she used her magic to keep the water from falling on them.
"… You don't trust him, do you?" Azura asked after a pregnant pause.
"You trust me any more than I trust him?" Damon retorted shifting his left leg over his right.
"I'm not sure how to answer that..."
"How about beating around the bush and keeping dangerous secrets from me?" Damon asked as he stood up from his stump.
It didn't take much for the azure haired woman to put the pieces together. "… I was about to tell you both before Shad ran off."
"Yeah and fighting the flying fuck of pit abyss land because I can't say the name or I dissolve in to water? That little fun part!" Damon smiled through his helmet.
"My question is how you managed to learn of it in the first place."
"Spooky visions." Damon huffed out. "Been reliving nightmare after nightmare." He added, while looking down at her.
Azura remained silent for a moment. "Do I want to know what they're about? Or are they a part of your visions? I'm willing to listen if you want to tell me?"
"Would you honestly care if I said you were in it?" Damon asked Azura, carefully seeing how she'd take such information.
"That depends. What does it pertain to?" The rain finally started to calm down as the two spoke.
"A few spoken songs, and few broken hearts..." Damon said as he didn't want to do anything to hamper a relationship with Azura, seeing as he failed miserably with Selena.
Before she could respond to that, a loud thud sounded behind them, followed by a series of pants. "Fucking... gods that thing was heavy!" Shad gasped, hunched over and using the pommel of a certain sword to rest for a moment. Damon's eyes widened seeing what Shad returned with.
"Did you just fucking take the entire slab?!" Damon barked, seeing the Yato blade still stuck in the stone work.
"Uh... kinda..." The Hoshidan prince nodded, still trying to catch his breath. "It was a pain in the ass to move... but..." Shad clutched a tome like it was his life line. "Magic is gods damned amazing..."
The Yato blade began to glow and shake, shooting from the slab of stone and flying in to the hands of Damon. "Well that was anti-climactic..." Damon sighed, seeing as there was this whole explosion.
"Yeah... You're welcome, by the way," Shad smiled, finally having his stamina back.
Azura was amazed that the Yato blade would choose Damon, seeing it fire from the slab of stone. "By the gods... Damon, do you know what that sword choosing you means?" She asked, her breath robbed from her.
"Let me guess... I'm destined for greatness, taking out the greatest evil? Going to become King?" Damon asked Azura.
"In a nutshell, but hey. Legendary weapons usually work that way unless they're cursed," Shad pointed out. "I mean you have Raijunto, Siegfried, Fujin Yumi, Brynhilder... the Yato is apparently better than all of them, but it lost a lot of power in dormancy." The former ninja brushed himself off and looked around, pulling out his map again.
I Know that already...got the whole lesson from Azura.
"Well... Azura, is there anyone with you, like at a camp? You know like a maid? Felicia?" Damon asked Azura.
Azura tilted her head. "Um... no. When would I have broken a camp? I came straight here."
"Okay...then how did you know where to find us?" Damon fired back, seeing as she found his body last time.
"I followed the river." It was a plain answer. One that explained so much so fast.
"Okay! Fine! Did you see a pink haired maid?" Damon asked seeing as he was in no mood for turn around questions.
"Uh... 'Scuse me?" Shad asked. "I already told you, she won't be coming here. We're going to her, actually."
"Where are they?" Damon asked Shad, seeing he remembered that the 'may' now turned in to a won't.
The younger prince showed his brother a mark on his map. "There. If they aren't there when we get there, then they will eventually. But given the people on the job, I assume it will go at least pretty smoothly."
"Lead the way, because if I don't see them...I'm holding you completely responsible..." Damon warned Shad as he followed his brother, along with Azura.
The former ninja was unphased as he lead them through the forest. "I refuse that. If my hunch is right, then at least one person won't be there." Damon felt an angry wave hit his mind, he refused to watch his loved ones suffer yet again, especially Flora who was tortured to an extent that she held Felicia responsible. "Hey, don't blame me. Blame time for being such a pain in the ass."
Azura, thoroughly confused, asked an understandable question. "Am I missing something here? Or did Shad have similar visions as yours, Damon?"
"No, Shad went through my... journal." Damon said ashamed of admitting that the little blood ink trick failed, to prevent another person with his blood to see it.
"And again, I apologize. But at the time, it made sense to make sure no one got their hands on it. And honestly man... even with those tricks, some kind of code would have made it nigh unreadable to anyone." Shad's logic wasn't that flawed. However...
"Codes could be deciphered always, I was working what I had at the moment, and back then... it wasn't much so cut me some slack..." Damon grumbled as he moved forward past several brushes of vegetation.
Shad nodded, picking up the pace a bit. "Azura, how long were we gone exactly? I don't want to get there and have Damon attempt to kill me for everyone not being there first."
"Do you understand the pain Flora is about to be put through?" Damon asked darkly, as if he was a shade of the spirit realm.
Shad immediately shook his head. "No, and no offense, but I hope I don't have to."
"I want her to avoid that pain... so it is why I wanted to get my stuff together, as...my last 'vision' I was off my feet for months." Damon worded it out carefully in front of Azura, knowing he can't exactly say he was from the past.
The younger prince sighed, deciding to rip the bandage off now. "Look... I don't know how to say this, but that pain may be unavoidable."
"For four years... I've seen a smile and a look of absolute joy on Flora's face, seeing she had Maximus to hold on to... She never got that chance last time. He was sent to rot in the Dragon Realms." Damon informed him.
"And that's just the problem... I don't know if Maximus and Flora will be there or not. And before you go chewing me out, just... think for a moment. Compare your visions to what's actually come to pass. Is there any pattern to it? Any at all?"
"Some yes, but you were never a factor in to it... or these canny officers back at the Northern Fortress... Including that Rabbit eared jerk..." Damon growled.
"Here's the theory I wanted to say before," Shad continued, ignoring the comment about Panne. "I think some points in time are fixed. There's no changing them. And then there's others than can be altered." Azura walked up to the two, interested her involvement in the visions, seeing Damon had to have some prior knowledge before they met. "Stuff like us getting taken by the opposing kingdom, the scene at the bridge, Azura finding us... those points are Constants."
"Azura found me prior to that, as I fell in to the water, before she fished me out of the mud..." Damon corrected.
"Yes, and you were on death's door then. I didn't say that it plays out the exact same way in a constant, just that it's bound to happen."
"No but there are similarities, to this timeline... very scary similarities." Damon confessed, seeing that it was nearly identical.
"Figured as much. Which brings me to my next point. The variables."
Damon's eyes shot down to Azura. "What's with the look?" Damon asked her, as he was trying to counter Shad's argument.
"In these... "visions"… how large was my role?" The songstress asked.
"Huh? Oh, very large! You were a big help in a lot of our struggles." Damon snapped out of it, hearing her question.
"Indeed you were. But telling what they were you would probably be a bad idea," Shad confirmed.
"No, no, ask your questions, I mean if this time line is nothing like the last one, then it wouldn't hurt to ask? I mean you said it yourself... Right?" Damon asked his younger brother.
"Well, that brings me to my point. There's fixed points and points that are chageable. The key is knowing which are what based on what we know. I for example am a variable. I can alter some constants, but not remove them. Telling anyone what lies in the future is just a bad idea in general though, regardless of intent."
"Well maybe they'd want to know, how much I know about them..." Damon shrugged.
Shad gave his brother an almost pitiful look. "You really think that's a good idea? After how you already messed something up by letting something like that slip?"
"It's not like I'm going to say something stupid." Damon rolled his eyes.
"Damon, I'm not going to pretend to know how this works. But, I can speculate. Taking this to an extreme first, imagine telling someone the exact day of death and how they'd die, but not what leads up to it. The likelihood of them dying that way is going to skyrocket because they'll stress over and try to prevent it. Now a lower case. My entire existence in general made waves in Hoshido, didn't it? And I'm just one person. Now imagine telling someone of a feat they'll accomplish and how they'll do it. The chance drops because they think they'll succeed regardless, but that mentality can just as easily make the screw it up. And this applies to relationships as well. You may have those memories, but they don't. They have no idea how things will work between you, so saying you were in love in another life or timeline just makes you sound like a madman and drives them off."
"Gee thanks for saying that in front of her..." Damon said in a slight irritated tone.
The younger prince shrugged. "Why would it matter. She doesn't know how it'll end up yet. You haven't said anything."
"No but now she knows I have extensive knowledge of another time..." Damon added.
Azura looked almost offended. "You weren't exactly making it hard to figure out," she pointed out. "I figured it out myself actually based on how you were wording it."
"Azura, I am shocked, utterly shocked that you'd say such a disgusting accusation... mm-mm...no words..." Damon said to Azura throwing up his hands in defeat.
The former ninja held his hand up. "We're getting close. Not quite there, but close. I suggest you get that 'vision' story under better wraps before we get there, just in case."
Damon paused giving Azura a look. "You know you could give me a better face than your angry one..." Damon could tell that she was wearing a masked expression.
"… You spoke of trust earlier, but it seems I don't warrant being let in on the same kind of secrets..."
"Sorry love, I tell you our 'past' together, it'll most likely blow up in my face..." He argued to the songstress.
The yellow eyed woman nodded. "Yes... as Shad so clearly pointed out. So, why don't we just take it slow for now? Get to know each other again?"
"Then quit your minor complaints, about my secrets when I know they'll be bad for both of us...after I just recently experimented on...someone... not to mention it's not really a secret I'm keeping from you, only a stupid thing I can't tell you or you'll be freaked out of how much I know..." Damon argued, while grabbing his Yato blade.
"Right... I suppose you have a point there," Azura sighed.
"Apology accepted." Damon boasted, with pride.
Hours of walking through the woods finally ended as the plains near the Border Chasm came into view. "Finally..." Shad sighed, cracking his knuckles and stretching. "Getting bored of walking... Assuming they didn't have any trouble getting out, your lovers and children should be with Lucina and the rest of the Outrealmers." He tossed his brother the map he was using. "There's so many abandoned bases near the border that it isn't even funny. I had them evacuate to one of the ones closer to Hoshido and away from most Nohrian influence. Assuming the assholes from earlier didn't attack them, they should all be fine."
"So what did you exactly tell them?" Damon asked seeing as he didn't know what Shad told the officers at his castle.
"I don't trust father... nor did I feel comfortable with my sisters in law or niece and nephew being in his control. Before I continue, did anything happen in Nohr to your knowledge? Were they attacked the day before they came to Hoshido?" Shad asked, brushing his Fell Brand with his thumb and wincing.
"Pardon?" Damon asked, not sure he meant by that.
"Invisible army... they attacked the Northern Fortress and it wasn't in the journal. Judging by the fact you're confused, I'm assuming this is new. It's where I... well... had my awakening."
Damon immediately knew what he meant, seeing he had his awakening in Hoshido, from the past life. "I see..."
"So... I suggest we stop talking and get moving!" Shad suggested, wanting to be done with the subject of his new draconic form and forging ahead to the fortress he had sent his friends and family to. The three made their way to a campsite outside of a ruined fortress, there was a small camp fire, by a shaded tower. The moment Shad saw a head of blue hair, his smile grew and he pulled ahead. "Hey, Lucina!" He almost tackled the 'former' princess in a hug, relived she was okay. "Thank gods..." The prince realized what he was doing and pulled away with a slight blush on his face. "Ahem... mind giving me your report now?"
"….Well we got, the maids as you requested...but we ran in to trouble." Lucina held her head down in shame.
"Hey." Shad grasped her shoulders comfortingly. "We'll get through it. But we can't do anything unless you tell us what happened."
"….. Garon has his son." Lucina choked out, waiting to see his reaction.
Shad paled and sighed heavily. "Gods damn it... figured as much... Lucina." The prince moved her head up so she was looking him in the eye. "It wasn't your fault. Okay?"
"….what...?" Damon growled out a bit, hearing that his son was now in the possession of Garon yet again.
"Bro, you need to calm yourself. Constant, remember?" Shad reminded his brother, slightly standing in front of Lucina. "Not even you could have prevented it. Something or someone would have come up and taken Maximus. The only thing we can do now is get him back. And, fortunately, we already have his whereabouts locked down."
Damon's mind was swirling around with pain and grief. "Where is Flora?" Damon asked Lucina, as he needed to see her, immediately.
"With her sister in the base," the woman in blue responded immediately.
Damon pushed past them as he ran towards the encampment. "Flora! Felicia!?" Damon yelled out for the twins, hoping to hear from them. He was almost tackled by the former of the two, her light blue hair a mess and tears running down her face.
"Damon..." Flora sobbed, clenching his tabard. "Y-you... you're alive... I heard from the grapevine that Beruka confirmed it, but... I missed you..."
Damon held on to Flora tightly, kissing her as much as he could while hugging Felicia next tightly. "They managed to get most of us out safely... most of us..." Felicia murmured, both joy and guilt in her heart that her child was brought with them. "We managed to grab Anora, but-"
"Garon..." Flora growled, the air taking a bit of chill to it. "He took him... he took our baby boy..."
"I know sweetie, I know..." Damon said to Flora kissing her on top of her head.
Shad, as much as he hated to, spoke up from his original position. "Flora, Damon, we'll get your son back as soon as we can. But, as much as I hate to say it... we have a problem." He scratched at his head nervously. "This base was only meant to be a temporary set up and we have no forge, no food, and, probably the biggest problem, no reliable source of water. And don't get me started on how big a risk staying here any longer than a few days is. If Garon or Ryoma's forces don't find us, bandits and cut throats will."
"Why would Ryoma be hunting us? We didn't attack him or abandon him, to us we fell in the water." Damon said holding Felicia next.
"Not hunting us. He'd be trying to set up shop somewhere around here and stumble on us, and then faking our deaths was for nothing. We'd be forced into picking a side then and there. And then we're either going against our family in Nohr or our family in Hoshido. Same issue with Garon." Shad took a deep breath, steeling himself for the onslaught to come. "So, as much as it pains me to say it, our first priority should be to get ourselves ready for our own role in this war as our own faction. Getting a base set up, recruiting soldiers... I do have one idea that may work to get us willing men and women to fight for us, but it isn't something I'd be proud of doing. But that leaves getting a base, food and water."
"…. No... I need to get my son out of Garon's clutches before I set up anything." Damon deadpanned as he turned to his brother.
Shad pulled his brother to the side, a serious look in his eye. "You really want to do this? I won't stop you but think this through for a second. We have no men like last time. We have had no rest since the bridge. And on top of it all, there's the timeline to think about. Are you really ready to risk playing with the timeline in any major ways again? Especially with people you love?"
Damon yanked his brother over to Flora. "Tell her then... that you want to abandon my son..." Damon said to Shad testing his fortitude and how far he really wants this to go.
The younger prince looked Flora dead in her eyes and spoke. "We aren't ready to rescue your son without someone dying. And that includes you yourself. We act too hasty, too rashly, Garon will crush us under his heel like he has pretty much every other uprising. And who knows what he'd do to your son then."
"And if he stuffed him in what, the Dragon Realms? What then?" Damon asked Shad, knowing that is the first place he sent him.
The reborn Fell Dragon sighed heavily. "Then we better stop wasting time and get to work. Because, with the Dragon Realms involved, every second we spend talking could be another week he hasn't seen you."
Damon turned to Flora, as he knelt down grabbing her hands and looking up at her. "Just tell me love, and I'll go find him..." Damon told Flora, waiting for her decision.
"I... I..." The maid was genuinely conflicted. Her motherly instincts were screaming at her to go find her son immediately, but then again... what Shad said wasn't wrong either. And the fact was, he successfully predicted that the love of her life was alive. Not to mention he saved their lives with his makeshift traps. The tactician's words were almost gospel to her now. But this was her and Damon's baby boy! "I-I can't..." The trauma of potentially losing her son on top of the stressful situation she was just thrust into was nearly enough to make her burst into a fresh wave of tears.
"Yes, you can just tell me what you want me to do... and I'll go do it. What do you want me to do?" Damon asked Flora, squeezing her hands.
The older maid took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, getting the facts straight in her head. And in the end... "We... we need to prepare first," she choked out, hugging her prince. "I want our baby back... but I don't want him having to grow up without one of us either..."
Damon's eyes faded as he heard that from her. "Then I'll do as you say." Damon said to her standing up from her embrace.
Shad sighed, deciding to play devil's advocate. "Look... it isn't likely, but if we found a play relatively soon, within the next week, and worked together on this, we could feasibly be ready to get your son back before the end of the month. But the criteria for what we need is huge. Unless someone knows of a place we can use and we can get to it quick enough, I don't see that option happening. There's also some... unforeseen factors to take into account." The tome carrying prince gave his brother a pointed look. "Best case scenario in getting our faction running regardless, we're moving out for the rescue in about... nine weeks. Any more can and will cause problems, Damon. Problems we best avoid when we can."
Damon knew that four years was all Flora was now going to get with Max, as a child... now she's going to have to realize the more they spend here, the older he'll be when they find him. "…. It's just not right leaving Maximus alone... he's...he doesn't deserve that." Damon sighed as he sat down on the ground.
"Damon... you and I both know one of the few truths of this world." Shad's eyes were suddenly grim and full of pain. "Life isn't fair. It screws us all over at some point. It just to happens to do so earlier than some than others. The most we can do is make do with what we're dealt and try to make it better."
"Life may not be fair, but Maximus was supposed to be avoiding all this shit! He doesn't get to have this life put on him." Damon growled at Shad.
Lucina could already see the hints they were dropping and guiding the two maids away so they could talk without as much worry. "Damon, I don't think you get it quite yet. There's things you can change, and things you can't. Max? He's one of the things you can't, no matter what you did or tried."
"…..." Damon remained quiet as he didn't want to believe it... he wanted to believe for a short moment, he could save him from all this.
"You can save everyone... but you can't have a perfect life for all of them. What about Lucina, hm? Were you intending on bringing her father back, or Robin? And Peri. Did you bother saving her mother? Oh, and what about the Out Realmers that your siblings made their retainers? Did you intend on going to an entirely different world just to make their lives picture perfect?"
"My family comes first and foremost... that's always been my intention... always..." Damon said to Shad walking over to him.
Shad stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Right, and leave those who aren't family yet to rot?"
"Family doesn't mean by blood, this country is my family in heart... but he's my son, and I'd..." Damon stopped for a moment. "I'd let this world burn for them..."
"And it's mine to!" Shad roared, his own frustration over the situation bubbling over. "You think I like abandoning your son, my fucking nephew to the hands of a corrupt puppet?! Tricking my family to think I'm dead?! I'm doing this for you! Just like everything else I've done, just because of that sliver, that tiiiiiny glimmer of hope that I'd have a family that wouldn't give two damns about this fucking brand!" Shad's mark in question was glowing a dark purple. "But I guess I managed to fuck that up before I even had a chance, huh?!"
"Why are you yelling at me like I'm the base line for your fucking problems! I wanted to beat you an inch to your fucking life for hurting Hinoka!" Damon snapped at Shad, as his heart still burned with rage as that moment crippled her life choices and she became less worried of getting him back to she'll get him back eventually.
The memory seared Shad's memory, pushing his magic over the edge to reveal his half dragon form. "DO YOU THINK I WANTED TO HURT HER?! YOU?! ANYONE?! ALL I WANT IS TO HELP THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT AND I SOMEHOW EVEN MANAGE TO FUCK GIVING YOU ADVICE UP! YOU AREN'T MY PROBLEM! NO ONE IS! I'VE BEEN THE PROBLEM SINCE I WAS BORN UNTO THIS WORLD!"
"YEAH I DO THINK YOU WANTED TO FUCKING HURT HER, YOU AND YOUR FUCKING ANIMAL INSTINCTS, YOU NEARLY BUTCHERED HER! YOU SCARRED HER BODY! YOU BROUGHT HER PAIN AND NIGHTMARES!" Damon hissed his eyes glowing bright red as he clenched his fists.
Shad started to pant heavily, a black toxic magic dripping from his claws. "I never meant... to hurt anyone..." His claws started to twitch. "All I want... is to help you... help them... forget about this FUCKING curse..." Sorrow eventually overwrote his rage at himself, and the man fell to his knees in grief. "You think I don't have nightmares either? Regrets? If I had whatever it was that allowed you to come back, I would have stopped myself from challenging her in the first place. Hell... I probably would have done far more drastic measures... well, if I were a quitter. Which I'm not." Confidence flickered back into his eyes as Shad stared back at his brother. "Hate me and blame me all you want... but I'm helping you through this whether you like it or not. And I- no, we will save them. And the bottom line is, you think way too highly of yourself to be able to make clear judgement. Having your son early? Changing the event at the capital?! My gods, it's like you were begging for this to happen!"
Damon snapped as he heard that from him. "Say that... again..." Damon ordered while removing his swords and dropping them to the floor.
"You were begging... for every error since the chasm... to happen." Shad stood, throwing off his coat. "And like hell I'm bending knee and apologizing for my own opinion on the matter. An opinion that just so happens to be so accurate that you're in denial over how right it is."
"All I needed to hear." Damon said before punching him in the face. "Get up and say that to my face again!" Damon snapped at Shad.
"I'll do you one better..." The younger brother punched back, only his had an extra kick of electricity that sundered Damon's metal clad body. "You were fucking wrong. Own up to it and quit bitching about your mistakes."
Damon skid back as he buckled to a crouch, before he straightened his form and head butted him back down. "Hardly mistakes you ass, when I had the fucking game stacked against me!" Damon hissed at Shad.
"Then riddle.. Me... this..." The tactician stood up, glaring as magic coursed over his fist. "All that time... all those years... what did you do to prepare? Outside of having a child early and a little extra training, what did you do that could turn the odds in your favor?"
"I've been storing weapons, dried provisions, supplies, and maps... only I know where to find them." Damon stated to him.
"That right... well... what about the Dark One?" The words confused until Shad elaborated. "After all, who better to find and ruin your hard work than yourself?"
"Right, like I'd openly announce it, he can't read my fucking mind!" Damon snapped.
"No... but you think he can't watch you? Guess? He is you. A fucked up version of you, but you none the less. You think he can't figure it out on his own if he hasn't watched you do it already? And even then, why bring up all this now when I literally had to look your grieving wife to be in the eyes and tell her we weren't ready because we weren't supplied?"
"Even as you fucking announced it, he's watching you, you self-centered twat! All I did, was for the good of my friends and family! Everything I did!" Damon growled.
"I'm-" Shad came just shy of turning into a full dragon and let out a long sigh. "Damon... look. We can go back and forth like this until we're blue in the face. But let's look at the facts. We're both in this together. The majority of the people here trust my judgement, and I'm not talking about the maids. And I have more experience making battle plans than you do, past experience or not-"
"HA! HA ! HA! BULL FUCKING HORSE SHIT! " Damon laughed seeing all the battles and sieges he took part in, the planning.
"… Wanna bet?" Shad asked.
"No I'm just going to let you have that hallucination." Damon waved off his brother.
"No no. I'm serious. If you're so confident, then lets prove it."
"Experience offers more indulgence than battle 'planning', because if experience has taught me one thing it's know that your first plan will always fail." Damon stated.
"Fifteen consecutive victories. Against Garon's men. Lesser numbers, come out with far less casualties. Without the number difference." Shad's gaze was like stone. "Many of those raids were against men using dear brother Leo's tactics. Tell me... what does that say exactly?"
"Leo came in late! I had a hand in all those strategies! My hand drove that campaign!" Damon barked at his brother, offended by the sheer ignorance in his mind.
"Yes, but that's when you got the bulk of your forces. More people to manage, needed more complex strategy and double checking. But... fine. Even given that, I have a proposal. One you might jump for at this point." There wasn't an ounce of joking in Shad's face. "You and I are going to play three rounds of chess. First to two victories wins. If you win, I'll go. You'll never hear from me again. But! If I win, you have to let me plan or advise strikes from now on and apologize for your accusations against me on Hinoka. Do we have a deal?" Shad stuck out his hand.
"I didn't say you have to fucking leave, just know who the fuck has experience in this kind of shit, you haven't exactly been on the strikes of sieges, or feeding an army, and making sure that they've been upkept... I was stressed from the amount of responsibility, and I don't do chess, Leo always cheats with his eyes!" Damon huffed out.
Shad grinned a little bit and sighed. "Fine... fine... look, Damon... it's clear we got off on the wrong foot. I know, I know, I'm stating the obvious, but hear me out. But I really want to help you... to help our family. So let's just... start over for now. Clean slate."
"You owe her an apology... like a real one, not a five year old bs excuse of one..."
"Damon, I've been doing that for years now... but fine. Next time we run into our big sister... your mate... I'll apologize again."
"If you're being haunted by it, then that means you haven't apologized the right way! You find that right way and then I'll let go of her being hurt like that." Damon said to his little brother.
The words made sense to the younger brother, as hard as it was to hear. "… Fine. But, you have to swear to at least be cordial with me until then. I can't be helping you if you have rage working against me. I'm not saying to forget, but we at least have to leave that shit at the door when we make our plans. Agreed?"
"Fine, but you also owe my son an apology too..." Damon added.
"Trust me, I'll do that and forge him a new sword. I uh... for me, making anything is the highest thing I can do for a person to show I'm sorry. I pour everything into my work. Hell, I planned on making you a new blade before I came to Hoshido."
"And slap some sense in to Selena..." Damon added.
Shad paused. "I... I can't honestly do that. Whatever happened with her is on you man, that was nothing to do with me. I can certainly help, but you're the one who's going to need to bridge that gap. Hell, I've never even seen her in person."
Damon paused seeing a faded glimpse of Selena before picking up his blades in sorrow. "It was worth a shot..." He said to himself, clipping on his swords.
Shad pulled on his coat and strapped his blades back on his belt. "Okay... first thing's first, let's get everyone together and talk about our options. Judging by your journal and a theory I have going, I might have a good idea in the works. But that leaves us..." The younger prince counted off his fingers for a moment. "Ten people to get a hold of."
"Where the fuck did the number eleven come from?" Damon asked Shad.
"Lucina, Lon'qu, Panne, Gaius, Cherche, Tiki, the twins, Azura and your daughter Anora. Scarlet should be here relatively soon." The younger brother's ears twitched hearing a faint rustle and he shoved Damon. "Move!"
*FFFZZZZZTTTTT!*
A red bolt fired from a crossbow hit the tree, narrowly missing the two. Shad retaliated by throwing a dagger into the brush, the blade soaring into the bushes. "Show yourself!" Shad demanded, getting his tome ready as well. There was a loud silence before the mage sent a powerful wind spell in the direction of the shooter, the leaves torn aside and bushes uprooted. No one was there, but there was a small amount of blood and a distinct lack of a blade. "… This happen last time? Sans my own intervention, of course."
Damon's eyes looked up seeing a blade across Shad's throat. "Shhhh... you'll spoil the surprise Uncle..." Aynes whispered.
Shad's instincts kicked into high gear, half shifting and biting the blade in half with his teeth and whirling around, catching the woman with his poisonous magic claws. He spat out the bits of metal and growled. "Who are you?"
He heard a shuffle while feeling two hands grabbed around his ankles... from under the ground. "Surprise!" Aynes giggled.
The prince's instincts flared again and he jumped up, soaring much higher than normal, especially with the added weight still attached to his ankles. He didn't care and shouted to his brother. "Damon!"
"Plenty of new faces cuz!" Aynes yelled out to the sniper in the trees. Damon couldn't move as he could see clear strings, followed by a psychotic giggle from Erihppas.
"Hello again, uncle dearest," she cooed, an innocent smile on her face.
"Gods...damn you..." Damon growled while he had his hands on his sword.
"Hope you don't mind, but we wanted to take this... complication-" The strings were severed and Anyes was thrown into the madder woman.
"You..." Shad growled, blazing red eyes that made Damon's look like dying embers boring into Errihppas. Magic oozed off of him as he transformed into the Fell Dragon. "You're the bitch who killed Damon's family... my family..."
"Shhhh... hear that? It's the sound of my father's approach...sit tight and he'll make this right, no more wasting time, no more—" The group stopped when they saw a glowing light, with Aynes hanging on the tree like a monkey upside down. "Oh lookie, it's a glowing cookie!" Aynes smiled trying to grab it. Shad took full advantage of the distraction and whipped around, using his long length to slam the remaining strangers into the light.
"GET DOWN!" A voice emitted from the light as it glowed like the sun. The light shot out several hundred silver glowing needles, hitting the twisted mirrored children and dispelling them from this realm. Pam fell from the light, with a red and white aura. "That was close..." Pam breathed out heavily.
She suddenly felt herself pinned under Shad's claw. "You have ten seconds... who are you, and why are you here?"
She just phased right through him, like a ghost, leaving the trails of her aura on him. "Hi Daddy." She cheered hugging Damon tightly.
Shad let out a breath of relief and changed back, an uncomfortable look on his face as he looked at the apparent Father and daughter. "You could have just said that... but I'm assuming you're Pam then?"
Pam nodded striking a pose. "Pam An Sh... never mind... But yes, I am Pam, and I'm here to rescue you." She smiled placing her hands behind her back.
"… Thanks. But forgive me if I'm a little skeptical of the woman who appeared from a ball of light and took out everyone trying to kill us at once. Also unknowns to me... well... not one of them..."
"My bad, these...problem children weren't supposed to confront you yet, but they're becoming aware to our reset..." Pam scratched her head, in frustration.
"Not surprised. One of the men in the Dark One's court is probably me, right?" Shad asked with a thoughtful look on his face. "I mean... one of them just called me 'uncle.' If Damon changing things didn't give it away, his memories probably did."
"It was never intentional to do that... we just needed to make sure that our true enemy didn't figure out what has happened during the reset... but someone has caught wind to it, and they're not fitting the pieces together, soon their plan is going to change, and when it changes, you'll have no future knowledge of it." Pam resigned in defeat.
The tactical prince sighed. "Figures... it was bound to happen eventually. Well... I'm here now. So, I can at least help. That on top of Damon, the new additions and our army to come?" An iota of arrogance was in his new smile. "What hope do they have?"
"Plenty, as they will work around you to find a way in..." Pam warned Shad, as she was concerned that the Dark One is moving too quickly to predict now.
"Let me take a shot in the dark. Killing me. Right?" Shad's words held as much weight as a cannon shot was loud.
"You have a double, that can do worse... quickly replace you, as he is a master of personifications... he's a Shadow." Pam warned both Damon and Shad. "Once he's in... he'll uproot everything... I tried to deny him of it last time and it worked for a while, though a few choices that went hay wire... it ended in destruction." Pam said with a near emotionless tone.
"The Phantom of Darkness, right?" Shad asked, taking out Damon's sketch. "So... this fucker is me then... well... guess I'll have to put off dying for a while then," the prince joked. "Okay... but in all seriousness, thanks for the help, Pam."
Pam nodded grabbing the two of their sleeves. "I'm going to keep an eye on you both, but I can't dally here long, as I'll soon be needed... somewhere else..." She muttered before flashing out in to a bright light.
There was a silence for a moment before Shad coughed awkwardly and sope. "Right... so... grab the others? I'm actually surprised."
"Surprised about what?" Damon asked, with a slight headache, and a spell of confusion.
"The fact you didn't attack them, Tharja." The Dark Mage winced from a little ways away. "Showed some real self-restraint there."
"What do you mean?" Damon asked his brother.
"Nothing... let's just get the others."
"No, no, you started the conversation, be a man and own up to it." Damon fired back.
"Wasn't talking to you~," Shad sang as he walked to the base.
Damon was about to retort to that but bumped in to Panne. "Oh, look what the cabbage patch dragged in!" Damon barked. "Hi Thumper..." Damon said in a low tone.
The taguel didn't even acknowledge him as she walked past, shadowing his brother and beginning to catch up with the younger prince. "Shad," the woman called out, her voice even and cool.
The man in question whirled around and smiled at her. "Hey, Panne! We're going to be meeting in front of the fortress in a bit, okay?" The rabbit woman nodded and followed him to the door before taking a seat on a log.
Damon sighed as he went back over to Flora and Felicia, completely out of it. "…" Felicia hugged him, followed closely by her sister.
"…... I just want our son back Flora..." Damon sighed putting his head on Flora's chest.
"Me too..." Flora sighed, tears at her eyes. "I want him back so, so badly... I don't know what to do though... I want to get our baby back, but I don't want our actions to hurt him either... I don't know what I'm doing anymore, love... I said I wanted to wait to get our baby back earlier, but... it hurts... so much... I don't want to cause Maxie more pain but... I want our baby again... I want our son..." Flora started to choke up as sobs escaped her throat.
"…..We can look for him together Flora...he doesn't need to suffer because of this, right?" Damon asked Flora, seeing she had a choice.
"… That's what's bothering me..." The maid choked out, her sister rubbing her back comfortingly. "If... if we do go to save Max... what then? We have no men, nowhere to hide... we'd be sitting ducks for Garon to take him from us again... and I can't go through that again... but every fiber of my being wants to hold him again... tell him it's going to be okay..."
"We'll just hit back to our camp, where Lilith will just teleport us to a realm where we can hide and prepare... " Damon said to Flora.
That was news to the both of them. "Lilith can do what?" Felicia asked. "She isn't even here right now..."
"One moment..." Damon pulled out a pendent, it began to glow a bright blue before Lilith in her human form was summoned landing behind Damon.
"Hello, Lord Damon," the maid bowed with a small smile. "It's good to see you again."
"Lilith, we're going to need a place to encamp, can you transport all of us to a fortress to act as a temp base of operations?" Damon asked Lilith.
"We're..." Shad's voice fell silent as he came back with the Outrealmers. "… Lilith... been a while. When did you get here?"
"Just now..." Lilith retorted.
"Nice... well, uh... everyone's here now. So, any ideas for a base?" Shad asked, sitting on a log across from Damon and crossing his legs, Lucina and Tharja immediately taking either side next to him. "Damon? Sounded like you were onto something."
"Yeah, Lilith already has something in store for us, don't ya Lilith?" Damon asked, as he leaned down.
"Uh... yeah... but do we really need it?" The yellow eyed maid asked nervously.
"Yes, we really need it, Lilith, it'll mean so much to me if you can get that for us..." Damon begged to the maid.
The woman sighed and closed her eyes. "...Okay then... here we go, everyone..." There was a blinding flash of light from Lilith and the air itself changed. Many people ended up tumbling on the ground in a heap, their seats robbed from them.
"Gods damn it!" Gaius shouted in shock, rolling to his feet. Shad could have done the same thing if Lucina and Tharja hadn't pinned him down in their fall.
"… This is going to become a pattern... I'm calling it right now..." Shad stated as he struggled up.
Damon landed normally. "I should've probably told you there was a tumble..." Damon chuckled.
Panne was mostly unphased, her quicker reflexes preventing the fall entirely. That and no one on her to weigh her down. "I believe most would agree... now where exactly are we?"
"Dragon Realms... the vast emptiness of time itself." Damon explained.
Shad's eyes sparked, recalling his brother's entries on the place. "So... I'm guessing we touch some magic orb Lilith has and..." His words trailed off as his green eyes locked onto the fish-like dragon in her place. "… what is this and why is it so adorable?"
Lilith hid behind Damon's form trying to slither away from his grasp. "Odd, you don't act like that towards most people?" Damon asked Lilith.
"Shad's... different. You can ask him later, but we need to focus. Your brother was right. Just touch this orb I'm holding and the world will form around us," the blue dragon explained.
"Hold!" The younger prince shouted, startling the small dragon. "Idea... and bear with me here. That sphere uses draconic powers to work, right? What would happen, in theory, if Tiki and I were to touch it too?"
"Please... no breaking the fourth wall of this realm..." Lilith begged the younger Prince.
Shad tilted his head in confusion as Tiki stole the words from his mouth. "How and why would that happen? Shad and I would only be adding our power to this world's creation," the priestess pointed out.
"This world is...very unstable, technically using both time and possibility at my disposal, adding to its creation is a risk, but I'd ask that everyone leave before attempting to … ah... 'adjust' my work..." Lilith advised the group.
"We can't," Tharja replied, her usual unamused look on her face.
"Don't know how," Gaius added.
Panne struck the killing blow. "You're the one who brought us here. Do you think any of us possess the power to leave on our own?"
Lilith let out purr like growl. "I mean, after I send you out..." She argued.
"… It's hard to take you seriously when you're so adorable," Lucina stated evenly. "Even that 'growl' was cute... but, you've made your point never the less. Send us off when you're ready. You'll hear no complaints from me." She and the others disappeared the moment the words left her lips.
"Now then... how do we do this? Just touch the orb?" Shad asked Lilith, completely nonchalant about the situation.
Lilith was hesitant seeing as he could overdo it. "Y-yes..." She said with a worried tone.
"Right then. Well, here goes everything everyone." Damon pressed his hand to the orb, then Shad, and finally Tiki. There was a brilliant flash of light as the world took shape around them, a large grassy field that was easily quadruple the size of Damon's last dragon realm. Fully furnished too, holding a forge, mess hall and a few shops in the area.
Tiki fell to her knees, panting. "That... was... exhausting..." She gasped, feeling all but the bare amount of her magic reserves leave her.
"Ngh... can't... move..." Lilith groaned from the ground, a dizzy look in her eyes.
"Geeze you guys look drained..." Damon rubbed the back of his neck, while his reptile like pupil was revealed.
Shad offered a hand to the down Manakete. "You need a hand up?" He asked, a soft smile on his face. The prince didn't bother mentioning that he felt completely fine too.
Despite the kind gesture, flashbacks flipped through Tiki's mind. The battle not a day ago... a few years back when she confronted the beast with her friends... "I'm fine," she replied, hiding her pain behind a smile of her own as she struggled up.
Shad's smile faltered. He'd pulled that look off enough times to know when someone else was using it. "Right... um..." He coughed awkwardly before looking to the small dragon on the ground. "You feeling okay, Lilith?"
Damon expended some of his energy and gave her human form back again, picking her up. "She's just exhausted from trying to compare energy levels." Damon said with a sigh. "She needs rest."
"Right... is there any chance to pull the others in here without her?" His younger brother asked. "I don't feel comfortable leaving them alone any longer than we need to. Especially Tharja..."
"I can." Damon confessed as he touched the orb and signaled out his companions returning them to the place of hiding.
"Woah... and I thought the grasslands of Ylisse were pretty..." Gaius muttered, awestruck at the sight of the field.
Shad clapped his hands, drawing attention to him. "Alright. First on the agenda, we need to check this place out, get a map set up. Knowing the facilities that formed with us is also key but that will be taken care of with the map. This place is huge. I doubt the shops around us is all there is." He pointed to the twins and Anora. "You two, go with Damon. Somehow, I doubt separating you all right now is a good idea. Panne, you look around with Gaius and Tiki, Cherche with Lon'qu and Azura, and I'll go with Lucina. I'd include Tharja in that little order, but... somehow... I doubt it'll matter who I tell her to go with. She'll end up with the same person regardless. We'll all circle inwards and compare when we get back. Agreed?" There was a nod from almost everyone. "Good. We'll meet up back here in about... three hours." The group split up as designated, going into different directions.
As he and his lovers and child walked, Damon recalled that there was another important person to him looking for him right now. One who he didn't intend on letting down again. Without anyone looking, Damon would disappear from the Dragon realm and reappear back in to the shaded grove like forest, red electrical sparks danced around his form as he looked around. His eyes scouted the area knowing Scarlet would be around the areas somewhere.
Where are you my crimson knight?
There was a loud screech as something plowed into the prince, pinning him under its claws. "Hey," Scarlet greeted him with a hint of cheek. "Found ya."
Damon was caught off guard from hearing that from Scarlet, as he clearly remembered that she greeted him with an attempted arrest..."Scarlet?!" Damon exclaimed seeing she found him pretty quickly.
"I heard Shad was with you, so I had Onyx here track his scent," Scarlet explained, having her partner release the prince and hopping off.
"Where did you even get his scent?" Damon asked Scarlet.
The woman pulled a shirt from a satchel on her wyvern's saddle. "I have unlimited access to pretty much everywhere in the castle. Grabbing something from his room was no problem."
"Right, back when you were infatuated with him..." Damon mumbled.
"… I'm not dignifying that with a response. So, what's the plan then?" Scarlet mounted her wyvern and looked at the prince. "We going back to Hoshido, or do you have something else in mind?"
"Yeah, I have a hideout in the Dragon Realm... giving me a chance to reform my thoughts and get back out there... I have a war to fight against my true enemy, who's manipulating both sides of the war." Damon explained to Scarlet.
The blonde woman thought it over for a moment. "Crazy as that sounds, I've heard crazier. Need an extra pair of hands on the fight? As long as we take down Nohr in the process, I'm all for throwing my hat in with your side."
"I was actually going to beg for your help, but now that you mention it, I'd love to have your help." Damon smiled at Scarlet holding out his hand to her.
She clasped on with a wide smile on her face, pulling him onto her wyvern with no small amount of effort. "Well then, lead the way, Damon. Onyx'll get us there faster than walking at least." Damon nodded as he teleported all three of them in to the Dragon Realm with Onyx flapping his wings like crazy seeing that he was a few feet off the ground. "… You're a jerk to wyverns, aren't you? Not giving my partner and I a warning..." While it was clear she was joking, there was still a small amount of anger in her tone too.
"Wyverns don't like me..." Damon retorted.
"I... that doesn't... never mind," Scarlet sighed, comforting her partner as the prince dismounted. "So, this big place all to yourself, or is there people I need to introduce myself to?"
"You're going to need a moment, as you might not agree with some of the companionship..." Damon warned Scarlet.
"Alright then... so, what do I do in the meantime?" The blonde got off the saddle and continued to sooth the wyvern.
"Huh? No, I mean, steel yourself." Damon said dragging her towards the fortress in the northern part of the Realm.
"H-Hey!" Scarlet objected before seeing the company of Out Realmers before her. "Oh... wow. Lotta unique characters here, h-" She almost choked seeing Shad drawing out a map of the area, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.
Shad's brush hesitated and his own slight blush formed. "Scarlet... it's been a while." He added a note to a parchment on the side, though when he felt his brother's gaze on him he decided to change the topic. "Gotta say bro, you're pulling in supporters like mad. Getting our army ready may not be as hard as anticipated. Anyway, map's done if you want to take a look." The Dragon Realm had formed in a mirror, perfectly symmetrical... at least if one were to focus on where everything was and not how it looked. "It looks like everything Hoshidan is on the left and everything Nohrian is on the right. Things that have no outward affiliation are in the middle, like the forge and mess hall. We have quite the options for food too. Wheat, meat, peaches, fish... Lilith said we don't need to worry about taking care of the crops, the magic takes care of that for us. We just need to harvest them, and we'll probably find or get supplied more types of food later.
"We also have some ore veins here too. Coral, Pearls, Onyx, and Topaz to be precise. We'll need to mine them, but it shouldn't be hard since they're near the surface before they regenerate. Lilith said she can try and scrounge up other things, but we're more likely to find them on the battlefield. The chances are low for that, but lower for Lilith being able to do much. If we find one, we can bet it in the Arena for another one. Obviously, this is a gamble, but it's all we have thus far. We can actually transmute five of one ore for a single of another, but that's going to take a while. Barracks are across from the mess hall, Forge is at the fork between the two shops, and the Arena is opposite of that at the end of the path.
"Also, I noticed that there were a couple tree houses on either side of the fort itself. I claimed one for myself, the other is all yours. Now... any questions?" Shad put down his brush as he finished, leaving a decent layout of the Dragon Realm on the table to dry.
"Yeah, I got one... when do we head back to Nohr and start getting some friendlies? " Damon asked Shad.
"In a day or so. Lilith is still resting from earlier and pretty much everyone here is still recovering from both having to fight a difficult battle and escape with your lovers and child. I do have some ideas to get supporters now, but I'm still working out the kinks in that plan. Anything else? Doesn't just have to be Damon, anyone can ask anything... pertaining to the Dragon Realms and our mission, Tharja." The Dark Mage closed her mouth.
"What is our plan after resting?" Lon'qu asked the tactician.
"We'll be heading into Nohr, build up at least a small force to combat Garon with. It doesn't have to be too big, hell, I'd rather keep it small for now. But we need it large enough to stand a chance against guarded villages. After we get that settled, I want to start freeing small areas around the border, in out of the way areas, places Garon doesn't keep too close an eye on. We keep hitting places like that, gather small amounts of support over time, we'll start to become a threat. Thankfully, we can conceal our true numbers in the Dragon Realm. I wager around... two hundred thousand people could be garrisoned here comfortably. We can always build more barracks if need be as well. In nine weeks, assuming we make our way to them, we should have more than enough people to free Damon's child and the Ice Tribe from Garon." Shad brushed his hands off on his coat. "Anyone else? I'm going to go harvest things for dinner after this, so ask now while you have the chance."
"Also not to mention... did anyone forget war just broke out between the two Kingdoms?" Damon asked the entire room.
"Hoshido will be preparing for a while," Shad informed him, grabbing a few empty bags. "Their army wasn't that strong. I made do with what I had, but I'm not there anymore. My tactics made Hoshido a threat, but now that's gone. With Nohr making final preparations, we should have three months until they march on Hoshido and we start running into problems. We need to be able to keep Nohr from going through with it before then, and that shouldn't be too hard. We just need to hit the right targets, stir the nest enough that they'll focus on us instead. Now, anything else?" No body answered him. "No? Then I'm going out to harvest for dinner. Leave some requests in the mess hall, I'll see what I can do."
The Hoshidan prince left the room, sacks in hand as he headed to the peach orchard. "… I know you're there Tharja. I can sense your magic." He twisted and pulled down a peach, inspecting it. It was plump and flawless, though that was to be expected in a world like the Dragon Realms. "What is it you want at a time like this? When I'm trying to get things for dinner. Or do you not want to try the cooking of a man you claim to love?" He teased.
Tharja appeared behind his back, resting her back to his. "….. You... do… realize... you... owe... me..." She worded it out to the prince.
"Hehe... so I do," Shad chuckled, taking another peach. "So, what is it you want me to do? I mean, I won't get to a knee this early into our relationship... hell, I met you only yesterday."
"Getting on your knees won't do...but your 'knees' could..." She teased.
The prince turned around, looking at her confusedly. "You lost me, Tharja." He reached behind her and picked another peach, bringing him closer to her. "Mind being a bit clearer? Can't really do a favor if I don't know what it is you want exactly."
Tharja smiled as a devious look appeared on her face, hidden in shadows. "Well you could get on both knees and... beg... or kiss some, very...hurt...and tender areas behind me..." She said as her voice trailed around her tongue.
Shad chuckled darkly. "Naughty girl! Trying to get sexual with a man you met not a few days ago... but let me be clear. I have nothing to beg for."
"If I want to in slanderous terms... 'fuck' I can... just like if I want to eat, or sleep..." Tharja said in a teasing manner.
"Well... I can't argue that. Sadly though, I'm afraid I can't do anything more than tease. Saving my first for the wife to be, you know?"
"Hmmm your funeral..." Tharja teased Shad.
The black haired prince released the sacks in his hand and cupped her hips. "Hey... I never said I wouldn't do your favor though. Even if I'm not head over heels for you yet, that doesn't mean we can't... fool around some. Just don't expect anything more than I would do as a massage, even if it is a bit more... lewd."
"Being... lewd is one of... my traits behind closed doors...or behind a tree..." She teased, causing Damon to sneeze, as he heard of something go off in his head.
"Heh... so, Dark Mage... what is it you want?" Shad asked, turning her around to face him and tilting her head up to meet his gaze. "Just ask, and I'll do it... as long as I get to keep it in my pants and a ring off your finger, of course."
Shad tried to turn to face her, but she wasn't there. Shad felt Tharja rest against his back.
"You know, you don't need to be married... who told you that stuff, your mother?" She inqired.
"And my sisters, and my brothers..." Shad listed off teasingly. "All joking aside, it's more of a preference. But hey, my brother did it, and while I'm not him, plenty of others had. Who knows?" He spun around, looking into Tharja's purple eyes. "Maybe a certain woman in the army can change my mind. Could be you, could be Lucina, Panne, hell even Tiki or Cherche if they get close enough. But as it stands? You're candidate numero uno at the moment. Doesn't mean I will now, but still."
"I am... am I? What about the Priss-Princess Lucina?" Tharja asked Shad, warming up to him.
"… I won't lie... you're kinda tied with her..." He confessed, a blush on his face. "But, in all fairness, I've known her a bit longer and train with her every day. Something I'm sure we'll be doing that soon too..." He tugged Tharja closer, an odd instinct taking over. "Won't we, mon mage noir?"
Was... was that fucking Chevlian? When did I pick that up?!
"Oh so you know a bit of Pelegian Oui?" Tharja asked the young prince.
Something sparked in Shad's head as he smirked at her. "{But of course, Tharja,}" he replied in her native tongue. "{Did you expect anything less from me? So... before this turns into the banter I know it'll transform to, why don't you tell me what it is you want me to do with you?}"
A mad blush began to flood Tharja's cheeks, as she moved her hands along his hair, still resting her back against him. "{I think you know...}" She snipped at him, managing to curl a strand of his hair.
"{Well then...}" Shad twirled the dark mage around and dipped her, a cocky grin on his face. "{You need to be in front of me for such acts, no? My Black Witch?}" He ran a finger down her alabaster cheek.
There was a pause for a moment. "{If you can catch me...}" She retorted, waiting for him to make a move.
"{When you're already in my arms? Or maybe...}" He threw a dagger to the side, catching the real Tharja's uniform and pinning her. "{You mean the real you.}" He strolled over and grinned as he leaned down to her. Her eyes avoided his gaze as the blush redenend.
What the hell am I doing? And why does it feel so right?
"{Let me... get you in the mood then...}" She said, as she quickly put a blindfold on. "Mmmmm much better." She smiled, seeing as she was blinded by the fold.
"Back to English then? Fair enough... but I must admit..." Shad started to twist a strand of her dark purple hair. "I'll miss those lovely eyes of yours. Now then..." He quickly stripped her down, the body suit the Dark Mage wore peeling away with no resistance. "My my... and I thought Kagero's and Camilla's were big..." He teased, playing with her now naked left tit. "Aren't you a natural blushing beauty?"
… I don't know why I'm doing this, but hell if I'm not enjoying it.
The prince ran his other hand down her flawless white skin, resting it on her wide hip. "It's like you're begging to bear a child someday... but then again... that is what you want with me," he leaned into her ear and whispered, "is it not, my beautiful Black Witch?" He licked her ear lobe, sending a harsh shiver through her body.
"Y-you beast... its...too much..." Tharja breathed out heavily, as her hands shot up gripping his shoulders rather tightly.
"What can I say? You asked for it," Shad teased her, nipping the nipple of her left breast. The hand that wasn't playing with her boobs went to her butt, massaging the cheeks as he teased her. "Calling in your favor so early... and for such a lewd thing... you must really want me, huh? But is it love?" He bit on her shoulder lightly, forcing a gasp of pleasure from her. "Or lust? Go ahead. You can be honest." He kissed the spot he bit tenderly, letting the woman reply to his question, even if his hands wouldn't stop moving.
Tharja couldn't contain the pressure mounting up in her loins, as her breath became ragged and unstable. "…..It's both..." She choked out.
"Well then... I best not disappoint." Shad gave her a chaste kiss as his hands moved to the small of her back, pulling her in so she could feel the body she couldn't see. His right hand slowly moved down, finding the dripping orifice that was her vagina and plunging his fingers in, pumping them ever so slowly. Shad had no idea what came over him, as he was doing this outside of all places... the rumors that'd spread if one of the girls found him doing this to Tharja, no doubt Panne would never let this go. Or Lucina... thus, he decided to end this with her quickly, pulling her blindfold up so she could see his face. "You're a beautiful, lovely woman, Tharja," he teased her, pressing his forehead to hers, his green and silver eyes locked onto her deep purple.
Her eyes were like a hypnotic trance to Shad... alluring and addicting. "And given time, who knows?" His fingers quickened, along with Tharja's breath. "Maybe I'll go all the way... give us a few beautiful children to love and care for..."
Though for some odd reason the ghost of past Shad just died and went to the great beyond, along with a phantom of Lucina... signaling his sense of judgement just went up in smokes. But the moment he realized that, he snapped back to reality and sprang back. Red crept up his face as judgement returned. "Uh... uh... I..." he stammered before grabbing the sacks on the ground. "I'll see you later!" He rushed away, trying to keep his mind in check as he ran from the orchard and into the hunting forest, clutching his heart as he slumped again a tree. "What... what just happened to me? I... I need to talk to Damon... after I make dinner."
(Line break)
Later, in the mess hall...
"Dinner's up, everyone!" Shad announced, laying down platters of peach upside down cake, meats and fish. "Took a good bit to get this all prepped and made, but I hope you all enjoy!" He started cutting the cake and some of the meats, putting some on the plates for the others. "Damon, I need to see you actually. Preferably in private."
Damon stopped Flora from feeding him. "...Now?" Damon asked Shad.
"Right now." The yonger brother had a nervous look, his eyes darting to Tharja every now and again.
Damon sighed as he putdown the utensil from Flora's hand. "Fine... lead the way." Damon ordered.
Shad lead his brother to his own tree house, decorated in minor Hoshidan things. "So... other than Tiki, you're honestly the only person who can help me, and the aforementioned manakete is terrified of me for understandable reasons. But, I'll cut to the chase. Does becoming a dragon... well... change a person? Personality wise?"
"…... Let me guess... blood lust? Lewd behavior? Bluntness?" Damon asked.
"The second one..." Shad answered with a blush.
"The moment you let loose that power inside you, the dragon consumes your very being flooding you with excess power and or pent up rage or strength."
Fear sparked in Shad's eyes. "No! My dragon cannot get control! Literally everyone here except maybe you and Lucina would be utterly screwed, and then Hoshido, and then Nohr." The younger prince was beginning to have a panic attack, his magic beginning to flow from his brand.
"Get quill and paper with ink..." Damon sighed as he pinched his brow.
Shad took a few deep breaths and sat at a desk, taking out the items in question. "O-okay..."
"Draw a triangle" Damon ordered. The black haired man scratched out a perfect triangle in mere seconds.
"On the left point outside of the triangle write your name." Damon ordered.
"Done," Shad sighed, beginning to calm slightly.
"On the right side, draw the creature's name." Damon ordered again.
His brother hesitated before writing Grima's name out. "Okay."
"On the top, write what you are." Damon ordered.
[The Fell Dragon reborn]
Shad's hair cast over his eyes. "… Done..."
"The Middle now... the middle is balance...my triangle is Damon to the left, Flying fuck to the right, Dragon Prince of the top, and...Damon in the middle as the balance."
Shad paused, trying to think of his own balance. "Huh..."
"If you lose balance...you splinter in to three, mentally you'll go insane... you let that pent up energy exhaust you, and don't let it out... it festers in you." Damon warned Shad. "Which is why I let it out every so often so I don't go insane." Damon explained. "Though you? You're not fully dragon, you're a Wyrm, so you may have a series of attacks that can come in patterns. You could go insane immediately if you're not careful, I'd say sate your needs or your instincts will consume you." Damon advised.
"That's... a problem..." Shad muttered. "Bloodlust isn't a problem... usually."
"Blood lust only happens if you get a pent up rage of attack, like an adrenaline rush which equals to... lewd like behavior, it needs to compensate... so it's why I like to hang around the other women so much, because my happiness keeps me sated." Damon explained.
"… That's a problem. A big, big problem..." Shad shuddered.
"How is it... Oh, well your fucked... ah I shouldn't say that to my own flesh and blood." Damon sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well big bro has to help, or you're going to become a problem lizard." Damon said looking at him.
"Damon... only two women here would even consider it... and one of them is yours in the future," Shad explained. "I literally traumatized the rest of them in Ylisse. Well... a past me did... you get the idea."
Damon snapped his fingers twice getting his attention. "Hey, hey! Look at me in the eyes." Damon ordered. Shad's green and silver eyes met his brother's.
"Yeah, bro?"
Damon gripped his brother's head tilting it towards the light. "….Blood shot, yeah your primal side is gaining traction...I'm going to do a little...experiment." Damon said as he released him. Damon left the room only to come back with Felicia. "Okay, you are dealing with some sort of withdrawal I... went through myself."
"… And?" Shad asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Okay first of all... if you tell Flora of this, I will kill you after I gouge out your eyes with my own fucking thumbs understand?" Damon asked his brother.
Shad immediately put the pieces together but couldn't quite believe it. "What... what's happening?" Damon put Felicia on Shad's lap to see his reaction in his eyes, which he was hoping would be dilation and a reptilian shape. Shad's eyes, however, stayed exactly the same as he looked at the maid. "Oh, hey... uh..." Shad couldn't really continue from there, feeling too awkward. "How's Anora?"
"She's fine...um...thank you for asking." She said to Shad as she removed her apron looking in to his green eyes.
"Well... why wouldn't I?" The younger prince asked. "She's family. Of course I'd be interested in her wellbeing." Damon left the room for a somewhat privacy as Felicia undid her dress, so she could observe the reaction. Shad felt his heart quiver. "Fe-Felica? What are you doing?" Felicia's dress dropped from her shoulders, revealing her white laced bra and panties, as she had a shameful look on her face. Shad's magic flared, patches of black scales beginning to form. "Felicia... please don't... I am literally about to get on my knees and beg, don't make me betray my brother like that..."
"I'm sorry my Prince, but I have orders from Damon..." She said unclipping her bra, with a mad blush on her face.
Shad's breath grew hot, feeling extra weight on his head and back as more of his features appeared, feeling the slight sting as the tattoos that took the place of his other sets of eyes appeared. "You-you're playing a dangerous game... one I don't think either of us wants to play..." She dropped her panties next, moving her hands around his shoulders, while pressing her chest up against his. Shad felt his willpower wane. "… I don't think you understand. I've been on a hair thin willpower where my lust is involved. You don't want this." Her chest made a nip slip as her breast slid downwards, revealing the beautiful pink buds. His mind blanked and he threw her to the bed, panting heavily as he looked down on her, claws finally making an appearance, albeit not covered in magic. "You asked for this..."
Damon however grabbed him roughly by his shoulders and kicking him in the back of his legs bringing him down to his knees looking down in to his eyes. "Yup pure instinct..." Damon said, as he looked at Felicia. "Thank you sweetie." Damon nodded to Felicia.
Shad felt clarity return, accompanied by shame. "I... I'm sorry, Felicia. Damon... I'm usually much more composed but... recent years have been taxing to say the least... the last week especially..." He looked at his brother. "Tell me... did you ever meet Kagero when you were in Hoshido? Ryoma's retainer?"
"I... yes, our run in was... short and sweet." Damon sighed knowing he didn't get much time with her.
"She uh... she was my trainer. And she may have been getting a bit more... suggestive in the months following our fight at the bridge. Yeah... I think you're seeing a major problem I've been growing up with now..."
"So now that your instincts have awoken years of suppression... you are going to have a problem, Felicia being the prime example of how bad it could've gone." Damon pointed out.
"I came close to outright losing it with Tharja earlier..." Shad confessed. "I came so close to slipping away that it would have happened if I were any less aware of my own mind. Damon... I don't know what to do. I'm genuinely stumped. I apparently need release and I'm too far gone to get any from anyone willing without hurting them."
"The longer you build it up, the bigger the bubble is going to pop." Damon explained.
"However," Shad sighed, planting his hand to his face, "there are... candidates. Some of the tougher women would probably be able to handle me without much harm, but... well... I already explained the problem there. Tharja might be able to handle it but that's... that's a slippery slope."
"Look it's a problem you're going to have to deal with, I'd help you...but not my place I mean," Damon stopped as he looked at Felicia. "Like I said not my place to ask..." Damon sighed, knowing Shad was going to have problems relatively soon, and he rather not put down an asset.
"… I don't know what to do that wouldn't utterly shatter your heart, man. I just don't know." Shad knew what he was referring to, and he was positive that his brother did as well. "… Felicia, you need to leave for a moment. My brother and I have to discuss... personal matters. Things I'm not comfortable with you hearing yet, no offense intended. This is, of course, unless you're fine with her hearing about the more... complex matters surrounding us, or rather a certain blonde knight, Damon. Then by all means, you can stay Felicia."
Damon's fists tightened, as he all to well-remembered that he taunted him on the bridge about that. "Go Felicia, besides I don't want you in here when he goes full primal..." Damon ordered his maid.
Shad sat on the bed and bridged his fingers as the maid left. "First thing's first. Scarlet and I? We aren't actually together. I simply noted the way you were acting around her as opposed to the other soldiers and struck at it. However... If you were to ask her, she'd give you a slightly different story."
"I know... she was madly in love with you." Damon growled a bit.
The younger prince raised a brow. "Was? Damon, unless you missed that bit where she came in earlier, she still is... or at least still feels something for me." He let out a deep sigh and gave Damon a sad look. "Listen... I understand if you don't want to hear it, but... you at least deserve to know why given how close you two were. If you don't right now, fine. I understand. I'm a patient person and, again, can understand why you wouldn't want to hear why she feels what she does for me. But if you don't hear it from me, you'll most certainly be hearing it from her when you try to romance her again. And unlike her, I'll give you the whole truth on the matter. Both sides of the story, no embellishment. I only ever attempt to lie to my targets, and you're anything but, big brother. In the end, it's your call. So, do you want to hear it from me now, hear it from me later, or hear it from Scarlet?" Shad closed his mouth, waiting for his brother's answer.
Damon crossed his arms against his chest. "You know... a small part of me still wants to tell you to Piss off... but fine, let me hear it." Damon sighed.
Shad smiled slightly at the half trust his brother was showing him. "Very well then... I suppose the best place to start is when we met. It was about two years ago. Scarlet had been beaten back by Nohr and was forced to seek aid from Hoshido. After meeting with mother and our Hoshidan family, she was invited to explore around the castle and capital."
"I'm actually going to stop you right there...wait here." Damon sighed as he got up from the seat he pulled out.
"Let me guess. Going to grab Scarlet for contradictions?" Shad asked, a knowing look on his face. "Her side as well?"
"Shut up!" Damon snapped.
"I'd check the ore springs first, she loves jewels and gold," the younger prince advised. "If not there then the wyvern pens."
"I KNOW!" Damon snapped as he was already down the ladder.
Scarlet fished out another net of jade as she heard a pair of boots approach. "Hello?" She asked, her hand reaching for her spare blade on instinct.
Damon kicked her net away from her. "Scarlet!" Damon snapped, grabbing her left arm yanking her over to him.
"Whoa! Easy, Damon!" The knight gasped, easing herself and pressing her free hand to her breastplate. "Thought we were getting ambushed there for a moment! Woooo, my heart's pounding... what do you need?"
"Shush I need you to come with me!" Damon muttered as he started to drag her.
Scarlet followed along without much complaint. "You know... you usually take a girl out before pulling something like this," she joked, keeping pace with him with relative ease. "Unless this is about something else?"
"Huh? Oh, that's right..." Damon hit his own forehead with his metal gauntlet on his left hand. "I got something for you. I found these in Nohr and thought these could bring me some sort of good luck, and I heard that you like this sort of stuff... sooo..." Damon reached for his pouch and emptied shiny looking rocks.
Scarlet's eyes lit up immediately. "Are... are these rubies?" She asked with excitement in her tone.
"I think?" Damon asked.
The knight grinned with joy and pocketed the precious stones, giving him a quick hug. "Damon, thanks. I mean it. Now then," Scarlet released him, back to her usual demeanor, "where is it we're going now?"
"To get a story straightened out with my brother." Damon said to her grabbing her hand again.
There was a slight glimmer at the thought of said brother. "Really now? What about?" She asked as they approached the tree house Shad occupied.
"Your relationship with my brother." Damon sighed.
Scarlet tilted her head in confusion, about to ask why he cared when Shad kicked down the ladder. "That didn't take long," said the younger prince as he retreated back into his home as the two climbed up. Shad took a seat on the bed again, leaving two more seats open nearby. "So... who do you want to start this tale?" He asked, crossing his legs.
"Some Lord you are... Ladies always go first... if you please Knight Scarlet?" Damon asked Scarlet.
"Heh... no need to treat me special," the blonde quipped, entering before Damon anyway. "But thanks. It's nice to know I'm liked by others anyway." She took a seat adjacent to Shad. "So... What part of our history do you want to hear then? Why do you even-"
"I recommended when we first met," Shad interjected, not wanting her to unintentionally upset his brother. "And he's just curious as to why your mood changed when you saw me earlier."
"Huh... was it really that noticeable?" The knight muttered to herself, slightly self-conscious.
"Alright, Damon. Who do you want to start this off?" Shad asked his older brother, who just took a seat facing the two of them.
"Huh? Oh I just brought you two in the same room, so I could do this..." Damon gripped their heads as he tapped in to his dragon form, accessing their conjoined memories.
(Line Break)
Two years ago, Hoshidan Royal Palace
Shad struck a training dummy with his training knife, slashing at what would have been several vital arteries before finishing with a stab to the kidneys. His ears pricked as he heard a woman ask one of the help a question. From Damon's perspective, he could see it was a slightly younger Scarlet, still in her red armor. "Hey, who's that over there?" She asked, pointing in his direction. "I don't think I saw him at the meeting with the royal family and Hoshidan army earlier."
So...this is what it's like to interlink two minds not involving mine...
"Oh, him?" The female servant asked, looking where the knight was pointing for confirmation. "That's... Prince Shad..." She started to get nervous simply looking at the black haired prince. "You're best not going near him. He's cursed... a monster. He lashed out at Princess Hinoka one day in cold blood and scarred her for life."
[Who invades my mind...?]
Oh, so you're Grima... Bound and tormented by a near mortal...ha.
[Be silent, whelp. Even at this, the lowest point of his power, my vessel could ruin you easily.]
Oooo not a talkative one I assume? But as you can see halfbreed, Dragons have a higher wisdom factor and patience... how did your complete destruction go for you?
[You'd do well not to test me, hatchling. Not with our minds so intimately connected.]
Shut up the both of you, I'm trying to listen...
Shad sighed and tried to ignore them, going back to his ruthless assault on the wood and straw dummy. "There goes the rumor mill again..." He muttered to himself.
Scarlet used a polearm to support her leg injury as she moved over to Shad, she made a few taps on his shoulder. "You're Prince Shad, correct?" Scarlet asked the young Prince.
While initially surprised at the contact, he didn't hesitate in his answer. "When it's not the 'Cursed Prince' or 'Monster,' yes. I am. Who's asking?"
[Ha...Cursed...]
"Because if you're just here to mock me or threaten for my death, you can get in line behind the rest of the Hoshidan public," the prince finished, turning to a straw target and readying a shuriken. "And the guards." He threw the blade with expert precision, hitting dead center.
"The name does you a disservice, you seem level headed, if not experienced..." Scarlet smiled leaning against the wall.
"Yeah, well..." He threw two more blades, each hitting the bulls eye like the first had. "Tell that to everyone who looks at me like I'm about to rip the kingdom apart and convince them it's the truth."
And myself...
Scarlet frowned hearing that, as she couldn't understand why they were painting an image of him being such a monster. "Why? Is it because you're strong?" Scarlet inquired.
Shad casually flicked his wrist, sending another throwing star into a target. "Partially. Also because I almost killed my older sister, but hey." Anger flooded him as the memory flickered, and he threw his next blade. It didn't just hit the target, the small blade somehow bisected it as a black aura coated it. "Just another thing to keep this Cursed man up at night." He stowed his kit away and removed his mouth mask and hood, showing Scarlet his fluffy black hair.
Mother fucker... I'm still going to get a real fucking apology out of you, for hurting Noka...
[Oh? Could it be the hatchling has feelings for his own 'sister'? How cute... and horribly disgusting.]
Only if it's by blood you half bred ilk...
[Where you get half breed I'll never know. I'm from the same blood as you.]
Wyrm's are generally looked down upon for being an insult to our kind...
[Hah! Maybe where you're from, but we're the pinacle of power in Hoshido and Ylisse!]
How old do you think I am? I span generations...you span a few short decades, and you call me boy...
[Excuse you? You seem to think me as if I'm not the real Grima. Well, I assure you, I am.]
As if you call yourself a God...but Gods don't bleed...and you bled when they stuck you like a fat pig...
[Tch, spare me. If you were anything like me you'd know that they do. A lot. One man took out an entire pantheon, but that's for another time.]
Perhaps Tiki will inform you what you are clearly ignorant too...she is a special something, while you are a relic of a dark past...
[Hahaha! Please... if it weren't for the blue haired bitch conspiring with my sister, I wouldn't be trapped in this damned prince's mind! If only his will were weaker... then you'd see just how strong I am without my own power to cause my downfall, or that wretched blade... and even then, she doesn't have the Fire Emblem this time. This entire country would be damned if I had control.]
…... :D ... hahahahahahahahaha!The weaker dragon suddenly felt pressure and malice all around him, ready to crush at a moment's notice.
[Care to continue? Or should I wipe your pathetic existence off the face of this world?]
Well you see you can try but...
You'd be attempting to fuck with my mind... and you don't go in to my mind... and as much as I would love for me to rid myself of this flying fuck, I rather stamp you out first, as you are a problem child... I mean sure I have my own shit to deal with but you? You're a walking basket case.
[You think you could defeat me in a battle of minds? Please... I'd wipe you both out if my host wouldn't react poorly.]
You really overestimate your odds, and that's what got you turned in to mincemeat in the last encounter...soooo don't talk shit, or I'll just bring up Lucina and a few of her friends as a past haunting reminder...
[What turned me into 'mincemeat' is something you were born without and haven't any chance of attaining.]
Umm... I just looked through his noggin...and it's a blade he has...soooo shut your trap or I'm going to start singing...and I'm a God Awful singer...
[... I'll be silent for now but know this. Even when you reach your full power, your powers will never reach your brother's.]
I don't have a limit, I grow, and grow...and grow... I'll keep getting stronger and stronger, so please continue to overestimate your chances, because I'll fucking rip your entrails out and then your fucking skull and place it on my mantel!
[Oh sure, in human form perhaps... but you'll never even be half the dragon Shad will become, whether he embraces my mentality or not.]
Ummm you're not a dragon, and as along as this flying fuck is connected to me, your fucking with fire that'll burn you... I'll keep my brother under constant vigilance but know you'll have an eye of a Demon on you at all times, watching...
[Oh? Well...] Grima caught a glimpse of the last battle from Damon's previous timeline. [You seem to forget you already lost to me before. When I didn't even use my Dragon Fang or form at all.]
…..Here's the thing 'Worm' I get my second chance to get stronger... can you say the same?
[Maybe not I... but the Fell Dragon will. Now hush. You wished to know their history, did you not?]
Yes without your commentary, and if you ever...EVER Bring up my fucking past...I'll hollow you out, and let him just obtain a Fell Dragon without your interference, Do you fucking understand?
[Ha! Go ahead! I hold absolutely no control anyway! His will keeps me bound, especially now that he's tapped into who he truly is.]
You're right, but at least you can finally die in to that black void...and never come back, so keep your silence and your reoccurring nightmare.
"You did see what happens when I get even remotely upset just now, right?" Shad asked Scarlet, a hollow and pained look in his eyes. "That's barely the tip of the iceburg. I get so, so much worse... you're better off leaving. Everyone else does and they can actually be happy." He started to the entrance of the training room, intending to go right to studying... only to fall to one knee, his stomach grumbling loudly. He shook his head and hissed something before getting up, continuing on his path.
"…..You shouldn't punish yourself, it's not good for a warrior to hurt himself." Scarlet said, with a worried tone.
"Good thing I'm a tactician then," Shad retorted, rubbing the heavy sleep from his eyes. "I don't step foot on the field of battle. This is only because Kagero wants me to be able to protect myself." He swayed slightly, feeling faint for a half second before shaking it off again. "I'm not cutting myself. Beating myself. As long as no one notices a blemish on me, they won't even care. Funny, isn't it?" His eyes turned red for a second. "People only ever look skin deep, physically, mentally and emotionally. A person? That's a whole other ball game... one I honestly wish more would play."
"I don't think it's funny... I mean you are your own man, with strength, power, loo-...well you get what I'm trying to say?" Scarlet asked with a slight blush.
"…" Shad stayed silent as he continued to walk. "… You're not half bad looking yourself, even with that wounded leg."
Another blush appeared on her face, as she chuckled silently. "Thanks for that... the leg is a symbol for me... I need to be reminded of my failures to become even better than my past self." She explained.
The prince stopped at the door, holding his hunger ridden stomach. "What do you think this is to me then?" He left her to think on that as he started to his room, brushing the scar on his face with his free hand.
Wow...clap, clap...very smooth.
Do keep in mind, this is when he thought it was better for people not to associate with him. Perhaps this was his own way of trying to protect her?
Both his intense hunger and sleep deprivation caught up with the prince as he tripped, falling to the floor barely lucid.
The memory began to distort for a few moments.
….ouch... separating and maintaining two memories is not a good thing to do...
Do you wish for me to help then?
No... I can't maintain the memory when they're separate... I have to sever the link or I'm going to be seeing a lot more than just his memories...
Well... it seems to me that Scarlet's memories have taken over since Shad's been knocked out. Perhaps we can ride this out for a little bit then move to the next major moment to them?
Fine...
Scarlet remained quiet seeing as she was trying to soak up of what he just said, while leaning against her polearm's shaft. "He's a stubborn man... but he needs to be more self-confident..."
Stubborn?! I'll show you... I'm arguing with a memory... See this is why dual linking is a shit idea...she fell in love with his stubbornness! I'm twice the stubborn asshole he is!
Patience, Damon. She isn't in love, but she's noticed him. She's a caring woman. The memories that follow will probably pertain to trying to help him. Not to mention that this is only the first day of a two year long bond. I'd say there's really going to be only two... maybe three more pivotal moments. That's where we'd find why Scarlet fell for Shad so hard.
W-I am at a disadvantage...
Yes... we are... I sense the next big memory happening around... six months later? Oh dear... it seems her leg wasn't getting any better...
I know, she got injured during her revolt against the Nohrian Government...Ryoma helped her injury last time.
Yes, I'm aware, I saw her using her weapon as a crutch. But I don't think you understand. This was far, far worse than what she went through last timeline. There seems to have been poison this time. Perhaps losing Shad made Garon a bit more vicious towards opposition.
Shad flicked through his notebook, reviewing his notes on human biology. And then he heard heavy breathing, followed by the sound of retching and a collapse. His body moved before he even had time to process the thoughts, rushing to the source of the noise. "Scarlet?!" Shad asked in shock, seeing her in a cot, sweating and her face pale.
"Yeah the Healers have said the bone has splintered several times...That damn warhammer..." She winced in pain gripping her injured leg as she laid on the cot.
He gave her a once over and his eyes turned to stone. "... Forgive me for this," he begged her before stripping her of her armor and clothes, leaving her nude as he inspected her closer.
OH FUCK NO!
The memory cracked and vibrated a bit, as Demon's rage was apparent.
Damon, calm yourself! Does Shad seem the type to assault a woman on her sick bed? Yes, he stripped her, but take a closer look at what's going on first.
Next memory! Next memory!
Oh for the love of- Fine then, I'll play it!
The dragon side pieced the memory together, forcing it to continue playing as Scarlet reacted. Scarlet let out a yelp, cowering under that action as she concealed her tits with her left arm, her blush apparent on her freckled face. Shad ignored her actions, pulling the lower part of the blanket back to reveal her legs. "Fracture inflamed... improperly reset."
"H—Hey! You just stripped me!" Scarlet exclaimed shaking from his touch.
Her words went unheard as he continued his analysis. "Secondary wound on the lower calve... puncture wound indicates a small arrow. Judging by the color..." He took out his knife and slit the area, almost exclusively puss escaping from the lumpy scar. "Infected. Puss color isn't normal... likely poison, slow acting. Nohrian without a doubt..." He took his belt off and tied it off above Scarlet's knee.
"N-no kidding...but seriously did you have to strip me naked?!" Scarlet cried out, seeing as it was completely unnecesarry.
He turned her on her front, his eyes critical as he looked over her back and arms. "… You lost your armor half way through the fight. A raider's axe cut through the straps and left you in your tannery. You were stuck multiple times by minor annoyances that you didn't think twice about and left untreated. Does that sound accurate?"
"Yes, b-but..." Scarlet tried to explain that he just stripped her with out permission.
Shad started to apply alcohol to areas of her back. "Those minor annoyances were needles, likely from a maid or butler on the battlefield. They were poisoned the same way as the arrow was that hit your leg and that poison is finally starting to adversely affect your body. I'm going to need to drain the infections and give you some mild antidotes, try to neutralize the remaining poison." He took his knife and started to make small cuts into the infected, puss filled lumps on her back. "I'd have given you less than a week if this went untreated. Even if they drained the infection, the poison will have stopped some of your organs from working, not sure which without cutting you open myself. My best guess would be the heart given the proximity, though it could easily be your liver or lungs too."
Scarlet winced hearing that, as her hands immediately shot to her leg giving up any hope of maintaining her dignity. Shad started to wipe away the puss with a towel and applied alcohol to the wounds. "There. That's your back fixed. Now then..." He pulled out a few round pills from a pouch on his belt. "Take these. They will help to neutralize the poison."
Oh how I never get tired of seeing her body... Scarlet my love... how I yearn to hold you in my arms again...
"Now then... for the icky part." Shad ran to his room and grabbed some things, returning with a large bag. "Your fractured bone was improperly reset and left to fester for about six months. This definitely didn't help with your current poison problem already. Left untreated, the best case scenario is that you'll never fight again. Worst case, you'll be dead in a month, with or without the poison's help. I can fix you, but I warn you... you might want to be intoxicated first or do something to numb the pain. You're likely to go into shock otherwise, and at that point grabbing a healer will take too long before you bleed out."
Annnnd he's getting her drunk too...
… You do realize that we can feel what's going through his head, right? Why are you jealous of him when the last thing on his mind is pleasure?
Because I can also feel her mind you flying fuck!
Sure enough, Scarlet's blush wasn't just from embarrassment anymore as she took the bottle of strong whiskey Shad was offering her. "Start drinking, I need to prepare my tools," Shad ordered her as he started to unpack his bag. Saws, pliers, pastes and all sorts of medical tools were laid out for his easy access. He double checked the belt on her thigh as the blonde started to chug down the liquor.
You know what I feel bad for? I never got to see Senya...
A mistake we'll hopefully be able to remedy.
Moments later, Scarlet's lips parted from the bottle, already feeling the alcohol numbing her mind and body as she let out a soft belch. "Finished?" Shad asked, rolling up his sleeves and putting a pair of rubber gloves on over his cloth ones.
Scarlet put down the bottle of whiskey, smacking her lips from the flavor. "Yeah..." She replied with a sigh.
"Good. Now comes the painful part..." Shad started to cut open the inflamed leg and pulled the flesh and muscle apart, quickly putting on his mouth mask to lessen the overpowering stench of puss and infection. "You feeling okay? Just keep talking if you think it'll help keep you calm. I give you my word I'll answer them all honestly."
"Just...pressure..." Scarlet sighed out, with the red flush on her face. " ...do you think I'm pretty?" Scarlet asked the Young Prince.
Shad didn't hesitate in his work as he started using an apparatus to begin draining the area of puss and blood. "Yes. I do, actually. I stand by what I said when we first met, even with your leg cut open like it is now."
"…..Good...Cause...I think you're kind of handsome...very easy on the eyes..." Scarlet slurred, as she continued to look at him.
While touched, the prince didn't let her drunken statement phase him. "That's done..." He sighed, taking the tube away and taking a heated needle out, placing it on areas where blood was starting to leak out again. "Thank you. Anything else, Scarlet?"
"Why did you strip me...hic...naked? Was it because you wanted to see a true Chevalian beauty?" She slurred.
"Needed to see your back, was too testy to care about if you had a bra on or not," the prince replied honestly, cleaning up the remaining blood in the area before getting to work on the bone. He took out a small knife and started to cut into it, separating the improperly healed pieces and laying them beside him. "I honestly couldn't have cared less if the result left you humiliated or to despise me. I saw you were sick and dying, I reacted."
"I was...hic...just surprised is all..." She said licking her lips.
Shad let out a sigh as he finished taking the bone apart. "Okay... now to work some magic," he muttered as he lathered the pieces in paste and started to piece them back together, his concentration at an all-time high. He hardly even breathed as he made sure the bone was put back together properly, as one wrong twitch could snap what was left in two and cripple her forever. He let out a sigh of relief as he finished, leaving an almost perfectly reformed bone in his wake as he waited for his paste to set. "Alright, I can talk again, and I have some time before I have to stitch you up. Need a top off, any more questions?" The raven haired ninja asked, pouring a glass of whiskey for the blonde knight.
"Are you seeing anyone?" She asked making a quick hiccup.
"No, and I doubt I ever will," Shad replied, handing her the glass.
"Well...what about me? ...I'd go out with you..." Scarlet said to him, blushing a bit.
"I'd entertain the thought if a) you were sober saying that and b) I wasn't cursed in a way that literally everyone that gets too close starts getting screwed by fate."
"Pish posh...apple sauce... I'm here, an attractive... blonde Chevalian knight... you're a prince... who has self-confident problems..." She slurred inching closer to him.
Shad stopped her, holding her leg in place. "Please don't move, the paste hasn't fully set in yet and I need to still stich and cast you up. And yes, you're attractive. But you're also drunk. And I don't need taking advantage of an intoxicated woman on top of my already bone crushing conscience."
"Shad..." She huffed out, grabbing his right hand, and putting it on her lightly freckled left breast.
His breath hitched and his eyes started to flicker between green/silver and red, drawing his hand back like it had been scalded. "… The paste should be done now. Please lie back down so I can stitch you back up." He gently pushed her down to her back, making sure not to accidentally come off as suggestive. He immediately took some fishing line and a needle, beginning to sew up her muscle and flesh.
"That was your first time, feeling one?" She giggled as her mind was still a drift.
"... Yes..." He answered honestly, cutting the line and tying it off before taking out the plaster and bandages. "Alright, almost done. I just need to set a cast and your recovery can begin, Scarlet. You did take those pills to help with the poison, right?"
"Yeessshhh... stupid pills and all..." She slurred as she scooted closer to him.
Shad began to set the cast, waiting for the plaster to dry before giving in, at least to keep her still. He scooted so she was leaning into his side, making absolutely sure she wasn't moving her leg. "… You know, you're probably not even going to remember what I did for you, right?"
"Shhh..." She said grabbing his face. "Thank you..." Scarlet moved her lips on his, giving him a drunken kiss.
… After she got healed up. The next memory takes place around... Five months later. Shad helped with her physical therapy to be able to fight again. That's when that little attraction started to snowball. Shad seemed to push the kiss to the back of his mind, more willing to be her friend than lover for a long time. Though he did start opening up to her more, showing off the talents he had acquired and even beginning to take care of himself more, especially when his family started talking to him more.
Shad parried a blow from Scarlet's spear before kicking her back, eliciting a yelp as she landed on her bad leg.
"s-Shit..." She winced feeling the leg sprang with pain.
"Come on!" Shad encouraged her, a glint in his eye. "You can walk again, can't you? So fighting against me should be easy!" Scarlet hissed as she got back up on her feet moving towards Shad, eager to strike again, she slashed downwards with her spear hoping to strike a blow against the man. Sadly, it was never meant to be, his speed and dexterity far surpassing her as he dodged and kicked her back again.
Scarlet cried out, feeling the pain hinder her movement again. He took advantage of her lapse in concentration and swept his leg out, striking her good leg from under her and leaving the blonde knight to fall to the ground on her side. Scarlet fell to the ground, her spear clanking against the wooden floor. The ninja sighed and held out his hand. "Alright. Again, Scarlet."
She shook her head. "I'm... I'm done for today..." She said in a pained breath.
Shad raised a brow to her. "Today? That look in your eye says it's a bit of a longer term." He lowered his hand and sat down in front of her.
"I'm sorry the pain in my leg is almost too unbearable..." She confessed falling back on to the floor, breathing a sigh of relief.
The prince sighed as well, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Scarlet. Look at me. Really look at me." He stared into her brown eyes with a fire she hadn't seen before. "You... You can't give up! I refuse to let you! I did not pull you out of death's fucking door just to watch you become some meek little girl!"
"Shad... I'm only Human, I can't break my body that far..."
"You fought back against Garon, didn't you?" He questioned her. "Organized an entire resistance, fought to the last man and gave them the middle finger as you lived through one of Garon's rebellion purges!" Shad realized how her expression changed from defeated to depressed seeing how her home was conquered. "… Don't you dare... give me that look!" His hand tightened and he pulled her to her feet by force. "YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO CARED! TO ACTUALLY FIGHT BACK AGAINST THAT TYRANT!" He took a calming breath before letting her stand again. "Your will... your rebellion... it's something I adore about you. Hinoka may have a little of it, but you? You're not just a soldier anymore. You're the hope of Cheve. The living embodiment of her will to be free again.
"Yes, you got beaten down. Yes, they hurt you... broke you... but mark my words..." Darkness started to seep from his hand.
"Shad... please... let me rest for now, I can't keep up with the exercise while I'm breaking down with my leg." Scarlet pleaded with the Prince.
"I'll carry you on my fucking back into battle then!" He roared in turn, his eyes turning red. "I will rip their world a-fucking-sunder!" Shad started to pant as tears welled up in his eyes.
Where does that sound familiar...
Probably because you'd say the same thing to her in the circumstances.
Don't make me find a way to punch you in the fucking face...
"Scarlet... you say you're human, but you're not," Shad assured her. She held out her hands, for him to grab. He took hold and pulled her to her feet. "You're-"
A quick yank and a tug from her good leg under his, pulled him forward as he fell forward with her falling on top of him grabbing his left leg and bending it to his thigh. "Who's giving up?!" She snapped.
His red faded and was replaced by a joyful, mischievous glint. "That's the spirit!"
Great... I'm going to be sick. If I'm walking into a friendzone, then I'm going to be pissed.
Shad turned the tables, flipping her around, picking her up and pinning her to the wall. "Exactly what I expected from the Fallen Angel of Cheve. And mark my words... I'll see you soar again yet."
The vision began to redden again, cracking, as Demon was losing concentration, with his rage beckoning.
Damon, you can't lose it now. The memory isn't finished yet, and there's only one more left.
Shut up.
Scarlet's face lit up with a red hue. "….A-Angel?" Scarlet stuttered.
Shad's face lit up in a similar hue. "Uh... well... you're no human. You're such a rebellious spirit and so kind hearted... nothing like the common folk. What else could you be?"
This is insane! Scarlet is mine! Mine I tell you! This isn't how it's...
The memory was beginning to ripple and redden yet again, as Demon's eyes lit up. Demon fell to his knees hanging his head down, as his heart was thrashing around false pretenses of past visions began to fill his mind, with Scarlet looking at him holding out her right hand, her form shadowed.
How it should have been... as much as it pains me to say it. Hope isn't lost yet though. We've been through worse odds.
I lost her!... just like I lost Selena...I'm fucking tired of losing! I'm tired of having choices fucking dangling in my face! I will break the fucking barrier and choose what I want! I'm a fucking Rogue King!
Damon approached the shadowed Scarlet. "….I'm sorry..." Demon said to her, trying to touch her face, though her form turned to ashes, realizing that the Scarlet that existed was no more, from a time long gone.
Gods damn it man, get a grip! You haven't lost either of them yet! But you will if you don't cut this 'woe is me' crap! We came back to make things right! To make sure they survive and can live after this war happy! Selena even said she was willing to give us a chance! And Scarlet?! If you would stop throwing a hissy fit, maybe you'd look through the rest of the memories and see there's a chance!
(….You need me... release me again...unite now fix your broken mind and awaken... I will make it right...)
And as for you! It was your greedy ass that got us into this mess in the first place! You wanted to save both... you wanted to play the hero... and everyone ended up dead because of you! You're the reason we're going through this, you're the reason Scarlet fell for another man, and you're the reason our children are dead!
(….Silence...I am but a result of a united mind...I am the ultimate... one voice...)
Right, the 'one voice' that's going to force Scarlet to be with us? You arrogant dick... I'd rather see her with Shad than miserable with someone she doesn't feel a damn thing for.
Demon's mind sparked as a fractured piece of him united.
….Grima, what did I say about going in to my mind? Stop posing as my flying fuck and stay put in your miserable hole...
(Heh... can't blame a divine dragon for trying.)
You're not getting out... so enough with your banter.
Don't even try it. The form isn't compatible and you'd have none of your powers. As much as it pains me to say it, Shad would ruin us in mere moments. And that's without Lucina and the Outrealmers.
Enough of this... I think I'm done with this, as I'm going to get the same feelings from her aren't I?
They bonded over battle strategy and their rebellious spirits. The last memory looks like it takes place a day or two before the battle at the Border Pass.
I don't want to watch anymore... I can already see glimpses of it.
You're already this deep down the rabbit hole, Damon. You might as well follow through. You are the one who wanted to see this after all.
I know what I said, and I know what she wants... and Shad is too thick headed to see that, leaving her hanging.
... That's not what I see at all, looking at this now... Shad isn't as dense or insensitive as you're thinking he is from the glimpses. If you want the whole, unbiased story, if not for Shad's sake then for Scarlet's, you need to finish what you started.
Grragaaahhhggg fine...
Shad was on his bed, sharpening his weapons and coating them in poison. "… We're coming to get you, big brother," he promised, looking in the reflective edge of the iron. "I swear... I'll butcher anyone that dares to keep you from us. I'll finally try putting this damnable curse to good use." He heard a knock on the door. "Come in." The door slid open.
Scarlet, fitted in her armor ready to deploy, made her way in. "Shad...you're looking good." Scarlet smiled.
"Flattery won't get you everywhere, my dear," Shad retorted with a playful smile. Playful in a childish way, not in a seductive one, Damon had to remind himself. "But if I must be honest, you look good as well. It seems your leg is healed up nicely too."
"It has, I'm glad that those years were kind on my leg..." Scarlet confessed seeing as she was back to combat status.
The prince crossed his legs and gave her a smile that had an ounce of arrogance in it. "Well I don't know, blondie... I think a certain prince had more to do with your recovery than Father Time did. I mean, you didn't do all that exercise and training by your lonesome now, did you?"
Scarlet blushed, hearing that with an embarrassed smile. "Nooo..." She murmured wriggling her fingers.
The memory cracked again with Demon attempting to maintain the connection, without losing his cool.
Relax, Damon. Nothing is going to happen. I can tell you that already. But your odds are even slimmer if you decided to eject now and not trust either of their memories.
The memory continued as Shad scooted against the wall, hands on behind his head. "So, what brings you into the Cursed Den then?"
"Homey Den... it could use a bit of a touch up here..." Scarlet smiled moving the drapes out of the window's breeze.
"A woman's touch?" Shad guessed with a knowing smirk.
"You can say that, but you have your stuff tossed around in here, you can't tell which is which... " Scarlet said picking up a piece of fabric.
"Fair. But hey, when you're as busy as I am, things tend to slip through the cracks." Shad shrugged and readjusted himself to get comfortable. "But you're dodging the question, Scarlet. I've known you long enough to tell when you're hiding something... or nervous." He gave her a pointed look.
"I have... been thinking about it and... Shad I think we should take our friendship to the next level... in a more... intimate fashion... " Scarlet confessed to Shad.
Shad's heart quivered as he sat up. "Scarlet, we've been over this. I simply can't. The fact you haven't been hurt is a miracle in itself with how close you've gotten to me, and gods know what will happen after we kick off this wa-"
"Shad, I don't care...I know what I want, and I think we can make each other happy..." Scarlet said with a smile.
That smile melted almost all of his willpower away. "… Why? Why don't you care? First Kagero starts taking me under her wing out of nowhere, then I meet you and you try to attach yourself to me at the hip... I'm cursed, Scarlet. You saw what I did to Hinoka, and I... I..." A few tears made their way out of his eyes. "I could never forgive myself if I hurt you like that. I care about you too much."
"Shad... that was your sister, I doubt you would ever lay a claw on me... if we became something more..." Scarlet said as she moved closer to him.
"Scarlet, I just... I can't..." Shad shuddered, his insides squirming around. "… I want to. I really, truly do. But not while there's the risk of me hurting you involved. So... I'll make you a deal." He brought his green and silver eyes to meet her dark brown. "If I learn to control this curse of mine and put an end to this 'self-confidence' issue of mine... I'll give us a chance. But," he interrupted her before she could get a word out, "this is going to be a long war. You might meet someone else. So, if you genuinely feel more attraction to a man other than me before I get to that point, you go with him. No excuses. No exceptions. And we'll still remain as close as ever. Deal?" Shad stuck his hand out to her, a pleading look in his eyes.
"…..how many times do I have to tell you? You're not cursed... you're just different..." Scarlet sighed.
"Scarlet, you can't deny that 'different' isn't for the best right now," Shad argued.
"It's not bad, you're unique, learn to live with it!" Scarlet encouraged Shad to see a bigger picture than being 'cursed'.
While he felt somewhat bolstered, he could help a nagging feeling. "… Scarlet... regardless of if you take the deal or not... why did you chose me? The black sheep of the family... the 'cursed' prince... the social pariah in every way conceivable. Out of everyone in Hoshido and Cheve, why did I catch your eye?"
"Because I saw something in you that I don't in other men, a determined spirit willing to fight to the bitter end, and still come out smiling..." She confessed to Shad. "A soul unwilling to bend knee to anyone, willing to sow the seeds of freedom with or without support from others... a fierce warrior, but a caring man. Quick and deadly in the battlefield, but methodical and gentle back home... you're a true wild card. A Joker. A Trickster. And honestly? I sense a kindred spirit in you."
Never in Shad's life had he felt more attracted to a woman. More wanted. More loved. "Scarlet..." He stood up and clasped her hands. "I can't swear it'll happen anytime soon, but I promise... I will try to get better. I'll become the man you see inside me that's worthy of an absolute angel like you. This world... it doesn't deserve hearts as open and brilliant as yours." It took everything in him to not give in and kiss her. "I might have fallen in love with you too, Scarlet. I'm not entirely sure yet... mainly because I've never felt like this. But heaven or hell, I'll at least try to fulfil our deal so we can at least have a shot. Now... come on then." He gave her a confident smile as he took out his weapons. "We got us a brother to rescue and a rebellion to kick off."
... That seems to be it. After that they met up with the others and began their march.
The vision began to crack and turn red and bleak as the color drained before finally going back to reality, Demon's eyes opened up as he just inhaled a large intake of air before exhaling smoke.
"Gah... my head..." Scarlet groaned, rubbing her head. "What the hell just happened?"
"Not sure," Shad replied, not in as much pain but still feeling discomfort as he looked at his brother. "Find what you need, Damon?"
Demon just inhaled again, before trying to compose himself. "…..yes..." He finally spoke.
"So... what exactly did you do to us?" the blonde knight asked. "Because it feels like someone cracked my head open and went rooting around in my gray matter."
"I...dove in to your minds and saw things through your eyes." Demon explained as he pulled out his flask, downing his wine.
Shad could tell it wasn't anything good. "… Well, I'm going to hit the hay," he yawned, stretching his arms. "I think you two should do the same. We have a lot of work ahead of us in these next few months, so we should all make sure we're rested up."
Demon sighed, as he jumped down from the tree house, landing expertly and cracking the ground.
Well...that happened, I just have to be careful from now on, and not let anyone slip from my heart... Wait...where does she sleep? Or I can just wait for her to come down...then escort her...or, take her for a ride...
A vicious grin appeared on Demon's face through his helmet.
… Really boy?
Shhh...shh!
Demon hid behind the tree waiting for his Crimson beauty to return, getting ready to transform.
… You do realize you left Scarlet alone with Shad, right? Even if they don't do the deed, she's not leaving unless forced to by him.
*Record scratch*
Wait wha...?
Sure enough, it didn't look like anyone was leaving the treehouse after him. A soft growl emitted from Demon's lips, looking up as he didn't realize he was circling the tree. "So... Shad... seems you-"
"Scarlet... I don't know if I can be with you," Shad sighed, barely hiding the terrible pain he felt saying it.
"...Where did that come from?" She asked Shad, confused from that coming out of nowhere.
"Things... came up back in Nohr," he answered, looking out the window, looking his brother dead in the eyes. "Things that I hold important to me." The prince turned from Scarlet, beginning to leave his treehouse. "I no longer care for our 'deal' back in Hoshido. It's still only half way done anyway. Pursue who you wish. I'll no longer chase you though, if I'm who you pine for."
"Shad..." She said grabbing his hands. "Don't do this to yourself, you're more self-confident than before..."
"… Not enough to look a broken man in the eyes and not want to help him..." Shad growled, feeling a stab of guilt for the rage he now felt for Damon.
"Shad what're you talking about?" Scarlet asked.
The former ninja laughed lowly, yanking his hands away and jumping off the balcony. "Couldn't tell you if I wanted... I'm sorry, Scarlet. Good night." He turned on his heel and left, rage and sadness boiling within him.
Demon walked away from the treehouse, taking a deep breath in.
(Line break)
Azura hummed to herself in the barracks, trying to keep her morale up despite the desperate, nigh impossible situation they were in. Demon sighed as he moved towards the roster looking at their small group's names.
[Tharja, Lucina, Panne, Tiki, Cherche, Gaius, Lon'qu, Flora, Felicia, Azura, Big Brot Damon, Shad]
I was wounded and went to Elise... She's still in Nohr, but the upside is, neither side of the family thinks I betrayed them...
Demon moved his head against the wall taking a moment for himself and trying to think. He knew that events that will, won't, or could happen, it some small hope he was hoping it was a reset and able to go to the past...alas it wasn't, as the game has changed.
The question is, how much? Or did it even change at all? Damn... this is confusing even me. We know our timeline to be true, but apparently this is how things were supposed to be in the first place. Damn...
Demon moved his helmet off his head, as he turned to the door leading outside.
I need a bath, and a drink...
Still thinking of Scarlet, boy? The dragon within huffed slightly. I don't blame you. She was our mate iin the last timeline, but she grew so close to Shad in Hoshido... hard to believe one man could change the entire playing field. And I've sensed his power. Even now, he's but a fledgling. He's only going to get stronger from here, far stronger. As much as it vexes me, the Fell Dragon is an extremely powerful being at full strength. We'd do well to help him overcome any lingering doubt he has concerning his powers. But, I can tell you don't wish to talk of him. The situation with Scarlet... you're hoping that someone's in the bath so you don't have to converse with me about it, aren't you?
That and I need to drown out the pain... get my head cleared from negativity.
Demon filled a tankard and his flask with ale, walking to the bath house as he sipped on his drink. He started to strip down to his skivvies, chugging on his tankard as he dropped his tannery pants.
You know, even a dragon's liver can only take so much, the inner dragon joked.
I know you're fucking with me because we have powers that can rejuvenate our injuries...
Heh... I know. Just trying to make you feel better, whelp.
Demon entered the hot water turning his helmet to face him, he took another swig just staring at the helmet, feeling like it was staring right back at him.
… Come on boy, chin up! We've been through much worse than this, you know that as well as I. We will get through this somehow. We always do. But, I can tell you don't wish to talk about this with me. I'll leave you to your thoughts for now. Just... don't be afraid to speak up to me if you need to. We're of the same body, after all. I only want what's best for both of us.
My mind is slowly breaking a part... splitting me down to the core.
Don't let it. If you do that, the Phantom and his lackeys have already won the mental battle. Find something to help you and hold onto it tightly. You're the leader. Shad, your tactician. You both need to be the strongest out of everyone in order to win this. But, that being said... even kings need to shed some tears from time to time. Need to vent. Why don't you make peace with what you call one of your 'mistakes' after your bath? I believe I saw Azura in the barracks...
Demon closed his eyes for a moment and started to hum Azura's song of destiny.
You know... it's odd, but I swear I've heard someone other than Azura singing that song. I can't quite place it though...
It has a defining...calm to it, and I like it.
Demon slumped down deeper in to the water, sighing as he let the water do its work. The past echoes of waves crashing against the shores, the smells, the sights, the faces of a time where he could smile. "… Are the oceans grey waves, destined to seek, life beyond the shores, just out of reach~," a familiar, melodious voice sang as it strode into the changing rooms. "Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time," she started to hum as she disrobed, her clothes falling to the ground and being neatly placed in a basket.
Demon's eyes slowly opened up seeing the steam build up in the room was apparent, and yet one figure stood out from all of it. Azura hit a high part of her song as she hummed, walking into the room with all the grace and elegance of a dancer. While she wasn't nearly as well-endowed as Camilla or Scarlet, her lithe figure was made very enticing simply in the way she carried herself. It was almost like looking at a ghost with all the mist in the room, her light blue hair almost transparent in the steam. She gasped and blushed seeing Demon in the bath, her towel immediately around her. "Oh gods! Damon, I... I'm sorry! I didn't think anyone was here!" She apologized, bowing her head in embarrassment and shame.
Demon shook off his trance that he was in. "No, no, it's alright, I don't mind... Shame isn't really a problem with me... heh.." Demon joked as he sat up a bit in his spot in the bath.
Azura let out a small sigh as she turned around. "Thank the gods... I'm glad I didn't embarrass you. Well... I'll leave you to your bath for now and come back later."
I don't think I need to say this but stop her now boy! There's a golden opportunity right here for you to vent and start making amends! Remember, act like this is the first time this has happened, and don't come off too strong.
Demon sighed, taking in an intake of air. "I...Azura, if you don't mind I'd like some company..." He asked the songtress, hoping she'd accept.
Though for a moment she wanted to reject for the sake of both of their modesties, she noticed something seemed off about her leader. "… Very well." Azura tentatively stepped into the bath, on the opposite side of Demon. "Is something bothering you, Damon? You seem on edge."
"Just what we're about to get ourselves in..." Demon took another drink of his flask looking behind Azura at his helmet.
"… It has something to do with your past, doesn't it?" She guessed, sliding a bit closer to him. Not at all seductively, but more in a cautious and caring fashion, as if approaching a wounded animal.
"That Helmet... it's a haunting reminder of a monster that lays beneath it... Always questioning me, always pushing me to strive for more." Demon said taking another drink of his flask.
"Pride cometh before the fall," Azura quoted.
"Ha...Pride is the only thing keeping me together currently." Demon joked handing her his flask.
She rejected it with as much politeness as she could. "No thank you. I'm not much of a fan for alcohol outside of light wines and sake. But please, do go on." Azura placed a delicate, comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm here for you, my lord."
"….. I appreciate it, though I have to ask you something... why were you so keen on... trying to tell me about your home realm? Why me?" Demon asked Azura.
Azura paused, mulling his question over. "Because... of all the people I've met, you're the only one who seemed... capable of handling the task," she replied in a soothing tone. "You're brave, kind behind the admittedly thuggish and brazen words and attitude..."
Demon took another swig. "I prefer blunt..." He gave her a roguish like smile.
Azura smiled back serenely. "I figured you'd say that. Not to mention a legendary weapon chose you. Not just any either, the Yato itself. You've been destined for greatness from the moment you drew that blade... even if you forgot it in Hoshido at first," she giggled, recalling the look on his face. The songstress's light-hearted demeanor fell as she pressed on. "But still... that isn't what's bothering you, is it?"
Demon put down the flask behind him. "Do you know the saying, it's best to leave ghosts in the past?" He asked knowing it was the hardest thing to do. The songstress shook her head, her long blue locks almost whipping him in the face due to their dampness. "….The past is like an old self, where it questions your every step... I have a problem with letting it go." He confessed to the songtress.
Azura pondered his words carefully, trying to think it through herself. "Damon... it sounds to me like the problem isn't letting it go. It's about confronting it. For all your bravery, you're scared of repeating the same mistakes, of the past repeating itself. But I assure you, you're only taunting it to come back by saying it didn't happen. As you said, the past is like a ghost. It will only continue to haunt you until you make peace with it." She placed a comforting hand on his cheek, brushing the inverted cross scar on his eye. "A man can run from many things. But the past isn't one of them, Damon."
Demon moved his hands on top of her own, keeping it on his scar, as he relished in her touch at the same time not wanting it to go. "And I wish to help you. I really, truly do. But the first step to any recovery is acknowledging the problem." Azura shifted ever so slightly closer to him, wrapping him in a comforting embrace. "Please... I swear, nothing you say will leave this room. But for your own sake, at least tell me what ails you, my lord."
Demon's heart beat picked up, beating against his chest feeling her innocent embrace. "If I show you what ails me, I fear losing you all over again." Demon confessed to Azura, afraid to let go.
"Then a more... immediate problem," she compromised. "Something, be it minor or major enough to be a burden, but not too much as to drive me away. Something that I can, at the very least, advise you upon."
Demon nodded, as he connected his forehead to hers. "….Alright..." He said as his red eyes ignited red, binding their minds together, as all was darkness filled with storm like clouds. Moments would pass, as a constant struggle of pain and death was revealed.
Azura parted after he finished, processing all he showed her. "So... the most forefront things on your mind are your failed first connection with Selena, the issue with Scarlet, and, this one intriguingly enough being connected to the latter, your brother. A bit more spilled over, but I'd like to focus on those first. But, I'll grant you some mercy," she joked with a sad smile. "Which of the three would you like to touch upon first, Damon?"
Demon let out a heart filled sighed, before continuing. "….Selena. I thought she was just as like... last time, but she has a different past." Demon said with pain in his voice.
Azura shook her head, pressing her forehead to his. "Her past is the same. I think it's more like it's been brought to the forefront more now with her old friends coming back. She is still the same as well, I saw your memory of the event. And, as much as I hate to do this right now, I think the biggest problem with it was well... you." She placed an assuring hand on his chest, noting how muscled it was. "And I assure you, I mean that in as-"
"I know what you meant... I was an idiot trying to restart something with her that fast... it's just I missed her and I was trying before to slowly build it up even earlier." Demon begrudgingly admitted.
"Good," praised the songstress. "You've already acknowledged the problem. However, things are far less dire than you think. Selena seems to have always been a fiery girl, and she did say she'd be willing to at least attempt a relationship with you. Next time you see her, take things a bit slower. Try to gauge if you were right in your judgement regarding any changes she might have had first and move from there. You're not the craftiest person I've met, but you're at least cunning enough to work around such things."
Demon gave Azura a look of pride. "I'm a passionate, head strong, fighter." He said with pride in his voice.
She giggled and smiled, content she was already helping him. "Good. Just remember there's a time and a place for such things, and to at least attempt to moderate. Women like a little sensitivity every now and again. Now, on to the next issue. And these are much heavier from what I could tell... Shad, or Scarlet?"
Demon scoffed as he found that a little counter-productive. "Really? I usually be the arrogant gentleman and the knight in shining armor to save the day, and swoop them off their feet... that's kind of my thing."
"Heh... fair point. I'm only giving you my perspective on things, remember," Azura reminded him. "It's only advice. Take it for what you will. But you're dodging the question now." She gave him a stern yet empathetic look as she brushed the stubble on his head. "Do you wish to talk about Scarlet or your brother now, Damon?"
Demon wanted to move on to the next problem and stance with a new relative. "Let's talk about Shad..." Azura rolled her hand in a sign to continue, continuing to brush his stubble with the other hand.
"…... Shad is an interesting addition, where he consists of movement and based line magic... while I consist of strength and build up... it's like he's my other piece to complete my combat." Demon began to explain. "But his involvement has either hampered or injured my loved ones... this is a new strange future that I seem to be in." Demon explained his problems he was having at the moment.
Azura nodded, recalling a few memories. "Yes... I won't lie, Shad has always had this... aura around him. It's similar to yours, but it feels more... potent, for lack of a better term. Whereas you were unpredictable in your event at the bridge, Shad has always been more of a wild card. His lashing out at Hinoka wasn't the only case of him losing control, but it's less well known due to who he used it on, and even then it was frowned upon." The scarring on Hinoka put pain in his heart and mind, in his thoughts she didn't deserve to be scarred. "He's done it three more times in total, and even when he didn't feel bad at first, one can only take so much verbal abuse before one believes in it themselves."
Azura took a deep breath before asking a question. "When I say he attacked three more people like that, who comes to mind? It was no one you know, I can assure you of that. But if you had to guess the kind of person to make him that angry, what do you envision?"
"…..What I envision? He...he blatantly ignored the moral code and attacked a woman..." Demon began to lose his patience.
"Hinoka notwithstanding," Azura amended. "If you had to envision literally any other three scenarios, what would they be?"
Somewhat of a red spark began to form in his eyes as his frustrations had limits. "He has no perception of his power, he lets loose and goes without thinking... he reminds me of..." Demon stopped talking for a moment.
"…" Azura was almost afraid to ask to continue, not wanting to upset him further. "Go on..."
"My son... Maximus." Demon said seeing Max made rash deciscions in the past and went without thinking.
Something clicked in Azura. "Right... before I comment on that, let me give you an idea of who he attack. The first was a killer who was going to attack Oboro while she was out shopping. The second was more morally grey, being a homeless man that attacked an unarmed Setsuna. And the last one was probably the most... damning at first. A respectable business man, a good friend to lady Sakura. Shad went with her on her usual trip one time and attacked him, killing him without restraint. The accusations against him got worse... at least, until they searched the man's house while dividing up his belongings." The songstress actually looked sick for a moment, shuddering at a long past memory.
Demon gave Azura a moment to collect her thoughts. "What did they find?" He asked Azura.
"… Child slaves..." She managed to say, green at the gills. "Young girls in particular. A vast majority of them lost children parents were looking for... almost none of them virgins..." The implications hung in the air like a foul stench, and Demon actually had to give Shad props for that one. He probably would have done the same thing, if not worse.
"….Those were extremely justified in killing those monsters... But when he lashed out against innocents? Believe me the look of that doesn't go away, it's always scouring for more, and that happened before the events of killing those monsters." Demon reminded Azura, as he could at some point snap and lash out on someone close.
"Yes. I'm well aware of that," she sighed, knowing what he said was true. "Shad's a good and kind man, but what lies beneath the skin worries almost everyone. You aren't the first to fear what he could do, and you certainly won't be the last. However," Azura clasped his hands with a pleading look, "that's why I implore you to aid him."
"I will...it was always my objective Azura, though the brooding of the past for him, blaming himself? I want a fucking clear-headed apology to Hinoka...I doubt she has ever gotten over that day, knowing she was put down that fast." Demon said worried for Hinoka.
The songstress nodded, though she had an uncomfortable look on her face. "As much as I wish to agree with you one hundred percent, Damon... I'm afraid that, despite the depravity of the act, it served as a grave lesson for all of us. If we aren't careful, if we let ourselves get over confident against our enemy, or even if we aren't... there's always the chance we'll come against someone stronger than us. You know that better than all of us..." Azura sighed, the facts weighing heavy on her heart.
"It shot down Hinoka's determination, she now second guesses herself over everything... that's... that's becoming me! I don't want that for her, I want her nothing like me!" Demon explained his frustrations.
Azura smiled and embraced him. "I assure you, Shad wants nothing but to apologize to her like you want him to. But like you, even if it isn't to such an extreme, he struggles with his own inner demons. Can I be honest for a moment? I don't think what he did to Hinoka was an accident. He wanted to stop her and lashed out, but being new to the power, he poured far too much into it. I think he rejects that reality, even if the guilt won't let him accept even that. He's trapped in his own mistakes and fears. Very much like you are now, Damon."
Demon gave her an almost emotionless expression. "…..."
"Look... I won't lie, the act itself is a travesty," Azura admitted with a heavy sigh. "By all accounts, any anger at him for it being an accident is justified, let alone on purpose. But he was a young, stupid child with no real mentor before Kagero. Shad's been hurting and punishing himself every day since, though I can sense that Scarlet and the Outrealmers have allowed him to relax that slightly. He wants to reform but is too scared of losing his sister in the process. My only advice to you is to force him to see the only way to truly make amends, for Shad and Hinoka, is for Shad to give Hinoka the whole truth about that day in his next apology and help him to control his powers so it never happens again."
Demon was struggling against the will to bark out in defiance seeing as a part of him knew he never wanted his Hoshidan princess to ever be harmed again. "I'll...consider it..."
"Good. Now," Azura inhaled, knowing the last subject would probably be the most grueling, "on to the last subject... Scarlet." The songstress was, admittedly, stumped on how to approach the situation further, given the gravity of it. Thus, it was up to Demon to begin conversing on the matter.
"Scarlet has...propped up Shad as a personal aspiration in her life, that... I don't think I am able to knock Shad off that pedestal." Demon sighed seeing his heart was in pain from the lack of winnings he has been gaining so far.
Azura coughed into her hand nervously. "I uh... I don't think that will be an issue... Shad's been tearing apart the training yard for a while now... and well, Scarlet, she's... well... crying. I can only guess what happened but it's pretty obvious."
Demon gave Azura a look of un-amusement. "This isn't Shad's decision, it's Scarlet's... she needs to choose who she wants, as much as I want to start something up here... I have no control over that, and that's a fact." Demon stated as he decided the best of a wait and see approach.
"Then that's sadly a talk for Shad..." The songstress sighed. "He's not going to agree to a relationship with Scarlet given your... previous history with her, regardless of what he feels for her. Not without your consent, at least." Azura's yellow eyes seemed to soften slightly. "You three are caught in such a cruel circle. You wish for the relationship you lost, but Scarlet pines for another. And that man is willing to give her up simply to not hurt you further than he already has... it's tragic, really. And my only question for you is... who's going to break that circle?"
"…. You'll have to excuse my misinterpretations... but it's wrong for me to split someone up like that, this time she is closer to Shad in here than I am...I have her back...but at the same time I don't... the Scarlet I knew...is long gone..." The part of Demon's long destructive past cracked his inner shell again, seeing as he was chipping off another person in his life.
Azura gave him a surprised yet slightly proud look. "Really? Because Shad is giving you the opening you need to at least attempt to rekindle that flame. Are you really going to pass it up?"
Demon growled in frustration. "This isn't up to me... it really never has; don't you get it? I was given this chance of redemption... to save everyone that died. The past sins can't be laid to rest while the future is yet to be unturned."
Azura's eyes shone with a sad pride as she embraced him tightly. "You're a good man, Damon. But, I'm not the one you need to tell that to, as much as it may irk you. Shad is the one you need to assure of your consent towards anything between him and Scarlet. Not me." Her dainty hands tranced his chest lazily, trying to sooth him further.
Though he did wish it, he wanted her back with a fiery passion, every time she'd smile, the way she moved, the way she kissed, her laughter... he was going to miss it, and at the same time it was going to be painful for him to see someone else experience those outside of a relationship as she would no longer be doing many things with him. "….Yeah..." He nodded, as he stood up, moving over to the towel he placed by his armor.
All he could hear was the dull throbbing of his heart as he dressed in his armor, sealing it with his helmet.
… I'm not sure if you're doing a very selfless or selfish thing right now. But I'm inclined toward the former.
Demon blocked out any instinctive conversations he'd usually have internally... the face in his heart was, he was dead... and a corpse was revived to do the dead justice... He'd burn the world to save those he loved, be it intimate or not, and he'd have vengeance and justice be brought down on all who brought him pain. Demon moved towards the training room, his vision narrowed on one figure that stood out in the room.
Shad assaulted the training dummy with all his aggression, the wood construct splintering with every fist that met it. His eyes were a burning red, filled with rage and tears.
Demon stopped a few feet behind him. "Shad what're you doing?" Demon asked seeing he was pouring aggression in to the target.
The younger prince paused, lowering his hands. "I... I gave her up..." He intoned hollowly. "I-I just... gods damn it..."
Demon's eyes were hollowed, as there was a brief moment where he just wanted to say 'thanks for understanding...' "Why?" Demon asked his brother.
"I've already caused you so much hurt... so much heartache. And we only truly met what? Less than a day ago?" The black haired prince laughed sadly.
"Scarlet... Has known you her known service in Hoshido...me? She barely knows anything about me, there is no love in her eyes for me." Demon pointed out.
"That doesn't mean you can't change that," Shad sighed, readjusting his gloves.
"I'd be dealing with a heart broken warrior, her pained nerves would be too much to bear, she'd be half the woman she was, after going through years and years of build up... and you are pulling that support from under her... forcing her to a phase of self-destruction...tell me where that is sane in your eyes?" Demon asked his brother.
The younger prince didn't answer for a moment, thinking things over. "Well... first of all, I'm not sane. The commoners in Hoshido made sure of that."
"I didn't ask that!" Demon snapped at Shad shaking him.
"Second... you're right," the young prince conceded, much to Demon's surprise. "I just... I don't know what to do, Damon..." A few tears fell from his face. "I don't want to hurt you... I don't want to hurt Scarlet..."
Demon gave him a cold glare through his helmet. "Man the fuck up and go apologize to her." He ordered his brother.
"… I don't know if I can..."
Demon grabbed Shad with his left metal gauntlet picking up. "I said...go...apologize to her.."
The younger brother's eyes lit up a dark, bloody red as his dragon features started to show. "You think I don't want to?! It killed me just to do that to her!"
I'm about ready to throw him down, and just clean up this mess... I am trying to be selfless and make her fucking happy, he's not even moving.
"But I know exactly what that would do to you..." Shad sighed, his frustration waning.
"Do... what... to... me?" Demon asked the younger brother still angry.
"Damon... you love Scarlet. Fiercely so. I can't... I don't know if I could take her away from you."
Demon for a split second let go of his collar only to squeeze his neck. "My Scarlet...is dead... murdered, as much as I want...I can never have her back, that only works in fairytales... this isn't one, as you got to her first here...those are the rules of these scenarios." Demon snapped at him. Shad's eyes lit up ever so slightly.
Maybe it doesn't have to be that way...
"Fine," Shad sighed, his draconic features dispersing. "I'll talk with her, Damon. I'll apologize and set things right with her."
Demon let go of his neck as he dropped to the ground. "Good." Demon replied as he turned around and made his way towards the exit. The dull throb in his heart got only louder, and louder in Demon's ears as he left the training grounds, only to leave the realm entirely and to the lake side where he fought Scarlet.
You're doing a kind thing, Damon... I only wish it didn't need to be this way. But...
Demon could no longer hear or care about any Instinctive advice at the moment, as he was now tone deaf to it. Demon looked down in the reflection looking in to it the water, and then up where he could distinctively see a ghostly image of Scarlet standing by him. "…..Good bye...My Crimson Knight, long for I wish to have you back... long have I loved you... Long have I awaited for you...Long that I will wait, forever more..." Demon said to the image of Scarlet as she slowly vanished. Demon yanked off his helmet as he began to shed tears for her, never again to be with, he threw his helmet in to the lake as he collapsed on his hands and knees letting out a blood curdling scream of madness and despair.
"SCAAAARRRRLLEEEEEETTTTT!" Demon cried out with tears streaming down his face bashing his head in to the cobble stone rocks breaking skin and causing blood to leak from it.
(Line break)
… Damn. That got heavy at the end there. That honestly kinda hurts, even as one of the writers. But hey, when the media makes you feel, you know it's good. Right, Starknight?
I'm at a loss of words what I just put Demon through...I leave this up to the audience and wait for their comments.
Aye... Though in all honesty, we're probably going to be crucified for this. But, fuck it. We might not be killing off characters, but damn if we aren't going to make you all feel some other ways!
All I can say to you with out a doubt that nothing is written in stone, anything can happen...Anything.
Yep! Fate is what one makes of it, even for a very understandably broken soul like Damon's. Though I will say this. The odds are slim to none, but he might get his wish. That entirely depends on how the campaign goes. So, if you all want him with a Scarlet, you all better start owning up and making the right calls from now on!
NO...MORE...TIES...
Speaking of choices though, we'll be putting the first in next chapter.
With that said...enjoy the chapter...
-Starknight'Renegade-
-Thank You-
-Hope you enjoyed-
-LyokoDragon15-
