Chapter 4a: Flock of Hazy Moons


Plegian Desert

"Who are you?" A man asked, his eyes wide with fear as he looked into the other's face, or what should be his face. He couldn't tell, the man wore a cloak which obscured his features. Beyond the heavy robes in the blistering desert, something else seemed off about the man.

"I'm not here to talk about me." The man replied, his hand sliding to his waist. "I do believe I asked you a question, and I demand an answer." His voice grew angry, belying his lethal intent.

"I-I-I don't know anything." The man stuttered taking a step back, his palms nervously resting on the ruined stone wall. "The Zhar slavers came. Attacked the village..."

"I didn't ask what happened to the village. I asked about someone." The cloaked man unhooked something from his belt, and slipped it out from underneath his black robes which bore the insignia of the Grimleal.

"You- you're with the Grimleal?" The man asked, sweat running down his face.

"If you're not, and you're in this country, that's treason," he replied, opening a book stained with blood on its pages. "Now tell me what they did with whom I was asking. I know she was here."

"I didn't see anyone." The man struggled, as he felt something icy seem to scrape along his legs. The force grew sharp and he could feel it tear at his flesh. "Ahh-st-stop! I'm telling you all I know!"

"Wrong answer." The man said his fingers pointing upward as black lightning arced and danced around them. "Tell me what they did with her."

"I don't know. I swear!" The man cried out, blood pouring from wounds forming on his body.

"How useless." The cloaked man said, "Well, if you're useless, there's no point is there?"

The man nodded, "I don't know anything... I promise, just let me go..."

"I'll let you go, alright. To hell." The cloaked man tilted his head. "In proposito tenet, draconem appetat. Desperatio autem est veritas, verus dolor, fecit. Et ineluctabilis fati! RUGIET CECIDERINT DRACO!" The cloaked man said, and the dancing black sparks became a ball of purplish black magic that leapt from the man's hand, and exploded in a flash of inky darkness which left the man as nothing but blackened bones. "I'm going to find you... and end this little apostasy." The man said looking up at the sky, before turning around. "Zhar, huh?"


Ferox

Robin let out a long winded yawn as he rolled out of bed. It was cold out of the covers and he really didn't want to move, but work needed to be done, and there was plenty to do. He had spent the previous night studying history, and taking notes on noteworthy battles as described in books. It wasn't anything he'd know to be a fair judgment of the actual battles; the old stories were oft embellished by the portrayers. But when given access to a wealth of historical texts that give different viewpoints, there was a lot for a mind that was hungry to learn, to do so. He'd continue that work today. After his shopping trip with Lissa, and the meeting with Chrom. Gods, he just wanted to sit there and read; plan and read, but that just wasn't in the cards for the day. At least, he thought, the night before brought no nightmares or strange memories, if he could them that- nightmare was definitely the more accurate term.

With another yawn, he rolled himself out of the bed and found his feet to be bothersomely cold as he stood up and stretched his arms. He looked back at his notes and with a heavy sigh, let out an apology to Virion, whom he had failed and allowed to perish. "Let's go get this stuff done, so I can get back to making sure I never let that happen again, even if I have t die for it."


Late Morning

"A ghost?" Robin said, chuckling slightly as he walked out of the mess hall. "That can't be… I refuse to put stock in such things." He rolled his shoulders, clutching his cloak tight against his chest. The cold was permeating the Feroxi castle. "It's not Virion come back to haunt me and take revenge is it?"

"What of a ghost?" Kellam said, walking up to Robin and tapping him on the shoulder. His approach was, despite his heavy armor, and uncareful steps, somehow deathly silent, leaving Robin completely unaware that he was being followed.

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" Robin let out surprised scream, quickly turning around, his hand snapping to his sword and tome, ready to fight "…Oh!" he said, letting out a sigh of relief and moving his hand away from his weaponry and back to clutching his cloak, "It's you, Kellam!... You surprised me."

"Sorry." Kellam deftly apologized. "You look a little worried…"

"Well, there IS something troubling me. I just heard from Stahl of a strange incident that has even the Feroxi scared. A baffling phenomenon that defies explanation." Robin said, shaking his head.

"Goodness! Like what?!" Kellam asked.

"Well, apparently, when breakfast was going on, drinks materialized on the table. Also, there was one more cup than people present. But everyone denies that they brought the cup or served the drinks! It's most peculiar… and made me miss breakfast." Robin explained, although, he had to admit, it was his own not wanting to get out of bed that made him miss breakfast. Though, more accurately, it was rather that he arrived late enough that Stahl and the Feroxi had cleared out the mess hall, leaving little but scraps for Robin, "Stahl and a couple of the Feroxi claimed it to be the work of spirits."

"It's not a ghost." Kellam said.

"Oh, of course it's not. I just don't know what it could possibly—" Robin said, pausing for a moment and looking over at Kellam.

"It's me. I served the drinks this morning." Kellam answered.

"You? …But wait. Why would you bring one cup too many?" Robin raised his eyebrows puzzlingly at Kellam.

"That's my cup. I guess it's just that no one ever… notices me…" Kellam said, his voice dropping off.

"What?! That's almost as absurd as the ghost theory!" Robin exclaimed, turning his head for a brief moment, only to notice when he turned back that Kellam was gone. "Ugh… where did he go…?" Robin said, sighing. He shook his head and looked back down the hall. "Oh… staves…" He said and started walking. "And tomes. Can't forget tomes."

"Robin!" Stahl said, walking towards him.

"Oh hello, Stahl. I've found what happened at Breakfast." Robin said, still clearly tired.

"Really?" Stahl responded.

"It was Kellam. Not some spirit." Robin said.

"Oh. It was Kellam? I never noticed he was even there." Stahl responded.

"So it seems…" Robin said, "How was breakfast besides that..?"

"Not that good- and I enjoy most anything…" Stahl responded. "You didn't miss much."

"Well that's something of a relief." Robin chuckled. "Anyways… I've got to go pick up that Staff for Lissa, and at least one more Vulnerary, plus replacement tomes for me and Miriel so we're set for whatever may happen on the road- or over the days to come."

"Chrom has you shopping?" Stahl asked.

"Yes." Robin said, looking over his shoulder. "He said that it should help deal with losing Virion. Which, I suppose is true, since knowing we're well stocked is certain to put me at ease." Robin paused, "Good to see you're doing well though." Stahl nodded, as Robin brought up his injury, and with a chuckle "At least my tactics kept someone alive. One success leads to another!"

With a bit of heightened spirits, Robin walked out of the door of the fortress where the Shepherds were staying, into a frigid town that was surprisingly bustling for being in a frozen winter wasteland as he'd call it. Although since it was also a waypoint for merchants bound to and from Ylisse, it wasn't entirely unexpected. Robin sighed and then shivered- he quickly became reminded of his persistent hatred of the winter. His eyes panned across the few merchant stalls. He tilted his head at one towards the end- it sat beside a cart and appeared to be run by a strikingly familiar looking man. Robin looked at him- and it took him a moment to discern why the redhead looked so familiar, although he wanted to slap himself when he realized it: the man wore a coat not unlike his own, however it was red and fluffy. Something told him he wanted that coat.

However his staring caught the man's attention swiftly, and the redhead walked towards Robin, a curiously wide smile on his face. "Fluff is up..!" The man said, looking at Robin. His voice carried a strange, eccentric accent, and Robin couldn't help but chuckle slightly at it.

"Well, that's… certainly a way to say hello." Robin replied to the man. "Are you a merchant perchance?"

"Not exactly, but in a way, yes." The man replied. "My name is Fluf'fe— and I'm the leader of Wakazashi, a mercenary group formerly from Chon'sin before the big war over on Valm broke out, now we escort merchants and travelers across most of the world. Ya?"

"Well, I don't think we need any mercenaries." Robin replied. "I'm Robin, tactician with the Ylissean Shepherds. I'm just looking for supplies... Need tomes and staves, and maybe few vulneraries and Elixirs."

"Well, I never said we don't have anything for sale..!" Fluf'fe responded and swiftly turned around towards his compatriots. "'liza bring us the goods, and perhaps the wife— she's better at making a sale than I! I might have a customer!" He shouted over his shoulder at a few cloaked people standing in the snow.

"So what might you guys have for sale?" Robin asked, "Can't be too wise to sell off goods you need if you're mercenaries."

"Just excess weapons, stuff we take from brigands, curios the wife has gotten a hold of." Fluf'fe said as two women carrying a few large knapsacks filled with goods walked up through the snow. One, a red haired woman, set her bag down on the ground next to Fluf'fe, she then rested her chin on her hand with her index finger extended outward. Her gaze was set on Robin's face as if she was sizing him up, but no sinister intent could be felt from her. "Say you were looking for Staves right?" Fluf'fe asked, looking over, clearly lovingly at the woman.

"Yeah, I was." Robin was certain she was far more experience in the art of the deal and that's what she was getting at. He needed to go deadpan, as if at war, but it was likely already too late. ""So what kind of staves do you sell?" He asked plainly as possible.

"Just some of the basics," the woman said, "You know, Heal, Mend... we do have a Fortify, but that's not for sale. Dear Fluf'fe needs it for our convoy."

"What about the other one, Anna?" Fluf'fe spoke up. "Rescue?"

"Rescue?" Robin's eyes perked up. Something sounded like he'd need, or at least make good use of that staff.

"You have heard of Rescue, right?" Fluf'fe asked

"No, or at least I can't remember." Robin shrugged as he spoke, unfortunately the motion let a clump of snow slide into his layers of clothing, to his dismay. Shaking to get the snow to fall out, he continued, "What does this staff do?"

"Oh, glad you asked!" Anna perked up leaning in, eager to make a sale. "Though, my dear can explain a bit better."

"Thank you, Anna." Fluf'fe said, kissing the woman on the cheek before turning back to Robin. "It's a special staff that can target a person, and bring them to you." Fluf'fe explained, "You need like a piece of the target's hair or a clean mental image- and they have to be in range, but just tap the staff on the ground— like any other, once activated, it'll bring that person right too you…! We use them all the time in our mercenary work. Best part is that unlike some staves, any Staff user can use them— no special training or anything!"

"Hmm… that sounds incredibly useful. How much for it?" Robin asked, quickly recalling that they had about five-thousand gold to spend.

"Twelve-Eighty." Fluf'fe responded. "We don't really upsale things like this, so that's why we only sell spares— Just enough needed so we can replace it."

"Really? That's quite generous then..." Robin replied with a smile and a shrug. "Why you wouldn't want to strike a profit on it..."

"Well- 'tis be my wife's doing." Fluf'fe laughed. "She's good at mercantile services- one of the Secret Seller Sisters."

"Secret Seller Sisters?" Robin inquired. "Who—?"

"That's what makes us a Secret." Anna answered, "So this staff it intrigues you, yes? Also, you've the look of a Mage. Care to take a gander at our tomes?"

"Sure thing. I mean, I'm really just looking for another copy of Thunder or two, but..." Robin started to say before Anna set a green book on the stall's counter. The book was ornately covered and emblazoned with silver. The image of a wing was on the cover, which exuded a rustic smell from its leathery exterior. The tome was, unique, that much was certain. It certainly wasn't a thunder tome, but given by its appearance, he had to guess it was wind magic. "And this is?

Anna smirked, "Celica's Gale, a tome said to contain the power once wielded by the Lady Celica of Ancient Valm".

"Oh, is that so?" Robin shot Anna a look as if he didn't believe her. "Celica wasn't ever attributed to wind. Read it in any history book. She was known for Fire Magic that cannot be performed with a tome. Or by anyone for that matter."

Anna seemed to growl, as she clearly would have to try harder. "Ok, yes, it's a replica, but fine, I'll cut you a special deal on it."

"If I even want it." Robin looked Anna directly in her eyes.

"It can be used to strike rapidly before an opponent can react." Fluf'fe added in, "It's similar to the Brave-series light weapons."

Robin paused at Fluf'fe's statement. Now that was an interesting property. One he could make use of. Even if it wasn't anything noteworthy as an object of legend, it was, worthy enough otherwise on that quality alone.

"Also, it's a bit stronger than a normal Thunder tome by itself." Anna chimed in. "You know your stuff on history?"

"I do, Anna." Robin put another book on the table. "As a tactician, it's my job to keep people alive and win battles. To that end, I have to keep my wits sharp, and have to study every move made in the past. To build upon the lessons learned from the past to carve a new future."

"So, with that in mind, you might want a few historical texts then, yes?" Anna asked, smirking. "Buy the tome, and you've got a deal."

Robin nodded, "How much?

"Seventeen-Twenty" Anna said. "Deal?"

"Throw in the Rescue Staff, a Mend Staff, two Elixirs and another Thunder Tome." Robin said, as he glanced at the book.

"Deal. That comes to... Sixty Four Thousand, thirty Gold." Anna said, triumphantly.

"I'll be paying with this." Robin said, as he opened the book. It was a a false book, completely blank, save for the box in the center. A box that contained a singular bar of gold. It was more than enough to pay for the goods, and then some, but a bullion was sometimes hard to barter with, and clearly, Robin had let off less than what he had expected.

Anna look flabbergasted. "You had a wh- oooh. You!"

"Change for that price and a Gold bar of this's size is... about three thousand, five hundred seventy." Robin smirked back. "Also, mind telling me where I can find one of those wintered coats, Fluf'fe?"

Fluf'fe let out a sigh as he avoided a deathglare from his wife. "Ylisstol. They're a winter festival held there every year. Though, I suppose if you're up here for the tournament, you'll miss it this year. Just... be wary of some questionable fashion sense from some people at that festival."

"Thank you, Fluf'fe, Anna. Pleasure doing business with you." Robin bowed as he took the supplies with him in a knapsack.


Zhar Slaver Encampment

"Hey, little girl." A gruff eastern voice called out in the darkness. "You want to meet with your father, yes?"

"Uh-huh..." Morgan sniffled. Things hadn't exactly gone well for her since her defeat at the hands of Captain Taibassi of the Zhar Slavers, and she had been stripped of everything she had and thrown haplessly into a cage. Heavy iron bindings kept her from moving, and frankly, she was starving. No one here had even so much as spoken to her in a long time. And yet here was this voice in the darkness.

"Gregor going to help little girl." the man said again. "Just stay strong and don't die before Gregor can get you out. Just need good chance to stab bad employers. They also took another little one. Have to free her too."

If it wasn't a trick, this was the best thing she had heard in gods know how long. But it came with more waiting, and more hunger. Her stomach groaned as she pushed herself against her cage. It was then that she realized the man had slipped her something. An apple and some crackers. It wasn't much, but something was better than nothing.


Feroxi Fortress

"So Chrom, how'd the meeting with the Khan go?" Robin asked.

"Pointless, for now. The East Khan is powerless." Chrom shook his head.

"So... we came all this way for nothing?" Robin looked back, "Virion died... for nothing?"

"Not quite. Feroxi decide their leaders by combat. And the Tournament is to be held in two days time." Chrom added, "And I'm the Champion for the East Khan, Flavia."

Robin stopped for a moment as he he looked to the northwest and nodded. "So then... we're to fight?"

"Precisely." Chrom flexed, "And that's something we can do."

"Of course." Robin nodded. He took in a deep breath, and looked up at the icy winter sky from out a frosted window. "So, it's happening. All the motions are in place again. ...wait. Lucina could wield Luna and Counter? That could change everything. She wouldn't intentionally harm him, but, we can't take a chance. I must limit how they face each other in the battle."


Author's Note: Now, now, anyone who's followed me previously may recognize some of this chapter from back when I was doing Ficlog Project Howl to the Future. Yeah, it's the anything goes rule. Still a shorter chapter due to lack of things going on. Now, in my actual run, I did not meet with Wakazashi and Fluf'fe again. I just reused them to facilitate the chapter. And besides "Fluff is up!" It's fluffy, it's good. Robin's still salty over Virion, I'm still salty over Virion, it's a goddamn salt party. Robin hates the winter, but likes the Winter Coat. Yes, that's his Heroes alt. Chapter Title is now a shout out. Go figure. Reads and Reviews are appreciated.