Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem: Awakening/Kakusei

Author's Note: Last time, the new member of the Shepherds, Zexus, has been chosen to coordinate a mission against a camp of brigands/ Grimleal up north. How will the mission carry out? Over a thousand views! Yes! Thank you all who read my FanFic! I deeply appreciate it from the bottom of my heart! Leave a review or something! Helps me help you! Anyway, I'm taking too much time talking, here's what you came for!

Much love,

~SAYONARA~

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"When do we go in?"

"Wait until Lon'qu comes back. He should be here any minute."

Morgan twiddled with her thumbs, slightly shaky. She was incredibly nervous. The last hour had been a hectic array of arrangements and rearrangements. She had been rudely awoken from her nap and brought to the meeting tent for a quick briefing on a late-night mission. The first thing she heard when she woke up was "You're going to be the co-directing tactician in the next mission. Get ready."

She learned that Zexus was the other leader, leading a group of two. He had Lon'qu and Cordelia in his group and Morgan had her mother and Inigo. This entire operation was Zexus' idea. He claimed that there was a Brigand or Grimleal outpost that held down a fort towards the north. And thus, the operation was in full force. Two recon teams were sent out and a standing strike force waited nearby. That strike force consisted of Captain Chrom himself, two healers, Libra and Brady, an archer, Virion, a mounted knight, Sir Frederick, and a dark mage, Tharja.

The rest of the army would be encamped elsewhere, lightly stationed just in case the a small skirmish breaks out into an all-out battle. All Wyvern Riders and Pegasus Knights were on standby, ready at a moments notice.

And all of this was planned in less than an hour and organized swiftly. Morgan was amazed at how ordely everything was arranged. No mere tactician could sift through tactics and arrange the entire army as so. It took experience and battle prowess to do this. Zexus was no ordinary military advisor. He was almost on the same plane as her father.

Almost.

Morgan was lost, deep in thought, when she felt someone knudging her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw Inigo, stopped over, looking at her, his face full of concern.

"You alright? You aren't like yourself..." He asked.

Morgan sighed. "It's my first battle without my father... I'm worried I might make mistakes."

Inigo sat down next to her, putting his hands on his knees. "You handled yourself pretty well back at Southtown. I'm not too worried."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Inigo said nodding. "I'm just dead tired. I mean, I got treatment from Lissa and some supplements but I'm still sore all over..."

"I wonder why Zexus chose you for the recon team..." Morgan said, stick her lip out slightly. "Seeing your disposition..."

"Beats me." Inigo said, throwing his arms into the air. "You worried?"

"Well duh!" Morgan said, looking at his straight in the eyes. "This is a critical operation! One slip-up because of a sore soldier can be catastrophic!"

Inigo laughed. "You sound just like your mom."

Morgan reddened slightly. Many people said that she sounded like or resembled her mother Lucina or like her father Robin. True be told, she had no idea what they were talking about. She just couldn't see how she could identify with her parents as other would with their parents. It may have been due to Morgan's amnesia, just like her father's case, that she wasn't able to see any resemblance between her and her parents.

"Gosh Morgan, you alright?"

Morgan quickly rubbed her face and smacked it a few times. "Yeah, yeah... Just worried."

Inigo looked at her strangely. "Y'know, it isn't a calming thought to have your leader worried constantly. Hell, it makes me worried."

"What do you mean?"

"If leadership crumbles to anxiety, that affects the rest of us." Inigo said, dusting his pant leg. "If our dear tactician is worried, how would the rest of us feel?"

"I see..." Morgan said, she tried to smile. "Guess I'll just have to stop worrying so much then, right?"

"Yep. "Inigo nodded. "You're Robin's daughter. You'll have no trouble with this entire ordeal. I guarantee it."

"Thanks Inigo..." Morgan said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "That means a lot to me."

"Don't mention it."

Someone stood in front of them. They turned.

It was Lucina.

"Oh hey, Lucy-I mean, Lucina." Inigo said, correcting himself.

"Lon'qu is back." She said, her eyes shifting between the two. "We better go meet up with everyone else."

"Right behind you." Inigo said, getting up. He extended his hand in front of Morgan. She took it and stood up.

"You ready?" Inigo asked Morgan.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everyone huddled around a map Lon'qu had drawn in the dirt. It was a pentagonal shape. In the center of the map was a rectangular structure. It was marked.

"The layout of the camp is rather simple." Lon'qu said. "Walls are still standing, giving the guards an elevated view from their posts. The walls are made of stone, making them easy to scale. I was able to make out that several tents and structures make up the border of the camp. They all surround a single main structure towards the center of the camp."

He pointed at the rectangle in the map with his sword sheath. "I believe that this structure here will hold some importance."

"So what's the mission exactly?" Cordelia asked, looking at Zexus. "Are we supposed to gather valuable intel or are we suppose to survey their army and make a move against them?"

Zexus cleared his throat. "We are to enter camp, undetected mind you, and observe their activity. They no doubt have strongholds elsewhere and may be relaying information back and forth. We have to find the connection and link it to other forts. After we find that valid link, we signal Chrom and his men."

"So," Morgan said. "We go in, count their numbers, assess their strengths and vulnerabilites, find vital information, and bring down the fort on their heads, right?"

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Zexus said, smiling. "The information is vital for further operations. The more links we find, the closer we get to ending this campaign against the Grimleal."

"Let's do this, then." Inigo said, rising to his feet. "What are we waiting for?"

"I agree." Lon'qu added. "Their guards are rather lax at this moment. We will be able to slip in, unnoticed, and get on with the operation."

Zexus slung his bow over his shoulder and donned his hood. "Let me remind you, you will NOT alert Chrom until the information is found. We relay signals back through birdcalls."

"And how will those signals be like?" Lucina asked.

"In order to avoid confusion, we will be primarily using three signals." Zexus said. "One whistle at three second intervals will mean all clear, two whistles at three second intervals will mean no, three whistles will mean help is needed."

"Won't birdcalls give away our position?" Morgan asked. "I thought being quiet was key."

"Birds are a commonplace in this area." Zexus said. "The Grimleal won't pay much attention to what they hear."

"If birds are common sounds everyone will hear, then won't we be confused as to which whistle was coming from us or a bird?"

"You won't be confused." Zexus said, trying to reassure her. "Once you hear it, you'll understand."

"How will we contact Captain Chrom?" Inigo asked, curious.

Zexus grinned as he pulled out a small case. From inside, he pulled out two tomes. They were colored green.

"These are some prototypes a Shepherd member gave me. She told me that this will be able to relay messages back and forth between two people or groups over a distance. All you need to do is turn to the designated page and cast it."

Morgan then realized why the groups were chosen the way they were. Morgan knew how to efficiently cast tomes without much difficulty. Not only was this operation a chance for her to flourish her skills as a tactician but because it was absolutely necessary she participated. Laurent and Miriel would be too busy and inexperienced with the role of a tactician and Tharja would probably not do anything at all, seeing how nonchalant she was with everything around her.

But Morgan had no idea how Zexus' group would manage to do it. Sure, Cordelia was a Dark Flier, (she left her pegasus back at camp), but Morgan knew Cordelia's casting skill wasn't developed enough to cast prototype tomes. This was an area where even high level mages struggled on. And Lon'qu was out of the question. He was a man of blades not magic.

Then that only left Zexus.

"Zexus, can you cast magic?" Morgan asked.

"Funny you should ask that." He said, glancing at her. "But yes. I can cast tomes and spells well enough to use this prototype tome."

Morgan sighed with relief. She picked up the tome and put it into her satchel. She tightely closed it.

"So we can only use this to contact the strike force right?" Inigo asked.

"Yes. We cannot talk to one another through these. The two opposite tomes from these two are with the strike force and they will be waiting for our signal."

Inigo nodded.

Zexus looked at everyone and rubbed his hands together.

"Well everyone, I think we better get started."

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The wall wasn't too hard to scale. There were enough jutting bricks to grab and climb. Plus, the guards had left their posts for a moment and left the walls unmanned, allowing easy access. The groups have been split, Morgan's team taking the east side and Zexus' entering from the west. Each group was to avoid all confrontation while scrouning through many of the tents, looking for vital intel. Once that task was complete, it was time to call in the storm.

Morgan climbed over the top and landed on the other side. Rubbing her knees, she stood up. Inigo and her mother waited in front of her.

"Are you alright?" Lucina asked, walking towards Morgan.

She nodded. "Just a little sore."

"We better get a move on." Inigo whispered to them, glancing back and forth over his shoulder. "The guards could be back any moment."

"For once I agree." Lucina said, helping Morgan up onto her feet. "Let's go."

The three of them stuck to the shadows, avoiding the torches that were posted as lanterns. As they made their way past many of the tents, Lucina noticed something odd about the camp.

The camp itself was too organized to be a brigand outpost. Tents were neatly placed and many of the crates of equipment were stored in a very organized fashion. Lucina had spent enough time fighting through enemy forts to know the manner these brigands set their camps. They were always messy, rowdy, and unorganized. This camp however was nearly the exact opposite. It was quiet and neat.

The Grimleal would be capable of this neatness but the camp was too lacksidaisical. The Grimleal were notorious for posting guards and stations at max. This place was too undefended. All of this didn't sit right with Lucina.

"Something bothering you?" Inigo whispered to her.

Lucina's eyes darted all around, taking all of the visual stimulus. "The atmosphere I'm getting from this camp is bothering me."

"You noticed too, huh?" Inigo quipped. "This place isn't like any brigand camp I've ever seen."

Lucina nodded. "Whatever is going, I don't like it."

"Since when did you like anything about these guys?"

"True."

Lucina searched the immediate area she saw. "Do you see any guards?"

Inigo shook his head. "No, I haven't seen one since we climbed over that wall... Where did they all go?"

Lucina thought for a moment. "Remember Lon'qu mentioned a building center-fixed towards the center of the camp?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you think all the guards and soldiers went over there?"

Inigo scratched his head. "I dunno. Maybe?"

"If that's the case, let's take this opportunity to search through the many tents we see. We don't know when the guards will be back out. Time is of the essence."

"Actually, not really."

The two turned and faced Morgan. "Huh?"

"I searched through most of the tents here. They are all resting quarters. Noticing the way the camp's layout is set, the tents with all the valuable information should be closer to the center of the camp."

Inigo leaned to Lucina and whispered, "She really is your daughter."

"What was that?" Morgan asked.

"N-nothing... Nothing." Inigo said, walking past Morgan. "Let's hurry up and get to those tents."

He walked off, a sudden vigor in his strides.

Morgan looked at her mother. "I wonder what's up with him..."

Lucina shrugged.

"Inigo., you know you are going in the opposite direction, right?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Do you think the other group found anything?"

"If they had, they'd be signaling us by now."

Lon'qu sat down on a barrel, his sword resting on his lap. Cordelia sat next to him, her thumb resting on a page in her tome. She sighed. The first area they had explored had been unfruitful. No vital intel, no important documents, nothing. Zilch. Nada. And now, so close to the center of the camp, Zexus had commanded them to stay put in the area, claiming he wanted to go look for something. They obliged to his request, working with the area they were in. And that proved to be meaningless as well.

They had looked through the resting quarters and all of the food storehouses an storage areas. Those areas only had stored food, neatly stacked and put away, and no actual intel. It was rather discouraging. And now, Zexus was off somewhere, looking for something.

Cordelia looked at her husband. "So are we just going to sit here, twiddling our thumbs?"

"Orders are orders." Lon'qu said. "They are made to be followed."

"But still, Lon'qu." Cordelia said, looking at his face. A pleading look across her face. "Sitting around isn't going to help us get closer to finishing our mission."

"And wandering around only to get caught isn't going to help either."

Cordelia bit her lip. Lon'qu's words did carry merit. Orders weren't given unless they held a specific purpose. Normally, she too would follow orders to the letter but she couldn't agree with orders that made her idle. She needed to be moving, doing SOMETHING.

Her husband was a different story.

He would follow instructions without question. There was a time, even while the two were married, when Chrom ordered Lon'qu to be act as a bodyguard for his sister, Lissa. Of course, Cordelia didn't mind too much that her husband was spending time with another woman but it sort of bothered how Lon'qu would simply carry out an order with no quarrel. She hadn't talked to him about however. It was already bad enough that Lon'qu had gynophobia but talking about women was an entirely different issue. She sighed.

"I know that sigh."

"Huh?"

Lon'qu looked at her, straight in the eye. "You make that sigh when you pretend to accept your current circumstance and then you go ahead and do it anyway."

"Why I-"

"I've been with you long enough to be able to distinguish one sigh from another. And believe me, I've been closer to you than any other woman and I KNOW."

Cordelia stuck her lip out. A first time for her. Then, she felt herself being moved pulled towards her husband, his arm around her shoulder. Cordelia was surprised, her cheeks felt hot.

"Lon'qu, what are you doing?" She looked at him. She also found his face to be slightly red.

"I-I... I'm... Making sure... You don't go anywhere."

"Won't you be uncomfortable?..." Cordelia hoped Lon'qu would acquiese.

"N-no..." Lon'qu said, much to her dismay. "I must maintain... My composure..."

Cordelia held her head down glumly. She sighed. "I don't know what you will accomplish throu-"

"Shh."

"Don't 'shh' me!"

Lon'qu put his hand over Cordelia's mouth. "No Cordelia. Listen."

Lon'qu uncomfortable demeanor completely changed, his face no longer red but gravely serious. Seeing the sudden shift in his expression, Cordelia knew to oblige to what he said. She listened.

She could hear a faint groveling in the dirt road. They weren't close but they weren't far either. Just like her husband said, there was something out there. The sound was getting closer, their intervals now uniformly entering her sound-space.

"Someone's coming."

"Is it Zexus?"

"Unless Zexus was with another group, you wouldn't hear so many feet hit the dirt at once."

They were footsteps. It seemed that the guards were coming back to their posts.

"Cordelia." Lon'qu whispered. "This way."

Lon'qu took her hand and started to retreat into the darkness. The footsteps got even closer. The guards might turn the corner any second. Cordelia observed her hiding spot and there was a problem.

The shade cast by the tent provided ample space. Ample space for one person. Cordelia and Lon'qu wouldn't be able to both fit there. They would have to act quickly.

"Stay here." Lon'qu said, motioning Cordelia to stay put.

"What about you?" She asked, clearly worried.

Lon'qu smirked, a rare occurance. "I'll manage."

And in that brief moment Cordelia blinked her eyes, her husband vanished into thin air, out of sight, out of mind. And just in time too. The guards stopped by the tent, holding their post dangerously close to Cordelia's position. Cordelia held her breath, almost sure that the guards would be able to hear her breathe, not to mention the thundering of her heart.

From the shadows that Cordelia saw, she predicted that the guards weren't going anywhere anytime soon. Cordelia felt as if her lungs were about to burst. She knew that if she would let out a breath, the guards would definitely hear her. And even if she let out shallow breaths, the guards were just too close. Cordelia tried to step back further into the shadows.

SNAP

"... Did you hear that?"

"Yeah... I'll check it out."

Cordelia's heart raced, pouding against her armor. Her eyes raced around, searching for the source of the sound. She looked down at her foot. A stray tree branch lay beneath her sole, roughly snapped in half.

Cordelia heard the footsteps making their way towards her position. Feeling behind her back, Cordelia rested her fingers on top of her tome. Zexus had warned her not to engage with the enemy but she would have no choice. She pulled the tome from behind her back and flipped it open. The flipping of pages sounded like thunderclaps. In the dim light, Cordelia flipped to the center. She ran her finger over the first line, ready to chant the spell.

"Please set your frequency to the receiving tome in order to relay communication."

Cordelia felt her heart drop. This wasn't an Arcfire tome! She could feel the cold sweat drip down her back. The guards would get to her any second.

Where is Zexus?!

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"Lucina! You gotta take a look at this."

Lucina walked over to Inigo who had fixated his entire concentration on a certain scroll. His tone was rather grave, unlike his regular personality. Lucina looked over his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

Inigo brought the scroll and laid it on a nearby desk, brushing all the clutter on the desk to the side. Lucina observed the map. It was a continental map of the Valm and Ylisse. Throughout the map, there were many circled locations and lines that connected all the locations to one another. Beneath the locales, several words were scribbled.

"What's so important about this map?" Lucina asked.

"Don't you get it?" Inigo asked, exasperated. "Just look at these last two locations and you'll see what I mean."

Lucina looked at where Inigo was pointing at. One area was called Origin Peak and then the trail led all the way to the east, to Mount Prism.

Mount Prism.

The Holy Sanctuary where the rite of the Awakening was held.

Lucina felt a shiver run down her spine.

"This... This is..."

Inigo nodded. "These guys were following us, the Shepherds. They were following us before we even joined our parents... It's no coincidence that this group or whatever followed us from Origin Peak all the way to Mount Prism."

"But why?" Lucina asked. "Why on earth would any group do that?"

Inigo shrugged. "That's beyond me... They could be a stalking group that observes our army and assesses our strengths and weaknesses... But that wouldn't make much sense anymore if this group is still here and united... The war's over..."

"When did you become so smart?"

Inigo shrugged again. "I dunno. Maybe hanging around your daughter helped. Her intellect must have rubbed onto me."

Lucina thought for a moment. Then her eyes turned wide. "Where's Morgan?"

Inigo looked flabbergasted. "Why are you asking me? I thought she was with you..."

Lucina and Inigo looked around the tent and found no other person inside. Inigo could see the anxiety creep over Lucina's face.

"I'm going to take a look outside." She said, marching her way over to the tent

"Wait, Lucina!" Inigo exclaimed. He hurriedly went after her and then realized her left the map behind. He rushed back, retrieved it, and followed her outside.

"Lucina you shouldn't rush out like tha-"

Something was blaring in the air and it caught Inigo off guard. It was similar to the tome Anna had used at the hot springs that one time. It must have been a variation. Inigo instintively covered his ears. He looked over to Lucina and saw her grave expression. Over the incessant blaring, he could faintly hear the clincking of armor and rushing footsteps over the dirt path.

"Do you have any idea on what is going on?" Inigo asked, yelling above the siren.

Lucina looked at him solemnly.

"We've been compromised."

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(A/N): Okay. I'm going to upload this from mobile so you guys are going to see a lot of errors. I"m going to log back on later and fix them so please bear with me. Anyway, thanks for reading.

Until next time,

~SAYONARA~