"You!" spat Grima. The hooded man's features, identical to his own, were twisted with rage, his breath hissing through clenched teeth.
"Yeah, me," Robin replied simply. Not even for an instant did he look away from the fell dragon, not even to look to where his wife lay injured to one side. Right now all that mattered was to face the other him.
"To be fair, shouting, 'me' would have been equally appropriate, since me-me and you-me are the same person, give or take the soul of one really evil dragon or two," the tactician added, a smirk tugging at the edge of his lips. "I'm not exactly clear on how it works when future you-me bonds with past Grima. Does that make you double Grima or something?"
Slowly Grima straightened to his full height, the fury on his features relaxing as he reined his anger back under control. "I had wondered when you'd show yourself. I can't just ignore the trouble you caused me so far, driving Morgan to betray me and leading this little insurrection against me." He paused, his lips curling into a devilish grin. "But I should expect nothing less from you. We both are gods after all, even if you have not yet accepted your destiny. Mock our our connection all you wish, but in the end I am you. Our only difference is the decisions we've made. Soon the power in your heart will be mine to command and—"
"Yawn, bored now," Robin interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Honestly Grimy, I've already heard this whole speech from other-you-me back in my timeline, and let me tell you:just as bland as it was the first time. At this rate the next thing you'll be telling me is that 'since I'm not going to survive this you might as well tell me your entire plan' or something. That is, if your plans weren't just shouting 'grrr, I'm Grima. I'm scary. I break things. Fear me'."
Grima's eyes narrowed at this, seeming to be torn between anger and cold calculation as he processed what he'd just said. "I see, you already encountered the weakened me in your world. I take it you managed to kill me before I could regain my full power?"
"Nope, had a big fight on your back and everything," Robin answered. Despite the situation, he found himself smiling, finding the whole ordeal of taunting the big bad dragon of death satisfyingly therapeutic. At anyrate, it was amazing how already killing someone made them a whole lot less scary.
Grima's eyes widened for an instant, then his expression relax, the fell dragon nodding. "I see, I was sealed away by that meddling Chrom in your world. Perhaps when I am done here I will travel to your world and rectify that farce of a 'victory'."
"Sorry, wrong again. Though you're getting warmer," Robin replied, smirking. "Would you like a hint?"
"It matters not, you have no hope against me. One way or another, I will gain the power from our shared heart," Grima shouted. In an instant a vortex of shadowy energy surrounded the fell dragon, the air thrumming with power. He raised a hand over his head, a ball of violet lighting to be held aloft. With another cry he launched the projectile, the ball of destruction crackling as it arced towards the tactician.
"Thoron!" A bolt of lightning leapt from Robin's fingertips, intercepting Grima's attack before it could reach him. For an instant everything else was lost in a boom like a crack of thunder, the entire castle shaking from the impact as the two attacks detonated. Shielding his eyes as he peered through the dusk as smoke, Robin was forced a step back by the shockwave.
A faint pop was the only warning he had as Grima suddenly materialized behind him. Caught of guard by the sudden teleport, Robin whirled around just in time to see a the hooded man launch another attack, this time a burst of dark lighting similar to his thoron spell.
Shielding himself with both arms, Robin managed to bring up a barrier of electricity an instant before the spell landed. The space before him detonated with a deafening boom, an unseen hand of force sending him tumbling through the air. He landed hard, skidding to a stop.
"Pitiful, I expected better of you," Grima taunted. He extended a hand towards him, muttering an unintelligible spell. A stream of black fire spouted from the center of his palm, roaring toward the him with supernatural speed.
Shoving himself up onto one knee, Robin braced for the hit. "Elwind!" A blast of wind sliced out from his own outstretched hand, splitting the gout of dark fire to either side of him.
Before he had even another second to recover Grima was on him, materializing in the space before him with a burst of shadowy energy. In his hand was a obsidian-black blade, which fell towards him in a blinding arc. Raising his own sword, Robin managed to parry the blow just in time, the sheer force of the impact jarring his arm and shoulder.
Dammit, he's strong.
The next strike fell before he expected it, once more forcing him to rush to deflect it at the last moment. Grima seemed to move with supernatural speed, an avalanche of blows falling on after another. On the last their blades clashed, Grima pressing the tacitean back a step. "Weak,"
Grima spat, knocking Robin's sword wide with a casual flick of his wrist. In an instant his was on him, slamming a knee into his exposed chest. Pain split Robin's side as the blow connected with a wet crack. The next thing he knew was when his back splashed into a column, nearly ten feet away from where he'd stood an instant before. The impact drove the air from his lungs, a pained gasp falling from his lips as he fell at the stone pillar's feet.
Robin!" he heard Lucina shout, her voice cutting through the haze of agony
Get up, Robin, get up! a voice at the back of his head shouted, invigorated by his wife's desperate cries. Heeding its orders, Robin forced a hand under him, dragging himself upright. His side burned as he gasped for breath, each movement accompanied by a sharp pain. Definitely a broken rib. Or two.
"Need a moment to catch your breath?" a taunting voice asked from next to his ear.
Whirling around, Robin was too slow to move out of the way as Grima brought a foot up, kicking the sword still stubbornly clutched in his hand. The blade was torn from his grasp, skidding across the stone floor out of reach. An instant later Grima grabbed hold of the side of his head, slamming him back against the stone column. Stars flashed in Robin's vision as fresh agony split through his skull. Like a sack he crumpled to the ground, no longer finding the strength.
"I told you it was futile to resist me," Grima laughed, stooping down to hoist Robin up by the collar of his coat. Limply he was dragged upright, the tips of his boots scraping against the stone floor as he was held aloft.
"Now, lets see how much of me remains within you," Grima said. The fell dragon's body seemed to glow slightly, an horrible power seeming to radiate from him. Then suddenly Grima stiffened, a hiss of breath escaping from clenched teeth. "This… where is our heart? I sense none of my power within you. What is this—"
Snapping his head up, Robin slammed a open palm against Grima's chest. A blast of lightning lanced out from his fingertips, catching the hooded man full force at point blank range. All at once Grima released him as he was thrown back, smoke curling from him as he crashed down in a smoldering heap.
Panting, Robin stood, electricity dancing around him, the air humming with his fully unleashed magical power.
"I don't understand, what happened to our heart? What sorcery is this!?" Grima shouted, staggering to his feet. Unbridled rage had taken hold of his features, in which was mixed something new: fear. For the first time, the fell dragon was afraid.
"You still don't understand do you? Chrom didn't seal you away in my world. He wasn't the one to defeat you. I was!" Thrusting a hand towards his foe, he launched gust of winds. The spell tore Grima's shoulder back, sending him staggering back a step.
"That's right, Grima, I killed you. I used our 'bond' to tear you apart." He punctuated his words with a gout of flame, the spell staggering Grima once again.
"How? You couldn't have. You should—" Grima spluttered
"Be dead? Yeah, I was. Got bored, decided to come back," Robin taunted, interrupting him mid sentence. "Unfortunately, you won't be as lucky! Mjölnir!" he cried out, his voice echoing with unseen power. A bolt of lightning split the sky, crashing down from the heaven's like a lance. In a blinding burst of heat Grima vanished from sight, the earth splitting open under the sheer force of the magical assault
Panting Robin lowered his outstretched hand. The smoke began to clear, revealing the crumpled form of Grima. The fell dragon lay motionless on the floor, the smell of burnt meat curling from his battered form.
"That… all… you got?" Robin asked between gasps for air. He swayed as he took a step forward step, ignoring the throbbing of his head. Truth be told, that spell had drained most of the energy he had left, not considering the strain they had put on his body. Gods, ever since I've come back it's been this way, two years ago that spell wouldn't have left me this drained. My magic must have been linked to Grima, without his influence…
Robin froze, cold laughter filling the air. He felt his heart sink in his chest as Grima rose to his feet, battered and burned but nonetheless intact. How, how had it done nothing? He should have— Robin stopped mid thought. Honestly, he didn't know what he'd expected. There was no way it would have killed Grima, but he'd at least expected it would, well, do something.
"You should have stayed in your world, enjoyed your victory," Grima spat, his hands clenching open and closed. In a blur of motion he appeared in front of Robin, grabbing hold of his shoulder with one hand and slamming a fist into his stomach. Crying out Robin doubled over, the air forced from his lungs. A kick connected into his side an instant later, the crack of more broken ribs splitting the air as he tumbled across the floor.
Struggling to rise, Robin could do little more than raise his head as Grima walked torward him. Holding out a hand, Grima launched a bolt of electricity. Robin screamed in agony as the lightning tore through him, smoke curling from seared flesh as he collapsed limply.
Footsteps fell one after the other, signaling Grima's approach. Through the haze of agony clouding his vision, Robin could just make out the figure of the fell dragon that loomed over him, behind which he glimpsed—
A hand seized hold of his throat, dragging him upright. With a single hand Grima held him aloft, the hooded man's iron grip crushing around his neck. "Don't worry, I won't kill you just yet. No, you will suffer first, that I promise. Without my heart you have no way to hurt me."
"Yep, used up my one 'sacrifice self, kill one fell dragon free card' and everything," Robin coughed weakly, grasping at Grima's wrist as his grip continued to tighten. "I pose absolutely no threat, none at all." He grinned, a pained laugh falling from his throat.
"What about your demise amused you so greatly?" Grima hissed, pulling him closer.
"Oh, just thinking about stuff. Like how much of a great distraction I am."
Grima's eyes went comically wide, the fell dragon whirling around. At that instant a blade, glowing with fiery light, slammed into him, knocking the hooded man back. Falling free from his hold, Robin slumped to the floor, gasping for air.
"What took you so long?" Robin asked, raising his head up an inch to grin at newly arrived Chrom.
"Some Risen cut me off when I tried to follow you," the exalt explained, gleamed in his friend's grip, the blade's fully awakened power seeming to cast away the darkness that hung around the fell dragon like a shroud. Across from him Grima staggered to his feet, somehow managing to appear even more pissed off than before.
"This isn't payback for me killing the last Grima, is it?" Robin asked, a pained chuckle falling from his lips.
"It could be. It also could be payback for marrying my daughter," Chrom replied, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Ah, right," Robin noted dryly, lowering his head back to the ground. "Well, I got him warmed up for you. He's all yours."
Nodding Chrom strode towards Grima, Falchion pointed directly at the fell dragon's heart.
"Seems like this is my lucky day," Grima laughed, straightening to his full height. Shadows coalesced in his hand, forming into the obsidian blade he'd wielded before. "How I've missed fighting with you, Chrom. Or perhaps you could come stand at my side like the good old days! Nothing would please me more than stabbing you in the back a second time! You know what they say, third time's the charm. Heh heh heh... Mwaaa ha ha ha HA HA HA HA!"
"Funny, coming from a dead man," Chrom countered. With a cry the exalt leapt towards Grima, their blades meeting in a clash of steel.
. . . . .
"Arcfire!"
"Elwind!"
In rapid succession three blades of wind lashed out from Morgan's hand, dispersing the stream of flame before it could reach her. Exhaling, Morgan relaxed, forcing herself to remain calm. Lashing back now wouldn't help either of them.
"Marc, I don't want to fight you. Please, " Morgan said, lowering her sword's tip to point at the ground.
"Don't call me that!" her brother spat, his mouth twisting into a grimace. Raising a hand he unleashed another gout of flames, forcing Morgan to once again turn it aside with a spell of her own. "I don't care who you look like, not when—"
"Marc, its me, Morgan. The same Morgan you grew up with," Morgan pleaded, interrupting him. She took a cautious step forward, keeping her empty hand up away from her tomes.
"N-No, you're lying. My sister was far away when we fought. T-This is a trick, it has to be." Marc shook his head, his voice wavering as if struggling to remain confident. "I won't listen, I won't!" With a snarl he raised his hand, blast of wind catching Morgan off-guard. She was thrown back, landing to the ground with a solid umph.
Every instinct urged Morgan to retaliate, to not let him just throw her around. But again she kept those urges under control, slowly picking herself back up to her feet. "I was sent back in time, to another world! I ran into father when I tried to take Argent and Sable, the one from that other world. He talked to me, made me remember…" Morgan trailed off, flashes of her own memories flittering in and out of her focus. "Grima tried to kill me not long after, and father… our real father, he managed to gain control, send me back in time...,"
Marc froze, seeming then to not even dare move a muscle. The flicker of his eyes in the depths of his hood flashed with confusion and a sudden hesitance. as if torn with the desire to listen to what she was saying. "Is that w-why you're…"
"Older? Yes," Morgan nodded. "For me its been two years since I traveled back in time."
"Why? Why didn't you tell me before?!" her brother asked, his voice rising to a shout. His hands began to shake, by either anger or fear she did not know. Perhaps both were the cause, as it would match the confused torrent of emotions that seemed to have afflicted him.
"I didn't remember!" Morgan shouted back, her own pent up way. How was it her fault that she forgot. She hadn't asked for any of this? Why should she keep having to make mistakes when she's tried so hard to remember. "When father sent me back he… did something to my mind. Made me forget. When I met you before, I didn't even remember I had a brother…" her words fell off, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Please, Marc, believe me, I didn't know. I didn't want to hurt you."
Her brother began to tremble more now, taking a step back away from her. "No… I… no. I can't stop now. If I refuse…" he babbled, speaking now to himself. "Master Grima will kill me if I don't. I have to, if father says—"
"He's not our real father, Marc, not any more. You know that," Morgan cut in before he could finish. "You don't have to listen to him anymore. In the other world Mother is still alive, and father never turned. We killed Grima there, and that's why we're here now, to stop him from destroying this world too."
Slowly Morgan approached her brother, taking one slow, cautious step after another. "You don't have to be afraid of him any more. I promise you, mother and father will beat him again. Then you can come back with us, have a second chance like I did."
"You can't promise me that! You can't promise me everything will work out, you can't" Marc cried. In a flash he raised his hand, sending a crack of lightning towards her, Morgan staggering back a step as she brought a barrier up just in time. "Not again, I won't listen, I won't listen. I won't let anyone else promise me things they don't mean."
His sword fell from his grasp as he fell to one knee, covering his ears with his hands. "Mother lied when she said promised she'd come back. She said she'd save father, that everything would be alright. She didn't though, nothing had been alright."
All at once the pieces of what had happened fell into place. At some point after dad had been taken by Grima, their mother had come to them, promising that she would find a way to free him from the fell dragon's control. But then she failed, leaving them alone. Had Grima come to us then? Were we so scared and alone that we agreed? Agreed to do whatever he wanted and play pretend that we still have a family. Still had father?
Shaking her head, Morgan tossed her own sword aside, her tomes following it a moment later. Marc looked up at the sound, tears glistening from beneath his hood. "What are you-"
"I won't fight you, even if it means you'll kill me," Morgan said, kneeling down across from him with her hands on her lap. "Because you're my brother, and even if I don't remember it, I'm sure I loved you as much as I love mother and father. And I don't think you want to hurt me either."
Marc's shoulders bob up and down with silent tears. One hand inched for his fallen sword, only to freeze an inch away. His hand began to shake, as if torn between carrying out his orders and his desire to listen to what she'd said.
"I know you're scared. I was scared too. But then I remembered father and mother, remembered that they wouldn't want us to do this," Morgan pleased, gazing into her brother's eyes, which seemed so very distant beneath his cowl. "They would fight, even when it was hopeless. No matter what, just like the other father and mother I met are doing right now to free our world…" Morgan trailed off, memories of those final moments as she stood on a wind swept plateau, of her father's smile as he spoke to her. His last few words echoing in her mind.
"I know that you are better than this," she smiled, accepting whatever may come next. "I hope that you'll do the right thing, too."
. . . . .
Robin watched on helplessly as Chrom clashed with Grima, their blades ringing in a deadly song of combat. How can I just sit here and do nothing? Robin thought to himself as the scene unfolded. Grima had been so strong, much stronger than in their world. How could Chrom win, when he himself had already given everything he had and barely put a scratch on him.
Yet, no matter how much he wished otherwise, he could not aid his friend, not in his current condition. All he could do was accept that it was in Chrom's hands now.
To the tactician's shock, however, the Exalt quickly seemed to gain the upperhand. Perhaps it was because of the power that radiated from the fully awakened Falchion he wielded, or perhaps it was merely that Grima had been weakened during Robin's own fight with the fell dragon. With each blow Falchion flashed with light, tearing away the inky blackness that surrounded Grima. Pain and fury grew on Grima's face with each burst of purifying brilliance, as if the light instill agony upon the dark god.
Staring on in awe, Robin almost did not noticed as Lucina dragged herself over to where he lay.
"Lucina, what-" he started to ask, only to fall silent as retrieved a small crystal vial from her person. Bringing his up to her mouth, she removed the cork with her teeth. Pain flashed across her face with every movement, but even so she still reached out to him, offering him the last few mouthfuls of the liquid that remained inside.
"No, you take it. I don't-" Before he could finish his protest Lucina put a hand under his head, propping him up as she brought the vial to his lips. The liquid burned down his throat, a warm tingling sensation suffusing his entire body. The agony that had refused every fiber of his being slowly faded, replaced by a dull ache as the elixir took effect.
Lucina started to tilt the bottle further back, but before she could Robin stopped her with one hand, righting the glass vial.
"Robin, what are you doing?" Lucina asked, once again trying to offer the last mouthful. Once again Robin stopped her, gripping her hand's firmly.
"Not when you're hurt just as badly," Robin replied, gazing up into her eyes. "Since it's too late for me to inist you drink the whole thing, I will instead insist you take what's left. Please, Lucina, honestly, I'm all better now. See?" He smiled, wincing as the movement brought another throb of distant pain. Everything still hurt, but not as severely as it had before.
Lucina opened her mouth as if to argue, then shut it again, nodding slowly. Bringing the vial to her lips, she drank the thin layer of azure liquid that clung to the bottom of the bottle. At once she seemed to straighten, dragging herself up to a sitting position as he strength returned.
"Thank you," Robin whispered. Taking his wife's hand, the two of them staggered to their feet. Leaning against each other for support, the two hobbled over to one of the stone columns that still supported what was left of the ceiling, Robin pressing a arm against it to keep the both of them propped upright.
Across from them the other Lucina had likewise stirred. She sat upright now, both arms outstretched against the ground to hold herself upright. If she noticed them she showed no sign, her focus now completely on the duel unfolding between her father and Grima.
With a screech of grinding steel the two locked blades, the two struggling with all their strength. Somehow Chrom seemed to match the fell dragon's supernatural might, Falchion shining even brighter than it had before. With a grunt, the exalt heaved with all his might, stepping in and slamming his shoulder into the hooded man. Grima staggered, knocked off balance.
With a triumphant shout Chrom lunged forward. Grima's own sword had been knocked wide, he could not recover and bring it up in time to block the finishing blow. Falchion fell in a blazing arc towards the defenseless Grima… passing harmlessly through empty space as Grima vanished in a blink of light.
The next instant Grima was behind Chrom, his entire form crackling with shadow magic. "Die!" He launched a ball of darkness, lighting dancing across its surface as it burned towards the Exalt's path.
"Chom!" Robin shouted in warning.
"Father!" both Lucina and her younger counterpart screamed in unison.
At the last instant, Chrom whirled around, Falchion moving in a blur as it intercepted the attack. A flash of light gleamed from the divine blade as it connected, deflecting Grima's spell. The ball of obliterating magic flew right back at fell dragon. The hooded man's expression turning suddenly from smugness to shock, throwing both his hands out in a desperate attempt to defend himself.
The resulting explosion tore more of the castle apart, sending more stone crashing down all around Grima. Through the smoke Robin could see that Grima still stood despite the devastation caused by his own rebounded spell. However his shoulders now fell up an down in an uneven rhythm, his breath coming as shallow gasps.
"You're going to have to do better than that to kill me.
"Nngh... Gyaaahhh... HOW?! This is not YOUR WORLD... YOU SHOULD NOT be able TO DRAW UPON this kind OF POWER!" Grima shouted, between gasping breaths. All semblance of control had faded from him."...Just wait. I am NOT FINISHED with YOU YET. No matter HOW YOU STRUGGLE, I WILL see you DESTROYED! ...Now DIEEEEEEE!" With a final shout he launched another spell, lightning splitting the air.
Rolling to one side to evade the attack, Chrom landed on his feet, leaping towards Grima. His blade fell, nearly bisecting Grima had the fell dragon not lunged back at the last instant. However before the fell dragon could do anything else Chrom was on him, bringing Falchion up even as Grima desperately tried to defend himself.
Grima's blade spun from his grip, landing with a clang out of reach before vanishing in a cloud of inky black smoke. Stepping forward, Chrom slammed a shoulder into fell dragon, knocking him off balance. Then, with a final victorious shout, he drove Falchion through his chest.
At once Grima froze, his body going rigged. For a moment neither of them moved, then with another cry Chrom stepped back, wrenching the blade free. Too dark blood splattered the ground as Grima fell to his hands and knees.
With a cough Grima spat up more blood, his face paling. Then, he did the last thing Robin expected at that moment. He smiles. "That hurt, but your efforts are useless." Slowly Grima stood, already seeming to be regaining his strength. Sure enough the ghastly wound Chrom had dealt was already on the mend, stitching itself closed until only unmarked skin remained.
"If I was in your world, than that blow would have finished me," Grima explained, chuckling softly. "But we aren't in your world. Your Naga's power has no hold over me, and neither do you."
Cursing under his breath, Robin glanced between the fell dragon and his friend, unsure what their next course of action should be. Then he froze, noticing that Chrom was smiling too. If I didn't know better, he looks like he knows something Grima doesn't
"I figured as much. Wouldn't be much of a point of us getting the gemstones togeather in this world if I could finish you off on my own," Chrom admitted, glancing back over his shoulder. "But I didn't need to kill you, just keep you busy for awhile."
Turning to follow his friend's gaze, Robin watched as the whole of the Shepherds streamed in, first and second generations alike, moving to stand in a half circle around Grima. It wasn't just the one's who'd taken part in the battle, but also those who had been sent on ahead with this world's Nah, Kjelle, and Noire.
"H-how?" Lucina gasped from Robin's side, voicing his own question.
"They reached the outer gates of the city right after Robin went after you two," Chrom explained, looking between Lucina and her younger counterpart. "I followed to make sure you three stayed alive long enough to make all of this count."
Even as he watched the three carrying the gemstones rushed to the younger Lucina's side, pressing Gules and Azure into her hands as they helped her upright. The three gemstone's already placed in the Fire Emblem strapped to her arm began to glow, thrumming with so much power it could be felt by all gathered there.
Grima hissed, looking between all those gathered before him. A snarl fell from clenched teeth, his shoulders rising and falling with barely contained fury. "No. No, no, no, NO!" he shouted, the earth shaking underneath him with each word. Cracks began to form around him, living shadows coalescing in a whirlwind of darkness. So intense was the energy gathered energy that Robin was forced to shield his eyes, the thrum of power forcing him a step back. "I will not be defeated by these insects. I am a GOD, damn you! You are all POWERLESS! FRAIL! INSIGNIFICANT! You are all NOTHING!"
With a final bellow the full might of the power the fell dragon was brought to bear. A thousand needles like spires of violet light erupted from the ground all around them. Cries of pain filled the air, Robin's voice joining theirs as unbearable agony obliterated all other sensation. His knees buckled, all around him the other Shepherds collapsing with him, the shadow magic sapping away their strength.
It's the same spell he used on us two years ago, Robin realised, struggling even to lift his head up off the floor. Gods, and we don't have Naga to bail us out like last time.
"Now, which one of you should I kill first?" Grima hissed. "First I'll kill that meddling Chrom, stab him through the heart. Then I kill you all one by one, watch you bleed like the WORMS you are!" Grima walked towards where Chrom lay, the Exalt writhing on the floor as he struggled to rise. "Tell, me doesn't that sound like FUN!
Grima paused, turning to gaze at Lucina. "Don't forget I've forgotten you. I plan to save you for last. I didn't get a chance to make you suffer. This time your pain will be legendary." He cackled manically, his eyes glittering with fell light. "Now stand in awe before your GOD. In this final hour, I HAVE… Gyaaahhh…" Grima's victorious cried fell away in a sudden grunt of pain.
"Nngh.. How is this… Nnraaagh..." Grima howled. He staggered forward, doubling over in pain.
"What's going on? Why isn't he attacking?" Chrom asked, managing drag himself to his feet. He swayed on his feet, even then seeming to be barely even stand.
For what seemed like an eternity no one moved, Grima standing there motionless. Then he straightened, lifted his head to reveal an expression warped with pain, "Run… Chrom… Lucina… go… please."
"What? What are you—" Chrom started to ask.
"Have to… to get away from me…" Grima interrupted, his breath coming in heavy gasps. The malice and rage had gone from his voice, replaced by a sadder, as if coming from someone who had gone through unbearable hardships. "Can't… hold… him… run… please," he pleaded, tears rolling down his cheeks.
The air began to shimmer around him, spreading in waves that rolled over them one after another. Violet light began to dripping like rain from his fingertips, pooling onto the ground before spreading over all things. The magic felt different, not like the oily dark that suffused Grima's spells. It felt like his own magic, Robin realized, but backed by something greater, as if it sung with the very notes of reality and the passage of time.
"I don't want… to kill you... I can't bear...to watch everyone die... ...die again…" The man standing before them continued speaking. The magic seemed to gather around each of the Shepherds, blanketing them in its music, until all of them were shrouded in its glow. Grima's eyes fell on Lucina then, the older one who had not been born in this world. Guilt, pain, and longing filled his eyes in that single look, then his expression hardened, as if drawing strength from her presence there. "Not… one… more… I won't kill… anyone I love anymore…"
There was a roar like a rush of water, the world fading in a flash of light. Then everything went black.
Author's Note: Wow, that was a long chapter. I am surprised I managed to get it done it time to be honest, would have hated to delay another one. We are near the end people, only one more chapter left to wrap up the finale of this story, followed by about two more chapters to cover the aftermath of this story's events. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this so far as much as I enjoyed writting it so far.