"Robin, are you ready?" Chrom asked.
"Yeah, just a second, I need-" Before Robin could finished the stack of scrolls and other documents cradled in his arms tipped to one side. He fumbled, frantically trying to the right the capsizing pile, but to no avail. Nearly half of his papery burden spilled onto the floor. "Gods… I'll get it."
Grumbling in frustration through clenched teeth, Robin knelt to clean the mess. He caught movement in the corner of his eyes, and when he turned to look he saw that Lucina had slipped down next to him. She scooped up scrolls, depositing them into his arms.
"You know, when you refused my offer to help carry those, I did say this would likely happen," she teased, offering a stack of folded maps to him.
"Well, I thought I had it," Robin replied, taking the documents. "This time I'll be wiser and accept your offer. I'll take this lot, and you can take the rest?" he said, his words somewhere between a statement and a question.
Nodding, Lucina scooped up what was left, returning. Once she had, Robin returned back to Chrom. "Right, now I'm ready."
Chrom smiled. He stooped down, picking up scroll Robin had missed, setting it at the top of the pile. "There, now you are. Best not to keep everyone waiting."
"Whenever you are "
Turning to the door, Chrom threw it open and stepped inside. Robin and Lucina followed him inside only a step behind.
It had been several days since Robin's conversation with Tiki via astral projection. In that time after their efforts had been focused on returning to Ylisstol, with their arrival coming late in the afternoon the previous day. During that time Robin had put all his efforts on planning the upcoming battle, with both Chrom and Lucina giving their own input. Besides them, however, the plan had yet to be shared with any other.
And so was it that we came to the subject of the present meeting.
Inside the chamber a large oaken table had been set out, taken from it's usual spot in the dining hall to serve as the centerpiece for the meeting. Chairs had been laid around it, the majority already occupied.
All of the Shepherds, both former and active, who could be reached in the short time frame were present. Seated around the table were Sumia, Lissa, Lon'qu, Frederick, Cherche, Stahl, Cordelia, Morgan, Marc, Nah, Cynthia, Gerome, Laurent, and Kjelle, as well as the new arrivals of Maribelle, Ricken, Donnel, Nowi, Gregor, Sully, Miriel, and Kellam; all of whom had come to Ylisstol only in the past few days. Messages had been sent to the others, but it would be sometime before they would both receive the summons and make their way here. That was time they could not afford to delay.
Moving quickly to the end of the table, Robin quickly began to lay out maps and diagrams onto the table. The scrolls not needed yet he stacked into a pile in the corner of the table. Meanwhile Lucina took her seat in the empty chair next to his own. Chrom as well moved over to his chair, only he remained standing.
A murmur of whispers filled the room, the gathered Shepherds talking quietly amongst themselves.
Robin turned to Chrom, giving him a quick nod to indicate he was ready to start. Chrom returned the gesture in kind. Even as Robin slipped into his chair, Chrom stepped forward, clearing his throat.
The murmuring stopped, all eyes falling on the Exalt.
"Thank you. Now, as all here know too well, our world has been under siege by an unknown foe from another world. A foe who can appear without warning, and vanish just a quickly," Chrom began, cutting right to the point. As always, he was not one to dally about.
Chrom leaned forward, pressing the palms of his hand onto the edge of the table, gazing out over the assembled Shepherds. "I am going to put it plainly. I'm angry. Angry that the peace we earned after Grima's defeat is now on danger. Angry lives are in danger."
He straightened back to his full highest. "And I'm fed up with it. Now's the time we put a stop to this." he motioned to Robin with a hand. "Robin has a plan. It's a longshot, but our plans always have been. We will use the very portals our enemy creates to enter their world and take the fight to them."
Silence. No one moved or spoke, everyone assembled there watching Chrom intently.
At least no one is looking at us like we are crazy… yet, Robin noted, paying heed of the expressions shown on the faces of the gathered Shepherds.
"I know, it will be dangerous. But at this point we are out of options and cannot afford to remain on the defensive any longer," Chrom continued.
More silence.
"What about Naga, can't she just send us there herself?" Lissa asked, breaking the still. "Sounds like it would be way easier if you asked me,"
Robin glanced at Chrom, looking for confirmation to speak. The exalt nodded his head. Nodding back, Robin cleared his throat. "No. Naga's power is not unlimited, and she expended much of what she had to spare to send us to aid that other timeline. From what Tiki said, she at best could send a few of us, but I'd rather save that as a backup plan if all else fails."
Robin fell silent, and began to take a step back from the table. He froze. Chrom wasn't speaking. It took an instant to realize that rather than pick up where he left off, Chrom was expecting him to explain the plan in more detail.
And this is why we should plan these sessions out before hand, Robin thought, sighing inwardly.
"The plan itself will be relatively simple. The bulk of our forces will engage the enemy while a strike force will attempt to reach the portal while it is still active," he explained, motioning with his hands at one of the diagrams laid out on the table.
"Is there not a considerable risk that by the time we could arrive at any of the portals it could be deactivated in a shorter timeframe than necessary for such a team to reach it?" Laurent asked.
"Indeed. There is the additional matters of contention including altitude and necessary capacity of the space-time anomaly to deliberate," Miriel added. The mage pushed her glasses onto the bridge of her nose as she finished.
"That is why we are going to arrive where the portal will be in advance. I've given this some thought, and I am almost certain our foe seeks to launch a full invasion from the Ruins of Time," Robin answered. "It strategically makes sense for him to use that location. Reality runs thinner there. It's because… well, some sort of magical catastrophe or another several thousand years ago. It's not important. What we do care about is that a portal much bigger than the others could be created there."
Robin paused again, pacing a step and back before resuming. "This has the added benefit of giving us the best chance of using it to our advantage. It will take time to fully stabilize, giving us a window where we can get close and use it as a back door to launching a counter assault of our own."
The room fell silent once again, the gathered Shepherds considering what had been said.
Then without warning Sully spoke up. "So, get to the point. Who's going to be on this strike team and how many? That's the question I care about."
"The team will need to be small if we are going to make it through the portal. Nine, ten, dozen at most. As for composition, that will come down to volunteers," Robin answered.
"I volunteer to lead the strike force," Morgan said, bolting upright before anyone else had a chance to speak. She stood up so quickly that she knocked her chair over, the wood clattering loudly through the chamber.
"And I'm going too," Marc said, standing as well. Due in part to his stiffer, slower movements on account of her healing injuries, he managed to do so without collateral victims in the form of nearby furniture.
Robin looked between his children, seeing the determined, resolute looks on their faces. A weary sigh fell from his lips. He'd expected this; knowing full well that they would insist on being part of the team. He knew that Morgan in particular would be adamant that she should lead. After her nearly disastrous mistake on the last mission she'd led, she would see undertaking command of such a dangerous mission as a form of penance for her failure.
"Denied, I will be leading it myself. Nor are either of you going to be part of the strike team," Robin told them, shaking his head.
"What? Why not?!" Morgan asked, staring at him in disbelief. "That's not fair! We should be part of this!"
"Morgan…" Marc said, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder.
"No, it's not okay," Morgan snapped, jerking away from his touch. She turned her gaze back to Robin. "Father, if this is because you want to protect us, it's not fair. We can handle ourselves and you know it!"
Robin raised a hand, palm out to her, and tried his best 'stern father look' he could muster. "I will admit, not wanting to put either of you at risk is part of my decision…"
"See! I knew it! Then you can't-"
"-But that is not the main reason for my decision. If it were only my desire to keep you two safe, I would swallow my personal fears and allow your request should you insist," Robin interrupted. "But I have other reasons, which I'd like for you to hear out."
For a moment Morgan looked like she was going to argue. Then, if reluctantly, she nodded her head.
"The main reason is simple: I need people I trust to stay behind. More importantly, I need someone to act as tactician. And with our leader being part of the strike team…" Robin paused, motioning to Chrom, "...we are going to need someone to take charge of the situation here."
Morgan looked up at him, the frustration burning behind her eyes subsiding somewhat. Even still, she shook her head. "But…"
"Morgan, know that the reason I am doing this is not that I think you aren't ready," Robin told her, speaking more gently now. He gave her a reassuring smile. "rather it is because I have full faith that you are ready. I would never give you such an important task if I did not believe that."
"We both believe that you can do this. There is no one else we would rather leave in our stead," Lucina agreed, moving to step alongside her husband. "Is our faith misplaced?"
Morgan bristled at this suggestion, fire flashing in her eyes. "Of course not, mother. You can count on me!"
Robin smiled, nodding to his daughter in approval. "And Marc," he added, turning to his son. "The same goes for you as well. I know you are not quite as comfortable taking the role of tactician as your sister, but you are just important. You have a level head and a good instinct for leadership, so you're needed to keep everyone together back home." He paused, then added. "Plus in all honesty, you are not in the best shape to go on such as dangerous mission. If you were wholly healed, things might be different, but for now I need you to focus on resting."
Marc nodded. "I understand father. I… I just wish we could go with. But I know why, and that has to be enough, right?" he asked, looking more than a bit uncertain as he said it. It seemed to Robin's ears that Marc was as much asking the question to himself than to anyone else.
"I know. But this is how it must be I am afraid," Robin sighed and turned back to the others. "Chrom?" he asked.
"Right," Chrom acknowledged. He stood, facing the gathered Shepherds. "Those who wish to be part of the strike force need not volunteer immediately. This decision is not one we can ask lightly or expect to be made without careful consideration," he told them, looking from each in turn as he spoke.
"Nor is volunteering a guarantee of being part of the mission. It is necessary that many of us remain behind, and the composition of the strike force is one that must be decided on with tactics in mind," Robin interjected. He stepped aside the moment he was done speaking, not wanting to intrude on Chrom's speech for longer than necessary. It would be rather inconsiderate if he broke up the flow of things, after all.
Chrom glanced his way, giving a quick nod of thanks. Though Robin though he caught a glimpse of mild annoyance flash in the Exalt's eyes the instant before he turned back to resume addressing the others.
"Neither should anyone who is denied part or decides against going believe that we think any less of them. Those who remain behind have their own task before them of equal importance: to protect our home while we are away."
Chrom turned, pacing the head of the table and back. "I know that all of you have your own lives now, your own duties. That is why I cannot command any of you to follow me on this dire endeavor. I can only ask it of you, as comrades and friends. Even if we no longer serve together as Shepherds, that title belongs to each and everyone of us. And there is none else in this world but my Shepherd brothers and sisters who I would trust more to fight by my side. So now I ask, will you follow me?"
The room fell utterly silent, the only sounds that could be heard the whisper of breath and soft rustle of small movements. Robin dragged his eyes over the grave faces staring back at him and Chrom. Each wore a slightly different expression, but all shared the same core.
Resolve.
Whether they were worried, excited, uncertain, tense, fearful, relaxed, or weary in that moment, each of the Shepherds showed the same resolve he had seen in them throughout the many trials they had faced together. No matter what they may feel about what was to come, they would follow Chrom and himself to hell and back: not just because of loyalty or duty, but because each and everyone of them were bound closer than that. They were a family: often a dysfunctional one that would drive each other crazy at the drop of a hat, but a family nonetheless.
One by one they nodded, standing to face Chrom: their leader and their friend.
"You can count on me to keep watch on things until you get home, my love," Sumia said, breaking the silence.
"Are you kidding me? Not about to sit this one out, even if someone tries to make me," Lissa said next, turning to look at her husband, Lon'qu, and nudged him with her elbow. With all the progress he'd made with his gynophobia, the swordsman only barely flinched at her touch.
"Is it even a question that we will follow you?" He asked, looking to Chrom. "We've all stuck with you through worse."
"I would follow you even were it to certain death, milord," Frederick proclaimed proudly.
"Agreed. As so would Minerva, were she small enough to fit inside and take part in this meeting," Cherche added, a smile on her lips. Outside the room the distant roar of a wyvern could be heard.
"Hear hear, darling! To think we would let anyone threaten our people," Maribelle agreed.
"Yeah! Let's show these things that our world means business," Ricken said, his voice brimming with exuberance.
"Gregor followed onto back of big dragon. Hee hee, that was good time. This no different," the mercenary proclaimed, chuckling to himself even after he'd spoken
"Yeah, let's kick this dastards back into their homes. No one invades my home and gets away with it," Sull proclaimed, raising a fist to punctuation her words.
It was difficult to tell who spoke next, their voice seeming faint and emanating from thin air. "I'm going too! Not that any of you heard this… But I'll be there regardless."
"You can always trust us to fight at your side" Cordelia promised
"Yeah. We've been through too much not to," Stahl agreed.
"I reckon if I followed ya both this far, I can't rightly turn back to the farm now with trouble brewin'," Donnel proclaimed, adjusting the pot on her head as he spoke
"You bet!" Nowi agreed, cheerful as ever.
"Wouldn't be very heroic of me to just quit now. I'm with you, father," Cynthia announced, practically hopping up and down as she spoke.
"I am with you also," Gerome said simply in agreement with his girlfriend.
"I will see the mysteries before us illuminated so that our foe can be vanquished," Laurent agreed.
"Just tell me where to go and I'll be there," Kjelle added bluntly, rolling her shoulders in anticipation.
"You can count on me," Morgan chimed in.
"Me too," Marc said.
"And me as well," Nah agreed from where she stood next to him. Even as she spoke she and Marc's hands intertwined, squeezing together tightly.
"And you can count on us as well," Lucina finished, speaking for both Robin and herself. She gripped Falchions pommel proudly, resolve upon her face.
Chrom nodded, a smile on his lips as he gazed at each of the gathered Shepherds. "And in return to each of you I vow to do everything in my power to fight by your side and see peace returned to our world." He motioned with a hand, inviting them to sit once more. "Come, we have more to discuss and preparations to be made, so we will keep this brief. I am sure each of you will have matters of your own to attend before tomorrow. Know that when morning comes, we will depart."
He turned to Robin. "Care to quickly go over the details of the plan?"
Robin nodded. Straightening in his chair, he pressed both hands against the table to begin. "So, once we arrive the plan is to split our army into several groups. The first will…"
So the meeting went on as Robin laid out the general focus of their assault on the rift. An hour passed before he finished and the discussion was at last put to rest. Now the hard part could begin:
To decide who would accompany them on the strike force.
To decide who would follow them to what could quite possibly be their doom.
. . . . .
Robin reached out for the door that led to his room. Curling his fingers around the handle he did not immediately throw it open, instead slowly pushing it partially open as quiet as could be. He peeked his head inside, mindful of the noise of his movements.
The room inside was dark, lit only by a single candle on his desk. He blinked, the rest of the room taking shape as his eyes adjusted to the flickering glow. Lucina sat at the edge of her bed, rocking one of the infants in her arms. The other lay already sleeping in the crib at their bedside.
Since the meeting Robin had spent several hours talking to each of the Shepherds in turn, trying the work through the problem of who would be assigned to what part of the crucial mission. Not that he had expected otherwise: the fact that just about every Shepherd would volunteer for the strike team was an eventuality he'd taken into account to begin with. So in the end the decision of who would go was to be one of tactics.
While he had done this Lucina had gone to the wet nurse who had been entrusted to look after both of the little ones while they'd been away. Tomorrow they would be returned to her care but for tonight both Lucina and himself had wished to look after their own children. Not knowing what might happen after… well, it was best not to have regrets.
Opening the door the rest of the way, Robin tip-toed inside, carefully closing it behind him once more. A soft squeak from the hinge no louder than a whisper alerted Lucina to his presence. She looked up at him, smiling softly then brought a finger to her lips.
Robin nodded. He quietly slipped over to her, sitting down next to her.
"They giving you any trouble?" he whispered.
"Not too much. Marc fell asleep right away. Morgan's been more difficult. Only just got her asleep a moment ago." Lucina looked down at the infant nestled in her arms. "Sometimes a part of me believes there was some sort of mix up, as our older Morgan is quite the opposite. You know how impossible it is to get her out of bed."
"Heh, no doubt," Robin replied, stifling a chuckle at the amusing observation. "I wonder sometimes if there will be more differences between them and their older selves, as they grow up. It will be quite the interesting next decade or so."
"Yes… it will…" Lucina murmured softly. Something about her tone then stopped Robin in place. She sounded sad, almost resigned.
Standing, Lucina moved over to the crib, lowering Morgan down into it. However, even as she straightened and took a step back her eyes did not leave the slumbering twins. She remained there, utterly still and silent for several long moments, so long that when she finally did speak Robin scarcely noticed it.
"They look so peaceful, do they not," she stated simply. She did not look up at him. "I wish they could always be so: free of fear and worry."
"I know," Robin replied. He was not sure what else to say. He felt… tired. So very tired… and sad… sad knowing the time they had with their children was all too short. Time that might be their last.
And he knew Lucina felt it too.
Robin stood as well, moving next to his wife. Even if he did not know what to say, he could as least be there and remain close. When all else failed, he could still do that.
Another moment passed and Lucina at last stirred, looking up at him. "How did the planning go?" she asked, her voice barely loud enough to be considered a whisper. Here blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the dim light, blue and dark as the deepest oceans.
"Well enough…" He sighed wearily. "Tomorrow we will depart for the Ruins of Time. I wish…" Robin trailed off. It felt as though a great weight had fallen on his chest, making it difficult to speak.
"...that we had more time," Lucina finished sadly. She shook her head once and blinked twice, as if fighting against tears only just starting to form. "I know. I wish it too."
Robin nodded. He glanced down at the crib and back to the forlorn figure of his wife. Seeing her like this… well, in his heart he already knew what he must do.
"You don't have to go, you know," Robin said, breaking the quiet.. "I'd understand if you'd rather stay with them. Would be better that way: if it all goes wrong then they won't grow up without…" his voice cracked and he trailed off, finding it impossible to speak through the lump that lodged itself in his throat.
Lucina looked back at him, her expression softening to one of tender understanding. She blinked once, and Robin could see that her eyes glistened with wetness. Then the corners of her lips tugged back, forming a sad, knowing smile.
"It is funny: I was about to make the same offer to you instead," she stated. She laughed softly, the sound carrying all at once worry, joy, and sadness in equal measure.
Robin nodded. "So it's no then." It was not a question, but a statement of fact.
"Would it be any different for you if I had offered first?"
Robin shook his head. No, it would not be.
For a moment Lucina said nothing, her eyes fixed on him. Seconds ticked by. Then a minute. Then at last she broke the silence. "All this fighting… every moment away from our children, not knowing if we will ever return… has been more painful than any torment I can fathom. I wish more than anything that I could stay with them. That neither of us would go, neither of us would risk that our children would grow up not knowing one or both of their parents…" She paused and Robin saw that she was crying. Tears traced rivers of silver down her cheeks, glinting in the pale candlelight. "I wish it more than the world itself. But in my heart I know we-" her voice broke and she faltered, falling silent once more.
Without hesitating for even a moment Robin reached out, closing a hand around his wife's own. "-that we must. For their sake. For everyone's sake," he finished for her.
Lucina nodded, her expression hardening even through the tears. "For their sake," she repeated, her voice firm now. "We both know that. We cannot sit idly when someone would threaten our world, our shared future. A world where our children can live free of war and despair. No matter what it takes, we will not let anyone steal that future that away."
"No matter the what it takes," Robin agreed. It was only then that he realized he was crying now too. He brought a hand to his cheek, his fingers coming away wet.
He gazed fell down at where his children lay, sleeping softly in their crib. It was rare for both twins to rest quietly at the same time. They looked so peaceful, both far too young to understand the uncertain future that loomed before them. Perhaps it was best that it was so. If he and Lucina could protect them, make sure that they would never have to face such fear, he would.
Without a word Robin reached down, scooping up Marc into his arms, careful not to wake the sleeping infant. He rocked him gently, even as Lucina did the same with Morgan. Together they moved to sit at the edge their bed, cradling their children as the night stretched on. The two sat as close to one another as they may, Lucina leaning her shoulder against his.
No words passed between them then, as none existed that would be adequate. No, right then just knowing the other was close seemed like enough. The comfort of being together as their children rested softly in their arms was enough.
And so for hours they remained there, sleep all but forgotten. Rest seemed so unimportant then, not when so little time remained. In the morning they would depart, when for the sake of their children they would leave them behind.
No matter what it takes. No matter what the future holds, they would do everything to ensure their future was a happy one.
In the distance a great shadow loomed before them, growing with each passing moment. Soon very soon, they would face it. So it was that the night grew ever later, passing as the two awaited whatever the dawn might bring.
No matter what the future holds, they would face it together.
Author's Note: Finally, all of the set-up is out of the way. Next chapter will be part 1 of the finale to A Future Broken. We are approaching the end of this story and the beginning of the next, so I look forward to hearing what you guys think of this part of the adventure as it draws to a close.
I do feel like I need to clarify something a lot of people mentioned in the review. The orb Robin was given last chapter is not a dragonstone. I am sorry to disappoint people, but Robin is not a manakette, so no dragon transformations for him, lol.
Anyhow, let me know what you guys thought of this one. And until next time, I'd like to wish everyone a wonderful day.
Character Spotlight: Morgan
Skills: Aether, Ignis, Galeforce, Vantage, Tomefaire
Personal Skill: Mixed Bloodline - After a successful activation of a skill on an attack, unit has a 20% chance to roll for a second skill (provided they have one equipt). If the second activates apply its effect to the attack as well.
Equipment: Bolganone, Arcthunder, Elwind, Arcfire, and a Rapier (Eirika's Blade)
Ability Details: Taking after her father, Morgan is a skilled spellcaster despite her young age. However, where her father specializes in lightning spells, Morgan finds herself more adept at fire magic due to it requiring a greater emphasis on raw power and force of will than on personal discipline and focus.
While Morgan has been trained in swordplay by her mother, she is a far less skilled swordsmen than her mother or twin brother, favoring magic to an even greater degree than her father. When she does resort to melee combat she used the same fighting style as her mother, using a light, elegant blade to best utilize swift and precise strikes.