Chapter 12

Alright... chapter 12! More writer's block, I'm sorry... but now, I feel more hyped then ever! HYPE!

Morgan sat in his net, two days later. They were deeper in Plegian territory, and he knew something was off. I bet they're planning an ambush or something... thought Morgan as he looked over his parchment of paper for the land around them. No signs of Plegians ever since that last ambush... he noted.

He gave a sigh and looked away. It's late, maybe I should take a break, he mused. He smiled slightly as he remembered how he'd fallen in love with Nah in the first place. His mother had constantly paired the two up in battles for some reason. Morgan had wondered why, as this had left other pairings in the same battles with less efficient ways of battling. Fighting together builds up a relationship... Morgan gave a tired yawn.

Suddenly, he heard a slight pattern of footsteps beyond the tent. His left hand instantly found itself in his cloak, fingers bending to grip the Thoron tome he had. He blinked and lowered his right hand when he saw Lucina enter the tent. "Lucina," he breathed out.

"Still here, Morgan?" Lucina sighed. "You should head back to your own tent, tomorrow we'll have a busy day."

"Yeah... we'll be close to the castle, but I don't believe Blade would just let us walk up to him like that," spoke Morgan. "I've got to make a strategy that ensures that as many people as possible comes back from this, so I can't rest."

"You're just like mother," spoke Lucina. "Dedicated to saving every life, if she could. Good night, Morgan." His sister walked out.

"Yeah," he mumbled, looking over the map again. A cliff nearby...? he thought. Maybe I can use that... He noted it in his mind.

With a groan, Morgan found himself on the table, tired. Maybe Lucina's right, and that I should be sleeping, he thought. "Ugh..." With a grunt, Morgan managed to rise, and walked into the rainy weather outside the tent. He managed to stagger to his tent. In a flash, black was all Morgan could see.

He awoke in the morning, and felt energetic, somehow. "Morgan!" He heard Chrom call for him outside his tent.

"Coming, father!" Morgan checked his cloak, not bothering to have taken it off the last night. All of his weaponry were still in it. Morgan dashed out to his smiling father. "What is it?"

"In a little it'll be time to march again," he told him. "Stahl or someone will put up the tents, so just make sure you're prepared."

Morgan nodded, when Chrom grunted, grabbing Falchion. Morgan could smell smoke. He turned around and saw his tent was struck by a flaming arrow.

"An ambush!" he growled, drawing his sacred blade. "Pledge must be full of cowards if all they've done to try and stop us with are ambushes!"

"Not quite, Exalt." Chrom and Morgan turned around. Right there was a man, dressed in light but efficient armour, with a blade. "So... this is the Shepherds."

Morgan slowly crept his hands to his pockets, to grab one of his tomes, he wasn't sure which one his hand was about to grab-

An arrow struck Morgan's left arm, and he grunted. "Another arrow in a more lethal place if you don't get your hands out of your pockets right now," growled the man. "Anyway, my name is Edge, younger brother of Blade. I wish to duel the one who killed Rose, his daughter."

Morgan tore the arrow out of his arm with another grunt. "I killed Rose," he told him. "So... you want to duel me."

"I was the one to kill Rose!" Morgan knew without turning that that voice belonged to Lucina. "Duel me, Edge."

"I can do it, Lucina," growled Morgan. "I'm fine." He grabbed his Levin Sword out of his cloak. At his touch, it instantly came to life, electricity coming off of the blade. "What are the conditions?"

"My archers leave you alone if you can get me to resign," replied Edge, drawing his blade from his back. "But if I win... well... Blade won't have to deal with you, then. It would make his wish to conquer Ylisse very easy."

"Morgan, its crazy to fight this man alone," grunted Chrom. "Don't do it. If you lose, we all die."

"My word is the only thing keeping all of you alive right now," grinned Edge. "During the duel, no one may interfere in any way. If they do... heh..."

"Sounds reasonable," replied Morgan. I can't use my left arm with a sword, he realized. No dual wielding for this... Morgan sighed. "Let's do this."

"Mm." Edge sounded satisfied, and the two began to circle each other. "I was the one who taught her, you know. Can you beat me?"

"We'll see right now." Morgan's blade met with Edge's, but Morgan found himself forced back, unable to use his left arm. "Gah!"

"Hmph!" With a grunt, Edge stabbed, Morgan barely ducked under the low stab, and rolled to the side as Edge moved his blade down. "Hm..."

Morgan got to his feet, and threw up his sword, quickly grabbing a tome with his left hand, making him wince briefly with pain. Morgan aimed his right hand at Edge as he realized he grabbed his Thoron tome. "Thoron!" he shouted, and the beam of lightning lunged at Edge.

"You haven't mastered that spell!" Somehow, Edge deflected the beam off of his sword, running at Morgan.

"Ugh!" Morgan forced the tome back in his cloak, catching his Levin Sword as he grabbed another tome, meeting Edge's slash.

"That's not enough!" Edge bypassed Morgan's sword defences and slashed at his stomach area. "Heh!" Edge jumped insanely far back from Morgan's counter slash. "Too slow, Grandmaster of the Ylissean army."

Morgan grabbed his Arcwind tome. "I may not be able to match you in speed and swordplay, but I have more then that up my sleeve," he smiled slightly.

"Stop bluffing!" Edge lunged for Morgan, who barely blocked his stab with his blade. "I will not lose!" He managed to stab Morgan.

"Ugh!" he grunted. Morgan gasped in pain as he twisted the sword painfully. "AGH!" he screamed, and Edge took out his sword and jumped back. Morgan doubled over, throwing up blood all over the ground.

Chrom growled as he watched the scene before him. "Father! There has to be something we can do!" gasped Lucina.

"We have to watch, Lucina," grunted Chrom. "Lucina, I believe in Morgan. I believe he can do this."

"Defeat me? Ha, impossible for this one!" grinned Edge. "Well... I might as well put you out of your suffering." He walked slowly towards Morgan.

Morgan gasped painfully, managing to stand up straight. "No... I'm going to be the one to put you out of your suffering." Morgan flipped his tome open as Edge lunged again. "Arcwind!" He managed to twist him as he zoomed at Morgan, but the tip cut a slightly bigger wound in Morgan's already massive wound.

"Ugh!" Edge tried to rise up quickly, but Morgan used Thoron, piercing through his hand, dropping his sword. "So... you surpass me in battle..."

Morgan walked up to Edge and kicked his sword away. He was panting heavily as he finally wiped the blood from his mouth. "This was tough," he admitted. "But now... it's time to end it." Morgan slammed his Steel Sword down in a downwards swing, right through Edge's heart. He went limp.

"You did it, Morgan," replied Chrom. "I sent out spies to try and track down any enemies, but..."

Morgan saw an archer emerge and bow briefly before leaving. "We should be fine now," he panted. "We should start marching."

"Not without getting those wounds seen to, Morgan!" He saw Lissa emerge with a healing staff. "Just give a few seconds..."

Morgan groaned as his aunt healed his heavy wounds. "Thanks, aunt Lissa," he told her. He withdrew his weapons. "Let's go, father."

Chrom nodded. "Yes." He rallied the Shepherds and they began to march. Morgan grunted, as Lissa only healed his massive injuries.

That was close, he thought. Edge... you were a worthy foe... but that is not enough to stop us, noted Morgan, slowly staggering along at the back of the group.

"Here." Morgan looked up and saw Stahl offering a hand. "Get on. You must be exhausted after that fight."

"Thanks." As Morgan was helped on, he felt himself growing sleepy. Soon, he lost himself in the void of darkness that was sleeping.

Thanks for reading!