She floated in a suspended twilight, enveloping her like a heavy blanket in the depths of winter. She saw nothing, and felt nothing, but heard him calling her name, over and over again.

Elysa. Elysa. Elysa.

Let me go, she thought. Just be silent, and let me go.

You are mine, Elysa... not even Death can change that.

"It is not your day yet," a new voice murmured, close to her ear. She tried to turn to see its source, but found that she couldn't move. "Your family needs you."

Chrom. Her heart tightened, as she remembered seeing him injured on the bridge. Then the rest of the scene unfolded in her mind, and she suddenly felt the pain in her chest from the dark spear.

"Be still," the voice soothed. "You are out of danger; I have seen to that. It is up to you to return to us now, Elysa."

"Ow," Chrom winced as Lissa peeled off the bandages across his chest.

"What do you mean, 'ow?' It's healing perfectly well. I did my job." She folded her arms and looked at the pinking line across her brother's chest. "If it still hurts, it shouldn't for long."

"I should count myself lucky that it wasn't worse," Chrom murmured.

"Yes, yes you should." Lissa's expression grew serious, and she stooped next to him. "Any of these battles could take your life, Chrom. Do you understand that?"

"Of course I do," Chrom said gravely. "Recent events have shown me that no one is safe; I am not so naïve as to think myself an exception."

"Good," Lissa stood, nodding contentedly. "Then you'll be more careful."

"I'll do my best," Chrom smiled.

Lissa pressed a cold, damp washcloth against the fresh scar. The sensation was soothing, and Chrom leaned back against his chair. "How's Elysa?" Lissa asked.

"She still hasn't woken up." Chrom closed his eyes. "Tiki is with her now, as last I saw before I came here."

"And Marth— I mean... Lucina?"

"She's there as well," Chrom ignored Lissa's slip. Everything that had happened the previous day was already difficult to wrap his head around, but it was easy to pretend for now that all would be well soon in the Ylissean palace.

After the battle at the border, they had taken an unconscious Elysa back to Ylisstol, along with her injured pegasus, the woman they had known as Marth, and her three followers, Owain, Severa, and Inigo.

She told them the story that Marth had told them in the courtyard more than three years ago: that they came from the future. The only explanation for her possession of Falchion and the birthmark in her eye was that she was telling the truth.

Then there was the matter of her companions. Severa and Inigo shared the appearance and name of Cordelia and Olivia's children, respectively, and were about the same age as Lucina – both highly convincing of their identity. And there was Owain.

A knock at the door heralded his arrival.

"Uh... ahem. Mother?"

Lissa halted abruptly, squeezing the washcloth, causing cold water to drip across Chrom's lap. She looked at him for help, but he shrugged. "...Yes, Owain?"

He slipped through the door, ignoring the shirtless exalt in the chair. Chrom looked him up and down. He was a carbon copy of Lon'qu, with a shock of Lissa's blonde hair.

"I was hoping we could, like, talk, catch up a bit, maybe?" He shuffled his legs awkwardly, toying with the hilt of his blade. "I'd like to know you in this time."

Lissa sighed, and turned uncomfortably. "Owain... I'm sorry for my distance, but it's all very strange to me. In – in this time, Lon'qu and I aren't even married."

"Yet," Owain chirped, confidently. "You will, in about a year, if my timelines are correct, and then he will give you the best son that you could—"

"Oooookay," Lissa held her hands up, "Let's not get into that part too much. We can just go for a walk, how about that?"

"Be nice," Chrom muttered to her. "If he is your son... he deserves your kindness, no matter what world we're in. Especially if the world that they come from is truly as grim they say."

Lucina, Owain, Severa, and Inigo were the last surviving children of Chrom and the Shepherds, brought through time and space by a ritual of Naga to undo the events that led to the destruction of Ylisse at Grima's hands before they could happen. Lucina explained, to the best of her ability, that the Grima they had encountered in Plegia was most likely Elysa from their timeline; Elysa who had succumbed to the darkness and become Grima's fell vessel.

That was the part Chrom didn't want to believe. His Elysa, turned to the darkness... it would have been unimaginable, but after seeing what they had done to their little Lucina, it wasn't impossible that they'd be able to break her. He thanked Naga that Elysa in his timeline had the fortitude to not give in then and there, but his heart ached at the memory of what he'd witnessed at the bridge.

She had given up. He saw her, through the dark barrier, prepared to lay down her life to Aversa – and she may have succeeded yet. He closed his eyes. I'm still here... doesn't she see that I still need her? What happened to her promise, to stay by my side, no matter the circumstance?

"I'll leave you to it," he stood suddenly, pulling himself away from his thoughts to address his sister and supposed nephew. "Enjoy yourselves, stay safe." He dabbed himself dry with a fresh washcloth, and pulled his jerkin back over his head.

"Where are you going?" Lissa asked. "Don't push yourself too hard yet, your body still needs rest to fully recover."

"Just upstairs." He adjusted his collar and made for the door, where Owain shuffled out of the way.

"Oh." Lissa nodded in understanding. "...Good luck."

Chrom made his way upstairs, and through the main wing of the palace until he came to the royal chambers. He paused a few feet away from the door to his and Elysa's room, and ran his hands through his hair in distress. He exhaled heavily, steadying himself, and pushed the door open.

Tiki was standing beside the bed, eyes closed, her hand resting lightly on Elysa's forehead. At the foot of the bed, Lucina sat in a chair, her head buried in her arms on the bed. When the door opened, she looked up. Her eyes were slightly reddened from recent tears.

"...Father."

Chrom hesitated a moment. "Lucina."

She looked hurt. "If... if you'd rather I call you something else, I—"

"No," Chrom shook his head, immediately regretting his pause, and crossed to her, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's just strange to my ear. I'm used to... a younger you."

"I know," Lucina said quietly. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry for your loss. I don't pretend to be enough to make up for her absence, but—"

"You're what we have now, and never think of yourself as less than enough," Chrom bent down to eye level with her, staring into her Brand. Certainty settled in his heart and mind. "You are my daughter, no matter what time or place, and I love you." His eyes traveled to Falchion at her side. "...You deserved so much more from us than one sword and a world of troubles."

Tears welled up in Lucina's eyes again. "Father... oh, Father." She reached out to him, and he held her against his side, stroking her hair gently.

Eventually, her shoulders ceased to shake, and she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry. Everything has come back so suddenly — when Tiki came to get us, it was as if my childhood memories came flooding back, everything I'd lost, everything that..." she swallowed back another sob. "Your Lucina, from this world... she's safe now, but it would seem that Naga has granted me her memories and... and some of her years back. It's difficult to explain—"

"You've had many difficult things to explain," Chrom sat next to her at the foot of the bed. "...I believe you, Lucina. Even when we knew you as Marth, everything you did for us, everything you endeavored, was to help us."

"I tried," she looked over at Elysa's unconscious form. "I tried so hard, but then I spent the last few years seeking out the others from my time, and not only – not only did I only manage to save Owain and Severa and Inigo, but I came too late to help Mother."

"You came in time," Tiki spoke suddenly, her emerald eyes opening.

"My Lady," Lucina straightened, tipping her head in a tiny bow. "I..."

"Hush, my dear," Tiki ran the back of her finger along Lucina's cheekbone. "You did everything you could, and your mother is still alive for it. She draws near to the waking world."

Chrom leaned forwards and took Elysa's hand. He squeezed it tightly. "We need you, Elysa... come back to us." She made no response, her face serene and still. Chrom fought back fresh tears, and shifted closer to her.

Her fingers moved slightly, and her long lashes fluttered for a moment, before her eyes opened minutely. A flood of relief overcame Chrom, and he was at her side in an instant, pulling her up into his arms recklessly.

"...Chrom?" She murmured against his shoulder.

He pulled her back, to look into her eyes, and cupped her cheek in his hand. "My love," he said, his voice cracking, "you're still with us."

"I came back," she whispered. "I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." she trailed off, her eyes travelling to the girl at the foot of the bed.

"Elysa," Chrom said quickly, "I know this may come as a shock, but this is—"

"Lucina," she whispered. "Lucina, from another time. I know."

"Mother...!" Lucina, unable to restrain herself, crawled up onto the bed beside them, and threw her arms around the both of them.

Elysa murmured something inaudible, looking up at Tiki as tears began to make their way down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I'm so, so sorry." She turned to Lucina. "For... for everything I've done, in your future, for what I've become..."

"You have done nothing," Lucina insisted, shaking her head furiously. "You will not become the Fell Dragon. I came here so that wouldn't happen, and I won't let the Grima from my time take you."

"I promised you," Chrom lifted her left hand, covering the Mark of Grima with his hand, and turned her wedding band around so that the sigil of his house was visible. "I promised you, that no matter what the future holds, I will stand by your side. Through uncertainty, through war, through whatever darkness the coming days may bring."

"Chrom," Elysa bent her head to his chest. "Chrom, Lucina..." She clung to them both, letting her tears flow freely.

Tiki watched silently for a while before she spoke, hesitant to interrupt. "I am glad to see that you have made a full recovery," she nodded to Elysa. "I will take my leave now... I am needed elsewhere. But you will see me again soon, no doubt."

"Thank you," Chrom said earnestly. "Thank you for everything you've done, Tiki. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

Tiki smiled gently. "I am but an emissary," she said, shaking her head. "The Divine Dragon provides."

She cracked her eyes open and groaned, reaching for the wound in her stomach. To her surprise, she found nothing there – not even a scar. Her eyes opened fully, and she looked around.

All around her, a soft, golden light pulsed, like a beating heart. The outline of a figure emerged from the light, slowly coming into view and focus. Her red and rose robes floated ethereally around her frame, and her hair wafted by an otherworldly wind.

"Aversa," she said softly.

The woman on the ground curled her lip. "Oracle. What do you want from me? Where are we?"

"The realm between life and Death," Tiki intoned. She watched Aversa with an unreadable expression. "I've brought you back from the shadow."

"Why? Why not let the princess from the future end me, and be done with it?"

"Because you have a part to play yet. Elysa and Chrom need you."

"They need me?" Aversa laughed bitterly. "Since when does anyone need me?"

"Your life has been clouded by Validar's influence," Tiki said. "See now, the truth of your youth..." She waved her hand, and Aversa felt something touch her forehead.

Suddenly, she was looking at a scene of a young girl, cowering in the corner of a kitchen. Validar's imposing figure was silhouetted by the light of the window, through which she could see the main streets of Plegia. He stood over two bodies, of a middle-aged man and woman, dressed in commoner's clothes, but with a Grimleal mantle thrown over their shoulders. "Worthless scum," Validar spat on the man's lifeless face, where blood trailed out of his open mouth.

The woman, barely alive, started dragging herself across the floor towards the young girl, reaching out to her. "Aversa," she groaned, "Aversa, run, please—"

Validar pointed a finger at the woman's back, and a bolt of dark magic speared her to the ground. Her head fell to the kitchen floor, and she did not stir again. The little girl began to cry. Validar walked over the woman's body, and bent down over her.

"I suppose you'll do."

Aversa drew a sharp intake of breath as she was pulled out of the vision. "Some things are best left in the penumbra of the past, no?" She looked sharply up at Tiki.

"The truth of one's past is the key to knowing oneself," Tiki said. "You have always thought yourself to be bound to the darkness by destiny, but it was a life you were forced into."

"Validar told me he picked me up an orphan from some slum," Aversa hissed. "Made my life from nothing."

"He is the one who created nothingness out of everything you had," Tiki's tone was somber. "Your parents were planning on leaving the cult, but Validar would not let them go peacefully."

"The bastard," Aversa cursed. "So this is your game? Rescue my mangled corpse, rile me up, send me back to enact revenge?"

"Not revenge," Tiki shook her head. "Redemption."