I took my sweet time on this one. Sorry about that. Mostly that came from preparing a move. You would be surprised how time consuming that is when you have to sell all but 4 boxes worth of stuff and sell all the stuff you've accumulated in 5-6 years time. I'm not even done yet, and I'm suppose to leave in five days...
Anyways, the other reason this took a bit longer was because I went back on my word of making these shorter... I just couldn't leave it be a 6-8k chapter! So much going on! It turned out to be 11k, and that's after I compressed down a ton of stuff and scrapped unnecessary ideas.
I want to thank everyone who's stuck to this story since the beginning. It's so cool to see it breaking the 100 follower mark (110 when his is published) and 75 favorites (78 to be exact) not to mention the 25.5k chapters read since it was first published.
That being said, I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. Also hope it measures up to everyone's expectations.
Remember to leave a review to let me know what you thought of it, be it things you liked or didn't like. If you like the story, put it in your favorites and/or follow it too! Enjoy~
Chapter 21: And so we retaliated
A battle consisting of over ten thousand soldiers was well on underway. On the side of Ylisse, more than a thousand Feroxi warriors lead by Flavia were hitting the Plegians from the west. Even with lesser numbers, the Feroxi were a force to be reckoned with. They could easily cut down at least three enemies each, which would wither down the number of enemies significantly. Also on the side of Ylisse, just over three thousand soldiers from Elibe were taking on the Plegians on the east, making it difficult for enemy reinforcements to come in and aid defend their capital. And on the very center of it all were the Shepherds, a small militia of misfits that numbered at twenty-seven, and the eight old friends of Robin's.
Everywhere the sound of steel clashing, grunting, and death could be heard. Fireballs, lightning bolts, and gust of cutting wind were being flung from left and right. The arrows that flew in the sky were impossible to spot from the ground because of the aerial battle being fought between the Plegian wyvern riders and the 5th Wing of Ilia's pegasus knights.
From the top of a rock formation Emmeryn watched the battle unfold, being forced to pray to Naga that her brother and sister and everyone else that came for her sake would come out of it unharmed. She also watched helplessly as some of Fiora's troops tried to approach her but were quickly driven away by archers or wyvern riders.
These were all things that the tactician knew about not only because he was in the middle of it, but also because of his ability to scan the battlefield as well as being able to communicate with everyone he had established mind-links with before the battle started. All this while still fighting in the front lines along everyone else—a borrowed sword from a fallen enemy in one hand and his trusty tome on the other, he cut down enemy after enemy so they could keep moving forward.
Fortunately, they had found an ally amidst the chaos. A war monk by the name of Libra—a man that could be easily mistaken to be a woman—had been fighting from the start. It had been Chrom who spotted him and convinced him to join their ranks for the time being. The man agreed, for which Robin was glad. Now only had they gained another weapon on their side, but also another healer. And with the size of the battle, having another healer was a welcome sight. As it was, Lissa, Maribelle, and Serra were struggling to keep up with the injuries the other Shepherds were suffering. This also meant that each of them would be responsible for a small portion of the cake.
To his left he could see Chrom using his new shield, the Fire Emblem, to block an attack before easily piercing his enemy's chainmail with a mighty thrust of Falchion. Seeing him in battle risking the Emblem inspired many around him. They all knew that there was no room for them to recover if they lost this battle, as Robin had drilled into them many times over. But the Emblem being on the field was also meant as a way to taunt the Mad King into playing his cards too early, which he did. His troops were unorganized, making them easy to fight against in terms of strategy, though they still held the advantage in numbers.
To Robin's right Hector slammed down his axe into the ground besides him, practically making the ground shake, before bringing it back up to cleave off the head of his opponent in one clean swoop. The Great Lord's appearance on the battlefield had shaken the Plegians not because they recognized him—Robin didn't think anyone would assume Hector would be linked to the man of legend—but because he didn't seem fazed by the hits that others landed on him, instead using the opportunity to dispose of his enemy.
Behind Robin, Lyn dodged one attack after another, taking her time to hit her enemies with a precise attack with Mani Katti. Be it a knight, a swordsman, or a mage, she always cut them all down at incredible speed, be it by piercing thick plated armor or a slash to cut down a lancer. Her way of fighting was reminiscent of the last time Robin had seen her fight back in Elibe. She wasn't holding back anymore. She even took out Sol Katti, wielding a blade on each hand, so they could move quicker towards the Exalt.
All the Shepherds were putting in their best performance by far. Miriel and Ricken hurled wind spells towards approaching wyvern riders. Gaius parried an attack from a swordsman to make an opening for Virion to shoot. Stahl and Sully weaved in and out between soldiers as to cut down the approaching cavalry. Isadora and Frederick moved their steeds around the perimeter to prevent too many enemies approaching at once. Legault and Matthew scurried in the shadows to deliver fatal blows to unsuspecting troops. Nowi was spitting out fireballs in her dragon form faster than any competent mage could cast them. Wherever one would look, one of the Shepherds was out performing themselves.
And Robin wasn't falling far behind. Whenever possible he would use a variety of spells to hit enemy from a distance or to deal with heavily-armored ones. Though he was the least proficient with a sword from those that carried them except for perhaps Olivia, he was handling himself well enough. That's not to say he wasn't competent with the blade, but it just went to show how good everyone else was, after all, they had years or even decades training with them while he had only picked it up recently.
But just because things were looking up for them, that didn't mean that they could let their guard down. Robin already knew that Plegian reinforcements were on their way, lead by none other than General Mustafa, a man they couldn't take lighting. Should his force reach the capital before they rescued Emmeryn it would throw not a pebble, but a large stone into their gears. That was the reason why Robin kept trying to push them forward, sending orders to not only the Shepherds, but also those fighting in the east, the west, and also to Khan Basilio, who was still trying to break out Phila and her knights.
Their energy was another one of the tactician's concerns. Thought they were all extraordinary fighters that could be said to in peak physical condition, fighting for hours on end took its toll on their bodies. Most everyone were breathing heavily and/or sweating from the constant fighting. This was what lead Robin to have people form up in small groups. Worst case scenario, if someone needed to take a second to breath, the rest of their group could defend them. It was a strategy that had been working out perfectly, but no one knew for how much longer it would last.
"We need to get the last of the archers and mages now," said Robin after casting Waste yet again, bringing down another caster. "Sumia and Cordelia won't be able to reach Emmeryn otherwise."
"We can't ignore the enemy general," said Hector with gritted teeth as he faced off against yet another axeman. Pushing his enemy aside to strike a mortal blow, he wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt. "Even if we get Lady Emmeryn back, we still need to leave this place with our heads on our shoulders."
"Agreed," said Chrom. "No matter how you look at it, we need to deal with the general to get closer. There are only so many troops he can direct while out of combat. With the chaos that's already going on, if we can get rid of him, the archers will be much easier to deal with."
"There's a wall of enemies we have to go through before we can reach the man," Lyn pointed out as she brought her sword down on another Plegian. "There's nothing we can do other than deal with them first. That is unless you can think of an opening we can use, Mark."
Robin gave it a thought as he checked what stood between them and the general. He could see several opening they could take advantage of, but in their current group, it would be too difficult for them to make use of them. "There might be a way, but the window of opportunity is small. If we have Lon'qu, Oswin, Donnel, and Tharja Provide cover for us, we could get within range. Then Lyn and I can make a breach in their defences, leaving Chrom and Hector to deal with the general. Question is, can you two do it quick enough that you can head back before the enemy regroups?"
"I feel almost insulted that you have to ask that, Mark," said Hector as he smirked. "You said that we traveled together only a few months back for you, yes? Then you should know what I'm capable of. And with the addition of Chrom, the fight is as good as won."
"You flatter me, Lord Hector, but I would rather not be over confident. I've learned one thing from fighting against Plegians and that is to never underestimate them," said Chrom. "They always have some sort of trick up their sleeve. Having their general be this exposed could be one of those tricks. They might be trying to lure us in close for some sort of counterattack."
"The saying is high risk, high reward."
"I can't see any telltale signs that there are any traps in our near future," Robin said. "Worse come to worst, we can have some of Fiora's knight bring you back to our line. I'll send word to everyone else. On my go, we move. Lyn and I will take the lead. As soon as you see the opening, you two go in for the kill." There was no need to ask if they understood, as it was obvious that they already knew about how serious the situation was. So without any more delay, Robin signaled everyone to move. He used his dark magic to catch the attention of the front lines. When all the enemies turned to face him, Lyn jumped over him, landing in front of approaching enemies. She broke into a run, looking ready to take on the whole if she had to. Robin was picking off those he could with his spells, waiting for the right time to give the order to Chrom and Hector.
"Now, move!" By the time the Plegian soldiers noticed that Chrom and Hector had run past them, it was too late for them to catch up, especially when Robin and Lyn were spreading chaos through their ranks. Even if they were two against many, the synergy that the two had was hard to beat. Between her speed with the sword and his strength with magic, the they were bringing down soldier after soldier as if it was child's play.
And before they knew it, Chrom had pierced the general's plate armor with Falchion, just as Robin had expected. They had successfully driven Gangrel's army to a corner where the only way to come out alive for them would be to surrender. Getting Emmeryn back and to safety was no longer a desire, but a reality. All they had to do was have someone pick her up, seeing as the enemy had lost most of their archers and mages.
As if on queue, up in the air, the figures of the Ylissean Pegasus Knights could be seen approaching. Basilio had been successful in releasing them from the prison! The wyvern riders that were between them and the Exalt would fall against the combined might of Ilian and Ylissean pegasus knights. Robin couldn't help but smirk at seeing everything go down within his window of expectations.
"Gangrel!" Chrom called out. There wasn't even a need to defend Chrom at that point as there was no one to oppose him or take him by surprise. He looked over to the rock formation where the Mad King stood behind Emmeryn. Besides him was the white-haired woman they had met before, Aversa, though Chrom only cared about speaking with the king himself."Your army has been beaten. Reinforcements won't be able to aid you enough to guarantee you a victory. You can still stop this bloodshed! Return Emmeryn to us and surrender yourself to us. I can promise you that no harm will come to your people if you stop this madness here and now."
The king did his signature cackle, which echoed throughout the battlefield. "Your father once used similar words on us, little prince. Except, you know, with a whole more killing of my people," the man said as he walked closer to the edge. "And we both know how that battle ended. You may think you have the upper hand, but I still have cards to play. Show me how you deal with our army, prince!"
"I see you live up to your name… Are you blind? You've been beaten! Spare your people the loss of more of their loved ones! Look around you! It is only a matter of time before the last sword that's pledged to you falls! No one else has to die for this!"
"Then hand me the Fire Emblem! You've, oh, so kindly brought it with you this far, filling it with scratches and staining it with our blood! Give me the emblem and I'll make your death quick."
"You are in no position to make demands, Gangrel," Robin interjected, stepping up besides Chrom. Though he had much to tell to the king of his homeland, he had to keep it to himself for the sake of Emmeryn. There could still be an opportunity to end the battle if only he could make Gangrel see that the outcome was already decided. "You've seen one of your own generals fall in front of you! To the east and to the west two more are fighting a losing battle. At this rate, not even Mustafa will be able to bring things back to your favor!"
"That's enough out of you, Turncoat," Gangrel spat in rage. "You have been a pain on my side since Validar first mentioned you. Well, now it's time to remove you from play altogether. Validar may complain, but it's a small price compared to hearing another word out of you. If you think you can defeat me," he turned and whispered something to Aversa, who readied her tome in turn, and then continued, "come and get your Exalt."
With a flick of the woman's wrist, the battlefield began to change. In the space that stood between the Shepherds and the Mad King, Risen began to appear out of thin air, no doubt being summoned by the mysterious woman that stood by the Plegian king. Like their name suggests, they rose from the ground amidst a cloud of purple smoke. Whatever sort of spell had been casted, this was the first time Robin had seen someone call upon Risen, much like Nergal had done with his morphs. Though the enemies in front of them were not as strong as the morphs, they made for it in numbers, mainly the archers. It didn't take a genius to see why so many bow wielders would be summoned. With most of the Plegian archers dead and their wyvern riders barely able to hold off an approach from Fiora's knights, they need them to stop them on their tracks completely.
Gangrel laughed once again, this time sounding much more ominous than before. "Who needs to worry about losing the living when the dead serve just as well? No matter by whose hand, a dead Ylissean is a dead Ylissean, and I want to see… Every. Single. One. Dead! I gave you people one chance to save yourselves, but you forced my hand. Now, die like our people did back then!"
"The archers are aiming for the Pegasus Knights!" Lyn pointed out as they all helplessly watched bowman after bowman take air up to the sky. They all could see it unfold, but they wouldn't be able to reach them before they let loose the first arrow. None the less, Robin got himself ready to prevent the arrows flying.
"Miriel, Ricken, Tharja, and Virion, move to the front! We need to kill the archers quickly! Florina, Farina, and Fiora, fall back until we deal with the Risen," the tactician ordered, but it could have been too late by the time the flyers listened to him.
"These damn things again?" Hector looked as displeased about the Risen as if he had been fighting them his whole life. He looked behind him and the shouted, "Serra! Canas! It's your turn to pull your weight around here! You know what to do."
"As you say, Lord Hector," said Canas as he approached the front lines and started casting a spell of his own.
"Certainly, Lord Hector," said Serra as she too approached the frontline alongside Canas, much to everyone's surprise. Even Robin found himself quite confused by Serra's actions. She, on the other hand, looked confident. She whispered something under her breath, likely a prayer to Saint Elimine. Her cast was quick; though she was the last to start casting a spell, she was the first to attack. She lifted her staff in the air, the stone that decorated the top of it glowing a radiant yellow-white before turning blue when she pointed the staff at the Risen ahead of them as she yelled out, "Purge!"
Had the targets had been living beings instead of Risen, they would have been in awe at what they were seeing. Robin had forgotten that while there were no combat spells in the school of white magic there, in Elibe that was not the case. Orbs of light began to appear around a small group of Risen. In an instant they began to burst, one by one, causing some sort of lightwave. Light magic combat spells had never been the strongest of spells, but in the case of the Risen, it meant instant annihilation. Where there had been rotting flesh, there was nothing left. Any area of the Risen that had been touched by the light was gone. And before anyone could react, the cheeky priests had already launched a second Purge.
"By the gods…" said a dumbfounded Chrom as he stood there and watched the Risen falling down and becoming nothing more than miasma. "What is she doing?"
"Whatever it is, it's awesome!" said an excited Lissa as she ran towards them, her eyes glued to the pink-haired priestess. "I really want to know she is doing that! She's taking them down by the handful!"
"Those...things. We've encountered them early on when we came here," Hector said as he too looked ahead towards the Risen. "Didn't take long for us to figure out the best way to deal with them, though a steel can kill them as easy as any magic can."
"Does that mean that Canas can do that too?"
Hector shook his head, chuckling. "Quite the opposite."
"Huh?"
"Just look ahead."
Now curious, everyone looked towards the Druid, Robin included. He knew what Canas' repertoire of spells was like, but what he didn't know was which one he would use in a situation like that. Eclipse would be my guess given the range, but…his stance doesn't look right for it, thought the tactician.
Cnas opened his eyes slowly, ready to let his own spell loose. Lifting both of his arms and extending them forward, his cloak began to flutter with the small breeze generated by his spell-casting. "Luna," he said just loud enough for the Shepherds to hear. A huge magic circle—the biggest one Robin had seen in his lifetime—appeared in front of the monocled man. From this, shadow spheres that had to be half as tall as the man came out and formed a circle. They began to rotate, gaining speed with every second that passed until, with a flick of the wrist, they were sent flying towards the Risen. This was not just Luna. It had to be a variation of the spell made by Canas himself for it to act so differently than what Robin had seen in Elibe. Nonetheless, the destructive power of it was unquestionable. The Risen that were hit by any of the spheres were thrown to the ground and quickly vanished.
"Fascinating," said Miriel as she threw a fireball at an oncoming Risen swordsman. "I had read texts which theorized of such spells, though the probability of their existence was essentially null...or so I believed."
"You can dissect those two all you want later, Miriel," said Ricken as he switched from fire spells to thunder spells. "I like the practice and all, but those things are annoying. I rather end this quickly and get back the Exalt."
"Perhaps you would find my archery more entertaining, little Ricken," Viroin said, shooting off another arrow.
"I'm no little anything!"
Slowly but surely, the Shepherds began to inch forward. With the combined might, they were taking care of the Risen much quicker than they ever had before. Looking around, Robin couldn't tell that these people had been fighting for so long already. They all looked so full of energy, perhaps because their goal was literally right in front of them. Even when the Plegian soldiers that remained tried to take advantage of the Risen, who kep appearing, though not as fast as they were being killed, they were suffering no major injuries that Lissa, Maribelle, or Libra could take care of in an instant.
And if that wasn't good enough, Basilio and his men had finally entered the fray. The man wasted no time in contacting Robin, telling him the good news. They had successfully rescued Phila and the rest of the Pegasus Knights of Ylisse. The effect was immediate as well, as the added number gave the Shepherds air superiority from which the Plegians could not recover, not even as more Risen were appearing. And because Robin had made a mind-link with Phila before, he was able to coordinate her and the rest of the new arrivals.
"It's now or never, everyone," he said to them all. "Mages, don't let a single arrow hit the pegasus. Phila and Fiora, go directly to Emmeryn. Along the way, have some of them split off and hit the Risen from the back. Kent, Frederick, Stahl, Sully, and Isadora, you are flanking from the west to cut off any Risen trying to chase after the Pegasus Knights. The rest of you will rush forward to finish off anything that stands in our way."
Robin could read the atmosphere enough to know that they all were in agreement with the plan and that they understood their part. This was it. Emmeryn would be safe and sound in mere moments, and the emblem would remain as property of the Halidom of Ylisse, as it should be. Confident that they were about to win, Robin gave the order to go.
Things went just as he had expected. Seeing the many pegasus flying over their heads, the Risen brought up their vows to bring the mounts down. But after letting their arrows loose, they were taken down by wind spells from Ricken, Miriel, and Robin, with Tharja and Canas using Flux spells instead. The Pegasus Sisters and Phila kept heading towards Emmeryn, the Risen chasing after them. But, again, before they got themselves within range, the cavalry hit them hard. Any other arrow that was shot was brought down just as fast. The blades, axes, and lances of the Shepherds as well as Serra's white magic brought down the Risen that had been cut off from the main group.
Using Eagle Eye, the brunette was seeing his plan unfold before him. Already the Risen's numbers had fallen by half. And further ahead, he could see Phila about to reach Emmeryn. The knight was extending her arm towards the Exalt, ready to take her with. Emmeryn too was getting herself ready to reach out for that hand full of hope… But just as those two were to be joint, Gangrel stepped in. He grabbed a handful of Emmeryn's hair, pulling her back towards him. With his free hand he pulled out his sword—a twisted blade that reflected the man's personality and sanity—and shot lightning at Phila, forcing her to make a sharp turn. Robin's jaw dropped as he saw the pegasus taking the brunt of the hit, though it remained in the air.
"You didn't think I would give in, did you?" Gangrel asked sarcastically before laughing, his voice echoing through the battlefield once again. The Mad King wrapped his arm around Emmeryn's neck, keeping her in place as he pointed his sword towards where Chrom, Robin, and the others stood. With Emmeryn in such a position, Robin had everyone back off in fear that Gangrel would kill her if he felt threatened. "This will end on my terms! And my terms are that the Ylissean royals' blood be spilt on the ground if it's the last thing I see."
From behind Gangrel appeared a black pegasus, ridden by Aversa. He got onto it with sword in one hand, and Emmeryn helplessly looking back at her brother and sister as she was forced onto to ride the pegasus. They were retreating, heading back towards Castle Plegia. Not only were they leaving the battlefield, but also abandoning the Plegian soldiers that remained without a commander. Their lives had been seen as acceptable losses, a concept that sickened Robin, even if it wasn't someone on his side that was using it. But no matter what he thought, those soldiers would keep fighting because to them, the Ylisseans were the ones that had invaded...again…
"We have to bring down Gangrel!" Chrom said, breaking Robin out of thought. The prince was already giving chase, moving much faster than ever before. "We can't let him take Emm to the castle. Gods know what he might do to her behind closed doors!"
"You are not thinking straight again, Chrom," said Robin as he tried his best to keep up the pace of his friend, with the rest running with him. "If we try to bring Aversa down, the fall might kill Emmeryn too. Not to mention that all our pegasus knights only have spears and swords with them, while Aversa has a tome and Gangrel has his magical sword. The best we can do is follow them to the castle and fight our way to Emmeryn there."
"Mark is right," said Hector, who, despite his heavy armor and the ticky sand, was keeping up with them. "We have enough mounted units with us that can cover our rear while the rest of us fight it out inside the castle. If they are retreating, they must have something prepared in there for us."
Chrom looked like he had been struck by a realization, one which Robin had pushed to the back of his mind. The bluenette turned to look at his tactician as he kept running. "Gangrel's elite guard…?"
Robin nodded, cursing himself for forgetting all about that. The fighting had become so hectic that he had failed to look for any of Gangrel's top fighters. That explained why they hadn't had much of a struggle so far. But now they were going in, their energy somewhat depleted, into a different battlefield against an enemy that was fully rested. For all his madness, Gangrel still held up as formidable adversary when it came to tactics. He had been holding this as a backup plan. In comparison, Robin had gone in at full force from the start. Both were good strategies. The question now became which one would outlast the other.
Along the way, there was no enemy resistance whatsoever. It was both reassuring—perhaps the only ones left to fight would be the elite guard—and frightening—they could be running directly into an ambush. Either way, it did not matter because they had already entered the courtyard, which was decorated by a number of pillars engraved with hieroglyphics, a few fountains, and a some trees, though these were as green as the nonexistent grass. It was here where most of their numbers would remain and fight to provide an escape route should it be needed. Basilio and his men too decided that they would stay behind, excited about the prospect of "cracking a few skulls of our own," as the khan put it.
Only fifteen went inside, Chrom leading the charge. The tall, empty halls of the castle along with the lack of light made for an eerie feel. The sound of their accumulated steps echoed through the halls as if to emphasize how empty the castle was. Robin told everyone to keep their guard up, having a feeling that they were being lured deeper and deeper into the castle. He knew that, Gangrel would choose an area that gave him the biggest advantage for a fight. Afterall, that's what the tactician would do too.
They finally reached the castle's grand hall, and for the first time since they entered, they could all see that they were not alone. Gangrel was standing in front of his throne, still holding onto Emmeryn as a valuable hostage. Aversa stood nearby, her pegasus nowhere to be seen.
"Ah, the guests of honor have arrived," Gangrel said mockingly as he pointed his sword towards the group. His sounded more imposing there than it had anywhere else, whether because of the way sound traveled or because of his confidence. "I welcome you all! Yes… I welcome you to what will be your final resting place!"
"Lissa! Chrome! Don't get any closer!" Emmeryn warned her siblings in panic, but couldn't say much else. Gangrel quickly yanked her to a side to force her to stop.
"Let her go, Gangrel," growled Chrom, tightening his grip on Falchion. "The Emblem is what you really want, isn't it? Leave Emmeryn out of this! We can settle things once and for all." The prince lifted the shield—the Fire Emblem—in what Robin could only think was an effort to prove that it was the real thing. "If this is what you want, come get it."
"No, no, no," said Gangrel as he shook his head slightly and frowning. "Weren't you listening to me out there? How rude can you be! The Emblem is only secondary to killing off the Exalted bloodline, with third being killing all Ylisseans. But it's good you brought it all the way here! Now I can kill two bird with one stone. And if I can kill that traitor," he pointed his sword towards Robin, "along the way, who am I to complain?"
"You would kill all Ylisseans?"
"I would destroy your whole kingdom, boy! All in the name of retribution."
"Y-Ylisse already paid reparations for that!" Lissa interjected, though her voice wavered.
"Gold?! You think this is about GOLD?! Don't insult me, little princess! If gold was what my people wanted I would've handed out coffers full of it! You insult us as much as your sister here did! She thought that a few gold pieces for each life lost during her father's so-called "crusades" would be enough to appease us… Gold is good for the living, but what about the dead, huh? What price does a life hold, I wonder?" Chrom flinched, though he kept his eyes on Gangrel at all times. It was difficult to look any other place when Emmeryn looked not only uncomfortable, but also in pain. "Shouldn't a life pay for a life?"
"Our side suffered casualties too-" Crom was cut off by the Mad King.
"Casualties? That's golden. Don't make me laugh. Your people were invaders. Those lives you lost are on you, not us. Not to mention the fact that you slaughtered indiscriminately! Men, women, young, old. You were here to eradicate us all like some kind of plague! You have at least one amongst your little band of misfits that lived through it, losing everything to the crusade! Can you look at him in the eye and tell him that his mom and pops death don't mean anything because some soldiers on your side died too? How heartless. I see that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
Chrom and Lissa were the first to turn to look at Robin, but the others eventually did so as well. As for Robin, he felt sick for so many reasons he couldn't decide how he should react. Some of what Gangrel was saying was the truth. Yet, it felt wrong to the brunette. To everyone's surprise, the one to speak up wasn't him, but Tharja.
"Oh, please," she said. One could practically hear her eyes rolling in the tone of her voice. "Stop trying to make yourself out to be the hero of the people. You are doing all of this for your own selfish reasons."
"What did you say, wench?! You dare speak to your king that way? And to think I had half a mind to spare your life and-"
"Save it, I'm not interested in serving you. My place is and will always be by Master Robin's side."
"Why you-"
"She is right…" said Robin, finally regaining his confidence thanks to the dark mage. "I do not blame Chrom, Emmeryn, nor Lissa for what happened. They too were children when the crusades took place. To blame someone because of the wrong-doings of their parents is childish. Though it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when I think back on what I lost...I've forgiven Ylisse for what happened, as have many of the other people I know...though some of those people's feelings wavered when you brought about a new age of war. It is as Tharja said, you are doing this because that is what you want!"
"You insolent insect," Gangrel cursed under his breath, glaring daggers at Robin. "I will enjoy killing you."
"Then let us see what you've got!" Robin lifted his sword and tome, ready to go on the offensive. He didn't have a chance to take a step, though. An arrow flew directly towards him. His blade was too slow, and he simply couldn't cast a spell. The arrow hit him in the chest, but thankfully, it did not pierce through the chestplate. That's gonna leave a bruise, he thought as he gritted his teeth.
"Don't think for a second it will be that easy." From different doorways, guards began to appear. These people were armed to the teeth, their weapons and armor looking like new, but also formidable. From just looking at them, Robin could tell that every single one of them was a seasoned veteran. "I think you know who these people are, don't you? After all, you were supposed to stand with them, Robin. For those that don't know, this is my elite guard… Part of it. Now they will kill all of you."
As soon as the battle began, Gangrel and Aversa took Emmeryn away. Robin could see them walking further and further away by the second, but he couldn't stop them, as he was in the middle of a fight. These men and women were nothing like the soldiers they had been fighting. Not only were they weapons and technique better, they were also very organized in the way they advanced. Still, they were not invincible. They were taking them down, just a lot slower than Robin would have liked. To think that these aren't all of his guards…
Every minute felt like an hour. They couldn't let Gangrel get further away. They would need to split off. The first ones to stay behind were Lon'qu, Matthew, and Panne. The trio was quick to volunteer themselves. The rest of them turned and ran towards the hall they had seen Gangrel take.
The castle was acting as a labyrinth. With its many corridors and empty rooms, Robin felt like he was in Arena Ferox again, except that this castle felt like it had much less of a structure to it. He only knew they were heading the right way when more guards would appear to fight them.
Gaius, Olivia, and Tharja made up the second group that was left to defend a position. They had set themselves up in a staircase. Using it as a bottleneck, they would be able to fight more evenly, even if they were outnumbered. Tharja didn't look pleased to be left there, but she did not voice any complaints. Whatever the case was, leaving a mage behind in such a position would do more good than harm.
It was only a matter of time for their number to dwindle down once again, with Canas, Nowi, and Lissa staying behind and then Ricken and Anna doing so as well. The only ones left to chase after Gangrel were Hector, Lyn, Robin, and Chrom. These four would be able to make it to the roof if they were lucky. They weren't lucky. When last staircase was within reach a number of guards took them by surprise, blocking their path.
"Dastars…" Chrom cursed under his breath. "We are so close and they keep coming! How many of them does Gangrel have?"
Hector moved forward, stepping in front of Chrom, Lyn, and Robin. He lifted his axe, resting it on his shoulder as he examined their opponents. "Leave these to me," he told them. "I'll get a few of them out of the way. The three of you go on ahead and get to the rooftop. This looks to be the only way up, meaning that as long as I stand here, no one should bother you up there."
"I appreciate what you are trying to do, Lord Hector, but that would be suicide for you. No, the four of us can take care of-"
"Don't waste your breath, Lord Chrom. I'm making my own decision here. I'll fight them off. I know we've only sparred instead of fighting full on, but believe me when I say that I can take care of this much on my own. If you won't take my word for it, you can always ask Mark and Lyndis. Not that it matters. I don't plan on dying here. I promised my daughter that I would return to Ostia in one piece. And I get a feeling my wife wouldn't be too pleased to become a widow so suddenly."
"I don't like this, but Hector is right," said Robin. "This is our best chance, Chrom. We should take it and make sure to have Gangrel surrender quick."
With both regret and guilt, the three of them moved forward once Hector had dealt a killing blow on the man standing in front of the staircase. While they moved forward, Hector turned around to act as a barrier between them and the chasing forces. The sound of battle filled Robin's ears in seconds. When they finally reached the roof to find Gangrel, Aversa, and Emmery, it was still the case, though this time the sound of battle was that that was taking place in the courtyard and the air between the Shepherds and the small army of Risen.
"How nice of you to join us," said Gangrel. "We've been expecting you. Look around, you three! This will be the last thing you see before you all die. And when I'm done with you, I'll throw your dear elder sister off this roof, take the Fire Emblem, and lay waste to Ylisse!"
"Not if we have a say on it, Gangrel," said Chrom as he ran towards the redhead.
"Don't say I didn't warn you…"
Once more, a small group of Risen appeared out of thin air in front of them, acting as a barrier between them and the Mad King. They would have to go through them if they wanted to reach Emmeryn, but the problem was that as long as Aversa was there, the number of Risen wouldn't diminish.
"I need you two to listen closely," Robin told Lyn and Chrom through the Mind Link. "If we can take down Aversa, we can get to Gangrel. I'll need you two to keep the Risen occupied for me to deal with her. Think you can do that?" Both of them nodded in response. "Good. Let's do this."
Robin immediately made a b-line towards Aversa. Any Risen that stood on his way were taken down by either Chrom or Lyn. It looked like it would be a simple attack. He prepared his sword to slash at the dark flyer once she was within reach, yet she was able to make the first move, launching a spell directly towards him without a care in the world, after all, if she hit one of her own, it would be a Risen.
Robin's eyes widened as the spell struck him in full force. It wasn't a spell that anyone could learn, let alone master. This was a spell that had been specifically crafted by the caster herself, that much he could tell when he felt most of his energy leave his body, similar to the effect to a more common Nosferatu, but the power being many times stronger. The spell also crushed his body, as if trying to squeeze last ounce of life out of him. He was already in excruciating pain when he felt the exploding power of the spell pushing him back. The hit was enough to bring the tactician down, falling face first onto the hot stone roof of the castle.
Chrom and Lyn both yelled out his name immediately after he hit the floor, but the brunette couldn't distinguish their voices from the other sounds around him, as the pain was proving too much of a distraction. His body felt like mush. He could even feel blood rushing into his lungs and up his throat, forcing him to cough it out. At the very least, that was a sign that he was still alive, though Robin had to wonder whether surviving something like that was a good thing or not and just how he was able to survive it, even if just barely.
The Mad King cackled as he kicked the distracted prince away from him to create some distance. He was probably thinking that victory would be theirs now that the tactician was down. But on the other hand, Aversa was scowling. She looked at Robin in surprise when he tried to get up, but failed.
"You are more resilient than you look, Little Robin," she said as she circled around him like a bird of prey, something that the others took notice of, but were struggling to prevent as they had problems of their own to deal with. She leafed through her tome, looking at it halfheartedly. "Validar always had high hopes for you. He spoke eagerly about your future, you know? To see you in such a state… He would be disappointed of his little prodigee. But mayhaps like this I can take you back to him. He may not be pleased, but he won't be able to deny that you are better to have as a cripple than dead or out of reach."
If Robin could have clench his jaw any more than he had at that moment, his teeth would have shattered. Lyn was shouting his name, begging for him to get up. If only his body would do so, but it wouldn't listen to him. His energy reserve was completely depleted. Having used so many Mind Links and Eagle-Eye for so many hours while fighting, though a good idea at the time, had taken its toll on him bit by bit. When he needed his energy the most, he didn't have any left. And though there were allies nearby that could help him, it wouldn't be possible for them to do so.
I can't let it end here, he thought as he looked from Aversa to the woman standing not too far behind Gangrel. Emmeryn locked eyes with him, her own almost reflecting the pain he was in. To think that she had been forced to witness the death of so many while standing on the verge of her own death, and now she had to see an ally die too… She was right there! They were so close! Everyone—Shepherds, Pegasus Knights, Feroxi, Ostain, and Ilians—they were all still fighting to see her safe return. There was still a chance for them to win this war. All they had to do was rescue the Exalt.
I can't die yet. He told himself that over and over again as the space around him seemed to slow down to a crawl. There were many things he still wanted to do; that he had to do. If he were to die, Lucina's mission would be accomplished. If she were to be believed in, that would mean that the world would be safe. It could be for the best. But Robin, like any other human being, was selfish. He wanted so much more out of life. He still had many things to tell Lyn. He wanted to share so much more with her. He wanted to tell her he loved her. To start a family with her and live in peace, something that he had only experienced for a fraction of his life. He wanted to live.
Then there it was again. That feeling coming from his core. The unexplainable red glow. It was like a burst of fresh air. Literally. He could feel the blood from his lungs quickly disappear along with much of the pain throughout his body. The steps that had been going around him stopped as Aversa looked at him dumbfounded. He was standing up. Not trying to stand up, but actually standing up as if he'd been hit with an apprentice's Flux spell. Robin felt the heat spreading throughout his body, revitalizing him. No longer did he feel tired or on the verge of death.
"I hate that man. And one day, when the opportunity presents itself, I will kill him," he vowed as he lifted his own tome on one hand, the pages fluttering by themselves as if searching for a spell to use. The heat that he was feeling through his body started to take physical form in the shape of purple fire that covered his entire body. Unlike regular fire, however, this did not harm the tactician. Ignis. Something the tactician had experienced only a handful of times before in his life, though he had no explanation as to what the cause for it was. But this was different from those times too, not only because of the situation, but because the power itself was merging with the red glow.
All around him people stopped. Suddenly seeing someone burst into flames and act like nothing happened had to catch the interest of a few people. However, Robin did not care about anything else at that moment other than the woman in front of him, who looked at him with a bizarre combination of surprise, excitement, and maybe even a hint of fear. Much like him, she was getting ready to throw out a spell. He was expecting as much, which made him decide on what spell to use.
"I'll show you how it's done," he told her as he concentrated his energy on his tome, letting it feed off of all the excess energy produced by both the red glow and Ignis. Magic rings began to appear all around him just as he was about to attack. Likewise, Aversa was surrounded by her own magic rings. Robin smirked, knowing what her spell would be because of the configuration of the rings. Extending his tome forward, he let loose, yelling out, "waste!"
"Ruin!" was Aversa's counter.
The purple mist flickered with electrical charge as it made its way towards Aversa. She was quick on her feet, dodging the attack, her own hitting Robin, lifting a small cloud of dust. But just she wasn't victorious just yet, as she learned when another waste spell was sent her way immediately after. Because of the dust in the air and trying to dodge the first spell, she hadn't noticed that the reason she had hit Robin was because he hadn't made a move, instead opting to prepare a second attack.
This time it was her turn to get hit. A common waste spell could do devastating damage. A super-charged one was on a whole other level. The force it generated on contact with the dark flyer was enough to create a small explosion, from which Aversa was sent flying into the air...and off of the roof. A fall from that height would kill anyone, though considering her affiliation with Validar, Robin wouldn't be surprised to bump heads with her again in the future. But for the time being, she was no longer part of the battle. With her fall, the remaining Risen that Lyn had been fighting quickly vanished, leaving Gangrel standing all on his own, surrounded by enemies.
"Surrender now, Gangrel," said Robin as what remained of Ignis vanished into thin air. "Your army is in shambles, your elite guard too worried for their own lives to see to yours, and you are surrounded. Release the Exalt this instant and let this war be done with."
"Surrender?" Gangrel repeated before bursting out laughing, practically crying at the idea. "What a joke! Look down below, tactician. Even now, the real Plegians will keep on fighting until the end. This war can only end one way: either the Ylisseans die or we die."
"You would sacrifice your own people for your own selfish reasons?" Lyn asked, her swords ready to continue the combat. "You are meant to guide your people! To protect them! What man calls himself a king only to bring his own country to its knees?"
Gangrel clicked his tongue. "I don't know who you are, wench, but watch your mouth! I can very well kill you here. This fight is not over! Not until every sword that we hold hits the ground!"
"Everyone, I plead you listen to me!" The other four turned to look at where Emmeryn was standing. She was leaning out, her voice echoing throughout the battlefield. "Today is a sad day for all of our nations. So many innocent lives have been lost today in the name of vengeance… I know that I can't phantom to understand what the people of Plegia went through during the crusades orchestrated by my father. I know many of you lost family and friends during those years of darkness between Ylisse and Plegia.
"Continuing this war will do you more harm than good, for should you reach victory, it will be at the cost of countless lives of your countrymen. You may think that you will have appeased those that died during the last war, but what of the ones that perished during this war? Will another war be the answer yet again? We will be stuck in an endless cycle, never to see peace; never to live like brothers and sisters…
"Please, I beg of you… Put an end to this senseless fighting…"
For a moment, it seemed as if everything had stopped. All the sounds of steel clashing, wings flapping, and spells been fired disappeared. If it wasn't for the wind blowing, it would be easy for one to think that time itself had stopped. The silence was something Robin would never expect to hear during a battle of such importance. He had to wonder if the people of Plegia had been touched by Emmeryn's words.
"Nice speech, your Exaltedness," said Gangrel, bringing everyone back to reality. "But I already told you how this will end." It was then that Gangrel pointed his sword at the Exalt. From the distance between them, this didn't seem threatening...except that Gangrel's sword was no ordinary sword. Chrom, Lyn, and Robin were already running towards Gangrel when his sword began to shine. Emmeryn was turning to face the Mad King, only to see the sword. "Die now."
The malicious grin that the Plegian king had quickly vanished as a sword was run through him. The sword wasn't Falchion, nor was it Robin's more common sword. It was Mani Katti, one of Lyn's swords. She had covered the distance of several meters in an instant, leaving the prince and her lover behind. Gangrel's sword hand wavered, but he still was dead set on attacking Emmeryn. Or at least that was until Sol Katti pierced through his breast as well.
"You...bitch," said Gangrel as he looked back at Lyn. He spat out blood, unable to conceal the pain he was in. As much as he would have liked to keep the sword up, with injuries like those the result was inevitable. The sword clanged as it hit the floor, the body of the Mad King starting to go limp. Lyn pulled out her swords from the once great king just as the Chrom and Robin reached her. Even Emmeryn had come to them. Despite everything, it seemed that it pained her to see Gangrel in such a state. She kneeled down on the ground and held his head up, the man looking at her in spite, but unable to push her off. "This changes...nothing… There will never be...peace between Ylisse and Plegia… Foolish bunch, all of you… You will all...die alone…"
There, with his head resting on the lap of the Exalt he tried to execute not a minute before, Gangrel, King of Plegia, died from wounds suffered from the blades of another-worlder. Much like Robin had down in Elibe, she would cement herself in the history books of a world she was not born in. If Emmeryn's speech wasn't enough to stop the fighting, the announcement of Gangrel's death took the remaining fighting spirit that the Plegians had.
The four left the rooftop in silence, leaving the body behind. The first one they found as soon as they came down the stairs was an exhausted Hector covered in blood, sitting on the steps. Somehow, the man had stopped a dozen elite guards from reaching the top of the staircase by himself. This was repeated again and again, as they all reunited with those they had left behind. It was an incredible feet in everyone's part to have fought without sustaining major injuries. Of course, when they found Lissa, she threw herself to her sister's arms, crying out of joy to see her unharmed.
The celebration that was held that night was like no other, not that Robin expected any different when khan Flavia decided to organize it all, though he did wonder what had been going through the Khan's mind when she had decided to haul so many barrels of ale all the way from Ferox for their march, or even how she had hidden that fact from him.
They had setup camp away from the Plegian capital, hoping to be respectful to those that had lost their lives. Both Ferox and Ostia had lost a number of soldiers, for which Robin felt responsible for. So much so, in fact, that he was trying to apologize for it as he sat with the Khans, Hector, Farina, and Lyn on one of the many tables as they shared a drink.
"You have nothing to blame yourself over, Robin," said Flavia, her serious tone showing for the first time since the celebration had started. "The Feroxi that died today did so with their heads held high, fighting for a cause that they believed in. They volunteered themselves to come here in the first place, knowing that there was a chance they would not return. No matter how good of a tactician you are, even a living legend as yourself can't take complete control over the battlefield. Instead of thinking of the lives you "couldn't" save, you should think of all the ones that are living today because of how obsessed you are with micromanaging this army. I'm sure Hector agrees with me on this."
"Honestly, you can be such a pain when it comes to this kinds of things," said Hector, then he gulped down half the tankard he had to let those words set in. "You blame yourself for things that are out of your control. It was the same thing when we mistakenly fought against Ninian in her dragon form. When she died, you blamed yourself for it too, despite the fact that no one knew her and Nils' secret.
"You can only do so much, Mark. No matter how much you can tell someone about the battlefield, in the end, half the fight still is in the hands of the fighters themselves. So stop sulking so much, enjoy your damn drink, and let's hear that disgusting laugh of yours!"
Robin let out a sigh. He knew they were right, but he didn't like it either way. He turned to look at the great lord. "You've become more outspoken in the time since I last saw you. Don't think that because your are now older than me you can get away with it."
"I'll enjoy it while it lasts. You used our age against us too many times in the past. It's time for some payback, if you ask me."
Robin was about to respond when a voice came from behind him, saying, "I hope we aren't interrupting anything." Those sitting on the table quickly stood up when they noticed who the voice belonged to. Emmeryn was standing there, smiling fondly at everyone. With her were also Phila, Frederick, Sully, Lissa, and Chrom. "We haven't had much of a chance to talk since the end of the battle. I was hoping you could all spare a moment."
"Certainly, your Grace," said Robin.
"First, let me thank you, khan Flavia, khan Basilio. You helped us in our time of need when the Risen first appeared in Ylisse, and when this war broke out, you did not hesitate to lend us a helping hand to resolve it. You've proven yourselves to be an invaluable ally, and I hope we can repay your kindness in the future."
"It was our pleasure, Lady Emmeryn," said Flavia.
"I would also like to thank you, khan Basilio, for rescuing Phila and the Pegasus Knights that were captured. They are all important people to me. Seeing them again brings me great joy."
"Don't mention it," said Basilio. "You should thank Robin for that. He was the one that came up with a way to rescue them in the first place."
"It seems that I have much to thank you for, Lord Robin. Or should I call you Lord Mark?"
"Robin is the name that was given to me by my parents, while Mark was a name I chose for myself. I don't mind being called by either one, your Grace," said Robin. "But please, do not call me Lord. As I mention before, I hold no titles or lands."
Emmeryn shook her head, her smile never leaving her lips. "But that is no longer true, is it? Going from what Chrom and Lissa have told me, you do hold several titles, as much as you may try to downplay them. After all, you are the mythical tactician of the Lycian League. However, I know that that won't change your opinion on the matter. I'll do as you ask and continue calling you Robin then.
"I have many things to thank you for, Robin. Not only have you played your part expertly as the tactician for the Shepherds, helping Ylisse time and time again without ever asking for anything in return. You fought with your mind as in and out of the battlefield along the other soldiers in every battle. You even came to my rescue personally, for which I am very grateful. But what brings me the most joy is that you kept your promise of keeping Chrom and Lissa safe. You are living proof that Plegians and Ylisseans can coexist in peace and even become friends. For all that and much more, I can never thank you enough, Robin."
"It was my honor, your Grace."
"And I can't forget of Lady Lyn, as she was the one that saved my life in the last moment of the fight. "
"For all the Shepherds and yourself have done for Mark, it is the least I could do," said Lyn, causing Emmeryn to giggle. She had to know how fond Lyn held Robin.
"Finally but not least, Marquess Hector and Lady Farina as well as the rest of the people you brought with you. Though your objective may have been to come aid Robin instead of involving yourselves in the war, you played an enormous role in ending it all. I know you lost some of your men during the battle. Know that they will be held like heroes in Ylisse for generations to come. This was something you could have stayed out of, but for choosing to aid us, you too have my deepest gratitude."
"Though you are correct in saying that we came here for the well-being of Mark, your Grace, I stand firm in my decision to lend my forces to the cause. Those who died today knew the risk when coming this far. Much like the Feroxi, they came through a gate knowing that there could be a chance that they would never see Ostia again, even if they survived the battles we fought in."
"Let us share a drink to remember those fallen today then. Would you mind if we joined you?"
The table was cramped with the added bodies, even with Phila and Frederick both deciding to remain standing instead. As it was said, it was done. The group lifted their mugs and drank the ale, some of them drinking the whole thing in one go (the khans). The conversation turned more pleasant from then on, but it all stopped when Lissa made a strange comment, perhaps the drink being too much for someone of her size and age.
"This could only be better if Lord Eliwood was here as well," she said, her voice turning to more of a whine as she continued, "why couldn't he come too? I want to meet the Blade Lord!"
"Eliwood the Blade Lord?" Hector repeated, one of his eyebrows arching as he looked at the pink-faced princess. "Eliwood has never held the title of Blade Lord."
"Eeeeeh!" Lissa looked up at the bearded bluenette, her eyes as wide as they could be. "But the boooooks say he is the Blade Lord."
"I don't know what books you are talking about, princess Lissa, but Eliwood was not the Blade Lord," said Farina. "He is known as the Knight Lord, though."
"Whaaa- But isn't he this, like, super swordsman? He has to be the Blade Lord!"
"Eliwood is the best swordsman in the Lycian League, of that there is no doubt," said Hector. "He is the kind of talent which you only see once every hundred years. That being said, even during the time we traveled with Mark, there were two sword fighters that were better than him. The first was Karen, the Sword Princess. The other was the true Blade Lord, he pointed at a certain greenette, "Lyn."
"The Blade Lord was a woman?" Sully asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. "That's the first I hear about that. Kinda makes me glad."
"It does explain what she did in the roof," Chrom said. "I've never seen anyone move so fast in my entire life. I would dare say it is the stuff of legends."
"Even with my knowledge on swordplay being limited, even I can say that it was a beautiful sight," said Emmeryn.
"Most nomads know of the technique," Lyn pointed out. "It is not as special as you all make it out to be."
They kept sharing drinks and stories for most of the night. Eventually, being tired after a full day of combat, they began to retire to their tents. Robin and Lyn left together, going to Robin's tent. He found it pleasant to be able to have her back in his tent after hardly seeing her for the last few weeks. He also remembered that he had asked her to be there that night so that he could tell her something important.
He found his heartbeat started to rise as he began to remove his armor. He was getting nervous, for some reason. He knew what he wanted to say. They were three simple words. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness, even being sure that she had to feel the same way. Lyn was looking at him as she sat on the bedroll, having already taken off her own armor pieces and setting them aside. She smiled at him, but never said anything.
Finally, after removing his boots, Robin sat down next to her. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to think of how to word it all. He could feel his cheeks flushing as he became more aware of her presence.
"We've...never been an average couple, have we?"
She tilted her head slightly, her green hair cascading down her back. "What do you mean, Mark?"
"W-Well… You know, it feels like we did things all out of order. We kissed before confessing our feelings… We slept in the same bed without ever have courted much… That's not how things normally are, is it?"
"I suppose not. I don't have any experience with this sort of thing. You were the first and only man to ever catch my interest. If you think about it, our time spent together in Elibe could be consider our time of courtship. Neither of us knew our own feelings, yet we did many of the things two people that want to date would. Does it bother you so?"
"No! Gods, no! I am pleased with how things have turned out for us. I truly am. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I am when I get to spend time with you by ourselves. Being with you calms me. No matter how much is on my head, when you hold me or hold onto me, my mind is at peace. I find myself enjoying the little things as well, like the way you sleep with your mouth slightly open, or how your hair bobs up and down. I even found myself imagining what our child could look like!"
That last part was much more embarrassing when said out loud than he thought it would be. Seeing her cheeks dusted in red made him feel a bit better. He wondered if she too had this thought in her mind or if it was only him. This was the first time that he felt that way for anyone. Like her, he was in an unknown territory, not sure what the next step would be best to take. One thing he knew for sure, and that was that he wanted to be with her.
He turned himself to face her. Lifting himself in one knee, he took her hands on his own, giving them a gentle squeeze as he looked deep into her beautiful eyes, almost getting lost in them.
"M-Mark, what are you…?"
"What I mean to say, Lyn, is that I love you, with all my heart! I've done so for a long time. And though I don't have a ring with me now, I still want to ask. Lyn, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"
Plegain War Arc END
We did it, guys! It took 21 chapters, but the first arc is finally done! Hurray! But can't celebrate for long! Gotta start thinking about the next arc and get things going there. For now, I already have the next couple of chapters planned. Who knows? Might even write one of them up while I'm on the plane/airport this thursday. No promises though, cus I still need to update all my other stories too. We'll see.
The changes to the story made it possible for me to cut out/merge chapters from the arc, basically extending the Emmeryn ending a bit, but resolving it faster, if that makes sense. I had a lot of different ideas on how I would go about this chapter. Sometimes that can be helpful, but there are other times where I scrap things because I get what I think is a better idea as I'm writing. Overall, pretty happy with the result. I liked the idea of having them save Emmeryn in the end instead of her "dying", if you know what I mean.
There were a few important standouts during the combat sequence for this chapter. First, introduction to combat-light magic. Second, Luna, cus Luna has to be there if you bring Canas, right? Third, Ignis. I probably played around with this the most, trying to justify it's use more. And fourth, Lyn's critical strike/shadow-step. All super fun to write about.
That whole thing about the Blade Lord was one of the scene I had planned for a a long time. If you read the review responses, you'll know that I do have a ton of these planned, but have to find a good moment to slip them in. I took advantage of having that big group during the celebration to throw it in, hehe.
Then there is the last scene... You knew this was coming. And because I'm a heartless bastard, you don't get to see the result until next time, mwahahaha!
Oh, and before I forget, I made a mistake some time ago in one of my review responses saying that characters from FE8 would show up. It was super late when I wrote those, so it slipped and then I was too lazy to fix it. Anyways, no, I have no plans to include characters from Sacred Stones in the near future if at all.
Anyways, on to reviews!
XenoEmblem4TF -The Yandere is strong in this one lol
Whatstoknow -Ah, how I hate the whole release schedule based on where you live... I understand the need for localization to a certain extent, but honestly, how long can it really take to look over the whole game's dialogue? *Ranting over*Thank you very much, glad you liked it! It's funny, cus I remembered I was cooking dinner too when I got the mail for this review xD
Antiques thief -Damn Fates, taking away my readers! Can't say I bame you, I've been playing it a lot, but it's been frustrating me too much. I finished Birthright and now I'm playing Conquest. Not gonna spoil the story itself, but so far I'm liking the story from Conquest better.
Fireofargentis -Relaxing camp chapters are always nice, I'll admit. I try using them sparingly mostly because if you add too many then the story never advances or is too slow. As for the memory modification, gotta make things complicated to build up tension. There are a lot of ways Chrom and Frederick can react to that if/when they find out. I'm looking forward to playing that out. For the killing thing, I was mostly playing around, though I did make one on a Google Sheet that gives me 6 names (3m3f) and I can choose from there. Who knows if I'll use it, but know that character are going to die. Hahaha that whole 3way thing was funny. Can't say that's how it'll play out, mostly because how I've hinted at the timelines/time travel working, but it's food for thought nonetheless.
animeandgamerlover2 -hahaha, careful, don't wanna break that keyboard. But thanks!
Greyjedi449t -Thank you very much! I hope you like this chapter as well, seeing as it is a pretty big one.
Saraku -No worries, reviewing once more than makes up for it. If you like those, I wonder what you'll say about the ending of this chapter then xP Yes, Roy and a bunch of other Binding Blade characters will appear in the future. Still need to decide when they'll show up, but be assured that they will! Lyn!Morgan ftw. I want them to find her and the rest of their family already! For backstories, yes, I do have plans to explore characters' pasts (from both games) as well as show the developing of relationships between more characters. I'm planning on having a more omnipresent narrator in the next arc to see if it helps too. No for FE8, that was something I never fixed, but I meant FE6 and FE7 at the time. And don't worry about long reviews. Love them! Thanks and I hope that you enjoy reading this and any coming chapters!
Yellowclover -We meet again...BROTHER! No, that is too much like a soap opera... Anyways... To be fair on the brain washing, I needed something that would let me plug that until a chapter that let me revisit it while having the characters, well, stay IC. It may seem like a cheap trick, but I rather do that than never going back to it. Though I did hint only until that chapter what Lucina told Chrom and Frederick. Hahaha I can totally see Serra and Lissa becoming a problem in the future. Useful for comic relief and to advance certain plot points too, really. Hmm, I checked all the info on his and that's why I went with Erturia. Also, I remember there was something on a support that clued me to it, but I can't remember what it was nor with who it was. For your theories on magic, I agree with them all, though I see what you call Grimleal magic more as an extension of dark magic (Grima could still grant light magic). The thing about using blood as a catalyst for binding magic is that I've already made a reference to blood magic on the chapter Panne, Gaius, and Isadora are introduced. It's one of those things that I've wanted to revisit, but I keep pushing back...
Defcon Deceiver -Characters will die, that's something I will be doing. Yes, some could get hurt and be out of action, but it happening to every single character will make people roll their eyes. The generator was mostly a joke, I did make one and you are assuming it only throws out a single name when it really throws out 6 for me to choose from. Also, the way I'm explaining time travel means that if a future child's parents die, it doesn't mean they will vanish. If that was the case, time would be linear, which causes a time paradox. I'm playing with the notion of time travel and AUs. For Morgan and Morgana (yes, those are the names I'm going with for the twins), they are part of an alternate timeline. They will be from the same one as Roy and the others, though their timeline will be somewhat different from the game too as to include the reappearance of Lyn and Mark in that world. I like the idea that using combat based light magic depends on the "deity" people follow, though we'll see how I manage that in the future, since I might later on want Lissa and Maribelle to be able to use combat magic as well. For dark magic, it is the knowledge of it and it's acceptance, knowing that one day it can take you, that makes it work, according to a support with Canas. That is also the explanation I like best, so I'll be running with that one. Mark's title is something I do plan on playing with in the future. Thanks for reminding me of the whole Maribelle thing. I'll keep that in mind in the future. For Lyn's nad Florina's relationship, I see why people would see it as being romantic, however, I've only seen it as platonic. Both of them are nice on their own ways too. Depending on what I go with, the dynamic between them and Mark will change a lot, not to mention when you throw in Tharja into the equation, things get even more complicated. Speaking of whom, I also agree that I can see Tharja being happy for Robin's happiness while still wanting him for herself. Because of a lot of factors, I don't want t plan too far ahead for this love square. For your last point, that is a good catch on your part. Small hint, but says a lot about what really happened in the future timeline.
Mikoe777 -I'm really glad to hear that. Thank you very much!