And the final vote is finished! Nelis will be paired with Peri, witch leaves Jackob with Setsuna. I want to thank each and evrey one of you for supporting these polls and I hope it helps make the upcoming story more enjoyable.
But that won't be for a while, because Robin has more work to do here. Time for another chapter.
Chrom and his friends were making their way to the place Say'ri mentioned, Tiki had summoned them. It was a wide-open field, with bright grass and blue sky.
"Mmm... The air is sweet here. It's so calming." Chrom said.
"Makes you want to just flop down and take a huge nap, doesn't it?" Lissa asked.
Lucina smiled at the thought.
Tempting...
Robin looked around, confused.
"Odd. It seems like anywhere else to me..."
Say'ri lead the group through the plain.
"This is Naga's Cradle. It is said the divine dragon once called this place home. Here, the Voice will enact a holy rite to commune with Naga and regain her power."
"Hey…isn't that her over there?" Nah asked.
Everyone hurried over to what looked like a stole platform. Tiki was lying on it with her eyes closed and hands clasped over her stomach.
Lucina slowly approached a bit closer.
"Lady Tiki."
The woman made no sighns of hearing her.
"...Lady Tiki?"
Lucina came a bit closer before Say'ri grabbed her shoulder.
"Pray be silent, milady. The Voice is currently performing the rite. In doing so, she will draw the divine dragon's power from the land unto herself."
"Forgive me, I didn't realize. I thought she was sleeping... She looks so peaceful. What do you think she sees? Does she perchance dream?"
Chrom smiled.
"I imagine she—
"Hate to interrupt, Chrom." Robin said. "But we have bigger concerns. Look."
Chrom looked towards the path they came in. Wyvenr ridders and Pegasus knights were closing in on them.
"...Uh-oh. Is that what I think it is? Say'ri! Lucina! Enemies approach us from the south. We'd better get ready, or the Voice here is in for a rude awakening."
Say'ri drew her brother's sword.
"The Voice is defenseless in this state. We must become her shield until the rite is complete. We await your strategy, Robin. Make us as a wall of steel!"
"I will take Lucina, Cordlia, Anna, Gaius, Henry, Tharja, Libra and Stahl and attack the ones coming from that path at the right. Laurent, you take the other Junior Shepherds and strike at the path we came down on. Virion will take Cherche, Lon'qu Panne, Gregor, Nowi, Olivia, Ricken and Maribelle down the path in front of us. Everyone else surround this platform. Do not let them through."
Elsewhere a bald and bulk man sat on a rock as he listened to the masked man and his companions.
"Okay, okay, slow down. So, this "Fell Dragon" is going to be revived soon?"
"I am afraid so." The man replied. "We are putting a stop to all that. And we would like your assistance."
"Really…okay I'll bite. But fist tell me this. You clearly have personal stakes in all this. Who are you?"
The man slowly reached to remove the mask attached to his helmet.
"Fair enough."
Slowly he lifted it up revealing his face.
"My name is…"
Robin cut into a Pegasus knight as it passed by. But then a Griffin Lord caught him off guard and knocked his weapon out of his hand. He jumped back as his enemy tried to finish him off with his axe.
"Robin!"
Lucina threw her spear into the mount and finished off the ridder when he fell of with her Brave Lance. They jumped back as a Falcon Knight came towards them.
"Thoron!"
Robin killed the Risen with his magic and picked up his sword.
"They just keep coming!" Lucina said. "What do we do?!"
"They must be taking orders from a leader…Henry!"
The dark mage warped next to him.
"Hey!"
"Tell our team to hold the line! Lucina and I are going to hunt the leader!"
"Yes sir!"
"Lucina, come with me."
Severa slashed through a Dark Flier with her Silver Sword.
"Like I'd lose."
So, distracted by her premature victory she didn't notice a griffon coming at her from behind.
By the time she heard the screech and turned around it was right in front of her.
"Wha-AAAAAH!"
The beast trapped her arms in it's talons and took her into the sky. Severa was so shocked that she dropped her sword.
"Whoa! Hey! Put me down you creep! I mean it!" Severa yelled flailing her legs uselessly.
The griffon then charged straight down, making her scream. It slammed her roughly into the ground on her back. She gasped in pain. But it was not done. It proceeded to drag her across the ground.
"AHH! Stop! Stop it!"
Severa tried jabbing her feet into the ground to stop herself but they just scraped against the surface. It smashed her against a nearby rock keeping her against it.
"AAAAHH!"
Severa saw the beast wind back it's sharp beak, preparing to pierce it into her.
She shut her eyes as her heart pounded.
"No! It can't end like this!"
"BLAZING BLAAAAAADE!"
Severa heard a slash and the griffon dropped her, letting her sit with her back against the rock. To her surprise she saw Owain, come to her rescue.
"Ha! Serves you right fiend! Are you hurt, Severa?"
The girl tried to stand up only to be stopped by a sharp pain in her back.
"AGH! Dose it, look like I'm not hurt! I think my back's broken!"
"Fret not milady! I Owain will get aid and see to it that you're-
"Oh, for Naga's sake will you just drop it and go get help! Honestly, this kind of stuff is cute when you're six. But you're a grown man now! It's gone from embarrassing to just plain...creepy. And same goes to all the yammering you do on the battlefield! What if a real man decides to stab you while you're shouting? Hmm? You're left gurgling on your own blood while we find ourselves one fighter short! Go on! Ask anyone in camp! They all think you're ridiculous."
Owain had a shocked expression on his face from the outburst.
"You think... Do they really...?
"Yes, they really! So, I'm sorry if I'm too injured to indulge your weird little hobby! Now drop it and get help!"
"S-sorry…"
Severa watched as he ran off. Shortly after he was out of sight she sighed.
"Great…Why did I act like that…I didn't even thank him for saving me…"
Robin and Lucina rushed down the path, slashing or running past whatever Risen come their way. They found and hid behind a rock.
They peaked out to see a Risen Chief on a griffon.
"Naga's wench...Kill..Voice..."
Suddenly two flashes of light came down next to it, spawning enemy ridders. One charged forward. The other two went to join the forces at the east and west of the alter.
"So that's where they're coming from." Robin said. "I'll try to get it from here."
He pulled out a tome.
"Arc Wind!"
The griffon heard the gusts coming at it and narrowly dodged the attack. It charged to the rock they were hiding behind.
"So much for that."
Robin drew his Levin sword and Lucina drew her Falchion.
They jumped to the side as the chief attacked.
Robin turned around to attack but the winged beast was faster than he thought. It rammed into him, knocking him over. One of it's talons keeping him pressed against the ground.
"AGH!"
The beast raised its other talon over his chest ready to finish him.
"ROBIN!"
Lucina jumped on the mount from behind and skewered the ridder with Falchion.
"Voi...ce..."
As the chief faded to smoke Lucina thrusted her weapon into the Griffon' back. It screeched in pain and dropped dead.
"Ugh…"
Robin struggled to push the dead creature off him. Lucina quickly jumped off it and helped Robin roll it over.
"Ow."
"Are you alright?" the princess asked offering him a hand up.
Robin nodded as he accepted it. "Thanks."
"Not to worry. You've been saving me quite a few times. I think I owed you a rescue."
Robin chuckled, before hearing the flapping of wings.
They saw a swarm of Pegasus knights charge towards them.
"Look out!"
Lucina stepped forward, but Robin grabbed her shoulder.
"We don't stand a chance against all of them!"
"Well, what else can we do?!"
Instead of giving Lucina a verbal answer, he swept her off her feet, scooping her up in his arms.
"W-whoa! What are you doing?!"
"Hold on tight!"
He ran towards the edge of the cliff.
"Robin what are you-AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The princess's screams got fainter as he jumped and they fell over the edge. The riders landed at the edge and looked down. The cliff was up to high to see the bottom. There was no way they could have survived the drop.
What they didn't see before they got there was that after Robin jumped he released the hand holding Lucina's legs to cast a small wind spell to propel them against the wall. (Normally one would need a tome but extensive training with Henry allowed him to use weaker spells without one.) They landed on a narrow ledge with Lucina, who was catching her breath.
"Hah…Perhaps next time you could just tell me to jump?"
"I don't know…" Robin smirked in amusement. "It's more fun to sweep you off your feet."
"Oh really?" Lucina smirked.
"Why yes. Your body is light, soft, warm and there's the adorable squeal and the cute faint blush that forms on your cheeks when you're in my arms."
Lucina's cheeks turned a faint pink.
"Yeah! Just like that!"
Lucina playfully wacked his arm. Then immediately regretted it when they hear a slight crumble beneath them. She held Robin and looked down, eyes wide.
"…This ledge isn't too sturdy…Good thing I'm light huh?"
"As are these uniforms, Say'ri gave us." Robin added.
"How did you know this ledge was here?"
"I saw this cliff from the side as we approached the alter."
"Hey! Robin?! Lucy?!"
They looked up, where Cynthia's voice was coming from.
"We won! Hello?! Where are you guys?!"
Robin stepped away from Lucina.
"Fire!"
A fire ball came from his hand and flew straight up.
"What was that?" Lucina asked.
"A means to let her know we're down here."
Soon enough Cynthia's Pegasus came down.
"Hey guys! Need a lift?"
"That would be highly appreciated." Lucina replied.
Tiki opened her eyes and sat up. Chrom and the others were gathered around her.
Say'ri was the first to speak.
"Are you unharmed, Lady Tiki?"
"Yes, thanks to you. I apologize for the delay, but the rite has borne fruit."
"You've taken in the power of the divine dragon?"
Tiki sat up and looked at her hand.
"Some of it, yes...It's strange. This power had always isolated me. Many were the days I wept alone, cursing the charge placed before me..."
Lucina stared sadly. She had no idea that the voice had such a sheltered and saddened life.
"Lady Tiki..."
"But now my power has a purpose, and the world needs it to avoid a ruinous future. And so I shall offer it freely. Allow me to join you."
Lucina held in her gasp of surprise.
"...Are you certain?"
"I am. I've had quite enough of living in solitude, thank you. Besides, I've always longed to better know this world. Now I can help you save it."
The Shepherds set up camp not long after the battle. Chrom was discussing the next move with Robin and Lucina who finally had the time to switch back to their normal attire.
"First we need to wait for the Kahns to return and find out what Walhart is going to do." Robin said. "From there we-
"Milord!"
A lone solider ran into the command tent.
"*huff, huff* K-Khan Basilio, he... He has been killed in battle!"
Everyone's eyes widened in shock. Lucina's heart dropped at the news.
"No!"
"Damn it all! You're certain?" Chrom asked.
"I am. He's gone, Chrom. I saw him fall myself...He's gone."
Everyone saw Flavia step into the tent as the solider left. She was clutching her side.
"Flavia! What happened? Wait...you're hurt! Lucina—fetch a healer, at once!"
"I'll be fine, gods damn me...Gods damn me for outliving that one-eyed clod! That big, bald oaf! That...that... Aaaaaargh!"
Lucina clutched her fists and looked away in shame.
"That's twice now I have failed..."
"I'll kill him! I'll cut that dastard Walhart down myself! I swear it before the gods!" Flavia yelled.
"No, Flavia...for now, you need to rest and to heal. When the time is right, we will avenge Basilio. You have my word." Chrom said.
"...Then know that I will hold you to it..."
"...Why did I let him go..."
Robin took Lucina's arm and rubed her back.
"Chrom, there's something else. Something important. Basilio asked I give you this..."
Flavia threw a shining object to the prince.
"Wait...Is that...? Ah...I can feel its power resonating through my whole body..."
"It's Gules, one of the Gemstones you need. Don't ask me why in hell's name the oaf hid it from you. He always did love his surprises, damn him."
"Whatever his reasons, I accept his gift now, and gladly." Chrom replied taking out the Fire Emblem and inserting the stone.
"It's hard to believe he's truly gone... The larger the man, the larger the void left in his wake..."
"And Khan Basilio was a titan. There is no replacing him. I should have tried harder to convince him..." Lucina added.
"You did all you could." Robin assured her.
Just then Say'ri entered.
"The scouts have reported back. Walhart's army...has retreated to the imperial capital."
"Retreated?!"
"It seems the dynast turncloaks are withdrawing their soldiers as well."
"I don't believe it..." Chrom said.
"Steiger and Yen'fay have fallen; it's no shock Walhart might pull back to regroup. And of course the dynasts now see cracks forming in the empire..."
"Maybe they'll reconsider which side they will fight for?"
"Possibly, if they can see an advantage in it for themselves." Lucina said. "With them or not, it seems a decisive battle is upon us."
"Let's not jump to conclusions yet." Robin said. "We don't want to get stabbed in the back while dealing with Walhart. Let's assume they work against us for the time being."
Say'ri smiled.
"To think, how quickly our fortunes have shifted..."
"We have Basilio to thank for it. For all of it. His sacrifice made it all possible...If only there had been some other way..."
"No second guessing! Basilio would have hated that. You did your duty as best you were able, same as he." Flavia sighed. "Now clear the doubts out of that clever head of yours—we're going to need it. The fate of Valm—and all our homelands—hangs on this next battle. For the sake of history and all our fallen comrades...We will bring this empire crashing down!"
"Shepherds! Comrades! Soldiers! We make for the capital!" Chrom ordered. "This "Conqueror's" reign ends now!"
Robin sat at his desk looking over some maps. Lucina was already sound asleep. He promised her that he would turn in soon, but first he wanted to do whatever he could to prepare for the upcoming battle.
"Hmm…the details Say'ri gave us on the capital were rather sketchy. But we do know of a secret passageway. But sneaking into his fortress may only trap us in his forces…Perhaps we could-
He was drawn from his thoughts by the sound of footsteps.
He slowly got up and looked at the side of his tent. A lone figure was sneaking around the side leaving a shadow he could see.
Carefully he grabbed his sword, crept past Lucina and waited at the front of the tent. As soon as he was sure, the mysterious figure was close he stepped out and pointed his weapon at him.
"You always were a night owl, weren't you?"
His blade rested under the chin of the masked man.
"Oh! …It's you." Robin said putting his weapon away.
"I need to speak with you privately. Now's the time while your observers are busy relaying information back to Plegia."
"Plegia? What do you mean?"
"I will explain. First I want you to meet my comrades."
Robin followed the man into a nearby forest. Not to deep in they saw a man approach. A bald man with a eyepatch.
Robin froze in his tracks.
"What's wrong boy? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Wh-What?! You're…alive?!"
"Heh. If I'm enough to surprise you, then I can't wait to see how you'll react to this."
Robin then saw three more people approach. The first was Priam. The other two surprised him beyond words.
"Wh-What?! How did-What's going on?!"
The man put a hand on Robin's shoulder.
"I fear there is no time to explain all that. I gathered what pieces I could to change our fate…but to my shame…I do not know what to do from here…that is why I have come to you…For guidance on what we should do."