Chapter 37

Only the finest warriors from the shepherds accompanied Chrom and Nathan to Plegia for their meeting with Validar. The much smaller force allowed them to move quicker than usual through the land, but also made them slightly more vulnerable. It wasn't long before they reached Plegia, stopping for a brief rest just outside of Plegia castle. They rested under the shadow of a giant fossilized dragon skeleton, where Emmeryn had died two years ago.

After checking in with the others, Nathan spotted Lucina staring at the massive skull they sat underneath.

"It's massive, isn't it?" Nathan muttered to the Princess as he walked over.

"Ah, greetings Nathan." The woman replied. "Yes…it is…the beast is even worse in person though, trust me on that…"

"I suppose you have seen the real thing in your future."

Lucina shuddered. "Yes, I have…even seeing it like this is haunting. It's said that he fed on the souls of the fallen…before devouring the living. I can still hear the screams…"

Nathan put his arm around his niece as the princess nearly collapsed in distress. "All the more reason to stop this thing from coming back to life."

"But…"

"The future can be changed, Lucina. You've already proven that. And with all of us together, we can change the course of history." Nathan responded. "Chrom and I are prepared this time. We won't let your future happen here again, I swear."

Lucina managed to get herself composed, and nodded at the man. "I want to believe you, I really do…"

The tactician smiled in reply. "Only one way to find out, right? Now come on, we have to get moving. It's not much farther to Plegia Castle."

Once the group arrived, the rest of the shepherds waited in the main hall of the castle while Chrom, Nathan, Frederick and Lucina went to meet with Validar in his throne room. As they were shown in and the doors closed behind them, Nathan quickly turned to Chrom.

"I saw armed soldiers perched in the shadows all along the halls as we came in…" Nathan whispered to the man. Chrom nodded.

"I saw them too. Looks like Validar isn't going to be handing over the gemstone…"

The two's conversation quickly ended as Validar and Aversa entered the room. Validar met Nathan's eyes for a split second, smiling nefariously at his son before turning to Chrom, bowing to greet him.

"Prince Chrom! Welcome…"

"Well met, Milord." Aversa added. "I trust you had no trouble on your way here?"

Chrom, however, ignored the woman, seeing through their ruse. "I was told you have something to give to me?" He asked of Validar, who sneered at the Exalt.

"My my! No time for courtesy? Such impatience…"

"Milord, we simply seek the gemstone you have offered, then we will be on our way." Frederick explained.

"I see…your eagerness concerns me, however…" Validar replied. "Do you really want it that badly? The gemstones and the Fire Emblem can be…treacherous artifacts. A fact Plegia and the Grimleal know all too well…"

"My apologies for bringing up painful memories…Lord Validar…" Nathan stated cautiously, "But we really are in need of that gemstone."

"Unfortunately, I simply cannot give Sable over to you." Validar sneered. "You are all so young and…inexperienced…perhaps the emblem would be better suited in my hands?"

"Not on your life!" Chrom quickly snarled, nearly drawing his blade as tempers began to flare. Nathan and Frederick managed to hold back the Exalt as Validar laughed at them.

"Give me the Fire emblem!" Validar demanded.

"This is no diplomatic meeting, this is madness!" Frederick spat. "You will not touch the Ylissean treasure!"

"Heh…I only ask one thing of you, when I have given so much to the Ylissean cause?" Validar mockingly replied, shaking his head. "What selfishness…"

"You scoundrel!" Lucina cried. "What you're asking is for war!"

Validar laughed viciously. "If that is what you wish, then this Parley is over! Guards, seize them, and take the Emblem!"

As Plegian assassins jumped out of the shadows, Nathan pulled his thoron tome from his cloak and shot a powerful beam of lightning magic, blowing a hole through the locked doors behind them.

"Let's go, Chrom!" He roared, calling to his friend. The four quickly scrambled out of the room, cutting down any of the assassins who tried to get in their way.

"Nathan had an escape route planned…" Aversa observed with a twisted smile, turning to Validar. "How preciously clever of him. You should be proud."

"Hmph." Validar scoffed. "If he had half the wits of his father, he would know that they've already lost…"

Once Nathan, Frederick, Lucina and Chrom had exited the throne room, they made a mad dash to the main hall to try and reunite with the others. However, once the hall was within sight, Validar suddenly teleported in front of them, using dark magic to knock Chrom off his feet. Everyone stood frozen in place as Validar stood over Chrom, sneering down at him.

"Run all you want. You can't escape fate."

Nathan helped Chrom to his feet, while Frederick and Lucina stepped in to protect the two.

"It has already been made clear, but you will not lay a finger on Milord, and certainly not on the Fire Emblem." Frederick sternly warned Validar, who laughed at him, rolling his eyes.

"Either give it freely, or it will be taken from you." He retorted.

"…Just try it!" Chrom spat, drawing Falchion. Nathan drew Mystletainn as well, preparing for battle.

Validar scoffed at them. "Unfortunately for you, I have a weapon stronger than you could even imagine…" He explained, before locking eyes with the tactician. "Nathan! Seize the emblem, and bring it to me!"

The tactician's vision went hazy as he felt pain like what he had experienced back in Carrion Isle when Validar appeared before him, as he could feel his own body starting to slip from his control.

"Nngh…AAAH!" He screamed, throwing back his head in pain.

"Nathan! What's going on?" Chrom cried, looking on in horror as his friend's eyes glazed over, his pupils turning a dark shade of red.

"Now then, the Fire Emblem please, my son…" Validar sneered. With an expressionless look on his face, Nathan dropped his black and gold blade and pried the Fire Emblem from Chrom's grasp.

"What are you doing?" Chrom asked of the man, who had no response as he marched over to Validar, handing him the emblem. As Validar took it, he inserted the fifth and final gemstone, Sable, into the Ylissean artifact.

"Well done, my child." Validar mockingly told the expressionless Nathan who stood next to him with nothing but an expressionless look on his face.

"You monster…what have you done!" Frederick cried at the Validar, before turning to the tactician. "Nathan! Speak to us!"

"Now, the Fire Emblem finally belongs to me!" Validar exclaimed, holding up the Emblem. "Now then, I have much work to be done, with setting the table and preparing to perform the rite…" As he spoke, the sorcerer vanished in a cloud of dark purple smoke.

Once Validar was gone, Nathan's eyes returned to normal and the tactician collapsed to the ground in a sudden heap.

"Nathan!" Chrom yelled, grabbing his friend as he and Frederick helped the man stand. Lucina looked on with nothing but a horrified expression on her face, nearly in tears.

"Nngh…what have I done?" Nathan muttered frantically, realization setting in on what had just happened.

"We have to get out of here, before more of those assassins show up!" Chrom barked, before turning back to his tactician. "Come on, Nathan!"

"Chrom…I'm so sorry…I don't know how he…or what even…I can't-"

"There's no time to worry about that! Let's go!"

With that, the shepherds scrambled out of Plegia castle together, the pathway to a dark future having returned once more.