Chapter 35

The smoke could be seen from miles away.

Looking up upon the mountain from below, Robin just stared, looking on to fiery peak of the mountain.

Chrom and Say'ri were talking around him, discussing how they should approach the danger of fighting out in the open field. Robin was listing in every now and then, but he never completely enveloped his mind around it.

Staring back at the top of the mountain, Robin started walking towards it. His march was silent, often looking to the peak. That part was out of the question, there was no way that everyone would be safe, nor that he could guarantee their safety. Maybe if he could find a more level location on the slope of the mountain.

"Chrom! Say'ri! I'm going on recon, don't do anything yet."

The two who had their names called, turned around, before a wyvern that seemed to be in the area landed, Robin got up, and took off into the air.

"Did he just?" Say'ri asked, while Chrom also looked surprised as well.

"My, my, I don't think I've ever seen that in my life before," a wyvern lord said from below, looking at the impressive monster Robin had managed to call down. It was easily twice the size of the largest wyvern she had ever seen, and it wasn't Minerva.

"That seems to be the case with him. No matter what we witness, he seems to take the ante up a bit and surprise us all," a voice said, causing the lady to turn around.

"Now, are you hiding from me because something happened, or you have something else to say?"

"Wha? But I thought that,"

"Relax, dear, I was only joking. Besides, it's nice to have a husband that can take out the enemy before they realize they've been attacked."

Staring at the scene in front of him, Robin was observing the sides of the fiery mountain, and plotting his next plan of action. There seemed to be no natural spot for them to fight a battle on for, so he gave the wyvern some specific directions.

Falling off the side of the beast, the draconic mount flew above the man, and grabbed him by the shoulders. With his hands free to move around, Robin launched a series of magical attacks, seen from miles away, leveling a side of a mountain.

Both sides looked at the source of the sound, only to see that there was a large cloud of volcanic ash, with some spews of fire coming from the ground, and rocks were sliding down the mountain.

Most of the Shepherds had quickly realized what Robin had done, and started to gear up for battle.

Not much later, the giant wyvern that Robin had ridden on flew off into the distance, with him landing safely on the ground.

"Tell everyone to get ready; we have a new battlefield to fight on."

The climb up the mountain was a rough climb for everyone. Most of the armored fighters were taking their armor off, sitting off to the side where they wouldn't be targeted by the enemy. And if they were, there was always Kellam.

Robin stood on the top of a boulder from the mess he created, waiting for everyone at the top of their climb. Staring across the field, the uneasy Valmese army stood there, watching the man who had tamed the volcanic mountain.

"I will not be fighting in this battle," Robin declared, sitting on top of the rock he was standing on, looking at both sides.

"Chrom, it's your turn to take lead. I'll only join to protect a life of either side."

There were several gasps from both sides, especially Say'ri, who seemed shocked above all else over his decision.

"By what manner do you speak of?" a separate voice called off. A man wearing clothes similar to that of the Chron'sin princess stood there, watching the enemy as a proper soldier.

"You, General Yen'fay, are the exception of my rule. The fat toad that keeps you from doing as you please is responsible, but what can I do now? No matter what you do, you either soil the family name, or Walhart turns his eye on you. Such is the situation I guess, for a captured and defeated state," Robin said somberly, causing several looks of confusion from both sides.

"Fat toad?" "Soil the family name?" "What's he talking about?" came from both sides, as if something seemed to be hidden, while Yen'fay only started to sweat. Of course, he was already sweating when he had reached the point of the mountain they were on, but this was a different kind of sweat. It was a cold sweat, as he felt that Robin had just blew it.

"Don't worry about the fat toad, now that I know what he's like, and I've felt his presence, any interference he makes will the last move of his. Walhart will have his Grimeal head!" the grandmaster shouted, causing many to look on in disbelief.

"Now enough talk, this battle starts now!"

Having the familiar set up of her riding behind Cynthia on Lovebird, Lucina couldn't help but glance up at the sky every now and then. It was mostly the fact that Robin had to keep an eye out on Henry, who was the most likely to go overboard, but it was the massive wyvern overhead that everyone was looking for.

The archers on the other side gave up shooting for it, seeing that Robin kept his promise to not interfere unless someone was about to kill someone, but it was the eerie presence that it held around it.

Parts of its wings were tattered, and the many scars that donned it body were frightening to both friend and foe, making the Valmese grateful that they were not fighting he who carved the mountain.

"Come on sis, none of us are going to die," Cynthia said, trying to get Lucina back into combat, before maneuvering out of the way of a griffon rider, launching it to the ground, before the giant wyvern came and picked it up to move to safety.

"I know we're not, he's already prevented so many enemy troops from dying, but he's had to save some of our own already. Plus, who the 'fat toad' he's referencing seems to cause a lot of anger in his eyes," Lucina said, looking back to the sky; that wyvern was a fast creature for something so big.

"Don't worry about it, this battle seems almost over, look. Lady Say'ri seems to be approaching her brother."

With the flames of battle around them and with the Shepherds forming a defensive outward circle, Say'ri had her blade locked in combat with Yen'fay. They were both breathing heavily, as the intense heat of the mountain was starting to affect everyone.

"Before we continue this, sister, may I speak a word with the tactician of your allies," Yen'fay said for a second, sheathing his blade. Blinking for a second, Say'ri kept a defensive position, waiting for what would happen next. Her brother on sat on the ground, looking to the sky.

"I have much to ask him."

The battle now standing still, as both sides waited. Robin was still in the air, as Yen'fay seemed to be meditating. After a few minutes, he stood up, drawing his blade again.

"Sister! Let us ignore this battle! I have requested permission from your tactician for a duel to settle this battle. The winner is the one who's still living."

The Shepherds looked at Robin in shock. A duel? He had them absolutely forbidden in camp, and that anyone who walked out of camp for one was either held up in a high place, or with Robin watching over them in their sleep. The Ylissean army quickly learned to never go out for a duel.

"Let it be. This is a matter that needs to be settled between them. For the world that exists now cannot have both of them living."

Blade ready and in hand, Say'ri looked at her brother. Perfect stance, grip, positioning, he was ready for this.

Preparing herself, she drew her blade as well, waiting for the duel to start.

In a flash, both of them rushed at each other, blades out and ready.

There was a silence in the air, as both figures stood there. Then one started to wobble, and the other had tears flowing.

Yen'fay fell, while Say'ri started to cry.

She could tell, her brother let her win, not even a scratch was on her body from the duel.

There was no celebration that night.