Back at it again with another update. Now we're getting to the good part.
Just to let others know who haven't yet been informed I am also working on a harem story featuring Robin and the female future children. I'm also working on other works as well such as my Huniepop story so I really have my work cut out for me. I also plan to go back and edit recent chapters to correct any mistakes. It will take me a while to get all of this out but you know what they say, patience is a virtue, am I right? Right? No? :(
Let's get to the shoutouts. First one goes to jean010 for their fic Persona 5: Consequences of Maxing Everything. 2nd one goes to TheLambshop for their fic The Priestess and the Fool. I plan to do a Persona 5 fic myself.
Without further ado, enjoy the 38th chapter.
When Excellus spotted soldiers returning to the capital, he had feared the worse. He had feared that the Ylissean League had killed the Conqueror and were coming for him next. But those fears were quashed as a wounded Cervantes told him to use his rescue staff to bring Walhart back to the castle safely. But with that, came even more fear.
"He lost?" He questioned, realizing the Walhart had ordered a retreat. "How could the Conqueror be conquered?! He's insurmountable! Incontestable! Invincible!" He wondered but got no answer. Even so, he still needed him alive for his plans. He used a rescue staff and summoned the Conqueror himself.
As Walhart appeared before him thanks to his rescue staff, Excellus took notice that his armor was cracked which shocked him as he believed the Conqueror's armor to be impenetrable. He was immediately overcome with worry.
"Master!" He greeted. "You're alive!"
"Surprised, Excellus?" Walhart questioned.
"Surprised? N-No, of course not! I'm just pleased to know that you're safe. Are you hurt?" He asked.
"Rally our forces in the capital." He ordered, ignoring his tactician's concern. "We will put an end to this here."
"At once, my master," Excellus said before offering a suggestion. "Um... Have you considered, perhaps, waiting just one day? I do have the dynasts and their men on the way. With them to help us, we..."
"Have you seen the battlefield?" He asked, causing the tactician to step back. "No, you haven't. Take your head from wherever it's lodged, and peer out into the daylight, snake. While you hid here like the cowardly toad you are, I did you a favor and dealt with the Tactician Magician for you."
"What? What do you..." He wondered before his eyes widened at the news he just received. "Wait... the Demon is dead?" He questioned before breaking into a smile, laughing at the good news. "Gyahahaha! Yes! The Demon is dead! The Demon is dead!"
"Silence, you insolent fool!" Walhart demanded, ceasing Excellus' laughing fit, replacing it with fear. "If you consider yourself smarter or stronger than he was, then you delude yourself. Unlike you, he didn't hide behind castle walls like a coward. He took to the field, sword and tome in each hand, and fought not for any god, but for the sake of his own justice. If you were even half the man he was, it would be a blessing."
"M-Master? I..."
"Rally the forces, tactician." He repeated his orders before taking off to heal his wounds.
The recent news had been a great boon to him. With Robin out of his way, all he has to do is get rid of the Ylissean League and then once he kills Walhart, everything he had ever wanted will be his. For the time being, he went off to the rally the forces for their final battle. He still had to keep up his appearance as Walhart's tactician.
"But not for long. Gyahahahahaha!"
The Shepherds were in a state of panic. Seeing their friend, their strategist held by the throat while the Conqueror drove his sword through his chest was enough to wash away any feelings of celebration they had over their current victory. They saw him trying to move, but then as he stopped moving entirely they feared the worse.
"ROBIN!" Chrom had made it to his friend's lifeless body, turning him over on his back so they could treat the wound. "Medics! I need medics this instant!"
"Robin!" Lucina dropped to her knees next to her fallen partner, looking down to see the stab wound and nearly cried but tried to remain strong.
"I need medics now!" Chrom screamed his demand for medical attention.
Immediately, Lissa, Maribelle, Anna, Libra, and Sumia poured all of their healing magic together to try and save the strategists life. Each of them used their staffs to try and heal the wound. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. The wound wouldn't heal and Robin was losing a lot of blood.
"Why isn't it working?!" The Prince demanded an answer. "Why isn't it working?!"
"I don't know!" Lissa replied in agitation.
"Oh, gods! Oh, gods, please." Lucina was starting to panic.
"I can save him!" Laurent said as he pulled out the Goddess staff and combined its power with the other healers.
"Nothing's working!" Chrom was tearing his hair out, trying desperately to save his friend.
"Heal him, Laurent!" Severa demanded of him.
"I'm trying!" He replied.
"Try harder!" She yelled furiously.
"I'm trying! I'm trying!" Now it was Laurent's turn to panic.
"Robin, it's not even that bad! Cmon, you've suffered worse wounds than this!" Chrom said, speaking to the fallen Grandmaster. "You're not dying here! You hear me?! You're not dying here!"
The healers kept at it, but nothing was working. The wound remained and Robin had lost too much blood. As each of them kept trying, they fell to exhaustion. That was a sign. It was too late.
"Lord C-Chrom," Libra said sorrowfully. "I'm sorry."
"No. NO!" He exclaimed. "He can't be dead! Try again! All of you! I command it!"
"Chrom, we've tried!" Lissa was beginning to tear up, heartbroken at her inability to save her friend. "Nothing's working."
"T-Then." He looked towards his dead friend, eyes closed with no sign that he was alive. "N-No." He kept trying to reason. "No." But it was too late.
His friend was dead.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
As each Shepherd heard Chrom's cry of despair, they immediately realized that there was nothing that could be done. The tears they had been holding back were finally unleashed as they finally understood that their friend, Robin, the Grandmaster of Ylisse, Tactician of the Shepherds, Commander of the Ylissean League, was gone.
The warriors from the future stood by Lucina, unable to cope with the fact that their leader and savior is dead.
"T-This can't be happening," Owain spoke. "The Grandmaster of Fate wouldn't fall like this, would he?"
"H-He can't be dead. He..." Inigo choked. "He just... can't"
"Cmon, R-Robin." Cynthia cried out. "H-Heroes d-don't go out like this."
"Please, don't let this be the end," Kjelle begged. "I-I want to fight you fare and square, as a warrior strong in both body and mind. Y-You can't just leave like this!"
"Boss? Cmon, Boss." Brady whispered. "W-What about our trip to the outrealms? We were all gonna go together. You can't just... cancel."
"Oh, Robin." Noire couldn't bear it. "I-I'm sorry."
"I-I'm sorry." Laurent clenched his fist. "I-I couldn't do it. I c-couldn't save him."
"H-How can I be s-safe if you're not here, Robin?" Yarne covered his eyes with his arm but couldn't contain the tears.
Lucina looked around and saw how everyone was crying. She was appalled by this, feeling that everyone has given up. She immediately grabbed his body by her shoulders and shook him violently.
"Get up, Robin! Get up!"
"Lucina." Her mother reached out and placed her hand on her shoulder but her daughter shook it off as she continued.
"You promised you'd come back to me! You promised me you wouldn't die! That we were all in this together!" She kept shaking him as she kept sobbing loudly, almost begging rather than screaming. "Please, Robin! Don't go! I'm begging you, don't go!" She pleaded. "I-I need you! Don't leave me! Get up, Robin! Please, get up!"
"Lucina!" Her mother roughly grabbed her by the shoulders and pried her of the fallen tactician.
"Let me go, Mother! Let me go!" She demanded.
"Lucina." She spoke softly into her daughter's ear. "I'm sorry."
"N-No." And with that, she couldn't fight anymore. Sumia pulled her into a hug, both crying together. "Not him. Not Robin."
"My poor baby." She hugged her daughter, letting out both of their sadness in the comfort of each other.
"R-Robin. H-He's t-the only g-good thing I have left." She said. "Without him, I'm nothing in this world. I'm nothing."
While Sumia rocked her back and forth, the other future children were drowning in their own sorrow as well. Some refused to look at the body of their savior, seeing it as too painful. But, Nah and Severa were right by his side, both holding his hands.
"Please, Robin. Don't go!" Nah pleaded. "I swore to protect you! I promised I would. Don't do this!"
"Why would you do this to me?! To all of us?!" Severa screamed angrily at him. "You're not going anywhere! You're not leaving me like this! Do you hear me?! I won't let you!" And with no answer, she simply clutched his hand as she continued to cry.
Gerome looked down at his fallen friend. Just two days ago, he tried to kill him. Now, seeing him dead like this, he knew that if he had killed him, he would've made a grave mistake as seeing him like this was eating him up inside. Tears fell down his mask as he pulled out his axe and headed straight for the castle.
"Gerome?" Cherche became worried as she saw her son walking toward the capital.
"I am going to kill that dastard!" He declared before his mother and father grabbed him by both arms.
"No, son. If you go alone, you die." Gregor said.
"Do not get in my way, Father!" He warned before trying to go off again only to be held back by both parents.
"Gerome! Stop!" Cherche demanded.
"I swear I will kill him! I will kill him!" He vowed. "He didn't deserve this! Robin was..." With that, Gerome fell to his knees as his parents brought him into a comforting embrace. "He was innocent. He was... he was my friend. He doesn't deserve to be lying in a pool of his own blood!"
"I know, Gerome. I know." She and her husband both held their son as they cried together.
Flavia couldn't help but feel as if this was her fault. She was the one who rushed off to face Walhart alone. If it weren't for her well...
She was able to stand up but made sure not to put too much pressure on her leg. She walked over and sat next to Chrom, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Chrom, I... I'm so sorry." She apologized. "This is all my fault."
"Flavia?" He looked towards her.
"If I... if I hadn't rushed off, Robin wouldn't have come to save me." She said as she finally looked at the tactician's dead body before breaking into tears. "He's dead because of me. It's all my fault."
"No, it's not," Sumia spoke up while still holding her daughter. "I-It's my fault."
"Sumia?" Both Chrom and the East-Khan looked towards her as she blamed herself.
"I-I did this. It was because of me. Because of all the hurtful things I said to him." She cried even more.
"Mother..." Lucina looked up.
"I was so concerned about his temper that I never even got to hear his side of the story." With that, more tears fell. "I just wanted to help him, and I hurt him instead! W-Wha! What kind of friend am I?! Oh, gods! Robin, I'm so sorry!"
"No, Sumia it's not your fault. It's mine." Chrom told her, looking back at his friend. "A-All he ever wanted to do was help people. That was all he cared about. He cared more about other people than himself. And what did I do?" He said before slamming his fist into the ground. "I called him worse than evil! I judged my best friend without even giving him the chance to say anything. I did this! Naga, please forgive me!"
As more and more Shepherds started to blame themselves, one, in particular, couldn't stand this pity party. She had enough.
"SHUT UP!" Severa screamed at the top of her lungs. "You think this is what Robin wants?! Feeling pathetic and blaming ourselves?! What the hell is wrong with all of you?!"
"Severa, that's..." Her mother spoke but was cut off.
"Shut up, Mother!" She demanded. "You're one of his best friends! He thought of you like a sister! And here you are, blaming yourself like it's all your fault! It's pissing me off!"
No one said anything, no one dared to interrupted Severa while she was in this state.
"But the one who's pissing me off the most..." She turned to point at the one person who was really irking her at this moment. "...is you, Lucina!"
"Wha?" She was caught off guard by her friend's comment.
"Robin loves you! More than anything! He trusted you! Believed in you! And you're just sitting on the ground whining and crying like a little baby! It's making me sick!" She yelled, getting her point across. "If you really love him back, then stop crying and do something!"
She couldn't take it anymore. Lucina broke off from her mother's embrace and stood up to face Severa, tears still in her eyes but now shaking in anger.
"Then tell me, Severa! What can I do?! I'll do anything to bring him back! I'll do anything to hold him in my arms again! If you know what to do, then tell me?! Tell me, what am I suppose to do?!" Lucina screamed right back at her.
"I..." She hesitated because she couldn't think of anything. She felt ashamed at her own helplessness and all that she could think of was. "I don't know!" And with that, Severa broke down and Lucina felt ashamed for yelling at her, knowing that she was still very much in love with Robin. She brought her arms around her friend and they both cried in each other's arms.
Tiki looked upon Robin's lifeless body, trying to think of some way to help him. She too was breaking inside and couldn't bear to lose someone so precious to her now.
"I-I can't take this." She heard Say'ri cry as well. The Voice brought her arms around the Chon'sin Princess, letting her cry in her arms. "I've already lost Yen'fay. I can't lose Robin too. I..."
She simply stayed still, holding Say'ri until the tears run dry. Seeing everyone in this state was horrible. Morale was out of the question right now, they had just lost their most treasured friend and greatest asset in battle. What can they do now?
...
...
No. She thought. It's more like, what can she do?
Tiki released Say'ri from her arms before walking over to Robin's body. She placed her hand on the fallen tactician's arm and could feel it. It wasn't too late, that power still remained within him. Which means, they still had a chance.
"I can save him."
That immediately caused Chrom's eyes to widen in shock, same for the rest of the Shepherds.
"Tiki? What did you just say?" Chrom asked, not sure if he heard her correctly.
"He is still with us, I can feel it." She informed them. "His body is dead but his soul refuses to part. It is the power within him that keeps him from passing on."
"You mean..." His eyes widened at what she was implicating. "You mean there's a chance to save him!"
"Yes, I believe there is." She nodded in agreement.
As Lucina heard of the possibility of Robin being saved, she turned her full attention to the Voice. Her friends followed as well, wondering just what she could do to bring back their friend.
As Tiki searched through her pack, she pulled out what appeared to be a Dragonstone. But, unlike the stones that Nowi and Nah carried that allowed them to safely turn into their dragon forms, this one appeared different. The stone was colored white and as the Voice held it in her hands, she could feel its power coursing through her.
"This dragonstone was a gift... from an old friend." She told the Shepherds although she refrained from telling them his name. "Before he departed this world, he poured all of his remaining life force into this stone. With it, I can restore Robin's life essence and hopefully, bring him back to us."
"So it's true." Nah wondered. "Manakete's can transfer their life force into their dragonstones."
"Yes, but it requires a long ritual to accomplish that." She told the curious half-manakete.
"If that stone has the chance to bring him back, even if it's a small chance, we have to take it!" Chrom exclaimed. "Tiki, will you do it?"
"Absolutely." She nodded in agreement. "However, the transfer will take some time."
"Take all the time you need." He said.
Now that Lucina and her friends were informed that their leader wasn't lost to them yet, their sadness had slightly diminished but they believed that if anyone was capable of bringing the Grandmaster back, it was the Voice. The rest of the Shepherds felt the same as they believed their friend would return to them.
However, their hopeful feelings were cut short when a loud voice interrupted their thoughts.
Prince Chrom!
As each Shepherd was placed on alert by the mysterious voice, Say'ri recognized who it belonged to.
"Walhart!" She yelled although the man in question was nowhere in sight.
"He must be using a speaker tome." Flavia mentioned.
If you can hear me, am I to presume that you are standing over Grandmaster Robin's lifeless body?
"That dastard!" Chrom exclaimed, his fists clenched as the Conqueror mocked him.
If Khan Basilio's death wasn't enough to prove that your efforts are futile, your tactician should be proof enough. The question is, how many more will die for your hopeless cause?
As the rest of the shepherds heard Walhart taunt them and mock their efforts, Lucina could tell what he was trying to accomplish. He was trying to make them fall to despair and lose hope so that they will surrender and give him the Fire Emblem. But even so, even as his taunting made each Shepherd angrier by the second, they couldn't lose themselves now.
Come, Prince. Let's see if you can measure up to Grandmaster Robin's skill. I will be waiting.
And with that, he spoke no more.
Chrom knew Walhart wouldn't wait for long and knowing that Tiki's ritual could take a while, waiting wasn't an option at the moment. So, he stood tall, determination flowing through his body as he was about to give the Conqueror his response.
"Severa." He called out.
"Huh?" She replied.
"Until Robin is back, you're our tactician." He informed her. "Think you can handle it?"
"I..." She knew she could. She proved it when handling the Risen attack at the Divine Dragon Grounds. She was ready, ready to pay the Conqueror back for what he did to Robin. "Of course I can."
"Glad to hear it." He then turned to his friends. "Shepherds! Walhart awaits us in his castle! The time has come to end his conquest once and for all!" He turned to look at his fallen best friend. "I ask that you all trust and believe that Tiki will be able to bring Robin back to us. He may have taken away our friend's life but he did not take away our bond with him! He believed in us so let's believe in him! For Valm! For the Shepherds! For Robin!"
"FOR ROBIN!"
As the Shepherds cheered, their spirits were lifted. Robin was far from gone. Their bonds they all share with the strategist still remains. And, as long as they have that, they knew it was only a matter of time before he returns.
"Tiki." Chrom turned to her.
"I shall begin the ritual immediately. It will take some time but I'm confident it will work." She told him.
"I shall stay with the Voice to protect and guard her." Say'ri informed him.
"As will I," Flavia said. "It's the least I can do. For what I've done."
"Very well." He said, giving them a nod of agreement. "I'm counting on you."
"Robin." The Future Princess dropped down to her knees by her partner's side, looking at him one last time before heading off.
"Cmon, Lucina," Chrom said, causing her to look at her Father. "We both know Robin's not the type to die so easily. We have to believe that he'll come back. To us and to you."
"Father." She said, her hope returning as she smiled and nodded. She turned to her fallen partner, leaning down and pressing her forehead against his. "Please, come back to me... my love." She whispered before standing up, hand on the hilt of her blade, prepared to face her foes. "Let's do this."
As the Shepherds marched toward the castle, they readied themselves for a tough battle. They believed that they could defeat the Conqueror,
Just as they believed their friend was not lost.
As the remaining Valmese forces prepared themselves for their final fight against the Ylissean League, Walhart chose to sheathe his blade in favor of Wolf Berg, his favorite axe. He knew he would likely be dueling Prince Chrom while his allies dealt with his forces, he wanted to use his best weapon just for the duel.
Meanwhile, he could hear Excellus giggling with excitement. His tactician was the first to scream victory over the Grandmaster's death and believed the rest of the Shepherds would be easy pickings.
"Hahahaha." He laughed. "The Demon can't protect them now. This war is as good as over."
"Underestimate your enemy, and it will be the death of you, Excellus." Cervantes pointed out. "And stop laughing, it's making me uncomfortable."
"Are you sure your discomfort has nothing to do with being thrown into the castle walls like a children's ragdoll, you ignoramus?" He snidely remarked.
"You trying to start something, pig?" He growled at the tactician.
"No, only pointing out your uselessness," Excellus smirked in satisfaction.
"Why, you...!"
"Silence!" Their master commanded. "I've heard enough out of both of you! Save your fight for the Ylisseans."
"Y-Yes, Master." They both said and bowed in unison.
"Besides." He looked towards the entrance of the grand hall to see that his enemies have arrived. "Our guests are here."
As Severa looked around to get a feel for the area, using what Robin had taught her. Apart from the main hall, she looked to her left and right to see two additional hallways, both barred by knights. The main hall consisted of Knights, Warriors, and Archers. Severa immediately begins handing out orders, positing Shepherds to deal with the Knights and have either Kjelle or Kellem act as shields against those archers until they were dealt with.
Chrom and Lucina stood at the front, both desiring to fight the Conqueror.
"Warriors of Valm, do not attack Prince Chrom, I shall deal with him and his companion." He ordered and they obliged. Excellus and Cervantes stood at his side, armed and ready to fight. "You do your sister's legacy proud, Prince! I admire your dedication to protect your comrades and your nation. But humanity already has a savior. A conqueror who broke stronger men than you when they refused to bow."
"You are no savior, Walhart!" Chrom called out. "You enslave the weak and kill the able. You're an enemy of peace itself."
"I would end the reign of the gods, and you object on moral grounds?! Blood is spilled in any new birth, Prince. And in many a just cause, as you know." He told him.
"There is no justification for what you've done." The Prince declared. "You invaded our lands, tore apart families, killed people who refused to become your pawns, and you..." He clenched his fist, still believing that Tiki would come through but didn't want the Conqueror to know in the event that he would send someone after her. "You killed my friend!"
"And I pity him," Walhart admitted. "For a man like him to align with a mindless puppet like you is such a disappointment indeed."
"Tell me, Prince. Is the Demon's body cold yet? Gyahahaha!" Excellus mocked.
"He is not a Demon, you worthless pig!" Lucina yelled. "Robin was a true tactician, unlike yourself! He fought and bled to keep us all alive, whether with his body or with his mind! If you think you're better than him, you're wrong!"
"My, such fire and venom in your words." The tactician laughed. "Are you, perhaps, his girlfriend?"
"I swear, you will pay!" Lucina promised.
"It did not have to be this way, Walhart." Chrom reasoned. "You believed in mankind's strength. My sister did as well. You believe that we are masters of our destinies? So do I." The Prince pointed out. "You could have joined us. We could've worked together."
"Me, join you?! Don't be absurd, fool!" Walhart mocked. "Tell me, does a pegasus join with the flea on its back? A dragon, with a cow it eats?! You forget your place, boy. I am the Conqueror! I will unite the world!"
"No! I will." Chrom declared. "And not by forcing all the people to choose the sword or the knee. Peace will only come by stoking people's hearts, not their fear. By giving them hope to hold onto and fight together for a better tomorrow."
"You think that's what you've done? What your sister did before you? What foolishness!" He exclaimed. "No, she shouted some nonsense and leaped off a rock! In the end, she killed herself for nothing! Such weakness!"
"Wrong! Not weakness! Strength!" He angrily corrected him. "That one act lives on and will live on in our hearts. Longer than all your conquests.
"Then it will live longer than you will." Walhart declared. "Come then, flea. Fight and die for your peace! Let's see if you can do better than your tactician!"
"Emm, I tried." He apologized as he readied his blade. Lucina did the same and once the Shepherds were in formation, they each readied to end this war for good. "For Ylisse! For Valm! For Robin! CHARGE!"
As the Shepherds went to face Walhart, Say'ri and Flavia remained with Tiki as she prepared the ritual. Thankfully, the East-Khan's leg was all healed thanks to the Elixer provided by the Grandmaster.
They had no idea how long this ritual would take as Say'ri knew that the Dynasts may soon return but when Robin had told her about the phrase "Remember the Cherry Blossoms" she had sent couriers to spread the world. Hopefully, if they do arrive, they will be ally, not enemy.
"Alright, I am prepared." The Voice told them.
"You sure this is going to work, Milady?" Flavia wondered.
"I am quite certain. All I ask is that you both remain patient and believe that it will work." She told them.
"Of course, Milady." Say'ri said. "We believe in you."
Tiki then placed the stone onto Robin's chest and then gripped the stone with both hands. Before she went through with the ritual, she made one final prayer.
Bantu, you once told me to never use this stone unless it was used to save the life of someone precious to me. She closed her eyes. Well, I have found that someone. If you're watching, please let this work. Please, let me save his life.
As she gripped the stone as hard as she could, it began to glow, startling the others.
"What's happening?" Flavia wondered.
"Don't worry, Milady." Say'ri said.
As particles of light began to surround Robin's body, the ritual was beginning to take effect. All that remained was for their friend to wake up.
"Return to us," Tiki spoke. "Robin!"
...
...
...
"Huh?"
As he opened hus eyes, he could feel himself breathing. He looked around and saw nothing but pitch black darkness. He placed his hand where had been stabbed by Walhart and saw that there was nothing there.
"What's going on?" He questioned but got no answer. As he stood up, he looked and saw that he was alone, not a single soul in sight. "Where am I?"
He looked down as saw that while the area was consumed by darkness, his hands and body were clearly visible. He checked his coat and saw that he still had his Levin Sword and Book of Naga with him.
"Hello!" He called out but no one responded. "Can anyone hear me?!"
What had happened to him? The last thing he remembered was his friends coming running after him after he had...
...
He had...
"That's right. I... I died." He then looked down in utter sorrow, not realizing that he was no longer amongst the living. "I failed. I failed my friends. I failed Chrom. I failed... her." He fell to one knee as he held back the tears. "Lucina, I'm... I'm so...
"Sorry?" Just then a voice broke the silence. "You're too late to be sorry."
He then turned around and saw Lucina standing before him, eyes staring at him with her hand on the hilt of her blade.
"Lucina?" He questioned by as he was about to walk over to her, she pulled out her blade and rushed over to him.
"Die, traitor!" She swung her blade down and Robin was able to pull out his own blade and block the attack.
"L-Lucina! What are you doing?!" He then pushed her off of him only to have her come back for more.
"You betrayed me!" She swung her blade, going for a kill only to have him dodge. "You broke your promises! I loved you and you turned your back on me!"
"Lucina, stop!" He demanded and as she leaped into the air, she went into a spin. Before her blade could claim him, he used Elwind to back away, gaining some distance.
"I never should've fallen in love, especially with you." She said. "Excellus was right about you! You're no hero. You're just a... a filthy demon!"
"Please, Lucina. Stop." He begged. He couldn't believe he was hearing such things from her and her words were cutting him deep. "I'm sorry."
"She's right, you know." Just then, another voice entered the Grandmaster's ears. He turned around and saw Chrom armed with Falchion and the Fire Emblem. "You're no hero, Robin. You never were. Heroes aren't evil. And you... you are no better than the evil you wish to destroy."
"Stop it! Please!" He couldn't stand it any longer. first Lucina now Chrom.
"You're a monster, Robin. That's all you are, that's all you ever will be." He continued. "An ill-tempered killer with no heart of his own. It's because of you that Emm died. You killed my sister, Robin. You're the reason she's gone."
"Stop." He dropped his weapons, he couldn't go on like this. He couldn't stand hearing this from the two people he cared about the most. "I... I can't take it. Please..."
"And now you will die like the filthy freak you are!" Chrom rushed to him, Falchion in hand.
"Time to send you to hell, Demon of Ylisse!" Lucina did the same.
With both coming at him, he could do nothing. He fell to his knees and accepted what awaits him. He couldn't do anything, their painful words had disarmed him.
"Enough!"
Just then, he felt light shine on him just as Chrom and Lucina closed in on him. The two were blinded by it as well. As they looked up, they watched as a mysterious figure fell from the sky and landed in front of Robin. As the Grandmaster got a better look at him, he could see that his identity was obstructed by a brown hood that complimented his cloak.
"What the..." Chrom exclaimed. "Who are you?!"
"Hmph." The mysterious man said nothing as he pulled out what appeared to be a Levin Sword and shot out a bolt of thunder into the Prince's heart. "Someone from the shadows."
"Chrom!" Robin called out but watched was his friend dissolved from the lethal attack. "What?"
"If you haven't figured it out, they're not really your friends." The man informed the Grandmaster.
"You will not stop us!" And as Lucina came charging at him, she swung her blade only for him to toss his blade into the air and pull out his tome, he charged a spell unknown to the grandmaster in his hand. It shined bright for just a moment before disappearing. The light then surrounded Lucina and then consumed her, erasing her existence. He then caught his Levin Sword, ending the fight.
"Phew, glad that's over with." He then turned around and offered his hand to the Grandmaster who simply backed away from him. As he got up, he armed himself.
"What did you do to my friends?!" He demanded.
"What I did, was save your life." the man reminded him. "Had it not been for me, you really would've been dead."
"What?" Robin seemed to relax a bit but was still on guard. "You said they weren't really my friends. I... I saw Chrom dissolve. Like the Risen do."
"Those two were physical manifestations of your deepest regrets. They only took the form of your friends to mock you." He informed.
"My regrets?" The Grandmaster questioned.
"Emmeryn's death and your fear of being unable to keep your promises to Lucina. In this place, they can take physical form and attempt to erase the host of those regrets. Namely, you." He explained.
"This place?" He looked around and saw nothing but pitch black. Yet, he and the mysterious man in front of him were clearly visible. "Where am I? Am I dead?"
"Yes and no." He told him. "Your body is dead but that power of yours is keeping your soul from passing on. That's why you're here, at the crossroads between life and death."
"Power?" Robin wondered.
"You must've seen it before, yes?" He asked which made him wonder just what kind of power he had that would keep him from truly dying. As he thought, his eyes suddenly widened as he realized just what he was referring to.
"Are you talking about, those flames from earlier?" He questioned and the man nodded.
"Yes. It wasn't the first time you've used those flames. You remember, don't you? When Ignis truly awakened?"
He did, he did remember. It was after Emmeryn had sacrificed herself and the Shepherds were stopped by General Mustafa. He could hardly forget how he felt that day, the combined failure of being beaten by Aversa again along with more Plegians standing in their way, he couldn't take it anymore. He remembered those flames engulfing his body when he unleashed Mjölnir onto his enemies, killing them all but the effects put him in a coma for a few weeks.
But, he also remembered two voice that woke him from his coma. The first being was...
Ignis has awakened.
"That voice," Robin said as he remembered. "Now I remember. After I killed Mustafa and his mean. That voice. You were the voice I heard back then."
"So you do remember?" The man questioned.
"Who... who are you?" He asked.
The man smiled, seeing as how the Grandmaster remembered his voice, now was the time to introduce himself. He grabbed onto his hood and pulled it down, exposing his identity to him. He shared the same hairstyle as Robin only the difference being dark blue hair.
"My name is Kris. It's a pleasure to meet you face to face, Robin." He introduced himself.
"Kris?" He wondered as the name sounded familiar before remembering one of his conversations with Tiki. "Wait, you mean Prince Marth's bodyguard and confidant. The one Tiki told me about?"
"The very same." He said.
"But, how?" Robin asked. "Aren't you suppose to be..."
"Long dead? Yes, I am." He told him. "But even though my life has passed from this world, my consciousness remains in those who have the strength to awaken Ignis so that I may grant them lessons and guidance."
"So, you're my...?" Robin asked eyes widened at what Kris had suggested.
"Yes, I am your forebear." He nodded.
"Holy..." Robin couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that Kris, the bodyguard, and best friend of Prince Marth himself, was his actual ancestor. "This is so... wow."
"I can imagine." Kris smiled. "But, I suspect you have questions."
"A lot." The grandmaster nodded. "But first, how come no one has ever heard of you? Tiki says you were Marth's second in command during the War of Heroes but none of the books I've read mention you."
"Well, as far as those books are concerned, I don't exist." He answered which stunned the Grandmaster.
"Huh?" He raised an eyebrow. "But why?"
"Because I didn't want people to remember me." He explained. "I accomplished much during the war. I saved people, killed people, gained allies. I didn't do it for fame, glory, or riches. I did it for my comrades, my friends, my country. But, the people of Altea didn't need someone like me. What they needed, was a real hero. A godlike hero who could unite the world and bring peace to all. That hero had to be Prince Marth. So I ensured that all of my achievements were recognized as Prince Marth's. I chose to remain forever in the shadows."
"I see." Robin thought. That would explain why no one has ever heard of him.
"Any more questions?" He asked.
"Yeah." The Grandmaster nodded. "What happens now?"
"As I said, the reason we're able to talk like this is so that I can help you," Kris explained.
"Help me?"
"Yes. You're plagued with regrets. I can feel it within you. Your inability to kill the woman known as Aversa, Emmeryn's death, Basilio's demise, and now, your death. It's tearing you apart." He explained. "It's because of those regrets that you're here now."
"How do you..."
"I've watched everything through your eyes, Robin." He informed him. "I know it's been hard for you, being the strategist of an army, it reminds me of my time with the Altean Army. But, you must let go of those regrets before they consume you."
"What you're asking of me, i-it's impossible. I-I can't. I can't just, let things go." Robin said. "I had to watch my best friend's sister kill herself when I could've saved her. I had to watch that damned witch beat me at every turn. And I had to watch as Flavia return without Basilio when sending the both of them to face Walhart was my idea. It's my fault. Everything is my fault."
"You're not a god, Robin. You're a human being and human beings make mistakes, the question you have to ask yourself is, what kind of human are you." Kris said. "Are you going to get angry with your enemies and yourself everytime you make a mistake. Or, will you accept them, move forward, and do better?"
"I-I do..." The words seemed to fumble in his mouth as the Grandmaster tried his best to think of a retort, only nothing came up. "I don't know."
"Then, let me help. Let me help you hold onto your life and erase your deepest regrets." Kris suggested.
"How?" The Grandmaster asked.
"By showing you my story." He told him, holding out his hand. "Will you accept."
"Your story?" Robin thought it over and believing that Kris was being genuine, decided to accept his help in hopes that he will be able to quash his personal demons. He then took his hand and looked him in the eyes. "I accept."
"Very well then." He nodded before thrusting his free hand forward. Suddenly, a light began to shine in the darkness. "Prepare yourself, Robin. For this is the story of heroes.
Heroes of Light and Shadow."
And now we introduce Kris to the story.
For those who don't know, Kris is the default name for the Avatar character of Fire Emblem: Shin Monshō no Nazo: Hikari to Kage no Eiyū, also known as Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem, also known as Fire Emblem: Heroes of Light and Shadow.
Kris is the first avatar character in Fire Emblem history and I wanted to find a way to bring him into the story so I did. As Robin's ancestor. Hopefully, Kris' story will help Robin let go of his regrets and who knows, maybe we'll know about the origins of a certain Dragon as well.
Til next time.