I sighed and shook my head.

"I'm...a little disappointed in you."

"Oh? And why ever would that be?" Her acting was a little more convincing than Morgan's, but not much. Though it was likely she didn't want it to be.

"Because I offer you a second chance and the first thing you try to do is drive a wedge into my relationship."

"What makes you say that, lover? I'm just happy to be reunited with you after all this time." She made doe eyes at me and grabbed my arm.

"Because you said you were watching us. And you glanced between the two of us before you called me that, so you obviously know about the two of us. That means one of two things. You're either lying, in which case it doesn't matter and you won't harm our relationship, or you're telling the truth, in which case it's something from before I lost my memory and it doesn't matter and you won't harm our relationship. And also, well, I'll let her take it from here." I deferred to Tiki.

"I have every reason to trust him and no reason to trust you, so you will not harm our relationship." Aversa's expression evened out.

"Damn. It was worth a try," she said with what sounded like genuine bitterness as she let go of me. "I'd hoped things might have been different this time." I was a little taken aback.

"Different?"

"Different."

"So it's the truth then?" She shrugged.

"It doesn't matter now. You're with her." Now I could definitely tell it was bitterness. It wasn't anger or hatred like when Validar had talked about Tiki, Aversa sounded hurt. Really hurt. Apparently there...really had been something between us, not that I could remember it. The other Shepherds started to arrive, with Chrom in the lead. Falchion was raised.

"Robin! Are you alright? What's going on here?" I held up a hand.

"Relax. She's surrendered." Aversa's hands were at her side and her posture clearly showed that she wasn't interested in continuing to fight.

"So we're clear, I still think you're too late," she said to me, "but...gods, you actually make me believe you can stop him. I almost…no, I hope you do." She shook her head and walked away from the temple.

"Aversa," I said. She stopped, but didn't turn around. "We'll stop him. And once we have, you can have your own life. I hope we can be...friends." She shook her head again.

"It doesn't matter. You won't see me again." She kept walking, then she whistled. To my surprise, a pegasus swooped down a few moments later and picked her up. She mounted it and flew away as the others joined us.

"I don't know how you do it, Robin," said Chrom as he shook his head. I shrugged.

"Couldn't say." Only a select few people knew that Grima had been involved in the previous day's events, and revealing that I evidently had a history with Validar's second would not be the kind of thing that would make for trust and cohesion. I would tell them all eventually, but for now we needed to be unified. "Can I speak to you in private before we move?"

"Of course," he said. We walked off to stand out of earshot of the group. "What is it?"

"I need you to promise me something."

"As long as you're not asking me to leave you out here." I shook my head.

"No, it's not that. I wouldn't stay out here. Validar needs to be stopped and, well..."

"You wouldn't ask us to take a risk you won't take yourself?" I nodded.

"Exactly. But with that in mind...if Grima controls me again, and I can't fight him off...I want you to run. Leave me behind."

"I'm not going to—"

"You need to. If I get taken over, I could kill you. You need to stay alive. At the very least you need to get yourself to safety. At the most, you need to..."

"Absolutely not. I already told Lucina I wouldn't, and I won't. We'll make sure you stay you, no matter what."

"That's a good sentiment and I appreciate it and all, but we have to be realistic. There is a chance that I could get taken over and have no way of coming back. If that happens, you absolutely have to leave me. If it happens, I'll fight him with all I have. But I might fail. And if I do, there's no telling what he could do with control over me." It was an unpleasant thought, but it was one I needed to deal with. I promised to make it home safe, and I would give it my best effort. But I had to live with the possibility that I wouldn't succeed, and I had to plan for that contingency.

"...Very well," said Chrom. "I don't know if I could ever bring myself to strike you down, but the least I can do is promise to get to safety."

"Good. Let's go." We rejoined the group at the top of the temple stairs.

"Shepherds, it's time to end this! Follow me!" We started down the stairs with Chrom in the front. Tiki, naturally, found her way next to me.

"Are you prepared for this fight?" she asked me.

"No," I said, "but we need to do it anyway."

"I will be with you no matter what," she said. She dropped her voice and continued. "That woman seemed remarkably drawn to you, considering you have only just met."

"There were a couple of things she said during our conversation before that made me think we...might have some history. If I'm really...you know," I said in an equally low voice as I showed her the mark on my hand, "then it's possible that I was brought up...among the Grimleal. Maybe we knew each other. I honestly don't know. But...you know I'm still yours, right? That won't change, no matter what."

"I know. I already trust you with my life. Trusting you with my heart is much easier." She took my hand and held onto it. "If you would like, we can discuss this later when circumstances are more proper. I imagine you feel sympathy for her situation."

"I do." Apparently she knew me pretty well too. We fell silent as we made our way down the stairs. The stairs gave way to an antechamber that was large enough that five or six of my house could have fit into it, likely with room to spare. It looked worn down and degraded, which made very little sense if his was an active place of worship. I had no idea why they would let it fall into this level of disrepair. Unless of course it was because Grima worship wasn't as naturally popular as it was meant to appear.

The antechamber was empty. Disturbingly empty. There weren't even any of the citizens we had seen outside. That was a lot more worrying than it should have been. I couldn't imagine that they would have just stopped at the entrance, so where were they?

"I don't like this, Robin," said Chrom from in front of me.

"Neither do I. Can we get some light?" Our mages each conjured a fireball to illuminate the room. It was as devoid of life as it seemed. "This is...not good. We should at least see some stragglers." I didn't want to call out for fear of Validar being alerted to our coming. I assumed he was expecting us, but I still didn't want him to know how close we were. We crossed the antechamber and came to a massive set of stone doors which were sitting open, as if inviting us inside. Not one to be rude, Chrom started into the room with me and the others close behind. We entered the next room.

We found out why the antechamber was empty.

The main hall of the temple was even bigger than the antechamber had been. On the far side was a massive stone table, which I assumed was the Dragon's Table. Validar was standing next to it. On the near side was nearly a hundred Risen.

They were surrounded by corpses.

"Gods above," said Chrom. Now I understood why we hadn't seen any people since we'd entered the country. Gods, how many had he sacrificed? There were thousands outside, and easily hundreds in here. Were there more whose remains had been disposed of? How many Plegians were even left in the country?

I though I heard somone, or likely multiple people, start to vomit. I couldn't blame them. Although there was no stench that I would associate with bodies that had been dead for a while, it was still the most repulsive sight I could remember seeing. I almost started to vomit myself. I looked at Chrom, who somehow still had his nerve. He looked like he was angry enough to beat Validar to death with his bare hands.

"VALIDAR!" Chrom yelled. It got the attention of both Validar and all the Risen. "Face Naga's divine judgment!" He charged forward. Damn. I started wildly issuing orders to all the other Shepherds to get into their proper positions to try and fight off what I could only describe as a horde of Risen. Once they started to do so I realized that I couldn't leave Chrom alone to face Validar. I ran after him.

He reached Validar before me and raised Falchion to strike. Validar flung out his hand and caught Chrom with a curse that sent him sprawling. I reached the two of them and Validar, to my surprise, didn't attack me. Instead he waved his hands and muttered something I couldn't understand. A wall of purple fire appeared behind me. It cut the three of us off from the others. I took a reflexive step forward to get away from the heat.

Damnit. Damnit. How had I let this happen? The whole purpose of telling Chrom to escape if I was taken over was to make sure he would be safe. We had promised Lucina we'd take precautions, and here I had run after him without thinking and now we were stuck and Chrom was in danger.

"Ah," said Validar, "so the final player finally arrives." His voice was amplified somehow, presumably by some kind of magic. It resonated through the entire chamber. "Endless centuries of work have gone in to this moment, boy. I'm glad you've so willingly obliged us."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I haven't obliged you at all. I'm here to kill you." So maybe it wasn't my most defiant speech, but I wanted his attention on me so Chrom could stand up.

"Oh don't be ridiculous, little Robin. Everything that has happened so far has happened as fate willed it. I have everything I need. I have the Emblem, I have the sacrifices, I have the Table, and now I have the final piece I needed. The only thing remaining was to have Grima's mortal vessel, and I didn't even need to bring you here by force!"

"You'll end the world by doing this!" said Chrom. Damn. I needed him focused on me, not Chrom. Chrom needed to recover. Validar laughed.

"That's the idea, boy! This world will belong to its true master and he will reshape it in his own image! The only thing he still needs is an anchor for his soul!"

"And you really think I'd give over my soul willingly? Take Grima's power into myself by choice?" I said. Validar laughed again.

"Not his power, child, his very essence! You and Grima will be one! You will be a god made flesh!" It...no, it couldn't be. I would...become Grima? Gods, would there even be any of me left? Grima was a dragon. I was a man. There wouldn't be any way for me to still be me. I would be as good as gone.

"No."

"Don't be a fool, boy. This is destiny coming true. You cannot prevent it. Embrace it now or you will be made to!"

"Gods damn your destiny," I said. "So what if I'd be a god? I wouldn't be me. And I don't care to be a god."

"Fool. You would have power unlimited. You would have life eternal. You would have anything you ever wanted. All you would need do is cast off these pathetic 'friends' of yours." Chrom made it back to his feet and struck. Unfortunately he must not have been fully recovered, because he only hit Validar with a glancing blow. Validar, though bleeding, sent Chrom flying backwards again with another curse. I sent a bolt of lightning out at Validar, which hit him but seemed to flow off of him. I ran over to Chrom to help him to his feet.

"If you're trying to get me to join you, calling my friends pathetic probably isn't the best strategy," I said as I lifted Chrom.

"But they are. They have heard every word I've spoken. They know who you are now. You think Naga's faithful will accept Grima's chosen? They will turn their backs on you. We will not. The Grimleal will welcome you with open arms."

"Are there even Grimleal remaining? All I see are Risen," I said as I sent more lightning at him. He deflected it again.

"Robin, I'm fine," said Chrom. "We need to attack him from both sides." I let go of Chrom, who wobbled a little, but kept on his feet. I heard a scream from the other side of the fire. I started towards Validar's other flank.

"You cannot defeat me, boy. Nor can you, princeling. I have the power of the Table at my command!" Chrom charged him and I did as well, flinging magic the whole way. He deflected mine with one hand as he prepared to face Chrom. We reached him at the same time. He batted Chrom's sword away with a flick and a burst of magic, but he wasn't so lucky with me. He was using that hand to ward away my magic, so I didn't use magic. As I reached him, I reared back and punched him in the jaw. He was sent flying backward and landed against the Table. I lifted Chrom up and we moved forward to finish him.

Too late, I saw a curse flying forward. It caught me in the side and I immediately felt the disgusting cloying sensation of dark magic. It didn't feel that serious, but it would hamper my movement and I would need either a healer or Tharja. Chrom swung Falchion and once again caught Validar, though this time it looked like it was a more direct hit. Validar cried out in pain as blood started falling from his right arm. Chrom backed off to help me to my feet.

"Are you alright, Robin?" He asked.

"Fine. Go." I prepared another spell and waited until Chrom was on the way before I let it loose. I finally hit Validar and it made him stumble. That opened the way for Chrom to get him across the chest with Falchion. Validar fell to his knees. Chrom, to my dismay, chose to come help me instead of finishing Validar. I tried to tell him to stop, but I was feeling off. Maybe the curse had affected me worse than I thought.

"Robin? You don't look well. We should get out of here." I saw Validar moving behind him, but I still found myself without the energy to speak. I wanted to tell Chrom to move, to get out of the way. Validar extended his hand and the curse came flying our way. I did the only thing I could think of. I shoved Chrom to the ground.

And I realized too late that the curse wasn't meant for Chrom. It was meant for me. I felt a stabbing pain in my temples that gave way to relief and darkness as I heard a voice in my mind once again.

"Greetings, child. It is good we are reunited once more."

It felt good to hear it again. There was something reassuring about it.

"You did well in delivering the Emblem to my Chosen. Now I have another task for you if you wish to receive your heart's true desire."

Right. Immortality. I would get to live forever with...who was it?

"Yes. You would be as a god. You would have all you ever desired. All you must do is strike down the Prince. He is the only thing that stands between you and life eternal."

The Prince. I had to kill the Prince.

NO!

Why not? It wasn't hard. He was right there, next to me. It would be easy.

NO! FIGHT!

"Do not resist, child. Resistance will only make it more difficult. Your task is a simple one."

It was simple. I heard a voice near me. It was asking me if I was feeling well. Who did it belong to?

YOU HAVE TO FIGHT!

Why? This was so nice. I felt so comfortable here. For once there was no pain. I was happy. I had to strike down the Prince and I'd be together forever with...her. Who was she? Why did I want to be with her?

"Yes. Together with her, for all time."

I heard another voice. It was loud and sounded pleased. It was telling me to strike down the Prince.

YOU CAN'T!

But I had to. I had to if I wanted to be with…

A light shone through the darkness as I heard another voice, as clear as if it's owner was standing beside me.

"Robin! Do not lose yourself!"

Tiki.

"NAGA'S DAUGHTER. YOU HAVE NO PLACE HERE."

Yes, she did. The voice in my mind raged and my headache came rushing back in earnest.

Tiki.

TIKI.

Get out of my head.

"NO. STRIKE DOWN THE PRINCE."

No. You don't belong here. Get out. I'm not yours.

BEGONE.

Gods above, she had done it.

I became instantly aware of my surroundings again. Chrom was propping me up by one shoulder. Validar was standing several feet away, ordering me to kill Chrom. Tiki was calling my name. I still felt weak. Validar was too far away for me to rush him. Chrom wouldn't make it in time either. He was holding me upright. I had to gain an advantage somehow. I only had a few seconds to think up a plan. I glanced from Validar to Chrom and back again. A plan came to me. It was going to be close.

I breathed a silent request to the gods for everyone's forgiveness.

I sent a bolt of lightning into Chrom's stomach.

"Don't...don't blame yourself. This isn't...your fault," he said in a pained voice. It was my fault. All of this was my fault. If I hadn't stupidly charged forward this wouldn't be happening. I heard Lucina cry out in anguish as Chrom fell to the floor. Tiki kept calling out to me. Morgan, too. It broke my heart, but I couldn't react. I needed to keep up this facade.

"Excellent!" said Validar. "Excellent work! Come here, child, and fulfill your destiny!" I limped over to where Validar was standing at the Dragon's Table. I kept going past him so that he had to turn away from Chrom to face me. Time. I needed time. I knelt down at the edge of the Table. Validar turned to it. I saw the Emblem sitting there. He made a series of gestures, chanted something in a language I couldn't understand, and spoke. "Rise, my master. Rise, Lord Grima. Rise, and claim your birthright!" He raised his hands to the ceiling.

Nothing happened.

I wanted to laugh. I nearly did. I nearly started laughing like a maniac. But I bit my tongue and resisted. He tried the chant again. He raised his hands again.

Nothing happened.

"What is going on?" he said. I couldn't tell if he was more confused or angry.

"Master Validar," I said in my most convincingly subservient voice, "it is not working because the Emblem is incomplete."

"What?! But I have it here! What do you mean, boy?" I wanted to laugh again, but I still resisted it. I had to delay him. I needed time.

"The stones were replaced. Four of them are fakes."

"That's impossible! I have had spies following your pathetic group for months! You never had the chance to replace them with fakes!"

"Did your spies follow us on our...vacation?"

"WHAT?!" Gods above, it was hard not to laugh. I wondered if I could get him to taste one of them to find out the secret. I decided to try it.

"It is true. Choose one of the stones and lick it." He actually did it. He removed Vert, held it up to his mouth, and licked it.

"Sugar?!" I actually did hear some laughter from outside. I assumed it was Gaius. "Damn you, boy! The ritual is ruined! We need to retrieve the stones now to complete it! Rise, and help me strike down these pitiful foes!" I struggled to my feet. I saw movement behind Validar.

"Master Validar, may I say something to them?"

"Very well. Show them the totality of their failure. Let them know despair before they die." He sounded pleased again, and waved a hand at me. I felt an odd sensation around my throat, and when I spoke my voice resonated through the hall the same way as his.

"Have I ever told you why Thoron is my favorite tome?" Validar looked baffled and I had to stifle laughter again.

"What relevance does this have, boy?"

"There is a purpose, Master," I said. He allowed me to continue. I assumed he thought that fate was on his side so he could wait. The barrier was still in place, after all, and he assumed I was fully under Grima's control. "Thoron is my favorite tome because it's efficient. For the energy it costs me to cast it it gives me the most power without tiring me out too much. It's definitely strong enough that, if I used it on someone like Chrom—who doesn't have much practice resisting magic—it would slay him instantly." Validar smiled in a way that made him look like a wild animal.

"And it did! The Prince fell in one blow! You have done a great thing, Robin!" Thank the gods for his sound amplifying spell. It masked the sound of footsteps.

"...I don't have my Thoron tome," I said.

"What?"

"I left it behind. All I have on me is an old, worn-out basic lightning tome. And with all the magic I've been casting today, I'd be surprised if there was enough power in me to kill a rabbit, let alone a grown man."

"What are you saying, boy?" He began to turn, so I spoke to keep his attention.

"I guess the point I'm trying to make here is, well..." I paused for a moment. Validar looked at me, which was right where I wanted him to look. Thank the gods he was so blinded by his belief in destiny.

Falchion's tip emerged from his chest.

"...I win."

He stared in disbelief at the sword. Chrom put his foot against Validar's back and pushed him forward as he removed the blade. Validar sank to his knees as his lifeblood flowed out from the wound.

"How..." he gasped.

"Grima doesn't live here anymore." He looked up at me and in his eyes I saw a combination of disbelief, dismay, despair, and confusion. I felt nothing but contempt.

"You...you would have been a god..." I stared down at him and I thought of everyone here with us. I thought of Chrom, a man who had taken me in after finding me unconscious in a field. I thought of Lissa, who was as good as my little sister, who had always had my back. I thought of Lucina, who had fought against time itself to save the world. I thought of Cherche and Libra, who were so excited to find out they had a son. I thought of Tharja, who had been so obsessed with me, only to finally find happiness with Gaius. I thought of Cordelia, who had finally moved past Chrom and was trying to show her daughter the love she never knew as a child. Of Maribelle, who I had loved, lost, and come to love in a new way. Of Cynthia, who had been worried enough about her standing to ask a stranger for advice. Of Noire, scared and lonely, who insisted that she wanted other parents. Of all the people I didn't talk to as much as I should have. Donnel, Nowi, Ricken, Sumia, Olivia, Miriel, Panne, and all the rest.

I thought of Tomas, Prim, and Muse. I thought of the village near Wyvern Valley. I thought of Holland and his wife. Of Captain Dan and his crew. Of the citizens of Valm Harbor. Of those we had freed from Walhart. The village we had liberated from the false Chrom. I thought of Aversa, who I knew from my past, who deserved her own life apart from all this.

And I thought of Morgan. Dear, sweet Morgan. Bubbly and cheerful, enthusiastic and curious, but at times frightened and worried, who had looked to me as her father even though I hadn't known her yet. I hoped I made her as happy as she made me.

And I thought of Tiki. Tiki, the most wonderful woman alive. Tiki, with whom I shared a bed, a room, and my heart. Tiki, who had called my name and broken Grima's hold on me. Tiki, the woman I loved more than life itself.

Tiki, the mother of my child.

As I thought of them all, I looked Validar in the eye. And as his life faded, my voice was cold and unforgiving as it echoed through the chamber.

"I don't want to be a god. I want to be a dad."

A/N: So guess who noticed on a reread that he had accidentally referred to Severa as Selena three times? (Behold the magical retcon if you go back to look.)

Anyway, I don't generally like to toot my own horn when it comes to foreshadowing. I like to let you all figure out the payoffs for my setups yourselves. But I need to say that, even though you probably knew the twist about the fake gemstones was coming, I feel pretty clever for hiding the foreshadowing for the exact method in the Birthday chapter. Although since that takes place later, I suppose it would be, what...aftshadowing? Postshadowing?

But yeah, be honest, how many of you expected Anna's throwaway line about Gaius' ability to forge fake legendary gemstones to be plot relevant?