Author's Note: Here we go… coming close to the end of Part 1 of Awakening. If you had told me I would have written sixteen chapters at about 120K words in two months, I would've told you that you were crazy. I didn't even write at this pace for any other story I've written, not even Spellbinding Radiance (although I did drop 29 chapters in the first year of that story, most of those were 3K-4K word chapters and not the 7K-9K word chapters here).

There's something to be said about having some kind of regularity, pattern, or schedule in life. With working jobs that I can work whenever I want for as long as I want, it feels nice to have some kind of regularity and schedule to ground myself.

Yes, I am aware I skipped a chapter in the game. No, I didn't forget about it. Honestly, that chapter always felt out of place for me, so I decided to creatively avoid it. News couldn't possibly have spread that fast. The message of the chapter would be best addressed in a conversation at a later time, in my honest opinion.

In reading the game's script and writing the scene where everyone has their say near the end of the chapter… I noticed Cordelia, Donnel, and Gaius didn't have any lines. That actually… makes me kinda sad. I decided to have a heart and include them in this heartwarming scene.

The last scene of the chapter, I debated putting in the beginning of the next chapter, but I felt it fit more in line with the theme of this chapter so, uh, you guys get your first chapter that's almost 12k words (instead of the usual 7k-9k). Not on purpose, but that's just how it logically felt to put the scenes. I could've split this chapter in half, but I just felt splitting it would've ruined the flow.

Also, posting this on Thursday instead of Friday, because I didn't want to post a chapter like this on Valentine's Day, ha ha ha…

I definitely wasn't looking forward to writing this chapter. Not in the slightest…

Chapter 16
He Who Humbles Himself

We arrived near the Plegian capital to have some of our spies and scouts report back to us. Apparently, the exalt would be executed tomorrow in front of a massive gathering.

"This is it, then," Chrom said quietly during our meeting, but with an intensity that was unmistakable.

"Exactly as you predicted, Robin," I said to him with a grim smile. He's led us on the right path so far. It was a faint hope, but with every second that passed falling neatly into the tactician's predictions and plans, that hope grew brighter and brighter.

"So far, yes… but tomorrow will be the true test," Robin replied.

"Chin up! Have some confidence. It's your thinking that's even gotten us this far. The plan is risky, but only as much as is called for," Khan Flavia said.

"We'll find a way to see it through, Robin. Don't worry. This time tomorrow, we'll be swapping stories with Emm on the road home," Chrom said confidently.

"I hope you're right," Robin replied.

We set up camp a small distance outside of the capital as to not be spotted by their patrols. The fact we successfully took down that one patrol with no way for them to report our presence was a stroke of luck that we felt we would not easily replicate. There was not much to be said amongst any of us. We knew that we had one shot to be successful. Either we were or we weren't… there was no second chance at success here. Robin, you concocted one hell of a plan. The mere fact we even have a chance is all thanks to you. How you do it, I'll never know. I can only hope you can pull it off one last time. Let us all save the exalt!

I found myself laying down on a rock outside of camp again, as was my normal tradition, staring at the stars in the sky. Now was not the time to let my mind be clouded by anything else except our goal. I can feel sorry for myself later… for those lives I had taken… for that whole mess with Cordelia… for almost enjoying myself as I slaughtered people… for feeling like not being able to readily access my latent abilities makes me feel guilty that I could be doing more. That all can wait. Right now, I can tolerate laughing and smiling while taking lives if it means giving me the ability to help Chrom save his sister. Everything else is inconsequential; her life is paramount. Oh, I would gladly dive into the river of insanity if it meant saving her.

"Ravey…?"

I looked over to see Lissa walking tentatively over toward me.

"Frog, hello," I replied before looking back up at the stars.

"Are you okay? You had us all scared yesterday," she said.

"Did I?" I asked. "I'm sorry…"

"I have never seen anyone fight the way you did. You just took over the battlefield all by yourself. It was breathtakingly impressive, but it was also a bit frightening," she said. I sighed to myself.

"Lissa… I have no control over my abilities. All I know is I was desperate to make sure none of you got hurt and that's mostly what possessed me… my urge to make sure none of you ever got hurt," I said.

"May I…?" she asked. I nodded and she laid down on the rock next to me.

"This is always where you are, Ravey. You're rarely in camp in these times when most would be socializing. Although, tonight… there's very little to talk about," Lissa said.

"The only thing to talk about and focus on is our success tomorrow," I said.

"I wish I had your confidence," she said quietly.

"I have to be focused on tomorrow. Push everything else aside and focus on tomorrow," I said.

"Everything else?" she asked.

"The fact that I almost enjoyed slaughtering those villagers. It was like a curious euphoria was flowing through me as I floated around that battlefield. Everything flowed like a river. I didn't even have to think. I just saw and reacted by instinct. Lissa, do you know how scary it is to think that all that came naturally to me? Do you know it feels to be haunted by the very idea you might have once been a mass murderer, or an assassin?" I asked.

"Raven, who you were before does not define who you are now! To me and everyone else here, you're our lance wielding, good-natured guy who fights his heart out each and every single fight. I'm sure everyone here appreciates everything you've done for them. I'm sure everyone here appreciates you being here. Especially certain ones," she said, ending on a slightly teasing tone.

"Certain ones?" I asked.

"A certain red-haired Pegasus knight who has unfairly been dominating your free time? Perhaps someone named Cordelia?" she asked.

"O-oh, can we not talk about that?" I said carefully.

"Oh, why not? It'll get your mind off that depressing topic. How about things between you two? Seems you two have been enjoying each other's company quite a bit," Lissa said with a smirk.

"Lissa, I don't want to talk about it," I said again. I could almost feel her staring at me. Please, Lissa, stop pushing. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want you to know. I don't want anyone to know. My weakness is my burden to bear, not yours…

"… did something happen?" she asked.

"No, nothing happened," I replied.

"Ravey, don't lie to me. I'm your friend. You're one of the people in this camp I really, really trust. You're someone I care about and have grown to enjoy being around and spending time with. You were there for me when Marth turned me down in the arena. You were there to listen to me ramble and you helped cheer me up. You and I have been in this prank war for a while now. You're my friend, Ravey, and I want to help you the way you've helped me," she said firmly and insistently.

"There's nothing to be upset about. She… got her wish. I'm happy for her," I said quietly.

"Her wish? To be a part of the Shepherds?" Lissa asked.

"Chrom apparently asked her out to dinner when we get back to the capital after this mission and… of course she said yes," I said. There was silence between us for a bit of time.

"Oh… oh, Raven…" Lissa said quietly.

"It's fine," I said firmly.

"Raven, be honest. You two were spending a lot of time with each other ever since she joined. You two seemed like a natural fit," she said.

"Don't… remind me," I said.

"Sorry…" she said.

"I can't be upset. The fact they even got to this point is a miracle in and of itself, although she did thank me for pushing her toward it. Cordelia's not the most social person and she's terrible at picking up cues and hints and we saw Chrom's luck and strategy with females first-hand," I said.

"Hah, Marth's face was priceless," Lissa said with a small laugh.

"Was it? It looked more like one of absolute horror. I'm not sure why. I mean, Chrom's a nice guy and a prince and…" I replied before trailing off.

"Speaking of that Marth girl, what did she tell you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You two were in that hallway for a while. What did you talk about?"

"I… that's… I can't talk about that, Lissa."

"Why not?"

"She told me a lot of those things in absolute confidence."

"She didn't seem all that fond of you when we left you two. What changed?" Lissa asked. I paused and thought about it. Why did Marth's attitude change, anyway?

"We came to a mutual understanding," I said.

"Hmph, keep your secrets," Lissa said with a chuckle.

"Indeed I shall," I replied with a chuckle as well. I honestly felt much better after that whole conversation.

"Well, I better get back to camp."

"Same. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," I said.

"Let's go win tomorrow and get big sis back," Lissa said with a smile.

"Indeed. Uh, Lissa…"

"Yes, Raven?"

"… thanks. For being my friend. For… talking to me. I…" I trailed off, not sure what else to say. She looked at me and pulled me into a tight hug.

"If there's one thing I share with my brother, it's that I'm not good with my words. I… never really socialized much when I was younger, so I never really learned how to do all that cheering up thing. I usually let my actions speak for me. So, in instances like this… I'm glad my words were able to reach you. The way your words reached out to me that one day in Ferox. You've inspired me to be a better person and to improve on that. This… is a result of your influence," Lissa said.

"Actions do speak louder than words," I commented. "I'm glad I helped you become a better person."

"It's because you helped me that I can help you and… it's why I want to help you," Lissa replied.

"Lissa, thanks. Uh… Lissa," I said quietly, squirming a little.

"Yes?"

"I'm… you're… it's a little hard to breathe," I mumbled. Her eyes widened and she let go.

"Sorry, Ravey," she said.

"You were never like that when I first met you. You really have made some progress," I remarked as I rubbed my ribs.

"Well, I don't want to be the royal sibling that does nothing. Frederick has been training me to improve myself physically," she said.

"Huh… that explains why you were able to keep up with me and see Chrom's failure with Marth," I said with a smirk.

"Indeed! Frederick's been pushing me hard, but I've been feeling so much better now," she said.

"Compared to that first day I met you and you ate that bug. I told you that one day you would be looking back at that day and laughing," I said.

"I never thought I would have made it this far. Honestly, Raven… you inspired me. All three of you inspire me," she said.

"Hm?" I asked.

"The way the three of you keep pushing forward, knowing nothing of your pasts, and yet you keep helping us out. It's an inspiration to me. How I should have changed my attitude. Be more positive. Think more hopefully. Take charge and determine my future and my fate. You and Elise and Robin have been a huge inspiration for me, and… thank you," she said.

"You're welcome, Lissa," I said as I ruffled her hair. She frowned slightly at that.

"C'mon, Ravey, a princess's hair should be of pristine beauty at all times," she said.

"Your hair is of pristine beauty, whether prim or ruffled," I countered. "Everyone's hair here is of pristine beauty."

"Must be a standard of being Ylissean," Lissa commented. An odd thought came to me.

"Hey, Lissa, can I ask you an odd question?" I asked.

"Sure, Ravey," she said.

"So, Frog, does Marth remind you of anyone in the Shepherds?" I asked. It occurred to me she said she grew up around us, so it seemed only prudent to figure out if maybe one of us was her father or mother. Probably father, since she did say she didn't meet her mother yet.

"Hmm, well, not really. I mean, she has really beautiful, perfect hair, despite being a tough as nails warrior. Kinda like Cordelia!" Lissa said. Her eyes widened and she quickly put her hands over her mouth. "Oh, Ravey, I'm sorry. I said the C-word."

"Lissa, I'm… not that heartbroken. You don't have to be that careful around me," I said with a laugh. Cordelia? Nah. The two don't really look much alike.

"Why do you ask?"

"The way she worded something in our conversation in that hallway struck a chord with me."

"You mean, like, she could be related to someone in the Shepherds? A cousin? A long-lost sister?" Lissa asked. Oh, Lissa… you're smarter than people give you credit for.

"Nah, besides, I'm sure if her and Cordelia were related, she'd definitely have a flaming red mass of hair," I remarked. Lissa smiled to herself.

"That's true! Kinda like that Selena girl she was traveling with," Lissa remarked. I paused for a second. If Marth came back in time, could Selena have as well? Could she… be Cordelia's daughter?

"I, uh… huh…" I mumbled.

"Raven, you look a little disoriented. Maybe we should head back to camp and get to sleep," Lissa suggested.

"Uh, yeah, that's… a good idea. Let's go do that," I said as we headed back to camp. We reached the edge of camp, having a small casual conversation, when I heard a familiar voice.

"Oh, Raven, there you are!"

Lissa and I turned to see Cordelia nearby, sitting down and polishing her lance.

"C-Cordelia, hello!" I said with a smile, although admittedly, it wasn't wholehearted.

"Off on your own, sitting on a rock again?" she asked.

"Well, he wasn't exactly alone," Lissa chimed in.

"Oh, Lissa, hello there! I didn't see you there. It is getting rather late. My apologies," Cordelia said.

"Oh, no, no, you're fine," Lissa said.

"Look, Raven, I just wanted to say… thank you," she said. For what?

"For… what?" I asked.

"Our chats we've had these past few weeks. Helping me figure out who I was and inspiring me to take fate into my own hands and take my own initiative," she said. I had the intense feeling of having this conversation before. Pretty sure Lissa said the same thing to me as well just a short time ago.

"Raven seems… to have that effect on people," Lissa commented.

"Indeed he does. That's why I consider him one of my closest friends here! He's been so nice to me and I'm sure he has been to you and Elise and Miriel and everyone else in this camp," she said with a smile, but I could tell there was flicker of something else behind that smile. Is there something insincere behind what she's saying?

"Indeed. Well, Cordelia, it was nice talking to you, but Raven and I were about to turn in for the night," Lissa said.

"Indeed. It is getting late. I should as well, but I wanted to make sure my lance was in the best condition possible. You never know what could happen tomorrow, and I want to make sure I can give it everything I have," Cordelia said.

"I'm sure you give everything here everything you have," Lissa commented. I gave her a look. That was an odd comment. Is she… upset about Cordelia and Chrom? I mean, I suppose a protective little sister, jealous of someone invading her brother's time and energy, is developing right before my very eyes.

"Indeed!" Cordelia said, oblivious to the tone and context of Lissa's comment.

"Lissa, let's… go. We really do need our rest. Cordelia… make sure you turn in soon, too. We need you at your fullest tomorrow," I said.

"Of course, Raven. Thank you," she said.

"You're, uh, welcome," I replied looking down at the ground. "Goodnight, Cordelia."

"Goodnight, Raven. Sleep well," she said. The two of us departed and started heading to our tents.

"… you never told her, did you?" Lissa asked pointedly.

"I was going to, okay? I just got beat last second because I hesitated. I was afraid of failure," I said with a frown.

"Then let me teach you something I learned. If you want something, then you have to go and get it. Take the initiative, Ravey, and give everything you have… your words, your thoughts, and your actions. Next time, take a chance. You will automatically fail in anything in life that you don't attempt," Lissa said.

"Lissa… that… er, nevermind," I said.

"No, it's fine, you can say it."

"That was really wise and mature of you. I didn't want to say it, because you seemed so offended when I pointed it out the last time, but… it's true. You've grown into a fine princess and an amazingly charming young lady," I said with a smile. "I really look forward to seeing how much further you grow."

"Th-thank you," she stuttered out.

"Well, this is my tent. I'll be seeing you tomorrow. This time tomorrow, we will be on our way back home, victory in one hand and a bright future in the other!" I said.

"Indeed!" she replied. "Goodnight, Ravey."

"Goodnight, Frog."

I headed into my tent and got into my sleeping bag, red this time. For some reason, Cordelia gave me a red sleeping bag instead of a blue one today. I wonder if she forgot I always had a blue sleeping bag. I slowly felt myself lose consciousness as I slipped into a deep sleep.

I was standing in the middle of a room that seemed impossibly big. I saw someone had sustained a nasty gash on their arm, but I could not make out their face. Immediately someone ran up to them with a healing staff and began to heal the wound. Surprisingly, though, the wound did not heal.

"It's not working," I heard the healer say.

"What do you mean? It's not a big injury," I heard someone else say. I heard laughter from the imposing figure before us.

"You mere mortals dare to defy the wishes of a deity? Your healing staves will not heal what I have done. You sad, insignificant creatures who know no peace and only know strife have no business trying to alter that which I want. If I desire you to suffer, there is no magic you can cast that can say otherwise," it said in a voice that sent goosebumps across my body. Before I could react, a flash of light radiated through the whole room, illuminating everything there.

I saw the face of the creature before us and I froze in fear. A prickling sensation coursed throughout my entire body. What were we thinking trying to take this… thing on? This perverse, twisted thing whose desire was our ultimate destruction. This… was impossible! We are all going to die…

I snapped awake from that vivid dream. Quick as I could, I ran to my journal and began jotting down as much as I could before it all escaped from my head. I tried to recall the creature before me, but I could not recollect any details except for a sense of calm and peace after the overwhelming dread subsided… a sense of accepting my inevitable fate. That was not natural what we were facing. It defied everything.

Was that our future? Was that what we were to be facing if Marth's future were to come to pass? I highly doubt that was in the past. I'm sure, even with my finely honed lance abilities, I would not have survived an encounter with that terrifyingly calm abomination. If it was in the past, I'm pretty sure something like that would have been recorded in history, facing something of that magnitude. No, that had to be a premonition of the future.

Is that my ability? Just as Robin's ability was being able to visualize the flow of a battlefield, was my ability to see the future? What a daunting thought. All of a sudden, I felt a rush of sympathy for Marth. Trying to change a future so bleak by any means possible, even to take a risk causing some kind of weird ripple if she should change something too far and cause irreparable damage to her future. I did not envy her position in the slightest.

Imagine if she met her parents and was the reason they never got together. Or worse, imagine if she met her father in this time and he tried to ask her out. I could just imagine Marth thinking to herself that not only would that be awkward, but if her father fell for her instead of her mother…

… Marth, the future you come from must have been truly terrifying to risk your very existence coming back here so you could prevent it.

This morning, you could sense the impending feeling of dread and doom throughout the camp. Everyone was completely and intensely focused on preparing for our mission. Today was the day. It was now or never. The plan was quite simple, really.

Most of the Feroxi forces were to stay behind as our backup, should something go wrong. The Shepherds were to wear outfits that blended in with the common citizenry. We were to make our way forward until we were close enough to interfere with the execution. Cordelia and Sumia were to be on standby with the rest of the Pegasus knights ready to swoop in once we cleared the path for them. Once we rescued the exalt, we would give the signal to the Feroxi force waiting outside telling them to come in storming and cover our escape.

We slunk forward, as was planned, as we pushed our way through the crowd. I was wearing my old outfit, as I found that fit in quite well with the rest of the Plegian citizenry. I wonder if I was formerly a Plegian…? Those are thoughts for another time. I was doing my best to keep my lance hidden under my cloak and I was confident my hood kept my face covered. I looked up to see Gangrel standing on top of a cliff with a few of his soldiers. I saw that Aversa person who was his right-hand standing right next to him. I saw on another part of the cliff was the exalt herself with a look of acceptance and peace across her face with a single soldier standing behind her, ready to perform the execution. Not today, Exalt Emmeryn. You will meet death one day, but it will NOT be today. Not on our watch.

"Good people! Warriors of Plegia! Welcome! Welcome, one and all! Your anticipation electrifies the air! We ALL remember the crimes of Ylisse. Each and every one of us remember the blood of the innocents spilled by the previous exalt as he called us all heathens. This before you is his spawn. His child. His blood. Would you have their witch-queen answer for the Ylisseans and their crimes? Here? Today? NOW? YES! Finally, we will have our justice! EXECUTIONER! If you would be so kind..."

"Flavia, now!" I heard Robin call out.

"Heard!" I heard her call back. Before anyone could react, an axe went flying through the air and struck the barbarian holding the exalt right in the head, killing him instantly in a splatter of blood. Wow, what a hell of a throw…

"Everyone, go!" I heard Robin cry out. I pulled out my weapon and took off my hood as I saw the rest of the Shepherds do the same.

"Take out all the soldiers first! We can deal with the Mad King later," Chrom commanded.

"Oh, will you now? We've been expecting you, little princeling! Kill him! Kill his sister! Kill his troops and any of his friends you find! Kill them all!" Gangrel cried out. I began hacking and slashing with my lance through the Plegian soldiers, mostly conscripts like the ones we faced in that border patrol, and I dealt wzith them in relative ease. I saw a few enemy troops try to make their way up the cliff face toward the exalt, but precise shots from Elise and Virion, as well as a thrown axe here and there from Flavia was keeping anyone from getting close to the exalt and finishing the execution. I saw her face one of fear and worry watching us fighting. The crowd that had amassed had scattered to avoid the battleground, as we began to fight our way up the path that led up the cliff.

I saw a Plegian mage and charged up to her, ready to finish her off and move on. She adeptly dodged my blow and shot a fireball at me. Oh, wow, an actual soldier.

"Die, you Plegian scum," I said to her. She seemed less interested in fighting me and more interested in giving King Gangrel a look of loathing and spite.

"Hmph, so, I'm to die here, simply because the king commands it? Pfft, what do I care about you Ylisseans. I've never been given a reason to fight, only orders. What's the point? Besides, I've always been good at choosing who to hate on my own," she said.

"You… seem reluctant to fight. Are you really with the Plegian army?" I said to her.

"Death calls for each and every one of us to join him eventually. Why invite him early fighting for a cause I don't believe in?" she asked.

"So… I should take that as a no, or…" I asked, confused.

"Let's just say I'm keeping my options open. I mean, long live the king and all that, but I'd like to keep living as well. And… let's say I have a bit of a rebellious streak. A dark side, so to speak," she said. I looked at her, even more confused than before.

"Then perhaps you'd be interested in rebelling now and joining our cause? You're more likely to survive, based on what you can see of this battlefield," I said.

"You would trust me? What if this is a ploy to plunge a dagger into your back?" she asked.

"The exalt… the lady we are fighting to save… I think she would trust you. And all of us… Prince Chrom… myself… my friends… everyone in the Shepherds are all trying to learn from her. Besides, I already need to watch my back, whether you're aiming at it or not," I said.

"Well, that's odd. Normally when I bring up the backstabbing, the discussion is over. Hmm… I like you and your attitude. All right, then. Consider me your new ally… for now," she said.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"Tharja," she replied.

"Well, Tharja, if you stick by my side and don't stick that dagger in my back, I promise I won't stick one in yours. Work with me and we can tell death that he'll have to visit another day," I said.

"Hmph, careful that confidence doesn't come back to bite you," she replied with a frown.

"Wise words, oh master of the dark arts," I replied with a smile. Maybe a bit of humor will warm her up. At that moment, we saw a brigade of Wyvern riders fly over. This was our cue! Robin, you are truly a genius.

"Oh, look, the Plegian Wyvern brigade," Tharja commented.

"We know. We were expecting them to show up. Our goal was to draw them out and take them down," I said.

"That sounds like fun. Heh heh. Long. Live. The. King," she said sarcastically before launching a barrage of wind spells at the Wyvern riders. I saw Chrom give me an odd look before he he looked at Tharja and then back to me. I shrugged my shoulders. Miriel, Ricken, Virion, Elise, and everyone with a ranged weapon were doing their best to take down the Wyvern rivers as fast as possible so that the skies were clear for Cordelia and Sumia, but there was something peculiarly powerful about Tharja's spells. Wait, where was Sophia? Did she get separated from the rest of us? She should be here helping take down the Wyvern riders.

I watched as every single one of the riders were taken out of the air while the rest of us ground units made a decent dent into the Plegian forces. Slowly, but surely, Tharja and I made our way back to the main force.

"Robin! Their wyvern riders have fallen! I'm giving the signal!" Chrom called out. Robin nodded in reply. I saw Chrom signal Miriel who then sent what looked like a giant bird of fire into the sky. At that, hordes of Pegasus knights started rushing toward the cliff where the exalt was.

… after all this time. Finally! Against all odds, we managed to pull this crazy plan off.

"Your grace!" Phila called out. I saw the Pegasus knights get close to the cliff. The Plegian army was in a disarray. Nothing could stop us now! Time to pick up the exalt and get out of here. Time to plan our revenge on Plegia for putting us through this. They will answer for their crimes!

… a chill went through me, causing me to shiver involuntarily. Something was wrong. Something was so, so wrong. I saw that Aversa lady step backward a few steps as if to hide her presence before she raised an arm into the air, as if preparing a spell. As soon as the Pegasus knights got close, it was like a wave of cold air invaded my very body. Immediately, no less than twenty Risen appeared on the ledge next to the exalt, all of them holding bows aiming at the crowd of Pegasus knights.

"Risen?! Oh gods, there are Risen everywhere!" Robin said in horror.

"Damn it, not now!" Chrom cried out.

"Bwa ha ha! Oh, did an army of living corpses just appear out of the blue? Truly the heavens smile upon King Gangrel this day!" he boasted. Did… you not see your assistant was the one that summoned them? Does he not know she cast the spell that brought them? What's going on here? How could he not know she could summon the Risen? Is… something going on we don't know about?

There was a mass hysteria as the Pegasus knights quickly attempted to change direction, but it was too late. I could hear the screams of the Pegasus knights as a barrage of arrows struck many of them and their mounts. Many of them fell to a horrific fate, crying out in frantic desperation before they hit the ground in a series of sickening thuds. I quickly scanned the skies to see Sumia, Cordelia, and only a few other Pegasus knights survived and quickly landed on the ground to prevent any further casualties. Phila. Phila?

"Phila!" I heard the exalt call out from the top of the cliff.

"No, Phila!" I heard Chrom say.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Did you not see?" Robin asked.

"I saw that massive debacle. I just… how? Where's Phila?" I asked.

"… she was one of the many that fell to their deaths, her mount having been shot in the head," Robin said quietly. I shivered violently. I immediately had a vision of falling from a great distance, seeing the ground come closer and closer and closer, knowing nothing was going to stop that inevitable fate and praying for any extra seconds to make peace with my destiny.

I shivered uncontrollably. What a terrible fate…

"Exuent a legion of Pegasus knights! Bwa ha ha! Watch them all fall to their deaths! What a magnificent display. Truly, today is the day I call victory!" King Gangrel declared.

"No, no, no!" Robin cried out in frustration.

"We've… we've lost…" Chrom said.

"No! Don't you dare give up. Don't. You. Dare. Give. Up! IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER!" I cried out. I saw Lissa's horrified face, looking at the mass of Risen archers standing by the exalt, their bows pointed toward her. How could it turn into this? We've come so far, only to be stopped last second by some terrible twist of fate?

"Ha ha, I believe this is what they call a reversal of fortunes! Atone for the sins of your murderous family! Now, grovel before me! Plead! Beg! Beseech me on bended knee to spare your worthless, poisonous, venomous lives! Give me the pleasure of seeing the last glimmer of hope in your eyes turn to despair," King Gangrel declared gleefully.

"I'd sooner give up my life than beg you for it," Chrom replied.

"Oh, what a good, strong line! Worthy of your murderous father. How many innocents did he slaughter, as people begged for their lives? I shall inscribe your final words well in my head as a fitting epitaph for your tombstone. But, it's not just your life in the balance. The exalt stands on the block and I have dozens of bows trained upon her. All it would take is one word from me, and… well, you know what happens," he said in a mad cackle.

"Emm! Hold on! I'm com—"

"Archers! If this Ylissean pup so much as takes a step, let fly every single one of your arrows!"

"Ngh, I'll kill you!" Chrom grunted in frustration.

"Go ahead and try, boy! Just know you were responsible for Big Sister's bloody demise! What about the rest of you? Any of you want to spare this heathen of a prince from the guilt of killing his sister? Anyone else want that honor? I might even make you an honorary Plegian citizen if you want! Ha ha ha," he said with a laugh. He looked around to see nobody moving. "No one? Bah! Your merry band isn't quite so headstrong anymore now, is it? Pathetic!"

"Damn it…" Robin muttered. We were all at his mercy.

"Now, now my boy. No one needs to die today. Not you. Not your exalt. Not your friends. Just lay down your sword and hand me the Fire Emblem."

"I…" Chrom began.

"Chrom, no, you can't trust him!" Robin cried out.

"Of course I can't trust him! I'm not an idiot! But if I say no, he'll kill her! The gods are cruel beyond belief. My duty or my sister… a problem with no answer, and yet I must choose," Chrom said.

"No, wait!" the exalt cried out.

"Silence!" King Gangrel cried out angrily at her. I looked around and saw the Plegian soldiers begin to creep closer to us. This wasn't good… not in the slightest. I even saw quite a few of the Grimleal were here, wandering around. Wait, why were they here? Did the exalt's death have something to do with that thing they worshipped, or were they merely another group that followed the king without question?

"King Gangrel, is there no hope you will listen to reason?" she asked.

"You mean, listen to more of your sanctimonious babble? I think not! No, all I want to hear is the THUNK of arrows piercing you and the SPLAT when you hit the ground! Take one last look from your perch. You do so enjoy looking down on people, after all. Then… prepare to meet the ground and your maker! That is, unless someone will give me the Emblem. Now!"

There was silence as I saw King Gangrel staring directly at Chrom, expecting him to finally cave into the demands.

"How can I trust you would truly let us go if we handed it over?" Chrom asked.

"Trust? Trust?! You talk of not trusting me?! You should be thanking me on bended knee that I'm giving you any kind of opportunity to a bunch of terroristic murderers like your family!" King Gangrel yelled angrily.

"All right! All right… Emm, I know you won't approve, but this is my final decision. Maybe someday we would face a crisis where maybe the Fire Emblem would've helped, but I know for a fact that Ylisse needs you today! The people need their exalt, and we need our sister! If those dark days should come, we'll face them together!" Chrom cried out.

"Chrom... th-thank you. I know now what I must do..." she replied, faintly as it may have been. "Plegians! I ask that you hear the truth of my words! War will win you nothing but sadness and pain, both inside your borders and out. Free yourselves from this hatred! Free yourselves from this cycle of pain and vengeance. Do what you must... as I will do. See now that one selfless act has the power to change the world!"

I saw her walk toward the edge of the cliff and knew immediately what she was planning on doing. At that moment all hell broke loose. Chrom began fighting to push forward, but the Plegian soldiers were all swarming toward us. They were going to take the Fire Emblem from us by force. Whether we were alive or dead were no longer their concern. I had to keep Chrom alive at all costs. I cannot have them both die today. I cannot… I cannot…

"Frederick!" I cried out as I grabbed Chrom by the shoulder, just as he was about to unsheathe Falchion.

"Understood," Frederick replied. The both of us, as well as Vaike, grabbed Chrom and began pulling him away. He didn't need to see this. He didn't need to see this at all.

Gods, why… why did we fail? Why the hell did we fail?!

"Virion! Robin! Lissa, now!" I said firmly. The two nodded and grabbed Lissa, who was staring at her sister standing on the ledge with a terrified face. I could hear her shriek in terror and desperation as the two of them picked her up and began running her away from the incoming Plegian forces.

"Let go! Let me go!" Chrom cried out in frantic desperation, fighting us with all of his might.

"Kellam!" I said firmly, hoping he was nearby.

"Understood," he replied. He stepped in front of us and put up his shield as we heard a few arrows bounce off his defenses.

"Let me go! LET ME GO!" Chrom kept yelling as the three of us struggled in pulling him away with all our might.

"Mages, cover!" Robin called out as we began to retreat as fast as we could, carrying the royal siblings away from what would possibly be something that would be ingrained in their memories for the rest of their lives.

"No! Noooo!" I heard Lissa scream. I had my back turned, but I knew immediately what had happened. The exalt, in all her glory, took the fall so none of us would have to. She knew what had to be done.

Damn it. Damn it all!

"Bwa ha ha ha, how disgustingly noble! Well now! So lovely a fall! Here, I thought death to be a terrible thing, but I have never seen someone fall so gracefully! So ends Emmeryn, Ylisse's most exalted! But how can we ensure everyone remembers this sacrifice? Perhaps we should gather up her body and put it on display! Plegians! Grab the other two so we can display the siblings together! I am a benevolent and kind king. I would never want to separate family!"

We all heard Gangrel speaking at the top of his voice, trying to provoke Chrom. I was struggling against Chrom's insane strength. Even Frederick and Vaike were struggling trying to keep Chrom from rushing back in like a madman.

We… we lost. We lost! We lost, damn it! Oh gods… oh gods… now what?

I felt a cracking on my nose and recoiled in pain. Chrom, in his flailing accidentally elbowed me in the face. I stumbled backward dazed, grabbing my nose and tried to stem the bleeding. Chrom broke away from Frederick and Vaike and started to rush forward with his sword.

"Gangrel! You. Die. Today!" Chrom yelled. It was a savage, primal yell, full of hatred and determination. I hesitated for a second. Chrom…

I saw both of the Feroxi khans run over as fast as they could.

"No, boy, I've secured an escape route! We have to flee," Khan Basilio said.

"But… her body… I have to…" Chrom stuttered out. We didn't manage to see her land, but… that was a sight I don't think Chrom would want to see.

"The only thing you have to do is RUN! We'll cover your retreat!" Khan Flavia said. "Soldiers! Advance!"

"Oh, what, the Feroxi cubs come out to play? What's this? You choose to side with the murderous exalt? Should have expected it coming from the primitive apes you are! Bwa ha ha!" Gangrel cackled.

"Chrom, NOW!" Khan Basilio said. Chrom nodded and, in a brief moment of mental clarity, began to rush away with the rest of us. As we retreated, we saw the Feroxi force push forward, covering our escape even further. We managed to make it to the limits of the city and fled past its borders. I turned to see Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia running with us.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"Our troops can handle themselves and lead themselves. Right now, Prince Chrom is our priority," Khan Flavia replied.

"Hurry! We have to flee through that ravine up ahead. We have to make sure we don't get caught by the Plegian guard," Khan Basilio urgently explained.

"Rrgh, I'm… I'm coming," Chrom said in a frustrated manner. I cannot… I cannot even begin to imagine what was running through his mind right now. Later on, when we're safe and the events of today truly sink in…

Chrom… I'm… I'm sorry.

We made it to the entrance of the ravine as Basilio waved us in.

"Quickly, we're almost there!" Basilio said as he urged us in. We saw a pink haired girl wave us over.

"Khan Basilio!" she cried out.

"Olivia! I'm sorry we kept you waiting," he replied.

"When I didn't hear from you, I… I assumed the worst," she said as she started waving us over to a convoy of wagons.

"Chrom? Robin? This is Olivia. She'll be smuggling us out of here," he explained quickly.

"Only if you hurry! Doubtless the might Mad King's men are on their way if things went according to the backup plan," Olivia said.

"Backup plan?" I asked.

"… we prepared a contingency plan should things not work in the way Robin had planned," Khan Basilio said. "We knew the implications of what a plan would entail, but… we had to be ready in case of that eventuality."

"Hurry!" Olivia said.

"Right. Pile in, you lot! Let us bid farewell to this Plegian hellhole," Khan Basilio said.

"Ready? Hold on tight!" Olivia said as she started the wagons on their journey out of the land.

We rode the rest of the day out through the ravine and through the Plegian countryside until it was dark and time to relax for the night. Being as it wasn't our usual convoy, we didn't have tents or anything. We just had the ground to sleep on. I… oddly enough… felt oddly comfortable with these arrangements. As we sat there in our makeshift encampment, I saw Chrom finally break down.

For all the times he stood strong, trying to lead us with a smile of determination and grit, it was truly heartbreaking to see him break down like this. Lissa as well was clung tightly to her brother and the two of them were finding solace with each other. Each and every single one of us looked at each other, unsure what to do. Should we console them? Should we… stay back? It was their sister, after all… that was something none of us could… ever… understand.

It wasn't like we weren't affected either. I could see Frederick sitting near the two siblings, looking uncharacteristically moody and distraught. Robin was sitting there with a knife in his hand, whittling away at a stick he found, just to give himself something to do and keep his mind busy. Gaius was absentmindedly chewing on a piece of candy, staring into the fire before us with an uncharacteristically sad expression. We all were taking it hard…

Even I was affected by it. I may be calm right now, but I could feel a deep emptiness inside. I never got to knew the exalt, nor did I live in Ylisse long enough to enjoy the peace she offered, but… she was important to everyone, and the few times we interacted, she was nothing but the nicest person ever. We defended her that night in the throne room. We worked to keep her safe… and for what?

I… can't believe she's gone. I can't believe that heartless bastard had nothing but loathing for such a sweet spirit! She did nothing wrong! She did everything in power to do right by as many as she could! Everyone could see that!

She did absolutely nothing wrong… and all he wanted was for her death.

"All of that… for nothing," Robin finally said.

"I should have died before allowing the exalt to be captured like that," Frederick said.

"So, what now oaf?" Khan Flavia said to Khan Basilio.

"Don't look at me. I'm not the one in charge."

"Ugh, I picked a fine time to regain the full throne…"

I saw Robin look at Chrom with a look of sadness and pity on his face. The amount of guilt he must be feeling right now was something I could not even begin to imagine. That was his plan. That was our best shot for rescuing the exalt, and some stupid Risen had to show up last second to ruin what was an otherwise perfect plan! It wasn't right. He shouldn't be hard on himself for it, but I know he was. Who could have predicted the fact Aversa could summon Risen to the battlefield? We all are being hard on ourselves. We all had that one thought in our mind… each and every one of us had one singular thought.

What could I have done differently?

"Chrom, I'm… I'm so sorry. My plan just wasn't enough," Robin said.

"Stop, Robin. You did your best. You have my thanks… but now it's my own failures that haunt me now. Gods, I was just so powerless!" Chrom vehemently said before slamming his fist on the tree trunk he was sitting on. Chrom…

"It's not your fault either, Chrom," I said to him quietly.

"She did it for me, Raven, so I wouldn't have to live with the guilt of either choice. She chose for me. She sacrificed herself rather than give up what could one day save our people…" Chrom mused.

"Chrom, listen to me. Look at me. I was powerless once, too, remember? And yes, alone. I don't think either one of us is half of the person your sister was, but together? Together, maybe we can be something more. If you fall, I'll be there to pull you back up! When you fight for your sister's ideals, I'll be by your side. You don't have to become her, you know. You can still be true to yourself. You just have to give people hope in whatever way you can. You can inspire people to be better than who they were before," Robin said.

"What if I can't? What if I'm not worthy of her ideals? What if I drag you down with me?" Chrom asked.

"If you aren't worthy, you'll keep at it until you are. And if we both fall… well, that's what friends are for, isn't it?"

"That's right! I wouldn't even be here if not for you," Nowi chimed in.

"You gave me your trust in that last battle, and now you have mine… for the time being," Tharja added.

"If you were unworthy, I would have left a long time ago," Lon'qu said. Khan Basilio nodded to that.

"It took a splendidly magnificent amount of charisma and bold, unfettered courage to unite each and every single one of us unique individuals! I knew I possessed such talents, but clearly you do as well," Virion said.

"We all look up to you, Chrom. You're like a hero to us!" Ricken said.

"Th-thank you, everyone. Your words mean more than you could know. My Shepherds… my warriors… there is work to be done. Gangrel must be stopped so that peace can once again reign in Ylisse. Will you help me?" Chrom asked.

"Gladly would I fight for House Ylisse! Gladly would I die for House Ylisse if needed," Stahl said.

"Gladly would I fight and KILL those dastards for House Ylisse!" Sully exclaimed proudly.

"Our hearts echo yours, sire," a blonde lady said. Who is she? Did we pick up another cleric? I saw Lissa step forward and grab Chrom's hand.

"Your majestyfulness! I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe you to be an amazin' person! I'm fixin' to try to be half the man you are. That right there would be enough to be better'n a lotta people in this land! Yer one of a kind!" Donnel exclaimed with a smile.

"You can count me in! I'm tired of crying all the time. It's… it's time to give them a taste of their own vulnerary!" Lissa said in fierce resolution. I smiled slightly… this was not the time for pity and sadness. This was a time for action. We had to finish the job we started before we mourned our losses.

"Hear hear, darling! Our people have suffered far enough!" Maribelle chimed in. I saw Sumia and Cordelia step forward and bow to Chrom.

"I will be the unbreakable shield by your side," Sumia said.

"… and I will be the undefeated lance you wield," Cordelia added.

"Sumia… Cordelia… thank you," Chrom said with a smile. Oh, Sumia…

"I'm with you, too! You know. Just in case… anyone… hello?" I heard a voice behind me. I jumped in shock and saw Kellam standing behind me.

"Stop. Doing. That," I said to him.

"Doing what?" he asked. I sighed and shrugged.

"Nevermind," I said.

"Your sister earned my respect. The last of the taguel shall proudly champion her," Panne said.

"How much you pay Gregor?" Gregor asked. We all looked at him. "Ha ha… wait, Gregor make joke! Why you look at Gregor like that? Gregor invigorated by all your passion! You all fight with dignity and honor. Gregor truly impressed and wants to help."

"The family of the Chosen Ones would smile fondly on the amazingly breathtaking accomplishments you have so far, Chrom. This Chosen One will fight by your side and, by the stars and moons, lend you the vastness of might at her disposal!" Sophia said with confidence.

"Growing up in the slums of Ylisstol, we didn't have much hope. We appreciated what little we had, because there wasn't much to pass around. Yet, the exalt treated us as well as she treated anyone else. She respected us and cared for us… and I ain't about to let some Plegian ruin her sweet, sweet memory," Gaius said.

"You have grown strong, milord. I may have set a poor example as a knight, but I swear to you… I shall die before any more exalted blood is spilled," Frederick said with a bow. It got quiet for a second and I looked around. Did everyone have their say?

"… when I first woke up, I was frightened. I had no name. I had no identity. Chrom took time to help give me both. However, he gave me more than that. He gave me a reason to hope. He gave me a reason to fight. He gave me a place to call home. I am here because of him and I will serve him until my last breath," Elise said firmly.

"Uh… Elise just basically took what I said and said it better," I said quietly. "But… Chrom, you've been a hero, a friend, a leader, and a supporter to each and every one of us here. I am proud to have met you and, years down the road, I want you to look back at meeting with the… Bird Gang. I want you to look at that moment where you stood by to protect us as we came to consciousness… and think that was one of the best decisions you could've made."

"Hah! Teach is here and class is in session. Time we taught 'em Plegian bandits the Ylissean version of Feroxi diplomacy!" Vaike declared.

"Hear, hear!" both of the khans said vigorously.

"Thank you all. Truly. You honor me with your fealty. I will not falter again! We shall answer this outrage! The Mad King must be stopped!" Chrom declared.

"Right! It's about time for ol' Gangrel to atone for his sins against Ylisse and Regna Ferox. The whole of the Feroxi army is yours to send crashing against him," Flavia said.

"Har, you young folk! Your passions run so hot! If I had any gray hairs, you would have singed them right off! In other words, count me in!" Khan Basilio said.

"I'd like to go, too, if I may. The exalt did me a kindness once," Olivia said.

"Y-yes, sire. It would honor me to have a part in giving her justice! Although, all I can do is dance… and I'm not so skilled at that, if we're being honest…"

"Har har, she's too modest! Olivia is a Feroxi treasure. You won't meet a finer dancer in all of the realms! Her moves inspire soldiers to work twice as hard! You'd do well to bring her along, Commander!" Khan Basilio said.

"'Commander'? What happened to 'boy'?" Chrom asked.

"You've earned your way up from that name, I think. Now, where were we? Oh yes! I was just about to start cracking skulls. Flavia will lead me and the other Feroxi in a head-on assault."

"That's the best strategy. Frontal assault and death by frontal assault," Khan Flavia remarked.

"Such a strategy should buy you enough time to take down Gangrel. Hear that, boy? You get the fun part!"

"I thought you weren't going to call me—"

"You and Robin have my every confidence. You're a born leader and he has a knack for guiding troops to victory. You both have some growing to do yet, but I can already see you'll grow tall," Khan Basilio said.

"Thanks, Basilio," Chrom said.

"All right, enough talk. It's time to raise some hell! Let's get to it, then! Gangrel may try to hit us while we're licking our wounds."

"Let him try. This time I'm ready to dethrone the Mad King, once and for all," Chrom declared. As the camp's spirits raised more and more with the desire to avenge the exalt, I slunk away from camp. All this gung ho morale boosting might be great for the regular troops, but I seem to find such a thing exhausting. It took me a little longer than normal but, as per tradition, I managed to find something resembling a rock outside of camp. I sat down on it and stared at the sky as the stars began to twinkle.

Exalt Emmeryn… if there is an afterlife and if you are up there looking down upon us, please… please… I beg of you… look after Chrom and look after Lissa. There's only so much the Shepherds can do for those two. You were their shining beacon and an inspiration for who they wanted to become.

I immediately went on high alert as I felt a presence nearby. I turned toward what I thought was a sound behind me. Before I could process what I saw, I got punched hard in the face and knocked to the ground. I saw a flash of light, before what felt like black static dancing over my vision. Oh my head… ow… everything was blurry. My cheek was throbbing, but thankfully my jaw wasn't broken. Before I could react, I felt myself being grabbed by my cloak and lifted into the air. I started grabbing at the arm of my assailant, trying to keep the pressure off my neck and keep myself from choking. I took a deep breath, my vision still woozy from being punched so hard.

Who the hell has such monstrous strength as to lift me up with one arm and punch me that hard? My vision started to focus, but it was nighttime and the sky was overcast.

"You knew!" I heard a female voice said with unbridled fury.

"What?" I said in a daze.

"You. Knew. You knew what would happen," she said again.

"What do you mean?" I asked frantically. I felt myself being thrown aside like a piece of trash. I collided with the ground, and a sharp pain shot through my body as all the air was knocked out of my lungs.

"You knew what could have prevented the future from turning into what I told you. Two simple conditions I gave you! Keep the exalt alive and protect Chrom! You couldn't do the first and you nearly failed in the second! I trusted you, Sir Raven. You made me believe I could trust you!"

Oh gods, it's Marth…

"I—"

"There is nothing you can say that will make this right," she said. I heard her walking toward me in purposeful strides.

"Then hit me. Hit me again," I said as I got up and faced her in what I hoped was defiance. "You want to be angry with me? Fine! Be angry with me! Hate me. Revile me. I failed you. My best wasn't good enough! Is that what you wanted to hear? You honestly believe I didn't think about what you told me as she fell to her death?"

My answer was another punch to the face. I stumbled backward and fell to the ground, disoriented beyond belief. I couldn't even focus my eyes as the world spun around.

"I will not let that future come to pass! I cannot let it come to pass. You have no idea the horror that awaits you if you foolishly and irresponsibly let those fates come to pass!" she said angrily. "If Chrom gets injured or dies, you will be responsible for the fall of humanity and the death of millions of innocents. Do you not care about the fate of the world, or are you selfishly thinking more of yourself than those around you?"

I just lay there, curled up, and for the first time, I felt myself break down. I couldn't hold it in anymore. There was nobody around but her. I couldn't keep my guard up anymore. I just lay there, trembling and crying. We all failed the exalt. Half of us watched her plunge to her death. We all tried talking her out of giving herself up in the first place, but she would not listen to us. We should have tried harder.

I should have tried harder. I knew what would come to pass if she died.

I heard Marth walk over before kneeling by me. If she wanted to keep hitting me and vent her frustration, get it over and done with. We have healers, after all…

"… Sir Raven?" she asked in a confused tone.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"… are you okay?"

"What kind of dumb question is that? You just punched me in the face twice. What do you think?" I asked in a frustrated tone.

"You… I've never seen you break like this before," she said in a surprised tone.

"Just who do you think I am? I'm not that person, Marth! I'm not some villainous, fearsome general that you knew! Stop judging me by that person! I'm not him. Who am I? Just some stupid kid thinking he could play hero. Some stupid kid with some stupid lance who stupidly thought he could play hero. Well, the joke is on everyone. I'm no hero. I'm just some stupid amnesiac with delusions of grandeur, complete with a stupid looking battle outfit," I said in frustration. "I'm a nobody, Marth. I don't know who you think I am, but I'm no warrior. I'm no general. I'm not a sir. I'm just Raven… I'm just this damn nobody who KNEW what could have happened and barely did anything to prevent it. You're right. I'm a terrible person…"

"… ugh, I can't even stay mad at this sniveling, pathetic excuse laying on the ground in front of me," she said. "I'm joining the fight tomorrow. If I can't trust you to protect Chrom, I'll do it myself."

"… thank you, Marth. I know you don't care, but thank you. I'm… I'm tired of this. Every time I keep trying, I keep getting set back further and further," I said quietly. I heard her stand up.

"Get up," she said in a demanding tone.

"What?" I asked.

"Get up. Get on your feet," she said firmly. I slowly stood up, holding my head as it was still vibrating.

"Now what?" I asked. She put the back of her hand on my face and I recoiled slightly from the pain.

"You really do look terrible," she commented.

"No thanks to you," I shot back. She glared at me.

"Well, at least your attitude's back. Let me tell you something that you told me in the future. Life isn't about how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can keep getting hit and getting back up. That's what you kept telling me as you kept knocking me down with that practice lance. No matter how many bruises I had, no matter how many cuts and scrapes I suffered, what mattered was that I would never give up. That's what you instilled in me. I see it in you, too. What did you do after the first time I knocked you down?" she asked.

"I got back up and faced you," I replied.

"Keep doing that. Keep doing that until you physically cannot. You want to be that person that could have prevented a tragedy? Stop saying you tried and start saying you did. Never give up, Raven," she said.

"… what did you call me?" I asked, surprised.

"… you're right. You're not the same person I knew before. The fearsome general I knew would never have shed tears for his fallen allies or shown that kind of emotional or physical weakness in front of anyone else. Seeing that part of you and knowing it exists only helps me to understand more about his fall into madness. Seeing you… be human… is a stark contrast to what I've known you to be," she said.

"I doubt the future me was as emotionless as you thought. He just probably did it behind closed doors in an attempt to keep an image of being an unbreakable pillar of strength and dependability," I replied.

"Perhaps…" she said. "Still, I am here to protect Chrom and the Shepherds. It would prevent the future I escaped from happening. Yet… a part of me still wants to protect them for your sake. Perhaps I can save one more person in my efforts."

"I, um… thank you? Wait… you cannot go back?" I asked.

"Even if I could, do you think I would really want to return to a future where all that awaits is death and destruction and a horde of slain humans all around me? Do you think I relish the thought of going to a place where people I once thought comrades lay with lifeless eyes and faces etched of horror betraying how they felt in their last moments? Humanity is dead. There is nothing to live for in that future," she said bitterly.

"Marth, I…"

What could I possibly say to that. She suddenly smiled slightly at me, confusing me a bit.

"May I admit something?" she asked.

"Go… ahead?" I said tentatively.

"I know you are not the same person, but… after years of the training your future self put me through, it felt… like a release when I hit you like that. It was like all those years of your frightening training came to mind and I wanted nothing more than to get back at you for it," she said. "When you offered yourself for the second hit, I took every ounce of anger and resentment I had for you bottled up for all these years and just put it in that one blow. I know that seems immature, but…"

"Ha, well, you sure spared nothing in that punch," I said, not sure whether to smile or frown. "I think you're a little crazy."

"I would question the person who was not at least a little crazy after seeing all I have seen," she merely replied.

"Hm… true," I replied. "Marth, can I ask you a question?"

"Perhaps," she replied.

"How do you even view me now? Honestly, I don't even know how to think of you. First you deck me, then you say you're going to try to protect my friends and save my sanity. You always seem repulsed by me, but you also seem to care. You revile the thought that I let Chrom die in the future, but at the same time you seem to understand it was necessary. How am I to even begin to interpret that?" I asked. She frowned at me.

"You act as if I have an answer for that," she replied. "It is not easy to separate personal feelings from duty."

"Do you hate me?" I asked bluntly.

"A part of me always will," she merely replied. Well, at least she's honest.

"… fair enough. Then at least I know where we stand," I said.

"Why do you even ask?" she asked. "Why do you even care?"

"I am the only person here that knows your secret, Marth. I know returning to your future is something you aren't fond of, but what are you going to do with the rest of your life? Call me crazy for being a slight bit concerned for the woman who partially hates me and enjoyed punching me in the face, but a part of me worries for the hero who risked so much to come back in time to prevent us from suffering the same fate you grew up in."

"… and now you understand why answering your previous line of questions was not so simple. Things are not so clear cut, Raven," she said simply. "A part of me will always hate you for how you raised me, but a part of me will also be thankful for how it prepared me for life. Without that training, I would have died a hundred times over. Yet, even further, a part of me sees you as you are now and wishes to spare you the anguish and pain of what turned you into that monstrous person, but a part of me also realizes that by sparing you, it could have unforeseen consequences on the future."

"Oi, Marth, stop, you gave me one hell of a headache punching me twice. I don't need another," I said with a frown.

"Then perhaps we should return to camp," she replied. "Tomorrow is a huge battle, and you need to be ready for it."

"Correction, Marth. WE need to be ready for it," I replied. "I don't care how confident you are in yourself and your abilities, you are only as good as the treatment you give your body."

"… now that's the Sir Raven I knew," she said.

"I thought you weren't going to call me that," I said.

"There are moments where you do remind me of him."

"Hm… fair enough," I said. The two of us started walking back to camp in silence, both of us probably thinking the same thought.

This was going to be the biggest battle we have ever seen tomorrow. Can we ensure success and ensure Chrom's safety? Only time can tell.