The plan for our assault on the castle was pretty simple. We needed as many able bodies as we could get to fight Grima, and that meant keeping as many of us alive as was physically possible, what with all the Risen infesting the place. We gathered at the frontmost barricade, ready to begin our charge into the enemy line once more.
As for me, my mind was preoccupied while we waited patiently for the assault to begin. This was it. The final battle. It wasn't until that moment that it truly hit me, I supposed. Once the day was over, it would all be over. Grima would be gone. The Risen would likely be gone. The Deadlords would be gone. It would all, finally be over. I could do the only thing I really wanted to since before the Valmese War started: marry Cordelia. I could see it, then, carrying her down the aisle in a bridal carry, both of us laughing and smiling as if nothing else in the world mattered except us, with the bright and brilliant sun bathing us in its light. A far cry from the world we were in.
The call finally came in. A horn blowing into the sky and alerting everyone and everything within a couple miles' radius. I looked up, feeling the old dread settle in my stomach then. The time for bright cathedrals and laughter would be later. Right then, I unsheathed Sol as I moved forward, my armor clanking with every step. How I longed for the day I wouldn't have to wear it at every opportunity!
We have work to do.
There were no words that needed to be spoken. No speeches that needed to be made. There was no point; we were all committed. Every last man and woman would do their part to ensure Grima died on that day. And if we died, we'd be dying for a greater cause than any one man could claim to have: the protection of a future that had yet to come to pass. For a world that had already ended. For our children, and our children's children.
The Shepherds gathered at the front, of course, with all of our troops at our side. Chrom stood at the very head. His silver armor mirrored the ruins around us, with the Exalted Falchion fiercely glowing in one hand, ready to skewer the Fell Dragon with a single stroke, and with the completed Fire Emblem in the other, ready to protect against the most of blows. With a single devastating motion, he pointed Falchion forward.
"Charge!"
If there was to be anyone I'd follow into hell itself, I was glad it was him. I'd do the same for Robin or Cordelia, but even I had to admit that there was something about Chrom. Maybe that was just what happened when you were born into a holy bloodline, sworn to protect the world from the very evil we were about to face.
I stood by Robin as the Pegasus Knights flew into the air, Cordelia and Sumia leading them. Robin kept his sword, Fulmen, close by. It may not have had Sable within it anymore, but it was still an absurdly powerful levin sword, and so he kept the Risen that attempted to approach us at bay. And by Naga, were there many.
They crawled out of the very stone itself, it felt like. Not just the bog-standard Risen, but the Entombed; disgusting, slimy monstrosities that seemed to threaten to fall apart at the slightest touch. It looked as if whatever Grima had left, he was throwing at us.
Any Risen that attempted to get to Robin, gooey or otherwise, met a swift end at the edge of my sword. It felt as if Sol itself was excited to shed so much black blood on a single day. It cut through rotten flesh and diseased bone as if they were paper.
Risen were turned into blackened husks with but a flick of Fulmen. Chrom swung Falchion with such force that I was surprised I wasn't feeling it from where I was. Multiple purple monsters fell with a single stroke of the ancient blade. Chrom and I lacked finesse. That much was obvious, but we more than made up for it with sheer strength. And on his end, blessed strength as well. The other Shepherds made their presence known as we continued to push through the ruined streets, straight towards the castle. Vaike's axe cleaved through a Risen neck, sending the disintegrating head flying while he pushed over the body, laughing all the while. Ragnell cut through swaths of Risen as Priam himself held a truly bloodthirsty smile, almost as if he wanted more Risen to charge him.
The children who were able weren't slouches either. Kjelle's axe struck as true as her father's, and Lucina's Falchion, while not glowing with holy fire, made short work of any Risen that attempted to take her down.
A disturbing thought slithered into my mind. A dark, traitorous one. This was too easy. Way too easy. Something was wrong. Something was horribly, horribly wrong.
Frederick was there, his silver lance held high. What he did not notice was the thing swooping through the air. My eyes widened as I shouted to him.
"Frederick! Look out!"
He turned to me for a moment before looking up. Even then, he didn't have time to move.
A roar, an ungodly roar screeched out of the flying monster's gaping maw as purple flames billowed out, engulfing Frederick in flames within an instant and anyone who stood near him. I screamed, running forward only to be pushed back by the horrible flames that scorched the very earth itself. The abomination flew back upwards, letting out another terrifying cry as we became disorganized.
"Frederick!" I shouted, nearly hysteric. There was nothing left. Not even a single piece of charred armor. He'd been completely destroyed. Another blow. Another loss. First Phila, then Nah, then Frederick. Who would be next, I wondered? Who would fall to the ground bleeding in the sunless soil?
"Take cover! Now!" Chrom ordered as the Fell Beast swooped in for another attack. Vicious fire burned our troops to nothing but ash, not even charcoal was left of those hit with it, it was so hot. I felt the heat wash across my face as I hid behind a building, right next to Robin.
"God fucking damnit!" I snarled, trying to keep my head on straight. "What the fuck, Robin!? Where the fuck-?"
I looked at him, his face pale as a sheet. He uttered a single word. An all too familiar name. "Nowi."
My eyes widened as I looked to the dragon soaring through the sky, like a bird upon the wind. I recognized those feathered wings, the shape of the head. Robin was right; it was Nowi. What was left of her, at least. Like the Leviathan, she'd been turned into Grima's puppet.
"…Well, shit," I let out a breath. "Any ideas on how to get past her? I- Fuck, Cordy!" I looked up again, trying to spot her in the increasingly crowded sky. There was no sign of her, and I shook my head. "Robin, this isn't good. I saw Frederick get flamed, Robin. I saw him die right before my eyes. I can't- What the fuck do we do?"
The answer didn't come from Robin. He was looking around wildly, yes, but I didn't know for who until I heard a different roar echo through the sky. A savage one, yet all too familiar. I sent my gaze to the sky again to see Tiki in the air again, her wings beating against the wind as she met Nowi midair. A shockwave unlike anything I'd ever felt shook me to my very core as I was nearly blown off my feet. Instead, I slammed against the wall next to Robin. Rubbing the back of my head as I pulled myself up, I saw Robin expose himself to the open, charred street again. Other Shepherds saw the spectacle happening in the sky, and followed suit.
"Hurry!" Robin shouted, pointing forward with Fulmen. "Move! Now!"
Galvanized once more, we pushed forward with renewed vigor. Frederick's face was still scorched within my mind, the same with Nah and Phila, but I had no time to think. I could only act. There would be time to mourn later, or not at all. Every Risen within my path, I either effortlessly slew or fought with till the bitter end. The entire way through that street was a slog, like trying to walk through mud waist deep.
Castle Ylisse was within sight. The tattered spires of stone and broken walls stood like the great ruins of Altea to the northwest. In a moment, I was there again, fighting against Plegian after Plegian. Cutting down young men and women as if they were nothing but grass. I had a right hand, then. I wondered whether I would lose my left in this new battle.
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came.
Something was coming. Or someone. As we breached the courtyard, pushing past the Risen, I could feel him, approaching. The nightmare lurking in the shadows was coming to face the light. Whether we were truly ready for him or not didn't matter. His power spread across the courtyard as if dimming the little light available. As Nowi and Tiki battled in the sky, and the Pegasus Knights doing everything in their power to simply stay alive, we finally were able to meet the monster face to face.
A gust of fire illuminated his ruined face as he stepped out from the great doors into the castle. He looked like an ordinary man, just like Robin. His marred face was marked, the Brand of the Defile etched into his flesh. He smiled, baring fangs that should not have belonged to anyone. He raised his hand and the Risen stopped their assault. Nowi and Tiki continued their fight in the sky, tooth and claw tearing into the other as fire brought light to the dark world. The Shepherds gathered, opposing the man who had so easily claimed our city.
"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come, my friends," The monster wearing Robin's skin said, holding his arms out. "Welcome! Luckily for you, I came prepared to entertain you personally. This is my kingdom now, after all, and it would not do to leave you all bored."
"I have nothing to say to you," Chrom stated, Falchion pointed at the Fell Dragon. "Your time is at an end, Grima!"
"Hmhm, such heroic nonsense," Grima chuckled, placing a hand against his chest. "Do you not have enough patience for even a small chat? I thought you would enjoy the opportunity, truly, especially my vessel which you so greedily guard. I would not show myself were I to think you were unworthy. In fact, I do respect you. To have come this far is commendable! That is why you all will be mine. Your souls and bodies will make excellent servants, indeed."
"Never!" Robin shouted suddenly. I turned to him briefly, feeling my heart thumping in my chest as Grima's red eyes washed over all of us. It was like standing right in the center of Khadein again, for me. Feeling the darkness depress me, hold me down before striking me down. I won, then. The Pontifex was destroyed. But standing before Grima was the only time where I felt we were truly doomed. That there was no hope. Not even Tiki fighting furiously in the sky to keep the enslaved Nowi off our asses was enough to keep my spirits up. I wasn't sure how everyone else was doing; my eyes were focused on Grima as he looked to Robin curiously. "I do not care what you say. No matter what tricks you have, or what powers you possess, you will be destroyed today. I will make sure of it if I must!"
"Will you now?" Grima asked. "You all are at my mercy, you know. There is no escape. I will drown you in a sea of bodies, and you will join them. The only difference is how. Would you be so selfish as to damn your friends, all to keep me at bay? Perhaps the japes were true; you are heartless. Selfish. But that is no matter. You wish to challenge me, even now? After I spent all this time making myself presentable? So be it. Then let this be the end of days, the end of all days! You will be remade to serve. And there, at the end, you will see that I was right!"
The Risen that surrounded the Fell Dragon moaned as their eyes blazed with an incredible fire. Like spotlights in the mist, they seemingly grew far beyond whatever limits had been placed upon them. They were left unshackled, and all we could do was brace ourselves. Grima unsheathed a blade, then, not unlike the one Robin held. A gemstone glimmered darkly in its guard, almost exactly the same as Sable which rested in the Fire Emblem.
A Parallel Fulmen.
I knew I would swiftly meet my end if I took on Grima along with the Chrom, Lucina, and Robin. They charged as one towards the Fell Dragon, their blades raised and poised to strike him down. While that was happening, though, we had Risen to deal with. An ungodly amount of them, and they were terrifying to behold. They slinked from the dark, an army of the undead, stronger than before. One of them clashed with me, and I was barely able to muster up the strength to hold it off. It snarled at me, baring its rotting teeth as its burning eyes gazed into my own. I grit my teeth and shoved it off me, only for it to regain its footing within moments and slam its axe into Sol's blade, trying to break my defenses.
I pushed forward, relying on Sol to keep my stamina up as I broke the Risen's own guard and stabbed it through the chest. It wasn't dead. Its head turned to me as the bones in its neck broke with the force. It caught me in the side, breaking through the relatively sparse protection and causing me to growl. I gutted the poor purple bastard before he could get another lucky hit in, but I was still blatantly wounded, even with the magic of Sol doing its best to keep me up and about.
The world was chaos. Pure and utter chaos. The Risen were an ocean of purple as dashes of lightning and blue holy fire clashed in unison. Fire breath stretched across the sky, narrowly avoiding the Pegasus Knights who fought against Grima's own air force. If I squinted, I swore I could see a shock of crimson through the storm. That eased my heart a bit. I know Cordelia could hold her own. I never had any doubt, but something in me would always be worried when we were both in battle.
The Shepherds fought with the Risen with a ferocity I'd never seen. We were fighting for our very lives, then, not for the world. And it was clear to me that it was a battle we'd eventually lose. Each Risen was worth a dozen soldiers in combat, and it took multiple wounds before any of them went down. I fought alongside them, my dwindling strength finally catching up with me. Exhaustion settled in my bones as my slashes and stabs grew weaker. I still fought on, though. I had to. There was too much at stake, too much to lose. Every time my limbs threatened to falter, I remember Cordelia fighting above. I remembered Severa, at our back, still recovering from her imprisonment. I remembered my child, across the sea, waiting for us to pick her up again. In the face of such memories, I could only push on.
Tiki and Nowi continued to tear each other apart in the sky. Dragon scales were strewn and scattered across the ground as tooth and nail tore into flesh. Entire buildings were leveled in their battle. It was a sight to behold, when I wasn't forced to endure the Risen's onslaught. Tiki was incredibly powerful, powerful enough to destroy the world, if I remembered correctly, and Nowi was giving her an absolute run for her money. Both were covered in scratches and wounds. It seemed as if they were evenly matched.
Until Grima intervened.
It was almost as if it was a show of power. Right in the middle of their fight, a bolt of lightning shot out from our position and struck Tiki in the side. So powerful it was, her scales splintered upon contact. A roar of pain echoed in my eardrums as Tiki threw her head back, trying to find the culprit, only to have Nowi take that chance to try and put her down. She bit down on Tiki's neck and threw her. Tiki landed on several buildings, completely decimating them in her path. She was up after a few moments but was left on the defensive as the wound in her side spilt blood onto the ruined buildings.
This is not going well at all.
Discounting my obvious inner voice, I was completely correct. It was a losing fight, no matter which way I looked at it. I didn't know what was going on with the fight with Grima, but we were being swarmed. I didn't know what was involved with sealing Grima away or killing him completely, but whatever they were doing, it was not that.
I felt it. When I cut down one Risen, with my muscles feeling as if molten lead had been poured into them, I fell. Not because my muscles had finally failed me, no, a Risen's axe had swung into my calf. I heard the sound of my femur snapping like a twig as the armor bent and broke.
I fell to the ground, and the Risen that injured me was poised to cave my head in with its axe. There was nobody around to help me; the other Shepherds were fighting their own battles, trying to keep themselves alive. I did not begrudge them that. I had no right. Instead, with the last amount of strength I could muster, I kicked with my good leg and sent the Risen toppling down, and its axe clashed harmlessly against the stone road. I sprung into action, grabbing the undead monster by the face and slamming its head into the ground. Over and over again, all while snarling like an animal as the ground beneath it grew blacker and blacker. With a 'crunch' the Risen's skull cracked open like an egg, and its body disintegrated into nothingness. I tried to get up, but my side and leg refused to allow it. I was crippled, broken, with very little way of keeping myself alive without help. I grunted, holding my side as I looked up.
That was the last thing I saw before I was bowled over by a wave of power. My leg crackled painfully as I was sent toppling over again, along with almost everyone else. My eyes darted back to the battle, praying that something good had finally happened.
Instead, I saw the precursor to our greatest defeat. It was a shockwave by Grima, and it sent Chrom, Lucina, and Robin falling over as well. The Fire Emblem was loosed from Chrom's arm, but he still held true to Falchion, as did Lucina. Robin, however, was completely defenseless. The other Shepherds weren't in much better state, and the Pegasus Knights above had been scattered and sent to the ground from the sheer power of the blast.
"I grow tired of these games!" Grima declared. "Strike me down or join me. There is no alternative! Yet I find your resolution to be lacking. You try and try and yet, you still fail. Look at your army! It is sundered and bleeding before my might! There is no hope, yet you still cling to them even as I choke the life out of them! This body once thought the same as you and look what happened to him! I will give you one last chance, Robin. Join with me, and they will be spared."
Robin crawled forward, the Fire Emblem within his grasp. "Liar!" He shouted. "You'll just kill them either way!"
"Well, of course," Grima replied lazily. "But at least you would have died a hero. I take it you refuse my offer, then?"
I began to get up. Even with my leg and my side badly hurt, I got up. They didn't notice me. They wouldn't for a while yet.
Robin crawled to his feet, the completed Fire Emblem in his grasp. "Of course I refuse!" He said, his voice scratchy yet strong and resolute. "I refuse to be a part of you! I refuse to let everything come crumbling down! I won't let you! I may be your vessel, but I am my own person! These are my friends, and I will not allow myself to betray them, not when we are so close! If I have to strike you down myself, and I along with you, then I will gladly do it!"
"Young fool!" Grima snarled, baring his teeth as he readied Fulmen. "Then allow yourself to be consumed! I have no time for your kind and your 'bonds'! I have heard all of this before, and it was not nearly as entertaining the second time!"
"Then come," Robin growled, Fire Emblem ready. "Let us end this!"
I was limping forward, trying not to put too much pressure on my broken leg when the power was unleashed. Two opposing forces, one of fierce, fiery light, and another of electrified dark met between us all. The power of Grima and Naga herself fired against one another with such force that I was nearly knocked off my feet again. I held firm, focusing on the power in front of me, hoping with all of my being that when the dust settled that it would only be Robin there, even if he wouldn't remain for long. When the way was cleared, I was let down once again.
Robin had been beaten, the Fire Emblem was forcefully shoved out of his grasp as Grima stood triumphant once again. I moved forward.
"And yet still you fail," Grima laughed openly, wiping a tear from his eye. "Even with this limited form, you cannot stop me. Even with Naga's own divine trinket, you are helpless! The cruel irony that you would resort to such means to stop me… Ah, but it is over. Come now, if your bonds are as strong as you think, then stop me!"
Robin didn't have time to move out of the way of Grima's strike. No one did. Only I was up and about, even if just barely. I had to do something. I refused to let Robin die, not when he was so important.
My body moved before I could even think. Even when I saw someone within the sky, staring down at me, I limped as fast as my legs were able to carry me, and when I finally made it-
There was a tearing sound as I stood between Robin and Grima. I was looking down at Robin's terrified face. His eyes met mine with growing horror as my eyes traveled downward to the sword poking through my chest. A jagged thing that easily pierced through the metal of my breastplate and cut through my flesh. I coughed, blood dribbling out of my mouth as I was lifted. Pain shot through every inch of my body as I grabbed the blade jutting out of my chest.
"What a waste," Grima stated, somberly. "You held such promise. But now? Now, you are just another corpse."
I convulsed as a pulse of electricity, more powerful and painful than anything I'd ever experienced shot through my body. A scream came unbidden from my mouth as I could feel my blood boiling in my veins, every muscle felt as if they were trying to escape from my body. It felt as if it lasted an eternity. I went slack when the surge stopped, and I felt a cold wind against my exposed skin as I tumbled across the ground.
My vision became blurry. Where was I? Where was here? There were voices, distant things that scratched at my ears and tried to reach into my head, but they couldn't get anywhere. I saw red and white, arguing with each other. For just a moment, my vision became clear and a beheld a beautiful face. Cordelia, looking down at me with tears in her eyes. She held me up, screaming something I couldn't understand. Robin was nearby as something behind him exploded. I couldn't understand. Would never understand.
I reached my hand up, trying to say something, anything. To tell her that it was okay. To tell her that it was fine. That I would be fine. But it would be a lie. I could feel myself draining onto the ground I laid upon. She took my hand, as if to try and keep me anchored, but it was not enough.
My last thoughts were of her. Of how stupid I was. Of how this was too soon. I wanted to tell her I was sorry, but my jaws felt too heavy to move, and my neck stiffened before it let my head go.
Cordelia… Severa… I'm sorry…
My vision went black and I knew no more.
"Alex!" Cordelia shrieked, grabbing his body by the shoulders. "Alex, please!"
Robin knew it was too late. Alex's hand fell against the road, his eyes looking into nothing as Cordelia frantically shook him. The Fell Dragon was silent behind them, enjoying the spectacle.
A tiny spark of pure hatred burned within his chest, all the while he looked at Cordelia's shaking form and heard her voice echoing in his ears. He had failed her. He had failed them both. Alex was his knight, and he was dead. Slaughtered by the uncaring wretched abomination behind him. His hands balled up into fists as Alex's blood dripped down his face.
"Alex…" Cordelia whispered after a moment, barely perceptible to Robin's hearing. "P-Please… don't leave me! Don't leave me! You said you wouldn't! You said you'd live! Y-You can't…! You can't just…! Alex!"
Robin grit his teeth as a small laugh echoed behind him. His grip on Fulmen tightened audibly.
"Will your bonds save him, Robin? Chrom? Will they save Frederick? Nah? Donnel? Stahl? Morgan? I am unsure, but all I see before me are corpses or the lack thereof. Oh, and Cordelia. How tragic. Perhaps once I am done here, I will pay your parents a visit as well. But you will not die. No, not this time. You will take his place." Grima's voice echoed across the ruined courtyard, further enraging Robin. What Cordelia said next finally made him snap."
"Please…" She murmured, cradling Alex's limp body in her arms. "What about Severa? I can't… I can't just…! You promised! You…" All Robin heard after that was Cordelia's soft cries.
Grima laughed again, twirling Parallel Fulmen in his grasp. "He was always weak to magic. He should have known better, really. What an absolute fool, just like any other of you worms, I suppose-!"
Robin roared as he turned forcefully, fire in his eyes. Grima's gaze snapped directly to him and just barely mounted a defense against the oncoming onslaught. The Fell Dragon was nearly knocked off his feet as Robin's body was covered in ethereal flames.
Ignis. His own magic, his own power, used against him. Grima bared his fangs as he fought back against the dark lightning that threatened to engulf him. It was raw, untapped, barely held together. There was nothing of the fine control he'd shown before. It was pure, draconic rage that drove him, then. The tactician's eyes blazed with fury, as his own, underpowered sword nearly burst with the energy granted it.
Grima allowed the Risen to continue their assault on the Shepherds, thinking that they would be easy pickings, what with his display of power, and murder of one of their compatriots, but there was no such luck.
Cordelia grasped her lance, looking down at Alex's body as the light of Robin and Grima's battle washed over her. Tears streamed down her face as the Risen surrounded her. Her grief turned into anger. In a flash, a Risen's head rolled off its body and fell to the ground. In another moment, one of them found Cordelia's lance jammed into its face, ripping a hole through its skull before it was quickly dispatched. With Aurora no longer reachable, Cordelia channeled everything she had into tearing apart every single purple monstrosity that dared try to reach her or her dead lover. With a ferocity only matched by the man who lay dead, she tore the Risen to pieces, with not even a single grunt of exertion or cry of rage.
In the darkness, her eyes almost mirrored Robin's; locked in a pale light, facing the monsters with a rage neither of them had truly known before.
In the sky, Tiki's fight with the enslaved Nowi was reaching its conclusion. Tiki had been battered and bruised, her scales showing signs of chipping and wear. The wound she took only continued to slow her down as it poured her lifeblood onto the ground below. The thing that used to be Nowi pushed her into another building, where Tiki laid, feebly attempting to get to her feet. The creature, with teeth as sharp as needles and eyes emblazoned with ungodly fire, readied for a killing blow.
A killing blow which never arrived.
Upon the wind, two sets of wings beat against the current. Four eyes brimming with power set their sight on the enslaved dragon. They pushed forward and landed right on top of the Nowi, talons tearing into exposed flesh as she roared in pain. The new arrival's wings twirled, spinning them both until she let go, sending Nowi across the ruins and releasing Tiki.
This spectacle did not go unnoticed by Grima, who looked upon it with widened eyes. "But… How? I thought for sure-!"
The Fell Dragon snarled as Robin continued bashing his considerable power against his. So focused on the enraged tactician that he did not notice Chrom behind him. In a brief moment of reprieve, when Robin tried to catch his breath, eyes red with hate, Grima attempted to swing Parallel Fulmen forward, ending their duel for good. Chrom made sure that never happened. The Exalted Falchion cut through the flesh of Grima's arm as if it wasn't there at all. The severed right arm went flying, Fulmen still in its grasp as Grima stumbled backwards, his voice turning into an ungodly cacophony that even seemed to affect the Risen. Grima grabbed the stump of where his arm used to be, looking up as his enemies gathered once more.
"Damn you!" He snarled, baring his fangs. "Damn you all! How dare you mark me! I will feast on your souls, all of you!"
His enemies said nothing. Complete and utter silence followed, as Grima's breath left him in ragged gasps. The wound was not enough to seal him, but it had drained his power. Power he sorely needed. To be as weak as he was to allow the worms before him to catch him unaware was horribly insulting. He had already destroyed the world once. Why was this time so difficult?
They charged him again, and once more he weathered their attacks. They were just a bit more brutal, charged, angry. His Risen were too busy being slaughtered by the redheaded Pegasus Knight and the rest of the Shepherds. It was as if they'd been galvanized by their small victory, both there and in the skies. The daughter of the Voice fought alongside her mother as Nowi was completely overwhelmed and swamped by ethereal fire.
Twin slashes from both Falchions very nearly broke him, right across the chest as his blood splattered against the ground. Grima could not let it end there. He refused. He needed more power. He needed to regroup himself and what remained of his forces.
He had hoped to avoid it, but his vessel had served it purpose. There was only one hope.
Robin watched as Grima convulsed. Not unlike how Alex had when he had been ruthlessly slaughtered. The Fell Dragon scratched at his skin, tearing apart his very flesh and screaming all the while. Ebon feathered wings sprouted from his back wetly as the skin around his face fell off, revealing a six-eyed, draconic one beneath. As if the form Robin, Chrom, and Lucina had been fighting was merely a cocoon. A worm-like, writhing form finally ripped out of the vessel's back, as what remained of the body fell to the ground, vaguely twitching.
The Fell Dragon was incredibly vulnerable and small in the state it entered, but it was the only one capable of fleeing from its foes. It took every inch of power it held within its body to become airborne.
Robin was prepared. He readied Thoron, attempting to clip the monster's wings. Unfortunately, the draconic battle nearby reached them as Nowi's monstrous form smashed into the ground, flailing all the while. It interrupted Robin, whose Thoron harmlessly passed the fleeing dragon. With speed that could only be rivaled by another dragon, and a small shockwave as if for good measure, the Fell Dragon escaped.
The Risen began their retreat, but Cordelia would not let them off that easy. Over a dozen more fell before they escaped, running over buildings and walls as they followed their master. Cordelia's lance tore through one of their stomachs before it was roughly yanked out, only to have its skull bashed in a moment later. Cordelia panted, standing by Alex's body which remained untouched by any of the Risen.
Nowi tried to get up, to follow the monster that enslaved her, but the teeth of the new dragon sank into her neck and yanked her about, tearing into her windpipe. Tiki was not far behind, savagely tearing apart the dragon before quickly putting an end to it. With a quick snap of the neck with her forelimb, Nowi fell limp, her torment at an end. Her eyes almost seemed to thank the two dragons that stood over her. Her form began disintegrating, like so many other Risen, until nothing was left but a cracked dragonstone.
The two stared at each other in the eye. Or eyes, in one case. What passed between them, only they knew.
From Castle Ylisse, the vortex of Grima's power dispersed. The beam that had fueled the cloud cover stopped, and a moment later, a shockwave sprung from its epicenter. The clouds began dispersing, allowing the sunlight behind them to shine on through, bathing the ruined Ylisstol in light that it had sorely missed. The world became bright again. Free of Grima's taint.
For the Shepherds, it was a hard-fought victory. For two of them, however, it was perhaps the greatest loss they had ever experienced.
Robin wiped the sweat from his brow before shielding his eyes from the sun. Each ragged breath he took felt like it was tearing apart his lungs. He looked to Chrom, red eyes searching for some form of affirmation only to see that the blue-haired lord was more exhausted than he was. Truly a rarity, that. Lucina was wounded as well, sporting several gashing across one arm, and a stab through her side, but she was alive. They were both alive. And judging from the cheers nearby, most of the Shepherds were alive as well.
With the sun shining on his face, and the Fell Dragon, while not dead, sent flying with his tail between his legs, vulnerable to being destroyed for good, it almost felt like a victory.
Almost.
He looked at him, then. To Alex. His body laid peacefully, his eyes closed as if he was asleep. While the others sought comfort in each other's arms, he made his way to his friend.
How he wished he didn't have a heart. Maybe then there would not be an aching pain in his chest.
"Stop," Cordelia demanded suddenly, snapping Robin out of his zombie-like walk. "You will not come a step closer. You will not touch him!"
"I," Robin swallowed the growing iron lump in his throat as he looked from the enraged Cordelia down to Alex's body. "I need to… Cordelia, I am sorry."
"You're sorry?" Cordelia repeated incredulously, the tip of her lance pointing at Robin's throat. A sneer marred her face. "You killed him. You're the reason he's dead! You!"
Robin was silent as Cordelia vented, her voice dipping low as she slightly lowered her lance.
"I saw him. I saw him save you. Give his life for yours. If you hadn't…" Cordelia whispered, her lance completely lowered as she covered her mouth.
Robin looked down. "I would have given my life for him."
"Would you?" Cordelia asked. "Would you, truly? And yet there he lies, and you still stand! I loved him! And now he's dead, because of you!"
"I did not," Robin shook his head. "He's the one who-!"
"Do not say another word!" Cordelia dared, raising her lance. "Do not! I will cut you down where you stand, Robin!"
"Cordelia!" Chrom called, walking up next to Robin. He did not deserve his protection. "Stop this! Now!"
"P-Prince Chrom…" Cordelia murmured, doing as she was bid without a moment's hesitation. The glare she was sending Robin could still be charitably described as murderous. "H-He's dead. Alex is dead. I-I-!"
"Cordelia, please," Another voice called. Cordelia whirled around to see Sumia approach, her armor lightly dented with a few smears of blood. Other than that, she was fine. "Cordelia…"
When Sumia drew near, Cordelia hugged her. A piercing wail echoed across the ruined courtyard, one that shook Robin to his very core.
"I couldn't save him!" Cordelia cried, as she and Sumia slowly knelt to the ground. "I couldn't save him! H-He's dead! J-Just like Phila and everyone else! W-Why did he leave me, Sumia!? Why!? Why him too!?"
Sumia was silent as she held her friend. She sat there, eyes closed as Cordelia mourned the loss of her fiancé.
Robin blinked when he felt Chrom's hand on his shoulder. The lord looked to the body before looking down, eyes seeming lost. "We've lost much on this day," He said, his voice low. "But Grima is still out there. I am sick of losing friends to him."
Robin sniffled, rubbing at his eyes. "Me too. He died protecting me, Chrom. I will not let his sacrifice be in vain. Not when…" Robin closed his eyes so tight he saw bright spots. "Gods, Chrom, what have I done!? What have I-?"
"Don't let Cordelia's words get to you, Robin. This isn't your fault," Chrom stated. "If it is anyone's fault, it's Grima's. And we will not let him get away with it."
Anger seized Robin for a moment as his fists clenched again. The small tears that threatened to spill dried up, and he glared up at the sky. For what Grima had done to Tiki. To the Shepherds. To Alex and Cordelia. He would pay.
Robin would make sure of that. There was no longer any doubt in his mind. He would make Grima pay in the worst way possible. And he knew it would be the last thing he did.
Mikael marched over the hill where Morgan had transformed over, overlooking the ruined city of Ylisstol. The city was in an appalling state, even by his standards, and he had spent the better part of two millennia inside of one buried beneath dirt and ice.
"Gods above…" He muttered out with a human mouth, clutching the stone responsible in his left hand. "Morgan, I pray that you are alright."
When the young manakete had seen the state of the city, along with the fact that her father was likely fighting within, she immediately took off, despite Mikael's wishes. Not that he would have kept her had she at least told him of her plans, but it came as a shock all the same. Seeing her glorious true form again was certainly jarring, even more so when he was knocked off his feet from the sheer force of her wing beats.
But such was the way of dragons, he supposed. Truthfully, he'd had enough of dragons. Even the Divine Dragons, humanity's sworn ally, would have left a bitter taste in his mouth. Perhaps he was simply trying to finally come to terms with what Garland had done. The pursuit for immortality and the mental deaths of so many young and innocent people were all a direct result of the dragons. Immortality was not something anyone should strive for. Eternal life was unnatural, and even dragons had to bend to time eventually. If only Garland had listened to them.
Even the staff he held across his back was something he only carried with caution. The Aum staff was a powerful tool, but one that could easily be misused and abused. If he hadn't a debt to pay, he would have destroyed it.
But he did, and looking upon the ruined city of Ylisstol, its once vibrant buildings reduced to rubble and ash, he finally saw the opportunity.
"Perhaps fate has plans for us all yet," He murmured to himself, walking forward. "Alexander. Miriel. Sully. Vaike. It is time I repaid you for your services."
He finally had what he was looking for. It was time to give it back.
I warned you.
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Despite what happened here, I hope you have a good rest of your day.
