A/N: Heyo. Here for the Third Chapter of a A Summoner's Vow. This is a much more slow chapter, without much action, if any. Instead we get to see a bit inside of the heads of more characters as the interact with one another. As usual, thank you for the follows, they mean a lot and give me some hope that I'm doing a decent job telling this story. Next chapter may come a bit early, depending on how free I am over this coming week and I have a few more already in the works. At some point soon I may take a week or two off in order to build up a bit larger of a back log, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
If you do like this story and want to find more stories by other authors that don't necessarily write Fire Emblem related stories, swing by the Fanfiction Treehouse Discord Server (Code: 9XG3U7a) . There are plenty of brilliant writers there in the process to telling their own stories or having already told their stories and it's a pretty nice place. They also have a Podcast on Spotify called the Fanfiction Treehouse Podcast if that floats your boat. With that, onto the Chapter.
Nicola had overdone it the night before. He didn't regret doing so, but he wasn't going to try to invoke the Light's Blessing or anything of the sort for a long time. It had been a spur of the moment thing that had miraculously worked. Seeing Lissa get cut down had sent him back to the day Sharena had died at the end of Hel's scythe. Time became sluggish as he relived the battle in the muck, seeing all too vividly his fallen form after Hel's archers had shot him through his legs. He'd struggled to move, Alfonse bound by arms of earth and tar beside him. Veronica was curled into a ball and retching, her body steaming from burning through her magic reserves just to slow Hel down after the queen struck down her own daughter without batting an eye.
Fjorm and Laevatein were dead, one incinerated by magic and the other riddled with arrows as a result of the suicidal charge they had mounted. They had tried to buy time for Nicola to finish readying the shot that would end Hel, but she had seen it coming from the beginning. The only one standing was Commander Anna, dueling the goddess to draw her away from Sharena. She struggled and fought well, matching Hel's strikes with her own and dancing through the grasp of the spirits haunting the goddess. Then, as she began to push Hel away from Sharena, she dropped like a rock as a heartbeat pulsed through the land. The Heart had claimed another life, beating faster when only four lives bound to the land remained. They couldn't fail, not now. Not when they were this close-
Chrom's cry tore Nicola from the memory. The prince abandoned all sense of self-preservation as he ran towards his sister, Nicola following him after bisecting another of the walking corpses. Lissa was crossing over when he arrived, teetering precariously on the precipice of life and death. He quickly took her staff in hand and prayed that whatever gods that saw fit to bring him here rather than face Hel would have given him access to his magic without Breidablik. He focused on the staff, but there was no reaction. Soon Robin, Frederick and the masked woman arrived and he prayed harder. He felt his magic stir then slip between his fingers as he tried to harness it. He grit his teeth as the girl began to fade, the light and warmth fading from her eyes in a manner he was all too accustomed to seeing as of late.
No, he refused to let that scene play out yet again. Nicola was tired of seeing his allies fall without being able to do anything to stop it. A flame of defiance burned within him as he focused, no longer praying for a higher power's aid when he knew he could do something. He felt his power stir and fade once more, but he'd had enough of that nonsense. He was going to save Lissa's life regardless of the consequences to himself.
Nicola felt his blood boiling in his veins as he reached deep within himself and pulled forth what power he could reach. His bones groaned and his muscles strained as the power bubbled forth then burst outwards like a dam as he rebuked death's claim on the girl. His body burned like it had been set ablaze and his head pulsed with pain as he grasped the fleeting power and molded it in the shape of a miracle he knew. He spoke again, his voice a deafening roar commanding the power work as he directed it towards the dying girl.
The deathly grasp on the girl lashed out at him as he healed Lissa, first restoring the her vitality then sealing her injury. Nicola felt frigid tendrils cut into him and pierce his inner being, each ringing with disdain towards the one who chose to interfere with death's domain. An ancient power stirred, its baleful gaze falling upon him as mounting pressure and resistance to his spell.
Nicola felt something twist and snap within himself as he pushed ahead, the staff he held mirroring the sensation as it tore itself apart in his hands. The gem atop the tool shattered as power well beyond what it could handle flowed through it, but Nicola refused to give up and poured everything he could into finishing the work. He called upon the power of Askr and Nifl that had marked him, but they weren't enough on their own. The spell was losing its form, regardless of how stubborn his will was. For a moment, the summoner saw a colossal being of shadow leering at him as he continued in vain, its power coiling around Lissa until a third symbol burned into the air beside the other two, identical to the one Chrom bore on his shoulder. The being roared as the three symbols flared and pushed against it until it retreated.
Nicola felt two pairs of hands rest on his own to steady them. He heard two voices, one foreign to him yet soothing and motherly, the other familiar yet distant and faded. Then he felt cold rush through him, his blood turning to ice as the spell finished and Lissa was fully restored. The girl looked peaceful as she rested, now firmly back in the world of the living. He smiled faintly when she awoke moments later, then to the ground as fatigue hit him like a boulder. He managed to speak when Frederick blamed himself for the incident then once more when the princess addressed him, draping his coat over her when he realized her torn dress was making her less than decent. Everything became a blur after that.
The masked figure that had joined them departed after issuing a warning and giving a name Nicola knew to be false. Aside from Virion, who he vaguely recalled, the masked woman was someone he'd known well: he had fought with her at his side on numerous occasions. The rest of the group set up camp for the night in their original location. He offered the redhead and archer a weak greeting, but he felt more interested in sleep than speaking. The moment everything was fully set up and watch shifts were assigned, thankfully none requiring him, he closed his eyes and drifted into a dreamless slumber that lasted through the remainder of the night. When he awoke, he felt different.
The first thing he noticed was that he could feel his magic flowing properly compared how it had flowed before, but it felt odd. He could cast spells without a doubt now, but he wasn't sure what sort he'd be able to use or how strong his magic would be. Perhaps he had the capacity to heal here, which he hadn't back in Zenith despite his affinities. He would need to have is aptitude tested, assuming Ylisse was aware of the practice and utilized it. The second thing he noticed was that he'd been able to successfully sleep through the night and feel properly rested for the first time in months. If this kept up, perhaps he could break his habit of staying awake until just before dawn every evening, getting the bare minimum amount of sleep to function like something resembling an ordinary person. The final thing he noticed was that he felt comfortable around the group he'd rested with. He didn't trust or believe in them enough to talk about Zenith directly, he'd just met them after all, but he was comfortable enough to travel with them until they reached the capital he'd heard so much about. He'd be splitting with them there, though, he wasn't ready to join anything that felt like the Order of Heroes and the 'Shepherds' sounded like they were of the same vein.
"Oh, you're awake Nicola," he heard a voice greet, causing him to perk up. He looked over to see Lissa, awake and well. That was surprising, Nicola imagined she didn't often wake before first light. Still, it was better her than Frederick. The metaphorical hatchet had been buried between them the night before, but Nicola wasn't ready to deal with the knight prodding at him over every little thing if he still felt the need to.
"Good morning, Lissa," he greeted. She still wore his coat, but had opted to put it on properly. It suited her even though it was a few sizes too large, the white and gold coat complimenting her blonde hair and bright complexion. She could keep the coat then, all it did was make him stand out more than he liked to in the first place. Perhaps it could be resized to better fit her, the coat's innate magic would no doubt cause issues for an ordinary tailor.
"Off in your own world again," the princess teased and he found himself laughing quietly.
"Just thinking about things," he replied. "Are you feeling well now?"
"More or less," she shrugged. "I won't be able to use healing magic until I get a replacement staff, but it could be worse. Unfortunately, I'm not at my sister's level where I can heal with a touch."
"Ah. Sorry about that " Nicola made a sheepish expression as the blonde giggled.
"Don't be. Aside from it being used to save my life, I was going to need to replace it anyways once I got back to the capital. I was outgrowing it and I'm a decent cleric at best, not a prodigy like my sister or my best friend, so it makes sense that it broke from something well beyond my ability." She moved to sit by Nicola and rested her head against his shoulder, causing him to jolt. She spoke again, more quietly. "Thank you again, Nicola. I'll repay you someday."
Lissa stayed at his side for a few moments, sitting in contemplative silence while Nicola sat as stiff as a board. He'd forgotten how much he disliked sudden physical contact from others when he wasn't expecting it, but he couldn't exactly push her away. She eventually flashed him a smile before taking her leave, giving Nicola time to mull over things once he relaxed.
Lissa appeared to be doing alright, though she would likely need to be monitored for a few days to make sure her health didn't take a sudden turn. She'd taken the news of near death experience well, at least visibly. Internally it was likely a different story, near death experiences stuck with a person as he knew quite well. The numerous times he'd nearly died in Zenith when he'd bitten off more than he could chew or had been taken by surprise or otherwise outmatched had taught him many things and he could only imagine that his experiences back home had done the same. Unfortunately, those happened to be memories that were hazy for him. Shrugging that off before it became bothersome, Nicola came to the conclusion that someone would need to speak with Lissa about her experience, hopefully someone far better at soothing and consoling than he was. He was better at debates and making people think, not working through problems. However, he would try if he needed to.
The former summoner rose and stretched, breathing deeply as he felt his back and shoulders pop. It was about time for him to practice and exercise, remembering the scolding he would get for starting when the sun rose. He felt melancholy as he left the camp, looking for another clearing.
"Best to not let that show," he breathed to himself, practicing his serene smile. It felt real enough to him, so it was probably fine. He'd always been good at hiding his stronger emotions, though his temper showed itself more often than not.
The clearing he found was occupied. Chrom trained alone, working through basic sword forms. After a moment, he transitioned to more complex movements and techniques before he returned to slower, more methodical movements. He repeated this cycle, speaking up without glancing at Nicola.
"You can join me if you want," he offered. "I could use a partner, Frederick."
"I'll let him know," Nicola replied, watching the prince whip around suddenly. A tired grin tugged at his face as Chrom coughed to hide his surprise. "I almost forgot you said you're the training sort."
"I'm more surprised that you're even awake. I thought you'd be out of it after last night's events," Chrom admitted. "Then again, one doesn't just learn to fight as you or I do by idling."
Nicola hummed a reply as he walked to Chrom's side and adopted an unarmed stance. The prince returned to his own stance and the two practiced their individual forms in silence. The outworlder noted that Chrom wasn't simply training at varying speeds for show, but instead slowly working through the parts of his moves before transitioning into the full technique at proper speed and finally slowing down to reflect on the steps he felt he hadn't performed properly. The prince, in turn, saw that Nicola's own practice seemed more fit as exercises in flexibility and range of motion rather than techniques at first. It soon became clear that he was practicing both his spear forms and unarmed forms once he began working pivots and lunges into his movements.
"I'm surprised you didn't bring your spear... well the bandit's spear," Chrom remarked after a time as they went through their stances side by side. "Wouldn't that make things easier for you in regard to your practice and training forms?"
"It would, "Nicola nodded, coming to a stop. "I would have brought it normally, but I hardly trust it to not fall apart in my hands after the ordeal from last night. It's barely holding itself together as is and my fighting style doesn't really help with that, nor does my strength."
"In regard to your style, might I ask who taught you? It's rather unique and, while I can't say I'm the most versed in the art of fighting with a spear, felt dance-like to a degree," Chrom continued, reaching a stop in his own routine. He took a moment to think before adding, "You don't have to tell me if it's too personal or anything. I was simply curious."
"No no, I can talk about that to a degree," Nicola replied, a wistful look flashing across his face for all but a moment. "I was primarily self-taught when it came to spears, due to the nature of my upbringing. A year after I met my friends, I was trained by two of them who were far better versed with spears than myself. My primary teacher helped me with flexibility and helped refine my acrobatics. She also taught me many of my unorthodox spear techniques, though I ended up adapting many of them into forms better fitting my physique. My secondary teacher reinforced basic spear forms and defensive maneuvers that I had never really learned, plus a thing or two about reading the flow of a battle. Everything else was self taught or learned through observation. For example..."
Nicola tightened his stance and vanished before reappearing a few feet ahead in what would have been a diagonal slash had he brought his spear. He reversed the motion with a simple pivot, making a perpendicular strike to the first before drawing back and springing forward into a powerful full-bodied lunge.
Chrom whistled appreciatively. Nicola hadn't shown off that particular maneuver last night, but Chrom could see why not: the technique took him a moment to ready and appeared to require a fair amount of open space to utilize effectively. In an actual fight he'd more than likely pull it off more quickly, but that didn't change the issue of spacing. However, that did bring up another question. "How did you pull that off? Do you use some form of magic to vanish and reappear? You did similar last night as well, but it wasn't really a good time to ask about that."
"You'd think it was magic with how I use it, but it's much more mundane." The stranger gave Chrom an amused look as he dropped his stance. "The technique I used there is much closer to moving incredibly quickly in a short burst. I've had a fair bit of practice with it and similar movement related techniques, so I'm able to vary how fast the moment is or how far I travel with it." He looked over blue haired man appraisingly. "I think you'd be able to use this technique as well with a bit of practice. You're fast enough, at the very least, and you more than likely could get more use out of it than I do."
"Really? I'd have thought it was a technique only masters of the spear could use," Chrom remarked. "I know that some are capable of piercing through armor as if it were plain cloth and that others can deflect volleys of arrows with the simplest of strikes. You mean to tell me that your movements aren't a mark of mastery as well?"
Nicola looked at the blue haired man for a moment then burst out laughing, much to his surprise. He hadn't expected to be considered a master of the spear by anyone, not when he'd learned the basics of spearmanship so late in his career and fought with his own safety as an afterthought. That had been why the leader of those bandits had scored a blow against him, though it also had to do with the man's own skill. Perhaps if he used a twinblade he could be considered a master, but those hadn't been a real option back in Askr. He recalled being told that the only country capable of making anything similar to what he wanted was embroiled in a bloody civil war. Still, the thought was touching.
"Chrom, I'm rather mediocre with spears by my own estimate," Nicola replied, taking deep breaths as he stopped laughing. "I'm physically strong and rather agile, but I'm far from a master of the spear. My teachers were, at least I believe they were, and I've met proper masters of the spear aside from them. I fall quite short of the masters I've met in nearly all respects."
Chrom paled. He was mediocre where he came from? His hard hitting, hard to follow strikes weren't the sign of mastery, but somewhere along or below average? What kind of monsters were his teachers if he was that strong? He dreaded the idea of asking that and instead asked why he wielded a spear as opposed to magic.
"I use both or used both," Nicola answered. "Back home I was able to use light and astral magics, though more often than not as a last resort. I wasn't supposed to be in the thick of things and was to be protected at all costs... At least until I proved I could fight on the frontline alongside the others. Before that I would help out in a supportive and rallying role." He omitted that he cast spells through a relic that had the power to open gates to other worlds as he looked at his hands and balled them into fists. He could feel the steady pulse of magic within himself, but not from the world around him like he'd been able to on Zenith.
"I'm unsure if I can use magic the same way I was able to back home because it feels different here. There everything had magic to some extent, but here I can only really feel my own magic and maybe Robin's and Lissa's if I try hard enough. It's odd and I'm not sure how good I'd be as a caster in general, but I at want to explore that while I look for a way back home. That being said, I hope I'm even half as talented as Robin. Her control and precision are top notch, even without her memory."
Chrom had to agree. He hadn't seen mages direct spells around or off of people before the day prior, especially not lightning magic. He'd learned that lightning flowed well through metal the hard way, after a rather nasty jolt from an incensed Miriel a few years back. With that in mind, seeing lightning slide, roll and bounce off of metallic surfaces without causing the faintest shock to unintended individuals was both amazing and utterly terrifying to the swordsman. If Miriel learned about that sort of technique, he imagined she wouldn't leave her laboratory until she mastered it.
Pushing thoughts of the analytical mage away, Chrom wondered what Robin's capabilities would have been with an intact memory. The amnesiac seemed like she would be a terror on the battlefield as she was now, if not for her terrible physical condition at the present. If she was going to become a member of the Shepherds that would change, but that was something that would need time and work. Aside from getting her into physical shape and making sure she ate well, the amnesiac would still need conditioning and training to not fall behind on any long marches or protracted battles. At least she had a good head on her shoulders and an exceptional ability to read the flow of battle. Having either of those was a good thing in his eyes, having both was a gift from the divine dragon.
"Oi, we aren't done yet are we?" Nicola called, pulling Chrom from his thoughts. Right, they were still training.
"We aren't," Chrom nodded. "I was thinking about a few things and got sidetracked. Let's continue."
The duo resumed their practice, continuing to wok through their forms in relative silence. Occasionally one would ask the other about a particular movement or strike the other performed and they would answer as they worked through that particular form or technique. It wasn't much later when a rather surprised Frederick joined them, less surprised at Chrom training and more that Nicola was awake. That seemed to be a common concern, him being awake and active. It was a mix of flattering and amusing, though he understood their concerns and appreciated it.
Frederick fell into the same rhythm as them, practicing his own forms while observing those of the others. Chrom's forms were known to him, the knight having trained and sparred with him for years. Nicola's forms, however, were utterly foreign and outside of anything he could recall seeing or poring over in his time as a knight. When Chrom mentioned that Nicola called himself mediocre, Frederick raised an eyebrow. Mediocrity took many forms it seemed or the spearman had a low sense of self worth.
It was clear that he wasn't of this land, which elevated him as a person of interest in Frederick's eyes. Nicola was still a suspicious character, but he wasn't maligned in any discernable way at the present. He'd earned that much trust by saving Lissa's life, but that didn't mean that Frederick wasn't going to look into him- if anything, he now had more of a reason to do so. What had that spell been and how had Nicola cast it? Why was Nicola capable of casting such high magics and why, if that had been within his ability from the beginning, had he not used it prior? His motivations didn't exactly paint him the best of lights either, what with wanting to kill a supposed god. This was going to be headache inducing.
The knight exhaled deeply. This was no place to ask all of these questions, they were better suited for the capital and if Nicola joined the Shepherd in the first place. With how charismatic Chrom was, he had no doubt that would be the case.
Another hour passed before Chrom ended the training session. The walk back the camp site was short, filled by a tired silence as the three men each thought about different things. When they reached the camp, they were greeted by the sight of Virion hovering over a large pot of what appeared to be porridge. Lissa was still awake, while Robin looked as though she'd just woken up and Sully had a groggy look that would have killed a bear three times over. The three of them were served first, with Virion stopping to fetch more bowls before serving the others then himself. The meal was filling and warming, eaten in relative silence at first.
"Thank goodness Virion was here," Lissa commented once she had finished eating, having matched Robin in sheer voracity and asked for a second bowl. "It's not the best, but it's better than anything Sully or I could make."
"Hey," growled the redhead, shooting Lissa a pointed look. The princess laughed in response.
"It's true, though I'm a bit worse than you by far," she continued. "Though we're both better than Chrom if he's left to his own devices."
"Hey! I can make a fierce bear stew," Chrom huffed. Robin nodded enthusiastically in response, earning odd looks from both Sully and Virion.
"It was the first thing she ate in who knows how long," Lissa explained. "I'm not sure how she could wolf it down and not feel sick to her stomach."
"It was delicious," the amnesiac replied, eyes practically glowing from the memory. "This porridge was amazing as well, Virion. Thanks for the meal!"
"Your praise is much appreciated," Virion smiled, bowing his head. "It's always good to hear that my meager cooking skills can be found enjoyable."
"Why do you know how to cook anyways, Ruffles," Sully asked. "Wouldn't think a prissy noble like you would have the skill."
"W-well, I had to learn as I traveled, milady," the archer replied sheepishly as he tugged at his collar and looked away from the red haired woman. "Being able to cook helps prevent all sorts of issues, especially when one is traveling. I took it upon myself to learn and found it to be relatively easy, at least when it comes down to simple dishes like porridge or stew. I'm no master of the art by any means."
"Huh. Thought it would have been something like trying to impress some other woman," the knight in training stated. "I guess I owe you a little more credit."
"Your words bring warmth to my heart, Lady Sully," the man replied with another bow. The red haired woman grimaced.
"Right..." She looked over to Nicola. "So there's Ruffles, an amnesiac strategist and you. What's your story?"
"Just a simple traveler, nothing more nothing less," he replied, earning looks of skepticism from the entire camp. "I just happen to know a thing or two about spears and somethings related to magic. I'm average otherwise."
"Right, and I'm the Khan of Regna Ferox," Sully snorted.
"I thought you were just a knight, not royalty from yet another country I've never seen," the former summoner replied as he gave a mock bow. "My mistake, your highness."
Lissa stifled a giggle as the knight glared at Nicola. Chrom laughed heartily while Virion hid traces of a smirk and Robin looked on with mild confusion. Frederick gave a mildly amused look as Sully growled at Nicola. He smiled in response, sarcasm on full display, then watched as she grinned back. The two definitely were going to get along.
Once breakfast was finished, the group began taking apart their camp and readying for the remainder of the journey ahead. By Chrom's estimate, the capital was two days away if they kept a good pace and didn't have to deal with many- if any- spots of trouble along the road once they exited the forest. Frederick and Sully both agreed with that estimate and the group set out, though not before Chrom had Lissa ride with Frederick while Robin rode with Sully. It was better to keep the one most likely to exhaust herself walking off the ground while Frederick insisted that Lissa take things easy until they reached the capital. With mild reluctance, the blonde woman agreed. Lissa felt perfectly fine to walk at the moment, though she conceded that the others had a point: there was always a chance she'd get hit by a wave of lethargy and no longer want to move.
The first day of travelling was rather uneventful. The group continued towards Ylisstol, though at a slightly slower pace to accommodate Robin's stamina. Riding a horse wasn't as demanding as walking, but it made a person sore and and still tired them out all the same. That paired with a great deal of introspection and a lack of any topic to use as a conversation starter kept Robin mostly quiet over the short trek. She had so many questions about herself, but no one could answer them. Was she doomed to never remember who she was or was she over thinking things again? Regardless, she wanted answers and hopefully she would get them.
In contrast, Lissa appeared to be just fine, still waking up before the sun rose alongside Chrom, Frederick, Nicola and Sully. She took to watching the four of them train, watching them in contemplative silence the entire time, or talking with Robin and Virion. Robin was somewhat hard to talk to, the silver haired woman often seemed distracted or was just plain tired when approached. She looked a bit better now, though she was still far too thin and looked like she hadn't slept in ages. Virion was difficult to speak to for different reasons. He hardly brought up his home and when pressed about it he managed to find a way to smoothly change the topic. It didn't hide the way he would wince when it was brought up, but after a few hours Lissa got the memo. She did appreciate that he managed to bag the group a deer on the evening of the first night travelling together, his skill with a bow impressing both her brother and Frederick.
The second day was no less uneventful than the first. The group was able to travel peacefully and without incident, which everyone appreciated. Once again, Chrom, Frederick, Nicola and Sully rose before the sun and began training as Lissa watched on from afar. Robin stayed quiet for the most part, but showed a keen interest when Virion mentioned wanting to play chess when back in Ylisstol. Nicola had begun teaching Chrom how to move as swiftly as he did, which the blue haired man caught onto very quickly. He wasn't able to move as freely as the spearman, but he got the hang of closing large distances in the blink of an eye within a few hours of trying it as they walked. The evening before they reached the capital was the most interesting point of the day, for Chrom and Frederick at least.
The blue haired man and knight approached Nicola a few hours before watch shifts were to start, the former with a question in mind while the latter had come to observe and intervene if necessary. Lissa would have come along as well, but she became preoccupied speaking with Robin when the silver haired woman began asking her questions about magic. Virion was busy tending to the dinner pot, having been elected the cook of the group for the duration of their travel and Sully went off to secure the camp's perimeter one last time before settling down for the evening.
The duo found Nicola a short distance from the main camp, looking over his spear with a mix of dissatisfaction and scrutiny. The weapon's shaft was severely warped and bent, but showed no signs of snapping, even as the spearman gradually began to bend it back into proper shape. The wood creaked in his hands and he stopped when he heard something snap.
"I figured that would be a bust," he sighed, setting the weapon down in time to see Frederick and Chrom approaching. He gave the duo a short wave and turned to face them. "Is something the matter you two?"
"Not at this time," Frederick replied dutifully. "Milord wishes to speak with you about a rather important matter and I chose to attend in the event that any clarification is needed."
Chrom nodded along. "Nicola, we've only known each other for a scant few days, but I feel that we are friends and allies. Would you agree?"
"Yeah. You're a reasonable fellow, good in a fight and pretty easygoing when things don't demand a serious response from what I've seen," the spearman nodded. "Plus, you have someone like Frederick at your side and I imagine he wouldn't serve anyone who wasn't straight-laced and as honest as they come."
"Indeed," the knight agreed. "I value milord's life over my own, but I wouldn't hesitate to take him to task if I felt he was being lead astray."
"R-right." Chrom gave a nervous laugh. "Anyways, I've also noted how talented you are in a fight, even if you consider yourself mediocre." The blue haired man added that on as Nicola began to speak his mind. "With that in mind I wanted to know if you would like to join the Shepherds and fight for the land alongside myself and others who have felt a similar call to action. You would not go without compensation and I could guarantee the aid of several people who could assist you in your goal towards getting home. In addition, we could-"
"No."
Chrom froze, as did Frederick. No? The duo gave Nicola bug-eyed looks as he smiled gently, looking far far away in that moment.
"Let me begin by saying I have nothing against you or the Shepherds, Chrom," Nicola explained. "Had I met you a year ago, I would have joined you without hesitation or offered to act as an ally and liaison between yourself and my friends, who did something similar to what the Shepherds are doing currently. I respect your cause, protecting the realm and its people from those who would bring harm and malice, but I don't wish to join that sort of group. Not for a second time. Not while she's still out there, wreaking havoc."
The far away look hardened as Nicola's eyes flared amber. The look he gave Chrom was hard to read. It was angry, sad, tired and more, but none of it was directed towards the blue haired man. Despite that, he could still feel a heavy weight pressing down upon him as Nicola looked over at him. He soon turned away, eyes fading back to their usual earthen tone, just as Frederick readied himself to intervene. The spearman offered an apology before continuing.
"I feel like I would enjoy being around you and the other Shepherds if they hold values anything like your own, Chrom. That's part why I can't join, however."
"Because you would enjoy their company and like them," Chrom pondered aloud.
"Yes. Because I would like them, I'd enjoy their company and ultimately get along with them. There would be some strife, some disagreements and so one, as people are wont to have, but I feel that it would eventually be worked out."
"Then what would the iss-"
"Then they'd all die around me," Nicola finished, voice barely audible over the silent wind. That stopped the blue haired man in his tracks. He'd experienced something like that- Then it all clicked into place. The reason he'd been dodgy about finding his friends, the reason he wanted revenge on something that would be impossible for a person to achieve... Why he'd mention not wanting to see a family break. He'd lost all of his friends, his second family, and had seen it happen first hand. It was clear why he didn't want to join the Shepherds with that eating away at him.
"Nicola I didn-" Chrom began, but Nicola shook his head.
"You didn't know, I didn't tell you," Nicola said through a shuddering breath. He offered a weak smile. "As much as I do want to join and help you out and such, I can't as I am now. I'll freeze up or become a liability through some other means until I find some closure and I'd rather not burden the guy who chose to befriend a suspicious and secretive person like myself. So thank you, but no. If the offer still stands once I've gotten the closure I need, I'll reconsider."
"I... I understand." Chrom was at a loss for words. How was he supposed to respond to that? Frederick appeared to have no idea either, judging by the stiff expression he wore. "Do you need some time?"
"That would be nice," Nicola nodded. "Again, nothing against you Chrom, I'm just not ready at the moment. This doesn't mean that I won't be helping others out while I'm around or anything, just that I won't be joining the Shepherds at this junction. If you end up needing help and I can offer it, I will do so."
The blue haired man nodded as he walked away alongside Frederick, slightly disheartened. Nicola would have made a good addition to the Shepherds, but it was his decision to make at the end of the day. Still, it felt like a blow to his pride that he'd been rejected, despite how abundantly clear Nicola had made it that it wasn't from anything he had done. It hurt for some reason and it was hard to convince himself not to let it hurt, but he managed to do so.
He needed to think on the bright side. At least Nicola had trusted him and Frederick enough to confide in them about his troubles and he'd promised to help out if possible. In regard to closure, perhaps the Church of Naga could help him reach it. They wouldn't be able to help him slay a god, but perhaps they could steer him away from revenge or towards something much more attainable. He'd have to ask about it after giving his report for this particular excursion and perhaps leave a recommendation for Nicola if such a thing was needed. That sounded like a plan.
With his mind set, Chrom returned to the camp with his pride restored. The rest of the night was uneventful. Nicola returned to the camp a few minutes behind him and Frederick and offered to handle a watch shift, with no sign of his emotional turmoil present. Sully, Frederick and Robin agreed to cover the other watch shifts and the night went on in peace.