Another chapter ready to go! I hope you guys are still enjoying this, because it's a real pleasure to write. With the battle at Fort Dragonfall looming, the final pieces are falling into place. All Keiji has to do is try to recruit Kagero, his gut feeling telling him to do so.

On another note, I'd like Keiji to have a second child with one of our Fates heroines, but can't decide which. That, my awesome readers, is where you come in. I've drafted a group of mother and daughter pairs in a new poll. Swing by and decide which mother and daughter pair you'd prefer. Or you can tell me in a review if you want someone different. Don't worry about Kana, either. Her story as Keiji's daughter will be covered.

Progress

A hulking bearded gent with short greyish-black hair adorning a brown apron stands over an anvil off to the side of a roaring orange furnace. With strikes of the hammer he shapes molten steel as though the land's finest artisan. There's a look of absolute focus about the musclebound fellow, beads of sweat sliding down the sides of his face as he hums a tune with spirit and vigor.

His fair-sized shop has plenty of weapon racks to choose from - axes, swords and spears of varying metals and quality all waiting to be browsed by a discerning customer. The item which draws your attention the most is not a weapon however. Oh no. Tis full suit of bold red Hoshidan battle armor - the sort awarded to sword masters of the highest calibre. Complete with a helm and kanji markings, it's a sight to behold.

Even the wooden dummy wearing it must feel proud, you'll wager.

You spare the armor-adorned wooden man a nod and again pay heed to the humming blacksmith. He still hasn't noticed you, but you recall his singsong tune.

It's an old Hoshidan war ballad that your father used to recite whenever he'd leave town with the army. The last living memory you have of your sire was seeing him walking down the sandstone path with his comrades while humming it - before he was run through by a Nohrian cavalryman.

Bittersweet to the core, you recall the song's words with perfect clarity.

'Beyond our sacred valleys, down in the lowland plains, waits a place for all good swordsman - free of conflict's scorching flames.'

Stepping nearer the blacksmith, you clear your throat. "Excuse me, sir?"

You're awarded no attention for your effort.

Polite options exhausted, you decide it best to speak in a manner the hardworking Hoshidan will appreciate.

"But should we ever falter, then zeal please guide my hand, for the Light Dragon watches over us all... protector of these lands."

The blacksmith's eyes widen a touch, the smallest of smiles tugging the corners of his lips upwards. Placing his newly shaped steel into the bucket of water beside him, he sets down his hammer and turns to face you with a jovial laugh.

"And so we have visitors, important ones too! Do forgive me for being lost in thought. I go by Kondo, Kondo of Shiroko." The man extends one of his meaty hands for you to shake. "And you certainly need no introduction, Keiji of Izami. A pleasure, my friend."

You take the man's hand. His grip is tight and his shake is brimming with confidence. "A pleasure indeed, good sir, though you need not place me on a pedestal. And Shiroko, you said? A township I've not heard mentioned in quite some time - a very long time."

"Aye! I was born and raised there for more than half my life," Kondo recounts somewhat fondly. "Left for Cheve around the time of King Sumeragi's passing. A quiet place, but precious to me nonetheless. Visited there before, have you?"

Shiroko. A fishing village in southernmost Hoshido, if you recall rightly. A small and peaceful place to the core. "Just once," you answer, rewarded with distant memories of gulls and refreshing seaside air. "I passed through with my fiancé some years ago, on the way to Port Dia to celebrate our betrothal."

Lady Sakura granted you and Hana leave to mark your future together. The both of you were younger and deeply in love. A pair untarnished by cynicism nor scarred by the horrendous abuses of war. You would've been about nineteen around that time, and Hana just about sixteen.

"Here's hoping you enjoyed your time there," says Kondo hopefully.

"It was nice enough, from what little I remember. A great many things have happened since then, so my memory is hazy."

"I'll can imagine, if your more recent exploits are an indication. But enough of this banter, for I'm sure you're a busy man." Kondo releases his hand from yours and looks to Nyx. "A pleasure to see you again, Miss Nyx. Word has it you're protecting the young lord now."

"I am, and most diligently so." Nyx answers with a short nod of the head. "Word of mouth travels fast in this town, as always."

Kondo belts out a hearty laugh, scratching his beard. "As ever, wise mage. Now, back to the business at hand. How may I be of service to you, Lord Keiji?"

You sense a hint of warmth between Nyx and Kondo. Unlike so many others, he appears far from fearful or hostile toward the ageless mage. A line of thought you'll bring up with your retainer behind closed doors - once you aren't hard-pressed for time. "I'm in search of a particular weapon, in truth. A dagger."

"Is that so?" Kondo voices with gentle intrigue. "And what sort of dagger might a fellow Hoshidan be hoping to find in here?" His eyes shift toward the scabbard at your hip. "That sword of yours is glass right? Wraithglass, if the rumors have weight. You won't find much better than that, even here."

"A weapon of tempered glass, yes, and a gift made especially for me on the queen's order. I see it as my true badge of office, more than titles or this fancy coat I wear." You lower your arm and rest your hand against the wraithglass' hilt. "The dagger is for someone else, and I need the finest steel you have."

The blacksmith ponders for a moment, stroking his beard. "The very best steel, you say?" Recollection striking, the man snaps his fingers. "I have the perfect thing. Wait here for just a short while. I keep our finest pieces at mine and my daughter's house. Allow me to go and collect it for you. Provided you can watch the shop while I'm gone? Wouldn't want any ruffians taking chances while I'm not about to smack them upside the head, you understand."

Nyx extends an arm, inky black smoke coiling up its length to her wrists. Two black voids, her eyes are darker than the midnight sky itself. "You may leave the protection of your shop in my hands, Kondo. None shall take liberties while I'm here. Consider it thanks, for your aid all those years ago."

Unafraid of her magic, the craftsman smiles. "Not that you need to pay me back, but I'm grateful, Nyx. Hold on, both of you. I shall return quicklike."

Content with Nyx's assurance, the blacksmith skirts past you both and hurries along with a spring in his step.

Left alone with the mage, curiosity claims you. Leaning against a pillar by one of the weapon racks, you fold your arms.

Nyx raises a hand, stalling you where you intend to speak.

"You wish to know how he and I are acquainted, don't you, my sweet love?"

If this were anyone else you'd be caught unawares by their perceptiveness.

Saved from the trouble of asking, you spare a short nod. "It had crossed my mind, yes."

"It's quite simple really." There's warmth to Nyx's expression all of the sudden, faint but there all the same. "He showed me rare kindness long ago. About thirty years prior, if I recall correctly. Yes, it will have been that long ago, upon reflection." A short sigh from the mage, a hint of loneliness glinting in her eyes; it's there and gone in an instant. "My elderly mother had just passed, and nobody would help with burying her. They believed her cursed, like me."

"They wouldn't help you even in a time so dire...?" Disgust swims in your stomach.

"No. They merely ignored me, while many others simply refused to answer their doors. Finally, after being refused countless times over, I visited this humble shop while rife with mournful tears. Kondo was a young man back then, with far fewer creases and less greys in his hair - newlywed and cheerful."

"And did he help you?" You silently hope to every god in the wide world that he did.

"Indeed. He and his wife extinguished the furnace early and locked up the doors. Not only did they help me bury mother, but they invited me to their home just down the street for dinner. I kindly refused... but Kondo's wife Maria insisted I not be left alone. A kind woman. Far kinder than I expected of this town."

You sigh internally. "Thank the Light Dragon. It's good to know that you weren't entirely alone all this time."

"One of but a few kind acts before you and I met, though my road has been long and painful, as you know." Her brown eyes narrow a touch, Nyx putting her hands to her hips and locking your gazes as one. "Which is why I must voice my concerns toward your intent to petition Kagero's sense of duty, love."

Quiet but notable fear laces the Mystic's voice. You hear it. You feel it.

It's in this humble smithy that you're struck by the true gravity of Nyx's devotion. She would die if it meant sparing you from pain. Whether through visions or the intuition of several secluded lifetimes, she would protect you until the very end. As much as you'd like to, convincing her of your plan's merits will be as though marching through Wolveskin Peak without an escort - a struggle to the end.

One you'll brave cautiously.

"Care to share your feelings on the matter?"

"Will you heed them if I do?"

"Without question, provided you're sincere, Nyx," you petition the mage gently, stepping closer and resting your hands upon her small shoulders. Invigorated by your touch, she re-opens her eyes and smiles with care. "You and I are a team, remember? Bound by an oath and more. Tell me what ails you, please...?"

"Very well then, young one." Nyx conceeds with a short exhale. Hugging her body to yours, she revels in your closeness despite the blistering heat. Sated by the cuddle, she eases free and takes up her place beside the mannequin adorned in Hoshidan armor. Running a finger over the metal, she fixates herself upon its craftsmanship. "My sentiments mirror those of the queen, if you really must know. I believe her judgement in this matter to be somewhat astute."

Camilla's appraisal of Kagero's actions was hardly kind - a poor reflection on you in turn. "Meaning you think I'm foolish for attempting this?"

"Appealing to yours and Kagero's former kinship as Hoshidans? Not quite," Nyx answers, drawing away from the armor-clad dummy. Twirling around, she faces you head on. Her eyes sharpen with intense seriousness, and you shiver despite the roaring furnace. "I believe the kunoichi's heart to be a chaotic mire of duty and personal revenge, like Camilla. Unlike the queen, however, I believe you are just as misguided as Kagero in this matter."

Your unease twists into frustration, a nerve pinched by the mage's judgement. "Just what are you implying...?

"That the two of you are indeed alike, love. Sentinels each devoted to a cause."

Nyx agrees with you now? You blink, and blink a second time. "Then we're of the same mind, and I'm clearly not as misguided as you think."

"But you are, for yours and Kagero's mutual devotion will lead to one of two starkly different outcomes, depending on your choices in coming days."

A flash of Charlotte's demise overtakes your thoughts for an instant. Grim intrigue grips you in its aftermath. "You've seen something, haven't you?"

"Not willingly, but yes, I have."

"And when did this happen?"

Nyx's cheeks redden a tiny bit. "I would rather not say, love... Not while we are in public, at least."

"When, Nyx?" you repeat, this time with a touch of force.

Deeper and deeper Nyx blushes, her reluctance clear. "Keiji, please... Kondo may return at any moment."

You don't care. "The last time this happened, I lost Charlotte. Tell me, or must you be ordered to?"

Bested, the mage hangs her head. "Fine... It happened at the height of our passions a few days prior."

Your throat tightens and your heartbeat quickens. A part of you regrets asking. "You had a vision... as we made love?"

"As lewd and unusual as it may sound, I did. As your essence filled my womb, our souls entwined."

"Our-" You stall, honestly shocked. "Has this happened before?"

Nyx snaps her eyes upward and glares you down, a grumpy and blushing violet. "Don't be foolish! You are my first, Keiji of Izami, or did you forget?"

Warned of your misstep by the girl's razor tone, you throw up your hands in surrender. "Of course not... I was merely caught off guard."

"I should hope that's all it was, young man." Clearing her throat, the mage regains her shaken composure. "As I was saying, in the heat of the moment I bore witness to a future which has yet to unfold. And once again you must choose, to remain oblivious to fate's hand, or knowingly fight against it."

An anxious wave sweeps over you. Again you see Charlotte in your mind's eye. How she was on the eve of the battle with Hans, and how she ended up by the battle's end. A victim of fates beyond your control, buried beneath the earth with your unborn child. A grave you dug as Hoshidan shrine maidens wrapped her broken and mangled body in a ceremonial cloth - ready to be returned to the Divine Dragon's embrace.

Painful silence descends between you and Nyx, offset only by crackling embers from the smithy's furnace.

In and out you breathe, steadying your nerves. You already know your answer. "What awaits will be a result of my actions, and nothing more."

"So you intend to remain unenlightened this time?" Nyx asks.

"I do. This time I'll trust in those around me, Kagero included, without fighting forces beyond my control. Whatever happens, happens."

A thin smile graces Nyx's lips. "Then you're learning, my precious young man."

You shrug, exhaling thoughtfully. "Perhaps. Or maybe I'm just as short-sighted as I've always been."

"Hardly. On this occasion I'd say you've been rather smart, Keiji."

"I'll soon see, won't I?"

Raising a hand to her chest, Nyx nods. "You will. And a small word of advice for you, also. Provided you'll hear it?"

"Go ahead." You'll not deny your retainer's wisdom, even if you wish to make your own decisions. "I'm listening."

"Tread wisely. Whilst your Nohrian comrades will prove a safe haven for your heart, it is your Hoshidan kin who will shield your body in the battle to come."

"Against Hans, you mean?"

"Um-hm." A second nod from Nyx. "Treat them well and keep them close. Kagero included, if you truly intend to walk this road."

"Duly noted. I'll do that."

Footsteps catch your attention. You look away from Nyx. The burly blacksmith with whom you chatted just a short while ago strolls through the open doorway. A small leather sheathe about a knife's size is clutched within one of his large hands.

"Sorry about the wait there, friends," Kondo apologizes most casually.

"Think nothing of it," you answer, pointing toward the sheathed weapon he holds. "Is this the one?"

"Sure is." Kondo's reply is colored by quiet pride - a touch of hope, also. "I made this one last year. It's a bit outside of my comfort zone as a craftsman, though so I decided to keep it for a more discerning customer." He again motions briefly toward your wraithglass sword with his eyes. "And given your affinity for such an artisan's weapon, I imagine this will be just the thing for one such as yourself, Lord Keiji."

Ever more eager to marvel at the best the man has to offer, you take a step closer.

A chuckle leaves you, one of sheer excitement. Your warrior's instincts through and through. "Don't keep me in suspense, good sir."

"As you wish, milord." Sporting the smallest of smiles, Kondo frees the dagger from its protective confines.

The armament has a slender silver body and has been sharpened to absolute perfection by the grindstone. Its shine is among the purest things you've ever marvelled upon, seemingly mystical in its intensity. A singular Hoshidan Kanji has been engraved upon the weapon's face, also. The kanji depicting either loyalty or trust, depending where in Hoshido from which you hail. All in all, a piece so astounding that it could be mistaken for ornate by the untrained.

You whistle with great intrigue, restraint be damned. "I know I asked for steel, but gods bare witness..."

"Impressed, are you?"

"Very much so."

Kondo offersthe dagger for you to take. You do so, and gladly. It's oddly light in your hands, lighter than expected.

"Whoever you give that to should be beyond satisfied," Kondo states with immense confidence. "I'll stake my reputation on it."

There are no doubts in your mind, either. "I'll take it. How much are you looking for?"

Kondo ponders shortly, rubbing his chin. "I figure I can part with it for ten gold."

"Ever the shrewd businessman, Kondo," Nyx comments from beside you, brushing inky strands of hair from her eyes. "You'll afford a month's worth of raw materials for your shop with that sort of money, I imagine."

"Hardly, Miss Nyx." Slightly disheartened, the well-built man scratches his greyish-black beard. "Half as long, if I'm lucky."

"And why is that, if I may ask?"

"Because this war's been hard on Cheve, and more than most places."

You return the silver dagger to Kondo, reluctant to keep it until you've agreed payment.

Moreso, as a lord in Camilla's name, you can't help feeling concerned about the fellow's humble plight. "Indulge us, if you'd be so kind."

Kondo's expression spells surprise. "You'd really hear an old man's complaints?"

You've every reason to, it's your duty. "I Would. Camilla's fight is for the good of all, as far as I'm concerned."

"Well I'll be! A nobleman who cares to listen. Seems Her Majesty is turning over a new leaf after all, given the company she keeps. Very well then, Lord Keiji." Kondo returns the silver dagger to its sheathe and gestures toward the multitude of weapons stored in racks off to your side with his free hand. You're drawn toward the swords amongst diverse collection in particular, your preferences being as they are. "Put simply, Cheve has suffered for being a border town."

You feel you're following Kondo's way of thinking, as someone common born and a soldier foremost.

"Because of the constant fighting, I'm sure."

Kondo scoffs cynically. "Fighting we can handle, it's in Cheve's blood to be rebellious."

It seems you guessed wrong. "If not the battles, then what?"

"It's the constant changes in rulership, of course."

"Rulership...?" You furrow your brow, thoroughly confused. "I don't follow."

"Figures you wouldn't, given you were a samurai by trade, and now a general. But did you ever and stop to consider how often Cheve has changed hands?"

"No." You shake your head. "I honestly hadn't."

Kondo raises a hand with four digits extended. "In just a handful of years we've had four rulers, each under different banners."

While you knew Cheve had been a hotbed of conflicts, you didn't know how intensely. "It's been that many, you're serious?"

"Indeed. First and longest was Garon. He solidified his grip over us a good ten years or so, when the Border Wall was finished. A decade under his boot made plenty of the local guilds and traders unhappy, not least our small standing army, the Chevois Knights."

The Chevious Knights. Now this is an order you're familiar with - being a military man and all. "They staged a rebellion. I remember hearing about it." A battle you would've joined gladly, if not for being dispatched elsewhere with Lady Sakura.

"You're darn right they did. The daughter of two of the order's finest lead the charge - Miss Scarlett. For six months we were totally independent, and with Hoshido's help we managed to drive out Nohr's soldiers. Everything was peaceful, for a time."

Kondo sounds disheartened, despite noting the victory.

You already know why.

"Hoshido aiding Cheve brought skirmish after skirmish to the area. I'm aware of that much." Hoshido's royal siblings combined their armies into a single joint force and pressed ahead to Macarath as it happened. Memory serving, it was right around the time you became Corrin's personal bodyguard.

"Right on the coin, milord." Kondo frowns with resentment. "And not long after that a Hoshidan military garrison occupied us."

"You didn't think to refuse?" You don't imagine Ryoma would've made issue, given this was before his unusual change of character.

"We couldn't, not once they invited Scarlett and her knights into their ranks, anyway."

Scorned by Nohr for rebelling, and inclined to align with Hoshido because of their champion. "Sounds like you were damned either way."

"That's about the gist of it, yes. Hans took Cheve's outlying villages and started raiding, while the Hoshidans solidified their position in Macarath."

You're more than well-versed with this portion of the conflict. It was unfolding right as you became Corrin's retainer. "A long and bloody stalemate."

"Long and bloody," Kondo confirms with added coldness. He sighs, appearing a touch weary. "I hear the Hoshidans tried to gain ground by taking the Ice Tribe Village, but it didn't work out. Nothing but another skirmish, and more troops captured. Rumour has it you were among them."

A piercing twinge grips your chest, a reminder of your failure that day. "I was. And my time in Nohr..." You pause, stopping yourself from being too forthright with details. "Let's just say it opened my eyes, made me see just how much blood has been spilled for no reason - that the world needs change."

His heat-cracked lips rising the smallest bit, Kondo places the dagger back into your open palms. "Which brings us to where we are today. Camilla turning on her father and forcing the Hoshidan garrison here into submission - Nohr's Light, as the Artful Miss proclaims it."

Something has shifted in the blacksmith's tone. He sounds... hopeful. "Color me curious, but I'm of the mind that you're against the revolution, Mister Kondo."

"Hah!" His cautious smirk curving into a full-fledged grin, Kondo closes your fingers around the dagger. "Was at first. Most were, in fact."

It makes sense, considering a fair amount of the citizenry left town when Camilla rose her banner. "But your stance has softened?"

"Correct. And I'll tell you why, if you're interested?"

"Naturally."

You've had very little time to gauge the opinions of your common kinsmen, an unfortunate result of being Vanguard General. You'll take the chance while an opportunity presents itself. Both for the sake of those you serve, and helping Camilla better understand her subjects.

Swinging back, the blacksmith points a spirited finger beyond the doorway of his humble business. "Let's step outside for a second, the three of us."

Without waiting a response, Kondo steps out. Sharing a puzzled glance, you and Nyx follow him out into the noon sunshine. Out of the sweltering heat, the craftsman takes in a hearty mouthful of air and rubs his chunky hands together. "Now then! Look around you. Take it all in, both of you."

A wide and grubby cobblestone street stretches out before you - the trader's side of town. Across the road are similar buildings to the one you've just exited, white stone with shutters over the windows, and large chimney stacks to expel the smoke from fires. The gap between each is just enough to give way to a maze-like collection of side streets, you imagine. Especially if they've been built off the back of one-another.

Folks are coming and going with great energy and enthusiasm. Men and women. The elderly and spry. The tall and short. All the while, a slim and wrinkled old man is busy trying to catch the attention of passers-by. There's burlap sack with a mismatched patch stitched into the bottom slung over his shoulder. A peddler, for certain. Callers too are trying to entice people into shopfronts, mostly young boys and girls helping their parents.

The waft of fresh bread and pastry fills your nostrils as you sniff the air. The sort of delights you're less acquainted with, given you're a native of Hoshido.

A township bustling with life. A truly wondrous thing in these times of conflict.

"I often pop outside shop at noon, to take in the hustle and bustle." Kondo recounts proudly. "And I'll be damned if I haven't witnessed some wonderful sights in recent weeks, sights I've seldom enjoyed in nearly twenty years of living in this town, things I feared I'd never see again."

"Like what?" you ask, taking in the busy morning crowds with Nyx at your side.

"Hope, young man. Hope."

It's vague answer for sure. "You might need to elaborate."

"The beginnings of something kinder." Kondo points across the street and three buildings right. Beside the doorway is a young man holding a tray of freshly baked bread rolls. "Camilla and Lady Sakura's soldiers patrolling together, stopping by the bakery for lunches, even sharing drinks in the pub."

News which gladdens your heart. "The beauty of progress."

"Which is why many among Cheve's guilds and business owners are warming to Her Majesty. Where previous rulers kept is divided, Lady Camilla has welcomed Sakura here with open arms. She is at least trying fostering unity, something her father never did."

Your mind wanders yet again to Charlotte, to the two of you cuddling up and reading before bed.

She opened your eyes to the Nohrian side of the world, and in a different time and place you would've had a future together. Despite war's bitter intervention, even the chance of the you being being happy together might never have happened if not for Camilla's vision.

A snap of Kondo's fingers pulls you from recollection's hold. "Are you alright, Lord Keiji?"

"Perfectly fine, Kondo. Now, about this dagger..." You raise the sheathed weapon in presentation. "Would fifteen gold be alright?"

Laughing heartily, Kondo gently lowers your arm to the side. "Keep it. Your willingness to hear a small man's gripes is payment enough."

While generous beyond compare, it's only right you pay the good natured man. "I'm afraid I must object. This is your livelihood, after all."

"Money is no issue. There is but one thing I would request from you in the place of coin, Lord Keiji."

Whatever it is, you're happy to oblige. "And that would be?"

"Action. Word around these parts is that Camilla and Sakura's coalition are readying to march on Dragonfall. I assume you'll be leading from the front?"

"As any self-respecting general should, yes." Merely contemplating the upcoming battle fills you with intense eagerness.

Kondo slaps your back, grinning widely. A fond and supportive gesture from one Hoshidan to another. "Then do your duty, good sir, that's all I ask. Bring Garon's murderous right hand to justice, and liberate the villages suffering under his cruelty. Many around here will be grateful for it."

And liberate them you shall, once Hans' head is struck from his shoulder. You offer Kondo your hand, and your word. "You may consider it done."

The two of you shake on it, an oath between two men of Hoshidan birth.

Kondo releases you from his firm grip, turning his gaze once more to the noon crowds. "You're a good man, Lord Keiji."

"I try, though like most men, I'm far from perfect."

Nyx titters softly, looping her slender arm through yours. "Now that, my young man, we can both agree upon."

You're left red-faced by her bluntness. "I'd rather we didn't..."

Kondo lets out a wholesome chuckle and holds his sides, tickled by the girl's observation. "I see the two of you are rather close."

"We certainly are, my dear friend." Nyx rests her head of dark and wavy locks against your bicep, tightening her grip the smallest bit. "Very close."

A calming orange sun setting over Cheve's township, you and Nyx wave goodbye to Kondo.

Spending the day with the humble tradesman has been a lovely distraction, but there is still much to be done.

Turning from the smithy, you belt the newly gifted dagger to your hip. "Ready?"

Nyx again loops her arm through yours, ever loyal and doting. "I'm forever ready, love."

Together, the two of you start down the cobblestone road. With noon's rush of patrons long-since passed, many shops are closing their shutters for the day. it will be far easier to northward to the town's barracks and holding cells without the extra pedestrians.

Arm in arm, you and your retainer step around the few stray individuals who cross your path from time to time. One in particular spares Nyx a frightened glance as you pass, but the ever youthful mystic doesn't seem to care. Not while the two of you are together, at least.

An audience with Kagero awaits, but you can't help dwelling on something the mage said earlier.

'Tread wisely. Whilst your Nohrian comrades will prove a safe haven for your heart, it is your Hoshidan kin who will shield your body in the battle to come.'

A part of you dearly wants to know what Nyx meant by that. "Nyx?"

"Yes, dear?"

Turning a corner into a narrow side street, you hold your tongue. "I appreciate you accompanying me today."

"You're most welcome, young man."

Some secrets are not meant for mortal men. A lesson you've learned the hard way, and one you won't repeat.

Whatever future unfolds from here will be through actions unafflicted.

You won't tempt fate's hand again.

To be continued...

There you have it! Another chapter comes to a close. Did you like it? Would you like to see more in future? Feel free to leave some feedback and share your thoughts. As always, keep on supporting Fire Emblem and I'll see you in the next chapter! Thanks again!