A/N: Here's the second of the paired Interlude chapters. Next chapter will have things snap back to Nicola's perspective and we'll get to see more of the conversation he had with a certain person, among things. Beyond that, I don't have much to say this go round other than offer my thanks for the recent reviews I've gotten.
If you do like this story and want to find more stories by other authors for Fire Emblem and other fandoms alike, swing by the Fanfiction Treehouse Discord Server (Code: 9XG3U7a). There are plenty of brilliant writers there in the process of telling their own stories or having already told their stories. It's a pretty nice place and there are plenty of chill people willing to talk about writing, gaming and a tonne of other things. They also have a Podcast on Spotify called the Fanfiction Treehouse Podcast and a YouTube channel by the same name (Fanfiction Treehouse) if either interests you. With that, onto the Interlude.
The main arena of Arena Ferox was the one most easily seen in the nation. When the Shepherds had gained entry to the land after proving their identities and mettle against the country's border guardsmen, they'd been able to see it from afar. After their meeting with the East-Khan and Chrom agreeing to participate in the tournament to win her rule over the nation, the Shepherds were taken to Arena Ferox and had been there since. They hadn't fought in the grandest and largest of the arenas in the area beyond the qualifiers, where dozens of people in groups of as few as four and as many as twenty fought in a massive free-for-all to determine who would make it to the tournament proper. After a hard fought victory and several others that followed in smaller less grand arenas, the Shepherds had come full circle.
Chrom and Robin stood as the champions of the East-Khan, Flavia, their pairing having been decided after seeing that Marth and a mysterious woman would be representing the West-Khan. As a surprise twist, Sieg and Morgan, part of a group of four that had fought their way through the tournament with no fealty to either Khan and reached the same point that the other four had, were also participating in the final round of the tournament, just for the glory of it. The Khans had been fine with it, wanting to see just how strong the six before them were. Chrom only hoped they didn't disappoint, Ylisse was counting on his and Robin's victory.
The main arena of the stadium city was deep underground, protected a great deal from the frigid weather outside by massive inward sloping walls that doubled as an audience stand. The circular wall of the arena was carved from smooth stone, with twelve massive pillars of stone spaced evenly around it. Affixed to the top of each pillar was a large lit brazier illuminating part of the arena and providing warmth in turn. The arena's floor was divided into three sections: the outer ring was covered in a thick layer of coarse while the middle layer was made of roughly cut stone with four staircases leading deeper down. The three pairs had emerged from different different staircases, each one sealed from below by a heavy metal grate that slid into place. The center of the arena was a smooth ring of marble tiling decorated with swirling patterns along the outside and a complex symbol in the center. It took Chrom a moment to realize that the symbol in the center was supposed to be representative of the arena as a whole, with the dead center being a motif of the sun directly overhead. The prince found it rather fitting that the sky was clear today of all days, allowing the sun to slowly, but surely climb overhead.
"Ladies and gentlemen," boomed a loud voice from above as the sun reached its peak. The prince started, as did Robin, Marth and Morgan, as the voice continued. "Today we decide the fate and direction of our nation once more in the way we know best: combat!"
The audience erupted into cheer. Warriors hooted and howled, while the nation's civilians called out to the six in the arena's center.
"Crush 'em underfoot, Marth!"
"Show them the strength of West Ferox's new champion!"
"Put 'em in the ground, Aerie! Show those Ylisseans who's boss!"
"Knock those West Ferox punks down a peg, Ylisseans! Show them you aren't just a bunch of pansies!"
"Make that lot eat their words!"
"You can do it, Sieg! Show those four the might of a real mercenary!"
"Don't slip up here Merli- Morgan! Knock 'em dead!"
The shouts and jeers continued, even as Chrom heard a few familiar voices call out.
"You can do it, Chrom! Kick their arses!"
"Milady, that's cr-"
"Yeah, kick their asses, Chrom! The only person you can lose to is Teach!"
"Vaike, that's not-"
"You've got this in the bag Chrom, Robin! Give it your all!"
"Give that masked pretty boy a run for his money!"
The prince and tactician both fought the urge to turn red as their companions cheered them on. He was almost certain he heard Virion somewhere in the crowds, but whatever the nobleman tried to say was drowned out as the crowds grew louder and fiercer. It was embarrassing in a good sort of way, where it was inspiring as much as it made them want to bury their heads in the sand. Chrom looked over to Robin, who gave a nervous smile, then over to their opponents. Marth's expression was flat, the upper half of his face hidden by the same mask he wore when they first met. The masked swordsman's partner gave a bright smile, taking Marth's hand before striding over to them, much to the masked man's chagrin.
"Nice you meet you two," she began, offering a slight curtsy to the prince and tactician. "I'm Aerie, Khan Basilio's elder daughter. From what I've heard, you already know Marth, no?"
"We were acquainted on a prior occasion," Chrom answered. Marth gave a silent nod as the prince continued. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Aerie-"
"Just call me Aerie, 'lady' makes me feel much older than I am."
"Aerie then. While I regret that our first meeting is on the battlefield, I won't go easy on you just because you are a woman. I've a great deal hinging on my victory here."
The plum haired woman hummed in response. "That's good, holding back against me and Marth would just seal your defeat much sooner rather than later. You bring your best and we'll bring ours."
"Do not think for a moment that your victory is assured, Prince of Ylisse," Marth finally said. "Should you prove yourself lacking, you will find yourself regretting your decision to come here."
The two of them sounded very sure of their skill, but Chrom knew first hand that Marth was no slouch in a fight, especially with that replica of the Falchion he carried around. When they met in the forest outside of Southtown, he proved himself a capable and remarkable warrior. Here in the arena, he was like a completely different person with the amount of precision and control he had against multiple opponents. Aerie, the prince was uncertain of, but she had this subtle air of strength around her that told him not to underestimate her in the slightest.
"We can say the same to you, Marth," Robin replied, expression schooled to cool neutrality. "If you believe we're as we were when we met previously, you'll be in for a nasty surprise."
The masked swordsman grunted and turned away in turn. At that moment, Morgan practically skipped over, his partner trailing several steps behind him.
"Heya, I'm Morgan," the dark haired teen introduced, mainly to Aerie. The West-Khan's daughter offered him a smile. "I wouldn't get your hopes up, since me and Sieg'll be taking this victory to the nab!"
"'Sieg and I' and we will be 'nabbing' this victory or taking this victory home, Morgan," the cloaked swordsman corrected.
"Oh, right. I got a little confused there." The teen offered a sheepish grin as his partner looked over the prince and the others. "But yeah, me and Sieg have this in the bag. Don't give up, though. Apparently that's in bad sport."
"It is." "It is." "A sign of bad sportsmanship and yes." Aerie, Marth and Sieg spoke in unison. The man clad in a thick cloak of fur continued. "I imagine the four of you will put forth a valiant effort, but I do believe that Morgan and myself will be able to claim victory despite your inherent advantages of teamwork and familiarity with one another." He cast wine colored eyes over Marth and Aerie. "Or understanding of what your partner is truly capable of. Regardless, may we all learn from this battle and use it to grow, whether we are victorious or taste defeat."
Chrom could get behind that. Though he needed the win, he needed to use this battle as a learning experience and further his training through hardship. He'd just need to give it his all, make sure Robin could give it her all and pace himself.
The booming voice spoke up once more. "May the fighters please return to their designated positions." Once the six had, it continued. "You may be acquaintances, friends or even family outside of the arena, but within the arena it is you and your partner. Anyone else is your enemy and should be treated as such, within reason. As you already know, the arenas here prevent fatal injuries, but do not take that as clearance to try and maim your opponent. Be rough, be strong and show little mercy, but respect your opponents. Face each other as warriors in your own rights and prove which of your groups is the most worthy of victory!"
The audience roared in response, but soon died down. "Glory lies just beyond your grasp. Will you claim it or will you fall short? Only your blades may tell! BEGIN!"
Chrom hadn't been ready for Sieg to blitz him the moment the match started. He'd expected Marth to, the masked swordsman had made it clear that he was testing the prince's worth before they started. He had not expected Morgan's companion to close the distance between them in the blink of an eye and attempt to land a decisive blow the moment the battle started. Luckily, the technique he'd gleaned from Nicola had come in handy and he managed to meet the strike with his own. The two traded blows in the blink of an eye, Chrome going on the defensive as his opponent delivered heavy blow after heavy blow with the massive blade he carried. Sieg was far faster than he should have been, especially with the two handed sword he wielded, yet here he was pressuring the Ylissean prince with speed that matched his own.
The hooded man leveled an impassive Chrom, as if asking him if his current display was his best. It was not and Chrom made that clear when he redirected the other swordsman's blade with a well timed guard and sidestep. The prince capitalized on the short opening he made, shoulder tackling Sieg to take him off balance. Except it was like he slammed into a wall of metal. The cloaked man hardly budged, eyes flickering towards the surprised prince. Before Chrom realized it, he was in the air. He'd been thrown with Sieg's free hand and was about to crash into the arena's wall.
With the nimbleness of a hare and the grace of a swan, Chrom vaulted into a flip and landed feet first against the wall. His eyes locked onto Sieg, narrowing to cerulean slits as surprise passed over the cloaked man's face. Then he was behind the man, Falchion already swung in a deadly arc.
"Not bad," Sieg commented, whirling around as his cloak was cut into pieces, revealing the sleek plated armor he wore beneath. The armor was black in color with interlocking plates and segments that completely covered the blue haired man's body below his mask. It was a marvel of craftsmanship, each tiny plate appearing to ripple like water in some areas as Sieg looked towards the prince. Chrom barely had time to register Sieg's lightning fast strike and less to dodge it when Marth entered the fray, springing forth with his own Falchion. That was when hell broke loose.
Lightning bolts clashed with fireballs and spears of light in the air as the mages joined the fray, raining burning sparks and motes of light onto swordsmen locked in a deadly dance of blades. Chrom and Marth dueled, their styles mirroring one another at some moments only for them to radically diverge at others. Chrom favored strength and the versatility of punches, shoves and unbalancing kicks while Marth preferred agility and struck like a whip, delivering pinpoint strikes that Chrom had to deflect if he wanted to stay in the fight. Then there was Sieg, who used a combination of high speed and heavy strikes that Chrom struggled to redirect and counter. He wasn't sure who was the bigger threat to him at the moment: Marth could follow and react to his movements with ease, but a single good hit from Sieg would likely take the prince out of the fight.
"You'll need to be better than that if you plan on emerging from this as the victor," the armored swordsman intoned, whirling towards Chrom like a deadly top. The prince dodged to the side then twirled out of the way of Marth, who once again filled in the gap that he'd made.
"En garde!" The masked swordsman thrust his blade at the prince's chest, only to jerk back as a thin jet of flame shot past his face.
"Don't count me ou-" Morgan began, then yelped and scrambled away as Aerie hurled a javelin of light his way. Robin took that moment to strike Sieg with a bolt of lightning, but grew pale as a sheet when he caught the bolt without looking back.
"I'll be returning this," he gravelled, charging the bolt with dark energy as he grasped it. The once yellow bolt of electricity took on a cyan hue as darkness gathered around it before the armored man hurled it back towards the tactician. Robin dove to the side, barely avoiding the cyan bolt that shattered part of the stone wall on impact. Right, he wasn't the one to rain spells on then.
In the meantime Chrom had gone back on the offensive, weaving through the rain of light Marth's partner called down over the area. His Falchion met Marth's and the twin blades rang as their wielders were pushed back from one another. The swordsmen quickly mirrored one another's stances then leapt forward, sword arms blurring into action.
The Exalted Fencing technique was passed down through the bloodline of the aforementioned Exalt, though its true origins had come from much further back, during the era of the Hero King. It consisted of a balanced combination of swift thrusts meant to probe and poke at an opponent's guard and powerful slashes in tandem with dance-like footwork to dismantle the opponent with grace and elegance. Over generations it had been adapted and changed by its many wielders, some favoring the thrusts and lunges meant to probe defenses and pierce through armor while others favored the dancing slashes and stronger blows that were just as much a part of the style. Marth seemed to favor the former of the two variations, though it appeared that he'd learned a fair amount from one who favored the latter variation. Chrom was the opposite, preferring the powerful slashes in step with dance-like evasion to match his larger physique. Despite that, he knew his way around both variations of the Exalted Fencing technique and wondered who had taught it to his opponent.
"Pay attention, " Marth snapped, stepping into a low thrust. Chrom deflected the thrust with his own, then matched the blistering series of slashes and stabs that followed. The prince found it difficult to hide how impressed and intrigued he was about his opponent, he'd very clearly taken to the Exalted Fencing style like a fish did water. Fortunately, the masked man had a single glaring flaw in his technique: how straightforward and clear cut his attacks were, regardless of how tricky his movements were. In that regard, it was Chrom's duty to make his own mastery of the style truly evident.
Both combatants hopped back from one another, once more mirroring each other's stance. Then Chrom's stance shifted. He lowered his blade from a raised position the Exalted Fencing style to a more centered position as he watched his opponent. Marth's stance wavered then tightened, confusion evident in their form.
"Come at me," Chrom taunted, flashing a self assured smirk. It didn't matter if Marth took the provocation or if the prince initiated the exchange in this particular case, only that Marth didn't catch on to what was coming.
"Have at you," the other swordsman called, sprinting towards the prince. Halfway to his destination, the masked man leapt high into the sky and twisted into a spin that Chrom recognized as one from his variation of the style. That was slightly out of his expectations, but he could deal with that all the same.
With practiced ease, Chrom stepped out of Marth's range then surged back in with a heavy slash from below. The masked man was immediately knocked off balance as he tried to guard from a compromised stance, stumbling back as he was forced to his feet. Chrom didn't give them a moment to recover as he flashed towards the unbalanced swordsman to deliver another heavy strike to shatter the man's guard and send him stumbling further. Without missing a beat, the prince darted past the masked man and knocked his feet from beneath him with a swift leg sweep. Hardly finished, Chrom spun into a point blank shoulder check that sent Marth rolling away from him.
By the time Marth regained his bearings Chrom was in the air, Falchion whistling through the air as it spun overhead. Chrom caught the blade by the handle, either through sheer skill or some form of divine power, and brought it down in what would have been a devastating overhead strike had Sieg not appeared from thin air.
"Don't forget I'm here, you'll regret it," the armored man droned, red eyes locking with Chrom's as he blocked the Falchion and all of the prince's weight and momentum with his free hand. Chrom managed to brace himself as the armored warrior unleashed a burst of black and cyan energy that sent both him and Marth tumbling away.
"Who exactly are you," the prince bit out, dragging himself to his feet. The man swung a two handed sword around like it weighed nothing, managed to be as fast as him despite wearing armor that should have at least hindered his movements somewhat and had magic!? What was next, his sword being enchanted to some degree as well?
"I believe the term here would be 'wanderer,'" Sieg replied as purple flames wreathed his sword, gathering along the edges to make the already large blade larger. Chrom would have brought a hand to his face if he didn't know losing sight of Sieg would have probably cost him the fight. Of course the man actually had a magic sword. What was- No, he wasn't going down that line of thought, lest he jinx himself a second time.
Sieg wasted no time rushing Chrom, burning blade humming as he spun the weapon around. Chrom managed to block the armored warrior's sudden, backhanded slash and regretted it as his arms vibrated from the impact. It was quickly followed by a heavier blow and the man brought the violet blade down on the Falchion with both hands, nearly causing Chrom to buckle. A second slam came, then a third and the prince found himself losing ground as Sieg smashed his sword into the Falchion with the force of a hammer and the fury of a storm of whip strikes. His defense wasn't going to last forever, even with how strong he was, so he needed to weather strikes until he found the correct moment to counter his foe.
That moment came when Marth rejoined the fray, mask cracked and Falchion gleaming as he brought the blade across Sieg's back. The dark clad man had been in the midst of a blow that would have flattened Chrom, but Marth's sudden attack made him flinch and gave the prince his opening.
Chrom let out a warcry as he dragged his Falchion along the flaming edge of Sieg's own blade, wrenching the larger sword upwards as he turned the armored man's momentum against him. His eyes blazed and the Falchion seemed to blaze with them as the flames along Sieg's blade were drawn into it. The prince rose, taking to the air once more just to slam the Falchion down across Sieg's chest plate. To his credit, the armored man finally staggered, forced to take a knee. Chrom wasn't sure if that was from the slash itself or from the well of flames that erupted in its wake the next instant. Regardless, the damage had been done and the prince felt the various aches and pains across his body dull as warmth blossomed in his chest.
"Yi-" he began, only to be forced to twist out of the way of Marth as the masked swordsman kicked off Sieg's shoulder, knee aimed at the prince's face. He rolled to the side and brought his sword up to block another strike as Marth slid briefly then leapt into an axe kick. He quickly retracted his leg when Chrom made to grab for it, hopped away, then sprung forth with his Falchion poised to stab forward.
By Naga, he was aggressive! Marth may have been a straightforward fighter by Chrom's standards, but he was damned opportunistic and scrappy when it came down to it. It was a very odd split, fighting with nobility and purity of moment while simultaneously giving off the impression that he would take any and all advantages given to him to win. No that wasn't quite it. He would have come from Chrom's blind spots more often or used more underhanded tricks had that been the case. No, this felt more like someone who'd been tempered to survive any fight and not give up if a chance still remained, like Vaike had when they'd first fought. Resourceful and not unlike a cornered animal, but not one at its most desperate. Chrom had a gut feeling he wasn't at that point yet and he knew for a fact that Sieg wasn't down and out just yet: the other warrior was far too hardy to go down from a single strong hit.
All the while, Morgan, Robin and the West-Khan's daughter were slinging spells at one another while positioning themselves around the arena. Chrom knew what Robin's plan was, she was going to arc a paralyzing bolt towards Marth or Sieg between pressuring the other mages. With that done, Chrom would disengage and down one of the mages while Robin whittled down the other. He had little doubt that Morgan had something planned to help his partner, but Aerie he had no clue about aside from her large scale magics. Not that he had time to worry about the Light Mage when Marth was aiming to skewer him while Sieg recovered off to the side.
The prince rolled forward, past Sieg and into Marth's range. The masked swordsman jerked back, but Chrom knew an opening when he saw one. In an instant he was in the masked man's face, delivering a knee to his face where Marth failed to do so to him. The knee became a snap kick that sent Marth tumbling back as Chrom tucked into a roll. A shadow soared overhead at that moment, which couldn't have been Sie-
"Tagging in, Marth!"
Chrom's vision exploded into stars as a silvery grey boot smashed into his jaw. He didn't have the time to register his assailant when he felt a hand grab his cape and hurl him skyward. Damn, the armored swordsman was back on his feet already. That wasn't good at all.
"Morgan," barked Sieg as he engaged the woman who surprised Chrom, Aerie. The petite looking woman met his blade with a bare hand, bringing it to a halt as she skidded back. The armored man's eyes widened as the plum haired woman gave a warrior's grin.
"On it," the dark haired youth called in turn. "Elfire: Burst!"
Chrom nearly registered the ball of white flames streaking his direction far too late. He shifted his grip on the Falchion and spun, meeting the sphere with the flat of his blade. He was thankful he did when the sphere ruptured and scorching heat washed over him rather than being split in two and detonating on either side of him. He wasn't quite expecting his sword to draw in the flames a second time and extinguish them, but that was one less thing to worry about when he was falling. Or soon to be falling.
"Robin, go for it," he called, but the tactician was already way ahead of him. She sprinted towards Morgan the moment he took his eyes off of her, body wreathed in azure lightning. She hopped past Marth, releasing a quick jolt of lightning into the swordsman as she passed, delivering a paralyzing shock as the masked swordsman regained his bearing.
"I'll tip the scales, here and now," she called, lunging at the other tactician.
"Then I'll just even things out," he retorted as flames gathered around him. He drew a flame wreathed dagger and lashed out at Robin. She deflected his strike with the blade at her side, drawing it in full as they clashed. Roaring flames met crackling lightning as the mages traded blows, though it became rather clear that Morgan held the speed and power advantage there. Not that Robin hadn't planned for that.
"Don't underestimate me," Robin shouted, adopting Chrom's stance for just a moment. In that brief instant she parried what would have been Morgan's decisive strike before adopting a fencer's stance. With speed beyond what she normally could muster, Robin twirled her blade and struck her opponent four times, each strike stripping away more of the flames that surrounded him. When none remained, she tapped her blade against his head and sent him sprawling with a strong jolt of electricity before she kneeled from exhaustion. The crowd roared their approval.
Damnation, she was going to be out of it for a bit, if not for the remainder of the match. Chrom grimaced, just in time to finally begin falling. Now he was going to need to go for broke.
Down below Sieg and Aerie were trading blows. The swordsman had changed styles, adopting a two handed grip on his blade for much more powerful strikes. Chrom could see the air vibrating where he and the West-Khan's daughter clashed, the petite looking woman matching each titanic swing of the armored swordsman's blade with a strike from her palm or burst of light. What in the Divine Dragon's name were those two? In the meantime Marth had gotten back on his feet, mask cracked enough to reveal an icy blue orb narrowed at Sieg.
"Aerie, with me," the masked man called, voice shifting to a higher pitch than before as he closed in on Sieg.
"We're doing that?" She gave a feral grin to the armored man as she leapt away, avoiding a slash that shattered the arena's central mural. Burning light gathered around her as Marth struck at Sieg's legs. The swordsman sidestepped the strike and brought his blade down on where Marth would have been had the masked man not mimicked Chrom and rolled forward. The difference there was that Marth rolled into an acrobatic kick only the most flexible could perform, catching Sieg with his heels before springing into the air and landing beside Aerie. The plum haired gave a broader grin. "I'm ready! Are you!?"
Feathered wings of golden light tinged with green extended from Aerie's cloak, wrapping around her and Marth as azure light gathered in her hands. Marth raised his Falchion in reply, a flickering orange glow burning along the blade's edges. The blade flashed once and began drawing in the blue light as Sieg struck at the duo. His blade clanged off the wings of light and sent him staggering back as more light gathered on the other Falchion.
Chrom felt his own Falchion warm in response, drawing in the flames that lit the arena and the light of the sun as he plummeted. It appeared that the blades were reacting to one another, both gathering power from something to match the other. Not that would help the prince out if he broke his everything from the hard landing to come.
Marth and his Falchion were soon surrounded by a brilliant pillar of blue light that illuminated the arena when the torchlight had been fully consumed. Aerie's hair and dress fluttered in an invisible wind as her pendant burned with the same light surrounding her partner. Whatever it was they were doing, it was going to be big. The battle's audience had grown silent, awe present in the eyes of most of the onlookers at the spectacle of the matter. They were waiting to see what would happen next with bated breath. Sieg wasn't just going to let it happen, however.
"My blade is the blade of ruin. The dead once laid claim to its power before I wrested it from their grasp and made it my own," the darkly clad man intoned, raising his blade. "To stand before me now is to know hopelessness and defeat."
Sieg had adopted yet another stance, the hilt of his blade parallel with his eyes as he pointed his blade towards the duo before him. Violet energy swirled around him as his eyes burned red. The edge of his sword took on the same violet color as the energy around him, then it began to expand, the gathering light making his already large blade nearly double in size. Then the energy continued to gather and condense until the sword looked like a weapon made entirely of malevolent flames as burning azure and cyan skulls formed around the armored swordsman. It was as if his aura was a stark contrast to the holy aura growing around Marth and Aerie. It felt just as powerful to Chrom, which was worrying.
He wasn't going to land at the exact moment both sides struck, was he? He hoped not, he didn't sign up for his death, accidental or not.
"Aerie, now!" Marth hoisted his Falchion to the heavens, the pillar of holy light around him taking the shape of a giant blade.
"You got it!" The West-Khan's daughter placed her hands on Marth's. "Now, as one!"
"This is how it ends!" "Descending Scale!" The duo brought the colossal blade of light down, leaving a trail of azure flames behind it as it fell towards its target.
"Discard all hope. Edge of Ruin!"
Sieg met the blade of light with his own malevolent blade and everything went white. There was a moment when all was still and the world felt at peace, then everything exploded in indigo and magenta light, dying the arena in both colors and all of the colors in between. Marth, Aerie and Sieg were sent hurtling towards the arena's wall from the resulting blast. Sieg managed to stab his blade into the ground and stop himself just short of barreling into Robin and Morgan, quickly summoning a wall of shadows to protect the duo from the blast. Marth would not have been as fortunate had Aerie not slipped behind him and taken the brunt of the impact for the both of them, hitting the wall with a loud thud as part of the structure chipped and cracked. The braziers that once lit the arena were alight once more, now with alternating violet and snow white flames.
By some twist of fortune, Chrom had not been launched back into the sky by the explosive blast, instead his fall was broken by the blast and he landed relatively unharmed. Relatively, save for the ringing in his ears, doubled vision and definitely cracked ribs. He was going to feel that tomorrow for sure, along with a number of other things. The fact that he was still standing was impressive, but he imagined it had something to do with the flames his Falchion had drawn in. Speaking of the Falchion, it was pulsing with power even now. Chrom wasn't sure why the Falchion had revealed this new power now, and he had no idea how to use it properly, but he was thankful nonetheless. He just needed to win this battle and get some rest.
It was fortuitous that Marth and his partner appeared down for the count, or rather that the masked man was down and his partner was making sure he was alright. The unfortunate thing was that Sieg was still in the fight, though he wasn't in the best shape either. While his armor looked perfectly fine, it was clear that the armored swordsman was exhausted from how heavy he was breathing, the dark bags under his eyes and the fact that he was smoking from the previous exchange. That didn't stop him from rising and resetting his stance. Chrom entered his own stance once more. If this was what the final bout was going to be, he was going to end it in a single strike. From the look of things, Sieg had the same idea as he readied himself. A single clash would end it, then. It was just a matter of who struck first.
In the blink of an eye, Chrom and Sieg reached one another. The armored warrior's blade tore through the air as the Falchion sang to meet it. There was a clash of steel and a loud clang as the warriors passed one another. Chrom fell to a knee, planting the Falchion into the tiled center of the area as searing pain shot across his body. His vision grew hazy and his consciousness faint as he felt a thud. Damn, he'd lost? That was un...fortu...na...
The roaring crowd brought the prince back to his senses for a few moments. They were cheering and shouting something. As he strained to listen through the haze he felt, he realized it was his name. What? But hadn't he... lost?
"CHROM! CHROM! CHROM! CHROM!"
"Ladies and gentlemen," boomed the announcer from before. "After what could only be called the class of two swordsmen nearing true mastery, we have our victors! The champions of the East-Khan, Prince Chrom Lowell of Ylisse and his partner for the battle, Robin, have proven victorious over both the champions of the West-Khan and the warriors seeking glory through combat!"
"CHROM! CHROM! CHROM! CHROM!"
Ah. They were cheering for him. He'd done it then. That was good...
"CHROM! CHROM! CHRO-"
When Chrom came to, he was greeted by the sight of the Shepherds crowding around him, along with a few other faces. Aerie and Morgan were present, as were Flavia and Sieg. Further back, towards the room's door stood a tall bald man. His complexion was dark and he was built like a wall of solid muscle, his barrel of a chest alone was nearly as broad as Frederick was when he wore his armor. Standing beside him was a shorter, but still tall, man with short tousled hair and a blue and beige easten garb. Marth and Sieg's other companions were nowhere to be seen, though it was quickly explained that Marth had left once he'd recovered from the battle. That was mildly irritating to the prince, he still had a great deal of questions for the masked swordsman.
"Well fought," Flavia called once she saw Chrom was awake. "That was a close match and I honestly thought you were out of there when tall, dark and brooding over there sent you soaring." The East-Khan tilted her head towards Sieg. "That being said, you've earned your respect and that alliance you wanted. When the time comes, I'll provide you with those warriors you requested, but not now."
"Not now? Why," the prince asked, confusion and possibly a touch of indignation entering his voice. He'd gotten pretty messed up in that bout and probably would have died without the death warding enchantment in the arena. He was not going to run around as the errand boy of another ruler dangling the promise of aid over his hea-
"Because, tonight and tomorrow we celebrate," the ruler laughed. "Talk to that big oaf over there if you wanna talk logistics and the numbers game, but be ready in a few hours. You and your friends are the guests of honor, so expect there to be more than a few people crowding about you and making merry. Once the celebrations are over, we can officially discuss what I can send your way in terms of aid, but the big oaf'll have more accurate information on what's actually available until the day after tomorrow." Flavia gestured over to the towering man on the far end of the room. "I'll be seeing you later, once things really kick off this evening."
And with that, the East-Khan left the room. Once she had, the large man approached and Chrom realized he was missing his eye, wearing a dark eyepatch over where it should have been. He also realized how intimidating the man felt, having the presence of a veteran warrior that made nearly everyone else in the room feel tiny in comparison. The exceptions were Aerie, Sieg and the man who'd been by his side moments ago, with Sieg and Aerie having the same level of presence but purposefully subdued while the other man trailed behind them.
"You didn't buckle," the large man commented, inclining his head the prince's way. "Well met, Prince of Ylisse. I should apologize for Flavia, she's always on the lookout for a reason to party."
"Have we met?" Chrom managed to keep his voice even despite his tongue feeling like it wanted to shrivel up and roll down his throat.
"I'm the West-khan, who you so rudely ousted from power," the man answered, deep voice rumbling. It took the prince a moment to realize the man was chuckling to himself. "I won't say you're the best swordsman I've seen, but you've quite the arm on you and a great deal of room to grow. Before that match, I was certain I'd hired the better man. Clearly, I should have gone for you or that Sieg fellow."
"Do you know much about Marth..." The blue haired man paused, unsure how to address the man before him. He seemed more and less commanding than Flavia did, though his presence was far larger. That wasn't to say that the East-Khan wasn't striking or remarkable, but she didn't have the same presence about her. Flavia felt more like she wanted to prove herself to be the greatest rather than like she had reached a pinnacle, unlike her counterpart.
"Just call me Basilio, no need for fancy titles now that we've officially met," The West-Khan replied. "As for the answer to your question, no. That 'Marth' lad showed up, bested my previous champion and took his place. It was like love at first sight, something I'm too old for more often than not."
"You aren't that old, father," Aerie remarked, perking up from her conversation with Morgan and Lissa. "Livie and I've been trying to tell you that for ages."
Right, Aerie was Basilio's daughter. The prince didn't see the resemblance in the slightest, but it wasn't his place to comment on it.
"I'm getting there," Basilio rumbled in return. "Maybe in the next decade or so I'll need to retire and get my successor ready." His daughter scoffed.
"Two decades, so long as you take care of yourself."
The larger man grunted a response before looking back to Chrom. "Sorry about that. Anyways, that 'Marth' lad up and vanished once he was done with his treatment. Can't tell you where he learned that Exalted Fencing style or anything like that, he wasn't the talkative type."
"Ah, I see." That only gave Chrom more questions. He'd learned the style in part from his father and in part from Emmeryn, once their father died. Emmeryn hadn't been the best teacher, she'd been maybe thirteen at the time and balancing the wellbeing of the nation on her shoulders, with some help from the few nobles supporting the Exalted bloodline at that point. Eventually, he found old texts and tablets in the royal archives that taught him the rest of the style and he'd taught what he knew to Lissa before she took to the path of a healer. With that in mind, who had taught Marth the style? Unless he was the Hero King of old reborn, no one could have taught him. Then again, when they met in the battle before the tournament officially started, the masked man claimed that he'd learned from his father. Who would that have been? The previous Exalt had no siblings and the one before him had lost her brother at a young age.
More questions and not enough answers. How irritating. The next time he met Marth, he was going to get answers. Unless the man disappeared without a trace for a third time.
"Don't be too down," Basilio said, drawing the prince from his thoughts. "If it's a strong warrior you're after, my old champion should suffice for now. Lon'qu."
The other man in the back of the room looked up, gave a nod, then approached Chrom. As he passed by Sieg, the two shared a look that Chrom didn't quite understand. Sieg had something akin to familiarity in his dull red eyes, while the other man looked confused. The prince noted the way he skirted around the women in the room, his dour expression twisting to one of discomfort just slightly as he did so.
"..." The blue clad man stared at the prince before looking back to Basilio. "You're certain?"
"Why wouldn't I be? You could use a change in scenery once the winter storms die down in full and the prince here will need at least one good man at his side before Flavia can make due on her promise."
"Right." The dark haired man looked back to Chrom. "Lon'qu. You point me in the right direction, I stab things."
"You're certainly direct," Chrom nodded, somewhat taken aback by how blunt the other man was. Clearly, so was Frederick because it looked like he had something to say when Aerie spoke up.
"Lon'qu's a good guy, but he's a bit skittish around women. Don't push him in that regard. He's also pretty good with a sword, you could probably learn a thing or two from him, which is why father's sending him along with you." She looked over to Basilio. "That about right?"
"The opposite is true as well," the West-Khan nodded. "Lon'qu can teach him a thing or two, but he can also learn from being around Chrom as well." The one-eyed man looked to Chrom. "Think of it as a mutual exchange. You get a fine warrior and someone who can teach you a bit more, he gets to travel and broaden his horizons."
"Is that fine with you?" Chrom looked to Lon'qu, who grunted.
"I wouldn't have come if it wasn't."
"Fair enough. Chrom Lowell."
"Lon'qu of Chon'sin."
From there things went by quickly. The West-Khan excused himself and Lon'qu followed him shortly thereafter. Morgan, Lissa and Frederick left together, the knight going with the princess to watch over her as Morgan babbled excitedly about a restaurant within the arena city serving exotic foods. Sully, Stahl and Vaike followed soon after, the redhead and blonde looking around for a good tavern while the green haired knight went along to mediate and keep the peace. Sumia and a rather reluctant looking Mirel laft as well, the former promising to return with something palatable for Robin and the prince. With no sign of Virion since he's split off upon their arrival, that left Chrom and Robin to their own devices. The two of them, the armored figure standing at Robin's side, Sieg and Aerie.
...The armored figure standing at Robin's side? Chrom started as Robin looked over to the figure, mild surprise coloring her face as she recognized Kellam. When had he gotten there? Chrom had lost track of him in the battle at the border, after he plucked a javelin tossed by the leader of that bunch from the air and crashed into her.
The armored swordsman and the East-khan's daughter expressed their surprise in different manners.
"I thought I felt something in here," Sieg began. "I wasn't expecting to have missed someone as large and armored as yourself, though."
"What he said. I thought I smelled another person, but the scent was fleeting at best," Aerie nodded.
"I'm used to it," the hulking knight sighed, taking a seat. Judging by his positioning, he was there to guard both the prince and tactician should a fight break out. The other duo saw that as well, with Sieg opting to stand after offering Aerie a seat. Silence ensued.
"...So, that was a good match, no?" Aerie broke the silence after a few moments. "I wasn't expecting you to be able to match the Descending Scale like that."
"I wasn't expecting to see such an old technique used," Sieg answered. He glanced at Chrom. "Nor did I expect you to be able to use the power you displayed there, prince."
He meant the burning slash no doubt. Chrom wasn't sure what that was either, just that the Falchion had reacted to his needs then to the power that Marth and Aerie had gathered. He told them as much.
"I see. You've much to learn then," the armored swordsman stated, though his tone wasn't condescending as he said so. "That was the Sol technique, or perhaps the Daylight technique if you did not willingly call upon it."
Chrom recognized the name and grimaced. His father had been a master of that particular technique, able to incorporate it into just about everything he did. Apparently, that had made him particularly hard to kill by the former leader of Plegia; he kept getting back up from fatal injuries as he struck down more and more people with the Falchion. On one hand, it was a useful technique to have and it would be useful to master. On the other hand, the people that compared him to his father when they thought he didn't notice would only do so more openly.
"I take it you've experience with Sol then," Robin responded while Chrom's thoughts drifted.
"Among things," Sieg nodded. "I can use it myself, though it has since changed into something that better suits my way of fighting." Of course he could. Why wouldn't the armored swordsman with a magic sword and the power to return magic have his own version of Sol? The man continued. "I had to abandon my shield and ideals to learn the technique, years ago. Only when I found them again and sought to redeem myself did I master it."
So Sieg had once been without morals? Or did he mean something different. Regardless, Aerie seemed to catch on. Whatever she'd figured out, she did not share. Choosing to nod.
"Were you a bandit, then," Robin asked.
"No, it would be better to say that I was an... assassin," the armored man breathed, sounding tired once more. Kellam tensed just slightly, as did Robin. Aerie, conversely, relaxed. Sieg ignored their reactions. "Those days are behind me, though they seem to be trying to haunt me still. Chrom."
"Yes?" The prince blinked as the swordsman called over to him.
"That coat your sister wore. Where did she get it?" Lissa's coat? Ah, the one Nicola gave her.
"Now that you mention it, that coat did look familiar to one I know as well," Aerie thought allowed, drawing the armored man's attention to her. "Last I knew it was tailor made though. How did your sister get that? If you don't mind me asking."
"A friend gave it to her. Why?"
"Was that friend the original owner?" There was an intense light in the masked man's normally dull eyes. It was almost uncomfortable to look at, though not as much as the look Aerie gave him. Her eyes snapped to him quickly, pupils thin slits of white light. They demanded an answer.
"I believe so?" Nicola hadn't seemed particularly attached to the coat with how quickly he gave it away, but it felt like it had been a part of him in an odd way. He wasn't expecting the armored figure or the West-Khan's daughter to suddenly rush over to him, faster than Kellam or Robin could react.
"Do you know his whereabouts now!?"
"Was he in good health when you saw him!?"
"Could he walk or was he unable to move his legs?"
"What colors were his eyes? Was his hair the color of the green sea?"
"Was anyone else with him?"
"Was- Wait, Sieg how do you know him," Aerie asked, giving the armored man a measured look.
"I could ask the same of you," the armored figure retorted, giving the plum haired woman a sidelong glance.
"He was like family to me, though he sent me away when he felt I was in danger. Me and some other friends of mine. I found myself with my father not long after, but not before my friend and I were separated."
"I see. If we are referring to the same person, he was a close friend," Sieg answered in turn, dull eyes blinking rapidly as he fought away what looked like the start of tears. "I... I thought he died. I saw him die. How could he have...? Chrom."
The prince was ready this time. "Yes?"
"The owner of that coat. Did he call himself... No, what was his name?"
"I..." Chrom wasn't sure he was supposed to answer that. On one hand the two of them clearly knew Nicola, but the man hadn't described or wanted to talk about his friends in the short while they'd spoken. Was Sieg a friend of his who had survived the being- the supposed god- that had been involved in their deaths? What was Aerie's relationship to him? Were they lying? No, Chrom could tell easily enough that they knew Nicola without a doubt. "He called himself Nicola." The duo looked crestfallen before the prince continued. "Though, while he was unconscious and dealing with some form of magical malady, he kept calling out and apologizing to an Alfonse and Sha-"
"That's enough," Sieg interrupted, far too abruptly for someone who wanted answers mere moments ago. He recognized the names then. "That confirms it and... Chrom, we hardly know one another, but I've a favor to ask of you. If 'Nicola' is where you last saw him, could you deliver something to him?"
"That depends entirely on what it is," The prince said evenly. He could perhaps deliver a message or their regards, but he wasn't going to become some errand boy.
"Something of his that was left behind and a letter," the armored figure replied. "You wouldn't know what to do with the former and it is imperative that he receives it."
"Two letters," Aerie interjected.
"And you can't deliver the letter yourself? I imagine you'd be accepted into the halidom." Robin piped up. Chrom nodded. He looked menacing in the all black armor that covered the lower half of his face and below, but not evil. ...Maybe a little evil from afar, actually. His eyes didn't match that once you could look at them. Sieg looked tired emotionally, like his spirit was fatigued more than his body was.
"I've business here," he replied. "I have to ensure that someone I know does not cause unnecessary trouble. If they do, I have to thwart them before they cause widespread harm. Once they are taken care of, I believe myself and Aria will visit Ylisse, should circumstances allow it."
"I'm supposed to stay here for a while longer," Aerie supplied. "When the time is right or when father gives the okay, I'll be free to travel. He's just making sure Livie has support when he's not around to encourage her and make sure I'm fully ready to actually go on my own journey."
"What about Morgan? I'm certain he'd want to visit," Chrom hummed. Morgan was like a bundle of curious energy wrapped in a twig thin frame and clad in magic... or something like that. If it was new, exciting or related to getting his memory back, he was all for it. The complete opposite of Robin really. Robin was serious, stoic and had a perpetual scowl or blank look on her otherwise pretty face. She was still far too thin for her own good, but she burned away nearly as much weight as she packed on at this point. Her hair had grown out a bit and no longer looked like someone had taken a hatchet to it, though a little birdie told him Frederick had helped with that. She'd also filled out a bit, not much, and could at the very least be easily recognized by her surprisingly sweet sounding voice. One would just need to worry about the barb- He was getting distracted.
"He has not asked already? Morgan planned on leaving with you all once the weather clears up." Huh. The dark haired teen had not mentioned that in the slightest. It wasn't the worst thing that could happen, Morgan was at least competent and very skilled for his apparent age. It helped that he lit a fire under Robin and made her want to improve a great deal. Plus, he appeared to get on with Lissa rather well as a friend and would act as an additional mood maker of the group if he came along. That was worth his odd quirks and unorthodox methods of trying to get his memory back. They'd need to talk once he returned.
"I see," Chrom nodded. "Now about the item you want me to deliver. I'm content with delivering a letter for you and Aerie, but I must know what I'm delivering before I can agree to doing so. What may be nostalgic, lost or important to him could potentially be a danger to him and others depending on what it is. Nicola, from the little I heard before I left the halidom, was being hounded by the church for one reason or another despite being a guest of my family. I would not want what I bring to him to be something that would allow them to supersede my older sister's authority and attempt to deal with him directly. That would end poorly."
Nicola was strong but the full might of Naga's church was fri-
"That would be bad for them." Chrom paused as Aerie spoke in an agreeable tone. Had she just said the church would be in danger? Nicola wasn't that skilled. Incredibly skilled, but with some form of inferiority towards others, yes. Capable of taking on the elites of the church? He doubted it, having seen one of them fight. They had been-
"Indeed," huffed Sieg. "Though I wonder how comfortable he would be using that amount of power. When I last saw him, he was not."
Chrom was now distinctly worried that a conflict was brewing in the halidom and he did not like that at all. He wasn't sure how well Nicola would react to being poked and prodded by clergymen and other agents of the church. Hopefully, reasonably and calmly. In the meantime he needed an answer to his question. What did Sieg want to give the spearman and why did he feel like things were going to take a turn if he did?
Lucina was trailing after Aria as stealthily as she could. No, that wasn't quite right. Trailing implied that she was following the hooded woman without her knowing. Aria was well aware that she was being followed, considering she'd cornered Lucina as she'd been slinking out of Arena Ferox and told her to follow behind her. Where they were going, the cloaked woman did not say, only that the princess be discreet. The fact that she called the disguised princess by her title had not been lost on her either.
For the second time in a few days, Lucina found herself weaving through people to follow a rather elusive figure. At least with Aerie, it had been to a secret training room. With Aria, she had no clue. The hooded woman had clearly gotten over whatever aversion of the princess she had before and was surprisingly brusque in her mannerisms. She was also very hard to follow in the crowded passages of the arena city, now full of celebrating warriors and civilians alike. What felt like an hour of stepping past and around people to follow a dull grey sliver of a cloak was not pleasant. It was even less pleasant with the sharp turns, quick hops and occasional wall running she had to do to keep within visible range of Aria. At least the crowds thought it was some form of show. Discretion was out of the question until the throng of people thinned.
"Slow down," Lucina hissed once she and Aria were out of the crowd. "By Naga, slow down!"
"Hm. Stay quiet," Aria replied, her voice a whisper that it carried as if she'd addressed an audience. The princess had to bite back an angry snarl, settling for glaring Falchions at the cloaked woman instead.
Once she was certain the princess had quieted down, Aria gestured for her to come closer. She obliged, though she did not bother hiding her irritation. They were in a small corridor that Lucina knew led to a terrace that connected to a series of spindly pieces of scaffolding and metal beams overlooking one of the few wards protecting the arena city. Contrary to popular belief Regna Ferox did deploy some mages, far fewer than Ylisse or Plegia but more than Valm. The magi of Regna Ferox focused on communication related spells and very limited weather manipulation to keep the arena clear of snow and frost- any more than that was asking for the small magic array over Arena Ferox to break or worse.
Lucina shuddered and pushed away that memory before it could pull her into its throes. She needed to be strong and prevent her future from happening rather than live in the past. More immediately, she needed to focus as she tiptoed across platforms not built to be tread on lest she fall and break her neck. That didn't stop the image of the arena city burning to ash in a sea of white flames from crossing her eyes, but it did prevent it from lingering. Why were they here, her and Aria? If the hooded woman thought she would let her sabotage or otherwise cripple the magical array beneath them, she was going to meet the business end of the Falchion.
Then they both heard it.
The click of heels echoed from what should have been an empty room, empty because the proper entrance was warded and had several guards around it. At least, that had been the case in Lucina's timeline. Then it clicked to the princess that things had been deathly quiet in the room below, so much so that she hadn't even heard the door open or close, just the footsteps. It didn't take someone like Laurent to figure out that some form of silencing spell had been cast by someone. But-
Her eyes narrowed. There was a single person that immediately came to mind as she glared into the room below. She didn't fall for the visage of Flavia walking confidently into the room below, the steps were too exaggerated and forced, like someone was walking in a pair of shoes they'd never worn. "Flavia" peered around the room, scanning for anyone hiding within. Aria mouthed something as the false Khan peered upwards and Lucina felt something in the air ripple around her. Soon "Flavia" was staring directly at her, but didn't react to the sight in the slightest. It soon became clear that she didn't know that the princess or hooded woman was there as she relaxed and let out a sigh.
"That was far too annoying. I should have emptied their heads of their memories," the person wearing Flavia's face said to no one in particular. She stretched her arms upwards and her form rippled like water. What had once been a tall woman grew into a taller mass of deep shadows that drew in any sign that the Khan was before them. Then the mass shaped itself, growing rounder and more shapely as new a person emerged from it. Sure enough, it was a darkly clad woman with magenta colored hair. Loki...
Lucina reached for her Falchion, but Aria halted her with a gesture. "Hold your attack," it said, though not in the Ylissean manner. The sign was Emblan, a harsh claw gesture held in the air, like a falcon readying to dive. What was a Zenithean doing here? What were three Zenitheans doing here, if Loki was included in their number. The princess held from asking, knowing that her partner was watching and waiting for something from their target. An ill-timed word or sound would see their efforts to surprise their target go to waste.
Loki walked into the center of the room as if she owned it and drew a symbol in the air. Magenta threads spread from her hand and wound around the room, twining around thin invisible structures the princess hadn't seen. More and more threads spread until the walls and floor were covered in a mesh of violet thread not unlike a spider's web. When the threads stopped they revealed an orb of nearly transparent energy that gleamed like glass.
"There you were," Loki hummed, flashing a smile as she touched the orb. Immediately the orb was dyed an eerie violet, casting unnatural shadows across the room. Soon a symbol appeared, a single scarred eye glaring. "Oh, it appears I woke you far too early."
"Nonsense, dear Loki," a sweet voice returned from the orb, echoing throughout the room. "I was simply awaiting your call, as was our master. Now that you've made contact, what would you like to report?"
"Our lady's target appears to have not made the trip to this 'Ragna Ferox' or whatever the mortals call it. From what I've gathered he remains in Ylisstol, studying the the nation's history."
"Peculiar. Our master was certain he would be there with the group of busybodies attempting to save their doomed nation. From what I've been told, he was supposed to face the West-Khan's champion." Lucina's eyes narrowed. They were referring to Nicola. In her timeline the Shepherds had met him here, after he and Lon'qu fought to a stalemate.
"That does sound like something he would do if there were no stakes involved. I believe his actions thus far may be a result of a certain divinity meddling with things they have no authority over."
"And you are rather certain that the person you speak of is the person you believe he is?"
"But of course, Dame Claudius." Loki gave a slight bow to the orb. "I did initially believe that it was someone else like him, but I felt a surge of power that could only have been from him as I was divining his whereabouts. There was also the fact that I would recognize his coat in particular the moment I saw it, even if it adorns another at the present."
"Then you are ready to commence the next step of our arrangement?"
"Indeed. I do wonder how he will react when his world falls apart a third time."
"He will rue the day he scarred our master and left her in such an injured state. Killing him would be a mercy I'm certain she would not grant him."
Loki began to reply when Aria clenched her hand into a fist. Evidently, something among what Loki and this 'Claudius' had drawn her focus, the stoic woman now bristling with fury. Regardless of that, the time to act was now.
Lucina sprung from the platform she'd been resting on, diving towards the defenseless looking woman. She expected Loki's free hand to block the attack. She wasn't expecting Loki's hand to glow and slam her into one of the thread covered walls, pushing all of the air from her lungs. Immediately stray threads bound her arms and legs, but before anything else could happen the center of the room was torn to shreds, stone, magic and all. Aria floated down, blood colored eyes glowing as she cleared the threads binding Lucina with a glance. She glanced at where Loki should have been dust, but the darkly dressed woman stood unharmed.
"Eavesdropping and showing your fangs, 'Aria', 'Marth?' How unladylike for a pair of princess like yourselves." Loki tutted, smiling like a serpent. "Unfortunately, I am not in a position to face the two of you at the present, though I would very much discipline the both of you if I were. Instead, I will do this."
The magenta haired woman gestured to the ground and the air became heavy. Lucina had to drive her blade into the ground to keep herself upright as crushing pressure slammed down on her and Aria. The cloaked woman looked less affected, her eyes flaring as Lucina felt the air thin as it compressed into a single point. The cocky look on Loki's face vanished, replaced by surprise as the air vanished from the room. Lucina couldn't breathe and the world began to spin.
"Begone." Aria spoke into the airless space she'd created. It was better to say that she mouthed the word, but the intent carried as if she shouted them. Loki didn't have a chance to react, airless blades of magic striking her from all directions before the air crashed back into the space it had occupied moments ago. Loose stone and stray threads were pulled into the center of the chamber, smashing and grinding into one another as a flash of violet light engulfed the room. Lucina felt the crushing pressure on her vanish and gulfed down mouthfuls of air once she could breath properly. The time traveler nearly collapsed from the abrupt change, but the hooded woman at her side kept her upright with a surprisingly kind gesture.
"She escaped. Unfortunate." The duo looked to where Loki should have been, but there was no sign of the magenta haired woman save for the shredded remains of violet threads dissipating into the wind. Only the orb remained, though the violet light and symbol within it faded as it rolled aimlessly along the ground. "I'll need to report that to the Khan."
The Khan? Aria worked for Flavia?
"No need," a deep voice rumbled, drawing Lucina and Aria's attention to the proper entrance of the room. Basilio stood there, axe at the ready. Slightly further back was Lon'qu, who looked ready to draw his sword at a moment's notice. "I didn't catch everything, but I did see 'Flavia' wandering off, away from the party she started. It didn't take much thought to realize something was up and related to that woman you wanted me to keep tabs on."
"She already made contact with someone else in this world, not the compatriot of hers Sieg and I have already encountered," Aria noted. "I hoped to catch her by surprise with Marth's aid, but it appears she was a half step ahead this time. There will not be a next time."
"We can talk more in my meeting room," Basilio interrupted before Lucina could make her own thoughts known. "The less people that see you here, the better."
Right, it was best to not be seen in the ruined chamber, escorted by the West-Khan or not. Depending on who saw them, that could spell trouble, though less than what was brewing now that Loki had vanished.
Lucina knew one thing for certain, everything had just become more complicated.