This is a derivative work of fiction based upon the story of an interactive experience. Several actions and choices normally up to the player have been predetermined. The choices made are not presented as 'definitive' nor do they completely reflect my own opinions on the original story. These decisions, as well as any divergences from the source, were made solely with cohesion and entertainment value in mind.
As of this writing, there are over 16k stories based upon this property on this particular platform. Any similarities to one or more of these stories is unintentional.
This story lifts concepts from several supplementary materials based on the original product. Certain details from these that many consider 'canon' have been kept, and others have been eschewed. This was intentional.
"Fire Emblem: Awakening" for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems and all related characters are properties of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.
This story was published under Fair Use and is not intended to infringe on copyright.
I understand why the older me kept dreaming, but it didn't make any sense. He looked back at me every time we met, envious of me. I had yet to take his path, and he regretted every step he took. He would share these steps with me, but I only saw these clouded stories. Every detail was drowned by a voice, a noise. A mockery of identity. The laughter of a Madman. Sometimes the laughter would die, and from the noise a picture would shape, much like the one that I saw now...
"This is it, our final battle." The dark haired man slowly drew his glistening blade from its sheath at his side. His vigor was waning, but his will was resolute. The dark one swayed malevolently mere paces away from us, his unnatural red eyes piercing the dankness of the room, as lively as when the battle had started. I watched him warily. This was wrong. Something was wrong. He wasn't supposed to be here. None of us were, and yet... The dark haired one turned to me and clasped my shoulder, breaking my train of thought.
"You're one of us, Robin. No 'destiny' can change that."
I averted my gaze and looked down at my own weapons. A Thoron tome rested in one hand, and a jagged short sword in the other. A perplexed visage gazed back at me in the blade's polished finish - yellow eyes gleaming like a snake, but sagged in exhaustion and worry, peered from behind dark strands of hair. I turned from my reflection and back to my friend. He gestured to back to the dark one with his blade, and I followed. A wry smile spread over the sorcerer's dark skin and his brow lifted in amusement. My companion's words should reassure me I know, but somehow I doubted his words. Something ate at me, even as I sheathed my sword and readied the familiar tome from my side. The dark one did the same with a sinister book of his own.
My companion lowered his blade and poised to strike. "Now let's kill this dastard and be done with it!" And with that he charged, his battlecry echoing from the many stone pillars that surrounded us. Any and all inhibition finally thrown to the wind, I ran to keep up, pulling my hood over my head.
My companion and the sorceror finally clashed. His blade swung and caught the dark one's talons. His red eyes flared as he ducked away and released the blade. His lanky, undefined frame swiftly removed itself from each stroke of the sacred blade and caught the tip with blue energy from his hands. The sorcerer shot a bolt of magic at my companion. He narrowly dodged and continues the struggle.
I ran to the sorceror's side and fling a bolt of lightning. The dark one turned to me and smiled. He vanished, and my bolt missed. My companion drew back and scanned the area urgently.
"Up there!" I look up just in time to watch the sorceror cast a spell of destructive force and fling it at my friend. It strikes him in the side and sends him into a pillar. The pillar crumbles from the force, but the dark haired swordsman pulled himself to his feet, barely, resting upon his sword.
The sorceror smiled as he silently glided forward, claws poised to release more of his obscene magic. He straightened his arm and guided another blast to hit the defenseless swordsman. I panicked and flung one of my own, weaker, but enough to apparently cancel the other bolt out.
Dust and smoke rose into the air, and as it cleared the sorceror's eyes peered out and scowled at me. Amusement had long left his face. I put my tome back into the long sack on the back of belt and reached for a sword. I charged into the smoke, blade at my side, and swung at the pair of red eyes.
The sorceror lurched back, a soft violet mist rising from his newly compromised temple. His face twisted even more. I took another swing. He caught it and tried to swipe my face. I move to the side and released my hold, sending him toppling forward.
"Robin!" I recognized my friend's voice, as did the sorceror. He turned just in time to watch as my companion charged with his blade once again. He caught the blade in his metal claws and stumbled backwards. The sorceror snarled.
"You... fools... cannot undone what has been written!" he declared as he began to reach for his tome once more. I eye my friend and nod. In a split second he knew what I meant.
I detach and ready my tome again. He struck, the sorcerer deflected, and I struck him. He turned to face me and my friend struck him again. When he'd try to face both of us -and fail- we'd both strike. Rinse lather and repeat. We continued this vicious dance of trading blows, attacking at every given interval for what seemed to be forever.
Finally, the sorcerer started to stumble. The various cracks and fissures in his body started to spew forth the rancid smoke. His eyes grew vacant and distant, and he finally toppled over to the ground.
The dark haired one drew his blade back and stepped back from the body. It began to crumble and dissipate like so many of the monster's we'd faced. He turned to me and let loose a weary smile.
I tried to smile back. Something was still eating at me. I think at that moment I finally knew why I was so scared. Not of anyone, but of why my friend shouldn't have come here. Maybe with the sorcerer gone I could forget about all of it. Everything he said had been ludicrous drivel in the first place...
"This isn't over..." and unnatural voice screamed. The sorcerer's body jerked upwards; as if pulled by infernal strings. "DAMN YOU BOTH," the body let loose one final burst of energy, straight at my friend. He never saw it coming. So I pushed him aside.
It was a direct hit. My body shook and was thrown to the ground. My vision fogged and pulsed. I rolled over and watched my friend run towards me. "You alright?" He asked calmly. I felt okay. Nothing hurt at all, but that didn't matter. The pain racked my brain, but it made me focus, and I remembered why i was so afraid. I was afraid of me, and I knew my friend should be afraid of me too. Of course I did, in a way I've known forever, but didn't he know? Was he stupid? Why did he insist at keeping me at his side this whole time? Even now, especially now.
My vision was guided to the dispersing remains of the dark one. It finally disappeared in a wisp of purple. "That's the last of him." My friend said. He turned to me and smiled again. "Thanks to you we carried the day." I had to look away. Study something else. "We can rest easy now..."
My vision started to pulse. My thoughts started to scream. Everything glared at me in an ungodly light. I must have looked in pain because my friend became frantic. No, no what was wrong with him? Didn't he know?! He should run!
"What's wrong?" I felt my consciousness fade in and out. I started to slump to the ground. "H-hey hold on-" And then there was that sound. That awful sound of rending armor and flesh. He finally detached, holding his chest as a bolt of energy spewed forth from the new wound is his chest. I knew it was going to happen, but I stared in disbelief. I hesitantly looked down at my own hand and watch the last of the very same magical energy dissipate. I looked back at my friend.
His eyes carried everything I was afraid he'd show; denial, disbelief, betrayal. I wanted to scream something but no words could escape my mouth. And then...
"This... isn't... your fault..." He gasped as he bent the knee. I couldn't believe my ears. "J-just promise me... you'll escape from this place..." He started to crumple. What was he saying? Was he mad?! He saw what happened! "Please, go..." He breathed his last and struck the ground. A dark puddle formed around his shape. I wanted to scream. I knew why this was happening but I couldn't say or do anything.
Finally my mind met with noise as the picture died once more. My ears were filled with laughter. The laughter of a madman who had killed his friend.
