Author's Notes:
As many of you who have played the game might know, this chapter is pretty significant. I'm honestly pretty happy with what is in it, as it covers quite a variety of topics. It's also one that I've worked extremely hard on, because it's such a 'special' chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy chapter 21 and the big reveal:
Port Ferox
Robin ran towards Cordelia, with adrenaline coursing through his veins. He saw Sumia standing near her, quietly sobbing into her hands. Gaius sat nearby, with a dumbstruck look on his face. Gregor shook his head and sighed. Even the normally composed Maribelle had tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
Maribelle looked up at Robin. "I'm sorry. I tried. Lissa and I both tried. It wasn't enough. Once someone is wounded to a certain extent, no amount of healing from our staves will be able to help them."
Robin knelt down next to the unconscious Cordelia. "Did she… is she dead?" he asked them.
Maribelle shook her head. "She still has a pulse… but without healing that wound, there's no way she can recover… it's only a matter of time before she's gone for good."
Robin looked down at Cordelia, and agreed that the wound had been extremely severe. Dalton's lance and completely gone through her shoulder, meaning that had she been lifted up, it would've been possible to see right through her wound. However, because she was lying down, a pool of blood began to form in the well of the wound. Robin breathed a sigh of relief. "If she's not dead yet, then there's still hope."
At this, some of the nearby shepherds looked at him expectantly. "You have something in mind, Bubbles?" Gaius asked hopefully. "You have a way of saving her?"
"I guess you could say that." Robin rolled up his sleeves. "Get back everyone, I need a bit of space."
Everyone obliged, eager to see what Robin was capable of. They moved away from the body of Cordelia and held their breaths. Robin knelt over Cordelia, and placed his hands over the wound. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, entering a state of intense concentration.
When he reopened his eyes, they were glowing reddish purple. Energy of the same color began to collect in his palms. Strands of the energy began to seep from his hands down towards the wound. Everyone looked on in shock and wonder, even Lissa and Lon'qu who had already witnessed his ability to heal others, as the wound slowly but surely began to patch itself back up. Where the energy touched the wound, flesh began to form until wound became about half of its original size.
Robin stopped transferring quintessence to Cordelia for a moment. "L-lissa… try… healing her… now..." he panted, clearly out of breath.
The War Cleric immediately rushed over with her mend staff. She began to channel the staff's energy, and began to cry in elation when it began to heal Cordelia. "It's working, it's working!" the Ylissean princess exclaimed. "Come help me Maribelle!"
Maribelle came over and began to work on Cordelia as well.
"So… is she gonna be fine?" A rather concerned Gaius asked them.
"She'll still be quite injured, but after we're done working on her, she'll eventually recover." Maribelle said.
Many of the shepherds nearby sighed in relief. Sumia began to offer a silent prayer of thanks to Naga.
Robin sat down and smiled, extremely relieved that Cordelia had been saved. He was clearly exhausted. He felt his limbs began to grow numb and his vision became blurry. A moment later, he fell on his back and lost consciousness.
Later...
Robin awoke to find himself lying on a bedroll. He blinked a few times and looked around. He recognized that he must be in a medical tent. He groaned and slowly got up. His limbs still felt a little numb. Shaking it off, Robin got up and walked outside.
It was the evening. The sun had just about set, and it was dark outside. He immediately noted how arid and dry the air felt. It was nothing like the crisp air of Ylisse, nor the cold air of Regna Ferox. He dismissed it for now and made his way to the command tent.
All heads turned towards Robin when he lifted the tent flap and walked in.
Chrom smiled. "Hey! It's good to see you've woken up."
Frederick nodded in agreement. "We were worried about you. You've been out for three days." Frederick bowed. "I learned of you saving Cordelia from the others when I awoke myself. It was my mistake that put her in danger in the first place."
"Don't worry about it, you're human after all." Robin responded.
Chrom nodded. "You fought your best. We're just glad everything worked out in the end."
"Three days?" Robin chuckled, changing the subject. "Was it really that long?"
Chrom nodded. "Yes. We decided to carry you with us while we came to Plegia to discuss the matter with their new king." At this point, he smiled. "You were quite a sight, sleeping in a cart as it was being pulled along with us."
"Plegia, so is that where we are right now?" Robin wondered aloud. "That explains how dry the air is."
Frederick nodded. "Yes. We are currently on Carrion isle, where the new king of Plegia, Validar, agreed to meet with us. We are just waiting for him to arrive now."
Chrom patted Robin on the shoulder. "Why don't you go catch up with the other shepherds? I bet they've been worried sick about you. We'll call you when Validar arrives."
Robin nodded in agreement, and left the command tent. He wandered around camp, saying hello to anyone he met, but was mostly just looking for one person.
Eventually, his diligence paid off. He found Cordelia sitting in front of a campfire pit. She had bandages wrapped all around her left shoulder, but otherwise seemed to be fine. Robin took a seat next to her on the log she was sitting on.
"How's your wound?" Robin asked the Falcon Knight.
"Robin!" Cordelia exclaimed. "The others told me you were the one to save me… we were all worried about you when you didn't wake up."
Robin smiled. "I just expended a lot of energy is all. It takes some time for me to regenerate, but I'll always be OK." he didn't mention how it was possible for him to die if he used up too much, but it didn't seem like a good idea to tell her.
Cordelia smiled and gave Robin a hug. "Thank you. I probably wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you."
"It's no problem! I'd do it again if I had to. After all, you're the one that helped me first." Robin waved his hand dismissively. "More importantly, how's the wound?"
Cordelia looked to her shoulder. "Lissa just changed the bandages for me. All that's left is a scar. However, my left arm feels much weaker than before, and Lissa says it's because the spear tore through some of my muscle. It's gonna take a while before I can use it effectively again, but my right arm is the more important one in combat."
Robin nodded in understanding. "It's amazing how fast wounds can heal when you have a talented cleric working on it."
"But it doesn't matter if the wound is too much for a staff to heal." Cordelia noted. "I'm not sure exactly how you did it, but thank you. You saved my life."
Robin nodded. "Well it's good to see that you're doing fine now. I'm gonna go catch up with the others." Cordelia nodded as well, and the tactician got up to find others to talk to.
Robin went around, and greeted some more people. They all were happy to see that Robin had gotten up. The only person Robin was not able to find was Sumia. He asked around, and apparently she'd offered to fly back to Ylisstol, so they could send troops towards the Feroxi ports. He agreed with the decision, as she was the one that could get there fastest, since Cordelia was still injured. Cherche also wouldn't have as much influence as her in the capital either.
Speaking of Cherche, Chrom had agreed to give her a master seal, and in the past few days, she'd been trying to get accustomed to a slightly newer style of fighting, including lances in her choice of weaponry.
After he made his rounds, Robin returned back to the command tent to wait for Validar to come.
It didn't take too long. Pretty soon, Frederick came to report that Validar had arrived. Chrom and Robin went to go meet him. The three of them made their way to the main fort on Carrion Isle.
They were welcomed by an all too familiar female.
"Greetings, Prince Chrom." Aversa bowed. "Plegia welcomes you."
"Aversa!" Chrom exclaimed, not too happily.
"What can I say?" she shrugged. "It seems fate has designs for me yet. Sorry about the last time we met, as you know, I must stay loyal to my king, regardless of what they think or do…"
"So, you serve the new king then? This… Validar?"
She nodded. "I do."
"They say he worships Grima…" Frederick began.
Aversa chuckled. "Why of course! This is Plegia after all. Would it be surprising for an Ylissean to worship Naga?" She waved her hand. "Anyways, they say it was his faith that got him through Gangrel's passing. Even if their political views don't align, they WERE brothers after all. It was a difficult time, but he managed to keep order through the chaos. Ah… here is my lord now."
A tall sorcerer in dark robes approached them. He gave them a bow. "I am king Validar of Plegia. It is an honor to finally meet you."
"The honor is mine, good king." Chrom told him as he gave the Plegian a closer look. He gave a confused expression. "Is it possible that we've met before? … Naga, it can't be!" He scrambled through his thoughts, to that night nearly two years ago. Although he wasn't there when it happened, Chrom did see the body of the sorcerer that lead the assault on Emmeryn's life. The man in front of him currently bore an uncanny resemblance to that sorcerer.
Validar smirked. "Oh ho! I'm quite certain I would've remembered meeting Ylissean royalty."
Chrom leaned close to Robin. "Doesn't he-"
"I know!" Robin whispered back. "He looks just like him."
Validar turned to Robin and smiled. "And you must be Sir Robin!"
"You know me, sire?" Robin politely responded.
"The whole world knows of Ylisse's master tactician!" Validar said as he raised his arms dramatically. "And indeed, I see a sparkle of wisdom in your eyes!"
"But, we killed him!" Chrom whispered to Robin. "I know, but the resemblance is uncanny!" Robin whispered back. "How could he possibly-" Chrom began, but was interrupted by Validar.
"My, my. The negotiations haven't even started, and you're already whispering." The sorcerer shook his head.
"Forgive us, King Validar. We mean no disrespect." Chrom told him.
"Then let's get right to it." Validar made a hand gesture at Aversa, who took a step forward. "Plegia can offer no soldiers, but will provide 800 warships and 200 transports. In addition, we'll be pleased to fund the entire campaign against Valm." she recited.
"That's… surprisingly generous!" Frederick exclaimed. "We could not ask for more, quite literally. You offer almost all of your assets."
"We understand the predicament that Valm puts against our entire continent." Validar replied. "My army is still in shambles from the last war, so regretfully, I am unable to help on that front. However, I trust the gold and ships will suffice as a sign of our commitment to the cause?"
"Of course." Chrom bowed. "Thank you, King Validar."
"The pleasure is mine, Exalt Chrom." Validar returned his bow. "As a sign of courtesy, we'll have our soldiers sail the ships to the Feroxi ports for you. I wager that's where your troops will most easily be able to set sail from? They can set sail tomorrow morning, that is, if it works for you."
Chrom nodded. "That would be for the best. We could use all the time we can get, and that would definitely save us some. Well if that's all, then we'll make our way back to camp then." He turned around and was about to leave, but was interrupted by Aversa.
"Oh so soon?" She asked with mock sadness in her voice. "But I have one more introduction to make!"
Chrom turned to face them. "Yes? And who would that be?"
"A hierophant." Validar proudly proclaimed. "The highest of his order here in Plegia!" As Validar said this, a cloaked man walked out from the shadows.
"Oh, so you lead the people in worship?" Robin asked him. "We were just discussing religion earlier."
The cloaked man didn't say anything.
"I'm sorry," Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "Have I said something to offend you?"
"The heart still sleeps, and yet blood still flows through it…" The hierophant muttered. "The blood is strong, but even after two years, nothing has changed."
Robin pointed to himself and looked at the others. "Was he talking to me?"
"Good hierophant, may I ask you to lower your cowl?" Frederick asked politely. "In Ylisse, it is common courtesy when speaking to royalty."
The hierophant laughed. "And in Plegia, it is common courtesy to not whisper in front of the king. You are a long way from Ylisse, but I shall abide by your moral code. A host must be generous, after all." He lowered his hood, to reveal a face that mirrored Robin exactly. The only difference was that the hierophant had a beard and looked around twenty years older.
"Is that better?" he asked with a smug look on his face.
"What?" Robin exclaimed. "He looks just like me!"
"By the gods!" Chrom echoed.
"What manner of sorcery is this?" Frederick wondered aloud.
"My name is Robin." The hierophant continued. "Oh, and that's YOUR name too, isn't it? What a strange coincidence…"
"That IS rather curious, isn't it? Now that you mention it, what are the odds?" Validar smirked. "In any case, I believe we're done here. We'll let you be on your way now." This time, Validar turned around and began to leave.
"Hold on a second!" Chrom protested. "What is the meaning of this? Why does your hierophant and Robin look the same?"
"I'm afraid we've no time for such trivial matters now, Your Highness." Aversa said as she also turned around to leave. "We have aid preparations to attend to, and you have a long, hard journey ahead. We'll be awaiting your good news of victory over the Valmese!"
And with that, the Plegians left. Puzzled, but without anything to work with, the Ylisseans also headed back towards their own camp.
"Send a few of our little projects on the Ylisseans." Validar said as soon as he was out of earshot of their guests. "It'll be a useful experiment for our dark mages."
"But, wouldn't that be suspicious?" Aversa asked. "They are on Plegian soil, after all."
The hierophant, Robin, laughed. "Silly girl. You need not ask, only DO. Let all of the decision making fall on our shoulders."
Aversa kneeled in front of Robin and lowered her head. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I will do so at once."
Robin waved his hand for her to get up. "Not right now. Wait until nightfall. If it happens as soon as we leave, it will indeed be suspicious."
"Wouldn't that be dangerous? After all, it's still useful for them to be alive. If they die, who will fight off the Valmese?" Validar asked him.
"You need not worry. After all, that Robin may have forgotten much, but he shares the same powers and abilities as me. Do not underestimate him." Robin replied.
"What if he's asleep?" Validar pressed. "What if they're all asleep?"
Robin smirked. "I'll make sure he won't be asleep. Stop questioning me. Just do it."
"Yes, of course." Validar bowed towards Robin and they continued back towards Castle Dohlr.
It was already extremely late when the Chrom and the others got back to the shepherd's camp. The rest of the male shepherds were gathered around a bonfire, and welcomed their leaders as they rejoined them. The females were several meters away, gathered around their own campfire, laughing about something.
"So, how'd it go?" Stahl asked.
Chrom sat down next to Ricken and Lon'qu. The swordmaster seemed oddly nervous about something, but Chrom didn't seem to notice.
"Well, Plegia is very generous this time." Chrom told the others. "They're funding the entire campaign, and have offered almost all their ships."
"That… IS very generous." Virion murmured. Many of the other shepherds nodded in agreement.
"Well, Mister Super Swordsman," Gaius nudged Lon'qu. "Got anything you'd like to say to Blue?"
Lon'qu immediately turned away. "Mind your own business, thief."
"What's this about?" Chrom asked with curiosity.
Gaius smirked. "Hey Blue, say hello to your new brother in law!" he gestured towards Lon'qu dramatically.
The shepherds already in on it began to guffaw, leaving Frederick and Chrom out of the loop for a couple moments. The only other person not laughing was Lon'qu. Robin got the implications of the statement much quicker, and joined in on the laughter.
Everyone laughing made Chrom feel like he should be too, and so he did. That is, until realization began to dawn on him. "Wait, what!?" he exclaimed.
"Yep." Gaius draped on arm around Lon'qu. "Who would've thought the ol' Lon'qu that was scared of the ladies will get married sooner than any of us?"
"You never even mentioned anything of this to me. Do you honestly think I would've agreed to it?" He pointed at Lon'qu accusingly. "I should honestly take you out of the shepherds, and kick you back to Regna Ferox! How would you like that?" Chrom sounded legitimately angry, and Lon'qu flinched at his words.
"Calm down, Chrom." Robin said. "Lon'qu did everything in his power to make sure Lissa stayed safe right? And besides, she clearly likes him too. They're good for each other. It'll be beneficial for both of them." At this, Chrom did calm down. Lon'qu gave Robin a look of gratitude.
"Yeah, I guess you do have a point." Chrom folded his arms and closed his eyes. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."
Stahl nervously laughed. "Didn't you and Sumia get together at around the same age?"
"If I recall, Sumia was actually younger than Lissa right now when she married you, correct?" Virion added.
Chrom let out a sigh. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I guess I overreacted. She's always been my baby sister, so I guess in my mind, she's never been ready for marriage."
"We can understand your feelings, sire." Libra began. "But understand that Lon'qu can also be really good for milady Lissa. He won't be just leeching off of her."
"Yes." Lon'qu finally spoke. "I will make sure she won't regret this decision."
Chrom nodded. "All right then. That's all I needed to hear."
Earlier that evening…
Chrom had gone off to meet with King Validar with Robin and Frederick. This meant the rest of the shepherds had the time to do what they wanted back at camp. Some went to take a walk, others train, and others still just decided to stay in camp and relax.
Lon'qu was sitting in his own tent, looking at the ring he had bought earlier. It wasn't anything too extravagant or expensive, because he simply did not have the money. Nonetheless, he hoped the princess would accept it. He knew that he might be pushing his luck a little, but after what Cherche told him, he felt this could be the next step to his healing. Despite keeping his distance from the females, somehow, a certain stubborn princess had managed to break her way into his heart.
He sighed. "What's the worst that could happen?" 'She rejects you, but you'd still have some options.' A voice in his head told him. The female shepherds, for the most part, cared for him, despite knowing his condition, and deep down, Lon'qu knew that. The male shepherds, on the other hand, also are aware and try to help him as much as they can. This led Lon'qu to begin to smile. The shepherds felt like a family to him, something he had certainly not experienced back in Regna Ferox.
His thoughts were interrupted by a feminine voice calling out to him from outside his tent. "Heya Lon'qu! I'm back for another chat!"
Even if he hadn't recognized the voice to be Lissa's, Lon'qu would know exactly who it was. Only one girl has ever come to bother him for no reason. Not that he minded, in this case.
"All right." Lon'qu got up and lifted the tent flap.
"Yeesh, try to contain your excitement there." Lissa pouted as she walked in. "Most boys would cut off a leg for a cute girl to drop by and talk."
Lon'qu snorted. "Would you rather I paste on a fake grin every time you grace me with your presence?"
Lissa thought for a moment. "Well… no. On second thought, that would actually be pretty creepy, coming from you."
Lon'qu nodded in agreement. "Then this is what you get."
"All right, all right! You don't have to be so cold to me!" Lissa exclaimed. "I just miss you, y'know. You've been guarding me around the clock for so long, but in the past few days, I've barely gotten to see you!" Lissa sighed. "But I suppose you wouldn't understand how I feel, huh? I mean, you can't stand girls. All right, if you don't want me here, I'll just leave you in peace." She began to head for the exit of the tent.
"I… like when you come see me." Lon'qu choked out.
"Great, fine. I know where the door is." Lissa said, not registering what Lon'qu had just said. "You don't have to…." she stopped, and turned around. "Wait, what? I must not have heard you right, because I could've sworn I just heard that you enjoyed having a girl come bother you!"
"You heard me fine…" Lon'qu muttered. "And you are no bother… I also miss the time we used to spend together. This may come as a surprise, but I have something for you."
He offered Lissa the ring he'd been hiding in his hands.
"A ring?" Lissa looked at it closely. "A WEDDING ring!? I...I must be losing my mind! But wait, you hate women!"
"I don't HATE anyone." Lon'qu corrected. "Women have just made me nervous for quite some time. Recently, I was able to make peace with my mistakes in the past, which is why I'm able to offer you this ring right now."
Lon'qu scratched his head sheepishly. "Lately, I've found myself thinking of nothing but you." he admitted. "My every moment is consumed with you. If you will allow it, I swear to be with you and protect you for the rest of your days."
"Oh Lon'qu…" Lissa murmured, with tears beginning to form from sheer joy. "OF COURSE I'll allow it! And I'll watch your back and heal you when you're wounded too!" She put her hands on her hips. "But you have to be besides me always. No more distance!"
Lon'qu smiled. "No more distance." he agreed. As if making good on his promise, he pulled Lissa in for a hug, an act which the princess immediately returned.
With Robin
Robin was confused about who the hierophant was, and why he resembled the man so much. He decided that his best bet was to talk to Tharja. He made his way over to her tent.
As he was doing so, he saw Sumia dismount from her falicorn and run to hug Chrom.
'She must be back already… I guess it doesn't take too much time to get to Ylisstol and back traveling by air…' Robin thought to himself. 'Although I also don't know when she left in the first place… it could've been when I was still unconscious. Regardless, I think it's safe to assume that we have soldiers marching to Regna Ferox right now…'
Robin was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize when he arrived at Tharja's tent.
"Who is it?" Tharja practically snarled when she realized there was someone outside her tent.
"It's me, Robin." he told her.
"R-robin?" Tharja's voice instantly grew softer. "Come in."
Robin did just that. "Hey, I was wondering something…"
"What is it?" Tharja asked him.
"Today, when we met with the Plegian king, he introduced a hierophant that looked EXACTLY like me… well, If I were a little older. Our faces practically looked identical. I was wondering if you know who that may be."
Tharja blinked in surprise. "I don't remember anyone in Plegia that matches that description." she leaned in close. "Do you… do you know the man's name?"
Robin chuckled. "That's just it. He claimed he was also named Robin. I don't know if he's an older brother of mine, or something. The resemblance between us is uncanny!"
Tharja furrowed her eyebrows. "No, there's no one like that when we were in Plegia. I'm sure of it. I don't know what type of black magic the new king is dabbling with, but whatever it is, it's pretty good stuff."
Robin sighed. "I suppose that's another enigma for me to solve at some point. Thanks anyways, Tharja." He got up to leave.
"You're welcome Robin…" Tharja muttered at his retreating form. "You always are."
Later that night…
Robin was having lucid dreams. Or rather, having lucid nightmares.
He was floating in the air, like a ghost. He recognized that he was in Castle Dohlr, from the time he'd been inside it after they'd killed Gangrel. He reached out to touch the walls, but found that his hand when right through it.
'I guess I can't interact with anything then. I'm just a spectator.' he mused to himself.
He saw a woman with white hair walking through the corridors with a lit candle. She passed by the man that he'd fought at the Midmire, General Mustafa, he remembered.
"Ah, good evening, milady Katarina." The general bowed. "Where might milady be off to at this hour?"
The woman known as Katarina smiled. "I'm off to see my son. I have to make sure he's sleeping well."
"Ah, he's a lucky lad, to have such a caring mother…" Mustafa began, as he leaned in close to her ear.
"I've assigned my men to drug to sentries on the eastern side of town." The general whispered into her ear. "Know that I support you. Take him to where it's safe." Katarina's eyes bulged for a moment, before she composed herself. "Good evening, general." she said as she continued on her way.
Robin floated near her, and followed her to another room. There were two guards standing outside.
"Stop! No one is allowed to enter, by order of the king." They said as they blocked her from entering.
"I'm the child's mother." Katarina explained. "Let me see him."
"I'm sorry, but even you cannot enter." The guards explained.
Katarina's eyes twitched. "Very well then." She reached into her cloak and pulled out a yellow tome. Before the guards could react, a bolt of Thoron had gone through their chests, killing the guards instantly. Ignoring the scorched corpses, Katarina sauntered into the room. Moments later, she returned with a baby in her arms.
She headed towards the stables, where her falicorn was kept. Once again, a pair of guards tried to stop her, especially since she had a baby in her arms. Katarina didn't even flinch. She casted Thoron without help from a tome, and blasted the the guards to death. She found the place where Belfire was resting, and woke her gently. After mounting the falicorn with the baby, they flew off towards the East.
As she flew over the city, she didn't encounter any resistance. She snuck a look back towards the castle, and sighed in relief to see that there wasn't any commotion. It's possible that they hadn't noticed her leaving yet.
She could almost taste her freedom. She was almost out of Dohlr, which meant Ylisse was just a few hours flight away. They'll be more understanding and her child will lead a happy life away from those seeking to harm him. After all, the Ylisseans share a common enemy with her.
All her hopes were crushed when she heard yelling below as she flew over the city walls. It seems not all the sentries were asleep. She prayed silently to whatever deity will listen to her that she can make it past them safely. Her prayers were not answered, and a stray arrow managed to hit Belfire in her side. Although not a fatal wound, the startled falicorn thrashed around for a split second, causing Katarina, who was unable to hold on due to the baby in her arms, to fall off and hurl towards the ground below. The distraught Belfire realized what she had done, and desperately flied after her rider, trying to catch her, but the wound proved too much for her. She ended up needing to worry about herself instead, and merely tried to stay airborne and not suffer the same fate herself.
Robin wanted to scream, but no sound came out. Just as the figure of Katarina was about to disappear into the forest below, time stopped. Everything and everyone stopped moving. Even Katarina, who was falling through the air, stopped falling and was suspended in midair.
Robin was extremely confused for a moment, until a voice began to talk to him.
"Funny how fate is, isn't it?" A figure cloaked in shadows approached him, also floating in the air.
"Fate?" Robin asked. "Who are you?"
The figure laughed. "I am one of the three parts of Grima. I happen to be the Consciousness."
"Grima?! The god of destruction?" Robin gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "The evil god?"
"So much animosity…" the figure seemed to shake its head. "Such pessimism. Destruction doesn't have to be evil, dear Robin. Take a forest fire, for example. One of nature's most destructive natural occurrences. And yet, it provides the new plants with an abundance of nutrients to create an even grander forest. Without tearing down the old, nothing new can be created."
"That… makes sense." Robin conceded. "You said something about three parts? What do you mean?"
The figure chuckled. "A god has three components. Always. The three are the Drive, the Consciousness, and the Power. The Power is most self explanatory. Anyone without the power of a god cannot be one, after all. The Drive, or sometimes called the Purpose, is a god's meaning for existence. Without a purpose or goal, a god cannot be a god. The last one is me, the Consciousness. It is the part that's able to go and converse with someone like you. It is also necessary. A blizzard or a thunderstorm has a purpose and great power behind it, yet it is not a god because it has no consciousness. That's why, it's possible for something to have one, or even two parts, but a god is only truly in existence when all three parts are assembled."
Robin shook his head. That was a lot to take in. "So you're saying you are not evil?"
"That depends on who you ask. The Ylisseans you're with worship the Divine Dragon Naga, the god of creation and beginnings, which would be why they oppose me and brand me as evil. However, many of my servants, including that friend of yours, Tharja, might disagree."
"Tharja is your servant then?" Robin asked.
The figure laughed. "All of my believers are my servants, dear Robin."
"Then am I… was I one too?" Robin pressed.
The figure seemed to be amused by that question. "I won't divulge too much of your past, since my devoted servant Tharja wouldn't want me to, but I will tell you this. You weren't my servant. You mean much more to me than just a lowly servant."
"The hierophant…." Robin seemed to come to a realization. "Is that what this is about?"
The figure chuckled again. "Yes… I suppose you could say that… But I mustn't get too far ahead of myself. After all, this isn't why I came to visit you tonight."
Robin thought for a moment. "You mean the thing you said about fate?"
"Well, since I'm here, I may as well talk to you about it." The figure shrugged. "In the scene you just witnessed, one of the sentries HAPPENED to miss dinner that night, and even in the dark with the wild winds blowing, he HAPPENED to hit dear Katarina. In other words, one in a thousand chance multiplied by one in a thousand chance. If given another opportunity for the events to play out, Katarina would've likely gotten the baby to the safety of Ylisse…"
"What's your point?" Robin demanded.
"My point is that it's not a mere coincidence. What you've just witnessed is the combined effort of Grima's Drive and Power. I am, like you, merely a bystander. And yet, even after all of their efforts to keep the baby in Plegia, look where he still ended up?"
Robin couldn't see any hands or anything to indicate where the figure might have been pointing. He looked around, but didn't understand.
"But that's still not why I'm here tonight. I'm here to warn you. Warn you that you are needed somewhere else right now." The figure slowly moved towards Robin. "Just, remember what we talked about tonight. Grima isn't necessarily evil. It all depends on your perspective." With that, a tendril of shadows reached out and touched Robin's forehead. "Go now, my dear Robin. Your friends need you. This was not our first meeting, and it surely won't be the last. I look forward to seeing you… mature… in the future."
With that, a feeling of dread coursed through Robin's body, and he jolted awake.
Robin rose to a sitting position, panting hard. He felt his heart racing.
"What… what was that?" he wondered to himself. "It felt so… so real! Like I was actually there or something…"
He rested his head in his hands. "Am I going crazy? No… that voice… it said something about my friends needing me…" A sudden realization struck him. He quickly pulled out the Hekseer. As he activated it and the map began to project outwards, Robin paid close attention to the icons. Clustered around the center of the map were all of the familiar blue icons of the shepherds. But as it branched out further, he managed to spot one lonesome green icon a ways away from them. He was confused, but kept watching. As the map projected further out, Robin blanched. Numerous red icons appeared, and what's more, they were surrounded. Robin took a closer look at some of the red icons and found his suspicions to be correct. They were encircled by a large group of Risen.
"I have to warn everyone!" he muttered aloud. He quickly got dressed and ran outside.
Most of the shepherds were not so happy to be woken in the middle of the night. However, an attack is not something that any of them would be able to just sleep off. Reluctantly, they all geared up and prepared for combat.
"What's the plan?" Chrom asked once the shepherds were all assembled. Robin had just filled them in on the Risen ambush. "Why the sudden attack now of all times?"
"We are in a valley right now." Robin replied. "The Risen act like they actually have a plan or some sort of strategy this time, which is weird. They've completed an encirclement around us. The normal Risen would've just charged at us without much thought."
"So what does that mean?" Sully asked.
"It means these Risen are acting under the leadership of something, or someone. They're acting intelligently." Robin told her. "But there is some good news. I think I've found where the leader is. It is a Warrior Risen standing on the bridge to the north of us. I think that if we kill him, the rest of the Risen will once again revert to the aimless walking corpses we've fought in the past."
"But…" Robin continued. "There's also a large risk in that plan. If we were to fail, or if my deductions are wrong, it's highly likely that we would've backed ourselves into a corner. There are archers that will be able to shoot at us like fish in a barrel."
The shepherds murmured amongst themselves for a moment, before Chrom spoke. "We trust you. I think I can speak for all of us. If you think that taking the risk is the best course of action for victory, then we will all wholeheartedly support you." Chrom gave his tactician a smile. "Just give us the instructions."
The rest of the shepherds nodded in agreement.
Robin smiled. "All right then. Here is what we'll do: There's a small path leading up the hill on either side of us as we approach the bridge. Frederick and Kellam, I want you two to each take control of one side. If things go south, these two paths will be our emergency escape routes."
The heavily armored pair nodded. Robin turned to the others. "Cherche, Sumia, Nowi, and…" he paused for a moment and gave Cordelia a glance. She returned a determined look and nodded. "...and Cordelia." Robin continued. "Take Vaike, Chrom, Gregor and Gaius. Your job is to fly them onto the bridge so they can take out the Risen leader. They have a lot of archers, so be really careful."
Robin then addressed the mages and Virion. "Your job is to take out any of the archers that appear on the cliffs above us. Really, just kill any Risen that you see, but prioritize the archers if you can."
Robin finally turned to the rest of the melee fighters. "You all will be our southern vanguard. Do not let any of the Risen that approach us from the south get past you. Keep them off of us until we can take out the Risen leader."
Having finished his assignments, they were just about to begin their plan, when suddenly the shepherds were surrounded by a swarm of ravens.
"Wh-what's that!?" Chrom exclaimed in surprise. "A storm of… crows? Naga, it's upon us!"
"CAW! CAW!" the shepherds heard someone shout. "Are you folks lost? Or perhaps a lost CAWs? Nya ha!"
Tharja, recognizing the distinct laughter, was the first to respond. "Henry, get over here you son of a-"
She was interrupted by Chrom's frantic shouting as the ravens swarmed him. "I can't see anything through all these damned birds! Shoo! Get away!"
The birds dispersed, revealing a white haired, Plegian sorcerer. "What's wrong? CAW-strophobic? Nya ha ha! Oh, I slay me!"
"Not if these Risen do first!" Chrom told him. "This is no time for japes! Hide yourself boy!"
The mage ignored him and instead turned towards Tharja and Robin. "Heya! So this is where you two ran off to! I was seriously beginning to think that you two had really eloped!"
Robin looked confused. "I-i'm sorry, do I know you?"
Henry merely laughed. "Oh, I've never heard that one before! You really joke around more than I do, Robin!"
Tharja rolled his eyes. "He's not lying, Henry. He lost his memories."
Henry's brows furrowed. "Is that so? Here I was thinking that Robin finally learned to have a sense of humor."
"Wait, who is this? Tharja?" Robin asked the female sorcerer.
"He was also one of your… servants." Tharja told him.
"Actually," Henry corrected. "I prefer to be called-" he was interrupted by Tharja rushing over and placing a hand over his mouth. She leaned in close to him. "You know these guys are Ylisseans, right? How do you think they'd treat him if they knew he was a prince in Plegia?" she whispered.
Henry thought for a moment and nodded in understanding. "That was merely a joke. Tharja was right. We both served you back in Plegia. It would be an honor to serve you again." He bowed.
"Uh... thanks?" Robin said nervously. "You know magic?"
Henry twirled his fingers around in the air, causing some flames to flicker in the air. "KNOW magic? I was one of the best in Plegia!"
"Perfect." Robin said. "You can talk with the other mages. They'll fill you in on your role for this fight. In the meantime, we've wasted enough time already. The Risen will be upon us soon!"
The shepherds all mobilized and began their battle.
Kellam and Frederick rushed to their positions, taking on an enemy fighter each.
The four fliers rushed towards the bridge, going as fast as they can with their partners without putting themselves in view of the archers on the cliffs above them.
Speaking of the archers, they immediately began to fire at the southern vanguard of the shepherds. Henry and the other ranged units fired right back. Robin saw Henry blast Risen after Risen with a Ruin tome, one that he also had experience in using. He found that Henry was a lot more accurate than he initially expected, rarely missing a target once he set his eyes on them.
"Nya ha ha! This is so much fun!" Henry laughed as he blew up Risen after Risen. This earned him some concerned looks from the other shepherds. No one else was enjoying battling as much as Henry currently was. Not even Sully, who was usually the one most eager to fight.
Nevertheless, the shepherds recognized that Henry was a useful ally. The archers at the top of the cliffs were held back by his barrage of magic spells, and the spells and arrows of the other shepherds.
Stahl and Sully was leading the defense of the southern entrance to the valley. No one was able to get past Sully's heavy armor, nor the flashes of Stahl's sword. Lon'qu, Panne and Anna helped pick off the stragglers, and Libra and Lissa were instantly there to heal anyone that got an injury, no matter how trivial it seemed.
Robin smiled. Everything was going according to plan, at least for now. He turned around and saw that the fliers were ascending through the air now, to the top of the bridge towering above them. He heard the clashes of metal, and the thunk of an arrow flying through the air and hitting a target.
{We got him, Robin!} he heard Chrom tell him.
Robin immediately began to observe the Risen. Just like he had thought, they immediately became much less organized. Some began to wander around aimlessly, while others began to lazily continue to walk towards them. A few of them ran at the shepherds as fast as their decaying legs could carry them.
{These Risen have lost their ability to work as a unit!} Robin informed everyone. {Work together, and always have someone watching your back. We've dealt with these plenty before in the past. Try and single them out and attack them as a pair. They aren't too threatening alone.}
Indeed, the Risen had occasionally popped up once in a while in the past two years. However, most of the shepherds had plenty of experience dealing with them by now. As Robin instructed, the shepherds paired up and began to exterminate the Risen.
Stahl and Sully worked together, as usual, and left a trail of black smoke in their wake.
Chrom and Sumia also worked together, with Sumia throwing bolts of thunder at the Risen that Chrom kept occupied.
Virion and Ricken worked together, shooting at the same Risen in order to ensure its death.
Henry and Tharja also worked as a pair, reigniting their synergy as a famed pair of retainers from over two years ago.
Libra and Lissa moved as a pair, healing others when needed, and cutting down Risen with their axes when they were not.
Lon'qu and Olivia were a blur, slicing apart any Risen that got in their way. Olivia was finally getting good at using a sword. Not quite at Lon'qu's level, but definitely close.
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the remaining Risen were all killed. The shepherds all took a moment to catch their breath and take a well deserved rest. Vaike and Sully gave each other a fist bump.
"That's the last of them." Chrom breathed to himself. He was sitting on the bridge with his legs dangling off the side. He had to admit, it was a beautiful view from there, especially since he was able to see all of the rest of the shepherds relaxing. "I thought that would never-"
Chrom was interrupted by a rustling sound behind him. He turned around and froze in surprise. A Risen assassin had somehow escaped from the shepherd's weapons and was charging him with a killing edge. Chrom was still sitting down. He began to get up, but there was no way he'd be in time to block the hit.
"Father, no!" He heard a female voice cry out. Marth leaped out from the shadows and blocked the assassin just in time. This gave Chrom enough time to draw his Falchion and end the Risen for good.
Marth breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Naga you're safe!" she exclaimed.
Chrom furrowed his eyebrows. "You called me father…" he said, half stating, half asking.
"Did I?" Marth had a nervous look on her face. "Perhaps we should have a talk then?"
Chrom nodded in agreement. "Perhaps we should then, yes."
Marth shook her head. "I… I don't even know where to begin."
"I already know you're not 'Marth'." Chrom offered. "Though I've nothing better to call you. However, I won't ask anything of you you do not wish to reveal. Whoever you are, Ylisse owes you a debt beyond repaying."
"Thank you…" Marth began. "But I think I'd prefer if you know the truth."
Chrom nodded. "As you wish."
"Here." Marth approached Chrom. "Look into my eyes, and all will be made clear."
Chrom is startled to see the brand of the exalt in Marth's eye. "That's… the brand of the exalt." he breathed. He looked at his own breath and took a moment to think. "Lucina…" he finally whispered.
Chrom's gaze lowered to the sword on 'Marth's' side. "You deserved better from me than one sword in a sea of troubles. I'm sorry."
Tears began to form in Lucina's eyes. They eventually began to run down her face. Chrom reached out and tried to wipe some of it away.
"Oh, father!" Lucina cried as she leaps into his arms and into a hug.
Chrom said nothing, but held Lucina tightly as he gave her some time to cry. After a while, her crying seemed to stop. "Better, Lucina?" he asked.
Lucina sniffled. "Yes, Father. … Sorry, it all just rushed back at once."
"Father…" Chrom whispered.
"Should I… do you want me to call you something else?" Lucina asked hesitantly.
Chrom shook his head. "No… it's just not something I'm used to… it's strange, but I think I like it."
"Father!" Lucina called him again, giggling slightly.
Chrom chuckled. "Yes, it will definitely take some time to get used to."
"I'm sorry, Chrom?" Robin asked from a few meters away. Chrom and Lucina turned to face him.
One moment earlier…
Robin was busy celebrating with the rest of the shepherds. It had been a rather clean victory after all. Vaike was busy flexing on his 'students', telling grand stories of all that he did during the fight. Mostly everyone was used to his playful arrogance by now, and simply laughed along and pretended to be amazed.
Cordelia was leaning against a tree, laughing with Sumia right by her side.
"Hey, where is old man?" Gregor suddenly asked. "Most gracious employer is not here for the joking around! Most unfortunate."
"'Yea, where IS Blue?" Gaius asked, simultaneously peeling the wrapper off a sucker.
"I dunno, but he's missing out on some grand heroics." Anna joked. "Taking THREE Risen on at the same time with just one hand? That's unheard of!"
"Yer damn right!" Vaike boasted. "I felt like fighting them normally wasn't a challenge after all."
"All right, we've got a long day tomorrow, so since everything is done for now, try to get back and get some rest." Robin told the rest of the shepherds. There were a few grumbles, but mostly everyone knew that Robin was just looking after all of them. They began to slowly make their way back to their tents.
Robin chuckled and made his way to Sumia. "C'mon, we should really go look for Chrom. I haven't seen him since the battle was over."
Sumia smiled. "Yeah. Let's go." she waved her best friend goodbye as she went off with Robin towards her falicorn. Belfire, like usual, greeted Robin affectionately. Sometimes, Sumia wondered if she liked Robin more than her own rider. Nutmeg certainly did not have this sort of interaction with the tactician.
The two got on the falicorn and took to the air. Robin noticed Chrom and 'Marth' first. "There!" he pointed them out to Sumia, who hurried to descend just several meters away. They dismounted.
Sumia was just about to run over and hug Chrom from behind, but covered her mouth in shock when he saw him hugging Marth. She silently began to break down.
Robin rubbed her shoulders comforting her. "Calm down, Sumia. I'm sure it's not what it looks like." 'It'd better not be.' he thought to himself, possibly out of jealousy, but he would never admit that out loud. "I'll go see what's up."
He approached the two. "I'm sorry, Chrom?" he asked. Chrom didn't notice, but Lucina flinched at his voice.
Chrom and 'Marth' broke from their embrace. He turned to Robin. "Hmm? What's up?"
"It's just that…" Robin began. He noticed the shocked expression on 'Marth's' face. It might have been his imagination, but he swore he saw her blushing. He ignored that for now. "You two are out here alone… and Marth is crying… Chrom, this is how ill rumors are born."
Chrom noticed for the first time, Sumia in the background shredding up some flowers.
"He loves me…" she pulled off one petal. "He loves me not… he loves me… he loves me not…" she repeated as she kept tearing off the petals.
"Sumia?" Chrom asked.
"I'm not spying on you!" Sumia exclaimed. "You can't prove that I am!" she turned to see Chrom approach with 'Marth'. "Oh Naga, you brought HER…" she whimpered.
"Can we tell her Lucina?" Chrom asked.
"Of course." 'Marth' replied.
"Lucina? But wait… that's…" Sumia began. Robin also came to the same conclusion, but didn't say anything. His eyes widened.
"Sumia, this will come as somewhat of a shock…" Chrom began. "But I'll just say it. This is our daughter… Lucina." he gestured at 'Marth'.
"What?" Sumia asked in disbelief.
"It's true! Sumia, I am your daughter. Look closely and see for yourself!" ''Marth' walked up to Sumia.
"Y-your eye! It has the brand!" Sumia exclaimed in shock.
"The same brand carried by all members of the royal family of Ylisse." Chrom nodded. "Do you see now?"
"No, Chrom, I do NOT see!" Sumia exclaimed. "This doesn't make any sense! Is my Lucina all right? What did you do to her!?"
Chrom held up his hand. "Peace, Sumia."
"Your baby is right where you left her." Lucina told Sumia. "She's perfectly safe. I come from another time. A time that is yet to be."
"You mean… the future?" Sumia asked skeptically.
"Yes." Lucina nodded. "More than ten years hence. After history took a most destructive turn... "
"What do you mean?" Sumia asked once again.
"The Plegians managed to resurrect the Fell Dragon, Grima." Lucina told them. "HIs roar is a death sentence for men, and his scream silences all hope… All of the shepherds died…"
"Wait… Chrom, all of us… dead?" Robin asked in disbelief.
Lucina nodded. "Yes."
Robin shook his head. "I don't know what to say."
"It's a tale that beggars belief." Chrom agreed. "And yet the proof stands right in front of us. She carries Falchion, my very same sword. There is only one Falchion, and so I believe her."
Robin nodded. "I believe her too. We saw her COME from the future… she fell right out of the sky!"
"Thank you… all of you…" Lucina said as tears began to well up. "Naga, the divine dragon, feared Grima would rise again. She devised a ritual that used up most of her power in order to send us back in time. It's a risky gamble, but she hoped that with our knowledge of the future, we'd be able to stop Grima in this timeline. I completed the journey with many of my friends… but we got separated."
Chrom nodded. "That's all right. If they're out there, we'll find them."
"Are you… really my daughter?" Sumia asked once again, still not quite believing her.
Lucina nodded. "I swear on my life."
"You grow up… er… grew up to be so strong… so beautiful…" Sumia praised.
"Thank you… Sumia." Lucina responded.
"You don't want to call me mother?" Sumia asked.
"I… I thought you'd mind." Lucina admitted.
"Of course not!" Sumia looked shocked. "I love you more than anything in the world!"
Lucina began to sniffle again. "Oh mother!" she ran into Sumia's arms.
"I'm so proud of you…" Sumia whispered to her.
"I've missed you more than you'll ever know…" Lucina sobbed.
After they finished embracing, Lucina dried her tears. She looked around. "Um… where's Robin?" she asked.
"Hmm? Did you know him in the future?" Chrom asked.
Lucina nodded, biting her lip. "He was… he was like an uncle to me." she admitted, which was the truth.
Chrom chuckled. "Then I'm glad that Robin and I were that close in the future as well. He probably headed back to his tent to rest. We DO have a long day tomorrow."
Sumia smiled. "We can spread out another bedroll, and you can stay with us in our tent tonight Lucina." she offered.
Lucina smiled. "Yes, that sounds wonderful." The trio talked and laughed some more on their way back to the tent. Lucina was slightly upset that she wasn't able to have a talk with Robin tonight, but understood that he must have been tired, especially after directing a battle. She smiled wistfully. 'I'm sure I'll get other chances in the future, now that I guess I'm staying with the shepherds. The ACTUAL shepherds!' she thought to herself. Things were pretty good for her at the moment.
What the trio did not notice was Robin sneakily running back to his tent while Sumia and Lucina embraced each other. What ROBIN didn't notice was when he entered his enraged state from distress. He ended up running back to his tent faster than any human should have been able to.
He made his way into the tent and flopped down on the bedroll. He nervously laughed for a moment. "Just my dumb luck, huh?" Robin smiled wistfully. "The one person you've ever held feelings for… and it turns out to actually be your best friend's daughter…" He laughed again out of disbelief. "What the fuck is even going on? She could've been LITERALLY anyone else in the world, and yet… things just HAPPEN to turn out this way… Now I gotta find someone else to be infatuated with… but how will I even find that someone? Will I ever find that someone?"
Robin sat up and sighed in exasperation. "This feeling… this hopelessness… I've never felt anything like this before." he murmured to himself. "I can't even describe how sad I am right now, even if I wanted to."
He reached out with his left hand into an astral plane and pulled out the bottle of Feroxi wine he'd bought several days ago. He snapped with his right hand, and for the very first time, casted magic without the help of a tome. Robin didn't even notice. He simply guided the flicker of flames on the tips of his fingers to the bottle so he could read the label.
"Tragedies and mourning, huh?" Robin scoffed at himself. "This seems like one of those moments if I've ever seen one." He put out the fire at the fingertips of his right hand and pulled the cork off the bottle-something that he wouldn't have been able to do if he weren't in an enraged state- and brought the neck of the bottle to his nose.
He breathed in the scent of alcohol. "Well... bottoms up, I guess." He lifted the bottle to his lips and drank. He downed the entire bottle before his eyes stopped glowing.
Sometime in the distant future…
Lucina was in her bed. Mister Robin was reading her another bedtime story. Normally, Lucina really really REALLY enjoyed these moments, but it was difficult for her to pay attention this time because of the large thunderstorm occurring outside. The lightning and the thunder scared her every time, and caused her to dive under the covers.
The door to her room opened, and Lucina shrieked in surprise. However, it turned out to just be her mother.
"Robin dear, Chrom says you should stay at the castle tonight." Sumia said to the tactician as she poked her head in. "It's a long trek back to the shepherd's village, especially since it's storming so hard outside right now."
Robin nodded. "All right, I'll stay in one of the guest rooms then?" he asked. "Does it matter to you which one?"
Sumia shook her head. "Whichever one looks the best to you. Pick any one you'd like."
Robin nodded. "Got it."
"Mister Robin can stay in my room!" Lucina half offered, half demanded.
"Now Lucina dear…" Sumia began.
"Please, please, PLEASE?" Lucina practically begged. "I have a big bed, and the storm is scaring me!"
"If you're scared, you can come sleep in mommy and daddy's room." Sumia offered.
"No! I want to sleep here." Lucina said stubbornly. "But I also want mister Robin to stay here too!"
Robin and Sumia looked at each other. Sumia shrugged and made a face that said 'up to you'. Robin sighed and smiled at the little princess. "All right then. I'll stay here tonight. But I have to go get ready for bed now. I'll be back in a few moments." He got up and left the room with Sumia.
Lucina pumped both her fists into the air. "Yes!" she exclaimed happily, but immediately shrieked in surprise and hid back under the covers as another bolt of lightning arced through the air outside her window.
A few moments, and possibly the longest moments of Lucina's life, later, Robin returned to the room. He laid down on the edge of the bed with his back facing Lucina.
"All right, you don't have to be afraid of the storm now. I'll be here to protect you." Robin said.
"Promise? You'll always be there to protect me?" Lucina asked innocently.
Robin looked over his shoulders and smiled. "Promise." he whispered to her.
That was all Lucina needed to hear. She laid down next to Robin and nuzzled her face into the tactician's back. He smelled really good.
Despite the loud thunderstorm outside, Lucina slept soundly that night.
Cherche: Class Change: Wyvern Lord
Olivia: Class Change: Swordmaster
Henry: Class Change: Sorcerer