The ground shook with the force of their feet banging on the ground as they all sprinted away with the occasional beat of wings high above.
Leading the group, Owain tried to focus over the horizon to see if he could find any signs of his blue hair cousin but could only see the decay bodies of the fallen. Forcing himself to try hard, he pumped up more speed to get to the top of Mount Prime.
"Hurry! We have to make sure we tell Lucina," Inigo shouted from the right of him.
"The life of our greatest fighter in on the line," Kjelle grunted, not breaking even a sweat in that heavy armor.
In his mind he agreed, they have to get to Lucina as soon as possible. If not to be able to tell her that they are all with her but to save her from the Risen that were at the peak.
As they got closer, the sight of the Risen were even more clearer with eyes glowing and the purple fog curling around them. Their skin was dried up with the occasional sights of torn flesh and dry blood. Cracking its head, it started to run at them, sword in hand with the rest of the Risen army right behind.
A sight like this was something out of a storybook. No matter how many times he sees them, he always finds it hysterical that he is fighting the creatures that serve the villain like any story book hero.
But this is not like the fantasies he always made up in his mind. This is not like the legends or myths he reads in the library any chance he gets. This is not like the story book fairy tales his mother use to read him every time he goes to sleep.
This is real. This is both life and death, blood and survival, pain and lost.
Prey and predator.
He hated those thoughts. Every time he sees a Risen he couldn't help but think that this is real, hard face reality.
Maybe that's why he likes to blend in a little bit of fantasy, even if no one believes it.
Even when he sometimes doesn't believe in it.
"Hahaha! Die foe from the strike of a chosen hero! Radiant Dawn!"
With a slash of his Killing Edge, the Risen cried in agony as it's wound around it's midsection started to give off more of the purple fog till his whole body disappeared. Grinning, he approached the next enemy in his sights.
They made quick work of the Risen. Surprisingly they don't feel as powerfully as before. Maybe it's because of Lucina when she attacked Grima with Falchion, the touch of the white dragon fang might have weakened her more than they thought. That would explain how they didn't need to gang up on one Risen at a time.
Next to him, he could see Severa glaring as she took down one of the walking dead as Inigo came charging at any lance users with confidence. Kjelle managed to somehow get in front of them as she swung her lance with accuracy with Yarne kicking anyone that got near him out of panic. Up above, Noire notched another arrow as she shot from her seat with Cynthia's pegasus with the owner coming down to implant her lance with a triumph hum. Gerome did the same, using a Hand Axe to boomerang anyone that got near her with Laurent using his Elifire. Further in the back, Nah, who was now a dragon, was protecting Brandy while he went around healing everyone, giving anyone the evil eye when they try to refuse his help.
After killing many of the Risen, Owain was just cutting another dead soldier down when he heard Cynthia yell, "I see her. Our heroine is still alive!"
The tension in the air lowered down with the news that their friend was still alive. With the happy news that they still had a chance, everyone pushed harder to get to her more quickly. Before long they managed to get in her line of sight.
Her face when it caught sight of them was pure surprise. Eyes wide and mouth open slightly she almost missed the lance that aimed at her neck. Spinning on the balls of her heels, she ducked and ran her Falchion around the back of the lance user. It wasn't long before a cry was heard and then a puff of smoke swirled around her feet before fading.
Something close to silence hung over their heads, only the sound of heavy breathing and the flaps of wings as Cynthia, Nah, and Gerome all started to land next to her.
At first no one spoke, not daring to see who would apologize first before Lucina turned back to look at them.
It was one of those rare times that Lucina cried in front of him, much less in front of all of her friends.
He wanted to comfort her. To hug her and be that one to hold her steady and high. He hated to see her shed even a single tear.
For Lucina was never meant to cry.
But before he could run up to her and do just that, she spoke.
"I-," she hiccuped. "I'm so glad...that everyone is here….," laughing as she wiped away her tears she tried again. "I was worried ...for a second…..I thought I would have to go by myself."
"Unnecessary, we would never leave a comrade leave us behind. Much less you Lucina," Laurent intercepted with a push of his glasses.
"Yup. We would always be by your side Lucina," Nah agreed. An action that was unlike her appearance, she walked over and wiped a few of the tears that escaped her eyes in a motherly way. "So don't cry, your not alone." Pausing a bit, she tapped her finger on her chin as she thought out loud. "What was it that your parent's use to say?"
"Uh, you mean the thing about how are bonds makes us strong or whatever," Severa scoffed.
Noire hesitated before clearing up. "Don't you mean about not being pawns of fate?"
"Are you draft?! Of course it's about bonds. That's what all are parents tells us!"
"But didn't your said something about how Robin-"
"Who cares who right! Yer both wasting ya breath," Brandy said.
Both of them looked at him, Noire reaching for her talisman and Severa ready to make a come back before a light laugh interrupted them.
Lucina was laughing at the squabbling of her friends making everyone froze. For some reason, her laugh was something that could make anyone stop where they are and get drawn to the sound. Her laughter was something like the chimes of sweet bells and summer joy. Sweet and pure, like an innocence of a child was still within her. A rare treat to hear during the war compared to the daily bundles of joy when she was young.
He never understood why his mother would look at Lucina with longing when she laughs. After gathering up the courage to ask her why she does, his mother told him why.
"Her laugh is just like Emm's, your aunt. Every time she laughs, it always seems like she really here." Looking at him, she crouched down to his level and grabbed ahold of his hands. "Promise me you would, keep her laugh alive with your smile sweetie."
"Of course!"
"I thank you all," Lucina said after dimming down her laughter. "I was starting to doubt myself ...without you all, my strength dimmed to nothing. In a sense, I think father was right. It is truly the bonds we hold that makes us strong."
Without warning, his blue hair cousin bowed down at them all.
"So I ask of you, of all of you, that I beg for your forgiveness for foolishly think that I could carry on by myself. I've truly realise this is not my burden to carry alone."
Kjelle scoffed at the same time Inigo hummed. Standing tall and proud, Kjelle bowed before Lucina, laying down her lance in front of her.
"It is I who should ask for forgiveness. I'm a knight that fights for my country, the capital, the crown, and my friends."
"And I to would stay by your side princess," Inigi added when he bowed low. "So please count on me to be there with you fighting."
Giggling, Cynthia did the same. "We would always fight with honor. After all, the greatest hero always needs her sidekick by her side," she winked.
"Ey, what's with all the fancy honor and fancy talk. It ain't about da title or crap." Rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment, Brandy, too bowed down. "But if it counts for someth'en, I'll be there to make sure ya don't kill ya self."
"I-I he-help to!" Still in his bunny form, the young Taguel closed his eyes as his ears flopped to the ground. "I'll tr-try to help keep ya alive. Er...as long as you protect me?"
"Stupid bunny," Severa growled, making Yarne shrink closer to the ground. Rolling her eyes it wasn't long before she implanted her sword and bowed. "And don't be stupid, what makes you think we wouldn't stay with you. Don't think we would go down that easily."
"M-me to. I would stay b-by yo-you!"
"It makes the most logical sense to stay with the one who I've lived my life with after all."
"As long as Minerva comes…."
"Yes! The sprouts of the great ones will now form a great new wave of light. And you, my brave cousin, are the guiding voice!"
The princess couldn't help but smile, reassuring that she would always have someone by her side. Without a word, she raised Falchion high up in the air as the last ray of sunlight disappeared behind the distance.
It was time to change fate.
o~0~*~0~o
Love is not running away or giving up, it's fighting and standing for every moment
-Unknown
o~0~*~0~o
"No."
"But they are big enough to cover over them. Besides, don't they look cute?"
"Hell no."
"But Severa, they-"
"I can't believe this." Grabbing a hold of Lucina's shoulders, she spun her around to look at her directly in the eye. "Look, I'm the one with the most fashion sense here! If your going to hide that brand of yours, then we need to cover them without looking like you want to draw more attention to them looking like a stalker." She grumbled under her breath, "Besides, I would rather die than be caught next to you like that…."
Curiously, the eldest tilted her head in a questionable manner. "What was that Severa?"
"Nothing. Besides, what are you doing still hold those things?!"
"Their cute, I was hoping on keepin-"
"No."
With that said, Severa yanked the massive pair of glasses from her hands with the same look of disgust she had since she saw her pick them up. Going back to the bag (black? Really?!) she fumbled a little bit before humming her satisfaction. Throwing the glasses somewhere in the woods next to them (much to Lucina's dismay) she lightly grabbed her chin to look at her before demanding her close her eyes. Hesitate but trusting the olive-hair girls instinct, she closed her eyes. Feeling her hair being moved from covering her face, she felt the cold touch of metal cover her warm cheeks before being told to open her eyes.
She could see yet couldn't. Her line of sight was blocked a bit with shadow lines near her eyes but could still see enough for no one to sneak directly in front of her.
"Do you like it?" Before she could answer Severa beat her to the punch. "Of course you do. Everything I would pick would be a whole lot better than whatever disaster you've could have chosen." Fixing the mask a bit she continued, "Butterflies might be cliche but I this worked a lot better than I could have thought of."
True to her words, Lucina now bares a dark blue mask trimmed with patterns of gold on the edges. The masks was layered in two, the bottom looking like the ends of a butterfly wing while the top layer finished that look with a curved open circle in the middle.
Fumbling a bit, Lucina touched the mask with her fingers tracing over the swirls of designs. Humming, she decided to let herself be judged by the rest and jogged towards the group.
Ignoring the shouts from Severa, Lucina made it to the campsite that they planned to stay for a bit before leaving. As expected, everyone was busying themselves by gathering and checking on their materials and fixing their weapons. They don't know how far they would be sent back in time so they have to prepare in case they fall in the middle of a battle of sorts.
Announcing herself by the snap of the dry branches under her feet, everyone turned to see their princess completely covered by her face, unable to recognize her if they didn't know about the offer Gerome suggested to cover her brand from praying eyes. It would be troublesome if people start to question the royal family in family affairs or confusing if someone with the same brand like the young princess appeared out of nowhere.
By the the time Severa caught up to her, Lucina was already showing off her mask, asking how it looks and if it was alright.
Of course she got nothing but praise from the mask.
Severa did pick it out after all.
But still…
"I think you should put your hair up."
"E-excuse me!?"
"Your hair," Severa tried again. "Look, your brands not the only thing we're hiding you from. Honestly, have you ever seen someone else with blue hair as light as yours."
"Well no…"
"Well if that's the case, why not make her into a boy," Inigo jokes. "Who would ever think that Princess Lucina is the masked man from the future?"
"Great idea my friend!" Owain jumped in, "What better way to hide the hero's secret then changing one nature! Why it's a destiny calling!"
Severa frowned a bit. "Now hold up, she not-"
"I think it's an excellent idea for one," Laurent closed his book. "It would be more effective to hide your identity from the crown."
"Lucina as a boy huh," Nah pondered. "She might pull it off. Maybe change your voice to something more lower and it might work."
"And who will think she a boy with air' that long," Brandy waved his staff.
"Chop it off."
"Hell no!" Severa shouted when she heard that. Forget everyone trying to make her pretend to be a boy, like hell she will have someone like Kjelle come and cut the pretty locks of hair that she brush every morning with their shared tent.
...not that she jealous of her hair. No, she loves the only connection she had of her daddy. It's just that she wouldn't have anything to fumble and practice with if Kjelle think she can come and cut the hard work she always had pride in! After all, it took weeks of convincing Lucina for her to brush her hair, much less style it!
Kjelle frowned, "Then what do you suppose we do. For her to act like a boy, she would have to fit with the men's style as one should put it."
"And that's why they made pins for such occasions."
"Uh….do I not get a saying about my own hair?"
"No!"
It was a petite fight, everyone knew. But it was fun to see everyone fighting and laughing as something as small as hair. That night everyone slept with smiles on their faces and the feeling of ease coating for them to sleep.
The next day, they all ran to the temple as the fell dragon attacked them.
Cutting down the Risen, Owain kept on running with his retainer by his side. Severa was cursing over and over about her clothes, weapon being not as sharp as she wanted it to be, the Risen, and how stupid they were to let their guard down after one night.
He couldn't agree more.
The temple was almost unrecognizable, the white marble walls were smashed and crumbled with ashes coloring them a deep black. Offerings and old weapons were scattered, broken and tore down with flames of fire eating the wood alive. The waterfall and sacred pools were nothing more than mud. Whatever had once lived there was now probably dead.
Jumping over the rubble in his way, he almost had his clothes get caught by an arrow when Severa deflected it with her sword.
"Watch what your doing princey!"
"But my fateful comrade. I do recall you enlighten my presence by highlighting that my life span was not that of royal blood?"
"Shut up!"
Grabbing a little bit of joy from turning the tables, he shouted another one of his 32 moves (and counting) that, he, personally named with a bored wide grin.
Severa was not impress of course.
Maybe he should watch where she pointed that sword of hers next time.
Finally in his sights, he could see the portal that Naga told them about when she came to warn them. Standing next to the portal were the rest of the group, minus his cousin, Nah, and Gerome.
"Hey, where are the rest," his retainer shouted.
"THOSE INSOLENT FOOLS HAVE NOT ARRIVE! TO HELL WITH THEM! TO HELL WITH THEM ALL AS THUNDER RAIN UPON THEM!!!"
It seems that someone had their talisman at the ready…
"I'm worried, they haven't come back yet," Cynthia said as she stabbed one of the Risens that got to close. Her pegasus, who was on the ground, stomp on the Risen for good measures as it disappeared.
"You mean that acrobat? Really," Severa deadpan. From the way she said it, it seems that she was worried for one person in particular.
"How is Gerome an acrobat?"
"You didn't deny it."
"Wait no- that's not-"
"Everyone!"
On cue (and to Cynthia's relief), Lucina came running towards them. Gerome and Nah (who was currently a dragon) were right by her side with faces filled with panic as much as Lucina's voice was.
Owain cheered mentality knowing that everyone else was safe. But the thought quickly left his mind when he saw the giant eye looking straight at him.
"Run!"
Breath hitched at the sight of the dragon, Laurent grabbed another tome from his robe and muttered under his breath before a wave of fire washed over the Risens that were coming their way. Shrieking, they smell of burning flesh wafted in the air as he turned to his comrades. "Go! We have to go now!"
Noire still possessed by her talisman glared at Laurent before grabbing a hold of Yarne's ear and dragging him into the pool of light with his complaints. The last thing he saw before they disappeared completely was the small strands of Noire's light blonde hair go through.
The next ones to go through was Brandy, who was pushed by Kjelle much to his dismay by the sound of his shouts. Looking at Laurent, she grabbed him by the collar of his robe and pulled him in the portal before he could get a word out.
By this time, Lucina, Gerome, and Nah had finally joined the group. Noticing who was still left Lucina turned to both Gerome and Cynthia. "Both of you go through, it takes more time for your mounts to fit in."
Cynthia looked like she wanted to complain but was stopped when Gerome placed his hand on her shoulders. Biting her lips she bobbed her head yes, orange pig tales flying in her face before ushering her pegasus with a sweet voice to go through the portal with her. It took some time but by then only her tail was still visible. Cynthia grabbed a hold of it before pumping her fist in the air with a "Don't forget to be a hero!" as she too crossed the portal.
Gerome was less dramatic as Minerva was more calm about walking through the portal then Cynthia's pegasus. He said nothing as he passed through.
With only five people, it was harder to hold back the Risen. Knowing how this would go, Owain made sure to back up slowly to his cousins side as they drew near to the portal.
He didn't know she was behind him, so when he backed up suddenly from an axe user he felt a small body being pushed back with a yelp in surprise. Without thinking, he turned to see the end of two twin braids go through the light before disappearing.
Well… he better be careful when he sees her again…
Joy….
But to his regret, he shouldn't have turned around either. Because the next thing he knew he was pushed into the portal as well.
Eyes wide, he tried to reach behind himself to grab the person who pushed him for support or for them to try to steady him up right again. But he only managed to grab nothing but air.
Slowly his body entered through the portal. Head first, then neck, his shoulders and his arms and body. Still trying to fight, he twisted his body so that one of his arms were reaching out to the outside. It was useless, he knew, but he must stay as long as he can. His cousin. His mother. Father. Country. Land.
Her…
Before his hand completely submerged in with the rest of his body, he could feel the ghost touch of a hand grazing his.
o~0~*~0~o
For the information I gave through this story:-Cynthia, daughter of Sumia and Gaius
-Noire, daughter of Libra and Tharja
-Side ship: Cynthia and Gerome
As a side note, the children who are of royal or noble blood will have retainers. As I'm counting Sumia of nobility. Gerome's father is that of nobility so that's why he would also have a retainer.
For the information given:
-Owain's retainer: Severa (if it wasn't obvious)
-Lucina's retainer: ?
-Brandy's retainer: ?
-Cynthia's reatinet: ?
-Gerome's retainer: ?