Some fairly interesting announcements at the end of the chapter. As I seem to always do, I apologize for taking a bit over a month to release this! I hope you all enjoy!


DISCLAIMER: HELLSING IS OWNED BY KOUTA HIRANO. I DO NOT ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.

FIRE EMBLEM IS OWNED BY NINTENDO. I DON'T OWN IT'S CHARACTERS EITHER.

ITALICS=THOUGHTS AND SOUNDS

BOLD= DATES, PLACES, ECT.

BOLD ITALICS=WRITER

(NOTE: Eh... I think telling you lot to stop reading this story if you don't like it is kinda dumb... I mean... you're little over twenty chapters in now...)


West of Ylisse ~ The Border Pass(Ylissean Side)

October 13, Age 2609 (3:23 A.M.)

Cold… no colder than cold, absolutely freezing was more accurate. It wasn't anything new to Lucina, she was used to it. Even the heavy rain that pummeled her, threatening to knock her into the canyon depths was nothing. The frigid winds that cut through her like knives did little to slow her. Lucina had experienced far worse.

"Hey lady, you sure you wanna do this?"

Lucina turned to see who had questioned her, a man at least a several decades her senior. His wrinkled face was mostly obscured by his scruffy beard. He had long hair tied into a ponytail, a trait that made Lucina cringe every time she looked at him—most likely because it reminded her of….

"Yes." the bluenette was firm in her response. "No matter the risk."

The man seemed hesitant, but caved in upon seeing her determination

"I don't know why your so adamant that you be smuggled into Plegia. Don't know if you've been livin' under a rock for the past month, but the whole country's become a hell like no other. That Mad King has become a demon of sorts, and rules the place with an iron fist. He's even got other monsters in his own army!"

"I am aware of all of this, sir." Lucina replied calmly. The man considered her for a second before shrugging.

"Eh, whatever you say lady. I'm just making sure you realize what kind of country yer asking me to smuggle you into." The man grumbled as he climbed onto a rickety horse drawn wagon. "Honestly, usually I'm paid to smuggle folks outta Plegia, but this is the first time I'm smugglin' anyone INTO the country." The smuggler beckoned Lucina to climb onto the wagon. As soon as she was on board, he gave the reigns a jerk and they were off.

Lucina sat back, curled up into a ball, and leaned her head against the wagon walls. It was a welcome respite from the rain that had been thrashing her throughout her journey into the mountains. She exhaled, breathing out a puff of cool vapor.

All this will be worth it once I find him. This hell that this war has become will disappear as soon as I do.

Lucina couldn't help but smile as she thought about him. She closed her eyes and imagined him standing at the forefront of a battlefield. He was standing right next to her father, a confident smirk on his face. The spectacle that was him in combat, how he moved with the grace of a seasoned dancer; simultaneously attacking with the ferocity of a lion.

His voice was clear her in her head… whispering to her… comforting her. The ease that she would feel every time he was close. The way he somehow took even the most dire situation and turned it around. Lucina couldn't help but miss him.

Thudunk!

Lucina's eyes shot open as the wagon violently rolled over a rock or something. Taken out of her own mind, she ran her hand through her long locks and sighed. Looking out the back of the wagon, Lucina looked at darkened sky. The bluenette somberly stared at the grim clouds. If she didn't know any better, she could almost mistake it for the skies of the time she left behind. Both were equally cheerless, and both were void of the sun. Lucina constantly told herself that it was natural this time of year for the rains to pummel the ground for days at a time, that there was nothing foreboding about it. Still, no matter how much she told herself that, she knew that there was nothing natural about this storm at all. Rainy season did not excuse the near constant overcast skies that had hung over the lands of not only Plegia, but Ylisse and Ferox as well, for the last month.

It's no coincidence that the endless downpour began just shortly after… Lucina had trouble recalling the event, not because she couldn't remember, but because she didn't want to.

Thudunk!

Lucina grunted as the wagon roughly went over another obstacle.

"Sorry 'bout that lass!" The smuggler called out from the front of wagon. "Terrain's a bit more rough today…"

Something about the man's words irked Lucina, but she quickly wrote it off as paranoia. The bluenette simply let out a sigh and closed her eyes again. Getting engrossed in her own thoughts was better than whatever the hell the smuggler was doing. As she leaned her back against the wagon wall, Lucina steadily drifted off into a silent slumber; the distant memories that she cherished so much surfacing in her fatigued rest.


Ylisstol, Ylisse ~ Royal Palace(Courtyard)

May 22, Age 2619

(Play song ~ Ordon Village [Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess OST])

The young girl named Lucina sat by the edge of the calm stream that ran through the courtyard, dipping her bare feet into the cold waters. She sighed as the water chilled her, acting as her saving grace from the summer heat.

"Lucy."

The young princess craned her head to see her pigtailed sister lying in the grass right beside her.

"Do you think mommy and daddy will have time to play with us today?" The five-year old stared at the blue-sky above them.

"Maybe—I don't know— Cynthia…" Lucina leaned back and lied down beside her sister, feet still dipped in the water. "Daddy says that he and mommy are gonna be really busy for awhile. Maybe we can see if Owain can play with us instead."

"Okay!" The bubbly Cynthia shot up, and quickly began attempting to drag her sister to see their cousin. "Come on! Let's go, Lucy!"

The elder sibling groaned as she reluctantly pulled her feet out of the cooling water. Putting her boots back on, Lucina ran behind her little sister as they made their way through the castle. As they ran through the large halls of Ylisse's royal palace, they saw a familiar figure standing at the other end.

"Aunt Lissa!" The two children bolted towards the off-guard healer. The two very nearly succeeded in topping their pigtailed aunt as they threw themselves at her.

"Oh!?" Lissa laughed as she scooped the two into a tight bear hug. "How're my two favorite nieces doing?"

"Aunt Lissa, we're your only nieces." Lucina snuggled closer to the blonde princess.

"Doesn't mean you two can't be my two favorites." The blonde was grinning as she slowly put both siblings down. "Anyway, what can Auntie Lissa do for you?"

"We're looking for Owain."

"Owain? Oh, last I saw him, he was outside training with his father." Lucina's brow rose.

"He's training with uncle?" Lucina held in a giggle. "But doesn't uncle train people so hard that they can't walk for a week?"

"Well…" Lissa crossed her arms. "Yes, you're uncle is certainly a bit… er… intense—I know this better than anyone." The blonde giggled a bit. "I doubt he'd push Owain as hard as the common soldiers under his command, Owain is just a child—not just any child, his son. Besides, if that man pushes my baby boy too hard, your uncle will find himself in heap of trouble…" Lissa grumbled.

If there was one thing that Lucina knew not to do, it was not get on her aunt's bad side. One time, her father ate a pie that her mother made for her aunt, and he found himself on the receiving end of one of Lissa's infamous pranks. It was really was crazy how far her aunt Lissa was willing to go for such a tiny thing.

"Oh, speaking of Owain…" Lissa pointed to behind Lucina and Cynthia. The two siblings turned to see Owain, running down the halls—wooden sword in hand.

"Ho there, Lucina! Cynthia!" Owain greeted his cousins in his typical bombastic style. "Behold! I have brought to you, the almighty sword—said to rival even the mighty sword Falchion—Mystletainn!"

"Oh, is that what you and your father have been spending the past few days building?" Lissa suddenly exclaimed. Lucina and Cynthia laughed at the blush that had appeared on the boy's face.

"Mom!" Owain pouted. "I'm trying to be cool in front of Lucina and Cynthia!"

"Don't worry, Owain!" Cynthia patted the mud-haired boy on the back. "I think it's cool!"

"Yes, very!" Lucina giggled. Owain seemed to perk up and resume character immediately after hearing the words of encouragement.

"Then come, my exalted cousins! Let us embark on a quest to slay the mighty beast that lurks in the courtyard!" Owain raised his wooden sword above his head in an over dramatic flourish.

"Justice Cabal, unite!" Cynthia stood beside Owain, joining him in the over the top posing. Lucina simply smiled as she followed the two down the hallway and back out into the courtyard.

After a particularly long play session—one that involved slaying the great evil king of evil—the trio were now lying in the grass, staring up at the setting sun.

"Hey Lucy?" Cynthia nudged her sister's side. "Why do you think mommy and daddy are so busy now?" Lucina shrugged.

"I d'know… I think I heard daddy say that he was gonna be going to someplace called Valm…"

"Yeah, my dad said that there was something bad happening over there, and that the people there needed help." Owain added. "It's just like our parents. They're like the heroes from the legends!"

"Yeah…" Cynthia laughed. "I hope that we're just as cool as them when we grow up!"

"Of course we will!" Owain stood up and raised his wooden sword over his head. "We're of exalted blood! We're all destined to be heroes!" Grinning, Owain brought his sword in front of him into a battle stance.

"I tell you, even though I won't inherit the Falchion, I'll find the legendary blade; Mystletainn! With it, I'll slay the enemies of Ylisse and become a hero of heroes!" Lucina and Cynthia giggled, finding their cousin's antics charmingly fantastic.

"Say, that's right." Cynthia looked over to Lucina. "Since you're the oldest, daddy's gonna give you Falchion when you become the Exalt, right?"

"Yup, dad said so himself…" Lucina suddenly looked downcast, much to Cynthia and Owain's confusion.

"What's wrong, Lucy?" Cynthia asked, concerned.

"Well…" Lucina sat up. "What if I'm a bad leader? I don't think I'll ever be able to be as great as dad…" Owain sat beside his cousin.

"Hey, don't worry, Lucina!" the mud-haired royal gave her toothy smile. "When you're Exalt, cousin Owain will be there to make sure you don't mess up! Even then, I'll help you when you mess up too!"

"Hey, don't forget about me!" Cynthia perked up, jumping to her feet. "I'm gonna be there too! I'll be Captain of the Pegasus Knights, and I'll make sure nothing ever bad happens to all of us!"

Lucina stared at the duo for a second. Afterwards, she burst into a tearful smile as she scooped the younger royals up into hug.

"Thanks guys… I'll always remember this…"

(Song ends here)


Eastern Plegia ~ Border Pass(Plegian Side)

October 13, Age 2609 (6:20 A.M.)

Thudunk!

Lucina jolted upright, hitting her head against the roof of the wagon in the process. The bluennette clutched her head in pain as she collapsed back down. Seething through her teeth, she took a deep breath as she rubbed her aching head. When the pounding finally stopped, she sat back and recalled the memory she had re-lived in her dream.

"That was the day before everyone left for the Valmese Campaign…" Lucina muttered to herself. "I didn't see father or mother again for a whole year…"

Lucina gave Naga a silent thank you for putting Cynthia and Owain in her life. The two were her right and left hands—her best friends. They stuck true to their word of always being with her, and she always made sure to be there with them in their times of need. Except...

"I wish they were here…" Lucina sighed. "I could really use their help right now…"

When they all left for the past, Naga had mentioned that they would not all appear in the same areas—they wouldn't even be arriving at the same time. Lucina put on a brave face when she heard this. She knew, despite how much she tried to deny it, that they had lost—the only way to win now was to try to stop Grima from rising again in the past.

She met some resistance for her decision to return to the past, however amongst those that defended her were Owain and Cynthia. When everyone finally decided to step through the portal, Lucina confronted the two on the matter. She promised that they'd be the first people she found.

Little over two months later, and she was still alone...

Well, not alone… she had Wal-

Thudunk!

Lucina braced herself as the wagon jolted upward. The princess let out a frustrated groan as she settled once more.

Owain and Cynthia weren't the only that had been there for her. The second generation of Shepherds—the children of the original group—were also people she considered her friends. As she closed her eyes and got lost in thoughts, another cherished memory of hers surfaced


Ylisstol, Ylisse ~ Royal Palace(Courtyard)

June 2, Age 2619

"Severa, what'd you do that for?!"

"She deserved it for acting so high and mighty, Gerome!"

Lucina sniffled as she clutched her scraped knees, watching her two friends argue with each other.

"All Lucy did was ask you to stop poking her with that stick." Genome frowned as he knelt beside Lucina.

"Well, she's such a spoiled princess! She shouldn't be so bossy! I was just joking around!"

"Yeah, such a funny joke!" Gerome growled in frustration. "Just go away, Severa, before I tell your mom about what you did!"

Severa let angry huff before storming away, stamping her feet all the way into the castle. Lucina only continued to sniffle as she rubbed her injured knees.

(Play song ~ A Divine Allure (Dragon Ball Kai OST)]

"Are you okay, Luce?" Gerome stared at her with a concerned expression. "Does it really hurt?"

The blue-haired princess only nodded in response. This caused the red-haired son of a Wyvern Lord to let out a sigh, as he steadily shuffled closer to the girl.

"Lemme see." Lucina hesitantly removed her hands, giving Gerome a clear view of the cuts. There was just the barest amount of blood seeping out—not much, but to the eight year old Gerome, it was worth a commotion.

Suddenly, the red-haired boy lifted Lucina off the ground bridal style.

"Wah!" Lucina was quick to wrap her arms around Gerome to balance herself. "A-are you sure you can carry me? You're gonna be in big trouble with my daddy if you drop me!"

"Don't worry about it, Luce." Gerome smiled. "You're really light, and I'd beat myself up before I drop you; you are the princess after all. What kind of knight-in-shining armor would I be if I dropped the princess?" Lucina blushed at the declaration.

"Okay… but if you're gonna be my knight-in-shiny armor, you're going to have to protect me forever, y'know."

"Yeah, I promise I'll protect you forever and ever!"

"Even if you have to beat a huge monster?"

"Especially, if I have to beat a huge monster!"

Lucina giggled as she felt the pain ebb away. Whatever it was that was making her feel safe in Gerome's arms, she really liked it. Once they made it to the castle healer, Gerome steadily put the princess down. From that point forth, Gerome was always by her side—a watchful protector.

(Song end here)


Eastern Plegia

October 13, Age 2609(12:35 P.M.)

After several hours of nonstop travel, they had finally stopped for a quick lunch. Lucina lightly nibbled on the jerky she had been handed. She wasn't exactly hungry, nor was she in the mood for what she had deemed an unnecessary stop. She was far too eager to reach the capital to find her friend.

Still, perhaps a bit of a break was what she needed to clear something up in her head. Earlier she had mentally recounted the moment she and Gerome had become nigh inseparable: the best of friends. Yet, was that still an accurate description of their relationship?

Thinking about it, Gerome was practically beside her her entire life. The Wyvern Rider really did act like a silent guardian for her. Although their relationship deteriorated over the years, especially after Gerome's parents died, she still considered him a close—if not her closest—friend. It really did sadden the bluenette to see him collapse inward on himself, becoming a recluse in every sense of the word.

Whenever I do see him again, I will have to make sure I thank him for everything he's done for me…. Lucina sighed. He is my closest… the princess stopped for a second. Was Gerome really still her closest friend? If not, who was her closest…?

The image of a man with long black hair tied back into a ponytail, dressed up in fairly formal attire, flashed in her mind.

Lucina let out a tired sigh as she thought about the man she now considered her best friend. They hadn't known each other for very long, but he had quickly become someone she trusted with her life. In that short period of time she had known him, the man seemed to perform miracle after miracle without any sign of stopping. He was like one of the heroes of old that Lucina had been told about in the ancient legends—she would even go as far to call him the hero of heroes.

I wonder…. Lucina stared at the blue sky above. Would things have been different if he was there, or would he too have succumbed to the darkness of that fateful day?

Reluctantly, she forced herself to dream. She was eight years old again, sitting in the castle courtyard, waiting for her parents to return from a mission that they had deemed incredibly important to win. There she was, a wide-eyed child staring at the entrance as her parents walked into the courtyard, hand-and-hand, smiles on their faces as they told her that they had won. Victory had been achieved, and there would be no more conflict—it was over.

A man peaked out from behind the two of them. He had a warm smile on his face, grandfatherly features accentuated by his grin. The man kneeled down, hand on her shoulder, warm gray eyes staring into her blue ones.

"We did it, Lucina..." his voice was soft as brought the child into a hug. "We did it…" The young girl trembled in his arms as all the worries in the world faded.

"Thank you, Wal-"

Lucina abruptly cut the fantasy off there. With cry of frustrated anguish, slammed her fist down into the rocky ground; had she not been wearing gloves, she would've easily bruised and cut her hand. Why was she angry? No, she wasn't angry, she was heartbroken. So why was she so heartbroken?

That's not how history went, and nothing will change that day… He wasn't there that day, and neither was father…


Ylisstol, Ylisse ~ Royal Palace

September 11, Age 2620

Lucina felt an untamable eagerness well up inside her as she sat within the throne room. News of her father's inevitable return had reached the palace several days prior, and Lucina elected to wait in the chamber every day until he did. She had heard talk of an operation being led by him—one of grave importance—involving Plegia. All the talk went far over her head, and she was just ecstatic over the prospect of her father being home soon.

Squeee…

Lucina's head turned towards the chamber doors as they steadily creaked open. Her eyes were wide with childish wonder, a matching wide grin forming. She was practically bouncing up and down in her seat, which was her father's throne. The child was ready to greet her father, ready to run into his open arms and hear tales of his heroic deeds.

Her excitement faded slightly when she saw not her father walk through the doors, but her mother. Despite the slight disappointment, she still felt overjoyed to see her mother. Lucina bolted from her spot and ran towards her mother. As she neared, she noticed the Falchion was resting in her mom's arms. She came to screeching halt.

Why does mother have father's sword? Lucina stared up at her as she approached. The closer her mother came, the more Lucina's heart sank—her elation waning. She could see the tears forming in her mother's eyes, and signs that she had been crying before she came in. A brave smile was plastered across her face, but one filled with too much sadness to be genuine.

When her mother finally reached her, after what felt like hours, she knelt down and lovingly caressed her cheek with her free hand; the other gripping Falchion tightly.

"Mommy…?" Lucina's voice was barely above a whisper. She dreaded to ask, but she had to know… "Where's daddy?"

Her mother continued to put on a brave face, but the facade was crumbling. Her bittersweet smile began to falter as her lip trembled. Lucina felt her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for her mother to reply.

Everything is okay…

Her mother placed the Falchion beside her before wrapping her up in a tight embrace…

...father is okay…

"Oh Lucina…" her mother held her, clearly shaken. "You're father…" the words seemed to get caught in her throat.

Lucina felt her eyes water…

"Your father didn't…"

No… Lucina began to tremble. She felt her mother's tears beginning to soak into her clothing, as she rested her head on her shoulder.

"You're father didn't make it…"


Eastern Plegia

October 13, Age 2609(2:30 P.M.)

Her entire life as she knew it shattered that day. What normalcy she had was gone, torn to shreds and tossed into the wind. The time after only proved to be worse, as that day was only just the beginning—the beginning of her hell…

In the months that came after the death of her father, ruin followed. Grima didn't attack immediately, that would've been a mercy. The events that followed the fall of Exalt Chrom could only be described as the beginning of an era of absolute despair—as if all the prophetic murmurs speaking of the end times were unleashed all at once.

Great plagues spread across the lands, like a sudden cloud of sickness and disease. All manner of disease afflicted the peoples of not only Ylisse, but all across the continent; starting at Plegia and going out from there. Countless died during these dark times; countless men, women, and children dropping dead every single minute. However, Lucina considered those that died during the great pestilence to have been lucky, as they didn't see the coming days.

War broke out between all manner of peoples. No peace treaty held together, as if the world was afflicted with the vice of wrath. Within days, all nations of the realm gathered their armies and prepared for war. Few managed to avoid this great war between all nations, and very few survived. In the end, little warriors were left in the world.

After the wars came the famine. Crops and livestock suddenly began to wither away and die, as if none could sustain them any longer. The oceans seemed to turn to blood, and all manner of sea creature died as a result. Without food, those that lived during these harsh times found themselves rationing what little they had left. There were some that resorted to cannibalism in order to survive; this in itself made Lucina tremble. When it was all said and done, it was still a far cry of what had yet to come.

It was only then, after a fourth of the population had been ravaged did Grima attack. Death incarnate spread its wings and brought despair upon the earth. The armies of ruin and destruction marched forward to defeat what remained. Cities were reduced to rubble—civilization itself eliminated. Those that survived were forced into the wilderness; to survive off what little remained. Only the hardiest of mankind managed to live on, most only living just to be killed off by the Risen.

It was during these dark times that Lucina watched as, one-by-one, the Shepherds fell. In time, at a young age, she was forced into a leadership role. She had to serve as a beacon of hope for those that remained—more than that, she had to lead humanity's final charges against Grima. Like a defiant cry against ensured destruction, Lucina organized what remained of mankind.


Border Pass

April 19, Age 2630

"Push forward, soldiers!" Lucina held the Falchion high into air, the surface of Naga's divine fang shimmering in the light. The beacon of hope—the symbol of last light flickering against the darkness—standing tall. Though it was caked with the blood of the undead, it would never cease to bring hope to those that it protected; so long as Lucina wielded it.

Men and women rallied behind the heiress, and though they exhausted by the several days of endless marching they still stood proud. Ahead of them, incredible legions of Risen met them at the center of the cliff face. The sound of soldiers clashing on the battlefield drowned out the storm; small pellets of hail pummeling both sides as lightning flashed across the sky. Weapons crashed against one another as the drumbeat of war echoed throughout the pass.

Lucina grit her teeth as she led the charge. She screamed as Falchion cleaved through Risen like a hot knife through butter. The bluenette flourished the blade and deflected several strikes at once. With a powerful kiai, she launched a counter strike that bisected her attackers. Blood splattered onto her tunic, but she paid it no mind.

Whoooo…

Lucina heard the high pitched whistling and immediately dived for cover. Milliseconds later, debris was thrown into the sky and soldiers—human and Risen—were flung right off the pass and onto the rocky ground below. Lucina winced as they screamed up until they impacted the ground with a sickening crack; yet another group of people she failed to protect. The bluenette wasted no time mourning, and leapt back into the fray; ignoring the large crater where the fireball had impacted.

As Lucina continued forward, she slashed through her foes whilst avoiding the fireballs being launched across the battlefield artillery style. Fiery explosions detonated around her—claiming the lives of friend and foe alike—but she didn't let up; not even the increasing pile of bodies deterred her. The smell of burning flesh contrasted the icy hail that pelted her body. The chilling winds threatened to throw her off the cliff; that is if the Risen didn't get to her first.

"Lucina!" The princess felt the familiar presence of her cousin Owain back-to-back with her. "Severa has been delayed!"

Lucina clicked her teeth in annoyance as she deflected an incoming attack. The princess proceeded to behead her attacker. Severa was sent to retrieve their reinforcements.

"What about Gerome and Cynthia?! We need air support, and we need it now!" Lucina seethed.

"They've mobilized our air units, but they won't be arriving for another two minutes!"

"We won't last two minutes at this rate!" Lucina struggled to maintain her composure. "Their mages are blasting us off the cliff face! We need someone to draw their fire!"

"Look out!" Owain tackled Lucina to the ground, just barely avoiding a fireball. The impact threw several more soldiers off the cliffs. Owain and and Lucina quickly scrambled to their feet. Both royals grimaced as they heard the distant impact of the bodies hitting the ground.

"Agreed…" Owain replied somenly.

Several miles away, the remnants of the Pegasus Knights flew in formation behind their leader, Cynthia. Following closely behind, Wyvern Knights led by Gerome were in an attack formation. The two children of the Shepherds led the aerial forces towards the battlefield in hopes of providing some much needed air support.

"Cynthia to Gerome! I repeat, Cynthia to Gerome!"

Gerome sighed as Cynthia shouted towards him from her pegasus.

"What?" Gerome growled. Cynthia pouted.

"No, you're supposed to say 'this is Gerome, I hear you loud and clear'!" The younger princess complained. "It sounds way cooler…"

"This is not a game." Gerome's face hardened underneath his mask. "Lucina may be strong, but even she won't be able to hold back a whole legion of Risen on her own." Cynthia's bubbliness dissolved as a crestfallen expression replaced it.

"Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood, y'know…"

While Gerome—though he would never admit it aloud—appreciated the young royal's attempts to make light of the situation, it was not the time or place for such jests. He would sooner leap to his demise than let Lucina die. No amount of enemies would sway him from his self-appointed duty, and that was final.

"Hurry up, Minerva…" Gerome tightened his grip on his Wyvern's reigns as she received a burst of speed.

Lucina let out a grunt as she deflected another attack. Falchion screeched as it grinded against another sword. Lucina's muscles ached as she deflected attack after attack; cut through Risen after Risen. As her strength depleted, her enemies continued to replenish—her men slowly dwindling as well. The princess' breath was heavy with exhaustion and her grip on her weapon was loosened. In spite of this, she continued to fight. She was Lucina, crown princess of Ylisse, and she would not go down without a fight.

The glint of a raised axe caught her eye, and Lucina instantly raised her weapon to block. A moment passed between the axe being swung and it making contact with her sword, a moment when she realized the grave mistake she had just made. It was too late to move, as the axe impacted her at full force. The princess cried out as she was sent tumbling to the side by the powerful swing. As she violently rolled across the floor, she finally came to halt when she impacted a rocky wall—her head taking a good amount of the impact.

Sitting up, but unable to stand, Lucina helplessly seethed as she felt a trickle of blood pour down from where her head was injured. Her skin flushed, her eyesight dimmed, and the cacophony of noise faded to the point where she couldn't even hear her own voice as she weakly whispered for help. Her heavy lidded eyes were unfocused, darting from side-to-side—whatever faint silhouettes she could see were indistinguishable from one another. With one final breath, unconsciousness welcomed her into its embrace, but not before she saw the glint of something flying through the air like a wyvern.


"Is your sword special daddy?"

"Yes, Lucina; very special in fact. There's only one in the entire world, and it's mystic power has served our family for countless generations."

"Whoa, that's so cool! I hope I get a cool sword like yours one day!"

"Hah, I think you will, Lucina; in fact when you're old enough to lead all of Ylisse in my stead, I'll give you this sword."

"Really!?"

"Yes really."

"Wow!"

"But Lucina, wielding Falchion isn't just about using it as a weapon."

"But… uh… it's a sword. What else would I use it for?"

"Hah, I thought the same when your late aunt Emmeryn gave it to me. She was heir to throne, and the one entitled to wield it, yet she gave it to me instead. It took me a long time to realize that it wasn't because she didn't want to have to fight, but it was because what this divine weapon meant."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well… I guess I could explain but that would take away all the fun."

"No fair daddy! I wanna know!"

"I know you do, Luce, but I think it's best if you figure out on your own. It's really only something you'll understand once it's yours to wield. Hopefully you figure it out sooner than I did. Maybe if I did your aunt would still be with us…"

"It's okay daddy… you tried your bestest to save her…"

"Hah, I know, your mom tells me not to let it get me down. I guess you inherited her ability to cheer up your dad."

"Yeah, and I break a lotta things like you daddy!"

"Er… let's not mention the pillar you broke in you mother's flower garden…"

"But mommy says that lying is bad!"

"Well, it's not lying if you don't tell her you did it…"

"I'm gonna tell mommy that you said that we should lie!"

"Uh… Lucina… listen to your father- hey get back here! Don't tell your mother!"

"Too late daddy!"


Lucina's eyes bolted open as she awakened from her sleep. The first thing she noticed was that she was lying on a mat in a tent, various medical supplies set up next to her.

Medical tent… she thought. Looking down, she saw that her tunic had been opened and gauze was wrapped firmly around her chest. Raising a weak hand up to her head—which ached mildly—she felt gauze around her head as well. Recalling that she had taken a great blow to… well…. her entire body, she realized that she must have been carted off the battlefield.

Looking around the tent once more, she saw her gear had been neatly arranged—Falchion sitting in its sheath, though notably cleaner.

Owain must have cared for it while I was out… Lucina smiled. Her cousin was quite the weapon enthusiast; which sounded like a useless trait, but when it came to discerning quality weapons over others—Owain was unrivaled. Too many times had Lucina noted Owain correct soldiers on their weapon care, chiding them for not properly polishing them. It was small, but it was this sort of eye for weaponry that made them able to use their swords, axes, and lances for longer than typical.

"Oh, yer awake!"

Lucina smiled as Brady—one of children of the Shepherds and one of her closest friends—entered. The son of nobility had one of the more rough faces of her inner circle, but he was nonetheless one of the most gentle souls she knew.

"You've been out for awhile, y'see. Was worried that I weren't gonna be a good enough healer…" Brady sighed. "You took a darn good blow to the noggin, your highness. Ain't as good of healer as your aunt Lissa, or even… my ma… so weren't sure you'd ever recover."

"Nonsense, Brady." Lucina comforted. "I couldn't be in better hands." Brady smiled sheepishly in response.

"Heh, thanks, your majesty. I guess I really need to believe in my own ability."

"Please, you know that I don't mind if you just call me Lucina, we are friends after all."

"Er, sorry…" the priest scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Guess it's one of those things that my ma hammered into my noggin. 'Always address royalty with dignity and reverence'. She'd probably give me an earful if I ever addressed you by name, your majes- er I mean Lucina."

The bluenette nodded understandingly. Brady's mother was definitely overbearing, but she had nonetheless cared for him; Brady himself attests to this—him having a great love for his late mother probably enough proof of the bond between the two. Lucina saw the pain that Brady was hiding behind his jests; all of her friends knew the pain of losing their parents.

"Well…" eager to change subject, Lucina spoke up. "How long have I been out?" A grave look on Brady's face formed.

"Hate tell you this, Lucina, but you've been out for three weeks…"

"What!?" Lucina's jaw dropped. "Three weeks?!"

"No! I'm joking!" Brady quickly amended. "Jeez, forgot you got no sense of humor…" Lucina grimaced.

"I have a sense of humor…" she muttered under her breath. "Okay, so how long was I actually out?"

"Eh, three days—nearly four." Brady replied, this time seriously.

"Three days? All from a blow to the head?" the bluenette raised a brow.

"Count yourself lucky, there've been people who've been out for much much longer. Naga blessed you for sure, you were concussed—pretty badly if I do say so myself. The fact you were only comatose for three days is either a sign of divine healing beyond all of our understanding, or a testament to just how tough you really are." Brady explained. Satisfied with the clarification, Lucina moved to get to her feet only for Brady to stop her.

"Hey, easy there!" Brady chided. "You may be awake now, but you're still recoverin'. You gotta rest."

"I have duties to attend to, I have lead the troops!" Lucina protested.

"Yeah, you have a duty to your troops to fully recover." Brady forced the princess back down onto the mat. "Not gonna be any good leading if you collapse while strategizing."

"But-"

"Don't worry about it." Brady soothed. "As much flak as we give Owain for his… er… Owainess… when you need him to lead in your stead, he really rises to meet the call. Let him take over for a bit—just a day in fact. You'll be better after a few healing sessions and a nice days rest, you have my word."

Though she was hesitant, Lucina relented. Lying back down, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes. Dozing off, she slowly embraced the warm comfort of sleep.


Writer's Notes

Hey, I actually managed to release this chapter before April! Considering the crap that I've been put through these last few weeks, I actually am really surprised that I managed to motivate myself into finishing this chapter. All I can really say—without divulging too much information—is that there is nothing that can't be overcome with a little tenacity. Eh... you guys didn't come to hear me complain about how life kicks your ass on a daily basis.

Second chapter of the Gangrel Arc, and still no sign of our hero! For now, our heroine—Lucina—will have to fill the role of main protagonist. Anyway! This chapter has been the absolute most difficult one to write. I had to come up with basically everything in this chapter. I mean, this entire story arc is technically original, but this particular chapter was a challenge. I do hope that it met expectations. Here are the "behind the keyboard" stuff if you're interested!


Behind the Keyboard

Cut short - If it wasn't obvious, I cut this chapter in half. If I released it with the other half that was axed, it would be the longest chapter by a wide margin. That's not the main reason why I seperated it from this part though. There's a fundamental shift in the structure of the chapter, and it's a jarring one. It goes from an semi-solo story with short flashbacks of Lucina's life before the apocalypse to... well you'll see next time.

And the father is... - I've been shying away from revealing the ships/pairings for the story, mostly because somebody is bound to get annoyed about my choices. Since this is a flashback centric chapter, I had to avoid mentioning any of the parents—sans Chrom and Lissa—by name. Of course, if you read carefully, you can probably figure out who's children are who's. Some are more obvious than others, such as Lucina and Cynthia—definitely gonna recieve some flak for pairing "her" with Chrom—while others are too vague. Still, I'll be impressed if anyone actually manages to predict any of my pairings.

The fight was not only rewritten, but longer - This one is self explanatory, the action sequence during the final flashback sequence was much longer. Instead of starting directly in the middle of battle, the scene was going to begin with the Risen attacking a refugee camp that Lucina and Owain were defending. There was going to be a whole thing where Lucina was going to lead a group of soldiers and flank the Risen. Afterwards, there would be an extended battle where we'd see Owain and Lucina holding out until reinforcements arrived. Reason that I rewrote the battle is because it felt bloated—extended beyond what was necessary.


Reviews

Neema Amiry

Not dead yet! At least I think... eh this year's not exactly been friendly. Still, not gonna die until I at least finish this fanfic!

kerrowe

Glad to be back! Trust me when I say this, NONE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME DURING THE END OF 2018 COMPARES TO WHAT HAPPENED TO ME FOUR WEEKS AGO... I will leave it at that...

pt1oef

Happy that you enjoyed the last chapter. There are probably going to be at least a few that don't like the story, and character pairings. At the very least, I'm glad that you—alongside the many others that support this fanfic—enjoy it so far.

Lutemis

Well, you're right it is a pretty overused trope… I'll admit, my execution of it leaves a lot to be desired, and you have an argument there. However, the idea that three weeks is an absurd amount of time for someone to be in a coma is inaccurate. I made sure to research how long a person can be in a coma before I began writing the chapter. From the several articles I went through, it's not unusual for anyone to be comatose for a few days to several weeks; in severe cases there have been people who've been vegetative for months and years.

One must also view the trope from a narrative standpoint; why is it used? What's it's purpose? I may have thrown it in on the fly, but don't think that I didn't even put a modicum of thought into what I was doing.

What could Chrom do if he weren't comatose? What would he contribute? Nothing beyond just being present, as—whether or not he had awakened—would not change the fact that Ylisse was still on the losing side.

Think about the main theme of Chrom's character arc—at least in the context of this fanfic. If you haven't figured it out, because of who he is he has to cope with the fact that people are willing to sacrifice themselves on his behalf; this contributes to a feeling of uselessness that plagues him. I wrote him as a sacrificial hero that can't be sacrificed, because of who he is. So the idea of him being completely off the battlefield for three weeks was sure to make him feel even more inadequate than if he had been awake; at least than he'd feel a bit better because he was actually contributing to the war effort. It's only through Sumia's encouragement that he doesn't let it bog him down.

Speaking of Sumia, the coma gave me a prime chance to develop tiny inklings of a relationship between the two—though not necessarily romantic in nature.

There's more to writing than tropes my friend. It's all about how the narrative can benefit from their usage. So next time you find yourself reading a story that plays the coma card, think about how it impacts the characters, the story, and the theme. Tropes are tropes because of their repeated use throughout countless movies, books, comics, cartoons, and tv shows. Writers use them because they work…

...also because we're lazy.

Thank you for your review, and I seriously mean that. It gave me a chance to blabber endlessly about storytelling, and I always jump for joy whenever opportunity presents itself.

xbox432

Additionally, taking Walter out of the story serves as a method to adding some tension to the story. I mean, Walter is a god among men at this point. It's the reason Walter started the story as an old man and slowly de-aged—steadily increasing in power as greater challenges arose. I guess that's the fun of writing one of these types if stories; people find the prospect of overpowered characters in a world full of people that make them look even more godly is entertaining. Anyway... don't give me any ideas, the idea of toddler Walter may come into play in the future, because of you.


As I said, things have been looking down for the last few weeks. Kind of been hit hard by something personal, and it's taken a toll on my ability to write. Still, I'm glad that I can rely on entertaining you guys with this fanfic, and I'm about to launch another project of mine. You guys probably don't know this, but I'm also an artist—a mostly self-taught one for that matter. I'm also a mostly self-taught writer, as I wasn't exactly the most astute student in school. So where am I getting at with this? Well, I'm planning on writing and illustrating my own manga/comic.

Well, I say write—I've actually been working on it for longer than I've been writing fan fiction actually. It's a passion project of mine, alongside this fanfic, and I've dedicated so much into writing it. I'm hoping that you guys show some support by following me on instagram; I just made an account where I'll be posting a whole bunch of art and stuff. The art will include character designs for the characters of my own original story, as well as whatever I feel like drawing; I may even release a couple of drawings of scenes from this fanfic. Either way, I'm just letting y'all know about this since you guys all have a right to know; a consumer/audience should always be informed.

What does this mean for Walter Dornez of the Emblem? Not much actually! I'll still be releasing chapters of this fanfic; I reiterate that I won't abandon this fanfic, and I'll be seeing it through to the end. I may even release a comic version of this fanfic if I have the time—a bit ambitious but not impossible. All I ask is that you guys follow me on instagram, seeing as it'll not only help me get some attention, but you'll be able to get even more daily updates on whatever I'm working on at the moment!

So if you're interested, you can find my instagram @wizard_cant_name_things

Thank you guys for your continued support, it means a lot to me—more than I can express. You've heard it before probably, but I really do mean that. Anyway, sorry for dragging this on for so long, didn't mean to bore you guys with the essay. I'm worried I actually am coming off as really pushy... if I do I apologize.

Thank you guys again, and I will see you guys next time!


Next time on Walter Dornez of the Emblem!

Tragedy of a Lost Time